Board: Salomon X Asmo HPS
Size: 157
Camber Option: Backseat camber. Rear foot camber dominate with a flat section in the tip.
Bindings: K2 Indy
Stance: 21.5 Wide 15 negative 12 goofy.
Boots: K2 Indy
My Weight: 195lbs
Resort: Copper Mountain
Conditions: Bluebird skies, colder temps, 5 plus inches of fresh snow on top of frozen chunder, and perfect groomers.
Flex: The overall flex comes in slightly past middle of the road. It is a directional flex meaning softer nose stiffening up through the tail. There’s a moderate amount of torsional flex which gives the board a bit more play when you’re driving it.
Stability: This board was stable in every type of terrain. Whether getting into rutted out tree runs with minimal coverage or pow fields with deeper snow. At speeds there’s a little bit of flap in the nose but it didn’t seem to resonate back under the front foot. Rarely did this board feel unstable and even when it did you still felt like it would survive driving through whatever conditions you had it in.
Ollies/Pop: That rear foot camber has so much rebound. You automatically have it loaded up just due to its placement and when you engage off your back foot you boost. This board has some serious snap which makes launching pillows, rollers, sidehits, and cat track gaps a breeze.
Butterability: While the nose is softer this board does have some fight to it. You’ll pop a 180 into it and have to get your weight way out over the nose to get it to lock in. Even then it’s fighting you mainly due to the way the backseat camber attaches to the flex point in the nose. As such your butters don’t look like they’re really pressed out.
Carving: On a groomer this board can hold an edge and rip a carve. You drive it 100% off the back foot and that lets you push into the tail and slingshot out of turns. Short quick turns or a long drawn out carve this board can handle it.
Rider in Mind: Powder rider that wants some camber in their life.
Personal Thoughts: It’s a solid pow stick. That’s my initial thoughts. Had a blast charging with this thing through the chunder pow at Copper as well as the fresh stuff up top. This board does a great job of being smooth and stable while retaining its liveliness.
Check out the past reviews of the
Support your local snowboard shop buy locally. Find a shop here.
20 Comments
Like the review. How does this hold up against the Lib Orca? Or the Jones Mind Expander?
It’s more like the Mind Expander less like the Orca. It is stiffer in the nose than the Mind Expander which makes it better at plowing through chunder.
Is it more like an Hovercraft then? If yes, which one would you pick?
Shape wise yes but flex wise it’s more playful and would probably be closer to a wider Mind Expander. I’d choose this over a Hovercraft for myself.
Thanks,
Not that I need one but looks like a great board and probably just right for my specs (185lbs)
How would you compare it to the warpig
I wouldn’t.
please, feel free to embellish
No.
yo the board was sweet, thanks for the help.
Hi
Do you think this guy works for 220 lbs and size 12?
Might end up being a bit more softer than for someone lesser weight, but your size 12’s should fit on it.
Thx. I bought it. Specs seems to be perfect for me.
Had to decide between Äsmo and Korua (Dart). Bit softer is welcome. And I think Äsmo will have the faster Base.
Cheers Man…
What’s the difference between this board and the Sickstick?
The 2 biggest differences will be flex and waist width. The HPS is wider and a little stiffer.
I am thinking about sick stick(151cm) or HPS ASMO (157cm)
6’3″ 190-180lbs
Looking for a board to ride in pow, some mild trees. When I go out west. But also want to be able to have fun on groomers. I also do lot of riding in VT because I live in NY.
I was thinking sick stick 151 vs other sizes. because every size seemed to be a different board. I also don’t have a short and fat in 151 and it did look like it held up same amount lbs on the size chart.
Where do you think I should go?
Get the HPS.
Thanks for the review! I had a 151 sick stick I blew up. I loved that board. I used it as my daily driver and for snowbird deep days with more setback. Was thinking of trying this or the Salomon Taka Wolle, any thoughts?
Hey Angry, thanks for the review. Thinking of buying the Salomon X Äsmo HPS 159 version. Have you been on it? Im looking for something that can hold the edge in the steeps but also be freestyle friendly for jumps and side hits. Similar boards?
I have not.