Demo Dayzzz!

This past week I was lucky enough to be invited to Mammoth Mountain to check out the newest gear for the 2015 season. Smith Optics and Surfside took up about six guys and me from Tuesday to Friday for four days of shredding, food, and partying. With the ratio of dudes to chicks being about 10 to 1, I was able to get to try all kinds of good stuff (not to mention, scope some serious studs). Here's a recap and my reviews of the gear I got to try!

Boards:
Roxy T-Bird
GNU B-Pro
Capita Birds of a Feather
Burton Deja Vu
Burton Lipstick
Never Summer Onyx
Never Summer Infinity
Jones Twin Sister

Since I started riding Mervin boards last year, it has taken a lot for me to get on anything else. I am a die hard magnetraction fan and with this season's conditions being icy, crusty, and dry, I've never loved magnetraction more. I was surprised that I was able to really enjoy the other boards as well. Here is some feed back I have on the boards listed above...

Roxy T-Bird: My favorite board I demoed. C2 BTX (rocker camber with magnetraction) absolutely slayed the hard packed groomers and although camber boards are traditionally the fastest, I felt so comfortable, I was flying on this thing. The flex of it helped me launch through moguls, bumps, flawed grooming streaks, and gapers. Award: Favotire Board of Demo Days

GNU B-Pro: A lot of us were raised on camber boards and this C3 with magnetraction is the most camber dominant boards of the ladies Mervin choices. Comparable to the Jamie Lynn from Lib Tech, it's stiff, fast, and a little bit heavy, but is built for girls with a need for speed. With a trippy outerspace graphic for 2015, it was asthetically one of my favorites. I enjoyed hauling on this board, but the only size available was a bit big for me and the conditions weren't quite what were meant for it. Award: Best Graphics

Capita Birds of a Feather: An extruded base flat top cambered board coming in hot in 2014, the Birds of a Feather won a vast majority of Good Wood awards for women. I was excited to try it and it didn't fail to impress me. The only board I rode this week with an extruded base (and priced at less than $400), it could hang with the big boys for sure. Having an extruded base makes most board a bit flexier and I did prefer the 2014 graphic a bit more then what's to come, but I could definitely see myself having this in my quiver for springy park days. Award: Best Big Bear Board

Burton Deja Vu: Although I generally stray away from Burton boards, I did ride a Feelgood for about 7 years and they will always have a special little place in my heart. I was most interested in the Deja Vu because it flew off the shelves at Surfside and I am a fan of its Flying V (rocker camber) shape. Graphically, I have preferred the last 2 years a bit more, but it's still pretty. The softer flex, Flying V camber, and true twin shape could win over anyone who's too cool for Burton. It was also the first time I have tried the channel/EST system and although it wasn't leaps and bounds different from a traditional set up, I definitely enjoyed the easiness of setting it up. Award: Best Burton Board

Burton Lipstick: The Lipstick is one notch below the Feelgood in stiffness and has flat top camber. Sadly this was my least favorite of the boards I tried. Feel free to take into account that not everything at demos is brand new or perfect and I feel like part of my distaste for this board might have had to do with a lack of wax, but something just did not feel right. I like the flat top in Capita and a lot of girls I know have really enjoyed the Lipstick, but it was not for me. The graphics for next year are pretty and maybe I will have to give it another go. Award: Least Fave

Never Summer Onyx/Infinity: I have had a lot of respect for this company for a long time, but this happened to be the first time I have ridden one. All Never Summer's are made in Denver, have a rocker camber flex and a 3 year warranty (not that anyone has ever had to use it). These boards are absolute beasts. I loved the Onyx and feel like I have been missing out not riding these. The only boards that I felt just as badass on as Mervin's, I loved both of these. The boards are very similar, but the Onyx is a bit more stiff and aggressive. For being the softest board in the line, the Infinity was user friendly, but still felt very responsive and aggressive. Even without magnetraction on the hardpacked snow, I felt secure and was hauling ass. The graphics used to be hit or miss with me, but each year they seem to get progressively better. I didn't get a chance to ride the Raven, but it is the stiffest of the line and the only female board with the carbonium top sheet. Award: Favorite Non Mervin. Can Hang With Any Dudes

Jones Twin Sister: Surfside doesn't carry Jones yet, but I wasn't sure when the next chance I would to have to get on this board would be, so I had to go for it. Jones has had a killer reputation since day one and are known for their big mountain boards. I am a die hard true twin rider, but I was pleasantly surprised with this directional twin. As agressive as a B Pro, with a bit more camber in it and some sweet graphics to boot, the Twin Sister would be epic on a powder day! Award: Favorite Big Mountain Board