GNU Head Space Review: Forest Bailey's Freestyle Twin

GNU Head Space is Forest Bailey's freestyle true twin: a camber-dominant C3, Magne-Traction and a flex of about 5-6, for street (riding in the city: rails, stairs), park and the whole mountain as one shared playground. Who it is for: demanding freestyle snowboarders and skaters on the mountain who want a soft but tough board. Here is the model's history, how it rides, which size to take and how it compares to the Off Ramp, Money and Riders Choice.

Snowboard Science ep. 4: C3 Hybrid Camber - camber with a barely there rocker

The Head Space is Forest Bailey's board, where snowboarding and skateboarding merge

The GNU Head Space is the brand's typical freestyle model, built around Forest Bailey's style and ideas. For Forest the line between snowboard culture and skateboard culture practically does not exist: street, park, groomers and natural obstacles become one shared playground. He also draws the board's graphics himself: the artwork on the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 generations is his.

GNU calls the Head Space "Forest's mind-expanding freestyle twin" and a "proven street conqueror," a board proven on the street that handles every freestyle situation at the resort or out with friends. The model's slogan is "Knows the street, rips the resort, plays with the park."

Since 2023/24 the Head Space is a classic pill-shaped twin, after years as an asymmetric

For many years the Head Space was an asymmetric twin, with an asymmetric sidecut like the Riders Choice. With the 2023/24 generation GNU returned it to a classic pill shape: a rounded nose and tail, identical in both directions, and a setback of 0. The brand describes it as "a classic freestyle pill shape from his beautiful mind." That made the board simpler and more predictable: the same on the toe and heel sides, the same forward and switch.

The construction also changes through the seasons. Doychin writes G Lite 2 aspen/paulownia and Carbon Power Bands. According to GNU's pages for 2023/24 and 2024/25, the wood core is aspen and paulownia with triaxial/biaxial fiberglass and no carbon; Carbon Power Bands only appear on gnu.com for 2026/27. For our 2023/24-2025/26 boards the first applies: an eco core with FSC certification, an Eco Sublimated sintered base and Magne-Traction.

C3: the camber keeps the board lively and poppy, and the soft flex forgives

The shape is a twin and the profile is a camber-dominant C3, while the flex is about 5-6/10 (the 149 is 4.5, and the 155, 155W and 158 are 6). It is soft and bends easily, but the camber does not let it go limp: it springs and gives a lot of pop. The mild rocker between the feet relaxes the edges a little, so the board forgives more than pure camber while keeping its spring.

The softness helps with presses, balancing on a press on the nose or tail, and rails, and it absorbs hard landings and the chopped-up terrain in the park. And on hard and icy snow you keep control thanks to Magne-Traction: on an icy kicker, on the hard edge of a rail, on the morning piste.

Snowboard Science ep. 5: Magne-Traction - the edge that bites into ice

Soft but tough; playful but not characterless: a board for demanding freestyle riders

This is a real board for demanding freestyle snowboarders and skaters on the mountain. The Head Space is not a board for the first day on snow: the C3 and the sintered base demand a rider who already masters their edges. But it is also not a stiff machine for the park only for big jumps. It is for someone who looks for lines everywhere: a ledge beside the piste, a fallen tree, the steps in front of the hut, a rail in the park.

Outside freestyle terrain the Head Space also rides an ordinary piste well: the camber holds in carving, and Magne-Traction protects on hardpack. In deep snow a twin shape with no setback is not the strongest place to be; there a directional board is more suitable.

• Forest Bailey
• twin (pill shape)
• C3
• setback 0
• Magne-Traction
• aspen/paulownia (eco core with FSC certification)
• triaxial/biaxial fiberglass (2023/24-2025/26)
• sintered base
• flex about 4.5-6
• park / street / freestyle

Size: 149 for lighter riders, 155W for a big foot, 158 for speed

For street and rails, freestyle riders often take a shorter size: it spins and presses more easily. We have the 149 (from 45 kg, flex 4.5), the 155 (from 55 kg), the 155W with a 26.4 cm waist for boots from EU 44 up, and the 158 (from 60 kg). We also have the 155W and 158 from the 2025/26 generation, the GNU Head Space 155W 2026 and the GNU Head Space 158 2026, and the 149 and 155W from 2023/24 as the GNU Head Space 2024. Enter your weight and boot size and we will show you which of the available sizes fits.

Head Space vs. Off Ramp, Money and Riders Choice: which one for whom

Lib Tech Off Ramp is the closest relative from Mervin's other brand: also a twin for street and park, but with traditional camber and a flex of about 7: stiffer, with more pop, more stable on big landings. GNU Money is the easier and more affordable freestyle twin: a C2 hybrid profile with more rocker, for someone who is only entering the park. GNU Riders Choice is an asymmetric twin, exactly what the Head Space was before 2023/24, with more technology and plenty of pop.

Frequently asked questions

How to choose, and where to try it

If you already ride freestyle confidently and look for lines everywhere, from a rail in the park to the edge beside the piste, the Head Space is the choice. If you want a stiffer, springier twin, get the Off Ramp. If you are just entering the park, get the Money. Come to our shop at 6A Golo Bardo St. in Sofia or call us at +359 887 800 575 and we will show you the board in person and pick the size together.