2011-2012 Snowboard Review

Each year, the goal is the same. To ride, review and describe how a snowboard rides to the average snowboarder. These aren’t boards put through Alaska powder riding or 80 foot jumps, these are boards ridden at resorts in varying conditions and reviewed by the same standards each time. Each season I hit the slopes to review the boards you want and as the only reviewer, you know what to expect when the review gets posted up. This year I was able to borrow boards from brands, ride demo days and ride a ton of boards before they came out to the public. If you want to know more about how the reviews are done, check out my behind the reviews post.

So far I’ve rode a total of 38 2011-2012 snowboards: 31 men’s boards and 7 women’s boards. The majority of snowboard reviews were a mix of rocker/reverse camber from various companies and a smaller percentage were camber. This review will be updated throughout the season as I demo and test more 11/12 snowboards. Each review is judged by the same standard and for the majority of reviews I used my own boots.

If you have a specific snowboard you would like to be reviewed please request it in the comment section.

About me as a snowboarder:

• I’m coming up on my 18th season snowboarding.
• I am a freerider (I ride trees, powder, steeps, groomers, natural terrain). My park riding is progressing more and more each year, jumps, rails, boxes and pipe.
• I am 5’6″ and typically ride a 156cm for my all mountain board, my powder board is a 161cm and my park board is a 151cm. I weigh about 200lbs give or take.
• I am a regular rider with a 22 inch width, +15, -15 stance angles.
• I wear size 8 womens snowboard boots and feel comfortable riding both men’s and women’s bindings.

My opinion is only my opinion…of how these boards rode. Take it as you want. If you are looking for more snowboard reviews, go here

2011-2012 Snowboard Review

This list goes by brand alphabetically, to read the full review click on the name. I’ve added some key parts to this review that should give a good idea of the review highlights, my own personal yay or nay and Shay says (which covers if I think the price is right or off)

11-12 Arbor Draft

Overall Impression: The Draft is Arbor’s jib/street/park board, super soft flex and easy to ride forgiveness that’s perfect for park laps to your hearts content. The blunt nose/tail makes you feel locked in on presses and good pop for playful park laps. Some stability underfoot on the board despite being a softer park board.
Honesty Box: If there is one board meant for spring park laps, the Draft definitely is one of those perfect for spring park fun and fun the rest of the year. When the spring park was perfect this year, I took out the Draft and rode everything from jumps, jibs, bonks to boxes. The board’s a bit too soft for me during the rest of the year riding but for park, it’s ideal.
Men’s
Retails for: $316
Shay Says: Price is right for this board
Best for: Progressive park riding
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, it’s a solid park board for those wanting a softer flex.

11-12 Arbor Swoon

Overall Impression: The Swoon is a new women’s board to the arbor lineup, it offers a reverse camber option for the women looking for more mountain riding. In my opinion it wasn’t as aggressive as the push but the push is camber. The swoon did perform on a mix of riding from powder to parks for someone who wants more from their board.
Honesty Box: I was expecting the Swoon to be like the Push in terms of aggressiveness but what I found was the board was more forgiving (which is typical of reverse camber) but with some similar familiarities about the board. For the first year, it’s a good step but I’d like to see it take it to the next level for women and challenge riders a bit more.

Women’s
Retails for: $440
Shay Says: Price is right
Best for: Women’s All Mountain Freestyle – Progressive Riding.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Nay, a bit too easy for my preferences but still a good board.

11-12 Bataleon Goliath

Overall Impression: The goliath is that do-everything, ride-everything board that handles it all. It was a perfect board for the cruisers, playfulness and stability. Just all around held up through the riding and made it a blast with the TBT.
Honesty Box:Sorry Riot love you but when it came time to tell Snowboarder Magazine what my top 3 boards were at the on-snow. The first board that came to mind was the goliath. TBT has always been a favorite technology for its adaptability from carving to playfulness and the goliath was the ultimate all mountain freestyle board at the demos.
Men’s
Retails for: $449.95
Shay Says: Worth the price.
Best for: Ride everything Bataleon board.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, this board was one of my favorites this year.

11-12 Burton Easy Livin

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.
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.
Men’s
Retails for: $529.95
Shay Says: Overpriced for how the board rides
Best for: Stiffer all mountain freestyle
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Nay, save yourself the bucks and buy the older version.

