Hello and welcome to my Burton Custom X review.
In this review, I will take a look at the Custom X as an aggressive all-mountain snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Custom X a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other aggressive all-mountain snowboards.
Overall Rating
Board: Burton Custom X 2023
Price: $839
Style: Aggressive All-Mountain
Flex Rating: Stiff
Flex Feel on Snow: Stiff (8/10)
Rating Score: 89.3/100
Compared to other Men’s Aggressive All-Mountain Boards
Out of the 19 men’s aggressive all-mountain snowboards that I rated:
Overview of the Custom X’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Custom X’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | Aggressive All-Mountain |
Price: | $839 |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Feel: |  |
Chattery/Damp: |  |
Smooth/Snappy: |  |
Playful/Aggressive: |  |
Edge-hold: |  |
Camber Profile: | |
Shape: | |
Setback Stance: | Setback 12.5mm (0.5") |
Base: | Sintered (Burton's Sintered WFO) |
Weight: | Felt normal |
Sizing
LENGTH (CM) | Waist Width (mm) | Rec Rider Weight (lb) | Rec Rider Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
150 | 248 | 120-180 | 54-82 |
154 | 250 | 120-180 | 54-82 |
156 | 252 | 150-200 | 68-91 |
158 | 254 | 150-200 | 68-91 |
162 | 256 | 180-260+ | 82-118 |
158W | 262 | 150-200 | 68-91 |
162W | 264 | 180-260+ | 82-118 |
166W | 266 | 180-260+ | 82-118 |
Who is the Custom X Most Suited To?
The Burton Custom X is best suited to anyone looking for a board that can do a bit of everything but in a much more aggressive way. It excels best being ridden fast and laying out deep carves, as opposed to cruising around and slashing.
While it does some things incredibly well, it has its weaknesses like riding deeper powder or jibbing. If you don't plan on doing these things very often, then this could certainly be a one-board-quiver style board.
This board is certainly not for beginners or intermediates as it is just way to aggressive and demanding to ride. But if your an advanced-expert rider who prefers an aggressive riding style, then I would definitely recommend it as it's loads of fun, once tamed.
The Custom X in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Custom X is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: Burton Custom X 2022, 158cm (254mm waist width)
Date: March 22, 2022
Conditions
Raining. Visibility wasn't unlimited, but wasn't terrible either.
Temperature: Warm. 36°F (2°C) in the morning. Up to 39°F (4°C). No wind chill.
24hr snow: 0.8" (2cm)
48hr snow: 18" (45cm)
7 day snow: 29" (74cm)
On groomer: Soft pack to slushy. Well groomed to start but even at start could feel it a little slushy. Progressively slushier over day.
Off groomer: Plenty of fresh snow around, but it was heavy and sticky and lumpy, so not great.
Set Up
Bindings angles: +12/-9
Stance width: 560mm (22″)
Stance Setback: 12.5mm (0.5")
Width at Inserts: 265mm (10.43") at front insert and 267mm (10.51") at back insert.
Tester: Fraser
Rider Height: 6'1"
Rider Weight: 180lbs
Rider Boot Size: US9.5 Adidas Tactical Lexicon ADV
Bindings Used: Burton Malavita: M
Weight: 3000grams (6lbs 10oz)
Weight per cm: 18.99 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 Custom X we tested was a little heavier than normal on the scales, but not by much. And on snow it felt normal.
Powder
Unfortunately we had no powder to test in on this day but looking at the specs we get a good idea on how it would perform.
The Custom X has a full camber profile which isn't ideal for powder as it doesn't float as well as a board with rocker but the directional shape and setback stance help sink the tail, making it somewhat capable in powder.
Carving
While the Custom X does require effort when carving, it's worth it because it's fully capable of laying out any size carve and always held an edge really well at any speed.
Turning
Ease of Turning/Slashes: It's a more locked in feel, so slashing turns at slower speeds isn't super intuitive on this board, but it's not incapable of it.
Maneuverability at slow speeds: Fairly quick edge-to-edge at slower speeds, with effort, allowing good maneuverability. Could feel a bit catchy if weren't always on edge.
Skidded turns: Prefers to be on edge - and can feel catchy if you get too lazy.
Speed
The Burton Custom X is fast and perfect for bombing hills. I never noticed any chatter or wobble from it. Overall felt really damp and stable.
