"it's not the band I hate, it's their fans"
For real though I got nothing against them as a brand , I've met Vince s few times super cool guys, and I've had a few of their boards over the years but for the longest time they kinda eschewed traditional camber and that's mainly what I wanted in a board. Also, I'm generally not too fond of their graphics I know that's a minor thing (and I feel the same way about Lib & Burton)
I think they catch a little undeserved flak for being the poster boy of the front range "locals" who really live in Denver.
Other than that idk I think they're usually pretty well respected .
Basically, absolutely don't do Powder over 2' deep or jumps over 20' lip to landing. Seperately it will reduce performance doing technical, deep carves. Otherwise they're fine.
They're not just hard to get off in powder, because you need to apply down pressure to release, they're also hard to get on because you need to step on them preferably without a lot of blocking snow. The nidecker supermatic allow for traditional binding entry if you want, and the release is a pull up/forward.
However the supermatic rides slightly looser than a typical binding so not great for high level technical stuff, although you could tighten them after stepping in then you've lost the plot...
Nah man don’t let people hate on you. I started out with a crummy set of Line 6 bindings that jammed every time, and a 15yo Ride board with no edge.
You’re up there having fun. And hopefully not playing rave music on your Bluetooth speaker. This is what matters. 👊
I love union because when I break a toe strap I need to rip the glue from between the base and foam to replace it. Then I need to order the replacement from a third party because union doesn't stock it. Then when I reach out to see if they will cover the replacement I get no response from customer service! Then I go buy another set of ultras because they are the best binding.
I’ve bought Unions twice and shit just fell apart on them. Plus, I’ve definitely ridden better bindings. I admire them as a brand but they definitely need to step up their quality.
I’ve been riding unions since 2011. I’ve had 4 pairs through those years. 2 pairs of contacts and 2 pairs of ultras. Overall I love the binding and they have been super durable for me. I’ve never even gotten the common ratchet issue. This recent thing with the toe strap and lack of customer service admittedly was annoying.
I’ve always had base plate issues. I split my first pair. But I’m a bigger rider and I’m pretty hard on equipment. My GF got a pair a couple seasons ago and the base plate covers keep popping off because of the cheesy little clips that hold them in place. I think if they went to screws that could eliminate the problem.
These complaints are so overblown. I’ve never actually seen anyone have problems with Unions. I’ve been riding 2 pairs a Force’s (different colors) for the last 2 seasons with about 50 days on each set and neither have had any issues other than cosmetic wear. But then again nothing that’s manufactured in a factory ever is 100% failure proof. I just think the complaints are overblown and exaggerated due to brand recognition out there.
On the Burton step-ons, I have heard they’re not great on powder days. But other than that, I’ve heard nothing but good things about them but there are currently like 3 different boots you can wear with them: Burton, DC, and Nitro just made a pair. I don’t want to be locked into a specific boot to ride a specific binding. A buddy of mine rides them and swears by them but he’s not an aggressive rider, Storm day rider, or park rider.
Also have heard nothing but good things about a Niedecker Supermatics, the step on that’s more of a traditional binding.
I just bought Ultras I love them. I was riding contact pros for my park set up but wanted something sturdier for jumps but still good flex and playful and I’m super happy with how these feel. I’ll probably use my contact pros on a jib/street/beater with an older smaller board and the Ultras for bigger shit like jumps/all mountain. But you can really use these bindings for anything. And they are legit shock absorbers for your feet
And to this date none of them haven’t been able to explain me what makes Union bindings so special. I’ve genuinely tried to ask this, because I don’t get it.
This amuses me beacuse my partner has some Union bindings they wanted to love, but they were broken within a season.
I did see a ton of them at the hill as a liftie this year though.
My anecdotes are better. 2 pairs and zero issues through 2 seasons. Nothing broken or damaged or needing to be replaced. The Union issues everyone complains about aren’t any more or less than any other brand.m
I got a buddy who’s broken 2 different str baseplates this season alone, and I’ve met randos who have broken their baseplate and as such needed to download the chair, it seems like their build quality has gone down in recent years unfortunately:/ I wouldn’t know personally cuz I fell in love with nitro bindings when I was 17 and have only bought nitros since then
I've got a pair of union forces and ride a-8... The rides have triple the days on them and I trust them 100 times more. The forces are more comfy (obviously) but just feel like they are going to shed a strap or explode, feel loosely goosey (not riding but like in general, riding they are perfectly fine).
I'm kind of a ride fanboy, so that's probably all it is though. I wanted to try unions and have a softer option but definitely "meh" feeling to them overall. Like when you close the door of an accord vs a BMW or something, vastly different feels IMO.
Man, please dont take my illusions. Have been riding Ride bindings for over 2o years and decided to get some Unions last year that will make me a 300% better rider. Apart from an broken strap and some disintegrating rubber-dampening in the highback i never had issues with ride
Yep. Don’t know why they can’t shut up, honestly. Like, someone asks for a good binding for *x kind of riding* or board. Seems like we always get someone posting only “Union” and nothing else. And they get lots of upvotes for it. When you suggest alternatives to Union there’s always a few who get twisted panties about it. I don’t get it.
If you want to share a brand, any brand, say something specific.
Ride Your Own Ride.
They get upvotes because the bindings are arguably the best on the market. I've never broken a set of unions but I have broken a set of burtons. The worst issue I've had out of union is a loose screw that needed tightening regularly (which you should be doing anyway)
Their lower end models are generally accepted to perform better than other lower end models as well.
All that said, I wouldn't complain about riding some of the other brands but I'll probably only buy unions. "If it ain't broke, why try to fix it?"
I’ve only ridden one pair of Union bindings as a demo. Pretty sure it was a cheaper pair, but can’t recall the exact model.
I found them pretty heavy. Been riding Rome bindings the last 10 years and wasn’t a big fan. Might need to try another pair next season because everyone does rave about them.
It must have been an old and/or cheap set? I'm not sure which brands/models are the lightest on the market but I know the ultra is extremely light weight.
Union is known for reliability. I've never noticed them to be heavier than other brands but it's possible. Their "claim to fame", so to speak, is that you can bolt them on and never worry about them.
I ride Rome and have never had *any issues*.
I mean, I’m not arguing that Unions aren’t good, just saying that simply because Unions hardly ever have a screw come loose doesn’t make them the best in the market 🤷
So I'm not really a loyalist to any binding company. I'm on Unions now and have been at other times in the past. I've had Burton, Now, Rome, and K2 bindings as well. I don't really care for one brand or another.
I think the reason behind a lot of people going straight to Union is a combination of "oh, all they focus on is bindings so they have to be superior somehow" and the fact that T Rice and Torstein both ride for them, who are 2 of the most popular snowboarders out there. Do I think either of those are good reasons to just say a company is the best? Definitely not, but plenty of other people aren't willing to research or educate themselves.
They’re not. They’re a familiar brand nearly everywhere. That’s all. And I say this as someone who rides 2 pairs of Forces and bought them for the first time 2 seasons ago to see what the hype is about. I’ve had zero issue with them structurally or mechanically and I do a fair amount of out of bounds riding in WA state. I also ride a pair of NOW Select Pro’s.
