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Location: Mammoth, CA
Snow Conditions: Mixture of hardpacked icy conditions to soft packed slushy conditions.
Setup: I rode the Never Summer Infinity with my Union Team bindings and Vans Veil Boots size 8.
Size: 154cm.
First Impression: Continues to be the women’s SL – ride anything board
Weight: average.
Flex: The Never Summer Infinity is NS’s all mountain freestyle board for women and the flex matches that, it’s a medium flex board. Not soft, not stiff – just in the middle of the two. Torsional soft between the bindings which gives it a quick responsive flex and longitudinally stiffer from nose to tail. Stiffer nose that lets it charge and ride through choppy conditions and a softer tail that helps give it some freestyle fun. The Infinity features RC technology which is reverse camber, rocker and camber, rocker between the feet and camber just outside of the bindings.
Turning: Whether you want short or long radius turns, the Infinity does both without issues. The softer torsional flex helps for responsive short radius turns and the longitudinal flex from nose to tail gives it the stability for long drawn out turns. The vario grip helps on edgehold for the hardpacked icy days.
Stable: It was really good to be riding the 154cm size for the Infinity, definitely more my style and handling on the mountain was more stable. The conditions were mostly spring conditions, hardpacked in the morning and softer slushyness in the afternoon, the Infinity did fine on both. The vario grip helped for the icy hardpacked days and in the slush, the dampening on the board helped it cut through and not be bounced around.
Pop: The infinity can handle park riding and the jumps are a blast on it. Good pop and the softer tail for pressing makes it very capable of park laps.
Switch: The Infinity is a directional twin, the flex is twin but it’s setback with the sidecut and stance so there is some adjustment but you get used to it quickly. I’ve ridden the board enough that it feels fine riding switch, still forgiving in the handling.
Overall Impression: The infinity is the women’s SL and a good all mountain board for a female rider. It’s on the intermediate side for women but it’s a board you can grow into and develop with. It’s not as stiff or aggressive as the lotus and it’s not as soft and freestyle as the pandora.
Shay’s Honesty Box: It didn’t feel like anything changed in the NS Infinity for 11-12, it’s still that all mountain freestyle board for women. I happen to enjoy a stiffer flex so I spend most of the winter on my NS Lotus but the Infinity is a great board for an upcoming all mountain rider.
Ready to buy? Head over to evo for the Never Summer Infinity or shop their full line of Never Summer snowboards
On Snow Photo
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Never Summer Infinity description (click on it to pull it up)
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Review Disclosure: This board was given to me by Never Summer Snowboards.
Caroline
May 2, 2012 at 11:00 amHi Shay,
I have been riding a Rome Blue for the last 6 years or so and absolutely love my board, it’s great for speed, playing in the powder, trees and steeps but I am considering getting a new board and was just wondering how the NS Lotus compared to the Blue? This season I also spent a little more time than I usually do in the park and would really like a little more flex on my new board as the Blue’s a little stiff when trying to lift the nose/tail however, I don’t really want to compromise on the quality of the Blue. I was also wondering how the Infinity compared to the Blue? Are the Lotus and Infinity lighter and more flexible than the Blue? I will always favour powder over the park but I am wanting to try a few more tricks so I probably do need a little more flex with the new board however saying that, I don’t really want to find I get a new board and am disappointed when it comes to riding powder/steeps.
Thanks.
Shay
July 26, 2012 at 5:16 pmAbi,
Great question! As far as I know nothing changed from 11-12 to 12-13 so if you rode the 2013 model and loved it, you’ll be just as fine with the 11-12 model. Only changes would be graphics.
Shay
July 26, 2012 at 5:23 pmCaroline, Awesome on the blue! Great board from Rome. Lotus is very similar riding to the Blue except in the shape/design features. Both are meant for freeriding with different specs involved but freeriding is the main purpose of both boards. Infinity is more freestyle, all mountain riding than both boards. In terms of lightness, I don’t know which boards would be lighter than the other. If you keep your Blue, having the Infinity would be a good side board for playing around more often while still keeping your Blue for powder/freeriding days. Are you able to demo any of the boards at all this winter?
Becca
September 20, 2012 at 6:51 pmHey Shay! I am currently in a dilemma between the Never Summer Infinity, or the Pandora. I’m an intermediate rider, and starting to learn park. I already have a Roxy Ollie Pop that is perfect for the hard pack/slush we get in Virginia, and does okay in the more fluffy stuff elsewhere. Which board do you think would be better for learning to progress in the park, and still being able to ride in most other conditions mountains can throw at you? I’m 5’6 and 140 lbs, and I notice the Pandora only goes up to a 149…I usually ride around that size but have been considering bumping up to the next biggest one (which means I would have to get the Infinity), would a bigger board be better or worse for progressing into park territory, or should I stick with what I am already comfortable with?
Shay
September 21, 2012 at 7:39 pmBecca, Have you taken your Ollie Pop into the park or is there a reason you don’t think it’s suitable? Are you just looking to upgrade your board? Infinity would be most similar to the Ollie Pop while still being capable of mtn riding. Pandora is park, so it’ll be softer and won’t handle the rest of the mountain as strong as the infinity or ollie pop. For park size, a 149 would be fine if you just planned to ride it majority in the park. What size are you riding now?
Becca
September 25, 2012 at 4:55 pmI’ve taken it into the park a bit, but I think I want a board that’s a little softer too to play around with (plus my boyfriend can get great deals on Never Summer, so hey, might as well!). It’s sounding like the Pandora would be a good choice for me. Right now I’m riding a 147, so a 149 wouldn’t be too much of a difference. Do you have any bindings that you recommend? I wear a size 7 boot.
Tamara
January 3, 2013 at 9:36 pmHi Shay-I dig your blog, very helpful! I have been boarding about 18 years, my favorite local mountain is Northstar at Tahoe, but I board in Aspen every year (Highlands being my favorite there). I demo’d a Never Summer Infinity in Aspen last year and could not believe how much better my riding was and how smooth the board was. I was able to do some very technical narrow, tree/mogul runs with my ski buddies and also hold serious speed carving. I loved the board. But after reading your reviews and many of the comments, I am thinking a Lotus may be even a BETTER fit. I love to carve and I love speed. I enjoy going through the trees, and hitting ungroomed territory. I am not interested in the park at all. I will ride a lot of groomers for sure, but I will definitely be doing moguls, powder, trees, and maybe a jib every now and then. I like to ride with the guys, and I’d love your thoughts on the Infinity or Lotus for me? I rode the 151 demo, and it felt right. I am 5’5, 132 pounds…..thoughts on Lotus vs Infinity?? Help!
Happy 2013
Tammy
Shay
January 4, 2013 at 6:13 pmHi Tammy,
The easy choice would be the Infinity since you already love it. But the Lotus definitely offers a more freeride specific ride, stiffer, more dampening, better handling than the Infinity so it’s a tough call. I would see if you can demo the Lotus from a local shop in CA or CO to know for sure.