Uneven Terrain
Crud: Handled Crud/chunder nicely smashing through it without getting bucked around whatsoever.
Bumps: The Custom X was fairly quick quick edge-to-edge, even if it wasn't effortless when riding slower, allowing you to maneuver between bumps/moguls nicely. It was also quite capable of going over bumps/through ditches when required.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
The Custom X comes in at around 6:28 in the video
Jumps
Overall solid and capable on any size jump
Pop: More pop than I was anticipating but with that being said you have to put in some effort to access it.
Approach: Preferred it on approaches that required some speed but overall felt good- just really have to stay on edge.
Landing: The overall stiffness made absorbing landings forgiving and stable. When landing tail heavy as you could still ride away.
Side-hits: Enjoyable on almost any side hit thanks to its maneuverability, speed, and pop. But preferred faster approaches, so bigger side hits were better.
Small jumps/Big Jumps: Without a doubt capable on any size jump but because it prefers a faster approach, it's best on larger jumps.
Switch
While the Custom X is directional in shape, the setback stance is very minor allowing it to feel pretty similar in both directions. With that being said, transitions could be a bit catchy if you get sloppy.
Spins
Felt solid for landing/setting up switch and the good amount of pop allowed you to really get some extra air for spins. Once in the air the Custom X felt pretty light allowing you to whip it around when desired.
Butters
The Custom X is on the stiffer side which made butters doable but a good amount of effort was required as you will really have to transfer your weight and lean into them to get a good press out of it. But once in place, they were pretty easy to hold.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
SPEED | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
CARVING | 5.0 | 20/20 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 3.0 | 3/5 |
JUMPS | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
POWDER | 2.5 | 7.5/15 |
CRUD/CHUNDER | 4.5 | 9/10 |
TREES/BUMPS | 3.0 | 3/5 |
SWITCH | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 89.3/100 |
The Burton Custom X is a board that won't let you have any breaks, due to its aggressiveness. You will always need to be on top of your edges, otherwise it can pretty unforgiving. But when ridden to its strengths, like carving with speed, it's really enjoyable and rewarding.
While it may not excel in every category, the Custom X is capable of being a do-it-all kind of board for the right rider.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you’re keen to learn more about the Custom X, are ready to buy or want to research size availability and current prices, check out the links below.
If you’re keen to check out more options or see how the Custom X rated compared to other aggressive-all-mountain snowboards, check out the next link.
Hi Nate, I’m trying to decide between the Burton Custom X, the Ultra Mountain Twin, and the Capita Mega Merc.
I like to drive fast most of the time but also a little bit slower sometimes. I want to do jumps and side kicks and also do some powder.
What are the main differences between these boards and which one would you recommend?
What size would you recommend? I’m 182cm, 85kg and size 10 boots.
Hi Daniel
Thanks for your message.
I’d be leaning between the UMT and Mega Merc, only because they’re a little better in powder and you mention powder. The Custom X will hold up fine in shallower powder, so if you don’t tend to see anything too deep, then it’s not going to make a big difference and that would still be the option. IMO, the UMT is the easiest to ride slow of the 3, but not quite as good at speed or on a carve. Still good, but not as good. So there’s a bit of a trade off there.
Size-wise, I’d be looking at:
Custom-X: 158 (but 162 is a possibility if you wanted more stability at speed and float in pow at the sacrifice of a slow speed maneuverability)
UMT: 160
Mega Merc: 159 (but 161 is still a possibility if you wanted more stability at speed and float in pow at the sacrifice of a little slow speed maneuverability)
Hope this helps with your decision
Nate,
I’m at a loss for this season. Think I waited too late and now I’m stuck in a bad spot if I want to change equipment now. Been riding a 2010 Custom 156 for a decade. I’m 145lb, 5’7″, size 9 boots, so it’s a bit big for me, but I appreciate the stability at high speed and have been dealing with it for years – even though I struggle on super quick turns or riding switch. I love to rip it, but I also want to improve my skills at switch and in the park, which are definitely lacking.
Pretty sure my ideal board was a new Custom 154, but they are sold out everywhere. I can get a Custom 150, though I think it will be drastically worse at high speeds, or change to a 154 Custom X. I think the Custom X will prevent me from improving in the park. Normally stuck in the shitty midwest on less than ideal snow, but I have a Denver trip planned in a few weeks. Honestly I think like this isn’t my year for new gear, but I’ll wait for your advice.
