The Burton Process is one of those boards that really changes how it feels when riding fast or slow. Riding slow it's confident, decisive and a ton of fun! But get it up past moderately fast speeds and it becomes shy, hesitant and awkward.
In this review, I will take a look at the Process as an all-mountain (though you could make a good case that it's more all-mountain-freestyle) snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Process a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other all-mountain snowboards.
Overall Rating
Board: Burton Process
Price: $549
Style: All-Mountain
Flex Rating: Medium-Soft
Flex Feel on Snow: Medium (5/10)
Rating Score: 83.1/100
Compared to other Men’s All-Mountain Boards
Of the 32 current model all-mountain snowboards that we tested:
❄️ The Burton Process ranked 23rd out of 32
Overview of the Process’ Specs
Check out the tables for the Process’s specs and available sizes.
STYLE:
ALL-MOUNTAIN
PRICE:
$549 - BUYING OPTIONS
Ability Level:
flex:
feel:
DAMPNESS:
SMOOTH /SNAPPY:
Playful /aggressive:
Edge-hold:
camber profile:
HYBRID CAMBER
HYBRID Camber - Burton's "PurePop Camber"
SHAPE:
setback stance:
Setback 12.5mm (0.5")
BASE:
Sintered
weight:
Felt A LITTLE HEAVIER THAN normal
Camber Height:
7mm
Sizing
LENGTH (cm) | Waist Width (mm) | Rec Rider Weight (lb) | Rec Rider Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
152 | 249 | 120-180 | 54-82 |
155 | 251 | 120-180 | 54-82 |
157 | 252 | 150-200 | 68-91 |
159 | 255 | 150-200 | 68-91 |
162 | 257 | 180-260+ | 82-118+ |
155W | 256 | 120-180 | 54-82 |
157W | 257 | 150-200 | 68-91 |
159W | 260 | 150-200 | 68-91 |
162W | 262 | 180-260+ | 82-118+ |
Who is the Process Most Suited To?
The Process is best suited to intermediate to advanced riders that don't need their board (or they have another board for it) to perform at a high end for powder, speed, high speed carves and in crud.
For everything else, i.e. if you like to make full use of groomers doing ground tricks, side-hits, lower speed carves, ducking into trees (if the pow isn't too deep) and taking laps in the park, then this board will treat you well, IMO.
For an intermediate ride who doesn't like speed and doesn't see much powder, it could be a very good one-board-quiver. Or it can compliment a quiver, pairing it with a freeride or powder board.
Not beginner easy to ride, but not too far off. If you're a higher end beginner to low intermediate looking to take the next step up, it could work really well for you.
Process DetailS
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Process is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: Burton Process 2025, 157cm (252mm waist width)
Date: February 6, 2024
Powder
Nothing to test in on the day, but specs and experience with other similar boards suggests it won't be great in powder.
It's not completely camber (some flat sections) but they aren't significant. It also has a small setback stance location, but not much else going for it powder-wise.
Carving
Has a nice feel on a carve, when doing so at slower speeds. But it doesn't take a hell of a lot of speed before it starts to feel washy. Slow speed carves, pretty good. But high speed/low angle carves not great.
Turning
Ease of Turning/Slashing: Nice and easy to initiate turns on and doesn't take a lot of effort.
Maneuverability at slow speeds: It's pretty agile at slow speeds and again, doesn't take a lot of effort to get it moving from edge-to-edge.
Catchiness: Minimal chance of catching an edge. If I really tried to get a catchy feel, there was a hint of it in the tail, but really nothing. Nice and easy to turn and all round felt great at slow speeds.
Speed
However, it didn't feel as comfortable at higher speeds. Fine at slow speeds, medium speeds, but when you started to really open it out, it got pretty wobbly/washy.
Uneven Terrain
Crud/Chunder: Got bucked around the place pretty easy on this board. Didn't take much to bounce this thing around. Thankfully it was easy to make adjustments. Felt a lot of chatter in uneven terrain too.
Trees/Bumps: The easy and quick edge-to-edge turns helped to make the Process perform well in the trees. It wasn't a fun day for it, with the conditions we had, but it did admirably and would be even better on less icy days. Would get sinky in deep powder tree days, but softer days or shallow powder and it would be super fun in trees. Flexes well over undulations as well.
