“Rocker adds fun, camber delivers high speed stability…the best of both worlds” is Never Summer’s motto for 10-11 and they certainly struck gold with the R.C Technology combined with quality, hand-crafted boards out of Denver, CO. It’s been a journey to see Never Summer grow outside of Colorado but the snowboards speak for themselves and whether it’s park, powder or freeriding there’s something for every rider in the line-up.
For 2010-2011, Never Summer crafted their rocker & camber technology to their freeride boards with a re-vamped Raptor (aka Titan) and Heritage giving them a new NS SuperLight woodcore and extensive carbon reinforcement (Carbonium Laminate Technology). Basically the boards are lighter, powerful and charging the mountain. The Raptor features a new directional rocker with longer front camber and rear shifted rocker so you still have carving performance but with increased powder flotation. New sizes in store are the 153cm for the SL and 149cm for the Pandora.
Never Summer Premier and Evo
[singlepic id=7674 w=600 h=900 float=]
Left to Right:
Legacy, Evo, Revolver, Lotus, Infinity, Circuit, Pandora, Infinity, Heritage
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Left to Right:
Raptor/Raptor X, Heritage/Heritage X, Premier F1, SL, Legacy, Legacy, Evo, Revolver, Lotus, Infinity, Circuit, Pandora
[singlepic id=7672 w=900 h=600 float=]
Here’s a video with Tracey Canaday, co-owner of Never Summer talking about the new and improved Raptor (aka Titan) for 2010-2011
2010-2011 Never Summer Raptor from Shayboarder on Vimeo.
Despite not taking home a certain award last year, Never Summer proudly wore t-shirts saying “Shredpress Innovation of the millenium!” for their rocker & camber technology.
Shredpress innovation of the millenium…it’s a real award
[singlepic id=7675 w=400 h=600 float=]
timmy
February 10, 2010 at 7:31 amAnother nice looking line up from the best company around. Anyword on the difference from last year to this years sl’s/legacy? I heard theres a diff, but it may not make it to production? Whats the diff?
ghostovan
February 10, 2010 at 8:48 amWhat’s about Heritage being a board with “deep sidecut”? Is it still there? (It seems to differ from the rest of the line in turns.. forums say)
Marcus
February 10, 2010 at 10:10 amI just got back from Ispo and NS has got a killer line up for next year. The boards are oozing quality.
Kimchi
February 10, 2010 at 3:00 pmGhostovan: Heritage specs have not changed according to marketing materials I’ve seen. The flex was adjusted from a 7 to a 5.5., not sure if that’s a recalibration of the scale, a correction of a mistake, if it’s genuinely softer, or so combination of the above.
Next year’s Heritage is sick. Really stoked for next year’s product.
heckler
February 10, 2010 at 7:45 pmGreat Quality of boards, BUT the ugliest graphics and colors of all time! Year after year Never Summer finds a way to push people away from their boards! Come on! Get it together and just run a basic graphic or something that doesnt hurt the eye.
Andrew
February 11, 2010 at 3:51 pmI just rode my first rockered board a couple of weeks ago, the Ride Slackcountry. I fricken love it, its like they’ve been building boards wrong this whole time. Powder floatation was effortless, and I was able to absorb impact from chewed up snow with ease. That being said, there were a few moments I was unsure of where my connection points were with the ground. On a couple of occations I found myself bracing for impact, when suddenly I pivoted on the rockered center and avoided disaster. Rocker plus camber seems very interesting. If it lives up to its potential and we truely get the best of both worlds, the Raptor could be a very interesting ride indeed.
pat
February 12, 2010 at 12:01 pmWhat heckler says,
Only the evo and the revolver are looking nice every year but the rest is so boring.
I ride the evo 2010 and its gooood.
timmy
February 14, 2010 at 9:50 pmwhy shay shay, no say say?
NS SL-R for $400, should I? - Page 3 - Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums
February 15, 2010 at 7:45 am[…] Originally Posted by tecknojoe How do you know? Have you seen it, and if so, where? Never Summer Snowboards 2010-2011 – Shayboarder.com […]
NS SL-R for $400, should I? - Page 3 - Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums
February 15, 2010 at 7:52 am[…] Posted by tecknojoe How do you know? Have you seen it, and if so, where? Never Summer Snowboards 2010-2011 – Shayboarder.com South of the North: 2011 Never Summer […]
gags
February 15, 2010 at 10:10 amKimchi,
The Heritage is a different flex than prior years……not quite as soft as the SL, but definitely softer than last seasons Heritage, with a lighter core, new lightweight carbonium topsheet and different carbon VX pattern internally. Just rode one out a Mammoth and it was insanely fun and the best graphics on it since the first season it came out.