Also – what do the size calculators use, geared weight or naked weight. I can’t find a good answer online. I’m 145lb without gear. The internet ponders around the difference but is definitely naively indecisive on a real answer.
Hi Chris
Thanks for your message.
With regards to size calculator and weight, everything on this site is based on naked weight – and from most brands that I’ve talked to, their weight recommendations tend to be naked weight as well. Can’t say for sure if that’s across the board though.
I would put your size at around 153 for your “standard all-mountain” size. Given that you’ve been riding a 156, I think 154 would be fine, but anything 152-154 should work well for you, IMO. Going 150 might be a bit too small, given that you’re used to a 156 – and it’s sizing down a bit from the 153 mark. If you were going to be using it predominantly as a freestyle/park deck, then I think 150 would be a good size, but if it’s going to be your one board quiver, I think it’s getting a little too small, particularly given you like to bomb and are used to the stability the 156 gives you.
The Custom X is quite a stiff board and certainly one that would be tricky for progressing in the park, IMO.
You could look at the Burton Blossom, if you could find a 152 and wanted to keep things Burton and full camber. Or the Free Thinker 154 – these are more freestyle oriented decks, but can certainly handle carving and bombing well too.
Some other full camber board options include:
– YES Jackpot 152 – I wouldn’t go any longer in this board than that, it’s quite wide
– Arbor Shiloh Camber 153 – though note that Arbor’s camber doesn’t quite feel like full camber usually does
– Custom 154 of course as you’ve mentioned, but sounds like you don’t availability for it
Hope this helps
Hi Nate, I just bought a Burton custom 150 2021. I tried it yesterday on the slopes in ice conditions and I found it a little bit unstable. I have now a concern if I should have bought a 154 or I am not good enough (I think I am an intermediate…). I am 130 lbs (59 kg) and 5’7″ (170cm). Please be a psychologist…
Hi Marco
Thanks for your message.
I think 150 is a good size for your specs. Is it the Custom or Custom X? And I’m assuming it’s the camber version? Not sure that a bigger board is going to help you in icy conditions and for your specs, I think 154 is a bit on the big side. You could try a wider stance and see how that goes – I often find a wider stance in icy conditions gives me more stability.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Yes, it is a Custom and not X. Camber version. I will try the wider stance. Thank very much for the suggestion.
Which board would you suggest for ice conditions on slope?
PS I am motivated to improve my capability on ice…
Hi Marco
If you’re looking for something with a similar camber profile to the Custom and a similar flex, then something like the Niche Crux (150) is worth looking at (though it’s a little softer than the Custom, IMO, but a little better in icy conditions. But the best options for icy conditions, in my experience, around that size, in an all-mountain or all-mountain-freestyle board would be:
– YES Greats 149
– GNU Rider’s Choice 151.5
– YES Standard 151 or 149
Some other options, not quite as good in icy conditions, but still good, IMO:
– Jones Mountain Twin 151
– Lib Tech Box Knife 151
– Salomon Assassin (or Pro) 150
If you could also let me know your boot size, to confirm sizings.
My instinct is leaning towards 149 YES Greats or 150 Niche Crux.
Thank you very much for your suggestion and hoping in better snow conditions!
Your very welcome Marco. Happy riding – and hope you get some good conditions to ride in soon!
Hi Nate, thanks for the great reviews, I have a 2021 capita bsod in 159cm, I m 5 foot 8 and 190 lbs, size 9 boots, I m a strong rider, riding for 30 years now, how would you compare this board to the bsod?
The bsod is great at high speed but not very nimble edge to edge for my liking, I have union falcors on it and also tried Rome cleavers witch felt catchy.
Would this board be better for high speed bombing and carving and faster edge to edge than the bsod or should I try a better binding like the Atlas FC or Flux XF on my bsod.
Thanks for your time.
Hi Marek
Thanks for your message.