Jumps
Really fun. Not super stable on faster approaches or landings and could get particularly wobbly on uneven cruddy landings but for everything else, I had blast giving this thing air!
Pop: Really easy to access the pop. More limited total pop but not terrible total pop. Not as much pop as the Custom or Custom X, which I also tested that day but easier to access than both.
Approach: Really easy to adjust and speed check and stable enough for small to medium jumps but doesn't have the stability to be amazing for larger jumps.
Landing: Not super solid on bigger landings but speed checking or dodging anything after landing is really good. Forgiving of landing a little off center from smaller jumps.
Side-hits: This was the part of the Process I liked the most. It was nice and agile and nice easy access pop. So you didn't have to wind anything up and you could seek out harder to access side-hits with confidence.
Small jumps/Big jumps: Small to medium jumps are best.
Switch
Really good. Easy transitions and rode very similar switch to my usual direction. Again if you're doing fast/big carves switch, it'll get washy but otherwise great.
Spins
Nice easy pop and nice and easy to setup without feeling like you'll catch an edge either. Landings were nice and forgiving too, in the sense that if you didn't fully complete your spin, it was easy to finish on the snow, without wiping out. It did however have a little bit of over spin, when the rotations got higher.
Jibbing
Really decent. For boxes/rails etc, I like my board to be nice and agile, for ease of setup, have easy pop to pop onto/off a feature and be catch-free. The Process did most of those things nicely. I'd prefer a softer flexing board though for jibs, personally, but stronger jibbers probably wouldn't be worried about the flex of the Process.
Butters
Nice and easy to butter on, but at the same time didn't feel like it would be easy to over flex it.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
| Factor | Rating (/5) | Weighted |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | 2.5 | 7.5/15 |
| Carving | 3 | 6/10 |
| Turns | 4 | 8/10 |
| Speed | 3 | 6/10 |
| Crud | 3 | 6/10 |
| Trees | 4 | 8/10 |
| Switch | 4 | 8/10 |
| Jumps | 4 | 8/10 |
| Spins | 4 | 4/5 |
| Butters | 4 | 4/5 |
| Rails | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| TOTAL (after normalizing): | 83.1/100 |
The Process was super fun for slow to medium speed riding and for tight, quick turns at slower speeds. It also performed well in the park and ground tricks. While we've classified this as all-mountain, you could just as easily call it all-mountain-freestyle.
It doesn't like high speeds as much though and low angle/high speed carves did get pretty wobbly/washy.
Overall a really fun board for groomers and park, but loses a little versatility for powder, carving, speed and crud performance.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
To learn more about the Process, or if you're ready to buy, or if you just want to research prices and availability, check out the links below
To check out some other all-mountain snowboard options, or to see how the Process compares to others, check out our top rated all-mountain snowboards by clicking the button below.
Hello Nate,
Can You advise which board to have for progressing?
My level now is mid beginner going to low intermediate.
I ride on Burton Custom camber board, but for me at the moment its to aggressive and edge catchy board, also slows down my progression.
Now in my list are these boards:
1) Burton Process purepop camber
2) Burton Instigator Flat top
3) Burton Instigator purepop camber
At the moment i dont ride at high speeds, because want to progress my riding,
my style is just freeride/freestyle, with plan to try some park boxes, but its not main purpose, i want just have a great andfun time on snow 🙂
Hi August, thanks for your message.
The Instigator Flat Top is going to be your best bet for fastest progression. It’s probably also the one that you’re likely to grow out of the fastest, once you start wanting to ride faster and get into carving, but it should progress you faster than the other 2 would. The PurePop Instigator is something that will last you a little longer through your progression. Still should be fine in terms of where you’re at, but a slightly steeper learning curve than the Flat Top version. The Process Purepop is a little more challenging again, but it’s not that much more advanced than the Instigator Purepop, so it’s still something that is probably doable. Again, another bit steeper of a learning curve, but if you’re someone who is determined, it would be doable and would last you the longest, progression-wise, IMO. And still be more friendly and less catchy than the Custom. And still a faster progression than the Custom, for sure.
So essentially I would say this:
Order of quickness of progression:
1) Burton Instigator Flat top
2) Burton Instigator purepop camber
3) Burton Process purepop camber
Longest time before you grow out of it:
1) Burton Process purepop camber
2) Burton Instigator purepop camber
3) Burton Instigator Flat top
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
Hi Nate, thanks so much for your review.
