Borealis Artefact 2027 Snowboard Review with Joe

A Breakdown Of How The Borealis Artefact Rides And Who Its For Review by The Good Ride

• User Reviews
• Product Specs
• Product Images
• Questions?

How The Borealis Artefact Was Tested

I rode the Artefact with my Nitro Team BOA boots and my Union Force bindings. This winter absolutely sucked. I only got two days on it, and they were mostly spring-like conditions with hard snow in the morning going to medium-soft by midday.

I primarily compared it against the Auriga One, but I also tested it against the Jones Flagship and Flagship Pro. You can see these comparisons on Patreon and on YouTube for paid members.

I borrowed the Borealis Artefact for an extended demo and sent it back.

Size: 161
Days: 2
Conditions:  and some early morning Slackountry pow time with Drift Boards & Union Rovers
Riders: James (Size 9 E, 5’10”, 185-190lbs). I’ve tested and compared 850+ boards, 200+ bindings, and 120+ boots
Davey (Size 12, 240lbs, 6’4”)
Boots: Nitro Team BOA, Nitro Team TLS
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Force, Union Atlas Step On
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Skyline Fuse Jacket, Jones Mtn Surf Anorak
Pant: Skyline Fase 3L Bib Pant, Skyline Faze Pant, Jones Mountain Surf Pant
Helmet: Smith Method, Smith Scout
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag Low Bridge Fit
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove

James’s Set Up: 21” Wide. Stance Angles +18/-3,+18/-6. Close to Reference/Centered Inside the 22.75 Reference Stance
Joe’s Set Up: 21” Wide. Stance Angles +18/+3, +18/-6. Centered inside reference

Similar Boards We Like (but not the same): 

Amplid Souly Grail, Lib Tech Ejack Knife, Korua Otto, Capita Black Snowboard Of Death, Jones Rally Cat, Cardiff Crane, Nitro Alternator, Telos DST, K2 Commonwealth, Ride Moderator, Never Summer Proto Type 3, Gnu Antigravity, United Shapes Horizon, Lib Tech Dynamo, Lib Tech DPR

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Design

Sizing

How it Fits Me

This 161 did not feel easy edge to edge for my size 9 boots, even with Nitro Team BOAs and Union Forces. It did handle my weight no problem, and it’s a decent size for my height, but I’d be very curious to try the 158. Sizing is very subjective and personal, so this is just my take.

How It Might Fit You

Sizing is very subjective and personal. Never assume your way is the right way, and there is no right answer.

Here is the best way to figure out what board will work for you. I rarely use “all caps to emphasize something, but this is really important. NEVER TRUST ANYONE who doesn’t ask or reference boot size, weight, and height.

Boots

You should always start with your boot size first. If your boot is too wide, you can’t turn it; if it’s too narrow, you get the dreaded Toe & Heel Drag. This is the most important part of sizing a board, which is why so many snowboards come in various widths, such as Narrow, Normal, Mid-Wide, Wide, and Ultra-Wide.

Most brands don’t include a recommended boot size because it’s very complicated and time-consuming. This brand includes the width over each insert, so it’s easy to determine whether your boot’s footprint will have too much overhang; reference that against your boot.

Here is more or less the sweet spot to turn easily with most boots/bindings and not boot-out. You can go wider if you carve really hard.

155: 8-9
158: 9-10
161: 10-11
164w: 11-12

Weight

Your weight determines how the board will flex underfoot. Give you more or less pop, speed, etc.

Height

Next, check the length in relation to what you want from this board. The length of the board determines the swing weight/control or longer effective edge, depending on what you want from a board.

Stance Width

Also, check your Stance width against their reference stance to see how well it will work for you on reference and set all the way back.

Boots and Bindings Response

Next, factor in your boot and binding’s responsiveness to determine how well you will be able to turn/control a board.

Personal Preference

Lastly, you need to factor in how you like to ride. Some prefer control, so matching the boot size first for easiest turn initiation is the priority, with weight second. Others prefer dampness over control, want to charge, and like to size up in width and length. Others like to ride wider boards with very responsive boots/bindings to carve harder.

