Never Summer Raptor & Raptor X Snowboard Review |
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The Good Ride TakeNever Summer Raptor Snowboard Review by The Good RideSize 159 Boots- Burton SLX, DC Status
The Raptor is a board you want to size up on and we were a bit bummed that they only had the 159 to ride. We would of been much happier riding the 164 or 169. It also has a very narrow waist for its size which is awesome for a medium footed freerider that likes big boards. This is very much a niche board (obviously) that is great for those freeriders that want a non-tapered big bomber of a board that floats easily in powder.
Groomers- The Raptor is really fun on a groomed run at almost any speed or condition. If you compare this to the old Titan then you would say it handles chop and rutted out groomers very well. If you are coming from let's say a Never Summer SL you would feel this is very difficult to handle these types of conditions. Still this is a near perfect groomer board getting up early in the morning and capitalizing on cordoruory. As the conditions get rutted up it will still be easier than almost any board in it's category to handle.
Powder- The set back or what never summer calls "Directional Rocker" is exactly what this board needs to do well in powder. Basically the rocker is set back so the nose has more float in powder. This is not super surfy compared to other boards of this size that have a tapered tail. However it will float in just about any depth. If you like a tapered surfy board this won't cut it for you but if you like a big floaty board then the Raptor will do the trick. Also the Raptor eats up chop and crud better than almost any hybrid rocker board out there. Since you usually arent' making fresh tracks all day this is pretty important.
Turn Initiation/Carving- You have to put this board in perspective. Compare this to many of the boards in it's category and you have a board that turns very easy. However if you were to compare this to most boards out there this will take a lot of work. The Arbor A Frame is a pretty easy board to turn but the Raptor is even a little easier. Short radius turns aren't it's strong point but it responds very well for a board of it's size. When it comes to wider turns the Raptor almost has a camber like feel. The Raptor is also very carve friendly. The Directional Rocker also helps with this as well because the set back allows for more stability at the tail and between the feet. This is really fun to lean into a carve and it has a surprising amount of spring out of the turn for a hybrid camber board.
Speed- The only board that holds well at speed better is the Nidecker Platinum but there is exceptional speed with the Raptor. The base is fast, the board is very damp. We love how NS can dampen a board without making it feel dull and there are no complaints from us here. It's about as fast as a hybrid rocker board can go.
Weight- This is not heavy but it's not very light either. It's light for a bigger board and it won't be any worse than any of the other boards in this category.
Edge Hold- The day we took this out it was really hard with some loose snow and ice patches. The Raptor held an edge like it had a MTX side cut but didn't have that ultra grippy feel that some complain about. This is perfect to take you over icy terrain that usually comes before getting to a good powder run.
Flex- This is a pretty stiff flexing board but we'd say it's more on the softer side of stiff.
Switch- It's not ideal but you can get the job done if you want to ride switch on occasion.
The rest doesn't really matter because this is not a board for the park and we don't recommend it go there. We will say that the board has lot's of pop so if you like to ollie over natural terrain or hit a big natural jump the Raptor will be fine. So if you are into boards like the Arbor A-Frame and Nidecker Platinum but want a hybrid rocker board then you might be really into the Raptor. It’s no tapered surfy pow board but it will turn ok and will get you through almost any depth of powder in the flats back to the chair.
The Good Ride Take on Hybrid Rocker SnowboardsThis is what we call a snowboard that has rocker in the center and then a camber bend at the tip and tail. The end result is the tip and tail are still off the ground but it helps bring some good qualities that people liked with camber to rocker. The camber usually keep’s the board from washing out when you lay into a harder carve and for the most part provide a more balanced all conditions ride compared to continuous rocker or camber. This is still nothing like camber board and it provides a loose forgiving catch free ride. Hybrid Rocker comes in all riding styles from Freestyle to Freeride and is a solid next step from where it started with continuous rocker. Hybrid Rocker is usually pretty poppy, floats well in powder, catch free and very forgiving. The one complaint is it can still be unstable flat basing or one footing in some conditions like hard pack or ice. The major companies are working on this problem and it’s been getting better since this was introduced. Most love this loose feeling and get use to the squirrely nature in certain conditions. We at The Good Ride feel this is one of the better shapes out there so give it a try.