I am currently riding 154W Burton Custom and it has been a few year so I am thinking of getting a new one. I would say I am all mountain, more leaning to free ride like do the tree runs and off terrain, would also like to do powder as much as I can. I live in west Canada so the terrain are not usually groomed. Also I am 73kg and 180cm and size 10 boot.
I was thinking either Burton Skeleton Key or Hometown hero, but I am seeing this very much good deal: 162cm Burton process FV. I was afraid it’s too long for me, according to your sizing guide, 158cm is my all mountain board size, I can go 2-4cm longer if my riding style is free ride.
Do you think it’s a good choice to me or I should still look for SK/HometownHero in 158cm instead?
Thanks for any advice!
Hi Nathan
I wouldn’t go that long in the Process FV. One of the reasons you can go longer in a freeride board is that more of the effective edge is outside the contact points when compared to an all-mountain or freestyle board. With the Process Flying V being a more all-mountain bordering on all-mountain freestyle board, it’s not something I would go longer in.
The Skeleton Key in 158 would be a good bet, IMO. The HTH in 156 would work well too. Or you could go to 160 in the HTH, if you wanted to go bigger. I’d go 160 in the HTH before I went 162 in the Process FV.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hey Nate!
I am looking to switch over to the Process Camber from the 2021 Custom Flying V (156). I find the Flying V to wash out on me in harder snow or icy conditions. From what I have read, the process will be fun and a little more forgiving compared to a full aggressive custom camber. I would consider myself an intermediate rider, 5’8, 180lb, athletic build, and 9.5 boot.
Which would be a better fit for me, the 155 or 159 process camber? (Sold out of the 157, but if you strongly recommend this, I’ll search around!) The Burton size calculator recommended the 159 or 157.
Thanks for your help!
Hi Chris
Thanks for your message.
I would put your “typical all-mountain length” at around 158, so I think you could go either 157 or 159. I’d probably be leaning 157, as an intermediate rider, but with an athletic build I don’t think you’d have any issues with the 159 feeling like too much board or anything and it’s a pretty easy going board.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hi Nate, im 5ft 10″ and approx 169lb. My level is intermediate and very keen to progress to advanced but still learning to link turns, gain speed, carve but still a way off. Im looking for that board which would help me now and get me to where i want to be. I’ll be honest, i mainly looking at 2 models only and loaned and tried the Salomon Assassin at an indoor ski complex here in the UK and liked it very much. Unfortunately the company than loaned it didnt have the Burton Process for me to try so i have no idea how it would compare. I did see the board and tested its flex and suprised how soft it felt but equally the Assassin had the similar or same amount of flex. What are your thoughts for me, Burton Process or Salomon Assassin?
Hi Steven
Thanks for your message. Yeah, I felt the two boards at the same flex, so they are very similar flex-wise. The Process is a little more camber dominant. It’s not full camber, but mostly camber, with some flat sections towards tip and tail. I think you’d be fine with it though and it’s a fun board. But given you’ve ridden the Assassin and liked it, I think that’s the safest bet, and it’s a little more versatile, being a little better in powder. I would be leaning Assassin, but the Process wouldn’t be a bad choice.
Size-wise, I’d go 156 for the Assassin for your specs. The 159 is doable as well, but I’d be leaning 156. If you went Process I think the 157 would be your best bet.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hey nate, I did a day on the outer space living by capita and it was great. I practiced my switch and I don’t even think I caught an edge the entire day. I was talking to Burton the other day, and they recommended me the Burton process.
How would you compare the process and the outer space living? Which board is more forgiving on catching edges?
I’m intermediate. I took lessons at keystone this year and I can do the blues at keystone if I’m feeling brave.
Hi JC
Thanks for your message.
The OSL is more forgiving of catching edges than the Process, assuming your talking about the PurePop camber version of the Process. The Process isn’t super catchy or anything, but the OSL is more forgiving. If you were talking Process Flying V, then that might be even less catchy than the OSL, but close in that respect.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate
Catchy on flat surfaces or catchy when you have a poor technique ( for the Burton Process ) ? Please let us know your thoughts about the Burton Process as an all mountain board for intermediate riders , especially when compared to OSL ? Mostly on groomed trails, the primary surface is anything but fresh cat tracks.