IMO the Custom X is going to be better for bombing and carving – that’s definitely the forte of this board, in my experience. In terms of being faster edge to edge, I wouldn’t say that it is necessarily. However, with size 9s, I think it would be a little quicker edge to edge if you’re going 158 Custom X versus 159 BSOD. The BSOD is on the wide side for it’s regular width sizes (the 159 is 267mm front insert, 268mm back insert and 259mm waist width). The Custom X 158 is around 264mm at the inserts and a 254mm waist. Doesn’t sound like a big difference, but that does make a noticeable difference. So size-for-size, comparing those two sizes, I would say that you would get quicker edge to edge out of the Custom X 158 vs BSOD 159, given your boot size.
Hope this gives you more to go off.
Thanks for your advice Nate.
What would be your binding recomendations for the custom x and the Bsod.
Keep up the good work.
Hi Marek
For the BSOD, I’d go with something between 7/10 and 9/10 flex. For the Custom X, I’d be looking at 8/10 to 10/10 flex. So something from the following:
>>Top 5 All-Mountain-Freeride Bindings
>>Top 5 Freeride Bindings
Hi Nate, I wanted to give you a little update.
I replaced the Union Falcors with Union Atlas on my 2021 Capita BSOD and oh boy what a diffrence it made, its so quick edge to edge now, its like a diffrent board.
I guess I m a old style rider and prefer the full size disk and stiff base plate of the Atlas.
The Falcors are in my opinion great bindings, very light and confortable.I will mount them on a softer, narrower board.
Thanks for your advice and keep up the good work.
Hi Marek
Thanks for your update and your insights, much appreciated.
Hello,
I am really conflicted with choosing a new board right now. If you find time I would appreciate input. I am an intermediate rider (or at least I think) but enjoy rather technical riding (I watched a lot of YT guides when I was starting out, and I think it moved me into that direction), I am not fan of breaking speed limits, I just want enough speed to let me ride properly (some nice curves, smooth turns, etc.). I am 170 cm, and around 65 kg. Currently I am riding very soft camrock (mostly rocker) Nidecker Play 152. It is my first board, but I feel like I outgrew it, it is very unstable. This year I had a chance to ride Burton Custom X 155 (testing unit) for an hour and I absolutely loved the experience, it actually felt easier to ride (which is weird). I am considering buying it (probably size 154), but I am a little bit concerned. I do not consider myself an expert and I am afraid that even though I loved the experience of this board it was only an hour and conditions were rather good. I am afraid that it may be too much for longer rides or in bad conditions. Am I being too cautious and I should just go for it, or consider something else? It is quite expensive and honestly I would like the board I buy now to be the board I can grow old with xD
Thanks in advance. Awesome website and great work 😀
Hi Damian
Thanks for your message.
Based on what you’re describing, especially given that you don’t necessarily like to ride fast, I think the Custom X would become a bit too much over a whole day and in rougher conditions. It’s the kind of board, I found, that’s super fun to carve and bomb at speed, but when things get tighter and you want to be riding a little slower more casual, it can be hard work. But given that you liked the feel of it, it does offer some clues to what you like. I think that you’ll like a predominantly camber board or full camber board – but probably something not quite as stiff would be more suitable, IMO.
The most obvious choice would be to go with the Burton Custom. It’s of course a similar board in a lot of ways, but it’s softer flexing. Still not super soft or anything – I felt it at a 6.5/10 – but not as stiff as the Custom X.
Certainly other options, but that’s what I’d be leaning towards given your experience on the Custom X.
Size-wise, I think the 154 would work well for your specs and how you describe your riding.
Hope this helps with your decision
Thank you Nate for answering, rally appreciate it 😀
I was kind of afraid this is going to be your answer 😅 I really like Custom X graphics, but regular Custom not so much 🙁 Not the most important thing in the world but I do like them pretty xD
I think you are right though, for technical riding, carves, ridding reasonably fast, but not crazy bombing regular Custom seems like a better option. I would also like to get more into tricks – mostly jumps, some spins, not so much rails, at least for the time being. I do not care about powder. I rarely have the opportunity to even see powder, it is usually mix of some snow of varying quality and icy spots.
The other boards I scouted on your websites were:
* Jones Mountain Twin Review – This one is really pretty 😅 and gets many good reviews including your own. But I am afraid it is a little too playful, I would really like to experience stability even with bad conditions.