11-12 Capita Indoor Survival FK

Overall Impression: The Indoor Survival is Capita’s all mountain freestyle destroyer. If you could only have one board in your quiver and wanted to freeride and hit park, this is the board. It won’t let you down.
Honesty Box: I walked into Capita not knowing what board I’d borrow for the weekend. I didn’t know conditions or terrain I’d be riding so I just went with what I knew could handle park or freeriding or whatever I threw at it. That’s the indoor for me, it’s that board I’d ride when I wouldn’t know what I’d be riding. And like the indoor it’s been for me in the past, it’s always held up its end of the bargain.
Men’s
Retails for: $399
Shay Says: Bang for the buck.
Best for: Those who want to ride everywhere without limitations.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, the price is solid and it delivers an awesome ride.

11-12 Capita Totally Fk’n Awesome

Overall Impression: The Totally Fk’n Awesome was a very popular board, it definitely powered through the mountain and was extremely solid on carving. You could just rally the board through carves and have so much fun with it down the mountain. I later watched the board be ridden and see someone else have the fun I had when I rode it, that’s a good feeling to see a board impress so much.
Honesty Box:I love the BSOD and the Totally Fk’n Awesome kept with the same flow but with it’s own ride. It’d be fun to compare them ride after ride. It was a favorite from the demos but I also wish I could have tried the BSOD and Fk’n back to back to really compare the flex better.
Men’s
Retails for: $449
Shay Says: Good price, more affordable than the BSOD
Best for: A very fun freeride board
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, definitely more affordable than the bsod with a similar ride but not as aggressive.

11-12 Endeavor BOD

Overall Impression: The B.O.D is the stiffer park dominating board that can handle the rest of the mountain with ease. It was great on pop and the zero camber gave it that good in between between reverse camber and camber riding. It had stability and pop from camber but with wings, it didn’t catch as easily as camber would.
Honesty Box:The B.O.D was the last board from Endeavor to ride, it was noticeably more aggressive and a dominant riding board than the Boyfriend and Color I had previously been on but that made it a lot more fun to charge with.
Men’s
Retails for: $439
Shay Says: Best bang for the buck
Best for: Handling the entire mountain and park
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Nay a bit too stiff for my park preferences.

11-12 Endeavor Boyfriend

Overall Impression: The Boyfriend is that easy to ride park and freestyle board for women. It’s on the softer flex side but you have the choice between camber/reverse camber depending how much playful/stability you want. The camber version offers up good stability for freeriding out of the park and can still rip through the park.
Honesty Box: I wasn’t sure what to expect with the Boyfriend due to the size of it. But it exceeded my expectations as a women’s park board and ended up being a favorite board – because I thought about not returning it. This board comes in camber and RC, I rode the camber which helped give it stability and good pop. The size ended up being even more fun and playful in the park because it was so quick and responsive but also poppy and playful.
Women’s
Retails for: $468
Shay Says: Price is expensive
Best for: A female rider looking for park to all mountain riding
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay and Nay. Yay I loved this board it was a favorite but Nay the price is high for a park board, definitely it’s a good board but if money is an issue, skip on by.

11-12 Endeavor Color

Overall Impression: The Color is one of Endeavor’s park boards, the RC gives it more playfulness and the carbon fiber gives it a stiffer poppier board for park laps. It’s aggressive and quick to engage into turns.
Honesty Box:Normally I don’t pay attention to board graphics but Boozy was a hit around the office. So much so that everyone loved Boozy, they wanted to take the board to the bar, invite him out for a night on the town but Boozy was always tired from a day of shred. Fun board and the graphics are hilarious.
Men’s
Retails for: $398
Shay Says: Good price
Best for: Fun park laps and those who enjoy funny graphics.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, good price and makes you have more fun.

11-12 Flow Drifter

Overall Impression: The Drifter is designed to destroy the entire mountain. An all around ride with a directional shape and freeride take. For 2012, the Drifter features a collaboration with OG Abel graphics.
Honesty Box: I first rode the Drifter at the SIA on-snow at Winter Park. I was warned that the board was not yet dialed and as soon as I got on snow – it did not riding right. I talked to Flow about how it handled, put the review aside and was able to ride it after it was dialed to production standards. Much improvement! If I had reviewed it, it would have been scathing but finally riding it how it should be, the board rides just like it should and was a much better ride down the mountain.
Men’s
Retails for: $399
Shay Says: Best bang for your buck
Best for: All mountain to freeriding the whole mountain
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Nay, even though it was improved I’d probably ride another board all the time.

