2006-2007 Snowboard Review

These reviews were done over a period of time, from 05-06 season in Washington to the early 06-07 season in Colorado. Each review is judged by the same standard and for the majority of reviews I used my own boots (some exceptions).

During demos I try to stick to riding the same size board of 157-159cm with the exception of some female boards which come in smaller sizes. I have the weight to back up riding a men’s board, however I do try to ride women’s boards in the longer lengths.

About me as a snowboarder:

• I’m coming up on my 12th season snowboarding: 11 seasons in the NW and 1 season in Colorado.
• I am a freerider (I ride trees, powder, steeps, groomers, natural terrain) and I ride halfpipe.
• I am 5’6″ and typically ride a 158cm for my all mountain board, my powder board is a 161 or 164cm and my park board is a 155cm. I weigh about 200lbs give or take.
• I am a regular rider with a 22 inch width, +15, -15 stance angles.
• I wear size 8 womens snowboard boots.

My opinion is only my opinion…of how these snowboards rode. Take it as you want. If you are looking for more snowboard reviews, go here

2006-2007 Snowboard Review

This list goes by brand alphabetically.

06-07 Atomic Cold Smoke: This board rocked, I was a bit nervous about riding a 160cm in the spring at Whistler. But conditions were perfect with new powder. The board cut through anything given to it and was an awesome ride. I was really impressed with how hard I could ride it and how much it could take. Only thing I noticed was it was a heavier board that I was used to. Regardless for a board that is not a high end snowboard, it had great performance and a solid board for any level snowboarder.

06-07 Bitchboard H20:I got sent this womens board to ride and give the company feedback. I rarely ride womens boards anyway…so I’m always weary when I take them out for the first time. First off this is the smallest board I have rode in a while (151cm) and with my weight, it should have been a noodle but in fact this board was pretty dang stiff. It can handle freeriding because of the stiffness and flex, but I could not press the board for the life of me (on snow or in the bedroom). Ultimately this board in my opinion, excels most for aggressive pipe riding. The construction needs work and I was riding a board that is an early release. Overall it needs work and I think you can find better boards for the price of this one.

06-07 Burton Custom X: I was able to take this board out at Winter Park on the perfect freeriding day where I could just bomb runs and make laps carving S turns in the mountain. I was impressed with the board, it rode smooth and handled everything with precision. Very light board as well. It cut through the snow conditions, quick response and quick edge to edge. I wasn’t able to take the board into the pipe but it’d be interesting to see how it handles.

06-07 Capita Black Death Speed Tribe (BDST): I own the Black Snowboard of Death which died when the Black Death Speed Tribe was released. I was able to ride this board at Whistler during demos and compared to the BSOD it’s more freestyle…softer flex. But it was still Stable through bumps, chopped conditions, ice and hard packed that Whistler offered that day.

06-07 Flow Team: I was surprised at how light this board was compared to the others boards I took out on the same day. I rode this board at Whistler and this board was able to handle every type of terrain that day. It was easy to initiate turns and carve on edge; this board could hold an edge and take you for a ride. The flex for a 160 was perfect, not too stiff but not too soft. It handled groomers, bumps and slushy terrain with ease and cut through anything. It is definitely not a beginner’s board, but a more advanced riding machine. Perfect amount of pop and fun to Ollie. For an all-mountain freerider who loves park and pipe, this board is definitely suited for you.

06-07 GNU Carbon High Beam: I was able to ride this at my home mountain and I was really impressed with this as a GNU’s price point board. This is definitely a solid board for any level rider who wants a board that can handle any terrain. You can ride groomers, pow, slush, and crap and it does fine. This board is worth more than you pay and that’s rare in the industry.

06-07 GNU Riders Choice (with magne traction): This was the first board of the day at Winter Park for demos and I was glad to be on it early on because it allowed me to test this softer freestyle board on harder icy surfaces that Winter Park offers in the early morning. In terms of me riding it, it was a softer flex board than I prefer but still a stable ride, easy initiation to turns. I didn’t notice it give away or not handle higher speeds and the edge hold was solid (it has magne traction, it better be).

06-07 K2 Eldorado:I rode this board at Winter Park and I found this board very fast and good for bombing. It was really fun carving up the hill at high speeds and digging into the snow to hold that edge solid. Only thing I noticed was the weight, it felt pretty heavy. I didn’t feel ever that the board was unstable anywhere on the mountain.

