Every once in a while, a super awesome opportunity presents itself and you just can’t say no. That’s exactly what happened last week when I got an invite to demo Burton’s 2014 hardgoods during the Burton winter sales meeting in Utah. My good friends over at Midwest Represent called me up with an offer I just couldn’t refuse – 48 hours, in Utah, and all the snowboarding I could handle. Before I knew it, I was on the plane and touching down in Salt Lake City.
I’ve been to Utah once before and to say it was epic would be an understatement. A few years ago I hit Snowbird and The Canyons with an awesome group of friends for two quick days of riding. When I found out that’s where I was headed for the demo, I couldn’t have been more excited. It’s been almost 3 years since I had been there so I was more than ready for another visit. It always amazed me how different mountains could be. You can go to Colorado, California, Utah, and all the resorts seem to have their own personalities. Each one different from the next and awesome in their own way.
Day One
Touching down in Salt Lake felt amazing and I was prepared to waste absolutely no time and hit the mountain asap. I made it to the Canyons, dropped my bags in my room, changed into my outerwear and headed straight to the demo center. Having an overwhelming amount of boards in front of you sounds awesome, but in reality, I had no idea where to start. I know what shapes I’ve already ridden from the Burton lineup so my goal was to basically try everything else.
Ride #1
Sweet Tooth 141 – Escapade EST Bindings – Felix Boots
Since this trip was my first of the season, I decided to take my first few laps on a board I knew I would love. The Burton Sweet Tooth is a rad little ride and I highly recommend it for any lady that likes to have fun on the entire mountain. I usually ride a 145-149 so I sized down to the 141 due to the “Raduction” technology. This true twin was super playful but still handled really well on hard pack and under fast conditions. I’m a big fan of flat camber (or Flat Top as Burton calls it) because it’s not quite as loose as a v-rocker but still much more playful than traditional camber. Side Note – I do see Burton moving more of their women’s boards to Flat Top versus the Flying V shape. Flying V is awesome but some lighter weight riders can’t quite get the camber out of that shape. Flat Top allows you to keep that edge hold without trying as hard while still feeling more loose in the middle. So ladies, if you have yet to give this shape a try, I highly recommend doing so.
As far as the rest of my setup goes, let’s just say I rode the Escapades and Felix boots the rest of the time I was there. I’ve ridden the Escapade bindings before and they were super rigid and responsive. Burton softened them up just enough to add some serious comfort while still being hands down the most responsive binding I’ve ever ridden. 2014 gives them an updated footbed, new straps and slightly softer high back compared to years past. The Felix boot was new for 2013 and seems to be performing well for Burton. I have not tried this years version but the pair I demo’d were awesome. I had the Axel boots for years (and still love them) and this boot is similar as far as the tech is concerned but definitely a stiffer boot overall. Great response, very comfortable, feet never got cold once (and day 2 was cold) and 2014 gives them a really clean look so you shred ladies are sure to love it.
Thursday night. Let’s see. Oh yeah – best dance party ever.
If there is one thing Burton as a company likes to do, it’s throw a party. And I have to say they are pretty damn good at it. Since this was the tail end of the sales meeting, it was a perfect night to get everyone together and go out with a bang. There was a delicious dinner, Jake gave the crowd a nice little motivating speech and then it was party time. DJ’s Cosmo Baker and Skratch Bastid made straight up magic on stage while crowd slowly morphed into a blurry dance party. I’m 100% confident that I was not sore the next day thanks to this 4 hour workout. Throw in a 2 am breaking and entering into the hot tub and you got yourself one amazing night.
Day Two
Friday morning came before we knew it and it was time to load up the bus and head to Brighton! The closer we got to the resort, the snowier it got in our surroundings – this was a good sign. Canyons was fun but really not much snow. Once we got within a couple miles of Brighton, it was clear that this was going to be a way different day of riding. Passing houses that have snow up to their window sills is a great thing. We unloaded, I picked my first ride, and we hit it hard.
Ride #2
Family Tree 145 – Day Trader – Escapade EST Bindings – Felix Boots
Brand new for 2014 and the first women’s board in the Family Tree Collection, the Day Trader is a tapered, Flat Top dream come true. A powder-friendly yet versatile shape that kicks some serious ass in the trees, handles on hard pack and is soft enough to have a really fun overall feel. I had the pleasure of meeting Kimmy Fasani on this trip and the Day Trader is her ride of choice. Working directly with the board department, Kimmy helped design this board from head to toe. The Escapades were perfect on this ride and I don’t think I would opt for any other combo on a powerhouse like the Day Trader. Trees, powder, big strong lines – truly the big mountain ladies board of choice.
Ride #3
Barracuda 149 – Escapade EST Bindings – Felix Boots
After our lunch break, I traded in my ladies choice for a big boy board – the Barracuda. I’ve always wanted to ride this board but needed to wait for the right conditions. These were the right conditions. The powder loving S-Rocker has been calling my name for years and I’m so happy I finally got a chance to use a board like this in the conditions it was intended for. There’s one word I will use to describe the Barracuda – surfboard. I’ve never been on a board quite like this one. Supreme float thanks to the heavy nose rocker and sturdy camber under your back foot means you can simply lean back and enjoy the ride. The 149 was a little much for me in the trees thanks to all the extra nose length but the float in the deeper snow was outstanding. Fun, smooth, sturdy and just an all-over big mountain beast.
Ride #4
Restricted Lipstick 145 – Escapade EST Bindings – Felix Boots
For my final costume change, if you will, I went with another board that I knew I would have a blast on for my last few runs in Utah. Short, sweet, flat top fun is what this board is all about. Cruising fast, dipping in and out of the trees and endless switch possibilities make the Lipstick one of the most fun women’s specific boards ever. For the lady who truly wants to conquer the entire mountain, I very highly recommend giving this board a try. And I can’t say too much, but the graphic on the restricted version for next year is without a doubt, my favorite snowboard graphic ever. How’s that for a teaser?
In closing, it was a whirlwind 48 hours but every moment was awesome. A HUGE thank you to my Midwest Represent Fam – Matt, Jayson, Sarah and Keith – for making it all possible. Here’s to an outstanding snowboard season!
-Jess