Snowboard Review: 10-11 Burton Joystick

Location: Mammoth, CA

Snow Conditions: Hardpacked to icy groomers.

Setup: I rode the Burton Joystick with Burton Cartel bindings and Vans Veil Boots size 8.

Size: 154cm.

First Impression: Stiffer than the Hero but with a similar riding style

Weight: Average

Flex: The joystick had a noticeably stiffer flex than the hero but that’s a good thing, it delivers up a quiver killer board.  Stiffer tail that holds a lot of power in the board, softer nose than tail and longitudinally has medium stiffness to it.  Torsionally some give but not a soft board torsionally.  It’s poppy, snappy and lively through the core of the board. The nose and tail are scooped so butters/presses are still easy despite the flex. The V-rocker is a 3 point rocker, between the bindings and on the nose and tail at the contact points making it less likely to catch and with the rocker between the feet, easier to press.

Turning: Easy turn initation on the joystick and you can pop from one turn into the next, especially powering through on the tail of the board.  On the turning, I found long and short turns good but also the board was just ready for the next one. Once on edge, it’s stable at high speeds and you don’t feel even close to washing out on it.  It just grabs the snow and stays smooth on edge.

Stable: The stiffer flex of the joystick made it a lot more all mountain freeriding capable and just smooth sailing on the slopes.  It wasn’t overly aggressive but with just enough livelyness to keep you on your toes and it rode as hard as you wanted to.  It was a good stable ride down the mountain and if you encountered some chop, it cut through it and handled.

Pop: This board has pop and a very lively snap to it.  Definitely suitable for jumping with and I’m on the small jumps but it was a blast taking off the jumps and landing comfortably on it.  It made jumps easy for me.  The butterability on the tail isn’t as much as the hero but that’s also the stiffer tail of the board but it makes landings incredibly stable.  You could still press/butter the board, it’s not a stiff board by any means but it’s not a noodle.

Switch: The joystick is a twin shape with a directional core so it does ride different when you are riding switch but honestly I wasn’t bothered by it.  It was an adjustment but nothing crazy.

Overall Impression: The joystick takes the mountain by storm for those wanting a stiffer ride than the hero but with the same V-rocker and similar features to the hero.  Despite being a stiffer ride it’s still forgiving and not as aggressive as you’d expect.  Of all the demo boards, the joystick and cartels were the best match for all mountain dominance.

Shay’s Honesty Box: I’ve been a fan of the Hero since I first rode it but the joystick definitely might have taken the win with a stiffer option that is just as good for mountain riding.  If I was looking to ride a Burton all the time, this is the board I’d ride.

Ready to buy? Head over to evo for the Burton Joystick or shop their full line of Burton snowboards

On Snow Photo

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Burton Joystick description (click on it to pull it up)

Review Disclosure: I rode this board at a Burton demo day.