We left Chicago early Sunday morning and got into Denver around 10am our chance to demo the latest 2017 snowboard gear at the SIA On Snow Demo. Just ahead of a snow storm, we knew we had to hit the gas if we wanted to get into the mountains before it got too bad outside. By the time we arrived, it was too late to do any riding so we decided to hunker down, pray for snow and hit the sack so we could hit it hard first thing the next morning.
We woke up to sunny skies and all the demo tents set up right outside the condo. We all had a ton of boards we wanted to try so we didn’t waste any time. We geared up and headed to the resort to get our demo passes and get out on first chair.
The conditions were great our first morning, several inches of fresh fell the night before and although the resort was busy, it wasn’t too tracked out at all. For our first setups of the demo we headed straight to Never Summer booth. I picked up the Never Summer women’s Onyx and paired it with the Union Trilogy bindings. This was a killer combo and perfect for my first few laps. Without going too far into detail, here are some of my favorite combos from the trip.
Never Summer Women’s Onyx with Union Trilogy Bindings
The Onyx is a super fun, snappy little ride that holds an edge really well and carves hard despite the softer flex. I chose a slightly shorter size for better maneuverability in the trees and was very happy with the performance. For ladies looking for a very comfortable, responsive binding, the Union Trilogy is a great choice. The only slight drawback (in my opinion) is I seem to prefer ankle straps with less bulk. The Trilogy has a super cushy ankle strap which was comfortable but paired with slightly bulkier boots (I ride Vans boots) I had a couple hot spots that had me re-adjusting the strap several times. Overall, this was a great combo and I really enjoyed the ride of the Onyx board.
2017 Jones Women’s Hovercraft with Burton Lexa Bindings
One word, FAST. The Hovercraft was insane and perfect for the conditions we had. Just enough powder to really use that oversized nose and plow through the snow. The short, blunted tail did not wash out at all (surprisingly) and held a really strong edge. I hit 33 mph with this setup which is pretty fast for me (5’6, 130lbs). The Lexa bindings are for sure my all time favorite binding. I used them on several different boards during the demo. The Lexa’s are comfortable, responsive and just an all around great binding.
2017 Capita Space Metal Fantasy with Burton Lexa Bindings
This board was another one of my favorites. I am a big fan of Capita boards in general and I would consider this a perfect Midwest board and ideal for my park riding ladies. True twin, flat to reverse camber and really snappy! It held it’s own at Copper but I would definitely bring this board back to the Midwest with me and save it for park fun. Added bonus – the base was super fast! It held out better on the flats than several of the other boards I tested. The Lexa’s were a great pairing. Added a little extra responsiveness which made up for the board being super soft.
2017 Burton Day Trader with Burton Escapade EST bindings
I have ridden the Day Trader once before in Utah and I loved it just as much as I did the first time around. This board is from the Burton Family Tree collection and has a slightly tapered tail and a nice overall powder shape. This board has a really smooth, strong carve and is awesome in deeper spots. I felt like I could really power through the deeper snow but still enjoy it on the groomers. The flat top shape made it really easy to get up on an edge at higher speeds and it also had a nice sidecut that made edge to edge transition super smooth. This board is perfect for the lady who spends most of her season out west in deeper, steeper conditions. The Escapade bindings are the top of the line women’s binding from Burton and they are incredible. Extremely responsive yet super comfortable and perfect for ladies who need more from their bindings.
2017 Never Summer Women’s Proto Type Two with Union Trilogy Bindings
The women’s Never Summer Proto Type Two will be brand new for 2017 and was my second favorite board of the entire demo. The Wms Proto is an Asym twin that was an absolute blast to ride. Fast, really snappy, perfectly aggressive and holds a mean edge. I took a run through the trees on this board as well and she did fantastic. The twin shape allowed for easy maneuverability in tight spots and the blunted nose and tail made me feel like I was riding a shorter board which also helps in the trees. I would call this the perfect do-it-all, ride everything kind of board that can perform in almost any conditions. Two thumbs up!