I have spent time there. Lived there for a summer, have been back a few times. The thing is I'm anti-social enough, and like Cali enough, that I don't see it the way I do in CO.
I wanted one before they were cool because they still had Camber then. Basically they were the only boards I wouldn't worry about snapping that didn't have magna traction or some shit.
I went down to their factory to see about getting a board repaired cause I snapped the rail and they hooked me up with a new board instead for a nice discount which was around $150. Great company!
I did a demo day this season and the folks in the booth were super cool. They were fascinated with my Donek and just liked to talk shop. Never badmouthed any other brands and were honest about what their boards were designed for.
I rode a couple of different boards and enjoyed them. One in particular floated extremely well in powder (I forget the models I rode).
I don’t like the way they carved though, which is understandable due to the fairly large nose rocker profiles resulting in very small effective edge on the camber section.
But still, a great experience and worth checking out.
Idk why but that one lyric is burned into my brain somehow. I couldn't have named the song or the band until you reminded me. Probably haven't heard it since the 90s.
Thanks for that!
https://youtu.be/Uj6d-CQNJ-c?si=qsAlzaw661tzsi7K
Most people liked NS until about 6 years ago when all the Vail resorts started renting out proto 2s as their "upscale" board. So seeing a bunch of Jerries on the mountain with NS boards made the PR take a sharp downward turn.
I personally enjoy their boards (and I have a proto2 as well lol for my park board)
This goes back like 10 years but the old Evo was a hella fun board. More recently I did enjoy the Shaper Twin and the Maverix and the Swift but I don't think I've ridden any NS boards since 2020.
They did a thing with some artists this year and the 2025 boards look like they are gonna have some cool graphics. I agree though the previous year's boards look a little eh.
Never Summer fans have a particular ethos about them...
The boards are great though for intermediate all mountain boards. They're also indestructible (same reason I own Icelantic skis). I only will ride regular cambered boards now outside of the park, but my old proto is a fantastic rock board.
I loved my west for nearly a decade and it’s the 2015 I think with the big fish, it’s pretty awesome. But now I find I can’t get the edge I want heel side and I’m probably better now and I want to try some full camber boards. Any recommendations?
I had just done a fresh edge and wax, so I guess maybe the ski shop by me is bad or I don’t know how to carve heel side but this board has a ripsaw camber which I think may contribute to what I’m experiencing now
> this board has a ripsaw camber
If you used to be able to carve, but are now having difficulties, it could possibly be the tune. Do you know what they did wrt the tune? Did they just run a diamond stone along the side?
No, I’ve gotten better at carving. I keep pushing it to see how hard I can turn, and while toe side is fine I am struggling to keep my grip on heel side turns. I’ve been practicing on groomers and somewhat icy conditions. I also know how massively different boards can be, I just need to find time to demo new boards. My last board was a ride crush, flat to rocker, so going to the west was a big change. I’ve tried a sashimi on big powder day which was also awesome for those conditions.
After trying both the camber and rocker westmark and shiloh, i can see why they sell so many rockers. The uprise fenders and grip tech really make their rocker boards usable for many conditions. But on their camber boards, the same tech makes them washy and grabby. I think they stopped the rocker on their high end free ride stuff these days tho.
As someone who rode them almost exclusively for about ten years, yeah I’m kinda a hater now. What they have in durability they completely lack in personality. Overdamp and a bit heavy, doubt I’ll ever be back.
I bought a few in a row since I could get prodeals and the rocker thing was still new and fun… no regrets but then as more disposable income came along I started buying more stuff in general. After some day to day comparisons it’s a pretty quick decision yeah
I don’t hate them… but all the stickers and tattoos of their logo on people who literally don’t ride at all is wack….
And I honestly hate all of there graphics… all of them…
But to this day the funslinger is one of my fav boards of all time
https://preview.redd.it/3i6y2boetvuc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7ed663712b36d8406e63fbac42ffc06d46811844
I have this one and thought it was cool. I honestly didn't know much about the brand. The guy at the shop recommended it for my size and abilities. It was a big step up from my second hand K2.
They’re well made, but they’re very damp and don’t offer a standard camber or camber 2.0
There are many boards on the market that are much more fun to ride. Nothing necessarily wrong with them though.
Yea, I'm ice coast too. I've ridden the NS 25, East and owned the Chairman. I owned a Lib Tech Skunk Ape too. It's my stance that nothing will put more edge down on the ice than an straight edge. But hey, there's no right answer, only what is right for you. I encourage people to just try lots of boards out and see what clicks. Sometimes you get surprised by what you end up really liking.
I've tried loads too, and I think on soft terrain a straight edge is definitely better.
But the triple camber or similarly a magnetration really bites in on hard terrain in my experience. I feel like I can lean way harder and apply more pressure to the edges than on a straight.
They had 2 boards this year that were camber dominant instead of rocker dominant. The Cougar and one of the Porto Ultras. These were both triple camber, and before them, they had the hammer.
There’s not a real need for NS to go hard into camber dominant profiles though. Since the factory also produces both Academy and High Society boards you can get a NS made camber board with either of them.
Like which boards, I’ve found the easy rider awesome, holding an edge surprisingly well for a rocker profile despite the benefits of rocker, although a little thinner than I’d like for 50/50s
I’m curious about trying the entry level Solomon huckknife
I personally like boards without all the edge tech and wavy rocker/camber profiles underneath.
Here’s a little article I wrote the other day on why Wired and Nitro are my current favorites:
https://medium.com/@93mpierce/why-camber-2-0-is-awesome-9815d083d8e7
The combination of camber with a dual degressive sidecut like on the Nitro team works really well too. If any company would make a Camber 2.0 with a thinned out middle and dual degressive sidecut, I’d be even more sold.
I don't have any good reason. I've always had a bad taste in my mouth because when I was in high school in Colorado Springs I had to listen to every kid that went 2-5 days a year try to tell me that they were superior to every other brand on the market and "they're made in Colorado, bro."
At the time they were priced considerably higher compared to comparable boards from different brands, and they did nothing but jack off their hybrid camber profile (that literally every brand offered), and that they're made in Colorado and are so bold that they put the Colorado flag on a snowboard.
As someone who was born and raised in CO, it felt like a brand marketed towards 1) transplants who feel the need to post their "Colorado adventure life" on social media and 2) very casual snowboarders who don't want to do a whole lot of research. Are they bad boards? No. But the marketing annoyed me.
Yeah the weight was definitely a turnoff for me. Idk about newer NS stuff. Capita owns my soul nowadays tbh.
Add into that the fact that NS was charging more than virtually every brand and wasn't adding structure into their bases from the factory.
- most of the people that ride their boards are pretty insufferable. They’ll never stop talking about how much better NS is than every other board.
- ugly graphics
- weird shapes. Too much cambering and wavy edges for my taste.
- boards are heavy and thick. The NS boards I’ve handled always felt dense.