11-12 Flow Era

Overall Impression: The Era is the softer park stick from Flow that’s a very easy to ride, forgiving board. It would be a good board for someone just learning to snowboard or those wanting to switch into park riding.
Honesty Box:I ended up riding the Era a good amount which is a good thing, rode it with two bindings and got a good amount of time on it. For the spring park laps, the board was a good fit and just all around easy riding.
Men’s
Retails for: $359
Shay Says: Best bang for your buck
Best for: Progressive riders and those wanting a easy park board for the mountain.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, it was a fun playful board.

11-12 Flow Infinite

Overall Impression: The Infinite is an ideal choice for freeriders looking to cruise, charge and carve up the slopes. It’s a more aggressive ride so definitely meant for a freerider who has turns down and wants the next level of progression. It’s quick engagement and handles the mountain just the way you want it.
Honesty Box:The Infinite is definitely a winter dream ride for hauling down the mountain, it’s a more aggressive dominant freeride board. I wished I was able to ride it during the winter season with more terrain and take it into the trees and powder but it got late spring conditions to try it out on.
Men’s
Retails for: $399
Shay Says: Great price for the board you get
Best for: Aggressive charging freeriding on the mountain
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay for the price!

11-12 Flow Quantum

Overall Impression: The Quantum is Lago’s board, built to be a stiffer freestyle/pipe destroyer but built to handle the whole mountain. The pop cam 3 phase camber gives it a traditional camber feel combined with powerful pop.
Honesty Box:I received a handful of Flow Snowboards to demo and review, all of which had their own qualities depending on the rider’s needs. I found the Quantum to be the board of the bunch that I’d ride all the time. It did the job, it was a stiffer freestyle board and I found it to be one of my favorite’s to ride in the spring slush conditions.
Men’s
Retails for: $429
Shay Says: Not bad price.
Best for: Stiffer end of freestyle riding, pipe master and all around handling.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, this was my favorite Flow board for all mountain riding. The price makes it worth it.

11-12 Flow Verve

Overall Impression: The Verve is one of Flow’s freestyle park boards but it’s also an incredibly good board for riding the mountain and extremely good edgehold for those icy/hardpacked conditions. The softer flex helped make it a very playful board but with key components to make it rideable everywhere else.
Honesty Box:The Verve is that ideal park lapping board and it definitely did me good during the spring time. I was really amazed with how the board did on some shitty riding conditions, it saved my ass.
Men’s
Retails for: $339
Shay Says: Right on.
Best for: Park laps all day long.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, good park price board from Flow.

11-12 Jones Hovercraft

Overall Impression: The Jones Hovercraft looks like that board you only take out on powder day but looks are deceiving, it can handle the resort and groomed runs just as much as powder turns (but the powder turns are heaven of course). Riding it in the deep powder at Mammoth was the best for the conditions, I didn’t want to put the board away. It floated, smooth lines in the powder and was just a blast in the conditions.
Honesty Box:I love reviewing boards while riding with friends because they can see my reaction to a board I get on and have fun on. My friend Steph rode with me during the Hovercraft and saw me totally stoked on the ride, having fun and laying down turns down the mountain next to her on the mountain twin. It held up, made it fun and on those conditions…you know it’s gonna be a damn good ride on the better days when it does good on the crappy days. After being able to ride it again in mammoth, it really proved the point that the board was damn good in pow but could handle the groomers too.
Men’s
Retails for: $399.95
Shay Says: Jeezus the price is right…best bang for your buck
Best for: Powder riding, mountain riding, making yourself feel closer to Jeremy Jones style riding.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay! Seriously under $400 bones for this board, just buy it.

11-12 K2 Eco Pop

Overall Impression: The Eco Pop is a lightweight aggressive women’s board. It’s quick to turn, stiffer flex and can handle the inside of a halfpipe like it’s no one’s business. For the female rider looking for a charging quick board that’s lightweight, this is it.
Honesty Box: The last time I rode the eco pop was in 2009/10 when it was flatline tech at the Good Wood Test so I wanted to try the 2011/12 in all mountain rocker at this Good Wood Test. Last time it won me over quickly but this time I didn’t think it had any personality to it. Too aggressive without the fun factor.
Women’s
Retails for: $450
Shay Says: Price is right
Best for: Women wanting a lightweight aggressive board
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Nay, I think this board is more hype now than quality.