Francis
February 17, 2010 at 5:32 pmHi,
I am very curious about the New NS Raptor 159cm for 2011.
What I am reading so far, it is now in my list to replace my Lib Tech Lando 160cm 2009 (2 seasons now)
It should be more agile, light, faster base and with the Vario Grip good as good…
What do you think and when you will have your review on this one?
Thanks
Shay
February 18, 2010 at 10:01 pmFrancis, awesome to hear you are considering it. I have been riding a softer version than what’s released to production so my version won’t be reviewed but I should be able to get on the production version later this year.
Francis
February 19, 2010 at 5:06 pmHi Shay,
Thanks, I will wait for sure… also I just went to the website of Jones Snowboard and this will be for sure and other on my list the Flagship or even the Mountain Twin…. Too many good choices for next here…
My concern it will be nice if you could clarify the differences you see in terms of riding and feeling for all the Hybrid Camber for next year (2011)… Like a global review tech between: Camrock, R.C., C2, Gullwing, Wavelenght, flying V, Freeride FK and so on…
Thanks
Greg
February 21, 2010 at 10:08 pmShay,
Love your site!! Been casually checking in for a while and always leave feeling like I have gotten really good info. Thanks for that! I am riding the 09/10 Premier F1 and have not seen quality quite like it before. This board has changed my level of confidence and the amount of fun that I have on the hill.
Questions: Does the 10/11 Premier F1 have any functional changes? Looks like the changes are graphics? Have you ridden the new Raptor? Thoughts?
Shay
February 24, 2010 at 7:03 amFrancis, rad to hear! I’ll try to get on a jones in the future as well. That would definitely be a fun review to see all the camber/reverse camber options. I’ll do to do the main list again for this year.
Greg, Thanks! I’ve been riding the Lotus which has not changed for 10-11 so I’m assuming that the Premier F1 has not changed either since it’s the men’s version. But I”m sure Gags might chime in here and give a heads up if it has and I’ll find out as well.
I’ve been riding the new raptor as part of testing but I was riding the softer flex version than what’s coming out to the public. The lightness is apparent and the new topsheet is sick, overall I’m impressed with the ride and I can see how the stiffer version is just going to charge. I’ll get on it for review later this season.
Greg
February 24, 2010 at 12:35 pmThanks for the info! I am looking forward to your Raptor review.
Colin
February 26, 2010 at 12:44 pmShay, great site. I’ve been riding NS since 2000 and won’t ride anything else. My first RC was a blank deck SL-R prototype in 08 (I still have it) and I was hooked on rocker immediately. The rocker revolution has been an exciting time in snowboarding and NS may, or may not have been the very first to come out with reverse tech, but definately has the leading edge in design and quality. This year I have 2 new SL-Rs that ride way kick ass, and a new F1-R that I haven’t even ridden yet because Hood hasn’t gotten enough snow this year (Lame) to justify breakin’ out the 172. It seems like NS keeps tweeking the design each year just when I think it couldn’t get any better! I go to your site because you live and breath NS and have all the inside info on all their newest stuff. Keep it up.
Colin
gags
February 28, 2010 at 10:17 pmGreg,
no real change in the F1 either for this year…it was dialed in after several iterations on the RC prototype of it and we are stoked on the way it rides now.
BTW Heckler and Pat…graphics are subjective and opinions on graphics are infinite, but many of the retailers that have been working with and selling NS for the past 10 or 15 years have told us this is the best graphic lineup they’ve ever seen from us. If you don’t like it that’s fine because at least you know the boards will ride insane, and that’s what stickers are for anyway.
Basic Graphic or colors that don’t hurt the eye? Look at the SL, Legacy, Raptor and F1….nothing too crazy on any of those at all in my humble opinion.
Just spouting and defending my art director….I love this lineup across the board and the feedback from the most critical of our partners backs it up. Every graphic is appropriate for the niche the board fits. I hope your powder days are deep whatever your board looks like.
timmy
March 1, 2010 at 7:46 pmRaptor, F1, Heritage and SLR all look dope as hell.
