Positives

  • Exceptional Pop
  • Pretty Light
  • Excellent Good Condition Turner
  • Excellent For Jumps

Negatives

  • Bucks In Uneven Soft Snow
  • Chatters In Hard Uneven Snow
  • Poor Pow Float
  • Edge hold lacks in harder snow
  • Technical/Catchy

Summary

The Burton Custom X Camber can be chattery and its pretty technical/catchy but is one special ride when it comes to pop on an ollie and out of a turn.

Update 2024: Not much has changed with the Custom X so this 2023 Review still stands. 

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Riding Style All Mountain
Riding Level Expert
Fits Boot size (US) 8-10, 10-12
Manufactured in Austria
Shape Directional
Camber Profile Traditional Camber
Stance Setback -12.5mm
Approx. Weight Feels Light
Split No
Powder Poor
Base Glide Great
Carving Great
Speed Good
Uneven Terrain Average
Switch Good
Jumps Excellent
Jibbing Average
Pipe Great
On Snow Feel

Locked In

Turn Initiation

Medium/Fast

Skidded Turns

Hard

Flex

Medium/Stiff

Buttering

Semi-Hard

Edge Hold

Medium Snow

Where To Buy

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Snowcountry.eu
Burton Men's Custom X 22/
€ 799.95Buy it
Snowcountry.eu
Burton Men's Custom X Fly
€ 799.95Buy it

Burton Custom X Camber Snowboard Written Review Review by The Good Ride

You have arrived at the honest and objective Burton Custom X Camber Snowboard Review in everything from groomers to powder. 

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews and this is our unfiltered opinion. 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.

Burton Custom X Camber 2023- 2024 Snowboard Review- How it rides and who it is for

Burton Custom X Review

How This Review Happened:

Borrowed this for an extended demo and sent it back.
Days: 4
Conditions: Some messy spring tracked up powder, really good late spring packed powder, and varied but mostly good spring conditions.

Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs)
Boots: Burton Kendo, Burton Photon Step On Wide
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas, Burton Genesis Step On
Jacket: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Tusk Jacket, Volcom Guide Jacket, Burton Helitack Jacket, Anon Coaches Jacket
Pant: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant, Burton Gore-Tex Ballast Pant
Helmet: Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, CG Habitats Work Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt

Similar Boards (but not the same)Korua Otto, Lib Tech Terrain Wrecker, Capita Mercury,YES NSB, Endeavor Pioneer, Jones Mountain Twin, Endeavor Ranger, K2 Manifest, Yes Typo, Jones Frontier, Ride Algorythm, Ride Wild Life, Borealis Tundra, Tahoe Labs Directional Twin, Yes Basic Uninc,

Set-Up: 21.5” Wide. Sance Angles 18/-9, +15/-15. Close to Reference and Set all the way back.

Approximate Weight

The Burton Custom X Camber is a very light board. It isn’t totally ultralight but, on average, it is lighter than most Burton boards I’ve tried. (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores there is no consistency in a boards weight)

Sizing

Burton Custom Camber Sizing

The Burton Custom X Camber 158 was great for my size 9 boots but not ideal for my 185lbs. I felt over the weight limit even though I was 15lbs under it. I would definitely size up if you weigh more.

Here are some ideal US boot sizes for these boards. You can of course go bigger or smaller but these work best for not turning the board slower than it should be and not having the dreaded Toe & Heel Drag.
150: 7.5-8
154: 8-8.5
156: 8.5-9
158: 9-9.5
162: 9.5-10
158w: 10.5-11
162w: 11-11.5
166w: 11.5-12

For weight I would stay on the low to middle end of the Brands recommended weight ranges.

Shape/Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

The Burton Custom X Camber is almost on the twinish side of directional. Because it isn’t tapered you can front foot, back foot or center weight this. It really shines when you are close to reference stance and center weighted.

Burton Custom Camber

The Camber profile is full on unapologetic camber. It is incredibly poppy but incredibly unforgiving. Not easy to skid a turn. It tracks and one foots very well though. Most boards aren’t full camber these days and have some early rise. The Custom X has no early rise and it is best for expert riders.

