A good rider can ride anything and make it look good but a good snowboard can influence a rider in so many ways. In 2003, I found out just how much the relationship between board and rider can matter. My season ended after 10 days when I tore my ACL but somehow those 10 days on the mountain were incredibly great because of a single board I fell in love with. That board was the 03-04 Capita BSOD that still remains in my closet, still rideable and a constant reminder of how something so minimal can matter so much.
Since then I’ve watched the Capita BSOD grow, change and develop through the seasons. I’ve enjoyed some years and not enjoyed others but it’s always been a board I respect for what it did back in 03-04. At SIA in January, the BSOD was introduced for it’s 10th anniversary edition with an upgraded attitude of dominance. I soon found out on snow that my favorite board in 03-04 was back better than ever for 10-11.
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I’m happy to say that for this season, I’m back on the board that created my passion for snowboarding. The 10-11 Capita BSOD was the last item I packed up as I left Seattle and now it’s home with me in Mammoth waiting for the snow to fall. There are many journey’s that a snowboarder can make whether it’s traveling to new resorts, riding new gear or learning the fundamentals of riding. Sometimes one board can make the difference in a season, even if it ends up being your worst.
Have you ever had a board that changed snowboarding for you?
Ever encountered a board that helped you develop or just make that season much better despite some bad experiences?
Phil
October 7, 2010 at 7:42 amI think most riders go through a phase at some point in the early years where their skills finally come together and they begin to carve, rip, and charge the mountain hard for the first time. That free ride board that is by your side for that wonderful passage becomes a trusty friend like your first big wave board. Then it seems a lot of riders go through a phase of riding freestyle boards hard on the mountain for years developing other riding skills. It’s always fun to come back to the roots of snowboarding – turns, good mechanics, just riding. The Bataleon Enemy got me stoked on free riding again a few years ago. It just felt great to put a board up on it’s edge, feel it load through turns, dolphin out of carves and just basically rip trenches. It made me fall in love with just charging all over again. Every real snowboarder should have a good free ride board in their quiver it’s a duty to the sport.
tooscoops
October 7, 2010 at 8:23 amfor me, no one board has ever stood out as making my day that much better… the two closest were over ther last couple years.
first, my arbor element. size was important. i went from starting with a 155… slowly got a bigger board till i grabbed the element at 161. in ontario people thought i looked odd with a big board… but when no one was able to keep up with me, it just felt right! that board has been my favourite yet. speed, style and just overall feel… unfortunately, some damage in whistler has made it my spare now that the base has been fixed. it made me want to try some bigger boards just to see if i could still handle them in the glades.
the other board was my scaremaster. one of the first days out, i got a concussion due to just not feeling right… i’ve eventually got a better feel of it, but it made me realize how different boards can feel.. they may look “the same” to people who don’t ride, but minor changes can really alter the ride. 6 cms smaller, different sidecut and different flex all made the master feel more manuverable. while it hasn’t been my favourite board, it has shown me that the board can really make a big difference… it won’t turn you into a great rider, but it can really help you get to that next stage of riding if you choose correctly.
Brek Leines
October 7, 2010 at 9:16 amIm so excited to get mine, just waiting for the force mc’s to come in
Lee
October 7, 2010 at 9:33 amOne of the boards that changed my season was the Seven from Burton. That thing fit me like a glove and I felt like my riding was amped tenfold. The graphics that first year were the best ever.Absolutly loved it.I could and did conquer everything I wanted to that year. It made me grow in ability and confidence.
The second board that did that for me was my Charlie Slasher. When I moved to Washington I needed a pow board. Having no need for one in michigan i grabbed charlie when the season started out here. My first day at Stevens waist deep in pow was nothing short of amazing. Rooster tails and some serious floating down the mountain left me wanting more. This board made it super easy for me to enjoy that feeling.
Supercollider
October 7, 2010 at 11:00 amNitro shadow, I think 2001. Blew my mind.