11-12 K2 Fastplant

Overall Impression: The Fastplant is that all around fun freestyle board that’s also good for the environment. You’d actually want to ride this fun deck and keep riding it (while knowing in the back of your mind you are being eco conscious). The new ollie bar gives it additional pop that it made it a noticeably good improvement from last year while still keeping the fun ride.
Honesty Box: Last year the 154cm fastplant impressed me, so this year during demos it was an easy choice to try the fastplant again with the upgraded ollie bar to see how it did in a smaller size and with the upgrade. Last year was good but this year is better, more stable of a ride but still the fun playful bamboo board it was meant to be.
Men’s
Retails for: $500
Shay Says: Same price as last year but with improvements
Best for: All mountain fun
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, the board still stands out for being a great ride.

11-12 Lib Tech Banana Magic

Overall Impression: The Magic Banana can handle it all. If you freeride but want a park board too, this board can ride the whole mountain without feeling like it can’t handle it. The cruising and freeriding, it feels stable and handles carving. Then in the park, it offers up good pop and the enhanced BTX gives it playfulness on the nose/tail.
Honesty Box: The first time I rode the Magic Banana, I liked that it was a freerider’s skate banana. The playfulness and freestyle flavor on a board that can handle the mountain without being loose and squirrely. It’s still that board that I rode the first time and just as fun to keep riding.
Men’s
Retails for: $696
Shay Says: On the expensive side but worth it
Best for: Cruising, freeriding and the occasional park fun.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay and Nay, it’s a good board but also on the expensive side.

11-12 Lib Tech Box Scratcher

Overall Impression: The box scratcher is the smaller size board for the rider wanting powder to park on a smaller deck. Burtner’s riding is always fun and innovative and he brings that into this board, it handles on the groomers, super playful but can take a powder day too.
Honesty Box: The first time that I got on the box scratcher was years ago but even then I knew riding this smaller sized portion snowboard didn’t matter because it handled like a bigger ride. If there’s one small size board I’d ride, it would be this board hands down. It’s not a mindfuck of small sizing, it rides larger than life and makes riding super fun.
Men’s
Retails for: $460
Shay Says: Worth the price
Best for: Those who want to have as much fun as Burtner.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, the sizes are bigger and it still rides park for fun.

11-12 Lib Tech T.Rice

Overall Impression: The T.Rice is Travis Rice’s destroyer pro model snowboard and it shows in it’s handling, stability and how it rides. It’s a board that you can ride park or drop lines on, the board shows no mercy to the mountain.
Honesty Box: I was really surprised on the Trice. The combination of the midwide with my size 8’s required not thinking about it but the Trice excelled so much it didn’t even matter I was riding a midwide. I ended up borrowing the board for a week longer because I was having so much fun on it, that’s a good board. It was hands down my favorite mid wide board.
Men’s
Retails for: $539.95
Shay Says: Worth every penny.
Best for: Mountain dominance for men
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, this mountain destroyer is worth it.

11-12 Lib Tech TRS

Overall Impression: The TRS is a classic in the Lib Tech lineup. It’s name, Total Ripper Series isn’t just a name, it does what it says. It’s a board meant to ride everywhere you take it, park or freeriding or pow. It does it.
Honesty Box:Riding the TRS is a blast, because it just enjoys the ride. It’s a board that can handle the riding you give it but won’t always make you stay on your toes. Last year I encountered the slow base with the TRS but this year I didn’t have that issue and it rode fine with no slowness to the base at all.
Men’s
Retails for: $559.95
Shay Says: Surprised it costs more than the T.Rice to be honest.
Best for: The TRS can handle everything you throw at it.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay and Nay, honestly the price is more than I was expecting but it is a good board, hard to say for sure.

11-12 Never Summer Infinity

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.
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.
Women’s
Retails for: $459.99
Shay Says: Worth the price
Best for: A solid board for women’s all mountain riding
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, it’ll last years but surprised it’s the same price as the Lotus.

11-12 Never Summer Lotus

Overall Impression: The Lotus is the women’s premier, it’s meant to give an aggressive ride for women wanting to charge the mountain and ride with the men. It’s a freeride board that can handle the occasional park/pipe lap. The RC technology is enough playfulness for those rare park days and enough float for the waist deep powder days.
Honesty Box:The Lotus has been my main women’s board in my collection for years and for good reason, it’s a dominant freeride board that handles the mountain. This was the first year I rode the board outside of Steamboat’s light fluffy snow and a good test to see how it held up in some heavier conditions. Quite honestly I rode the board over the past couple months of winter from the waist deep pow days to park/pipe days and it didn’t let down.
Women’s
Retails for: $459.99
Shay Says: Worth the price
Best for: Aggressive female freeride riders who charge
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, it’s built to last and charges but surprised it’s the same price as the Infinity.

11-12 Never Summer Premier

Overall Impression: The Premier F1 is Never Summer’s freeride specific board. It offers a stable ride with good dampening to handle the iffy conditions, it floats in powder with the shape and it’s that board that continues to work for those who call themselves pure freeriders.
Honesty Box: Before the Lotus arrived, this was my freeride board from NS. It is consistently been the same board with minor tweaks, built for freeriding and built to handle the mountain. In the scheme of boards, it’s not as nimble edge to edge as the Raptor (or as dampening), it’s not as playful as the evo or proto and it definitely isn’t the SL, built for all mountain. The Premier is the freeride board, it’s consistent, it carves and it just works just how it is.
Men’s
Retails for: $510
Shay Says: Price is right
Best for: Freeriding the whole mountain
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay and Nay, on the high end of price and the Raptor isn’t much more expensive.

11-12 Never Summer Proto CT

Overall Impression: Definitely an all mountain true twin that delivers up the best of the evo and SL into one board. For the mix of riding jumps to freeriding, this board has good pop and still playful but can get serious when you want it to. It’s not a very damp board so don’t expect it to be absorb chop/bumps as well as the SL does but for cruising park and groomers, it gives you an all mountain ride.
Honesty Box: I was definitely wondering how I’d react to this board since I enjoy riding the evo and prefer the evo over the SL. The proto CT is definitely a board I’d ride all the time because it’s fun but you can still freeride with. It is funny that everyone thinks it’s a chick board though because of the graphics.
Men’s
Retails for: $539.95
Shay Says: On the expensive side but park
Best for: Park to All Mountain riding
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Nay, it’s good but I still like the evo.

11-12 Never Summer Raptor

Overall Impression: The Raptor is Never Summer’s freeride carving domination snowboard. It’s built for tough, aggressive riding dedicated to taking the mountain and carving it up. Honestly this is a board not meant for anyone under intermediate riding, it’s quick and it’ll buck you off if you can’t hold on. It’s also capable of handling powder and those slushy chops that you endure late in the season. Surprisingly this board is lighter than average with the carbonium topsheet and core, it’s not as heavy as you’d expect. But it does attract snow during the deep powder days, so you want to brush it off the topsheet or you’ll start a collection.
Honesty Box: I’ve been riding a softer testing version of the Raptor that came out before the production version. This review was to compare the softer version to the production version for 11-12 and see how much difference it really was. The flex was noticeably stiffer and much more stable in handling. I only noticed the flex because my old Raptor I could actually press and butter on, this version 11-12 production it was much more difficult for playfulness (and the board’s not meant for that either). The good news was on edge, it handled carving just as equally good. It’ll be rad to take out it out in powder this winter to see the handling comparision.
Men’s
Retails for: $589.99
Shay Says: Bang for your buck
Best for: Men wanting an aggressive quick versatile freeride board
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, its worth the money for this aggressive freeride board.

11-12 Never Summer SL

Overall Impression: The SL is that all mountain freestyle board for the do-it-all rider. It can handle the freeriding to pow days but also enjoys park laps or just playing around. The mid-range dampening and flex make it capable for a mix of riding and it’ll handle what you throw at it.
Honesty Box:I was riding the Proto and switched to the SL soon after. The SL was noticeably more stable and offered up a more dampened ride that made it a lot more mountain charging friendly. While the SL has been that in between board, I’ve always found myself leaning either more park or more freeride but never sticking with the all mountain charger.
Men’s
Retails for: $509
Shay Says: Worth the money but on the high end
Best for: All mountain freestyle that handles anything you give it
Shay’s Yay or Nay: It’s both, Nay it is so close to the higher end freeride boards costs but again it’s worth the money.