* GNU RC C3 Review – From your description I get the feeling it should be good too. And from reviews it feels to be more technical and stable (better for carving) than Jones. I have found last unit I can order size 154,5
I am under the impression that this classic camber of Burton Custom would be actually ideal. But what do you think? I do not want to limit myself to Burton and I want a desk that will serve me well for a long time.
In case I do not find a good deal on regular Custom, would going Custom X be very bad for me? What areas of ridding would suffer if I go with Custom X as oppose to Custom, and vice versa? Also what do you think about 150 as a size? I am asking in case I cannot get size 154.
Thanks again, and happy new year 😀
Hi Damian
The MT would is a little more playful than the Custom and the RC C3, but it’s still not ultra playful or anything, but might be that you’d prefer the Custom or RC C3, based on your experience with the Custom X. 154.5 would work for you for the RC C3. It’s on the longer side for your specs, but it’s certainly doable.
The Custom X is going to be harder to do tricks with, including jumps, ollies, spins etc than the Custom, IMO, and it’s going to be harder to ride at slower speeds. Also, it’s going to be more physically taxing. i.e. by the end of the day, you’ll likely be more tired, at least until you become more conditioned to riding a board that burly. The Custom isn’t as stable at high speed as the Custom X and isn’t as good for big arcing carves, IMO.
150 in the Custom is going to make it noticeably more playful than the 154. It would be a good size for you if you were going to use it more for tricks/freestyle. Would still be pretty stable at your weight, but it’s going to be less stable at speed than the 154.
Great website. So happy I found it. I’m thinking I’m due for an upgrade, currently riding a 2001 Burton Canyon 157 (essentially a wide custom). I’ve only ridden 2 boards in my 30 yrs of riding so don’t have much to judge on (& have only ridden cambers). Mostly midwest riding, hard carving on more icy crud than I’d like but prefer fast groomers. Advanced rider, 170#, 6′, size 12 boots so looking for a wide. I really have no complaints with the Canyon & upgraded to Cartel bindings and new boots last year (was riding 30 year old Kemper boots LOL). Anyway, I’m torn between a 158W Custom or 158W Custom X (both in camber), but have also considered a few others such as a Rossi One LF 161W (as it’s about half the price of Custom X). The price has me second guessing a Custom X. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hi CJ
Thanks for your message.
I think you’re in right place size-wise with 158W. Between the Custom X and Custom, I think it depends on how stiff you want it. How hard you want to charge and whether you want something with at least some forgiveness. The Custom X is hard charging. If you want to get the most out of doing big high speed carves and just bombing down the mountain, then the Custom X is the way to go. If you want something that’s going to serve you well riding fast and slow and be a little more versatile in that sense, then Custom.
If you’re looking for improvement in powder, but at the sacrifice of carving (versus either Custom or Custom X but more pronounced versus Custom), then the Rossi One is worth considering. Also note that it’s going to be the bigger adjustment of the 3, as you’ll be going to a profile with a reasonable amount of rocker in it – and given you’ve ridden camber for 30 years, it would be something you’d have to get used to.
Also to consider is that the Cartel bindings are, IMO, a little too soft for the Custom X. I would personally go with stiffer bindings, if I went Custom X. The Cartel match the Custom and the Rossi One well, IMO.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hello 🙂 ,
1)What would you suggest Custom X or GNU Essential Service?
2)What binding stiffness would you suggest for any of the above?
Thank you.
Hi Stefanos
Thanks for your messages (got the other ones as well – but deleted them as they were asking the same thing).
In terms of which one I would suggest, it really depends on a lot of things. First thing is if your talking 2021 Essential Service or 2022 Essential Service (they’re quite different boards, even though they have the same name – a little confusing, but there’s a whole history there with that board!).
Then it really comes down to how you like to ride. If you can let me know.
a. how you ride – do you like to bomb?, carve?, ride trees?, any powder?, do you ride aggressively or do you like to ride more casual or both depending on your mood? Anything you can tell me about your riding style would really help
b. your specs – if you could let me know your weight, height and boot size and roughly how strong/athletic you would consider yoursel
c. you ability level – can you let me know roughly you ability level – intermediate, advanced, expert?
In terms of binding stiffness, I would say at least 8/10 in terms of flex for the Custom X and up to 10/10. For the Essential Service (assuming your looking at the 2022 model), I would say more like 7/10 binding flex – 6/10 at the softest and up to 8/10.