Marcus
October 7, 2010 at 11:37 amThe absolutely biggest change for me was 6 years ago when I replaced my Drake F-60 bindings for a pair of Flux. Riding was all of a sudden comfortable and cutting edge at the same time!!
Ann
October 7, 2010 at 4:14 pm07 Burton Feelgood.
I actually found an end of season demo board for half price, a 156 that looked brand new , top sheet and bottom.
I was in heaven. That board now has a bad hole in the core and I hope to get a good repair job this winter.
That board took me from insecure and timid to “go-get-em!” and riding powder like a crazy woman. Very nice.
Mike
October 7, 2010 at 9:05 pmI went through a series of bad to mediocre boards and was never really satified with any of them. Then one day my brother in law pulls up to tell me that the Never Summer demo van just pulled in. I rocketed down and was in line before the easyup was errected. Not knowing much about the line up, I chose a first season Heritage. The dude said it would be a great choice for all mountain, but I can’t lie, I picked it cuz I really like the polar bear and colorado flag graphics. Two turns off the lift and I already liked it. It felt like the board I should have been riding all along. We just connected. I grabbed one right away and for 3 seasons I rode a first season board with serial number 3. The Heritage encouraged me to explore runs and types of boarding I had never thought I was capable of and my growth as a rider was amazing (well at least to me). I eventually outgrew the boards capabilities and moved on, but I’ll always remember that stick as my mountain slayer and will probably always have an NS board in my quiver.
Erik Woodennail
October 7, 2010 at 10:18 pmSame board as you shay. 03-04 CAPiTA BSOD 156. Loved that board. I’m sure I’ll love the new one even more.
Susannah
October 8, 2010 at 5:51 amA few years ago I upgraded from a Burton Troop to a Never Summer SLR 155. The new board transformed snowboarding for me and I began to love it so much I started going all the time. Now I ride 40 – 50 days a year, and that much riding combined with the awesome board has helped me progress so much. With a bigger, heavier, and rockered board my confidence went way up in big bowls, trees, and high speed (relatively!) carving. Last year I added Flow NXT AT bindings and now my set up feels perfect. I love my board! And finally there’s a dusting of snow on the high mountains here in Colorado – almost time to ride!
Colin
October 11, 2010 at 8:16 am2002 Never Summer SL 158. In 00 I bought my first N.S. and it was toward the end of the season. All they had left was a Premier 161 so I went with that. It was a little stiff for my all around board. In 01 I bought a SL 161 and liked the flex and turning capabilities, but decided that a 161 was kinda in between sizes for me. In 02 I got the 158 and that was the one. I remember my first two runs on it feeling kinda weird but by the third run down it all clicked perfectly. I’ve always got a 158 SL on hand.
Ted
October 11, 2010 at 6:57 pma 00-01 Option Signature. I rode that board for 100 days and sold it to a guy I rode with. The guy I sold it too complained that it was still to stiff for him. Sadly, I never was able to track it down after he sold it again. I finally found a board to love again last year, with the NS F1-R.
Snowfox
October 14, 2010 at 1:12 amI started out with a Ride Control 162cm for the first board that was ever truly mine. I liked it and still use it, but it didn’t really make me feel very comfortable on the mountain. For a freeride directional board it’s fairly flexy so I felt every little bump and anytime I would try to bomb it I got very nervous (which would then usually lead to a wipeout, causing more nervousness the next time… vicious cycle, haha).
I then saw an Atomic Radon 164cm for sale on snowboardingforum’s swap forum and picked it up for $150. I hated the bindings, but the board gave me a lot more confidence as it feels like the equivalent of a tank! Snow piles that the Control would buckle over were smashed through with the Radon. It’s not the most nimble thing, but it’s a hard charger that really helped me push my abilities so I could improve.
I do still keep my Control around to keep me honest, but if I had to pick between the two the Radon wins hands down. It also helps that I’ve gotten more compliments on its looks than the Control’s, haha.
Hanh
October 14, 2010 at 10:03 amSounds relly nice shay super jealous, mine would probably be the 04-05 capita shapeshifter. it just felt like home when i strapped in