The 2023 Salomon Super 8 Pro Snowboard Review
Board: Salomon Super 8 Pro
Buy it here:
Salomon: https://bit.ly/3PXpOvs
The Snowboard Asylum: https://tinyurl.com/2pup647l
Size: 154
Camber Option: Backseat camber. A setback directional camber with a flat section in the nose.
Bindings: Rome Black Label
Stance: 21.5 Wide 15 Negative 12 Goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 200lbs
Resort: Arapahoe Basin
Conditions: A mix of clouds and sun, warming temps, 6 inches of blower to hot pow, chop, chunder, and soft lumpy groomers.
Flex: This board has a middle of the road directional flex with a lot more flex in the nose as it progressively stiffens up to the tail which isn’t even that stiff. The torsional flex is abundant and lets you twist this board hard when doing snappy carves.
Stability: While it’s not overly stiff it is overly damp but still lively. This board absorbs chatter like it’s its job. You just notice right away that at speeds any flap in the nose doesn’t give you much vibration underfoot. In really rutted out terrain it plows through everything and keeps going without bucking you around.
Ollies/Pop: The beauty of this board is how responsive it is. When you load that backseat camber up it just rebounds and you pop. The more you put in the more you’re going to get out of it and then some. So launch that side hit, pop that pillow, and boost that roller.
Butterability: The nose has a long flat section in it that really lets you butter with ease. You can just pop into it and feel it lock in and not fight you initially, but over time it will. On the tail you’re doing high speed pow wheelies.
Carving: There’s a slower engagement off the front foot but more power off the rear. This makes it more calculated when you engage the carve but the second you start to disengage the front foot it just comes to life and gives you some super snap in and out of carves. This has the added benefit of that rear camber so all the power from that is directly under your rear foot. When you lay it over it wants to spring insanely fast off the tail out of the carve. The one downside is that sidecut really sucks on super firm or icy snow it just does not grip.
Rider in Mind: Snappy responsive carver that will chase pow.
Personal Thoughts: Really wish I’d been able to snag the bigger size in this, but whatever shit happens and someone rides over a rock and damages it and you’re forced to go to the smaller size. This board is super responsive and damp but not overly stiff. There’s a marginal difference between the regular Super 8 and this. If anything the regular is less responsive but slightly stiffer feeling and this is more responsive and damp but less stiff. At the end of the day it got the job done and did what it set out to do without being something overly mind blowing or a pile of suck.
Comparable Boards:
Nidecker Thruster: https://amzn.to/3YNQ0MX
Ride Peace Seeker: https://bit.ly/3C4x9Ue
Capita Navigator: https://bit.ly/3GiuW9Z
Binding Recommendations:
Salomon Hologram: https://bit.ly/3I7MeIx
Ride A-8: https://bit.ly/3Vr1RxF
Union Ultra: https://bit.ly/3FY4Yrf