Construction / Durability

My only complaint when it comes to construction, weight, and durability is the topsheet. It’s prone to scuffing.

I got this new out of the wrapper, and after riding it just a little bit, I’m seeing scuff marks throughout this matte topsheet.

But the base, edges, sidewall, and the rest of the board are very well built, and I think it’ll last a long time, even though it might not stay as pretty on the topsheet.

Shape & Setback

When it comes to the shape and stance location of the Artefact, this has only 3.5 mm of taper. The 158 has only 1.5 mm, and the 164 Wide has 5 mm of taper.

While there’s a lot of setback on sidecut at 25 mm, there isn’t a lot on board, and it best suits riders who like a more centered feel on board.

This definitely sits in the all-mountain world in terms of shape and setback, even though it has more of a freeride flex.

On Snow Performance

Camber / On Snow Feel

When it comes to the camber profile, I like this directional camber.

There’s just a little bit of early rise before the tail, then it goes into an abrupt rise before the back inserts. That transitions into a pretty decent amount of camber, then this camber goes flat between the inserts to hold that camber up over the board, carrying well past the front inserts to an abrupt down, and then some early rise before the nose.

It makes for a very stable ride when it comes to one-footing and flat basing.

While it does feel a good bit more technical because of this stiffer flex and the extra width underfoot for me, it’s still far less technical than many mostly camber and full camber boards out there.

If you get off your game, it’s going to be easier to skid a turn than you would think.

I still would say it’s best for advanced to expert riders.

Edge Hold

When it comes to edge hold, I really like what Borealis is doing with all their boards, and the Artefact is no exception.

There is a mellow disruption through the sidecut that’s very hard to pick up, but this grips really well.

On hard days, I really didn’t expect this board to be able to commit an edge, but it did, and it did it very well.

It’s still not a hard-to-icy snow specialist, but it’s very competent for those who ride in all conditions and want a board that’s going to grip well in all of them without grabbing in soft snow.

Flex Personality

Let’s talk Artefact flex here.

It’s medium stiff for sure.

Down in the tail, there’s a little give, and it does allow for an easier butter than you would think for this kind of flex.

Then in the nose, it’s not that much softer—maybe a touch softer. Between the feet is pretty stiff too.

Overall, this just has a very stiff, very aggressive flex that definitely takes some work on an ollie, but if you give it enough, it gives back even more.

It’s a very dynamic board for those who really like to push it, but not ideal for those slower-speed, play-around riders who like to ollie everything in sight.

Uneven Snow

When it comes to how the Artefact rides in uneven snow, I was really impressed in that hard, micro-bumpy snow.

Usually, boards like this with a stiffer flex can sometimes feel hollow and pick up a lot of chatter. This didn’t.

I think that’s thanks to the Liquid Sidewalls that quiet down the edge and absorb a lot of chatter much better than other boards do.

When it comes to soft, thick, tracked-up uneven snow, I didn’t get a lot of that, but I can tell this board is just going to handle it like a champ.

This has that stiff freeride, chunder-busting flex.

Switch / Air / Park

When it comes to switch riding, it feels much more twin-like than you would think.

It’s an easy board to throw around switch and ride comfortably in both directions.

If you love to get air, this is an excellent board for that, especially if you like medium to big kickers in the park or just launching off huge natural features.

This is your board.

It’s not the most ideal board for those little side hits.

When it comes to pipe, if I was on the 158, I would probably like it, but not love it for pipe riding because it would climb the walls better and be easier to turn and control.

This isn’t a great jib board.

Turning & Carving

Turn Initiation

This 161 Artefact was medium slow for me.

It just didn’t work well edge-to-edge because I’m a size 9 boot and I don’t have the appropriate leverage.

If I was on the 158 or had a size 10 or 10.5 boot, this turn initiation would be medium-fast, and I think it would work well in tight, steep spots or tight tree lines.

The one thing, though, is even if you’re set all the way back on the mini-disc-compatible setback inserts, you’re going to have a lot of tail behind you.

So if you’re going through tracked-up snow in a tree line, you might feel a little tail catch here and there behind you.