Hi Mando
Thanks for your message.
I would say mostly poor technique. It’s not super catchy by any means and I think it’s certainly doable for an intermediate level. But is slightly catchier when you get off your game compared to the OSL, IMO.
Hi Nate, this review was very helpful to me, but I still can’t decide what board to buy next.
I can define myself as an intermediate rider who rides mostly on tracks, but I also love side-track powder (even though I rarely get the chance to ride it) and I would like to learn some tricks.
My current board is a 2010/2011 Santa Cruz Slasher with surf rocker bend, which is my first board and the board with I progressed the most, and which has seen better days.
With this board I approached carving turns, which I have achieved, and I am trying to get more confident and push myself harder. The problem is that since the back of the board gets sometimes loose I am scared to try; furthermore, I think its size does not suit me, because it is a 159 with 252 mm waist width and I’m 182 cm (6.0), 72 kg (159 lbs) and 45 (12) foot size, so I think a wide would suit me better.
Now, I took a look on Burton website and compared the Process Purepop camber with the Custom Flying V and on paper they seem to be very similar, but I don’t know what to expect from each one since I never ridden neither a camber board nor a Flying V board.
The question is that I think that the Custom Flying V, being a rocker-dominant board, would likely ride the same as my current board, but since I ride mostly on track, maybe a Camber board would be better; also, being an all-mountain-freestyle board, the Process Camber could help me with learning tricks.
On the other hand, having never ridden a camber board I’m afraid that the camber “catchy” feel could not suit me, so this would point the choice towards the Custom Flying V, which, for what I could understand, is more forgiving.
In other words, the Custom Flying V seems to be the board that suits my riding style the most, but I don’t know if, riding mostly track, it can properly hold the edge as the Process Camber and what are the differences between the two for what concerns tricks learning.
I hope that my essay is understandable and not too annoying.
Thanks in advance and cheers from Italy!
Hi Luca
Thanks for your message.
The Flying V profile is quite loose feeling – so I think it’s worth trying out a more camber dominant profile. With the back of your board currently getting loose, you might experience something similar with the Custom Flying V – and since it sounds like you’re looking to avoid that this time, I would be leaning more Process. Gives better edge hold in harder conditions too, IMO. And is good for tricks and has a bit more pop. You can certainly ride the Custom Flying V for park and tricks too, but overall for what you’re describing, I would be leaning Process. Note that the Custom Flying V is better in powder, IMO, but if you’re not seeing deep powder very often, then it’s not that big a difference. The Process I didn’t find super catchy – it’s not going to be as “un-catchy” as the Custom Flying V, IMO, but it’s also something I don’t think you’ll have too hard a time adjusting to.
Size-wise, going wide is certainly recommended with your boot size. Length-wise, I would put you on roughly a 158 as your “standard all-mountain” size. This assumes a relatively advanced level. If you think you wanted something a little more playful for leaning tricks etc, then the 155 could work for you for the Process. But if you preferred to optimize things like stability at speed, float in powder and for carves, I would be leaning more to the 157.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate, thank you very much for your reply.
Your advice was very helpful, I was afraid of the Process being much much more catchy than the Custom Flying V, but since it is not that catchy and since it is a matter of getting used to it, I think the decision is made.
Thank you again and have a good day!
You’re very welcome Luca. Hope it works out well for you. 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!
Nate,
Awesome work with your reviews. I’m 6’2” 205 pounds and have for the last 12 years been riding a Burton Custom vRocker 159 (my first “real board”). I ride east coast and typically only get out 2-3 times per year for a few consecutive days.
I tried out the process during a recent trip to a Vermont resort. Conditions were soft then icy and I thought the board handled well.
I haven’t researched outside of reading endless reviews on your site and am stuck on what to get. I liked this board but feel like I’m missing out if I grab the first thing that I happened to try out?
I love to carve and ride fairly fast (not like my 20s) but enjoy a bit of speed. I stick to blue trails mainly.
What would be your top 3 recommendations for me?
Appreciate it!
Ryan
Hi Ryan
Thanks for your message.