Company InformationNever Summer Raptor 2012Raptor / Raptor X  TYPE: High-performance freeride/freecarveRAPTOR RAPTOR X Technical Features: Carbonium topsheet
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Never Summer Raptor and Raptor X Snowboard Review
Snowboards - Snowboard Reviews
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4.5 (2) |
User reviews
Average user rating from: 2 user(s)
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Solid Freeride Choice
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
I've been riding NS boards for the last 5 seasons but wish I had found them sooner. They make high quaility boards and are always on my short list. I'm also coming from the the Titan TX 169 which I've long considered one of the best freeride designs ever. The Raptor X (169 in my case) has been my board of choice for most of this season. The board is light for the size, with solid construction and attention to detail. Carbonium top sheet should be on all boards. Flex: Flex is about a 6/10 from the center with stiffer micro camber sections at the ends. Still pretty stiff torsionally. Easy to flex from the center. Turning: Short turns can be a little difficult as the board seems to ride a little longer than expected. Once on edge the board carves extremely well. I've found that dialing in a little more forward lean helps with heelside carves. Turn exits require more snap off the tail where as a traditional cambered board with just pull you out. Jumping: This is probably the best jumping freeride board I've ridden. Easy to load up, good pop, and forgiving on the landings. Very natural off any sort of terrain. Powder: One of the best non-powder boards you can buy. Planes out quickly, and is super fast in the soft stuff. Fairly difficult to slash turns but really hard to beat for all around pow riding. Almost too fast in the steeps. Speed: This is a very fast board. I have my fastest runs of the season on this board (low to mid 60's). Easy to ride fast although the board can wander some on a flat base. Not quite as composed as a cambered board but very close. Cons: I've had a lot of awesome days on this board but I've also had a few days when I wanted to put it on Craigs as soon as I got home. I have a couple of issues that I can't seem to get past (hence only 4 stars). First, I've had the board skip out on me a number of times when I was hard on edge in uneven terrain. This is something I've had a problem with on other rockered boards but rarely on a cambered stick. Unfortunatley this affects my confidence and find myself holding back a little. I end up not charging like I want to in certain situations. Second, although I like how the soft center makes for nice ollies, I find it lacks the support to keep me centered when charging in uneven terrain. I've had too many "woah" moments that could have ended badly. A wider stance seems to help but this I prefer a board that helps me stay centered when riding aggressively. I'd like to see NS do what Burton and Rome are doing with their boards, where designs are more radical or traditonal depending on the intended rider. In my opinion the Raptor would be a better board if it had the camrock, flat/camber hybird or traditional camber design. I really like the hybrid rocker for freestyle, jibs, and some all mountain. It's also hard to beat if you want one board to ride everything including pow. However, the design just isn't as solid when freeriding as a cambered or camber hybrid. I'm going to keep the Raptor for a pow board or a smooth groomer board but for a daily driver I still prefer an aggressive, cambered, all mountain board. That said, if you want a hybrid rocker board, NS has it down. |
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Reviewed by JS
March 15, 2011 |
From NEVER SUMMER TITAN TX 169cm To RAPTOR X 169cm
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
I went from the Never Summer Titan TX Wide 169cm to the Never Summer Raptor X Wide 169cm. The Raptor is the Titan’s Replacement. The Ride is NIGHT & DAY DIFFERENT! The Titan was stiff, heavy and unyielding. Lots of edge lots of control at high speeds but that’s its only offering in comparison.The Raptor X is snappy and pops out of holes, over moguls, and blasts through crud & crust. The board in powder was a whole new experience- for once I didn’t have to lean back, it rides way longer than it is. I had to keep from wheeling over with any speed I got in the powder till I got used to it. Staying center over the board I found was the key in powder. In other words, if you have ever surfed, it rides just like a surfboard in the powder. The whole shifting of your weight is minor to get the board to move in comparison to the old camber style. This board is super responsive yet forgiving. So many times I thought I might catch an edge landing switch or jibbing around but it just keep going and surprised the hell out of me. I feel this board will make you ride better especially if you've been riding for a lot of years. There is a 2 day learning curve and I recommend having a POW day and a groomer day. The feel is different especially if your a hard charger and like to ride fast and steep. Now that I have been riding it for almost a month, I have never felt like the board was gonna wash out from under me even at high speeds. Icy faces were sketchy at times due to the board easily being manipulated into a turn on a whim. (Maybe this is the washing out some say this new technology brings?) SO YES THE HYPE IS REAL! I will never go back to old skool camber. |
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Reviewed by Shaun Kinney
January 05, 2011 |