Hello and welcome to my Gnu Billy Goat review.
In this review I will take a look at the Billy Goat as an aggressive all-mountain snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Billy Goat a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other aggressive all-mountain snowboards.
NOTE: The 2021 model was the last model of the Billy Goat.
Overall Rating
Board: GNU Billy Goat C3 BTX
Price: $599 (USD recommended retail)
Style: Aggressive All-Mountain
Flex Rating: Medium-Stiff (7 to 8/10, depending on size)
On Snow Flex Feel: Medium-Stiff 7.5/10
Rating Score: 87.1/100
Compared to other Men’s Aggressive All-Mountain Boards
Out of the 20 men’s aggressive-all-mountain snowboards that I rated:
- The average score was 82.6/100
- The highest score was 91.0/100
- The lowest score was 75.8/100
- The average price was $600
- The Billy Goat ranked 3rd out of 20
Overview of the Billy Goat’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Billy Goat’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
| Style | Aggressive-All-Mountain | Flex | Medium-Stiff (7.5 out of 10) |
| Ability Level | Advanced to Expert | Feel | Locked-In |
| Weight | Normal | Turn Initiation | Medium-Fast |
| Camber Profile | Hybrid Rocker but mostly camber – feels closer to traditional camber than hybrid rocker | Shape | Directional |
| Stance Setback | Setback 20mm | Edge-hold | Hard snow |
| Price | $599 (USD) | Base | Sintered |
Sizing (2020, 2021)
| Size (Length) | 159 | 162 | 164W |
| Waist Width (mm) | 253 | 255 | 265 |
| Weight Range (kgs) | 59-100 | 68 – 113 | 68-127 |
| Weight Range (lbs) | 130-220 | 150 – 250 | 150 – 280 |
The 2021 model is the same as the 2020 model.
For the 2020 model, the 164 has been converted into a 164W. There are some other changes to the other sizes too:
- There is more effective edge vs overall length
- The 159 and 162 are a little wider than they were – both in terms of waist width and tip/tail width
Sizing (2018 & 2019)
| Size (Length) | 159 | 162 | 164 |
| Waist Width (mm) | 250 | 253 | 255 |
| Weight Range (kgs) | 64-104 | 68 – 113 | 68-118 |
| Weight Range (lbs) | 140 – 230 | 150 – 250 | 150 – 260 |
Unfortunately there are now less sizing options than there were in 2017. The 156 and 162W are now gone and the 165 has been replaced with a 164. 2019 sizes are the same as the 2018 sizes.
Sizing (2017)
| Size (Length) | 156 | 159 | 162 | 162W | 165 |
| Waist Width (mm) | 248 | 250 | 253 | 262 | 255 |
| Weight Range (kgs) | 59 – 100 | 64-104 | 68 – 113 | 68 – 113 | 68-118 |
| Weight Range (lbs) | 130 – 220 | 140 – 230 | 150 – 250 | 150 – 250 | 150 – 260 |
Who is the Billy Goat Most Suited to?
The Billy Goat is a board for those that like to charge the mountain at speed and who like to really lay into a good low carve.
You will want to be on your game with this board, so it’s certainly for advanced riders, with good technique who can exploit the extra power that this board can provide. Wield it well and it will give back to you some awesome performance but ride it lazy and it can punish you.
The Billy Goat in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Billy Goat is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: GNU Billy Goat C3 BTX, 156cm (248mm waist)
Date: March 4, 2017
Conditions: Plenty of fresh powder to be found. Had been puking snow for a good few days leading up. Still bumpy and chundery in places (it was a Saturday after all) but mostly good soft packed conditions on the groomers and plenty of powder off.
Bindings angles: +18/-6
Powder
Decent riding powder but not amazing. Certainly something you can ride in powder without too much effort but doesn’t float as effortlessly as something like a freeride board.
It does have a 20mm (3/4”) setback which certainly helps to keep the nose up. But it’s also got a camber profile which is mostly camber and the small amount of rocker in the profile is between the feet (and very subtle) – that little bit of rocker does help somewhat with powder but not nearly as much as something with a large rockered nose or more pronounced rocker.
Carving & Turning
Carving is where this board comes alive!
It’s not particularly forgiving of skidded turns and not that fun to skid turns on – but once you get this bad boy up on an edge, that’s when it feels at home. It wants to ride fast and it wants to lock into a carve.
