Borealis Tundra 2021-2022 Snowboard Review

Borealis Tundra Written Review Review by The Good Ride

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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.

Turn Ons/Swipe Right: Strong park ride, light, poppy, forgiving & a good set back on board.
Turn Offs/Swipe Left: Not the best for hard carving or speed compared to some all mountain boards.

How it rides and who it is for

How This Review Happened:

We borrowed this for an extended demo and sent it back.
Size: 156
Days: 6+
Conditions: Some firm but fun to good snow.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs), Nick (Size 10, 160lbs, 5’8”)
Boots: Burton Kendo,
Insoles: Sandsole Custom Insoles, F.I.T. Gamechangers, F.I.T. Gameghangers LP
Bindings: Union Atlas, Union Strata, Union Contact Pro/Union Superpro, Now Drive
Jacket: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Tusk Jacket, Volcom TDF Infuse 3L Gore-Tex Jacket, Burton Banshee Gore-Tex Jacket
Pant: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant, Burton AK Gore-Tex 2L Swash Pant, Burton Gore-Tex Ballast Pant
Helmet: Smith Maze, Smith Vantage
Goggle: Smith IO Mag, Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Guide Glove, Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Clutch Glove, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Burton AK Tech Glove, CG Habitats Glove, CG Habitats Work Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt, Drop Cascade Glove, Drop Web Glove,

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,

Set-Up: 21” & 21.5” Wide. 15 front -15 back.

Approximate Weight:

(We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores there is no consistency in a boards weight)

The Borealis Tundra feels pretty light but doesn’t feel ultralight.

Sizing

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.
156: 8-9
The 156 Borealis Tundra fit well for me and I think it was the right size. Especially if I was 15 lbs lighter at the time of reviewing this.

Shape/Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

The Borealis Tundra has a twin shape with the inserts set back on side cut so we would call this a directional twin. It feels super centered between the feet and feels pretty much just like a true twin when centered on sidecut.

The camber is very mellow and it’s just a little bump between the feet. From there it slowly transitions into rocker as you get to the tip/tail. It makes for a very centered and forgiving ride. Very easy to skid a turn and it is very stable as well for one footing/flat basing.

Flex Personality

There is an easy flex to the Borealis Tundra and it butters really well. It is light/poppy personality snaps well on an ollie too. It can chatter a little bit in uneven terrain but it isn’t a bad all day resort ride. Especially if you like to slow down and turn through messy snow.

Speed

The Borealis Tundra base doesn’t have the magic glide compared to some of their Alt Freeride shapes but it is more than competent when waxed. It is good for moderate mountain speed but it isn’t for those who like to bomb a lot.

Edge Hold

There might be a very subtle disruption going on in the side cut because the Borealis Tundra griped really well in hard snow. Not sure about it being a board for icy conditions but it for sure can handle snowment well.

Turning Experience/Carving

The Borealis Tundra can turn pretty quick without feeling twitchy. If you lean into the sidecut and really commit to the side cut it has a balanced turning experience that doesn’t seem to favor one style of turn over another. That is way better for most riders than a few of the freeride boards we tried that had a pretty limited turning experience. The mellow camber didn’t pop that hard out of a turn for me but Nick liked it coming from primarily riding a flat to rocker board.

Powder

We didn’t get any powder with this guy. The only powder we had was dedicated to the Drakkar and Marauder. However you can tell that the Borealis Tundra will float well for a directional twin for a few reasons. First it has a really good set back from center of board at 2” with a 22” stance width. That is better than many other all mountain boards. Then you add a good bit of early rise before the tip/tail and that will help you survive and thrive in some deeper snow if you are lucky to get it.

Switch/Pipe/Jumps

So easy switch and when centered on sidecut the Borealis Tundra rides just like a true twin with a centered stance. Nick had a blast with this in the park and could easily spend a season with this.

Conclusion

So overall, we both really liked the Borealis Tundra. It really does the mountain freestyle thing well. Its easy directional float for pow days really rounds out the ride.