Edge Hold

The Burton Custom X Camber had pretty sharp edges but it let go pretty easy in hard patches I hit. It let go easier than many peers with non-disrupted sidecuts from other brands. If you rip you won’t care though and will know how to work it to get it to grip. For most average riders, you will want to go with something else if you see a lot of hard to icy snow. Burton has what is called pressure distribution edges 

Flex Personality

So the Burton Custom X Camber I had was more on the medium side of medium stiff but it had such energy. The board just wants to spring back hard after each flex and it pops very well. It was pretty easy for me to access which surprised me. I did feel the flex and then some when trying to butter. It took a good bit of work for an average rider like myself.

Uneven Terrain

The Burton Custom X Camber bucked and bounced me around a little too much for my taste but it wasn’t bad for an Ultralight type of ride. With some boards I tried I could set an edge in soft somewhat bumpy snow and hold the turn. With the Custom X I could not always hold the same line in the same terrain. Often times I would do the same run with several different boards just to see and the Custom X always had more chatter than the Custom, Territory manager and other boards like those.

Base Glide/Speed

The base glide of the Burton Custom X Camber was upper tier for sure. It has the same WFO base as the regular custom and many other Burton boards I tried but for some reason this had a little better glide even though it was waxed the same as the other boards I had for testing.

When it comes to pointing it and really picking up speed it just didn’t feel damp like the older models. It wasn’t terrible but it didn’t handle speed for me like it used to.

Turning Experience/Carving

So even though the Burton Custom X Camber couldn’t hold a turn well in uneven snow it sure did spring out of a turn like a champ. It’s very quick edge to edge and when you lay into the edge you have a balanced turning experience that is a little on the turny/circle cave side of things. It can still make good down the line turns that are more on the straight line side. What I love is how all this energy and spring they created not just with the camber but with the construction inside too creates such a fun turning ride. It has consequence if you get off your game but man can it carve hard for such a light/semi-chattery board.

Powder

I went through this in the 00’s with camber boards and rode the older Custom X’s in powder back in the day. I didn’t want to try the Burton Custom X Camber in powder again, but I did. Felt the same. Back foot heavy and hard even in the little bit of messy powder I had.

With a 23” Stance width set all the way back to the last marker in the channel you can get 2.5” back from the center of board. With non-EST bindings you can go a little further back. That isn’t bad for an all-mountain board but it is full camber. Full Camber just isn’t that fun these days unless you rip camber boards in powder. Give me the Flight Attendant, Hometown Hero, Skeleton Key or many other directional camber boards in Burton’s line instead of this. Even the new Territory Manager has much better directional float with the same setback because of the taper and early rise before the nose.

Switch/Pipe/Jumps

The Burton Custom X Camber is very doable switch. It is far from a perfect twin but when on reference stance it was pretty easy to throw around and you get used to it fast. Even though this is aggressive and catchy I love this in a soft pipe. Kickers is where this shines. It is springs so hard off the small hits I had. If you want to go big you can with this…especially if you are a lighter rider. No thanks on jibs for this broken old guy.

Conclusion

So overall, the Burton Custom X Camber isn’t the high end one board quiver dominator that it used to be but it still shines bright when it comes to getting extra ollie power and spring out of a turn. If you are a lighter rider and you know how to handle full on camber in all conditions, this could be your board.

If this review helped, we’d appreciate if you:

 
Burton Custom X Past Reviews

Burton Custom X 2017 Review

The Burton Custom X is one of the few remaining Aggressive All Mountian camber boards. If you are willing to sacrifice easy float and catch-free edges the reward is exceptional carving and pop. It’s a tough call.  It’s not the all-condition board that it used to be before the hybrid shapes arrived but it’s still got a very uniquely aggressive personality and it’s a great camber 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.