Hope this helps
Thank you for the fast response :)!!
Info to help you help me:
I like to bomb and carve. Powder rarely.
Ride style : aggressive.
Ability level advanced to expert.
I am 1.95cm (6.3 feet),100 kilo(220pounds),30,5Mongo.
Strong/athletic in a very good condition in both.
I mean Essential Service 2021.
(for both boards the wide option).
Hope that helps.
Hi Stafanos
Thanks for the extra info. Definitely helps.
2022 Essential Service vs Custom X, then 100% Custom X for what you’re describing. Since you’re looking at the 2021 Essential Service it comes a little closer, but given that you don’t ride that much powder, you love to bomb and carve and your strong/athletic, I would still be leaning Custom X. 2021 ES certainly better for what you’re describing than 2022 Essential Service and would do the job for sure, but my instinct says Custom X for you.
Size-wise, if you ended up going 2021 Essential Service I would say 164W for sure.
For the Custom X, it’s between the 162W and 166W. If you have a preference for size, I’d go closest to that preference. The Custom X does have a good amount of effective edge versus overall length, so I think the 162W could certainly work. For some boards it’s probably getting a little on the short side for you, but for that board, it would work. But if you’re preference is more around 165, then I’d be leaning 166W, given how you like to ride. Another consideration is the size of mountain your ride. If it’s quite small, then erring on the smaller side makes sense. If it’s a big mountain and plenty of space to open out and bomb, that favors going a little longer.
Firstly, the reviews are great! Thanks for doing them.
Here’s my question:
I’m trying to decide between the Billy goat and the Custom X. I already have a Flight attendant( Which I like, but it really gets washy at high speeds on hard snow). So I’m looking for an aggressive all mountain board that has really good edge hold that is competent in pow, but mostly for groomer day carving. I really love Mervin products and have ridden many over the years, but I feel as though the newer ones tend to break in way too much and too quickly. What are your thoughts? Thanks!
Hi Jon
Thanks for your message.
I would go Billy Goat for you, mostly because it’s better in hard snow than the Custom X, IMO.
In terms of breaking in: I don’t own any Mervin boards currently, but they do tend to break in quite quickly like you say. I don’t mind that personally, but some find they break in too quickly/too much. But I’m not sure if their more recent gear is still the same in that respect. I typically don’t test gear for long enough to really gain a good insight there, unless it’s gear I own.
Hope this helps
Spot on review of this board. Basically to ride this board you have to push hard. It shines under loads, responds instantly and gives you all the confidence in the world to ride damn fast. In my opinion – it’s very capable on powder but pay attention to that front-end since it dives fast. Carving obviously works well. On uneven terrain, moguls etc. it’s a pain – avoid.
To summarize – a deck for strong, experienced riders looking for a stable high speed ride. Not the best all rounder. Also – you must be in your zone to have a good a time with it.
Hi Oscar
Some great points and well said. Thanks for your input and insight – much appreciated
hello Nate, I bought my first custom x this year. Looking for a burton binding EST to put on it. Seems like the binding burton made for it is the GENESIS X . But it overkill my budget. I was not considerate the burton CARTEL because you suggest with the CARTEL a board max 7/10 stiff. Can the CARTEL do a good job or just doesnt fit with the custom x. I just wanna make sure to have a binding who can extract the best out of the custom x . I’m 6`6“ . 240 lbs. boots :13
Thanks for your help and for your passion in snowboarding. You helped me a lot
Hi Jean-Philippe
Thanks for your message.
I think the Cartel would certainly do the job on the Custom X. It’s a versatile binding. But ideally I would put something stiffer on the Custom X, to get the most out of it. The Genesis X would be the best option, in terms of an EST binding, IMO, apart from the X Base (but that’s even more expensive than the Gen X!). There are cheaper options that you could get that better suit the flex of the Custom X, in different brands (and ones that will be compatible with the Channel System) but that wouldn’t specifically be EST bindings. So, given you want EST, the Genesis X would be your best bet (you could try to find a 2019 model to get it a bit cheaper).
Hope this helps with your decision
Thanks for the reply. My budget got me to choose the Cartel EST since they are the stiffers EST binding in my range of price. Also considarate that i’m a casual rider. The slide adjustement toe to heel with the EST bindings is just amazing. For the very first time , I can ride a board and not having my toes touch the snow in a agressive turn on the groom.
