Snowboard Review: 08-09 Never Summer Lotus

Location: Majority of time at Steamboat, Colorado as well as other mountains over Colorado. I’ve had the Lotus in my possession since early January and it is my main snowboard.

Snow Conditions: Basically every condition possible this winter: Slush, hard packed, ice, bumps, groomed runs, powder runs, light powder, heavy powder.

Setup: I’ve been riding the Never Summer Lotus with both sets of my Rome Madison bindings (06-07 & 07-08) and my Vans Omni Focus boots.

First Impression: Honestly I’ve been waiting for this board when I first heard about it last season that NS was going to release a women’s premier. I have wanted to ride it since then and so by the time I got on snow with it…I was stoked from day 1. The board is breathtaking in person, I don’t pay too much attention to graphics (hence why I don’t review graphics) but it’s a beautifully made snowboard. It rides as good as it looks.

Size: 157cm

Weight: Average women’s weight.

Flex: I consider the flex in between the old premier and the new premier F1. It is a softer flex than the men’s versions. But it has a multiflex camber making it easy to turn on while still stiff enough to freeride with and stable at speeds. Stiffer tail so when you riding powder, it holds you consistently as you lean back. Softer mid flex allowing the easy turn initiation. Since the flex is different longitudinally, it gives you a variety that allows for all mountain riding. Torsionally, it’s stable with some give to it.

Turning: The Lotus takes on the turning of the new premier F1 making it easier to initiate turns. Once you are on edge, you can power into each carve, holding the speed and then powering out ready for the next carve. With the narrower waist designed for women’s boot sizes, you can quickly adjust from edge to edge on each turn. I have no problem laying over quick short turns. It was nice having such a quick response when you get close to other riders and need to avoid them downhill.

Stable: I’ve been riding the 157cm as my everything board, in so many conditions. I’ve only had one moment in moguls where I felt out of control and really that’s cause I suck at huge moguls. At faster speeds, the dampening holds you stable as it absorbs the conditions.

Pop: I like that with a stiffer tail you can roll back and spring off to pop some ollies. Since I ride a lot of halfpipe with it, I’ve found myself having to control the pop at the deck to make sure I don’t make flat landings but it’s great when I’m riding a halfpipe with undervert where you need to pop to stay in. The dampening really comes in handy during halfpipe, I’ve had moments where I’ve thrown a 360 that sucked ass and this board saved me from a scorp’d fall of death.

Rails: I am not a rail rider by any means but I took my Lotus on a couple smaller rails which handled fine. Even on wallrides, you can still come up to butters or with the light swing weight, throw spins. With a stiffer tail it takes more effort to butter the tail, I found it easier when I’m doing butter presses in circles on the mountain.

Switch: The Lotus is a directional board with a softer mid flex giving you a board that still can ride switch. I’m also used to riding directional boards switch but I had some fun day here in Steamboat riding switch on the groomers.

Powder: I’ve been able to spend some powder days on this board. I was really surprised at first with how well it floated through some heavier powder. It’s got a slightly tapered, dual-radial sidecut which in powder makes it super easy to stay above and still make sweet powder turns.

Pipe: I’ve spent a lot of time in the halfpipe with this board and it’s my new all mountain do everything board. Since it’s a stiffer freeride board with more aggressive sidecut you can really hold a edge on it and power it through which works great in the halfpipe. My only downside with it in the halfpipe is it’s set back stance so I can’t center the bindings on it which means i’m riding halfpipe with more nose than tail.

Overall Impression: My favorite board has been the Never Summer Premier and now it’s been replaced with the Lotus. I had a hard time putting this board down to ride the other Never Summer’s that I should be riding more. Similiar to the premier but with a narrower waist width, this board excels in everything the premier did.

My only issue is the stance, I ride 22 inches and I haven’t maxed out the stance but I’m definitely at the far ends of the inserts (I have mentioned to NS to widen the stance inserts giving more opportunity for preference). In halfpipe I wish I could center my stance a bit more but with the setback it’s harder. Even with that, the board works for me. There’s a lot of give involved and it lets you have that forgiveness on the mountain.

It’s been my do-everything board. No matter what the conditions are or where I plan to ride on the mountain…it holds its own. I’ve spent days in the trees, hitting branches, stumps and this board is still in great shape. On powder days, I know it won’t sink me and in the halfpipe I know it’s gonna let me progress.

Shay’s Honesty Box: My only grudge is the stance and I told NS that as well. I love taking this board in the halfpipe but with having the setback…it’s not as fun as I know it could be. I’d like to see more stance options, wider stance and be able to center it up…even on a directional board.