I think since you like to carve and ride fairly fast on blues, the Process would work – it’s decent at speed and carving, but isn’t overly demanding in terms of flex or anything – and likely similar flex to the Custom vRocker, or perhaps a little softer. What size did you ride it in?
But I think you could also step up the flex a little bit, particularly for your specs, if you’re wanting to stick to something around a similar size to 159. I would be leaning more like 162/163 for your specs, length-wise, but if you wanted to stick to the more familiar size around 159, then going a little stiffer is probably a good idea.
Tough to choose 3 boards for carving, fairly fast and blue, but I think the following list would offer you some good options.
>>My Top 10 All Mountain Snowboards
This is assuming you’re not looking for anything overly aggressive. But I think stepping up that flex to around 6/10 would be a good idea. If you can narrow it down to 2-3 boards would be happy to give my sizing opinion on those specific boards – would just need your boot size.
Hope this helps
Thanks Nate. My boot size is
12. I actually ordered the Yes Standard 162 before you replied. It’s delayed and I can cancel/change sizes if I want. The 162 is 268 wide…too wide? What do you think?
Also, I was looking at the Capita Mercury or Jones Mountain Twin. Paralysis by analysis but fun no doubt researching. In the end I want something fun to ride with some forgiveness that can handle hard pack and stick a carve.
Appreciate the feedback.
Ryan
Hi Ryan
I think the 162 works for you. It’s a wider board, but with 12’s you should be good with the width. If you had smaller feet, then I would size down to the 159, but with 12s, I think you should be all good on the 162.
Hey,
I am an advanced rider (digging trenches in groomers, blowing through chunder, fine edge work on ice, tree runs and bowels/chutes, but not advance enough for cliffs or bombing chutes/bowels); however, I am weak in the park (can do simple butters, can ride a rail, can barely boardslide, working on cleaning up my 180s, trying to progress to 360) .
I also have a partially fused ankle so I run +27-33 on my front foot and need a wide stance if I want to be able to squat low (been experimenting with stances 26inch, 27inch. The ankle also prevents me from doing much of a press with that front leg).
For this reason, I was going to sell my Yes. Basic – due to the max stance width for a 156W being 24.1′ -, which I have been using as an all mountain freestyle board. I was thinking that the Burton Process would be a good replacement (all mountain freestyle with channel system for wide stance). Is this a good move? Are there boards from other brands that allow for 25’+ stance width on boards in the 156W size range that I should consider?
Thank you you so much for your knowledge and expertise!
Hi Sky
Thanks for your message.
I don’t tend to take note of max reference stance, but measuring a couple of 156s and 158s I have here and doing a bit of research, I’m not seeing any 156s that have a max stance beyond around 24.8″. So, I think going Burton is probably your best bet, to get the extra stance width from the Channel. The Process should for you as an all-mtn freestyle board. With your level of riding, I don’t think you’d have any issues using it as a board to focus on freestyle with. I think it would work well. If you wanted to go closer to the flex of the YES Basic, then I would look at the Kilroy Twin.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Great reviews and information on your site! I am heavily considering this board and wanted to know your opinion.
I am 43 and snowboarded for 15 year or so. Probably a high intermediate level. For the past 5 years, I skid with my young kids. Now that they’re older and we’re hitting the whole mountain, I am going back to snowboarding.
I ride primarily northern Vermont. I don’t really mess with the park that often anymore. I like to charge hard and bomb runs and also head into the trees. I do like to slowdown sometimes and ride with the kids and mess around on smaller jumps and such.
I’m 6’0 180 lbs. Would this be a good board to get back into riding? It seems a bit soft which may be an issue. However I am getting older and might ride ride as hard as a did 5 years ago.
Hi Chris
Thanks for your message.
I found the Process can handle a good bit of speed, but it’s not an out and out bomber or anything. You would need to go stiffer for that. Good for jumps and decent on a hard carve. Can slow down with it for sure. Not great for powder.
Instinct tells me it might be a little soft for what you’re after, unless you think you will mellow out your riding compared to 5 years ago.
If you did go Process, I’d be looking at 159 (or 159W depending on boot size).
Hope this helps
Hey can we do press with this board? I am strating snowboarding and I am especially interested in learning butters.
I can have a discount on a 157 Wild one.
I am 180 cm, 70 kg, and 11US foots, do you think it would be a good option ?