Jersey Jay
March 2, 2010 at 7:24 amHave the 2009-2010 F1. Asolutely love it. What’s wrong with the graphics? I love them. Talk about stupid graphics, the Lib techs have sock puppets and goldfish. NS’s vario grip and RC are the best around. Super happy with there boards. My wife got the Lotus and loves it as well! From what I understand the F1 is the same just different graphics. They didn’t want to change what wasn’t broken. AND WHY SHOULD THEY CHANGE PRFECTION!
Greg
March 5, 2010 at 8:33 amgags,
Dialed in on the F1 is an understatement! How will the Raptor be different other than graphics and weight?
Tina
March 25, 2010 at 6:53 pmI also think that this years graphics are pretty sweet! I was going to buy this years Infinity but I was really sad that I the graphics didn’t fit my personality so I decided to wait on it even though the boards where on sale on certain websites. I’m glad I waited.
I love how clean the 2010-2011 infinity looks. Nothing too feminine about but still looks like a women’s board.
I’m a canadian and a friend of mine just started riding the SL-R. Seeing his the smile on his face going down the mountain is making me very anxious to get one of my own.
Ca-Pow
March 26, 2010 at 10:50 amGreg,
When will your demo schedule for the 2011 be posted? Will you have any in Ca?
Thxs,
Ca-Pow
Fatbob
March 27, 2010 at 7:10 amAny idea where I can get next year’s specs for the Raptor X and Heritage X?
Vasya
March 27, 2010 at 3:19 pm@Fatbob here you go:
http://snowboardingjapan.blogspot.com/2010/03/never-summer-2010-2011-catalogue.html
gags
March 30, 2010 at 7:25 amGreg…sorry this took me so long…the last few weeks have been crazy with the focus on the orders coming in and all.
The premeir F1 sidecut finishes with a tighter radius on the tail than the nose…..more making a “j” out of the finish of the turn. The raptor inititates with a tighter radius and finishes with a slightly less deep curve making it so you finish the turn more down the fall line…..also the Rocker part of the RC is shifted back a bit more….the camber on the tail is shorter and on the nose it’s longer, but that actually makes it a bit snappier poping off the tail.
Come ride one and go your board/F1/raptor at one of our demos…we’ll be doing some early season ones in the Rockies, and we have one the 9th of April at Winter Park. The best way to tell if you like a board is to ride one a few laps and compare it to you original setup. Thanks for asking!
Greg
April 2, 2010 at 11:58 amgags,
Thanks for the info and for taking the time to respond. A few days after I had asked my question to you I was able to get my F1 out in powder for the 1st time. Man I was impressed. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to float. It shifted all of my focus to fun. I will do my best to make it out to CO next season to demo the raptor.
Thanks again,
Greg
Brad
April 3, 2010 at 12:58 pmWith ref to Heckler’s mention of Never Summer’s graphics “the ugliest graphics”. Im loving the sound of the Never Summer SL 2011, but the graphics are not so good, such a shame, doesnt put me off the board but i do appreciate half decent graphics, they dont have to be complicated or cleaver or on trend – just done right.
Im also wondering how the SL compares to the YES 159 Rocker Twin Tip or the Jones Mountain Twin, i think one of these will be my new board later this year : )
Also thanks Shay for your really useful website!
Brad
Shay
April 4, 2010 at 3:03 pmBrad, I should be able to get on the Jones mountain twin in a couple weeks so I’ll let you know. I’ve only ridden the YES 156 asym and need to get on the SL to compare for you.
Funny to see the different opinions on the graphics.
Brad
April 5, 2010 at 3:11 amHi Shay, that would be awesome, especially the mountain twin, ill keep on the lookout for updates.
Yeah graphics is a tricky one, doesnt help that im a graphic designer! Some of the N.G graphics are pretty good but they just dont have that edge that other brands have..i dunno maybe thats a good thing in some ways, so many boards have graphics that are to good!
Bruce
April 12, 2010 at 7:49 pmHey Shay, I demo’d the 10/11 SL 158 @ Mammoth and had a blast, it carves great, is quick in transition and floated in the pow. Jeremy & Taco at Olympus hooked me up with an 09/10 SL-R 158, which I rode for two days @ Mammoth. I’m 50 and don’t do the park thing at all. I’ve been on a 162 Nidecker Project FS for the last few years and have to say that the NS was just as tight and solid on everything I hit, as my Project, but the NS was a lot easier to carve and no comparison in pow, I’ve basically avoided trees & pow for years; that ends next season when I hit it with my new 58 SL (B&W graphic). Wasn’t sure about R.C., but I’m a convert now.
