Hello and welcome to my Salomon Super 8 review.
In this review, I will take a look at the Super 8 as a freeride snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Super 8 a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other freeride snowboards.
Overall Rating
Board: Salomon Super 8 2020
Price: $499
Style: Freeride
Flex Rating: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Flex Feel on Snow: Medium bordering on Medium-Stiff (6.5/10)
Rating Score: 80.4/100
Compared to other Men’s Freeride Boards
Out of the 39 men’s freeride snowboards that I rated:
Overview of the Super 8’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Super 8’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | Freeride |
Price: | $499 |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Feel: |  |
Turn Initiation: | Medium |
Edge-hold: |  |
Camber Profile: | Directional Hybrid Camber Camber to flat |
Shape: | |
Setback Stance: | Setback 15mm |
Base: | Sintered |
Weight: | Normal |
Sizing
LENGTH (cm) | Waist Width (mm) | Rec Rider Weight (lb) | Rec Rider Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
151 | 254 | 110-154 | 50-70 |
154 | 258 | 130-165 | 60-75 |
157 | 260 | 130-185 | 60-85 |
160 | 264 | 155-195 | 70-90 |
163 | 266 | 165-230 | 75-105 |
166 | 268 | 175-230+ | 80-105+ |
Who is the Super 8 Most Suited To?
The Super is great for anyone looking for a decent freeride board at a really good price. Compared to the average freeride board, the Super 8 is considerably more affordable.
And it carves well, floats well in powder and is all round a solid performer.
Certainly not for a beginner - and even a little beyond an intermediate rider - high level intermediate doable - a more advanced level board but for a friendlier price. Not for any kind of playful freestyle riding either.
The Super 8 in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Super 8 is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: Salomon Super 8 2020, 157cm (260mm waist width)
Date: March 9, 2019
Conditions: Sunny with some clouds and perfect visibility.
Snow was well groomed and soft on top on groomers and soft but quite tracked off groomer (but there had been quite recent snowfall and still some untouched pockets).
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance width: 560mm (22″)
Stance Setback: Setback 15mm
Width at Inserts: 270mm (10.63") at front insert and 269mm (10.59")
Rider Height: 6'0"
Rider Weight: 185lbs
Rider Boot Size: US10 Vans Aura
Bindings Used: Burton Malavita M
Weight: 2800g (according to Salomon - I didn't get a chance to weight this board)
Weight per cm: 17.83 grams/cm
Average Weight per cm: 18.45 grams/cm*
*based on a small sample size of 51 boards that I've weighed in 2019 and 2020 models. The super 8 is quite light, especially given that it's a little wider. That said, it didn't feel overly light on snow. Felt just on the heavier side of normal.
Powder
This board floats really well in powder. It's not a powder destroyer but it felt at home in powder. Going off-groomer into tracked powder and the occasional fresh pocket, it actually felt more nimble than it did on groomers.
No big surprises for how it performed in powder, given that it's got a tapered directional shape, a directional camber profile and 15mm of setback on effective edge. Whilst that's not a huge setback, the nose is also considerably longer than the tail (265mm nose vs 215mm tail on the 157), giving it a reasonable amount of nose to tail setback, which helps in powder.
Carving & Turning
Carving: Really liked to carve. Was definitely it's preferred method of turning and when it felt best on groomers.
Maneuverability at slow speeds: Not hugely maneuverable at slower speeds - not a sloth but not super quick edge-to-edge either. Somehow felt more agile in powder at slower speeds than on groomers.
Overall edge-to-edge speeds: Felt better and quicker edge-to-edge at faster speeds - definitely preferred to turn at speed
Skidded Turns: Could feel a little catchy when you got off your game and tried to skid a turn. Not hugely but not the best for skidded turns either.
Speed
Felt stable at speed and never really felt like it was going to wash out or anything. Definitely livened up in the turning stakes when riding it faster.
Was a little chattery when getting up good speeds in cruddy snow, but otherwise was a good board for speed.
Uneven Terrain
As above, it got a little chattery at higher speeds in crud. But overall it was pretty good in uneven terrain - especially when there was softer snow on that uneven terrain.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Jumps
Wasn't the best overall for jumps. Good stable landing and whilst there was some pop in there, but you had to really wind it up to extract it. Decent for jumps off lips etc, but overall not really a jumping board, IMO.
Pop: There was some pop in there but it wasn't that easily accessible. For ollies, it took a lot of effort and just felt a bit heavy to pop.
Approach: Really stable and that helps for larger jumps, but not overly nimble for trickier approaches.
Landing: Really solid on a landing. So when you're looking to do straight airs in the backcountry, this is the best jumping quality for this board.
Side-hits: Not nimble enough for my tastes for trickier approaches and the pop just took a bit too much effort. For easily accessible hits in the open it's fine though. Not a great spinner, so that takes off some side-hit cred too.
Small jumps: OK but not great.
Big jumps: More suited to big straight air than small jumps or spins.
Switch
Not hugely setback on effective edge but that taper (all be it not massive) combined with that setback and the directional camber profile (camber back to the tail and flat section on the nose) combine to make it feel a little weird to ride, land or take off switch.
