Board: Gnu Swallow Tail Carver
Size: 157
Camber Option: C2X. Camber under foot with a shorter rocker zone between the feet.
Bindings: K2 Indy
Stance: 21.5 Wide 18 Negative 15 Goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 188lbs
Resort: Arapahoe Basin
Conditions: Sunny bluebird skies, warmer temps, low wind, firm fast perfect groomers with softer snow on the sides.
Flex: With an ever so slightly softer than middle of the road flex you have a board that feels consistently like a twin from tip to tail. There’s an abundance of torsional flex that gives the board a lot of play between the bindings.
Stability: I noticed this board has a lot of give to it and flutter at speeds in the tip. It’s chattery but damp enough that you don’t feel it resonating so much back under the bindings. In uneven terrain rather than getting bucked around it bends with the contours with ease.
Ollies/Pop: This board has snap due to the C2X profile. You can load up the back foot and it will pop. While not the snappiest carving board out there it’s solid.
Short Turns: This board engages with ease and lets you roll back and forth from edge to edge with next to no effort.
Long Turns: If you’re looking to draw out the turn then don’t center flex this board as much and it will let you slow the arc.
Quick Carves: Even with Magne-Traction this board can rip a hard quick turn. I found myself doing this often to change direction as quick as I possibly could. You can aggressively center flex this board and it will drive the carve almost to a 90 degree turn.
Hard Carves: Laying into a hard carve this board will push into it with a lot of gusto. You can get your body almost level with the ground and the board won’t wash out.
Switch Carves: You would think with the Swallowtail it would be a bear to drive into a switch carve, you would be wrong. This thing rides more like a twin than a directional carving board.
Rider in Mind: The guy that wants a softer flexing, fun turning, carving board.
Personal Thoughts: I initially thought this board was going to be a lot stiffer, I was wrong. This thing is playful and yet still holds an insane edge. You can rail a turn with ease and not have to worry about it washing out, but if you decide you want to get a little more playful then you have the flex of a twin park board to work with. Don’t let the shape fool you, this could be park board in disguise.
Comparable Boards: Endeavor Archetype, Nitro Woodcarver, Jones Mind Expander
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5 Comments
What’s your thought on the mind expander?
That it’s a snowboard.
Enjoyed the review. Will you be reviewing the GNU Hyper Kyarve?
Eventually.
Reading your review after 10 days on this board and it’s spot on. Definitely feels like a twin. Also won the banked slalom for a reason, carves with the best of em