Have a great season
Hi Jean-Philippe
Thanks for the update. Hope you have a great season too!
HI Nate, In your opinion, what are the effects of having a middle softer side binding ( like CARTEL ) on a stiffer side board ( like CUSTOM X). With that set up , I feel I can play a little bit around but I feel also I lost some power into carving. I’m concern of the effects it will have on ”the playing around thing ” having a stiff binding ( like UNION ULTRA ) on a stiff board (like Custom X ) .
I’m targeting actually the UNION ULTRA to put on the custom x. Do you think that is a good match.I ask directly UNION BINDING if the ULTRA’ s highback is design to be rotate. Their answer was no. Do you think that the lack of rotation on the highback is a big deal considaring i like carving. My guess is , if a cie. like UNION doesn’t allow highback rotation on most popular and performance models , may be it’s because it is something useless. what is your opinion.
thanks , have a good day
Hi Jean-Philippe
I find with softer bindings on a stiffer board that the binding struggles to “drive” the board with enough power if that makes sense. Basically like you’re describing that you can carve as hard or deep – and I find that it slows up the edge to edge speed on a stiffer board too. I usually find that going stiffer in your bindings (or anywhere in your gear) will mean less in terms of maneuverability at slower speeds.
I think that the Ultra would be a great match for the Custom X, for sure. You would likely loose some of that playability (I swear that’s a word!) too though, IMO. Something like the Union Falcor could be a nice middle ground in terms of having more power to drive the Custom X, but retaining some playability. Or something like the Flux XF – see the following for more that would fit in that in between category.
>>Top 5 All-Mountain-Freeride Bindings
In terms of rotating the high backs. Some people swear by it. Others say they don’t bother. If I have a binding that I can rotate the highback on, I typically do, but I honestly don’t notice a lot of difference personally. I don’t take it into consideration when buying bindings. I own bindings that I can and bindings that I can’t, but I never took that into consideration when buying (and I’m very particular when I buy, or recommend snowboard gear!).
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
Im debating the 2020 custom x or the super doa.. I’m into big air jumps, but mostly in the park no jibbing.
I do all-mountain, what is better suited for me? And what do you think of the super doa compared to the traditional?
Hi Shaun
Thanks for your message.
The DOA vs Super DOA, first of all, the main differences are:
1. The Super DOA is a little stiffer feeling than the DOA. Capita rate DOA 5.5 and SuperDOA 6. But I would say more like DOA 6/10 and SuperDOA 7/10. Their ratings are for the wood core of the board – before adding the fibreglass, etc. Some boards feel less than their stated flex, some more. For the DOA and SuperDOA I’ve found them a little stiffer than their ratings personally.
2. The Super DOA is a little lighter. The 156 I rode weighed in at 2680 grams – and the DOA (2019) that I rode was 2720 grams. So not a huge difference but a little lighter (of course wood cores vary, so that can explain some difference). But it did feel a little lighter for spinning and getting pop overall.
3. The Super DOA had a little more on a carve than the DOA – and a little more stable at speed – but still nothing like the Custom X, when it comes to aggressive carving.
4. I’d say the Super DOA is a little more aggressive overall vs the DOA – but again nothing like the Custom X in that sense.
Vs the Custom X:
1. The Super DOA would be better all round for jumps/spins, IMO. But in terms of big air – especially just straight air, then that difference would be much less – both would be pretty close in that sense. I’d say the pop from the Custom X is still harder to access (you’ve got to put more in to get it out) but probably has a little more pop once you do actually load it up – and obviously no issues with stable approaches and solid landings. Though the Super DOA is good there too, of course. For any kind of smaller jumps, then the Super DOA is preferable.
2. The Custom X has it over the Super DOA in terms of speed and carving for sure. And even though it’s not amazing for powder itself, still a little better than the Super DOA when it comes to powder.
If you mostly ride the mountain and are just doing big straight air (certainly not something you can’t spin – but it’s a beefier board to get around – and it’s not twin, so landing/taking off switch not as good), and want something super aggressive and a real carving/speed machine, then I would go Custom X.