06-07 Lib Tech Magne Traction: This was an interesting board to ride from Lib Tech. I’ve rode and owned magne traction and this has the more discrete magne traction, less serrated edges than the other models. It’s noticeably less grip on the snow than the other boards with the regular magne traction. Still a fun board holds high speeds well and fun to initiatate into turns.

06-07 Lib Tech TRS (with magne traction): I was definitely having fun making the turns and bombing runs with the TRS. Good flex, easy edge to edge and I didn’t mind the magne traction on it because conditions today were icy in spots so I was able to hold an edge and not skid out. This board can ride anything given to it. Definitely a solid all around board overall. On ice, the magne traction comes in handy but I’d prefer it without the magne traction.

06-07 Lib Tech Jamie Lynn Phoenix: This board reminds me most of the old BSOD I have. The half cap construction you can feel when riding, it grips the snow and holds the edge once initiated which I like a lot. I found it surprising stiff but the torsional flex was fine. Butters were easy on this board and rode stable at all speeds.

06-07 Never Summer Infinity:The women’s equivalent to the SL. This board killed, super light and fun, easy to butter and press with but still held great turns and once on edge. I had a great time riding it at Loveland and boming down the lower mountain. Awesome at high speeds and in powder. Quick responsive board. Any women rider would be happy with this all mountain freestyle board that can handle any terrain.

06-07 Never Summer Premier: Very solid freeride board, I was pressing with this board and had no problem even though it’s supposed to be stiff. Fun for carving, I took it in the trees and had a wicked time through the powder. Very good freeride board. To this day this is one of my favorite boards to ride because of the functionality of the board, it’s a stiff board but the flex allows you to take it all over the mountain and it’s still fun to ride.

06-07 Never Summer T5: I was riding the 163 and damn… this board kills for charging and bombing down the hill, smooth and responsive turns. I had to avoid a couple kids on this board and was able to quickly respond and ride out without killing them. I didn’t find it that stiff of a ride but I’m used to stiffer boards.

06-07 Never Summer System:Rode this board at Stevens, as their price point board it is not bad, I just wasn’t impressed by it. It was kicking me after carves (I was rocking a smaller size, 156cm) but it just didn’t hold its own. But as a basic price point board it’s not bad, but for anything more I’d invest in one of their better boards.

06-07 Never Summer Titan:Stiff board for sure, but this board kills at high speeds and charging down the hill. Decent response and quick edge-to-edge even still. Turns are slower on this board than the T5, which is fine. Definitely a charger board. I didn’t have a chance to ride the 06-07 in pow…but I have rode the 07-08 in pow. Looking back on this demo, I actually rode a stiffer version than what was released to the public and I think I surprised the demo booth guys that I took out the 164cm Titan and could ride it.

06-07 Never Summer Heritage: Impressive board overall…but softer than I would like for a freeride board. Did handle very well on groomers and at high speeds. Responsive and fun to do tricks with. I enjoyed doing tail presses down the runs here at Steamboat.

06-07 Ride Decade: I thought for an all-mountain board it could kill everything and I was wrong. I found it too torsionally soft, the flex was weird and I hated that it couldn’t grip on the ice at all; the board would kick and slide. It was okay edge to edge and carving but seriously expected more from it.

06-07 Ride Society: I didn’t find the Society that stiff, handled fine for freeriding, fine to tail press, on hard packed ice it was wishy-washy and didn’t really get a good grip. Decent but nothing spectacular in my opinion. I didn’t find that slime wall too helpful in this board, still felt chatter during freeriding. Solid at higher speeds.

06-07 Rome Agent: Had a chance to take our a friends agent closing day at A Basin and did not regret it. I was really impressed by how this park board rode outside on the groomers, handled great at high speeds, could cut through the slush and crap spring conditions. I was surprised by the weight of the snowboard, I rarely notice snowboard weight but I definitely noticed it with the agent. It was a fun board, fun to press and butter with.

06-07 Salomon Prospect LTD: This is a really fun board, can handle any terrain in the park or freeriding and a very poppy/buttery board as well. Had fun riding switch with it and popping tail butters. Overall killer board for all mountain freestyle.

06-07 Technine Ruijin: I was told it was all mountain/freeriding board…but when I got to riding it, it was the softest noodle I have rode all season. It was really not a fun ride because the board was catchy, no stability and the flex was too soft. It really couldn’t handle anything given to it on the hill. I swear this is the only board i’ve ever rode that was suited for all mountain…that has bucked me around like I was riding a Bull in a Cowboy Bar.