Capita Kazu Kokubo Snowboard Review

Board: Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro 2024

Price: $649 (USD recommended retail)

Style: Freeride

Flex Rating: Mid-Stiff (6.5/10)

Flex Feel: Mid-Stiff (7/10)

Rating Score: 86.4/100

Compared to other Men’s Freeride Boards

Out of the 40 Men’s Freeride snowboards that I rated:

Overview of the Kazu Kokubo PRO’s Specs

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

Specs

Who is the Kazu Kokubo Pro Most Suited To?

The Kazu Kokubo Pro is best suited to an advanced rider who wants to rip up the resort, explore the pow and nail jumps - whether in the park or in backcountry/side-country.  

It handles speed well and lays a really good carve. 

Definitely not for a beginner. It's the kind of board you need good technique on and you want to be on your game. When you are, it rewards you, but if you don't have your technique down already, this is the kind of board that could knock your confidence. 

THE Kazu Kokubo PRO IN MORE DETAIL

Bindings angles: +15/-15

Stance width: 21″ (535mm)

Stance Setback: Setback 0.8" (20mm)

Width at Inserts: 10.4" (263.5mm) at front insert and 10.3" (261mm) at back insert.   

Rider Height: 6'0"

Rider Weight: 180lbs

Rider Boot Size: US9.5 Adidas Response ADV

Bindings Used: Burton Malavita, M

Weight: 5lbs 14oz (2660grams) 

Weight per cm: 17.27 grams/cm

Average Weight per cm: 18.71 grams/cm*

*based on a sample size of around 250 models that I’ve weighed in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024 models. The Kazu Kokubo Pro was significantly lighter on the scales than average - and it felt nice and light on snow too. 

Changes for 2024 Model

New camber profile (Resort V3) which has rocker on both tip and tail versus the '23 model which only had rocker on nose. "Hyperdrive ADV" on the '24 model, replacing the "Hyperdrive" on the '23 model. New "moonshot omni tune" replacing the "moonshot pro-tune" that was on '23 model.

Powder

Nothing to test in on the day, but from previous experience with the board, feel and specs, it will do really well in powder. The camber profile is a little less directional than it used to be, but there is a touch more setback than there used to be on previous models.  

Carving

The Kazu can carve up a nice deep, grippy carve. Takes some effort to get it on edge - as it wants to pull you back to a flat-base, but once you engage the edge, it's dreamy!

Turning

Ease of Turns/Slashing: It's not easy to slash on this board - and definitely harder to slash than with previous Kazu's I've ridden. It feels like it has something to with its structured base. And there's a bit of a feeling of the board wanting to pull you down to a flat-base when you're doing moderate turns. Once you get over far enough and really engage the edge, it locks in well, but until that point you've got to fight it a bit. 

Maneuverability at slow speeds (nimbleness): Not super quick edge-to-edge but pretty good when you put your weight into it. Takes a bit more muscling for sure, but when you put the effort in, it's fairly agile. 

Catchiness: Felt quite catchy to me, so you've got to be on your game, but when you are, it's a rewarding ride. 

Speed

Nice and fast and stable at speed, particularly for a 154. And could dig that edge in at speed with confidence of it holding. 

And it had awesome glide on it. That's typical I've found of Capita, but also something that the structured base helps with. 

Uneven Terrain

Crud: Felt pretty good, so long as you committed. Despite being light was actually decently damp and stable through crud. 

Trees/Bumps: It's good when you're dialed in and concentrating. But because of that structured base feeling and catchiness it doesn't leave much room for error. But if keep technique is decent enough, then you can get it ripping edge-to-edge in the trees. 

Jumps

Feels really good and really rewarding, when you nail them, but not super forgiving when you get it wrong. So, best for those who are already confident jumpers. 

Speed checks not as confident, because of that catchy feeling. Better to carve to knock off a bit of speed and after landing jumps. 

Pop: It takes a bit of effort to access but when you put in that effort, there's really good total pop. And because it's so light you get real value for it. 

Approach: Good in terms of stability but not so good in terms of making adjustments/speed checks. More for advanced jumpers, but when you get it right it feels really good. 

Landing: You can really stomp landings on this thing. Again when you get it right it feels good, but can be unforgiving if you get it wrong. 

Side-hits: Not my favorite board for side-hits. I'd prefer it if I didn't have to be thinking about it as much and with a bit easier access pop. 

Small jumps/Big jumps: Great for larger jumps. Can do all jumps, but if you like to go big, this board can accommodate it, IMO. 

Switch

With it's new V3 Resort profile, there's more symmetry in the camber profile, which makes it nicer for riding switch. It's still quite directional overall, so certainly not ideal, but is decent. Transitions can feel a little catchy if you're not concentrating. 

Butters

You've got to throw a bit of weight into it to get the tip/tail to press, but they will press - not oppressively stiff in tip and tail or anything. 

The Kazu Kokubo Pro is the kind of board that you've got to be on your game with, but when you are it rewards you handsomely. 

It rips carves, and can handle speed well. It's also well suited to riding powder and crushes crud well. It's pretty good in terms of quicker turns as well - just don't expect them to come easy. You've got to earn it with this board. It gives back, but you've got to provide the energy to begin with.