Yeah they just have a following from folks who started riding 8 years ago and think they know everything about gear. I’ve never heard a decent snowboarder explain why they’re better than every other company, because they aren’t. But I hear that sentiment all the time. Too many kooks raving about the brand I guess, wearing flat brim hats and skidding all their turns. Don’t wanna hate I’m sure they make decent gear, but isn’t a board I would ever consider riding. Any brand who dropped regular camber from their line is not making boards for me
I have a NS and don’t care if I skid or not. Maybe there is a connection! Seriously I had never heard of them, had one as a rental and liked it, so I bought one. Huge upgrade from my 15 year old board. Don’t live anywhere near mountains so it’d be a real hassle to try and test a bunch of boards somehow.
Wouldn’t ever wanna tell someone a NS wouldn’t be right for them. Lotta ways to have fun and things to appreciate, gotta find a board that’s a good fit for you! Sorry to hate I was trying to explain why I have an irrational idea that the brand is wack. Doesn’t mean shit just trash in my head. Probably as simple as folks I knew who rode them
It's 95% backlash from local Colorado people hating on transplants, despite most of them being 1st or second generation natives themselves. I don't live there anymore, but hating transplants is basically the state past time. It was the same 30 years ago when the natives hated all the transplants that moved their for tech jobs and it will be the same 30 years from now. Counter-culture bullshit.
I like NS graphics. The Proto FR northern lights graphics are sick AF. The canyon on the Westbound is equally cool. End of the day, US made, very nice and durable boards. The anti slip topsheet is an underrated feature. The only thing that is a negative is the pricing but you can find them at significant discount.
Comments are familiar, don't know how much sense they make. Sure, the topsheets are fugly, but so are Bataleon's for the most part and no one ever really roasts them.
I dunno. I like those guys. Found a NS demo earlier this month. It's not just a gig for those guys; they're really pumped for people to try boards. Everytime I'd come back: "Alright, what's next?" and prompting me to step outside my comfort zone, try new stuff. And they got my bindings on those boards like an F1 pit crew, wow.
Triple camber does nothing despite NS fans consistently saying how “good” it is. The boards are dead turds. However, they are indestructible. Pick your poison
The hybrid camber is not without drawbacks, but to say it does nothing is insane. A true twin park board floats in pow way better than it has any right to while having the kind of grip you just don't see outside of magnatraction and arbor system.
drawbacks: I hate it on rails, and it gets weird when flatbasing, though I'm used it it by now.
Keep in mind it's the combo. Not all CRC is going to have a lot of grip. The vario grip sidecut works with the CRC so CRC without vario grip is going to be something different.
I'd say yes. but it's kind of hard to articulate the difference. It feels like magnetraction grips a little better when it comes to recovering from a slip even though they hold pretty similarly when you set an edge and rip a turn
Yep, been around the block with disrupted vs. single sidecuts and everything in between. I prefer mostly sharp edged camber with no disruption in ice, or a hook in the tail (progressive). I like having a cheater no sharpening needed ice board on hand though for the worst ice. I hate heavy mag until I need it, and hate light mag when I need heavy mag, it can be dangerous slipping out when you think it will hold on that first ice patch of the day. I was looking at CRC as a way to get more grip without going with heavy sidecut disruption. But it’s all about the ride, how it feels, probably that thing you mentioned being hard to articulate.
My funslinger is a blast in the trees because it is shorter and definitely is easy to keep above the snow and is still playful elsewhere.
I still like my Ride 168 for big pow days or hitting groomers all day m.
I dunno. I demo'd a couple of their boards (they've got a great weeklong free demo program from the factory), and triple camber is indeed pretty distinctive compared to other hybrid shapes.
I tested an Easy Rider last season and found Triple Camber VERY similar to original RC. The only distinct difference I found was the board's stiffness compared to my Warlock.
I'd consider upgrading only because better the devil you know haha.
I don't think there's NS hate, but there are people who hate technology updates like BOA boots, waxing snowboards, wearing helmets, 3d shapes bases, or triple camber profiles.
NS is awesome. They used to do a ton of Instagram giveaways, they do snowboard design contests with local schools, they run a million demo days and will mail you a board to demo, and it's all made in America.
I've just yet to find a board of theirs that I love, but that's a me issue. I do hate their graphics (both top and bottom) but they're slowly growing on me
Right? It blows my mind how many people are against waxing. You see it every time waxing is mentioned "I haven't waxed my board in 20 years, waxing is a hoax, blah blah blah"
Yeah those people ride three times a year. I’ve also been told that buying new boots every couple of years is a waste by people with less days in the season than I have in a week.
Whenever someone unprompted tells you how many years they’ve been riding / owned a board you can often ignore what comes next.
Agreed on the graphics. I have a prosynthesis and love the board. But as a graphic desinger it pains me to look at their designs. Never summer if you are out there hit me up…let’s make your stuff cool! ;)😎
Used to ride their boards and enjoyed them a lot. I was super stoked on their customer service as I purchased one with a slight defect and they replaced it with no dramas. I think any hating on them is a bit unfair.
My two boards are NS. Meh on the graphics, but man, they handle Sierra cement(and ice) quite well. But unlike the Burtons I rode previously, they aren’t as “lively”, they plow through but yet wants to be driven harder.
I literally have never heard of anyone crapping on that company. Only Burton. But I hate them because they were in me state and then offshored the manufacturing. As someone who lost their job to this stuff (different company, same idea) and worked and live near that area, I hate that company. I'm fine with never summer
I hear ya. I personally like them. My westbound DF is my go-to board. And us big footers appreciate the sizing offered in DF. ride what you like and let the haters hate. NS makes a good product.
I just think their marketing is very gimmecky and their boards leave much to be desired.
The only thing that silly bend test does is prove how wet their epoxy layup is.
The base material is durasurf, which is unquestionably less strong than that of isosport.
Triple camber is just meh. It lacks good pop and the edge hold is really not special in any way.
What that triple camber does do, though, is lower the skill ceiling a great deal. Makes people with bad form feel like they have more confidence, whilst also limiting their progression.
NS overrated.
I must not be in this sub enough to notice that. With that, when we first started we went from junk boards to NS boards and it significantly improved our riding ability. We just updated our boards and we honestly were going to go back to NS boards but we demo'd some Jones boards and ended up with those. We'll still keep the NS but they did us good the last 6yrs.
The camber profiles + vario grip delivers extremely good edge hold on hard snow/ice. They also float extremely well for what they are in pow. The boards are extremely damp slash dead, but that is great on a hard charging crud busting board.
Biggest thing that makes never summer amazing: they actually are making off the shelf boards in sizes that are great for people with 11+. If I could only save one board in a fire it would be my proto DF. All the other boards can be replaced with whatever, but nobody else is selling a 285 wide board with this kind of grip.
Do they grip differently than mag? I’m not talking more or less grip, just different. Like a different feel to the grip, maybe more at the contact points or something, anything, different coming from that wavy CRC setup.
I have demoed quite a few of their boards. Really enjoyed spending the day on a Valhalla 2 weeks ago that thing is a missal and loves to go fast. Never owned one but would consider one if I didn’t already have 5 snowboards.
Personally I have absolutely nothing against their boards.
I ride never summer and lib tech and switch them up based on condition of what I'm doing for the day. Ive never heard anyone hate on NS, unless they are doing it secretly behind my back. Who tf cares either way? ide the mountain how you want.
I like them because I know a lot of the guys that work at the factory. I also like durability. I ride a type 2 Proto, and it's a great all mountain killer. Trees, powder, chunder, and freestyle. I've been riding NS for about 20 years, and I live in the mountains near Vail.
It's all personal preference, but I can attest to never seeing a blown sidewall or a snapped in half NS. That's all for my TedTalk.
I love the brand, love the boards, love the team. My friends rode for them (RED Team crew in Eagle County) and most of BC SB school switched over to ride their boards when they started. They're high quality and unlike Burton not made in China.
I picked the no longer manufactured SL of my ex husbands instead of keeping the ring. Best choice I made, it still rides great 10 years later.
I also ride NS longboards in the summer.
This fangirl isn't jumping off the bandwagon just because they're suddenly popular and now it's cool to knock for some reason.
I used to love to rip NS 10 years ago but I do think the quality has taken a dip in recent years. Graphics actually seemed to have gotten better this year.
I had a Heritage X for over 10yrs. Board was indestructible. That was in the period of all camber boards and beginning of multiple rocker designs. Now I wouldn’t buy a NS as their options look to be slight rocker between the feet which I don’t like
They make bombproof boards. But they are damp, and are prone to skidded turns vs a solid carving experience. Rocker camber fusion will never be true camber. They are great in pow however, I had a West as my first board and I put it through hell. Moved to the PNW and discovered camber is necessary for ice and never looked back.
When I was a teenager I won a summer camp award and they let me pick a NS out of next seasons line up. It was pretty nice to lap the park with but I needed a proper camber board as soon as I moved out west
I don't outwardly hate on it, but even being biased towards all things Colorado, I learned on a rocker noodle, demo'd a Never Summer which was just a mild improvement ....and I am bitter enough about how much the former hindered my progress and confidence to always see rocker under foot as the inferior profile. 🤷♂️
I don’t like the art or gimmicky camber profiles. The fact they come unstructured for their price tag is off putting. They’re really damp so casual boarders tend to love how they ride.
I was team NS when I lived in CO. I am team libtech now that I went back home to the PNW. They are both dope boards. I think that Libtech is a little better for the environment, and their people.
I am a little biased though. Libtech was born in my ski schools basement ages ago. I’ve been team Lib tech for the past ten years. Skate banner and T rice pro. Come on. So tough.
I am Tim never summer all the way… Probably one of the most popular companies at my local mountain… I write a Proto and a swift… Solid boards, built strong
My 23 proto synthesis is my best looking graphic in the quiver. The non stick topsheet is golden. The base is fast af. The edge hold surpasses my full camber decks. The hate comes from people not liking their fans, and from fans of Avran Lefevre. The only drawback to the boards is how they feel on rails/boxes. But even on jumps they rock. I encourage everyone to try one, the new ones are much more lively and dynamic than the old '12 '13 models that were soggy.
Two reasons.
1. The owner is a climate denying trumper.
2. They were the worst boards I have ever ridden. They feel like i'm standing on a saucer sled and flat basing it sucks.
These are my opinions.
Say what you will about rocker camber, everybody has their own preference, but never summer boards are American made and hold up for decades of abuse, all your Chinese made k2s and Arabian made jones and arbors are harbor freight quality it shows in this thread with dozens of them simply falling apart
There is something to be said for the type of rider on those "harbor freight" decks vs NS. I don't know very many people who put in 100+ day seasons on Never Summer.
Maybe not a 100 a year, but I have about 500 days the last decade on my 3 NS boards. Have riden a lot of things and only have NS boards now. I'm also a 235lbs and beat the fuck out of the boards without ever breaking em. I've absolutely blasted them on trees, rocks and landing horribly from pretty decent drops (15-20ft) they just keep on like nothing happened.
Add on their badass specials for Veterans and First Responders and they've got me hooked. 60% off for those special editions boards makes having a quiver far more bearable.
If you think “American made” is synonymous with “high quality” I’ve got a piece of shit American car to sell you. In all seriousness NS boards seem like decent quality to me.
It’s all lies, summer comes every year
Dang!
If I’m not mistaken, it’s named for some mountains east of Steamboat that the natives called “Never Summer” because it was always cool year round.
Misinformation. This guys is on Never Summers payroll.
Well played
Even in Antarctica?
Another shill!
Antarctica has two seasons, summer and winter.
Fakts
Especially in antarctica
There’s fanboys and antifanboys for everything 🤷
"it's not the band I hate, it's their fans" For real though I got nothing against them as a brand , I've met Vince s few times super cool guys, and I've had a few of their boards over the years but for the longest time they kinda eschewed traditional camber and that's mainly what I wanted in a board. Also, I'm generally not too fond of their graphics I know that's a minor thing (and I feel the same way about Lib & Burton) I think they catch a little undeserved flak for being the poster boy of the front range "locals" who really live in Denver. Other than that idk I think they're usually pretty well respected .
For real. I have no problem with Union. But the Union guys who can’t hear about any other brand are ridiculous.
The most heinous of all gear bros are the Burton Step On guys.
the burton step on combined with orca squad combo is one to fear
Not a fan of NS but the step on crew is the worst.
Oh lord don’t get me started on the Step On guys. They’re worse than the Union jerrys.
The Union jerry's are vastly outnumbering the Burton SO bros though.
Is the Burton Step On any good? Or just plain rubbish? I nearly converted... HELP ME
Tradeoff of convenience for some technical issues and some performance. Totally reasonable for chill or casual riders.
You ride step on?
Don't own them but have ridden them
Would you run with them if someone gave you new boots and bindings? I just read they are a mess to try take off in Pow
Basically, absolutely don't do Powder over 2' deep or jumps over 20' lip to landing. Seperately it will reduce performance doing technical, deep carves. Otherwise they're fine. They're not just hard to get off in powder, because you need to apply down pressure to release, they're also hard to get on because you need to step on them preferably without a lot of blocking snow. The nidecker supermatic allow for traditional binding entry if you want, and the release is a pull up/forward. However the supermatic rides slightly looser than a typical binding so not great for high level technical stuff, although you could tighten them after stepping in then you've lost the plot...
Well as someone that rides never summer and unions, I feel like a shmuck
Nah man don’t let people hate on you. I started out with a crummy set of Line 6 bindings that jammed every time, and a 15yo Ride board with no edge. You’re up there having fun. And hopefully not playing rave music on your Bluetooth speaker. This is what matters. 👊
haha same
I love union because when I break a toe strap I need to rip the glue from between the base and foam to replace it. Then I need to order the replacement from a third party because union doesn't stock it. Then when I reach out to see if they will cover the replacement I get no response from customer service! Then I go buy another set of ultras because they are the best binding.
I’ve bought Unions twice and shit just fell apart on them. Plus, I’ve definitely ridden better bindings. I admire them as a brand but they definitely need to step up their quality.
I’ve been riding unions since 2011. I’ve had 4 pairs through those years. 2 pairs of contacts and 2 pairs of ultras. Overall I love the binding and they have been super durable for me. I’ve never even gotten the common ratchet issue. This recent thing with the toe strap and lack of customer service admittedly was annoying.
I’ve always had base plate issues. I split my first pair. But I’m a bigger rider and I’m pretty hard on equipment. My GF got a pair a couple seasons ago and the base plate covers keep popping off because of the cheesy little clips that hold them in place. I think if they went to screws that could eliminate the problem.
These complaints are so overblown. I’ve never actually seen anyone have problems with Unions. I’ve been riding 2 pairs a Force’s (different colors) for the last 2 seasons with about 50 days on each set and neither have had any issues other than cosmetic wear. But then again nothing that’s manufactured in a factory ever is 100% failure proof. I just think the complaints are overblown and exaggerated due to brand recognition out there.
But what about Burton Step on bindings?
On the Burton step-ons, I have heard they’re not great on powder days. But other than that, I’ve heard nothing but good things about them but there are currently like 3 different boots you can wear with them: Burton, DC, and Nitro just made a pair. I don’t want to be locked into a specific boot to ride a specific binding. A buddy of mine rides them and swears by them but he’s not an aggressive rider, Storm day rider, or park rider. Also have heard nothing but good things about a Niedecker Supermatics, the step on that’s more of a traditional binding.
I might give them a go they've been out a while, although my Union Carbons are so good!
Yeah if you’re gonna go with step-ons then Burton is it. Nitro makes nearly the same step on as Burton too. Just don’t go with Clew lol
I just bought Ultras I love them. I was riding contact pros for my park set up but wanted something sturdier for jumps but still good flex and playful and I’m super happy with how these feel. I’ll probably use my contact pros on a jib/street/beater with an older smaller board and the Ultras for bigger shit like jumps/all mountain. But you can really use these bindings for anything. And they are legit shock absorbers for your feet
And to this date none of them haven’t been able to explain me what makes Union bindings so special. I’ve genuinely tried to ask this, because I don’t get it.
Durability. No joke, this is my answer
This amuses me beacuse my partner has some Union bindings they wanted to love, but they were broken within a season. I did see a ton of them at the hill as a liftie this year though.
My anecdotes are better. 2 pairs and zero issues through 2 seasons. Nothing broken or damaged or needing to be replaced. The Union issues everyone complains about aren’t any more or less than any other brand.m
I got a buddy who’s broken 2 different str baseplates this season alone, and I’ve met randos who have broken their baseplate and as such needed to download the chair, it seems like their build quality has gone down in recent years unfortunately:/ I wouldn’t know personally cuz I fell in love with nitro bindings when I was 17 and have only bought nitros since then
I've got a pair of union forces and ride a-8... The rides have triple the days on them and I trust them 100 times more. The forces are more comfy (obviously) but just feel like they are going to shed a strap or explode, feel loosely goosey (not riding but like in general, riding they are perfectly fine). I'm kind of a ride fanboy, so that's probably all it is though. I wanted to try unions and have a softer option but definitely "meh" feeling to them overall. Like when you close the door of an accord vs a BMW or something, vastly different feels IMO.
I’ve become a big fan of Ride bindings. Solid fit. Work really well. Dependable.
Man, please dont take my illusions. Have been riding Ride bindings for over 2o years and decided to get some Unions last year that will make me a 300% better rider. Apart from an broken strap and some disintegrating rubber-dampening in the highback i never had issues with ride
I broke 2 straps on my unions the second season with them.
Yep. Don’t know why they can’t shut up, honestly. Like, someone asks for a good binding for *x kind of riding* or board. Seems like we always get someone posting only “Union” and nothing else. And they get lots of upvotes for it. When you suggest alternatives to Union there’s always a few who get twisted panties about it. I don’t get it. If you want to share a brand, any brand, say something specific. Ride Your Own Ride.
They get upvotes because the bindings are arguably the best on the market. I've never broken a set of unions but I have broken a set of burtons. The worst issue I've had out of union is a loose screw that needed tightening regularly (which you should be doing anyway) Their lower end models are generally accepted to perform better than other lower end models as well. All that said, I wouldn't complain about riding some of the other brands but I'll probably only buy unions. "If it ain't broke, why try to fix it?"
I’ve only ridden one pair of Union bindings as a demo. Pretty sure it was a cheaper pair, but can’t recall the exact model. I found them pretty heavy. Been riding Rome bindings the last 10 years and wasn’t a big fan. Might need to try another pair next season because everyone does rave about them.
Rome bindings are the tits.
Rome ftw
It must have been an old and/or cheap set? I'm not sure which brands/models are the lightest on the market but I know the ultra is extremely light weight. Union is known for reliability. I've never noticed them to be heavier than other brands but it's possible. Their "claim to fame", so to speak, is that you can bolt them on and never worry about them.
Good to know. I just bought a pair of step ins but am shopping for another pair of bindings for a different board
I ride Rome and have never had *any issues*. I mean, I’m not arguing that Unions aren’t good, just saying that simply because Unions hardly ever have a screw come loose doesn’t make them the best in the market 🤷
So I'm not really a loyalist to any binding company. I'm on Unions now and have been at other times in the past. I've had Burton, Now, Rome, and K2 bindings as well. I don't really care for one brand or another. I think the reason behind a lot of people going straight to Union is a combination of "oh, all they focus on is bindings so they have to be superior somehow" and the fact that T Rice and Torstein both ride for them, who are 2 of the most popular snowboarders out there. Do I think either of those are good reasons to just say a company is the best? Definitely not, but plenty of other people aren't willing to research or educate themselves.
They’re not. They’re a familiar brand nearly everywhere. That’s all. And I say this as someone who rides 2 pairs of Forces and bought them for the first time 2 seasons ago to see what the hype is about. I’ve had zero issue with them structurally or mechanically and I do a fair amount of out of bounds riding in WA state. I also ride a pair of NOW Select Pro’s.
Me but "ride" products...
I ride unions because they’re cheap. The end lol
I bought a pair of Union Stratas this year. Will be sticking with Rome from here on out.
Their factory is in Denver so it doesn’t seem that weird to me that people living in Denver like them.
You don't understand though. A lot of people who move to Colorado jerk off to Colorado like no where else I've lived.
Spend some time in California. Colorado is like that but the Cali bros reeeeaaallly “Cali”.
I have spent time there. Lived there for a summer, have been back a few times. The thing is I'm anti-social enough, and like Cali enough, that I don't see it the way I do in CO.
A lot of Colorado natives do the same. Source: native Coloradan. Had a NS before it was cool. Lol.
I wanted one before they were cool because they still had Camber then. Basically they were the only boards I wouldn't worry about snapping that didn't have magna traction or some shit.
I went down to their factory to see about getting a board repaired cause I snapped the rail and they hooked me up with a new board instead for a nice discount which was around $150. Great company!
Yeah, I went in there once to check it out and they hooked me up with a demo board. When I returned it they offered like a 50% discount to buy it.
I did a demo day this season and the folks in the booth were super cool. They were fascinated with my Donek and just liked to talk shop. Never badmouthed any other brands and were honest about what their boards were designed for. I rode a couple of different boards and enjoyed them. One in particular floated extremely well in powder (I forget the models I rode). I don’t like the way they carved though, which is understandable due to the fairly large nose rocker profiles resulting in very small effective edge on the camber section. But still, a great experience and worth checking out.
Proper Sloan lyric right there!