The 2018-2019 Burton Custom X had a pretty sizeable overhaul but we only rode the Custom and Custom X Flying V with this new design.  Basically, the 2018 and 2019 Burton Custom X now has the shape as well as same specs of the Burton Custom. It is no longer a more directional set back version of the Custom.  The only difference now is the Custom X has a stiffer flex and a better core.

2014-2017 Burton Custom X Snowboard Review

The 2017 to 2014 Burton Custom X are all very similar. There have been little tweaks here and there but overall the ride is the same.

Size: 160 & 158

Days: 8+
Conditions: Good Sierra Groomer days
Bindings: Burton Diode ESTBurton Cartel ESTFlux SF45
BootsBurton IonBurton SLXBurton ImperialNike Kaiju
Riders: James, Peter, Jimbo and a few others.
Set Up: Generally set back usually 23″ wide 15 to 18 front and -9 to -6 back

Almost every year Burton adds something to the evolution of the Burton Custom X to make it better or different.  Year to year there is a small change but if you compare a Custom X now to a Custom X 3 years ago there will be some noticeable changes and most for the better. Since the addition of Squeeze Box, the board has had continual refinements from year to year but the general ride remains the same. What we would really like to see is PurePop Camber.

On Snow Feel:  You can immediately feel the aggressiveness of the ride and it really appeals to those that understand how to always keep a thinly lined carve. It’s no board for intermediate riders that like to skid their turns or even occasionally skid your turns. It’s for a technical rider that knows how to stay on his game.  If you are one of those riders you will love this locked in carving joy.

Powder: Very good for camber but the hybrid rocker world of snowboards has made this a little obsolete in terms of easy float. The shape and set back help the board float well for camber but camber points the nose down so you will have to work harder to keep the nose up.  Back in the days before the rocker/hybrid revolution, I would have been fine on a deep day with the Custom X but these days It’s just not a board I’d like to be out on when it’s deep. Now with the addition of the Custom X Flying V, there is a better powder option but it would be great to see some sort of hybrid camber mod to the Custom X Camber.  Maybe something like a mellow camber to flat to rocker profile like PurePop or maybe something even better like camber to rocker because the smaller nose of the Burton Custom X doesn’t have the float of boards like the Flight Attendant.

Turn Initiation: Here is where the Custom X from all years shines. It’s always at the top of its class but the addition of Squeezebox and other minor refinements from 2012-2017 have improved the ride. Burton understands really well how to create a strong pop out of the turn that sets you up for the next one. It’s not just about carving but all correct turns are rewarded with a springy pop that is truly fun.  It snaps quickly on short radius turns and makes medium to wide radius turns dynamic and engaging.  If you love to turn then it’s got a unique spring from edge to edge that’s one of the best in the business.

Skidded Turns: However, if you make skidded turns and aren’t always on your game then get a different board because it likes to stay on a perfect rail from edge to edge. It’s also one of those boards that like it if you de-tune the edges because if you aren’t on your game it catches an edge easily compared to most hybrid shapes these days.

Carving: If you know how to ride the Custom X can create one of the most memorable carves for a board of this type.  If you like to carve the Custom X is a great choice. Especially if you have something else for powder. I think I first rode this board in like 2006 and it blew my mind when it comes to laying out a carve.

Speed:  There are boards that are faster out there but when you get into this level of speed you are just splitting hairs.  The Burton Custom X bombs almost as well as it carves.

Uneven Terrain: A lot better than you would think. The addition of squeeze box tech makes the board handle uneven terrain very well. It’s not perfect but better than most boards with this kind of flex.

Edge Hold: The Custom X has always had great edge hold but the Burton Custom X 2017-2012 has a little better edge hold thanks to the changes to the core profile and such. Frost Bite edges have been with the Custom X for a long time but back in the day, they were called Pressure Distribution Edges. They help a bit with the Custom X but its more the flex and sharp edges that make the real difference.

Approximate Weight: Very light for its size and it’s very easy on the foot.

Flex:  Very aggressive flex that isn’t really a board to butter or press unless you are one of the few strong power butterers out there.