Spins
Felt like it took some effort to get a spin around, pop wasn't that accessible for trying to get a quick spin off minimal air time, and landing and taking off switch wasn't the best. So not really a spinner in my books - and felt that way in practice too.
Jibbing
Nah- but not what it's designed for either.
Butters
There was some butterability there, not completely rigid but not overly buttery either.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
CARVING | 4.0 | 24/30 |
POWDER | 4.0 | 16/20 |
SPEED | 4.0 | 16/20 |
UNEVEN TERRAIN | 3.5 | 10.5/15 |
JUMPS | 2.5 | 5/10 |
SWITCH | 2.5 | 2.5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 80.4/100 |
Overall, the Super 8 isn't a top of the line freeride machine, but it's a solid performer and performs well where you want it most for freeride boards. And if your wallet is thin, then this is a live saver, if you're looking for a freeride board.
With the Super 8, you can get a freeride board for less than the price of an average all-mountain board - and that's pretty rare - in fact it's $78 cheaper than the average freeride board.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you want to learn more about the Super 8, 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 freeride snowboard options, or if you want to compare how the Super 8 compares to other freeride snowboards, then check out the next link.
Hi Nate!
Great review about the Super 8…
What would be like the Super 8 but more poppy and stable at high speed?
Is the Explorer a better option? Why?
Thanks for advice
Hi Rob
Thanks for your message. They’re different boards for sure, but have some similarities too. I would say that the Explorer (renamed the Frontier if you’re looking at 2020 models) has a similar amount of pop overall, but it’s just a little easier to access that pop – you don’t have to load it up as much. I would say it’s similar in terms of stability at speed, not better.
The Explorer/Frontier, is a little more all-mountain oriented. It’s still directional but the Super 8 is just a little more directional. They’ve got slightly different camber profiles and the Super 8 is just a touch stiffer. But they are both on the freeride side of things and both not overly stiff compared to most freeride boards and are more resonably priced than most freeride boards, so they certainly have those things in common.
To get more stability at speed, you’ve typically got to go a little stiffer – with the Capita Black Snowboard of Death and Burton Flight Attendant being exceptions to that – but they’re also in a different price range, if that’s a factor.
Hope this helps
hello Nate and congratulations, make some beautiful reviews. I would like to buy the super 8 but I have a strong doubt whether 157 or 160. My measurements are height 5’9 or 180 cm weight177 pounds 80 kg not dressed, boots 10. Mostly I look for a track board, which makes nice curves in speed and that takes a minimum even on slopes with hard snow like artificial snow .. and of course to use even in fresh snow when it happens. What do you think, 157 or 160? I saw that as an effective edge it is not very long and I would not want to keep it on track. For this I would be more oriented towards the 160. But then? does it become very large? too much for me? I have been stuck with the purchase for days because of this doubt. Hi Nate and thanks a lot
first I meant that it could become not only long but also wide since from 260 of the 157 it would go to 264 of the 160.
Hi Christian
Thanks for your messages.
It’s a tight call between the 2, so I definitely understand that you’re taking a while to decide.
I would be leaning towards the 157 for you. Length-wise, you could certainly ride either 157 or 160 – and you would get that extra effective edge on the 160. But the Super 8 is a little wider than normal – so I would recommend going on the lower end of your range, rather than the higher end. I think the 160 would be getting quite wide for your boots.
I rode the 157 (6’0″, 185lbs, US10 boots) and I in no way found that it felt small in anyway. I like to ride slightly shorter boards than my specs would suggest, but even so, given your specs, I think the 157 would be your best bet.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hello and thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I’m grateful. At the moment I have a nitro team 157 year 2007, width 25 cm. I wouldn’t want the super 8 157 to be too much like the nitro team. would I find 2 identical tables? do you think the super 8 157 on the ice or on artificial snow could have problems? I wouldn’t want to start vibrating at speed, my nitro team at high speeds vibrates a bit, it’s not 100×100 stable. Another doubt, salomon puts the 157 from 60kg to 84 kg and the 160 from 70kg to 90 kg. Being 80 kg I look right for the 160. In your opinion these measures that are on the sites should not be taken literally but is there a bit of margin on the choice? I like the 157 but I fear that according to the weights described I have to take the 160..but the boots are only size 10 so small for the 160..boh, I’m messed up .. according to you salomon super 8 is more stable than nitro team year 2007? on hard slopes, artificial snow. Sorry if I’m stressing you and thanks again
Hi Christian
160 would be smoother at speed for sure, so if that’s your main thing, then that’s a possibility – but it is getting quite wide for your boots. The Super 8 will vibrate in uneven terrain at speed – it’s not ultra smooth, but it’s pretty good. More stable at speed than the Team Gullwing for sure.
In terms of on on hard/icy snow, the Salomon Super 8 and Nitro Team are about the same I would say, roughly speaking. In terms of being the same board, they are quite different. The Super 8 is a little stiffer and more directional – quite different boards. Not worlds apart, but different enough.
I take those weight ranges as recommendations and not hard and fast rules – and also the ranges are usually quite big for a reason – because there are other factors at play – like the rider’s height, the rider’s preferred riding style, the width of the board etc. So long as you’re within that range, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Are you set on the Super 8? If you were looking to go a little longer without having to go wider, there are some other great freeride options.