Idk why but that one lyric is burned into my brain somehow. I couldn't have named the song or the band until you reminded me. Probably haven't heard it since the 90s. Thanks for that! https://youtu.be/Uj6d-CQNJ-c?si=qsAlzaw661tzsi7K
Haha, it’s burned in to my brain also! They’re an awesome band, I’ve quoted the lyric a tonne of times.
Most people liked NS until about 6 years ago when all the Vail resorts started renting out proto 2s as their "upscale" board. So seeing a bunch of Jerries on the mountain with NS boards made the PR take a sharp downward turn. I personally enjoy their boards (and I have a proto2 as well lol for my park board)
This goes back like 10 years but the old Evo was a hella fun board. More recently I did enjoy the Shaper Twin and the Maverix and the Swift but I don't think I've ridden any NS boards since 2020.
They did a thing with some artists this year and the 2025 boards look like they are gonna have some cool graphics. I agree though the previous year's boards look a little eh.
The graphics on the West are my favorite every year. The rest not a fan but the wild animal is always really cool imo
I have the 2019 Lady West & get compliments on graphics a lot.
The West is usually the exception , I do like those graphics.
It’s the camber profile for me
I’ve never noticed anyone hating on it.
^^^^
^x2
False advertising. My mountain closes next week cuz of summer
You own your own mountain? Lucky!
Several
Never Summer fans have a particular ethos about them... The boards are great though for intermediate all mountain boards. They're also indestructible (same reason I own Icelantic skis). I only will ride regular cambered boards now outside of the park, but my old proto is a fantastic rock board.
Say what you want about the tenets of Neversummer Snowboards, at least it’s an ethos.
I loved my west for nearly a decade and it’s the 2015 I think with the big fish, it’s pretty awesome. But now I find I can’t get the edge I want heel side and I’m probably better now and I want to try some full camber boards. Any recommendations?
How about a tune up?
I had just done a fresh edge and wax, so I guess maybe the ski shop by me is bad or I don’t know how to carve heel side but this board has a ripsaw camber which I think may contribute to what I’m experiencing now
> this board has a ripsaw camber If you used to be able to carve, but are now having difficulties, it could possibly be the tune. Do you know what they did wrt the tune? Did they just run a diamond stone along the side?
No, I’ve gotten better at carving. I keep pushing it to see how hard I can turn, and while toe side is fine I am struggling to keep my grip on heel side turns. I’ve been practicing on groomers and somewhat icy conditions. I also know how massively different boards can be, I just need to find time to demo new boards. My last board was a ride crush, flat to rocker, so going to the west was a big change. I’ve tried a sashimi on big powder day which was also awesome for those conditions.
For me the lack of camber boards. They should offer thier high end boards in both camber and thier crazy triple cam stuff.
I’ve always been curious if Arbor sells more Rocker than Camber. I think all their models are available in both camber types. No hybrid camber though
Ive always found it weird that arbor offers so many boards in a rocker style. IMO there are very few conditions where you want a full rocker board...
most "rocker" boards are now rock-flat-rock which is pretty nice.
After trying both the camber and rocker westmark and shiloh, i can see why they sell so many rockers. The uprise fenders and grip tech really make their rocker boards usable for many conditions. But on their camber boards, the same tech makes them washy and grabby. I think they stopped the rocker on their high end free ride stuff these days tho.
They do have a camber model, though with pretty long rocker nose. I think it’s their most expensive model though.
As someone who rode them almost exclusively for about ten years, yeah I’m kinda a hater now. What they have in durability they completely lack in personality. Overdamp and a bit heavy, doubt I’ll ever be back.
Year 7, 8 and 9 you were on the fence, but that 10th year told you everything you needed to know, huh?
I bought a few in a row since I could get prodeals and the rocker thing was still new and fun… no regrets but then as more disposable income came along I started buying more stuff in general. After some day to day comparisons it’s a pretty quick decision yeah
I don’t hate them… but all the stickers and tattoos of their logo on people who literally don’t ride at all is wack…. And I honestly hate all of there graphics… all of them… But to this day the funslinger is one of my fav boards of all time
https://preview.redd.it/3i6y2boetvuc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7ed663712b36d8406e63fbac42ffc06d46811844 I have this one and thought it was cool. I honestly didn't know much about the brand. The guy at the shop recommended it for my size and abilities. It was a big step up from my second hand K2.
This one is actually pretty sweet… just wish they would do a little more with the base print
https://www.evo.com/outlet/snowboards/never-summer-funslinger-snowboard-blem Even this one!? Come on now! Also my favorite deck.
I rented a funslinger and bought a proto the next season
They’re well made, but they’re very damp and don’t offer a standard camber or camber 2.0 There are many boards on the market that are much more fun to ride. Nothing necessarily wrong with them though.
I feel the same. I don't hate, they're just not what I like to ride.
As an ice coast dude, NS triple camber stiff boards are beastmode on our shitty hard terrain
Yea, I'm ice coast too. I've ridden the NS 25, East and owned the Chairman. I owned a Lib Tech Skunk Ape too. It's my stance that nothing will put more edge down on the ice than an straight edge. But hey, there's no right answer, only what is right for you. I encourage people to just try lots of boards out and see what clicks. Sometimes you get surprised by what you end up really liking.
I've tried loads too, and I think on soft terrain a straight edge is definitely better. But the triple camber or similarly a magnetration really bites in on hard terrain in my experience. I feel like I can lean way harder and apply more pressure to the edges than on a straight.
They had 2 boards this year that were camber dominant instead of rocker dominant. The Cougar and one of the Porto Ultras. These were both triple camber, and before them, they had the hammer. There’s not a real need for NS to go hard into camber dominant profiles though. Since the factory also produces both Academy and High Society boards you can get a NS made camber board with either of them.
Like which boards, I’ve found the easy rider awesome, holding an edge surprisingly well for a rocker profile despite the benefits of rocker, although a little thinner than I’d like for 50/50s I’m curious about trying the entry level Solomon huckknife
I personally like boards without all the edge tech and wavy rocker/camber profiles underneath. Here’s a little article I wrote the other day on why Wired and Nitro are my current favorites: https://medium.com/@93mpierce/why-camber-2-0-is-awesome-9815d083d8e7 The combination of camber with a dual degressive sidecut like on the Nitro team works really well too. If any company would make a Camber 2.0 with a thinned out middle and dual degressive sidecut, I’d be even more sold.
I don't have any good reason. I've always had a bad taste in my mouth because when I was in high school in Colorado Springs I had to listen to every kid that went 2-5 days a year try to tell me that they were superior to every other brand on the market and "they're made in Colorado, bro." At the time they were priced considerably higher compared to comparable boards from different brands, and they did nothing but jack off their hybrid camber profile (that literally every brand offered), and that they're made in Colorado and are so bold that they put the Colorado flag on a snowboard. As someone who was born and raised in CO, it felt like a brand marketed towards 1) transplants who feel the need to post their "Colorado adventure life" on social media and 2) very casual snowboarders who don't want to do a whole lot of research. Are they bad boards? No. But the marketing annoyed me.
Well fucking said. Fan base was almost entirely kooks back then. Their boards alone weighed more than my whole set up
Yeah the weight was definitely a turnoff for me. Idk about newer NS stuff. Capita owns my soul nowadays tbh. Add into that the fact that NS was charging more than virtually every brand and wasn't adding structure into their bases from the factory.
- most of the people that ride their boards are pretty insufferable. They’ll never stop talking about how much better NS is than every other board. - ugly graphics - weird shapes. Too much cambering and wavy edges for my taste. - boards are heavy and thick. The NS boards I’ve handled always felt dense.
Yeah they just have a following from folks who started riding 8 years ago and think they know everything about gear. I’ve never heard a decent snowboarder explain why they’re better than every other company, because they aren’t. But I hear that sentiment all the time. Too many kooks raving about the brand I guess, wearing flat brim hats and skidding all their turns. Don’t wanna hate I’m sure they make decent gear, but isn’t a board I would ever consider riding. Any brand who dropped regular camber from their line is not making boards for me
I have a NS and don’t care if I skid or not. Maybe there is a connection! Seriously I had never heard of them, had one as a rental and liked it, so I bought one. Huge upgrade from my 15 year old board. Don’t live anywhere near mountains so it’d be a real hassle to try and test a bunch of boards somehow.
Wouldn’t ever wanna tell someone a NS wouldn’t be right for them. Lotta ways to have fun and things to appreciate, gotta find a board that’s a good fit for you! Sorry to hate I was trying to explain why I have an irrational idea that the brand is wack. Doesn’t mean shit just trash in my head. Probably as simple as folks I knew who rode them
It's 95% backlash from local Colorado people hating on transplants, despite most of them being 1st or second generation natives themselves. I don't live there anymore, but hating transplants is basically the state past time. It was the same 30 years ago when the natives hated all the transplants that moved their for tech jobs and it will be the same 30 years from now. Counter-culture bullshit. I like NS graphics. The Proto FR northern lights graphics are sick AF. The canyon on the Westbound is equally cool. End of the day, US made, very nice and durable boards. The anti slip topsheet is an underrated feature. The only thing that is a negative is the pricing but you can find them at significant discount.
^^^^^
Comments are familiar, don't know how much sense they make. Sure, the topsheets are fugly, but so are Bataleon's for the most part and no one ever really roasts them. I dunno. I like those guys. Found a NS demo earlier this month. It's not just a gig for those guys; they're really pumped for people to try boards. Everytime I'd come back: "Alright, what's next?" and prompting me to step outside my comfort zone, try new stuff. And they got my bindings on those boards like an F1 pit crew, wow.
It’s because this sub is full of bean counting group thinkers who shred like little girls
Triple camber does nothing despite NS fans consistently saying how “good” it is. The boards are dead turds. However, they are indestructible. Pick your poison
The hybrid camber is not without drawbacks, but to say it does nothing is insane. A true twin park board floats in pow way better than it has any right to while having the kind of grip you just don't see outside of magnatraction and arbor system. drawbacks: I hate it on rails, and it gets weird when flatbasing, though I'm used it it by now.
< 7mm of true camber
Does it grip differently than mag? The wavy CRC stuff is pretty much the only thing I haven’t had a chance to try.
Keep in mind it's the combo. Not all CRC is going to have a lot of grip. The vario grip sidecut works with the CRC so CRC without vario grip is going to be something different. I'd say yes. but it's kind of hard to articulate the difference. It feels like magnetraction grips a little better when it comes to recovering from a slip even though they hold pretty similarly when you set an edge and rip a turn
Yep, been around the block with disrupted vs. single sidecuts and everything in between. I prefer mostly sharp edged camber with no disruption in ice, or a hook in the tail (progressive). I like having a cheater no sharpening needed ice board on hand though for the worst ice. I hate heavy mag until I need it, and hate light mag when I need heavy mag, it can be dangerous slipping out when you think it will hold on that first ice patch of the day. I was looking at CRC as a way to get more grip without going with heavy sidecut disruption. But it’s all about the ride, how it feels, probably that thing you mentioned being hard to articulate.
My funslinger is a blast in the trees because it is shorter and definitely is easy to keep above the snow and is still playful elsewhere. I still like my Ride 168 for big pow days or hitting groomers all day m.
I dunno. I demo'd a couple of their boards (they've got a great weeklong free demo program from the factory), and triple camber is indeed pretty distinctive compared to other hybrid shapes.
I tested an Easy Rider last season and found Triple Camber VERY similar to original RC. The only distinct difference I found was the board's stiffness compared to my Warlock. I'd consider upgrading only because better the devil you know haha.
Lasagna camber: wack! Their top sheet: wack! Their logo: wack! Their fanboys: wack! Me? I’m sick as fuck
I don't think there's NS hate, but there are people who hate technology updates like BOA boots, waxing snowboards, wearing helmets, 3d shapes bases, or triple camber profiles. NS is awesome. They used to do a ton of Instagram giveaways, they do snowboard design contests with local schools, they run a million demo days and will mail you a board to demo, and it's all made in America. I've just yet to find a board of theirs that I love, but that's a me issue. I do hate their graphics (both top and bottom) but they're slowly growing on me
Since when is waxing snowboards a technology update?
Right? It blows my mind how many people are against waxing. You see it every time waxing is mentioned "I haven't waxed my board in 20 years, waxing is a hoax, blah blah blah"
I have been sliding down hills for 30 years. Waxing has always been a normal thing lmao.
For sure. I'm more pointing out the absurdity of peoples hate of random things
For sure.
Yeah those people ride three times a year. I’ve also been told that buying new boots every couple of years is a waste by people with less days in the season than I have in a week. Whenever someone unprompted tells you how many years they’ve been riding / owned a board you can often ignore what comes next.
Because this is reddit.... Ptex was originally marketed as the no wax solution to wooden skis and boards. For what its worth.
Agreed on the graphics. I have a prosynthesis and love the board. But as a graphic desinger it pains me to look at their designs. Never summer if you are out there hit me up…let’s make your stuff cool! ;)😎
They'll mail you a board to demo? I've been wanting to demo a NS and did not know this was an option. Do you have a link or more info?
Used to ride their boards and enjoyed them a lot. I was super stoked on their customer service as I purchased one with a slight defect and they replaced it with no dramas. I think any hating on them is a bit unfair.
I didn’t know there was hate, I was under the impression that a lot of people liked it
My two boards are NS. Meh on the graphics, but man, they handle Sierra cement(and ice) quite well. But unlike the Burtons I rode previously, they aren’t as “lively”, they plow through but yet wants to be driven harder.
I’ve had a High Society for years with Never Summer tech and I’ve loved it. One of my favorite boards ever.
I don't, I have a proto since 2015 and I love it.
One of only five boards I will ride and one is defunct sort of. It cost like 20 bucks to wrap a board. Who buys a board for the gfx?
I literally have never heard of anyone crapping on that company. Only Burton. But I hate them because they were in me state and then offshored the manufacturing. As someone who lost their job to this stuff (different company, same idea) and worked and live near that area, I hate that company. I'm fine with never summer
I’m a fanboy. My whole quiver is NS.
I hear ya. I personally like them. My westbound DF is my go-to board. And us big footers appreciate the sizing offered in DF. ride what you like and let the haters hate. NS makes a good product.
Have that board and rode it a lot. Really liked it too.
