Hello and welcome to my GNU RC C3 snowboard review.
In this review, I will take a look at the RC C3 as an all-mountain-freestyle snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the RC C3 a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other all-mountain-freestyle snowboards.
Overall Rating
Board: GNU Riders Choice C3
Price: $699
Style: All-Mountain-Freestyle
Flex Rating: Medium
Flex Feel on Snow: Medium (6/10)
Rating Score: 90.4/100
Compared to other Men’s All-Mountain-Freestyle Boards
Of the 29 current model all-mountain freestyle snowboards that we tested:
❄️ The RC C3 ranked 2nd out of 29
Overview of the RC C3's Specs
Check out the tables for the RC C3's specs and available sizes.
Specs
STYLE:
ALL-MOUNTAIN-FREESTYLE
PRICE:
$699 - BUYING OPTIONS
$699 - BUYING OPTIONS
Ability Level:
flex:
feel:
DAMPNESS:
SMOOTH /SNAPPY:
Playful /aggressive:
Edge-hold:
camber profile:
HYBRID ROCKER
HYBRID ROCKer - GNU'S "C3" camber. Predominantly camber with only subtle rocker between the feet.
SHAPE:
setback stance:
Centered
BASE:
Sintered | GNU's "Sintered Knife Cut" Base
weight:
Felt normal
Camber Height:
4.5mm*
* but hard to measure with a hybrid rocker profiles
Sizing
LENGTH (cm) | Waist Width (mm) | Rec Rider Weight (lb) | Rec Rider Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
154.5 | 252 | 130-200 | 59-91 |
157.5 | 255 | 135-220 | 61-100 |
159.5 | 256 | 145-250 | 66-113 |
158W | 268 | 140-240 | 64-109 |
162W | 268 | 145-250 | 66-113 |
Who is the RC C3 Best Suited To?
The RC C3 is best suited to someone looking for a semi-aggressive board - one you can ride aggressively, but don't have to - for doing a bit of everything. If you ride powder a lot and sometimes you get it deep, then you'll want a different board for that, but for everything else this board nails it.
Particularly good for jumps, sidehits and spins.
If you see hard/icy conditions a lot, then this board is even better suited.
Not for beginners. You'll want to be at least intermediate to ride this board.
Changes for 2024 model
The RC C3 got these new "3-D delightwood asym chip power platforms" which are raised sections at the inserts for the 2024 model. Not sure exactly what they're supposed to do, but I feel like it made the board a little damper.
The RC C3 in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the RC C3 is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: GNU RC C3, 2024, 157.5cm (255mm waist width)
Date: March 23, 2023
Conditions
Overcast with around 85-90% visibility. Snowed briefly and a little bit of overnight snow.
Temp -1°C (34°F) and -6°C (34°F) with wind in the morning and stayed the same through the day. Was a little windy in the morning - 20kph (12mph) SE but died down in the afternoon.
24hr snow: 5cm (2")
48hr snow: 0cm (0")
7 day snow: 0cm (0")
On groomer: Dust on hard. Still some harder spots in places. Inconsistent speed, with some of the fresh snow being a little wet/sticky.
Off groomer: Dust on crust but decent enough.
Set up
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance width: 22" (555mm)
Stance Setback: Centered
Width at Inserts: 264mm (10.39")
Rider Height: 6'0"
Rider Weight: 180lbs
Rider Boot Size: US9.5 Adidas Response ADV
Bindings Used: Burton Malavita M
Weight: 6lbs 13oz (3100 grams)
Weight per cm: 19.68 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. So the RC C3 is heavier than average on the scales, but felt normal on snow.
Powder
We had a little on the day and the RC C3 handled it fine, but based on feel and specs, it wouldn't be great in deeper powder.
Carving & Turning
Carving: Can lay down a really good carve on this, especially for a twin. Holds its edge even for higher speed carves. Not an epic carver, but still really good.
Ease of Turning/Slashing: Surprisingly easy to slash with this board and turn initiation was easier than expected as well, given the camber dominance. In fact, I found this easier to initiate turns on/slash than the C2X Rider's Choice, which was certainly surprising. I think part of it is that the torsional flex on the RC C3 felt like it was flexier than on the C2X Rider's Choice.
Maneuverability at slow speeds: Really decent edge-to-edge at slower speeds. Again, I found it a little more nimble than the C2X Rider's Choice, surprisingly.
Catchiness: For all it's camber, felt very uncatchy. I mean it's not like consequence free or anything but really uncatchy - and again, surprisingly felt less so than the C2X Rider's Choice.
Speed
Was decently fast for a twin, and felt nice and stable at moderately high speeds. Not a bomber, but really decent.
Uneven Terrain
Crud: Handled crud really well. Took quite a bit to knock it off its line.
Trees/Bumps: Really enjoyed this board weaving between trees and bumps. It's not lightning edge-to-edge but it's really decent. Wouldn't be as good in there if there was deeper powder though.
Jumps
So sick for jumps!
Pop: It's not effortless pop - you've got to put a little bit of energy in. But you don't have to throw your whole body into it or anything like that. And when you do put energy in, it gives back. Really good total pop.
Approach: Nice and stable for faster approaches, but has the ability to make adjustments and speed checks too. Just the right balance of stable and adjustable.
Landing: Stomper! Can really stomp those landings, but when you don't stomp them it's pretty forgiving of average landings too.
Side-hits: Really fun for side hits. You want to attach them relatively aggressively, but when you do, this board rips side hits.
Small jumps/Big jumps: Everything!
Switch
Really just perfect for switch. I tend to really like asym twins for riding switch and this was no exceptions. Transitions were pretty easy too.
Spins
Sick for spins! Easy to get spin around. Good for setting up and landing switch and good pop. Could be a bit lighter to be ideal, but that's being picky, as this thing was great to spin on.
Jibbing
Not ideal. But for stronger jibbers, it should be fine.
Butters
Tip and tail are a little stiffer than on the C2X Rider's Choice, but still presses without too much effort. But you've got to lean just a little more weight into the tip and tail to get them flexing.
The torsional flex felt softer in the RC C3, but the tip and tail were a little stiffer.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
JUMPS | 5.0 | 20/20 |
CARVING | 3.5 | 7/10 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SWITCH | 5.0 | 10/10 |
SPEED | 3.5 | 7/10 |
SPINS | 4.5 | 9/10 |
BUTTERS | 3.5 | 7/10 |
JIBBING | 3.0 | 3/5 |
CRUD/CHUNDER | 4.0 | 4/5 |
TREES/BUMPS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
POWDER | 2.0 | 2/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 90.4/100 |
The RC C3 is a really lively, fun board with plenty of spring and pop and just super fun to ride - whether cruising the groomers, laying down carves, venturing into trees or its biggest asset - hitting jumps and side hits - the RC C3 is a super fun board.
Apart from powder, this board rips everything and is a great option for those that ride hard/icy conditions.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you want to learn more about the RC C3, 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-freestyle snowboard options, or if you want to compare how the RC C3 compares to other all-mountain-freestyle snowboards, then check out the next link.
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