11-12 Ride Farah

Overall Impression: The Farah is a quick and responsive women’s board for women wanting to go fast but also have a board that can keep up in a variety of conditions. It’s brand new this year for Ride.
Honesty Box: I wasn’t sure what to expect with the farah but I’ve found another board to add to the aggressive women boards list. The farah and fame combo was on point together, they suited each other and charged together so well. It was the best board/binding combo of the demos.
Women’s
Retails for: $490
Shay Says: Worth the price
Best for: Women wanting a advanced, stiffer aggressive board.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, great price for a charging women’s board.

11-12 Rome Anthem

Overall Impression: The anthem has definitely progressed into that freeride board but also with the hybrid ripit camber you get a taste of new technology with it so it can handle the powder with extra float but still give you that camber ride down the mountain. It’s an aggressive board that can charge and just a good predictable ride.
Honesty Box:The anthem is that trustworthy charging board from Rome, it’s hands down meant to go fast and be stable on the mountain. I found the mobs a bit too soft for the board but still the board handled the mountain no problem. I would have liked to ride the anthem hybrid ripit camber in pow conditions to test the rocker in the nose and float, but another time.
Men’s
Retails for: $499.95
Shay Says: Best bang for your buck
Best for: trustworthy charging board from Rome.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, definitely worth it.

11-12 Rome Mod Rocker

Overall Impression: The mod received some upgrades from 2011 to add to the 2011 upgrades to the board. It went from being positive camber to freepop rocker camber and a change in hot rods (which were carbon reverse V last year and now are carbon double barrel). The end effect of the technology upgrade for the mod? A board that despite not being positive camber still handles like camber but with the added rocker perks for butterability and float.
Honesty Box: I always wonder when a board gets upgraded year after year because it could mean a board might not have everything dialed or it just means you can always make it better (though sometimes, things can go worse). I hadn’t ridden the mod in previous years so hard to know the answer for sure but it was reminiscent of the pusher (which happens to have disappeared for 2012). When I look at the mod upgrades, I think they match what the board needed and still keep it tuned to the riding style it’s meant to be. It’s that jump board you can take into the backcountry or just freeride with, hands down.
Men’s
Retails for: $549.95
Shay Says: On the more expensive side
Best for: Park laps and all mountain
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Not sure, I wonder if the price was increased with the tech because it seems high.

11-12 Roxy Envi

Overall Impression: The envi is the aggressive women’s snowboard from Roxy and handles the mountain for girls looking to outride the boys. It’s quick to turn, handles stability and is a women’s freeride dream.
Honesty Box:Riding the envi was perfect at Winter Park. I took the board out with two amazing female shredders (Kyre from Roxy and Lora from Quik PR) and we just charged the mountain on our Roxy boards. The envi held it’s own for each turn and rides way more badass than it looks. It’s that board I’d ride all the time because of how well it handles, carves and charges.
Women’s
Retails for: $499
Shay Says: Great board, great price.
Best for: Women wanting an aggressive charging board
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, the board delivers for women

11-12 Salomon Salomonder

Overall Impression: The Salomonder is meant to be an urban destroyer from Salomon but they created a board with a softer flex that’s just meant to have fun on. If you want a softer noodle that won’t disappoint when the conditions aren’t park, this board could handle the hardpacked and make it down the mountain. The wider width for me gave me more stability than expected but the equalizer was impressive, it rang through to the description and made turning very capable.
Honesty Box: The Salomonder’s been requested a lot and for good reason, it’s a very fun board to ride but I wasn’t sure how it’d perform for me with a 25.6 waist width combined with my women’s size 8 boots. I ended up taking it out for the last laps of the day when the snow was hardening up again and it outperformed for the day, it didn’t feel like I was riding a wider board than I should have been. It made the last tiring runs so much fun, so playful and a blast to end the day on. The only bummer I had was the binding combo with it but I was bummed to return the board.
Men’s
Retails for: $369.95
Shay Says: Good price
Best for: Those wanting a fun playful park board
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, it’s a very fun board.