Thanks, and really nice and complete review
Hi Fabien
Thanks for your message.
Size-wise, I think the 157W would be a really good size for your specs and what you’re describing.
You can butter with the Process. It’s not what I would call the easiest board to butter, but it’s definitely a little easier to butter than the average board. Better boards for learning to butter on though. And if you’ve just started snowboarding, better boards to learn on too. The Process is fine for intermediate riders, but if you’re more of a beginner, it’s not ideal.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
I’m thinking about getting the process camber, I don’t have a lot of time under my belt, but I do want a board that I can grow with. Do u think this board would give me too much difficulty? And what are your recommendations for me if I were to go with this board in terms of size? (I’m 5’10, 160lbs)
Hi Jay
Thanks for your message.
It’s not super forgiving, in it’s camber profile, but it is quite soft, which makes it more forgiving than a stiffer board with the same camber, if that makes sense. It’s something you want to use pretty good technique with. It’s not fully forgiving of skidded turns. So, I’d say it’s an intermediate and up board. A bit of a challenge for a beginner, I would say. If you’re like low-end intermediate, you might get away with it, with a little bit of a steeper learning curve. But it’s not a super advanced board or anything. Hard to say for sure how you’d get on with it, but hopefully that gives a little bit more info.
Size-wise, I’d say probably 155, but if you could also let me know your boot size, so I can confirm.
Hey Nate!
I’m Marcos and I’m 173cm and 174 kg boot size 9.
Which size of process would you recommend, 152 or 155?
I’m not very into powder, I would prefer a playful board for parks and grooming, and sometimes powder.
Thank you
Hi Marcos
Thanks for your message.
I would say 155 is just right for your specs, assuming at least a solid intermediate level. The 152 could work as your park board, but for your do-it-all board, I’d go 155 (this is with the assumption that you meant 74kg, rather than 174kg)
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
Thank you very much for your quick reply, very helpful. My height is 5’8, weight is 160 lb, and snowboard boot size 10.
I check the BRD as you suggested and it looks great. But in Switzerland I can only get the 162 (I believe too big for me). The other sizes are out of stock. Capita Mercury is available basically all sizes. I found a significant promotion with Nitro boards. Do you think there is a Nitro that could also fit for me?
Which sizes of boards could work well for me?
Thanks
Jorge
Hi Jorge
Thanks for the extra details.
In terms of sizing, it can depend on the board, but generally speaking I’d say between 154 and 156 for your specs, an intermediate level and how you describe your riding.
And yeah, IMO, the 162 BRD would be too big for sure. I’d say 156 for that board.
For the Mercury, the 155 would be your best bet, IMO.
From Nitro, the Team Gullwing (155) would work – it’s borderline too narrow and that would be the only question mark there. Also it’s hybrid rocker, and it sounds like you kind of want to stick away from that. I haven’t tested many Nitro boards, so I can’t say from experience, but the Dropout, Magnum and SMP look like they could be suitable (all cam-out camber – which is hybrid camber) and rated 7/10 flex. The Team and Team Gullwing and both rated 7/10 flex also by Nitro, but I felt them at 6/10. Can’t say for sure if the Dropout, Magnum and SMP will also feel like 6/10 though. Or if you wanted something more directional the Fusion could work too (also Cam-out, 7/10 flex).
Hi Nate,
Thank you so much for your insights, very helpful for my decision
You’re very welcome Jorge. If you think of it at the time, let me know what you go with. Hope you have an awesome season!
Hi Nate,
Sorry for the late reply, but this year I only finished my season in the beginning of July at 4000 meters’ in Zermatt. I followed your suggestion and acquired the capita Mercury. Excellent recommendation. It is very stable, fast, and really easy to ride. I have a colleague of mine with more than 20 years of experience of Snowboarding he rides a Burton Custom, once I went ahead of him and he was not able to take me. Well it was only once, but it shows how good Mercury is.
I tried a bit of everything with Capita, and only in very deep snow or really very icy I would say the cold brew is better. For 95% of my ride it is really excellent. To be honest I don’t know what to chose else in the future, the Mega….
My daughter she is also doing Snowboarding and she is getting better now, she is using a ride rapture, but she really liked my Mercury. She is 160 cm, 50 kg. Which is the female version of Mercury?
