Conditions: Overcast skies with some wind opening up into full bluebird skies and temps that warmed as the day went. Fresh snow off the runs and a moderate dusting on the groomers.
Flex: With what can only be described as a past middle of the road directional freeride flex you have clear defined flex points in this board. Sure the nose is softer and that’s to be expected with the shape and the rocker in there. But right inside the front binding insert pack it has this noticeable flex point that is softer than the rest of the board. Then it goes back to its predictable flex and outside the back insert you hit another clear defined flex point but it isn’t as noticeable as the one inside the front inserts.
Stability: The flex, camber, shape, and width of this board make for a very smooth and predictable ride. This board at speed barely has any chatter in it and what chatter there is you won’t notice it. In chopped out terrain it just plows through everything as if you’re driving a muscle car over a garden hose. It has this smooth feel the whole way in any type of terrain but still retains a subtle and nuanced liveliness to it.
Ollies/Pop: The snap is there and you do have to load it up to get it to engage. While not the snappiest powder deck on the planet it is predictable which makes it easy to launch off a cat track into a pow field or hit a small pillow and just pop into the white room.
Butterability: The nose while longer and having a rocker section makes you think it would be easy to lock in a pow butter with. It’s not, this boards shape makes you really leverage your weight out over the nose and still work for it. The camber kicks in once you do this and will start to fight you. On the tail go fast and press hard because you’re basically doing a wheelie with it.
Carving: This is where this board sticks out from others in the pack. It has this smooth roll from edge to edge that makes you feel like you’re on cruise control but then you hit that defined flex point inside the front insert pack and you can really hammer into the center of this board and drive it. This changes the dynamic of power carving as you’re steering inside the front foot and pushing off that rear flex point to snap out of a carve. You can lay this thing over when you need to and it just cruises through everything in its path. Short subtle carves to mellow ones are easy, but when you hit the gas and drive hard that’s when this thing takes over and rips.
Rider in Mind: Resort ripping powder carver.
