Hello and welcome to my Capita Black Snowboard of Death review.
In this review I will take a look at the Black Snowboard of Death (BSOD) as a Freeride snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the BSOD a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other Freeride snowboards.
Overall Rating
Board: Capita Black Snowboard of Death 2021
Price: $629 (USD recommended retail)
Style: Freeride
Flex Rating: Medium-Stiff (6.5/10)
Flex Feel: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Rating Score: 85.3/100
Compared to other Men’s Freeride Boards
Out of the 36 Men’s Freeride snowboards that I rated:
Overview of the BSOD’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Black Snowboard of Death’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | Freeride |
Price: | $629 |
Ability Level: | ![]() |
Flex: | ![]() |
Feel: | ![]() |
Turn Initiation: | Medium-Fast |
Edge-hold: | ![]() |
Camber Profile: | Hybrid Camber | camber virtually back to the tail with rocker towards the nose |
Shape: | Tapered Directional (but a very subtle taper) |
Setback Stance: | Setback 12.5mm (0.5") |
Base: | Sintered (Hyperdrive base) |
Weight: | Light |
Sizing
LENGTH (cm) | Waist Width (mm) | Rec Rider Weight (lb) | Rec Rider Weight (kg) |
---|---|---|---|
156 | 256 | 130-190 | 59-86 |
159 | 259 | 140-200 | 63-90 |
162 | 262 | 150-210+ | 68-95+ |
161W | 267 | 150-210 | 68-95 |
165W | 270 | 160-220+ | 72-100+ |
169W | 274 | 170-230+ | 77-104+ |
* note that there are 3 new sizes for the 2021 model - the 161W, 165w and 169W. The 165 that the 2020 model had is no longer available. Note that the shape changed a bit too, so even the existing sizes are a little different in terms of width and other things (see below "changes from 2020 model for more details).
Who is the BSOD Most Suited To?
The BSOD is well suited to those looking for a lightweight board that straddles the gap between all-mountain and freeride. It's a great board for freeriding with an all-mountain kind of feel.
If you want to ride the sidecountry/backcountry finding powder, carve up the trails and generally ride hard and fast – but want a little bit more forgiveness in the flex, compared to a super stiff board, then the BSOD is a great choice. It also handles jumps pretty well – so if you like to throw in some jumps over rollers and drops off lips etc.
This is definitely not for beginners – this is an advanced rider’s board only.
The BSOD in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the BSOD is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: Capita Black Snowboard of Death 2019, 159cm, (waist width 259mm)
Date: February 26, 2020
Conditions: No fresh snow but there had been some in the days leading up. Cloudy with variable visibility. Worse higher up.
Groomer was firm but not icy with a bit of soft on top and quite smoothly groomed. Off groomer quite similar.
Cold enough without being super cold.

Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance width: 585mm (23″)
Stance Setback: Setback 12.5mm
Width at Inserts: 267mm (10.51") at front insert and 268mm (10.55") at back insert
Rider Height: 6'0"
Rider Weight: 175lbs
Rider Boot Size: US10 Salomon Lo-Fi
Bindings Used: Burton Malavita M
Weight: 2800grams (6lbs 3oz)
Weight per cm: 17.61 grams/cm
Average Weight per cm: 18.36 grams/cm*
*based on a small sample size of roughly 80 models that I've weighed in 2019, 2020 & 2021 models. So, a little lighter than average but felt about average on snow, maybe a touch lighter on snow.
Flex
Capita rates this 6.5/10 for flex, but I still feel this board at 7/10 - perhaps even pushing 7.5/10. But perhaps with it being a little wider than normal, I would prefer the 156 over the 159 and I suspect the 156 would feel more like 6.5/10.
Damp or Chattery?
Feels the chatter a bit. One of the things of a light board. But it's not super chattery by any means, but just on the chattery side of the scale.
Smooth or Snappy?
More smooth than snappy for sure.
Powder
Didn't have a lot on the day, but from previous models and based on specs, the BSOD is a decent board in powder. Like the Mercury it transforms into a surfy, nimble feel in powder versus a more aggressive feel on harder snow (as most boards do to an extent, but the Mercury and BSOD do it to a more noticeable extent).
Carving & Turning
Carving: Really nice to carve. Gives back some great energy when you put energy into your carves. Holds an edge well.