Switch: You know it’s not that bad.  Yes, it is directional and set back but it’s still very doable when you get used to the directional sidecut and different nose/tail shapes.

Pipe: If you are into directional pipe riding or prefer a directional board the Custom X will drive very well wall to wall and hold a good edge.  It’s not very forgiving but the right rider could love this in the pipe.

Jibbing- Nope not a jibber.

Jumps: There is a solid pop when it comes to an Ollie but it requires a little more strength than boards like the Custom. If you aren’t really about landing or launching switch you might call this excellent.

All in all the Custom X will never disappoint the rider that lives to carve and loves camber. It’s not quite the one quiver ride it used to be but if you have a good powder board and can afford an expensive quiver this could work.

2012-2013 Burton Custom X

The 2013 Burton Custom X is a little stiffer but it’s still close to the 2012 in terms of all around ride but to us it wasn’t noticeable enough to expand on.

The 2012 and 2013 Burton Custom X added “Squeeze Box” tech to the 2012 which helps improve the flex between the feet.  This helps EST bindings flex even better under foot.  We felt a bit of a difference on some other Burton boards but for some reason it seemed almost the same with the Burton Custom X. Maybe it’s because of the stiffer flex.

The Burton Custom X 2011-2010 is a stiff directional old school camber board for carving and bombing the mountain and it’s one of our favorite boards for carving. While many companies have experimented with hybrid shapes the Custom has remained camber since it’s creation. They chose to work on improving the same design instead of change the camber. It’s not for everyone but the ones its for will love it. Mary and I have been riding this board since the early 2000’s.  We only have specs/ect since 2010 but it’s 

Boards Used-164 & 156

75+ days ridden
Conditons: Everything
Bindings:  Burton Cartel, Burton Co2, Burton C60
BootsBurton IonBurton SLXSalomon Synapse
Riders: James, Mary, Jimbo and a few others on the site
Set Up- Centered, Set all the Way back and many set ups in between.  There were many stance widths. Some riders like Mary went with a 20-21″ width where the rest of us were between 22-23.5″.  The angles were many two but some major ones were 15-18 front and -9 to 0 in the back.

The Burton Custom X is their flagship old school aggressive all mountain board that is great for carving and bombing. This is not for beginners or intermediate riders who skid their turns.  This is for advanced riders who want to push themselves to expert level and expert riders who want an aggressive carving board. We see many riders out on the hill who shouldn’t be on this board and aren’t having as much fun as they could be. So ask yourself if you want to improve your ego or your actual riding before picking out this board.

On Snow Feel: The Burton Custom X is locked in and definitely for the technical advanced to expert rider.  It’s easy for a less experienced rider to catch an edge.  If you like high speed wide open carving runs on morning Groomers then you will be quite pleased with the Custom X when perfect corduroy is calling.  It’s incredibly fun to make any kind of turn and really fun to straight line.

Powder: The Burton Custom X does rather well in the powder for a cambered board. It has a decent set back and good sized front nose. It doesn’t have that easy float like hybrid or rocker boards but it’s really good for a camber board.

Speed: Very Fast! The Burton Custom X responds very well to a straight line or nice high speed turns. The base is fast and the board is damp so it does very well at high speed. This board is made to go big and it won’t disappoint.  Just make sure your health insurance has a low max out of pocket.

Uneven Terrain: Usually a board with this kind of aggressive flex and speedy ride wouldn’t be good in rough terrain but the Burton Custom X isn’t bad.  In just about any uneven terrain we have experienced it does much better than you would think. It’s just a little bit above average but that is a huge accomplishment.  Burton knows how to make a board flex pretty well underfoot and it absorbs shock at slower speeds well even though it’s pretty stiff.

Approximate Weight- The Burton Custom X is a very light board. Every year it seems to get lighter. You might not notice this on your front foot when riding up a chair.  It doesn’t hurt when you are riding either. It makes everything you try to do a little easier.

