Snowboard Review: 12-13 Salomon Powder Snake

Location: Mission Ridge, WA

Snow Conditions: Hardpacked to softpacked groomers.

Setup: I rode the Salomon Powder Snake with Salomon Halogram bindings and Vans Ferra boots size 8.

Size: 156 cm

First Impression: I was hesitant about how this would handle on groomers but the Powder Snake could ride the groomers with ease and a bit of playfulness.

Weight: Average.

Flex:  The Powder Snake has a softer tapered nose and tail which helps give it the playful feeling on the mountain. In between the bindings it’s a bit stiffer so you feel more stable on freeriding and holding an edge. Overall it’s a 5 on the flex scale, it’s pretty much middle of the road for flex. There’s softer attributes to it but there’s a stiffer response you get. Torsionally it’s stiffer so it’s not super quick edge to edge but more relaxed and playful. The Powder Snake features pow rocker which is a flat profile between the bindings for stability with more rocker on the tip and tail for playfulness.

Turning:  Despite the stiffer mid flex it didn’t require much effort to get into turns, it just wasn’t as quick responsively as other boards. The Quadratic sidecut definitely gives the rider the turning control. The harder quicker turns you want, the board will give it to you and for longer drawn out turns, it’s totally capable.

Stable: When you think of the name the powder snake, you wouldn’t think it would actually be great on groomers but it was the first board of the day and actually had no problem gripping the snow and charging the groomers. The stiffer flex underfoot helped with feeling more secure while riding the hardpacked conditions.

Pop: I played on the snow with it but didn’t take it into the park. The softer flex on the nose/tail made for super easy presses and butters.

Switch: The Powder Snake has a tapered twin shape so you can ride it normal or switch however much you’d like.

Overall Impression: Based off of the Sick Stick, the Powder Snake can handle everything from park to powder. The tapered twin shape and softer flex allows for it to be ridden everywhere and the pow rocker allows for it to handle pow when it comes. What I loved most about the Powder Snake is the handling on the groomers and how it handles for just cruising the mountain.

Shay’s Honesty Box:  This was the first board of the day and it wasn’t powder conditions but the board could hold its own while freeriding. I ended up cruising with the guys on this board and it handled speed while keeping up with them. Definitely a board for that park influence pow rider who wants something to handle it all.

Review Disclosure: I demoed this board at the WWSRA On-Snow at Mission Ridge, WA.