If you want something with just a little more forgiveness and something that’s good no big air, but also smaller jumps/spins, then the Super DOA is probably more your thing.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
I’m trying to decide between this board and the slash ATV. I mostly do aggressive charging plus some deeper carving, but also do enjoy jumps – both natural and smaller jumps in the park. It feels like every review I’ve read mentions the custom x as the board that gives you the most pop out of your turns and #1 board for aggressive charging, and I’ve read a couple that mention the ATV as slightly plankish/slightly dead out of turns. I’ve read your detailed reviews of each, but would you be able to do a direct comparison on the carving, quickness of turn initiation, speed, jumps and overall turning experience between the two? I’m trying to better understand the gap in overall turning experience and speed vs the gap in jumps. Thanks in advance for any response.
Hi Dan
Thanks for your message.
I certainly didn’t find the ATV dead out of turn at all but the Custom X does have a bit more there. Head to head for carving, the Custom X does win. And it’s quick edge-to-edge when really bombing, which is great. The ATV is also really quick edge-to-edge at speed, and probably no quicker than the Custom X, but when you slow down a bit the ATV is better and quicker edge-to-edge than the Custom X, IMO. The Custom X doesn’t like going slow at all, whereas the ATV can ride slower better. That’s part of the reason, I really preferred it for jumps. You get a bit more in terms of maneuverability for the approach.
But also for jumps, it’s still got great pop, is stable on fast approaches and a really solid landing platform. The Custom X felt more sketchy trying to lineup tricky side-hits or making adjustments on the approach to a jump. The other important difference I found for jumps between the 2, is that the Custom X, whilst it has plenty of pop there, it takes more muscle/effort to extract that pop, IMO. The ATV was easier to pop with less effort. If you’re really athletic you might not notice this as much, but this is something that’s really noticeable for me.
Overall for carving/turns I think I probably just preferred the ATV, only because I liked it better at slower speeds, but the Custom X, carving when you’re really bombing, it wins out there, IMO. And just straight line speed – the ATV is really good, but the Custom X is another level again.
Hope this helps with your decision
Thanks for the detailed comparison. I think I’m definitely leaning towards the ATV after your comments. One last thing, and I didn’t see a review on the site so maybe you haven’t ridden it, but do you know how you’d compare the burton custom (camber) with the ATV? In terms of pop, edge hold and turning experience? Seems like both are supposed to be solid carvers with good pop. The main difference I’ve seen from others is that the custom has more flex to it.
Thanks in advance, your website and personal responses are extremely helpful.
Hi Dan
I haven’t ridden the Custom Camber for a couple of seasons, but I would say that’s a relatively close description. Though it might be closer to say that the Custom is like a softer flexing Custom X. Slash boards have a different flavor to Burton boards, so I’d say that would be a closer comparison. Which makes the Custom a little less hard carvy than the Custom X and a little less stable at speed. But, IMO, better for jumps and a bit better for uneven terrain. Which I guess is some of the ways that the ATV is different to the Custom X as well – except the ATV still has that carvability and speed over the Custom (non-x), IMO. So, in some ways the ATV is almost in between the Custom X and Custom. But with a different feel to it. Hope that makes sense!
Thank you so much for all your detailed replies. I’m 185 lbs, 6 ft 2 in, and have a size 12 boot (adidas tactical adv). I just ordered the Slash ATV 163W (ww of 263). I seemed to fit perfectly according to your waist width charts (for foot/boot size), your height/weight charts and the slash atv website proposed weight range.
Looking forward to using it. Based on how well all 3 of those charts say I fit, I’d assume you would have proposed the same size ATV as well??
Thanks,
Dan
You’re very welcome Dan.
Yeah, assuming you’re an advanced ride, which it sounds like you are, I think the 163W is a good size for your specs. If you think of it at the time, let me know how you get on, once you’ve had a chance to get it out on snow. Happy riding!
What bindings do you recommend for this board for the ultimate carving / fast speed experience?
Hi Martin
Thanks for your message.
If carving and speed are your biggest concern, I would look at the following options:
>>Top 5 Freeride Bindings
Hope this helps
Own this exact same board and this review is absolutely 100% bang on. The one thing I also find with the CX is the faster you go on this board the easier everything feels. This is where it wants to be. The CX just loves high speed for laying down some super sic’ heavy lines.
Hi Craig
Thanks for your input. Yeah definitely a board that wants to bomb at high speed!