Summary

The Never Summer Summit is about as off the tail surfy as it gets. It has a huge nose, almost 2 cm of taper and a narrow waist so it is like surfing in snow.  The Summit's set back is massive and it's very very slashy surfy. This ride is not for everyone but those that want the most surfy powder ride possible but also want a little size might really appreciate the Summit.

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Riding Style Alternative Freeride
Riding Level Intermediate - Expert
Fits Boot size (US) 8-10
Manufactured in USA by Never Summer
Shape Tapered Directional
Camber Profile Hybrid Rocker
Stance Setback over 20mm
Approx. Weight Feels Normal
Split No
Powder Great
Base Glide
Carving Good
Speed Great
Uneven Terrain Good
Switch Poor
Jumps Average
Jibbing Poor
Pipe Poor
On Snow Feel

Semi-Stable

Turn Initiation

Fast

Skidded Turns

Semi-Easy

Flex

Medium/Stiff

Buttering

Moderate

Edge Hold

Hard Snow

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Never Summer Summit 2015 - 2010 Review by The Good Ride

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews.  We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.

Size 167

Conditions: Powder from 1 foot to 4 feet.  We had some icy spots at the top and a little time on soft snow groomers.
Bindings Used- Cartels, C60?s, Union Force, Flux SF 45
Boots: Nike Kaiju, Burton SLX, Burton Ion, Nike Zoom Ites, Burton Imperial
Riders: James, Eli, Peter
Day’s on this board- 15+
Set Up- 23 inches wide set back 18 front 0 back for Peter and James.  Eli was 22 inches wide set back 18 front and 0 back goofy.

Overall the Never Summer Summit snowboard performs very well when it’s very deep. For us it was missing something that made us completely stoked on the board.  We felt the set back is soo far back on a tapered tail and every rider who tried it felt awkward and it rode a little squirly compared to the Never Summer Raptor and Never Summer Premier.  There are many powder boards that do really well on groomers but this is just a powder board that floats over any depth with out any issues. The 2013, 2012 and 2011 are almost identical in terms of riding style.

Powder:  We have tried this in 2-5 foot plus thick sierra powder. We have been riding this since the camber days and even back then it had minimal rear leg burn. The Hybrid rocker board almost completely eliminates rear leg burn.   Like any big  board the one disadvantage is when you get in to a tracked/rutted out area in the trees where you have to make quick stops and tight turns it doesn’t perform as well as the small boards but it’s very easy to make quick turns for it’s size. It busts up chunder and tracked up snow pretty well.  Even though when it’s all tracked out and sun baked the summit still had enough weight, shock absorption and dampness to make it better than it should be.  Never summer doesn’t spec out the set back but it’s really far back.  From our measurements it looks like it’s around 5 inches and you are basically riding on the tail just like the Burton Fish.  There is only 16 inches between the tail and the last insert. What is cool about this model is you can get a pin tail in a 167 and 172 so you can float through anything and also keep speed in flatter terrain.  Some people might not like being this far back on the tail and some might love it.

 

On Snow Feel: This is loose between the feet when it’s harder and a little more stable between the feet when the snow is softer.  It’s really really surfy but can be a little squirrely in hard pack with flat basing. The taper in the tail is like 2 inches. It’s not an ideal groomer board.  It’s just so off the tail that it feels a little weird on the groomers.

Turn Initiation:  For a board of it’s size and stiffness it is incredibly easy to turn but it’s not as slashy as a smaller tapered board.  I have had a couple moments in softer snow on the way back to where the car is parked and it carved ok in perfect groomed packed powder but it’s definitely not a day in day out groomer/freeride board.

Speed: It can take almost any speed you can throw at it and stay damp.  Riding so far back on the tail can make it a little squirly compared to a traditional board but eventually you get use to it.

Uneven Terrain: The Summit can handle uneven terrain very well for a board that long. It’s got a lot of shock absorption and handles that crappy bumpy snow you have to pass through to get to the good stuff rather well.

Approximate Weight: Never Summer isn’t known for making a feather board but they are known for long term reliability.  This board is pretty heavy even for it’s size.  We gave it a 3 and don’t really care about the weight.

Edge Hold:  These rails are sharp and there is a lot of contact in the snow.  Even in some icy patches on the way to a steep run the board held a pretty decent edge.  Its nothing to write home about but there is enough edge hold to keep you on rail in almost any situation except for Ice and some really hard pack days. We prefer the raptor here

Flex: Stiff as it can get through the mid section but pretty soft on the tip and tail.  Like we said above for a board this stiff it really turns well.

The rest of the categories don’t matter……..

 
Never Summer Summit Past Reviews

 
Never Summer Summit Specs

 
Never Summer Summit Images

We try to get as many images of the Never Summer Summit, but forgive us if they're not all there.

2015

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2011

2010

Never Summer Summit User Reviews

Never Summer Summit Review And Buying Advice SKU UPC Model

2013 NS SUMMIT 172CM

May 26, 2019 by Joe Virga
Ability Level: ADVANCED-former expert :^) • 
Riding Style: Freeride • 
Days You Ride A Year: 20 mostly on good snow • 
Height, Weight And Boot Size (for Boards, Boots & Bindings): 5'-8" 168, 9.5 

I have owned my Summit 172 since the 2014 season.
and have ridden it in CA. CO. Switzerland on 2 trips, & Valdez AK
for heli skiing, 36 runs. This board has NEVER let me down,& I have never missed a turn on it.Of course its not made for super hard snow, but in high free ride settings you will encounter variable conditions. My stance is very different than most.: 18.5" center binding to center binding. 27 deg in the front, 4 deg in back. I set this board up as follows, back binding as forward as possible,& front binding back to accommodate my stance width. Pretty much Forward & near centered. I ride this controlling off the nose,not the tail.I ride this in beautiful, free ride settings mostly. At this point of course it's old ,but I have had great days on it, and plan on base grinding it just to re structure the base. I ride longer boards, and have the 2017 Chairman 169X but its flex pattern is not to my liking, maybe the newer version with the ripsaw rocker would be more what I am looking for at this time.
I actually wish I could get one with a pointy nose like a west bound. I'm not into all the "Water ski noses" That alot of boards have . If you know how to ride you dont need that.
Well after 35 seasons riding non stop, and sooo many boards being made ,by too many companies, I tend not to move around on brands. Never Summer and Mervin, are really the companies that I look to for quality/tech that you can trust.I would consider Venture right in there too, but need to test one or two my self.
JV


5.0 5.0 1 1 I have owned my Summit 172 since the 2014 season. and have ridden it in CA. CO. Switzerland on 2 trips, & Valdez AK for heli skiing, 36 runs. This board has NEVER let me down,& I Never Summer Summit Review And Buying Advice

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