Turn Initiation and Carving- The Burton Custom X is a pretty stiff technical camber board and it takes some work to initiate a turn but if you know what you are doing it makes any type of turn incredibly fun and springy.  If you are a rider that skids your turns often but is strong you can hang with this board but you just aren’t enjoying it’s true potential.  This is for people who look back up the hill they rode down to see one long razor blade narrow s pattern.  If you compare it to camber boards of similar flex you will find the Custom X easy, springy and quick.  The Custom X has a pretty narrow waist with a deep side cut so for it’s size and stiffness this is pretty easy to make quick tight turns in trees or steeps.  When making wider turns it’s stable and has a great return at the end of the turn.  Carving might be the Burton Custom X’s best feature and one of the major reasons why this board is so popular. The old school camber shape is still the best when it comes to carving out a turn. It feels like at the end of a serious turn or carve that the Custom X is springing you out of the turn  which many boards do but what is really special is it feels like it’s helping you set up for the next turn like it’s programmed or something.  Not many boards have the ability to do that and that is what makes the Custom X special.

Edge Hold: The Burton Custom X has allot of camber that drives the nose and tail’s edge into the snow giving decent grip.  It also has stainless steel edges. Burton also extends their board out by 1/2 of a millimeter right near each of the binding mounts and you can see it if you look down the edges.  This helps edge hold in most firm or icy conditions. It’s a great idea and the custom x still has that traditional board feel with a little extra grip.

Flex: This is a stiff flex that is closer to the Medium side of stiff and a definitely a step up from the custom.  Every year Burton figures out how to keep this board chatter free at high speed and reduce the stiffness.

Switch: Even though the Custom X is more on the directional side it still can ride switch. It does feel a lot different than riding regular. You will get use to it but it’s nowhere near as fun as a twin. There aren’t many Twins that have this flex and carving ability so if you want to ride switch a lot it’s probably best to just get use to it.

Pipe: The Burton Custom X does very well in the pipe. Good edge hold and gets you from one transition to the next. It’s perfect if you aren’t really hitting or landing fakie that much.  If you do you’ll want to look for a different board.

Jibbing- I wouldn’t bother. It’s not a disaster with small easy jibs but If you have such an expensive board with such nice sharp edges you can probably afford a more rail friendly board and save your edges for a park mood swing.

Jumps: It springs off of any size jump and has enough stiffness to land just about anything.  Don’t worry about this board…….worry about your ability.  Because the Burton Custom X is pretty directional it’s not the best if you spend a lot of time taking off or landing switch.  If you want something better suited for that look at a stiffer twin or directional twin. There is great pop and with the Burton Diode EST bindings with “hinge tech” we felt like this combo made you Ollie better than your ability.

All in all we were thoroughly impressed by the Burton Custom X.  It use to suck having only EST options for this board but with the addition of hinge tech on many of the higher end Burton bindings it’s hard to recommend other bindings. We have heard rumors from pro’s and really higher level athletes that the earlier EST bindings would come loose but we haven’t experienced that.  The newer bindings have a tighter lock and I’d just crank them down a little extra hard.

 
Burton Custom X Specs

 
Burton Custom X Images

We try to get as many images of the Burton Custom X, but forgive us if they're not all there.

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2011

Burton Custom X User Reviews

Burton Custom X 2010-2024 Snowboard Review SKU UPC Model

Custom X 2014 ish

Nov 02, 2022 by Steve Gio
Ability Level: Advanced • 
Riding Style: All Mountain • 
Days You Ride A Year: Not enough • 
Height, Weight And Boot Size (for Boards, Boots & Bindings): 5'8", 140 lbs, Boot EU41 