Pretty fast edge-to-edge too.
Speed
This board was made to ride at speed. It feels stable at speed and it feels like it wants you to go faster on it – but it gives you the confidence to do so.
Not that easy to handle cruising slowly on it and playing around – but when you ride it fast and bomb, this board is super fun.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Uneven Terrain
On uneven bumpy chundery type terrain, the Billy Goat could be pretty unforgiving if you were off your game. Not the easiest board to ride uneven terrain on – was more fun in untracked powder and smooth groomers – but it was fine in uneven stuff, so long as you used good technique through it.
Another reason why this is an advanced rider’s board.
Jumps
The Billy Goat has good stability on landings and has no problem with speed for approaches. Has a good bit of pop too.
Great for big jumps or hits that have an easy approach but a little trickier on side hits that require a bit more finesse to hit.
Also, you’ll want to already be on your game with jumps. If you’re just starting out with jumps, then something more forgiving would be a better bet.
Switch
You can definitely do it. Not the easiest though.
If you’re great at riding switch – like similar to your regular direction, then it should be fine – but if you’re switch riding is more at an intermediate level, then it will be harder to handle – it’s just as aggressive and stiff in the other direction!
Also with that 20mm (3/4”) setback it’s not going to feel as natural riding in the other direction. But again, if you’re used to that and you have the switch riding skill, then it’s doable.
Jibbing
Didn’t ride this board on any jibs – and that’s because I chose not too. Not the kind of board that’s made for jibbing, in my opinion. If you’re a real pro on jibs you’ll be fine – but even for those jib-pros, there are better boards for jibbing, if that’s a big part of your repertoire.
Pipe
Based on specs and other opinions of this board (I didn’t take it in a pipe) I think this would make a decent pipe board.
It’s got the speed and drive and it’s got great edge-hold in hard/icy conditions.
The only thing I would prefer for the pipe would be a centered stance, true twin shape. And maybe a medium flex – for me personally, I’d prefer that in the pipe.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
| FACTOR | RATING (OUT OF 5) | CONTRIBUTION TO FINAL SCORE |
| Carving: | 4.5 | 22.5/25 |
| Speed: | 4.5 | 18/20 |
| Jumps: | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
| Powder: | 3.0 | 9/15 |
| Uneven Terrain: | 3.0 | 6/10 |
| Pipe: | 4.0 | 8/10 |
| Switch: | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
| TOTAL after normalizing | 87.1/100 |
A very powerful, rewarding board for those with the skill and strength to wield it. If you do, you’ll be rewarded with some awesome performance.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you’re interested in learning more about the Billy Goat, are ready to buy or if you want to research current prices and availability, check out the links below.
If you want to check out some other aggressive all mountain snowboard options or see how the Billy Goat compares to others, check out the next link.
>>My Top 6 Men’s Aggressive All-Mountain Snowboards
Hi Nate
Thansk for review. Tell please width at inserts.
Hi Denis
Thanks for your message.
I didn’t measure the width at inserts on this particular board, when I rode it. But based on other GNU/Lib Tech boards, I would imagine the 156 would be around 253mm to 255mm at the inserts, so quite narrow. GNU/Lib Tech boards don’t tend to have much difference between waist and inserts width. Of the boards I’ve measured, typically between 5mm and 7mm wider at the inserts vs the waist.
But they’ve changed it up a bit for the 2020 model. The 156 no longer exists and they look a little wider at the waist. So the 159 now would likely have around a 258 to 260 width at inserts (253 waist width). The 2019 159 (250 waist) is likely to be around 255 to 257 at the inserts.
Hope this helps
Thanks!
You’re very welcome Denis. Happy riding!
My hot knife is 153.
Thank you so much. I bought the Slash ATV through your site 😉
You’re very welcome David. And thanks for buying through the site – much appreciated.
Hi Nate,
I would like to thank you for this site. Very informative. Thanks to your guide, I got the Lib Tech Hot Knife because I wanted a good carving and true twin board so I can carve hard and ride switch. I’m loving it.
Now I would like to go even faster and carve harder. I’m looking your all-mountain aggressive boards list and am considering the GNU Billy Goat and the Slash ATV. Being the end of the season, there both can be bought at great prices.
