Hello and welcome to my Dinosaurs Will Die Wizard Stick snowboard review.
In this review, I will take a look at the Wizard Stick as an all-mountain snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Wizard Stick a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other all-mountain snowboards.
NOTE: This review has only been updated to the 2022 model.
Overall Rating
Board: DWD Wizard Stick 2021
Price: $449
Style: All-Mountain
Flex Rating: Medium (6/10)
Flex Feel on Snow: Medium (5/10)
Rating Score: 84.6/100
Compared to other Men’s All-Mountain Boards
Out of the 41 men’s all-mountain snowboards that I rated:
Overview of the Wizard Stick’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Wizard Stick’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | All-Mountain |
Price: | $449 |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Feel: |  |
Turn Initiation: | Fast |
Edge-hold: |  |
Camber Profile: | |
Shape: | |
Setback Stance: | 20mm (3/4") |
Base: | Sintered 4000 |
Weight: | Felt slightly lighter than normal |
Sizing
LENGTH (cm) | Waist Width (mm) | Rec Rider Weight (lb) | Rec Rider Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
146 | 247 | not available | n/a |
149 | 248 | not available | n/a |
154 | 250 | n/a | n/a |
156W | 260 | n/a | n/a |
158 | 252 | n/a | n/a |
160W | 263 | n/a | n/a |
* note that the 156W and 160W are new sizes as of the 2022 model
Who is the Wizard Stick Most Suited To?
The Wizard Stick is a great do-it-all board for someone looking for something on the more playful side. Not ultra playful, but more playful than it is aggressive, IMO.
Overall doesn't have any overt weaknesses for doing a bit of everything.
Not quite beginner material, but relatively close. Doable for a low end intermediate though, IMO.
The Wizard Stick in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Wizard Stick is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: DWD Wizard Stick 2021, 154cm (250mm waist width)
Date: March 8, 2020
Conditions: Well groomed and hard packed on groomer. Not super hard but quite firm for the most part.
Off-groomer good. Nothing fresh, but still some old snow and nothing too crunchy or icy or anything.
Colder than the day before. Part of that being here hour earlier because daylight saving. -11°C (12.2°F) and -14°C (6.8°F) with wind, but it felt even colder than that.
Cloudy but still at least 90% visibility.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance width: 530mm (20.9″)
Stance Setback: 20mm (0.75")
Width at Front Insert: 259mm (10.19")
Width at Back Insert: 258mm (10.16")
Rider Height: 6'0"
Rider Weight: 175lbs
Rider Boot Size: US10 Salomon Lo-Fi
Bindings Used: Burton Malavita M
Powder
Apart from some few days old stuff, that was mostly tracked, didn't get a lot of it, but what I did get it felt OK, without feeling like it would be an epic powder king.
And the specs suggest that it's something that's above average in powder. It has a small setback stance, rocker in the nose and tail and a slightly longer nose vs tail.
Carving & Turning
Carving: Nice and lively on a carve. Not a super aggressive carve, but can carve and if you like a shorter, sharper carve vs a more drawn out one, the Wizard Stick does that well.
Turning: A nice dynamic feel and an easy turning board.
Maneuverability at slow speeds: Really agile at slow speeds. If I bought this board, I would go 158, rather than the 154 I rode, so that size definitely helps in this respect, but would still feel agile on the 158.
Skidded Turns: Easy to skid turns on
Speed
Not a bomber, but decent enough.
Uneven Terrain
Good for weaving through bumps, in and out of trees etc and going over bumps.
OK in crud too. doesn't crush it, but when you do get a little bucked around it's easy to correct on.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video of the Wizard Stick in action
Jumps
Fun for jumps overall. Not a stomper, but lively and easy for setups.
Pop: Good pop and really easy to access.
Approach: Stable enough and also really nimble.
Landing: Not a stomper on landings but solid enough for small to medium jumps and nice and forgiving of off landings.
Side-hits: Really good. Nice and nimble for trickier setups and forgiving for bumpier landings - plus that nice easy access pop.
Small jumps/Big jumps: Best for small to medium jumps and side hits, IMO.
Switch
Good for switch. It's got quite a directional look to it, but it feels better for riding switch than it looks.