I've had this Custom X guessing since 2014. With the flame X on top and Flames on the base. Looks awesome. 158 cm and I am 5'8" 140lbs. I was probably 20 lbs heavier back then. I'm aging nicely. What is most important to me is the feel under foot and getting a great deal. This one was 50% off in a shop in Breck. I want a board that carves easily and doesn't chatter and throw me off when things go from smooth to choppy. This board handles it all. I feel like I've done it all on this board. Back country, Side country, deep pow and hard pack. I don't do park so all jumps are natural jumps, which are usually not smooth and predictable. The board has just enough flex to pop off every little hit but stiff enough to rail hardpack turns. I don't buy a lot of boards so can't compare it to much. My other board is a Burton Balance from 2000 and it is still awesome. I use the Mission bindings and feel they provide a great connection. Looking forward to another winter on the X. Last winter I rode the Balance all the way through just for kicks. I guess you can compare various features but, in the end, it is just riding. Bring on the snow


Better than average oldschoold board

Apr 15, 2019 by Maxim
Ability Level: Expert • 
Riding Style: Aggressive • 
Days You Ride A Year: 30+ • 
Height, Weight And Boot Size (for Boards, Boots & Bindings): 158cm 

I believe this board is overestimated a lot. I was riding 2 vapors and 1 mystery for a couple of years. As for now (april 2019) Burton is not making any high tech allmountain boards. Current year Mystery is fish and previous was Malolo which is only good for powder. But most of the time you have to ride slopes if you dont live next to a mountain and only go to snowboard on a powder days.

That said after riding vapors and mystery camber I finaly decided to try Custom X 2018. I thought it would be same as old Vapor (which was discontinued somewhere in 2010-2011) but I was wrong. Its much heavier than both Vapor and Mystery and its not as fast. On a top of that edges are not made from stainless steel and got corrosion after one year.
However board itself is very stiff, stable and looks very durable.
If you like oldschool camber ride than you would definitely like this board. And I am happy Burton continues to make it as I personally dont like Hybrid or Flying V cores. But that being said it just cant compete against Vapor or Mystery camber. Burton needs to make upgraded version of it from carbon, with metlon base and stainless steel edges. Then it would be unbeatable board.


09’ custom x

Dec 20, 2018 by Adam
Ability Level: Intermediate • 
Riding Style: Fast and furious • 
Days You Ride A Year: 30-40 • 
Height, Weight And Boot Size (for Boards, Boots & Bindings): 6’1 180lbs 11.5US 

I definitely don’t have the experience most of the people making these reviews have which is exactly why I though I should make one.
Four years ago I first got introduced to snowboarding at Lake Tahoe while visiting my sister in Sacramento(I live in North Jersey). It did not go well and after doing some bunny hill runs I tried a blue and ended with a hairline fracture in my left wrist. Fast forward to the 2017-2018 season and my friends started getting into it and I though I would give it a shot again. Something to keep in mind for me is that I’m a fierce competitor and will make a completion of anything. So naturally I had to be the best and started to really push myself but thankfully I had a friend that had 10+ years experience to teach me along with some classes. I ended last season bombing down blacks, doing jumps and rails. The problem was that I had used the crappy burton rental board all of last season. That thing did not feel stable in the slightest but I think that only benifited me tbh.
Starting this year I didn’t want to waste money on crappy rental equipment so I bough an 09’ custom x with cartel bindings and quickstrap burton boots(all used but in excellent condition). Started my season about two weeks ago and have gone about 5 times between two different mountains.
The custom x felt amazing in comparison to what I was used too. I take corners extremely hard and feel completely stable while on my edge. Especially going over moguls it just cuts right through them. For a noob like me its not a daunting board to ride at all. This board gave me the confidence to take double blacks without carving too much. Since I’m in north jersey and the farthest I venture up is Vermont this board works well because I’m mostly on groomer.


4.2 5.0 10 10 I've had this Custom X guessing since 2014. With the flame X on top and Flames on the base. Looks awesome. 158 cm and I am 5'8" 140lbs. I was probably 20 lbs heavier back then. I'm Burton Custom X 2010-2024 Snowboard Review

Where To Buy

No obligation, but these links support the site.

Snowcountry.eu
Burton Men's Custom X 22/
€ 799.95Buy it
Snowcountry.eu
Burton Men's Custom X Fly
€ 799.95Buy it

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