2017 Interior Plain Project Shape Shifter with Union Milan Bindings
I was very lucky to get my hands on one of the IP Project’s boards right before we left for the trip and rode this boar the entire day the last day of our trip. The down side was the temps dropped to about -10 degrees below so conditions were a little less than desirable, but we made it work. The Shape Shifter is my perfect shape: true twin, camber with a mean side cut that made for some seriously smooth carves. This smaller Midwest brand is not to be slept on. The boards are being produced at the Mothership and the quality is clear as soon as you step on the board. The Shape Shifter was very responsive yet super fun to ride. We took to the back bowls first thing in the morning and hit some slower flat spots but I hate to blame the board since it was so damn cold out. The board did great in the deeper snow spots but really charged on the groomers and also maneuvered quickly in the trees. Overall, it was a great all mountain board that I would like to take on a few terrain park laps. I get the feeling it would really kill it in that department.
2017 United Shapes Horizon with Burton Lexa Bindings
Last but not least, my #1 favorite board from the demo was definitely the United Shapes Horizon. This board blew me away. Maybe it was because we had the perfect combo of great conditions and sunny skies. Either way, this board was incredible. It’s a powder shape so the only down side would be maybe be slightly less versatility but it still rode perfectly on the groomers. In the back bowl, this board excelled. It was fast, fun, stable and charged hard through everything in it’s way. The fish tailed back did not wash out AT ALL and was still stable at my highest speeds. United Shapes is a smaller brand but they have really nailed some of their new shapes and I think this company is going to be one to watch in the next few years.
The final day of the trip the demo was over and we were back to our own boards. The temps also dropped which made for less than perfect conditions but that didn’t stop us from hitting it hard first thing in the morning. We headed straight to the back side of Copper and did our best to enjoy the negative temps.
One of our guys, Ren, who was also at the demo has written a little recap of his own. Check out his list of favorites from the trip.
Hello everyone, this is Ren Volpi doing a guest appearance here at Windward’s blog about the SIA 2016. I am here to share my favorite boards for 2017 (of the ones I have tried out) and give you some things to look forward to.
2017 YES Pick Your Line
Even though YES made no changes for the PYL for 2017 (except for the graphic), this board still stands out as one of the best boards for next year. I have tried the 159, and for the size I was shocked about how nimble it is. The edge-to-edge response is fantastic, it can do tree runs without any problems and it flows in the powder amazingly. Also, this board is perfect for those who just like to point it down, and bomb through groomers. It carves like a beast and it’s one of the best groomer boards I have ever ridden, even though it is more designed for the backcountry. If you surf, Imagine this is a gunner that is ready to go down into some steep giant wave, but it can also be nimble and playful when riding shorties (or trees when it comes to snowboarding). The Tapered Underbite technology also gives you an incredible amount of edge hold, and will hold an edge even in the iciest conditions.
2017 Jones Stormchaser
When it comes to riding powder, the Jones Stormchaser is a great choice. I’ve ridden the 147, and god it was fun! It has the best float in the deep and no need to lean back at all! Acttually I would advise those who take this one out, to actually ride it without putting a lot of pressure on your back foot since that should bring you a little more stability and will allow you to take more aggressive lines without washing out.
Considering its shape, it was expected of the Stormchaser to excel in powder, but the main reason this board made this list is because of how well it did on groomers. Obviously, you are not supposed to take this to the mountain looking to break speed records, but if you are looking for a fun, surfy ride, this one is hard to beat. The mellow magna-traction (signutare edge design from Jones) gives you plenty of edge hold for those who like to lay on a carve. If you want to surf the mountain, this is probably your best choice in the market.
2017 YES Optimistic
Yes Optimistic was the biggest surprise this year, WHAT A BOARD! For those who were used to the older versions of the Optimistic, forget everything you have learned. This board was completely re-designed for 2017 and it’s now one of the greatest boards available in the market. How it rides? It rides very different from how it looks. I took 151 for a spin, and this board is very wide for its length. YES did not give full specs on this, but I believe is about 26.5 cm wide… But don’t be fooled by it, this board floats in the pow, and turns on a dime! When you get back to the groomers it morphes into a super carving machine. The design is mostly all cambered with a huge rockered nose that cuts through any packed or uneven snow without hesitation. Of all boards tested, this one managed uneven snow the best. Speed is its friend, and its edge-to edge response is great on low or high speeds. My advice to you? Get one.
All in all, it was a great trip! Thank you to all the brands that participated in the demo. Having a chance to ride what we sell is what this is all about. Being able to talk to customers about boards that we have a personal connection to helps incredibly. We are already looking forward to getting these boards in the shop next season!
Have any specific questions about the boards or bindings that we tested? Feel free to give us a call or contact the shop, we are always here to help.