Spins
Nice and easy to get the spin around and OK for setting up and landing switch for 1s, 5s etc. And nice easy pop that you don't have to put too much effort into, so you don't have to wind it up, when trying to set up for the spin.
Jibbing
I'm not a strong jibber, but felt confident hitting them on this board.
Butters
Decently buttery, but not quite as buttery as I expected, based on how it felt to ride and how the overall flex felt. Still decent, but a step down from what I was expecting form the overall feel of the board.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
POWDER | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
CARVING/TURNS | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 9/15 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
SWITCH | 3.5 | 7/10 |
JUMPS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPINS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
BUTTERS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
JIBBING | 3.0 | 3/5 |
PIPE | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 84.6/100 |
Overall, the Wizard Stick is the kind of board for those who want one board to do a little bit of everything on. If you riding is more focused on certain things and you want to maximize those things, this isn't the board.
But if you are a multi-dimensional rider who does a lot, doesn't want multiple boards and wants something on the more forgiving side, then this should definitely be on your short-list. Really fun ride, overall.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you want to learn more about the Wizard Stick, or if you are ready to buy, or if you just want to research prices and availability, check out the links below.
If you want to check out some other all-mountain snowboard options, or if you want to compare how the Wizard Stick compares to other all-mountain snowboards, then check out the next link.
Hey is this the 2021 version or the 2022, cause the graphics are the 2022 but the description it says 2021. If it is 2021, do u think the 2022 will be similar to this?
Hi Jake
Thanks for your message.
I tested the 2021 model, but the 2022 model is identical to the 2021 model, as far as I can tell.
I am looking at buying the wizard stick for the upcoming season. the main things I’d like to be able to do on this board is tree riding, side hits/jump, and some jibbing. I am looking for the board to be nimble, but also still be solid when going at higher speeds. I am 6′ 165 and have a size 10 boot. Will the 158 be too big to turn quick? will the 154 be too unstable for jumps or aggressive riding. is the 156W worth looking at? hope to hear back!
Hi Kevin
Thanks for your message.
I don’t think the 158 would be too big for you to turn quick. I rode the 154, which was a little small for me, IMO, but not crazy small or anything. The 154 would, of course, be a quicker turner – and in the trees, if I was going to get it solely or predominantly for trees, I would go 154. And on the flip side the 154 is going to be less stable at speed, as you’ve eluded to, of course. It’s not a real bomber anyway, but the 158 would give you more stability at speed.
The 154 is borderline narrow, depending on binding angles, boot profile and how deep you like to carve. i.e. if you like to carve really deep, have a flat binding angle (e.g. 0-3 degrees) on your back binding and/or have bulky boots, it might be risking it a bit in terms of narrow. The 158 would give you a bit more leeway in that sense too. Only very subtly, but just a bit more.
The 156W is on the wide side for your boots for sure – looking at around 269mm at inserts. If you were predominantly bombing, had a flat back binding angle and liked to really rail your carves (e.g. eurocarving), then this could be an option. But in terms of having that quick turning for trees etc, that extra width will slow turns down. You’d be sizing down versus the 158, but in my experience that kind of extra width is going to slow your turns down more than 2cm of length, so I would predict that the 158 would be a quicker turner than the 156W. So if that was your biggest concern with the 158, then I don’t think 156W is the solution.
I would be leaning 158, but the 154 is doable, if you’re happy to sacrifice some stability at speed for extra maneuverability, but I think on balance if you still want to ride fast and aggressive at times, then I think the 158 is your best bet.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
I use the board in trees ….. works super nice ….. I have the 2017…2018…2019…2020…….look this video….
Hey! I love riding the trees and like the idea of being a little agile, but I also want to rip some groomers and explore the entire mountain. I’m thinking about getting the 154… what’re your thoughts? I’m 5’7 and 175-180lbs
Hi Ashley
Thanks for your message.
Yeah, I think the 154 is likely the best size for you for this board. But if you could also let me know your boot size, to confirm that size will work.
I am a size 8 boot. I ended up going with the 154 and I am taking it out this weekend for the first time! sorry for long response, but thanks for the help!
Hi Ashley
Thanks for the follow up. With 8s, I think you made the right call on the 154. If you think of it after riding it, let me know how you get on. Happy riding!