As to ‘ugly graphics’, I loved the ride of the 09/10 SL-R, but the graphics were a bit subdued, I love the hi-cont B&W graphic of the NS Eagle on next years SL, I’ve already pre-ordered my new ride! I’ll take a stick that rides like this SL over any ‘cool’ looking board with average performance, NS obviously knows where to focus!
Paul
May 29, 2010 at 9:11 amTim and Tracey have been putting out the best boards with the best R & D around. I have been on Never Summer boards for over ten years, and every time I demo other boards it reminds me why I ride Never Summer. They always seem to be ahead of the curve, they had the best tech board on the market, their rocker design was above all and still hand made in the USA. A word on the graphics, to each his own, but their all siiick. but, no matter what it looks like, NOTHING RIDES LIKE A NEVER SUMMER. Thanks for all the cool pics Shay, your always the first site I check to see what I’m pickin up for next season. Hey, where you stand on bindings, Rome or Union for next year? Figure you got the scoop on Rome’s tech improvments for this year?
Chris
August 26, 2010 at 11:47 amShay, Gags, and Vince,
I have last years Evo 158. Great board by the way! My only problem is I don’t feel that stable when hauling. Im wondering If I should sell the evo and grab up a new Sl, grab up the 161 evo or do I just need to step up my riding ability? Thanks guys love your boards and Shay love your site!
Shay
August 26, 2010 at 12:12 pmBruce, awesome to hear your story with NS!
Paul, Thanks so much! With Rome or Union, I think you both get a solid binding. Rome 390 Bosses were a favorite this year at demos and stoked on their tech improvements while Union consistently put out a solid product as well.
Chris, I can definitely see that. I ride my evo in the park but for most of the winter ride the women’s lotus to have some more stability so I can see riding another board for the stability. Definitely the SL would give you more stability than the evo but also depends what you plan to ride more often, if you still ride park or freeride the mountain. SL is a good all mountain in between board that does it all.
Matte
August 27, 2010 at 1:54 amGreat site and awesome boards! I’ve been riding 08-09 161 SL-R for two winters, and it’s a real killer in pow! I’d like to test this year’s F1, looks promising.
Martin D.
August 29, 2010 at 7:40 amHey Francis,
I rode a 2011 Raptor in 159 for the last month of the season. My comments are here:
http://www.goneboarding.co.uk/Forum/2011-boards-a-review-of-some-of-next-years-toys/ThreadID/33850/ShowThread.aspx
Hope it helps!
Martin
Jerry Dinsmore
September 4, 2010 at 4:39 pmAll this talk about board graphics .. I bought my Never Summer for the quality of ride and construction NOT for how “pretty” it looks … I got my Never Summer board to ride not to look at … I see a Raptor in my future.
Bruce
October 3, 2010 at 10:39 pmHey Jerry,
I ordered my Never Summer SL for the way it rides too. After demo riding the board at Mammoth last Feb. I had an order placed the next week. In my 30+ years of snowboarding and skiing, I had never bought the new years model of anything, (skis, boots, boards).
It was a phenominal ride, but while I certainly bought it for it’s performance, it doesn’t bother me in the least, that the graphics are HAWT! The Black on White Eagle logo is really a sharp, clean and (I think) edgy top deck. I don’t need the really crazy graphics that a lot of other companies seem bent on putting on their sticks.
Mike Metal
December 14, 2011 at 1:25 pmI demoed a 2011 Evo earlier this year and fell in love with it. Had to wait til I had some extra cash to buy it, and now I can’t find it. I want the 2011 model (anything available around 153-ish) in white, not the 2012 model. There have got to be some extras somewhere! Where can I find it?! Already spoke to Never Summer and another place that seemed like they may have had some left, but no luck. Also checked ebay, but it only had a 119 kids’ size… so still no luck! :[ Any help would be amazing… I’m desperate!
Shay
December 14, 2011 at 7:58 pmMike, maybe put up that you want to buy it on forums and see if you can find someone who knows of a shop or someone who has it. NS boards go pretty quick each year, supply and demand. They got the demand thing down and only supply so many to keep the demand high.