Thank you so much for your excellent advice it really changed my season.
Jorge
Hi Jorge
Thanks for the update and awesome to hear that the Mercury is treating you well.
There isn’t a direct women’s equivalent of the Mercury, unfortunately. The closest equivalent would be the Paradise but that’s the women’s equivalent of the Capita Outerspace Living rather than the Mercury. But the paradise could certainly work for her. The Mercury does come down to a 147, but, IMO, that would still be too big for your daughter. Even if she was OK with it length-wise, it’s likely too wide, depending on her boot size. I’d be more inclined to look at the Capita Paradise 141.
Hi Nate,
After following your recommendation in 2021, I acquired the Capita Mercury, that I really enjoy a lot and it is an excellent all around board. I used it a lot and the board is already with a few scratches, but still able to perform well.
By end April 2023, I saw a end season promotion of the Mega Mercury with 40% discount that I could not resist and I bought it. I don’t consider myself an expert, more an upper intermediate rider. I already did 3 rides with the Mega Mercury, and my impression vs the Mercury is the following:
– It is super fast, I’m really impressed, as I said I’m not an expert, but I decided to do a long red in Switzerland, really fast, and I was going faster than all other snowboarders and most of the skiers. In fact I had too wait almost two minutes down for a friend of mine that is an intermediate level skier.
– very fast in normal snow conditions and fresh powder. My opinion not really better than the Mercury in deep-powder. I tested in icy snow and the edge control seems a bit better than the Mercury.
– I’m not a park person, and I don’t believe is the right place for the Mega.
– With muddy snow I felt that the Mega tends to get stuck more easily than the Mercury. Maybe because is more stiff, or I just need to better understand the board.
Overall the Mega is an excellent board not as versatile as the Mercury, and definitely a board for more experienced snowboarders.
One last question, by end January I will go to Austria for a free-ride training snowboard camp. Should I bring my older Mercury, or should I try already the Mega.
Thank you very much for support and wish you a excellent 2024
Jorge
Hi Jorge
Thanks for your message and your insights. Much appreciated. In terms of which board to take for your freeride camp, I think it will depend on the terrain you would be expected to ride in. If it’s going to be fast, open big mountain type stuff, then I’d be leaning Mega Merc, but if it’s going to involve tighter stuff, like trees, then I would be leaning more Mercury.
Hi Nate,
My name is Jorge, I’m doing snowboarding for the last 3.5 years in Switzerland. My current snowboard is a lib tech cold brew that I acquired almost new when I started to learn. I’m 5.8 (73 kg) and my board is 153 cm. I like my board, although is not in perfect shape now. I would say that now I’m on an intermediate level. My board is a hybrid rocker, and now that I start to ride faster I feel it a bit unstable when carving, and even when I need to go flat. I mostly go to resorts, there are a lot in Switzerland, not a lot of backcountry, or powder (although here the cold brew seems quite good). I’m not interested in park. More a all mountain board (able to ride from soft to icy snow)
I select a few boards: Burton: custom and process. Lib tech Orca ( or maybe another with a C3 chamber). Capita Mercury or GNU. To be honest I’m not sure which one and I’m open to other suggestions.
Thanks for your support
Jorge
Hi Jorge
Thanks for your message.
Not too surprised you found the Cold Brew good in powder and a bit unstable when riding faster. I haven’t ridden the Cold Brew but that’s what I would expect from it.
The Custom and Process aren’t great in powder, in my experience and aren’t great in hard/icy conditions. Not too bad, certainly better than the Flying V versions of those boards, but still not amazing.
The Orca is really good in powder and it’s good in hard/icy conditions. Not something that I liked for riding slow though (or in trees when there was no powder) – but if you don’t think you’ll ride slow that often it’s doable – though I’d say more of a an advanced to expert board.
The Mercury is definitely an option. A good all-round board.
In terms of something C3 camber from Lib Tech/GNU, given you’re not riding park and sounds like you want something decent in powder, even if you don’t get it that often, I would say:
– Lib Tech BRD
– Lib Tech Dynamo
– GNU Antigravity
I’d be leaning BRD from those.
If you’re not that worried about powder, then the TRS or RC C3 are also options.
In terms of sizing, if you could let me know your weight and boot size as well – both important factors for sizing.