Snowboard Review: 08-09 Rossignol Retox

Location: A-Basin, Colorado

Snow Conditions: Bluebird with hard packed conditions

Setup: I rode the Rossignol Detox with my Rome Madison bindings and my Vans Omni Focus boots.

First Impression: It looks like a bag of fun which the artistic flare and lets see how this nose/tail ride.

Size: 153cm

Weight: Average weight

Flex: I wish I could have taken it in a halfpipe because it handled stiffer between the bindings with a softer tail for easy buttering and presses. The nose was a tad stiffer which allowed it to be fine freeriding with. I was impressed that it wasn’t a soft noodle for a freestyle board but a freestyle board that could handle the whole mountain.

Turning: The retox was detuned so it was not catchy or hooky when riding. For a twin freestyle board, it rode fine on groomers. I felt confident laying it over into each carve. The retox features a deep progressive sidecut allowing you to lay into over into quick short turn carves.

Stable: I took the retox through some choppier conditions which handled decent, definitely if I had picked it up to higher speeds it would have been a bit less stable.

Pop: You could load up onto the tail and pop ollies off the shovel nose/tail without any problems. I did find it funny to press with at first but then grew into it.

Switch: The retox handled great riding switch, felt in control and stable on both edges. I was centered and so riding switch was no problem.

Pipe: A-Basin doesn’t have a halfpipe so no halfpipe riding.

Overall Impression: It was interesting to ride with the shovel nose/tail on the retox…I still liked the snowboard which offered up a solid ride in the conditions for the day. Stable for freeriding with some give to handle freestyle tricks. As a new board for Rossignol’s 08-09 line-up it’ll be interesting to see how it’s handled, the design is rad and artistically creative.

Shay’s Honesty Box: Fun ride and handled A-basin but didn’t totally win me over.