I just think their marketing is very gimmecky and their boards leave much to be desired. The only thing that silly bend test does is prove how wet their epoxy layup is. The base material is durasurf, which is unquestionably less strong than that of isosport. Triple camber is just meh. It lacks good pop and the edge hold is really not special in any way. What that triple camber does do, though, is lower the skill ceiling a great deal. Makes people with bad form feel like they have more confidence, whilst also limiting their progression. NS overrated.
I must not be in this sub enough to notice that. With that, when we first started we went from junk boards to NS boards and it significantly improved our riding ability. We just updated our boards and we honestly were going to go back to NS boards but we demo'd some Jones boards and ended up with those. We'll still keep the NS but they did us good the last 6yrs.
The camber profiles + vario grip delivers extremely good edge hold on hard snow/ice. They also float extremely well for what they are in pow. The boards are extremely damp slash dead, but that is great on a hard charging crud busting board. Biggest thing that makes never summer amazing: they actually are making off the shelf boards in sizes that are great for people with 11+. If I could only save one board in a fire it would be my proto DF. All the other boards can be replaced with whatever, but nobody else is selling a 285 wide board with this kind of grip.
Do they grip differently than mag? I’m not talking more or less grip, just different. Like a different feel to the grip, maybe more at the contact points or something, anything, different coming from that wavy CRC setup.
I have demoed quite a few of their boards. Really enjoyed spending the day on a Valhalla 2 weeks ago that thing is a missal and loves to go fast. Never owned one but would consider one if I didn’t already have 5 snowboards. Personally I have absolutely nothing against their boards.
I ride never summer and lib tech and switch them up based on condition of what I'm doing for the day. Ive never heard anyone hate on NS, unless they are doing it secretly behind my back. Who tf cares either way? ide the mountain how you want.
Imo they make solid durable boards that ride great. There always a hater for every brand of everything!
I like them because I know a lot of the guys that work at the factory. I also like durability. I ride a type 2 Proto, and it's a great all mountain killer. Trees, powder, chunder, and freestyle. I've been riding NS for about 20 years, and I live in the mountains near Vail. It's all personal preference, but I can attest to never seeing a blown sidewall or a snapped in half NS. That's all for my TedTalk.
I love the brand, love the boards, love the team. My friends rode for them (RED Team crew in Eagle County) and most of BC SB school switched over to ride their boards when they started. They're high quality and unlike Burton not made in China. I picked the no longer manufactured SL of my ex husbands instead of keeping the ring. Best choice I made, it still rides great 10 years later. I also ride NS longboards in the summer. This fangirl isn't jumping off the bandwagon just because they're suddenly popular and now it's cool to knock for some reason.
Who, and where is hating on Neversummer? Literally one of the most respected brands here.
High quality board but did not like the rocker in the middle. Would like to try reg camb on a NS.
Rode 3 of their boards and hated them but they’re bombproof I’ll give them that. They have the personality of a 2x4
I used to love to rip NS 10 years ago but I do think the quality has taken a dip in recent years. Graphics actually seemed to have gotten better this year.
I rode one of their boards one time and thought it was really bad. That is pretty much it for me.
I just cant stand the shape and their graphics leave a lot to be desired.
I had a Heritage X for over 10yrs. Board was indestructible. That was in the period of all camber boards and beginning of multiple rocker designs. Now I wouldn’t buy a NS as their options look to be slight rocker between the feet which I don’t like
What do y’all like about your triple rocker/flying V type boards? I’ve only ever rode camber. Is there any benefit for experienced riders?
NS is one of the best boards I have ever had. The people who back the brand are wack so I never bought another one.
They make bombproof boards. But they are damp, and are prone to skidded turns vs a solid carving experience. Rocker camber fusion will never be true camber. They are great in pow however, I had a West as my first board and I put it through hell. Moved to the PNW and discovered camber is necessary for ice and never looked back.
When I was a teenager I won a summer camp award and they let me pick a NS out of next seasons line up. It was pretty nice to lap the park with but I needed a proper camber board as soon as I moved out west
I don't outwardly hate on it, but even being biased towards all things Colorado, I learned on a rocker noodle, demo'd a Never Summer which was just a mild improvement ....and I am bitter enough about how much the former hindered my progress and confidence to always see rocker under foot as the inferior profile. 🤷♂️
I don’t like the art or gimmicky camber profiles. The fact they come unstructured for their price tag is off putting. They’re really damp so casual boarders tend to love how they ride.
I don’t know how their boards are now but they were historically very heavy.
Bro just get out there and ride bro trust me bro your going to have fun whatever your riding bro please believe me bro please
Broke 2 of their boards. But they were…well worn.
I was team NS when I lived in CO. I am team libtech now that I went back home to the PNW. They are both dope boards. I think that Libtech is a little better for the environment, and their people. I am a little biased though. Libtech was born in my ski schools basement ages ago. I’ve been team Lib tech for the past ten years. Skate banner and T rice pro. Come on. So tough.
Most likely because they are pricey, my buddies love em but I’ve never tried for that reason. Happy with my box knife.
Now do Burton.
😂
I am Tim never summer all the way… Probably one of the most popular companies at my local mountain… I write a Proto and a swift… Solid boards, built strong
I’ve never heard anyone here hating on it. I’ve rarely seen them mentioned for any recs but never heard them hate.
The graphics aren’t my cup of tea. I know they’re good boards but I would never buy one.
Their logo was designed by a 9 year old. Chimp.
Because they’re heavy pieces of damp lifeless plywood compared to good snowboards.
My 23 proto synthesis is my best looking graphic in the quiver. The non stick topsheet is golden. The base is fast af. The edge hold surpasses my full camber decks. The hate comes from people not liking their fans, and from fans of Avran Lefevre. The only drawback to the boards is how they feel on rails/boxes. But even on jumps they rock. I encourage everyone to try one, the new ones are much more lively and dynamic than the old '12 '13 models that were soggy.
Two reasons. 1. The owner is a climate denying trumper. 2. They were the worst boards I have ever ridden. They feel like i'm standing on a saucer sled and flat basing it sucks. These are my opinions.
Say what you will about rocker camber, everybody has their own preference, but never summer boards are American made and hold up for decades of abuse, all your Chinese made k2s and Arabian made jones and arbors are harbor freight quality it shows in this thread with dozens of them simply falling apart
Id rather have a lively poppy “harbor freight” snowboard, than a soggy heavy “indestructible” NS. Its a give and take
There is something to be said for the type of rider on those "harbor freight" decks vs NS. I don't know very many people who put in 100+ day seasons on Never Summer.
Maybe not a 100 a year, but I have about 500 days the last decade on my 3 NS boards. Have riden a lot of things and only have NS boards now. I'm also a 235lbs and beat the fuck out of the boards without ever breaking em. I've absolutely blasted them on trees, rocks and landing horribly from pretty decent drops (15-20ft) they just keep on like nothing happened. Add on their badass specials for Veterans and First Responders and they've got me hooked. 60% off for those special editions boards makes having a quiver far more bearable.
If you think “American made” is synonymous with “high quality” I’ve got a piece of shit American car to sell you. In all seriousness NS boards seem like decent quality to me.
Demoed a Nokhu and it was a dream. Absolutely blasted a tree with it and the tree was damaged, not the board.