Niche Maelstrom Review

Board: Niche Maelstrom

Price: $569 (USD recommended retail)

Style: Freeride

Flex Rating: Stiff (8/10)

Flex Feel: Stiff (8/10)

Rating Score: 83.2/100

Compared to other Men’s Freeride Boards

Of the 40 current model freeride snowboards that we tested:

• The average score was 83.8/100
• The highest score was 90.8/100
• The lowest score was 75.0/100
• The average price was $644
• The Maelstrom ranked 26th  out of 40

Overview of the Maelstrom’s Specs

Check out the tables for the Maelstrom’s specs and available sizes.

Specs

* the 148 and 151 are new sizes for the 2023 model

Who is the Maelstrom Most Suited To?

The Maelstrom is for those that like to bomb, carve and float in powder. It's not terribly versatile because outside of those things, it wasn't a board I loved. 

So unless that's all you like to do, then it's not a one-board quiver, IMO, but could work as your charge/powder board in quiver. 

Certainly not for a beginner. You gotta really take charge of this board or it will take you for ride. 

THE Maelstrom IN MORE DETAIL

Bindings angles: +12/-9

Stance width: 21.3″ (540mm)

Stance Setback: Setback 3/4" (20mm)

Width at Inserts: 10.39" (264mm) at front insert and 10.31" (262mm) at back insert.   

Rider Height: 6'1"

Rider Weight: 180lbs

Rider Boot Size: US9.5 Adidas Tactical Lexicon ADV

Bindings Used: Fix Yale: M 

Weight: 6lbs 13oz (3100grams) 

Weight per cm: 19.75 grams/cm

Average Weight per cm: 18.59 grams/cm*

*based on a sample size of around 200 models that I’ve weighed in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023 models.  So the Maelstrom was heavier than normal on the scales - and felt that way on snow too. 

Powder

Nothing to test in on the day but have had this board in a small amount of powder before and felt really good. 

It's also got the specs. Some taper, a longer nose than tail, plus a healthy amount of rocker in the nose.

Carving

This board can carve. It can feel a bit hooky at times, but when you when you really lay into it and in the right conditions it can lock in a really big carve. 

Turning

Ease of Turns/Slashing: Not the easiest to turn. Edges feel "heavy". 

Maneuverability at slow speeds (nimbleness): Not super agile, but not super sluggish either. But you do have to fight it a bit to change edges - so whilst you can do it relatively quickly, it's certainly not effortless. 

Skidded Turns: Felt quite catchy at times. 

Speed

You can bomb with this board. It feels fast and it feels really stable at speed. 

Uneven Terrain

Crud: It doesn't get bucked around easily in crud but it it's not immune to it. And when you do get thrown off your line, it's not the easiest to correct. 

Trees/Bumps: It's not the most agile and whilst it's also not a complete tank, it does take effort to make quick turns, so it can get quite fatiguing in trees. 

Let’s Break up this text with a Video

Jumps

Not designed for it, so wasn't expecting much. Wouldn't be my board of choice for hitting jumps. 

Pop: A normal amount of pop, but not easy to access. You've got to put it in to get it out. 

Approach: Didn't love the heavy edge feeling/catchiness. If you locked in and charged it and had no need to adjust your line on the way it did fine, but when having to make corrections, it didn't feel great.   

Landing: Nice smooth landings when you get it right. Really solid. But not overly forgiving when you get it wrong. 

Side-hits: Not great. Easier access pop and maneuverability were lacking. And that catchiness wasn't super confidence inspiring.  

Small jumps/Big jumps: Neither was ideal. But it can handle bigger jumps well, given its stiffer flex, but not super forgiving if you get it wrong. 

Switch

Not terrible but it is fairly directional. And that catchiness doesn't make transitions feel the nicest. 

Butters

Not the easiest to press and the flex point felt a bit weird. And it feels quite different in tail vs nose. But certainly not what this board is designed to be. 

The Maelstrom is good at what it's meant to be good at. Bombing, carving and finding powder. 

Outside of that, it wasn't a heap of fun. But if those things are your bread and butter and there's not much else outside of that you like to do, then you shouldn't be disappointed in this board.