Location: Winter Park, CO
Snow Conditions: Hardpacked to softpacked to icy groomers.
Setup: I rode the Burton Easy Livin with Burton Lexa EST bindings and my Vans Veil size 8 boots.
First Impression: It’s definitely not the same easy livin I rode in 09-10 but I’m not feeling that it improved much.
Size: 155cm
Weight: average
Flex: The Easy Livin has a stiffer longitudinal flex and since the last time I rode it, I thought the torsional flex stiffened up a bit. Stiffer tail and nose that wasn’t easy to press. In the past I thought the board was medium flex but it seemed stiffer than medium flex. The Easy Livin for 2012 has camber humps which has a central contact section between the bindings, camber underfoot and rocker on the tip and tail section for catch free and float.
Turning: Despite being a midwide and a bit slower edge to edge, once on edge the turning handled very smooth down the mountain. It was very predictable and forgiving ride despite being a stiffer flex snowboard.
Stable: The easy livin is a midwide which made it a lot more stable for me freeriding and handling the mountain’s bumps/chop. I felt the slower edge to edge control which made me a bit more careful in tight circumstances but it definitely handled the conditions holding carves without slippage.
Pop: For a stiffer board, it had good pop in the tail and snap to it but was a bit more effort required than usual. The pressability/fun factor was noticeably not as easy and a bit more difficult to press overall.
Switch: The shape is a true twin but with a directional flex but it wasn’t a noticeable difference riding switch for me.
Overall Impression: In the past the Easy Livin has been a great stiffer option for all mountain cruising, it was stable with good edgehold and overall solid. This time around it was still very stable but the overall ride didn’t feel as much all mountain freestyle. Obviously with the width it’d be a slower edge to edge but I noticed it felt sluggish overall on many levels, the stiffer flex handled but it didn’t ride to impress.
Shay’s Honesty Box: I thought the new Easy Living rode a bit dead to me, it excelled at going fast and was stable but there was no life in it. I loved the Lexa EST bindings but the Easy Livin definitely didn’t live up to my expectations for having fun snowboarding. The biggest change since the last time I rode it is the switch from
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On Snow Photo
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Burton Easy Livin description
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Review Disclosure: I rode this board at the SIA on-snow. Please be aware boards may change, this review was done in February 2011.
Phil
April 27, 2011 at 7:29 amI’m not sure who Burton has this board aimed at. I’m not impressed. I’ve been through all of the Unincs and Easy Livins and it seems like the board needs a dedicated brand manager to pay attention to it and dial it in.
The Signal OG blows it away. I think Signal stepped in, worked harder, paid attention and stole Burtons lunch in that mid flex all mountain freestyle category. I haven’t found a single board in the Burton lineup that comes close to the OG. Maybe the early Customs and Uninc but they were all alot heavier with much less pop.
I think Signal is making the best all around board on the market right now, and I’m sorry Shay but I think it beats out my Bataleon Goliath, especially with a more nimble waist and more boost factor.
Francis
April 27, 2011 at 8:16 amPhil
Are you working for Signal? 😉 teasing you
About edges on Icy terrain (like East coast) for Signal compare to Magne traction or Vario Grip…
But I really like the Every third Thursday … so cool 😉
Phil
May 1, 2011 at 9:55 amHi Francis. No I don’t know those guys at all but I’m glad I bought one of their boards on a whim.
I have to be careful how I express this but I think the OG (if sized right) carves a lot harder than magnetraction or vario grip. But I think traditional edged boards with the right waist width, sidecut, and quality steel edge can “feel” like they rip harder than the mag boards.
I have a YES board and have owned an EVO and other Mervins. I don’t like magnetraction or variogrip because I think it F#*ks with the smooth, deep, rip of a continuous edge. Your body will adjust to anything you ride; but I find mag and vario like having hand brakes on a mountain board. For me it’s overkill, grabby, a little rough, and takes away that subtle sweet feel of the edge on hardpack (east coast). I can’t imagine ice skating with mag or vario – I personally love that feeling of edge contact. The mag on my YES is the most palatable for me, but I greatly prefer (like East Coast boardercross riders) a traditional edge for riding here. I sharpen every second day out and my OG holds a great edge and is a pipe, all mountain destroyer.
You have to keep in mind that “holding an edge” becomes less important as you progress as a rider and your technique becomes dialed. I know a lot of guys who kill here on the “ice coast” with 2 degree park bevels and dull edges. I think a mag edge “can become” a pain in the ass as your riding progresses and you want a board that is a little more free for you to express yourself on. I think mag can also mask fundamental problems with technique, if you care about that kind of thing.
If this helps I feel more “secure” and shred ready on the OG than any other board I have ridden except maybe my Nitro WIIG. But The OG is more fun than the WIIG without giving up performance. The pop on the OG is scary on small east coast jump lines, like a pogo stick.
Mike
October 22, 2011 at 9:21 pmYou are giving the board a bad review. First off, it’s a mens board, built to handle the way a man rides. Not saying you prob can’t rip, but it’s too much board for you to handle because yoyr height and weight does not suit the way the board is made. The sidecut is off, your bindings and boots are too small for it, the radial and tortional flex is all out of whack. Next time you review a board, how about you stick to one made for a female and not just pick one out because you thought the graphics were pretty. You don’t see me riding a Burton Lipstick and complaining it’s too narrow and soft and chattery at higher speeds.
Shay
October 22, 2011 at 10:33 pmHey Mike,
Thanks for your comment and let me clarify some things. I’ve ridden 31 men’s boards just this year (probably over 200 total of men’s boards in my snowboard career). I am very comfortable riding men’s boards and have the weight and experience/skill to back up riding a men’s board (just not the penis part). My boot size does fine on the ww of men’s boards as you can see in the picture, see how the bindings aren’t too small for the board. In terms of flex, sidecut and all the other comments, I know a lot more about board specs in terms of how they handle and the variety of board specs from men’s to women’s. I am also the only person to review all these boards, compare and discuss specs/flex while making sense. I’m a bit confused as to why you feel female snowboarders don’t have that capacity or the ability to ride men’s boards. As for a bad review, only a bad board can get a bad review and if you read the review you’ll clearly see what reasons I didn’t like the board but also a full review of how the board rides. Companies can take a good product and change it to a completely different (and not better) product.
So maybe next time you leave a comment, don’t judge a book by the cover and don’t assume that because I’m a girl that I don’t know snowboards, don’t know how to ride and pick boards on graphics. That’s insulting to all female snowboarders out there.
Frank
October 23, 2011 at 7:41 amPhil
I will take a look of the OG and yes I am completly agree about your analysis of edging here… It is true that mag or others are not for everybody and can give you the feeling of too much or digging on hard pack fresh groom… thanks to clarify and I know everything come first be the rider not the snowboard.
Shay, I am agree about your review here! Did not ride this snowboard but I did ride several Burton before and not suprise about this review… Burton like to be too much noodle and freestyle for me… but I like their innovation sometime and they try to progress…
Kyle
December 17, 2011 at 3:25 amHi there i don’t agree with the dead feeling you say this board has I’m not saying your an unexperienced or not an advances rider. But it dose take the more advanced rider to bring this board to life. It dose have a stiffer flex to previous years and now camber humps makes it a completely different board. But for me it rides steady in the pipe and especially when I’m playing on the 50+ kickers and the camber humps flying V profile dominates in the crud and pow. I like the stiffness with the combination of flying V.
Its not a relaxed board by any measures as you can see what Danny davis dose with this board and you have to push this board to get the best out of it.
When you refer to this dead feeling do you think you feel as if its because of the rockered tip and tail…