11-12 Signal OG

Overall Impression: The OG is that signature signal snowboard that withstands time. The camber matches it completely and it gives you a board that you can haul with and just enjoy the ride. For all-mountain freestyle, on the stiffer side but definitely ideal for jump lines and freeriding.
Honesty Box: I own a custom handpainted by myself-OG but it’s a 148 which is incredibly small and so I only rode it a couple times before retiring it to the wall as a piece of art collection. Finally riding the OG in my size was awesome to experience and definitely a huge difference from the 148 I rode!
Men’s
Retails for: $449.95
Shay Says: Good price
Best for: Men wanting a camber freestyle board.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Nay, It’s good but I wouldn’t go back to camber all the time.

11-12 Stepchild Simon Chamberlain

Overall Impression: According to Stepchild, the Simon Chamberlain pro model was 8 years in the making and it shows with how rideable it is. It’s an all around quiver killer of a board, ride through park or freeride with it – no problem. I haven’t ridden previous Chamberlains but it was interesting to hear about the changes and I think they really complement the board for 11-12.
Honesty Box:It’s a good feeling to get on a board that rides exactly how you want to ride. I had a blast on the Chamberlain and hated to return the board because it could ride anything and everything on the mountain. I didn’t find a weakness with the board during the time I had it.
Men’s
Retails for: $438.95
Shay Says: Worth the price
Best for: Playful for park, stable for all around riding.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, the board delivers for men.

11-12 Unity Reverse

Overall Impression: The reverse is that all mountain freestyle board from Unity. It’s meant to be on the softer side for a Unity but it doesn’t handle like a soft board. It rides like a camber board on edge, smooth carving into each turn and still forgiveable without the bad consequences.
Honesty Box:Most reverse cambers require an adjustment but not the Unity Reverse. It’s that board you step on and it has camber but it also has a small amount of reverse camber so you don’t get confused while riding it. You just ride it and it does it all. The reverse was one of my favorite boards (despite not riding the right bindings for it) from the demo and Unity builds snowboards right.
Men’s
Retails for: $450
Shay Says: Good price
Best for: All mountain freestyle riders.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, it’s another built in the US and made right.

11-12 Venture Storm Splitboard

Overall Impression: The Venture Storm is their freeride/powder board that is designed to tackle everything the mountain throws at it. I rode the splitboard version of the board which meant I got to skin up the mountain and ride down on the board. The Storm was easy to control as a splitboard, easier to ride than expecting and handled the crud of the spring mountain conditions (I was riding a closed portion of the mountain).
Honesty Box:I received this board pretty late in the season and rode it in late April/early May inbounds at Mammoth Mountain. It definitely wasn’t the powder conditions I was hoping for but it was a mix of conditions from spring slush to leftover snow to good hardpacked groomers. It’s described as a freeride/pow deck so it can handle the crud you throw at it but definitely I thought it was a bit more forgiving and easier to ride. My only gripe was having to return the splitboard…it was a sad day but summer hit and I had to.
Men’s
Retails for: $895
Shay Says: Seems about right for price.
Best for: Splitboarding for those wanting more all mountain freestyle and progressive riding.
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay if you got the money.

11-12 YES Big City

Overall Impression: The Big City is described as a “freestyle charger with the ability to float.” It’s definitely a charging board, it’s aggressive and not meant for someone who wants a forgiving ride, this board is not forgiving.
Honesty Box:I would have loved to get this board out in the winter conditions (maybe this year) and really get the best feel for the type of riding this board is meant for. It’s aggressive, fast and takes the whole mountain by storm.
Men’s
Retails for: $479
Shay Says: Good price
Best for: Men wanting an aggressive charging board
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay if you want aggressive.

11-12 YES Pick Your Line

Overall Impression: The Pick Your Line is DCP’s board for good reason, it’s aggressive and meant to rip the mountain apart. The stiffer flex lets you really haul down the mountain but it also has quick responsive turns for the sharper turns. It’s definitely a board to be ridden hard and fast.
Honesty Box: Of all the boards at the on-snow demo, I believe this was the most aggressive board I rode in how it charged and handled the mountain. Definitely DCP’s style of board. I liked the board for how much it pushed my riding and that it definitely made me ride the mountain harder.
Men’s
Retails for: $499
Shay Says: Good but price is more expensive.
Best for: Men wanting DCP’s board for quick riding, charging the mtn
Shay’s Yay or Nay: Yay, charging board for the price.