Turning: You've got to put into this board to get it out. So if you want energy out of the turn you've got to put it in. But when you do it rewards you. You just can't be too lazy on this board.
Maneuverability at slow speeds: It's not a slow turned at slow speeds, but it's not super nimble either.
Skidded Turns: Not that easy to skid turns on. Can do it, but you can get punished for it too.
Speed
Feels really stable at speed. Can really open it out and bomb it.
Uneven Terrain
It's not super maneuverable in trees/around bumps when there's no fresh powder. But when there is the BSOD really takes on a different personality and becomes floaty and nimble - far more so than you'd think from it's feel on groomers or from it's specs.
Pretty good in crud too - the kind of board you want to use to crush through it, rather than ride with it.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Jumps
It's one of the better jumpers for a freeride board - all be it that it's freeride bordering on all-mountain.
Pop: Great pop. Really noticed in for ollies, flat-land 180s and popping off lips of jumps. You've got to put a bit in to get it out, but it gives back when you give.
Approach: Super stable but not ultra-nimble. Best for bigger jumps and those experienced with jumps. Not for beginner jumpers.
Landing: You can really stomp your landings on this board. Not super forgiving if you get it wrong, but some forgiveness. So best for those who want to go big and really stomp their landings.
Side-hits: Great energy off the lip - not nimble enough to be amazing for trickier approaches, but when you can line up and easier approach side hit, it's super fun.
Small jumps/Big jumps: Large jumps are its forte, IMO. Medium good too, and small OK, but large is the sweet spot on this beast.
Switch
Not to bad riding switch - and that's one advantage of this being a "very close to all-mountain", freeride board.
Spins
Actually not too bad to get the spin around, and has good pop and not too bad landing and taking off switch. Better than I thought for spins. That pop's not super easy to extract for quick little spins off not much. More suited to going big.
Butters
Not impossible to butter by any means, but not super easy either. I would say 3/5.
Changes from the 2020 Model
There are 3 new sizes for the 2021 model - the 161W, 165W and the 169W. The 165 from 2020 is now gone. Of the remaining 156, 159 and 162 sizes, the shape has changed a bit (see below):
All materials from the 2020 model remain for the 2021 model, but the shape has changed. Notably:
- The effective edge is a little shortened, but quite subtly
- The waist width is a little wider
- The width at the contact points is a little narrower
- The sidecut has changed and become slightly tighter (i.e. 8.20/7.80/7.70 on the 2021 156 versus 8.40/8.20/7.80 on the 2020 156)
None of the above are massive differences, but overall a few tweaks there.
Changes from the 2019 Model
There have been some changes to the core and to the base but the 2020 model is predominantly the same board as the 2019 model.
Changes from the 2018 Model
The 2019 model has apparently being softened in terms of flex. I certainly still felt it at a 7/10, or possibly even more, compared to the 6.5/10 that Capita rate it at (the 2018 model was rated as 7/10 by Capita. Other than that very similar to the 2018 model, with a couple of other little tweaks.
Changes from the 2017 Model
Th 2018 model has undergone a few changes.
- It’s slightly stiffer than the 2017 model
- It has gone from a 5mm taper to a virtually non-existent 0.3mm taper
- Carbon X-Arc stringers added to the nose (in place of straight stringers)
- Different fibreglass formula
- Different resin formula
- New Hyperdrive NC12 base
Changes from the 2016 Model
There have been a couple of changes for the 2016/17 compared with the 2015/16 model.
- The camber section has been elongated
- Lower tip height
- Nano-Carbon Race Base™
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
---|---|---|
CARVING | 4.0 | 16/20 |
TURNING | 3.5 | 7/10 |
POWDER | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPEED | 4.5 | 18/20 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
JUMPS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SWITCH | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 85.3/100 |
The Black Snowboard of Death is a demon of a board and super fun. It's a little stuck between categories (freeride bordering on all-mountain), but that's only a labelling exercise.
It's one you've got to put into to get out of, but when you do, it gives back in spades. And has an uncanny ability to really change personalities in powder.
Overall this board is serious fun in a freeride come all-mountain board.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you’re looking to learn more about the Black Snowboard of Death, are ready to buy or want to research current prices, check out the links below.

Thanks for reading and I hope you found this review helpful. If you want to check out other freeride options or see how the BSOD compares to other freeride decks, check out the link below.
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