I’m 5’7 and about 140-145 pounds. The Slave ATV is available at 154cm and I think is a good size for me.
The GNU Billy Goat shortest length is 159cm and it has a long edge of 1200mm. I’m just wondering if this board would be too big for me and compromise the turning experience? I understand the C3 camber profile has some rocker at the tips. Maybe that takes out the effective edge somewhat?
Are both boards about the same stiffness? If so, with the Billy Goat’s much longer edge, does it mean it will go faster?
I’m assuming the edge traction is about the same because they both have the serrated edge cut.
Also, I’m guessing the Billy Goat is slightly better for powder?
Hi David
Thanks for your message.
In my opinion 159 is going to be too long for you. I wouldn’t ride any longer than 154 with your specs. But since you like carving and riding fast going to the long end of your range is a good idea. But I would put 154 at the high end of your range. Now, if you’re used to riding longer, then that comes into play as well, and that can be adjusted but purely based on specs and assuming you’re a relatively advanced rider I would say 152 to 154 for this type of board would be a good range to look at. So, I think the 154 ATV would be your best bet. But if you can let me know the length of your Hot Knife that would help too. Although with the ATV you could probably go 156 as well, just because it’s the same effective edge as the 154 (just the nose and tail are lengthened – which would make it better in powder, if you were going to be riding a bit of powder).
C3 Camber, in my experience, usually doesn’t have rockered tip and tail – there is some very subtle rocker between the feet, and then camber under the feet and out to the contact points. With the Box Knife being the exception (which has C3 camber but there’s a bit of rocker before the contact points. Of course all boards have rockered tip and tail after the contact points, but as far as I can tell C3 doesn’t usually have rocker before the contact points – at least nothing significant.
The Billy Goat is probably ever so slightly better in powder – just with a little more setback, and that very subtle rocker between the feet. But neither are terrible and neither are great in powder. But both just a little notch up from the Hot Knife in powder. I rate them in powder: Hot Knife 2/5. ATV 2.5/5, Billy Goat 3/5. Though if you were to go 156 for the ATV that would be a little better in powder. Of course the 159 Billy Goat would also be better in powder because it’s longer (more surface area).
The added effective edge would certainly help with speed and stability at speed – and you’d have that in spades on the 159 Billy Goat with your specs. But there’s only so long you can go before speed advantages are offset too much by a lack of maneuverability and being able to control the board. But like I said, if you’re used to longer and you know you like it, that’s something else to take into account, but I think unless you’re used to riding the 159 Hot Knife, then it’s going to be too long.
Both are roughly the same stiffness, with the ATV just a touch stiffer, but very little in it.
The ATV has one little traction bump, but not the same level of traction tech (7 bumps) that the Billy Goat has. However, in saying that, they are both about as good as each other in hard/icy conditions in my opinion. The Magtek is more subtle on the Billy Goat than a lot of other GNU/Lib Tech boards – much like it is on the Hot Knife, IMO.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision
Hi Nate. I’m a busy father with little time to demo anything. For the first time, I’m buying a board without trying it. Scary. I’ve been on a 2005 Custum X that delamed. My kids are now riding with me and the X was less than playful when downshifted. Alone, I love the full on camber. Do the more recent cam-rocks get close to the the same carve I love with the X ? Looking at the Jones Explorer type cam- rocker up front. Thank you for you precious time.
Hi Will
Thanks for your message.
Yeah, IMO, some of the cam-rock profiles can match for carving with traditional camber. But there are a lot of varieties out there. Some with only subtle rocker and some with more pronounced rocker – and the camber can be less or more pronounced too. Also the length of the camber and rocker sections play a part.
Custom X certainly a board that likes to ride fast and aggressive and not really one for slowing down and playing around with – at least in my experience. The Custom X is not only aggressive camber-wise but also has a stiff flex.
So, coming down to a softer flex as well as potentially getting a little rocker in the profile would both bring down the aggressiveness a bit.
I think the Explorer could be a good option. Certainly something you can slow down and play around with more than something like the Custom X but I found it a good carver too. Not a carver at the level that the Custom X is, but not many get to that level, IMO.
The camber on the Explorer extends back past the inserts by a bit towards the tail and has less rocker on the tail than the nose. The rocker in the nose starts just at the end of the inserts. So you get the advantage of having that rocker for better float in powder, without it coming in too early in the tail.
Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision