This is my review, my opinions of boards...take it as you want. Most of the 07-08 equipment as done at the Keystone Dealer Demos in February with the exception of some 07-08 Demos at A Basin for an online magazine. The Never Summer 07-08's were done here at Steamboat over the last 3 months. Most of the 06-07 gear was done at demos just like any normal person can do. This includes softgoods as well as boards, bindings and boots.

A little bit about me: Hi i'm Shay. This is my 12th season of riding, 11 seasons of riding Northwest and 1 season riding Steamboat. I freeride (trees, steeps (lack of in the boat), groomers) and ride pipe. I am 5'6" and typically ride a 158 all mountain and yes, I have the weight to back it up. I am regular with a 22 inch stand width, +15, -15 stance. I wear size 8 Vans Omni Focus boots or size 8 Atomic Glamour boots. I am in no way a girly girl. I stopped riding womens boards in 1997. I mostly ride mens boards but stick to womens boots and bindings. There are 4 womens boards i've rode this year in this review.

I am in no way a pro rider...I have never been and never will. I ride because I love it and I love trying new gear and comparing equipment. My opinion is only my opinion...of how these boards rode. This review was first posted in the snowboard.com forums since that is where i spend most of my time.

686:

06-07 Women’s Smarty Vanity Jkt: For the conditions I ride in here in Colorado this jacket is great. Waterproof enough for the light fluffy snow days, warm enough during cold days and overall in great condition. Tons of packets

Anon:

06-07 Anon Realm Goggles: Well they certainly look good, I’ve gotten a ton of compliments on how awesome they look and everyone likes the cool design. The lens that came with them is okay, horrible in flat light conditions. Just hate to see them fog up which happens a lot. Overall decent, but I prefer my Oakley’s.

Arbor Boards:

07-08 158 Arbor Alt: This is the Element Alt from 06-07, just becomes the Alt in 07-08. I haven’t ridden many Arbors in my life, but the two I have rode this one including are always solid boards. I found this board very forgiving, easy to initiate turns and carve with; very mellow ride…doesn’t bore you but doesn’t make you work too hard either. The bamboo definitely makes the board ride great anywhere, good flex that absorbs and distributes evenly. Overall great freeride board.

Atomic Boards:

07-08 154 Atomic Polarity: I seriously had to get talked into this board and it worked like a charm…last time I rode a 154cm board was back in the 90’s. Regardless of me being over the weight limit by far…the board rode amazing, most impressed with board of the day…my first thought before riding it was “I’m going to break the board in half and it’s going to be horrible” to my thoughts when I came down “holy f*ck that board rode smooth for a little tiny thing”. It was stiffer than I thought; the flex was solid even with my weight on it, carved great, very light and poppy as well. Held fine at higher speeds and lower speeds on the cat track. Overall a solid women’s freeride board.

07-08 156 Atomic Alibi: Took a while to snag this board at demos because it was very popular. I never got to ride last years Alibi so until I can compare it fully, you’ll have to base this off the first time riding it with no comparison to past years. I thought the board was great all-mountain stiff enough to really carve hard and make S turns down the hill with and still soft enough to butter and press with. Handled fine in the slushy bumps that came out in the late day and was stable at slow and faster speeds. Solid in my opinion even with the construction change, I found the flex fine and nothing wrong with it.

06-07 160 Atomic Cold Smoke: Overall the board is solid for any level rider, it’s not too difficult that a beginner/intermediate rider can’t handle it and it’s still a solid board for a more advanced rider. Freerides smooth holds fine at high speeds, no chatter, handles bumps with a good flex. The board cut through any riding condition and flowed through the powder.

Atomic Boots:

06-07 Atomic Glamour: I was able to try these on at SIA last year and luckily knew the right size to order them. These are the most comfortable boots I have ever worn, the faux fur is amazing, the gold bling chains just add style and the J-Bars built in to the boot offer no heel lift whatsoever. The boa system is awesome as usual. The boot is freaking tough and stiff and very durable. Good traction as well.

Bataleon Snowboards:

07-08 155 Bataleon Riot: I own the hero and this board definitely is a step up from the hero which is now done with Bataleon. The riot was fine for anything i threw it's way, the triple base rides so smoothe on edge, cuts through anything on snow. I really liked the flex of this board, it was strong enough for freeriding with and higher speeds, but the tail and nose were soft enough to press easily.

07-08 153 Bataleon Violenza: I was a bit weary of the size, but for all mountain freestyle was a decent board. I only felt it struggle when trying to cut through some of the spring conditions, but for groomers and small park features was a great board. Very forgiving for a female rider and still a strong enough board to handle freeriding and park.

Bitchboard Snowboards:

06-07 151 Bitchboard H20: So I got sent this womens board to ride and give the company some feedback since they are growing. I rarely ride womens boards anyway...so i'm always weary when I take them out because really i shouldn't be on them. First off this is now the smallest size i have rode and with my weight it should be a noodle but in fact this board is pretty dang stiff. It can handle freeriding because of how the stiffness is, but I could not press the board for the life of me. Ultimately this board in my mind excels most for aggressive pipe riding. Because of the size and stiffness, in the pipe it was excellent.

Burton Boards:

07-08 158 Burton X8: I found the board super smooth, quick edge-to-edge and easy to initiate turns with. Very light board and stable in the conditions I rode. Floated in the small amount of pow that day. Loved the board, hated the bindings (see Triads). The EST once dialed in by the user is easy to adjust on the go and switch it up…which is nice. I’m used to the Capita Freedom Groove…basically same thing but only one, haha. I think the bindings need more work than the board and the EST now.

07-08 156 Burton T6: The T6 was torsionally stiff and not in the best way, I didn’t find the board that responsive to turns, handled okay but I still felt chatter in that board even though it has the added dampening system. I had to really put a lot of effort into edging the board to carve.

06-07 158 Burton Custom X: I was impressed with the board and how it rode and handled everything. Now looking back on it, it reminds me of the X8 on how it rode except more freeride specific than the X8. The board cut through the conditions, rode smooth, quick response and edge to edge. Solid board.

Burton Bindings:

07-08 Burton Escapades: The Escapades had the Speed zone system and the concept is a great idea, however when I rode them the speed zone was set up on the opposite side that normally has the ratchet and that was weird to get used to. The rep told me that you could change the side. In terms of women’s bindings the escapades were okay, comfort was okay in the heel strap and the toe strap was a good fit for my boots and response was okay, softer overall than I prefer in bindings. But overall the speed zone was interesting, definitely like to take that system for another spin.

07-08 Burton Triad Bindings: The bindings were okay, the toe strap was okay and was a decent fit with my boot but the ankle strap wasn’t comfortable and created pressure points on my boots. The bindings weren’t that responsive to me either.

06-07 Burton P1: These are men’s bindings but they fit my boots surprising well. The toe cap wasn’t bad, held my foot secure and offered decent support. The high back worked with me and was solid in flex, gave a good response during riding.

Burton Soft goods:

06-07 Burton Wheelie Locker: I’m in love with it…seriously. I can fit so much snowboard gear in here and a body! But seriously it’s got pockets for everything, boot holders and so much more. The best part is it’s ugly Plaid…so when I get off the airline I can spot my snowboard bag anytime! And anyone who travels with snowboards knows that wheels are the way to go…carrying a board bag through the airport, to rental cars, to your ride…is a bitch. The wheels just make it a ton easier.

06-07 Burton Ultra Wool Socks: Normally I don’t go for thick wool socks, I prefer thin socks…but these were a good purchase. They keep my feet warm and now that my boots are packing out a bit, I do enjoy the thicker material. My only dislike is on hardwood; they are slick…I’ve fallen down the stairs because of these socks.

Flow Boards:

06-07 157 Flow Team: After demo’ing the 160 Flow Team, I bought the 157 Flow Team. This board is solid anywhere on the mountain, in the pipe or freeriding it does fine. I liked it cause it was light and poppy but still able to hold an edge on the mountain.

Flow Bindings:

06-07 Flow NXT-AT: These bindings were awesome, easy to adjust with the new ratchets and were lighter than past Flow's. They rode great in fact I didn't even notice them being different because they are a binding once dialed…you just ride and don’t feel them. Getting used to getting in and out was my only issue but after I had done it a couple times it was fine. My bindings haven’t had any issues with the pod during riding. They are not the bindings that I use during the 2ft powder dumps but more hard packed groomed days.

GNU boards:

06-07 159 GNU Carbon High Beam: This is definitely a solid board for any level rider, I was surprised how good it rode for being Gnu’s price point entry board. You can ride groomers, pow, slush, and crap and it does fine. This board is worth more than you pay and that’s rare in the industry.

06-07 157 GNU Riders Choice with Magne traction: for a freestyle board, it rides fine everywhere. In terms of me riding it, it was a softer flex board than I prefer but still a stable ride, easy initiation to turns.

K2 Boards:

07-08 159 K2 Podium: The podium is a board to go straight with cause it was great bombing down the hill. I found it too stiff and unforgiving; it’s a board that will ride you if you even lag for a second. It held fine on carving but only at higher speeds, anytime I slowed down with the board it wasn’t the same.

06-07 K2 Eldorado: I found this board very fast and good for bombing, handled great carving up the hill at high speeds and digging into the snow to hold that edge solid. Only thing I noticed was the weight, it felt pretty heavy but even then the response on it was solid.

K2 Bindings:

07-08 K2 Cinch Cameo: The Cinch’s were amazing, 07-08 definitely got them dialed finally and they felt fantastic in comfort, very responsive, easy to adjust and quick-in/quick-out, the cable attaches at a different point and that makes the bindings feel more stable response from the highback.

06-07 K2 Cinch Cameo: I knew they weren’t dialed when I demo’d them, still had some small changes to make but even then it was a decent binding. I only felt some small pressure points on my boots from the binding and this was fixed in 07-08.

Lib Tech Boards:

06-07 156 Magne Traction: definitely has less of a magne traction than the others...it's more discrete is the best way to put it...and with that doesn't hold on ice as well as the other boards. Still a fun board holds high speeds well and fun to make turns with.

06-07 159 TRS with Magne traction: I was definitely having fun making the turns and bombing runs with the TRS. Good flex, easy edge to edge and I didn't mind the magne traction on it because conditions today were icy in spots so I was able to hold an edge and not skid out. This board can ride anything given to it. Definitely a solid all around board overall. On ice, the magne traction comes in handy but I’d prefer it without the magne traction.

06-07 160 Jamie Lynn Phoenix: This board reminds me most of the old BSOD I have. The half cap construction you can feel when riding, it grips the snow and holds the edge once initiated which I like a lot. I found it surprising stiff but the torsional flex was fine. Butters were easy on this board and rode stable at all speeds.

Never Summer Boards:

07-08 160 Never Summer Titan: I’m still testing this board, but it is softer than than the Titan I demo’d this year. Even on the cruddy conditions this week with heavy pow, it was still ready to cut through it all and bomb. Found it a lot easier to transition and carve with than before. Update 3/5: Rode the board again, this time sunny and slushy. I was surprised how well this board handles on mogul fields, haha got stuck in one today. Carving with this board is awesome, just making S carves down the hill makes the board so fun. This is a board if you don’t have the weight or skill to back it up…it’ll ride you. But damn if you can ride it, it’s good.

07-08 159 Never Summer Premier: This is my next board I’m owning…I don’t want to return it because it is seriously just amazing everywhere on the mountain. I have no complaints about it at all. Handles great in the mogul fields, quick turns, great for carving down sunshine…ah it was beautiful just laying it over. Even on ice, handles solid…have yet to have it kick out, holds an edge fine. I rode it during the awesome powder dump last week in the trees and seriously…it was orgasmic, floated above the pow, cut through and slashed with ease. And I didn’t hit a tree.

06-07 158 Never Summer Heritage: Impressive board overall...but softer than I would like for a freeride board. Did handle very well on groomers and at high speeds. Responsive and fun to do tricks with.

07-08 Never Summer SL: Rode this board on a sunny bluebird Steamboat day, must admit not a bad board outside of the park. I had fun just doing butters and pressing down the easy runs, did fine on carving. The only thing i didn't like was on flats, i felt it grab a couple times. But other than that, rode fine on freeriding and held fine at higher speeds. Good flexy board that isn't hard to maneveur as well.

06-07 156 Never Summer Infinity: The women’s equivalent to the SL. This board killed, super light and fun, easy to butter and press with but still held great turns and once on edge, the board just flew down the hill. Awesome at high speeds and in powder. Quick responsive board.

06-07 159 Never Summer Premier: Very solid freeride board, I was pressing with this board and had no problem even though it's supposed to be stiff. Fun for carving, I took it in the trees and had a wicked time through the powder. Very good freeride board.

06-07 163 Never Summer T5: Despite its size, this board kills for charging and bombing down the hill, smooth and responsive turns. I had to avoid a couple kids on this board and was able to quickly respond and ride out without killing them. I didn't find it that stiff of a ride but I’m used to stiffer boards.

06-07 164 Never Summer Titan: Stiff board for sure, but this board kills at high speeds and charging down the hill. Decent response and quick edge-to-edge even still. Turns are slower on this board than the T5, which is fine. Definitely a charger board. I just need more pow next time I take it out.

POW Gloves:

06-07 Pow Shocker: As you can tell these gloves are very special. So special that POW is releasing them in 07-08 even though they were meant to be a limited release glove in 06-07. Back by popular demand and better material. I actually have the first batch of gloves that ended up not up to POW quality standards. However even with the quality not up to par…these gloves are great for spring conditions and warm days. I have yet to have them get soaked on spring days and I also am disappointed in the lefties who cannot recognize the shocker when I kindly let me know we have 3 people for the chair…two in the pink, one in the stink. And anyone who can’t take a joke about the Shocker gloves…needs to man up.

Ride Boards:

07-08 159 Ride Concept TMS: At SIA, one of the reps rode it and swore by it as a killer all-mountain board so of course I tried it. I was disappointed in how it rode, too torsionally soft, the flex was too forgiving, this was the only board where I could feel every granular bump of snow in the ground, the carving was decent on edge, but I didn’t have it pull and grab like I’d like…felt some chatter at higher speeds with it.

07-08 156 Ride Havoc: I was to the point where I thought I would only like the Ride bindings but damn this board impressed. The Havoc has the new 90A slimewalls and these actually work on this board unlike the TMS. The board handled any condition, bumps, hardpacked groomers, presses…overall fun board! And yes very poppy. Rode smooth on edge, handled carves…actually loved the board.

06-07 Ride Decade: I thought for an all-mountain board it could kill everything and I was wrong. I found it too torsionally soft, the flex was weird and I hated that it couldn’t grip on the ice at all; the board would kick and slide. It was okay edge to edge and carving but seriously expected more from it.

06-07 Ride Society: I didn’t find the Society that stiff, handled fine for freeriding, fine to tail press, on hard packed ice it was wishy-washy and didn’t really get a good grip. Decent but nothing spectacular in my opinion. I didn’t find that slime wall too helpful in this board, still felt chatter during freeriding. Solid at higher speeds.

Ride Bindings:

06-07 Ride Sigma’s: I typically give my old bindings away so this fall when I knew there was no way I was going to get the Madison’s in time for opening of the early season here in Colorado at A Basin and Loveland… I had to settle for what I could get in stock and in time…and guess what…no dva’s or vxns available to ship right away…so it came down to the sigma’s. I don’t regret my choice for one day. After many countless days on these bindings, they still rock. Responsive, light, the ratchets are solid, super comfortable with toe strap that I rock as a toe strap but I can rock Cap…the heel strap is solid but has give to it. The highback torsionally softer but has give to it. It’s in the top two bindings for women that I rode this year.

06-07 Ride DVA: This is the one binding of the year that the ratchets were pain in the asses for me, I was seriously punching the binding with the intent of killing it in order to release the bindings to get out. Too much stickiness. The high back is stiffer than the sigma’s and it’s definitely a more advanced freeride specific binding for women. I would have liked it if the ratchets were better.

07-08 Ride Sigma’s: The sigma’s changed the highback to be more women specific which I appreciated, conformed better to my boots than my current sigma’s. Solid, comfort, responsive in all the right areas and light…just what I want in a binding.

07-08 Ride Zeta Bindings: The Zeta Bindings weren’t even in my Ride Catalog but I knew about them so of course tried them out. It’s another Ride women’s binding that is “the ultimate in women-specific, lightweight performance and mobility” and I would agree it’s not a bad binding. Compared to the sigma’s these were softer overall binding, softer highback, straps were solid and comfortable and responsive as well. Overall solid. Had no problems with the ratchets either.

Rome Boards:

07-08 159 Rome Anthem: Definitely a free ride killer, the board was stiffer than I expected but you can definitely tell the new air pop core is there, it’s lighter and the bamboo in the core makes it torsionally handle carving a lot better. Had a lot of pop, flexed very well in carving and could handle the bumps that came out. Quick board as well.

06-07 155 Rome Agent: Had a chance to take our a friends agent closing day at A Basin and did not regret it. I was really impressed by how this park board rode outside on the groomers, handled great at high speeds, could cut through the slush and crap spring conditions. I was surprised by the weight of the snowboard, i rarely notice snowboard weight but I definitely noticed it with the agent. It was a fun board, fun to press and butter with.

Rome Bindings:

07-08 Rome Struts: The struts do not compare to the Madison’s, but is the little sister…definitely a great binding for an entry-level female rider. The struts had a stiffer high back as well. Response was good but again for an entry-level rider, would be great…for more advanced women, get the Madison’s.

07-08 Rome Madison’s: The Madison’s definitely remain one of the top women’s bindings, killing in comfort, response and adjustability. I actually preferred the 07-08 Madison’s to my 06-07 Madison’s. The Madison’s second year is going to be amazing.

Salomon Boards:

06-07 157 Salomon Prospect LTD: This is a really fun board, can handle any terrain in the park or freeriding and a very poppy/buttery board as well. Had fun riding switch with it and popping tail butters. Overall killer board for all mountain freestyle.

Salomon Bindings:

06-07 Salomon Relay-E’s: decent bindings for women, I think they still need work and fine-tuning to be like their male counterparts. I thought they had decent support, but I didn’t like the straps that much. The heel strap created pressure on my boot and it wasn’t the good kind. The toe strap was okay. I definitely need to try them again and actually get them dialed to my boots this time.

Union Bindings:

07-08 Union Milan’s: The Union Milan bindings were another entry level binding for women. I need to try out the men’s Unions because the women’s Union bindings just seem on a much lower level than the men’s. The toe strap was flimsy material in my opinion without too much comfort or grab; the heel strap was better but again needs work on it. Response was okay but nothing great. In terms of looks…yeah they look cute so I’m sure women will buy them. In terms of quality…there are better bindings with more support and response out there. I’ll try them again next year and hopefully they’ve improved.

Unity Boards:

07-08 159 Dominion: This board is meant for big mountain riding, bombing and big pow lines. Keystone didn’t do this board justice in any way. But even on hardpacked groomers and mellow terrain, this board proved its strength. I thought this board would get my ticket pulled because damn it was a fast ride and just wanted to point it straight. Slower edge to edge, but very smooth on edge whether you are going slow or fast. Definitely a burley board for a more advanced rider. Love to try that board in pow sometime.

07-08 155 Unity Pride: The Unity killed for all mountain freestyle, fun, and poppy yet responsive and fun to carve with, easy edge to edge. Killed in the conditions for the day, hardpacked groomers, bumpy, chopped and a little slush as well. Easy to press and butter.

Vans Boots:

06-07 Vans Omni Focus: When I first got these boots, I got the stiffer product sample than released to the public…so I knew they would be stiff. It took me weeks to break in these boots to where I wasn’t attacking them to pull them off my foot. Now that they are broken in, the dual boa focus is amazing; I like being able to control the tightness in lower boot and higher boot. My foot is snug all the time. And they are lasting quite well; they’ll be my boot for next season as well.

This list will be updated as more boards get demo'd and tested out!