Overall, it’s not bad for this kind of board.

Carving

When you actually set the edge and commit to a turn, this camber profile, along with the stiffer flex personality, really comes alive as you pick up a little bit of speed.

Then it springs out of the turn so well.

It’s not a slower-speed turner, but it’s not terrible either. It doesn’t fight you during slower-speed turns like some boards can, but it definitely comes alive at higher speeds with more aggressive carves.

You can weight your turns any way you please with this board. Front-foot, centered, or back-foot-weighted turns all perform equally well.

I love the spring out of the turn on this board.

Turning Experience

The 8-meter sidecut on the 161 is balanced, but more on the straight-line-friendly side of balanced.

Across-the-groomer circle carves aren’t the best, but they’re very doable.

Where this really shines is medium-radius turns to even borderline down-the-line radius turns where you’re really trying to pick up some speed before engaging into a harder carve.

That’s where this board just lights up.

If you want to get into those longer, drawn-out narrow S-turns, this responds really well.

If you’re somebody who loves to straight-line, this is very capable, and the sidecut is never going to fight you.

Even though it looks like there’s a pretty aggressive entry here, they’re not really on the camber area, so this more abrupt entry only really comes into play in powder.

Speed

If you’re somebody who loves to straight-line, this is very capable.

The sidecut is never going to fight you, and this board really lights up once you’re carrying speed and committing to bigger turns.

Base Glide

The base glide and wax retention are very good with all Borealis boards, and this is no exception.

I can’t feel any of the die-cut in here, so I’m very impressed with this base’s construction.

I normally don’t like die-cut bases, but I have no issues with this one.

Powder

I was skunked this season.

The one day we had good powder, I only had time for the Borealis Leviathan, which is a really exceptional powder-to-snowsurf kind of ride.

By the time I got off that, there was no powder left.

Just looking at the shape—with a longer nose that has 3.5 mm more width and more surface area—then going to a slightly narrower tail with less surface area and a lot less width at the very end of the tail, then factoring in this rocker along with some extra mini-disc-compatible setback inserts, I think the Artefact is going to be very good.

It’s not very set back on board, so you’re not riding really set back like many true freeride boards that are usually 3.5 inches back or more.

You ride this more centered.

It’s not going to be great for medium- to low-angle powder. There’s going to be more rear leg burn.

But if you’re in steeper terrain and you want to launch off features and get big air, you’re going to have a lot of landing gear, even when set all the way back.

That’s where this board really shines.

James’ Final Thoughts

Overall, this Borealis Artefact, even though it didn’t fit my size 9 boots very well in this 161—which is more of a mid-wide—I can see this board’s potential.

I’d love to try it in the 158 and see if that works for me.

But as it stands now, this is a very recommendable aggressive all-mountain board.

The only thing I wish is that there were more sizing options.

Joe’s Take

Unfortunately, we only had the 161 to test, so I’ll be giving you a small guy’s take on this big board.

But let me tell you, I absolutely love this thing anyway.

I’m about 5’6″ tall, 125 pounds, and wear a size 7.5 Deeluxe Edge Pro boot. It’s the stiffest boot in Deeluxe’s line and one of the stiffest boots available, which helps me compensate for my smaller foot size when riding big boards like this one.

How Joe Tested It

In the few days I had with this board, I was able to ride it in various conditions with different binding setups.

I rode it with Union Force bindings and my Rome Cleavers, now called the Rome Katana FullWrap.

With those bindings, I rotate the ankle strap all the way up for maximum response, again allowing me to get on edge on these bigger boards.

While I would personally size down to the 158, I can tell this board suits my riding style better than anything.

I absolutely love the shape of this thing.

I love the diamond tips on the nose and the tail. This, with that large bit of camber and the stiff flex, the slight taper,a little bit of setback, all those things
make it really fun to carve

Not only do those things help with the carve, but it really has a lot of pop on an Ollie.It’s not too much that it’s going to be difficult riding switch either.

This is right up there with my favorite board of the season, and is honestly something I’m considering in this size down.I will absolutely be recommending this
for anybody looking for that slightly more aggressive one-board quiver.