Burton Gate Keeper 2017 Snowboard Review

The Burton Gate Keeper has look similar to the Burton Flight Attendant, The Landlord’s set back and similar taper but with a Mid/Wide width.  Even though I’m a size 9 I still had a pretty good time with the 159 and it’s another good addition to the Burton Family Tree Line.  The 159 was a little small for Tim’s 11.5 boots but the 163 would of been just right.

Size:  159
Days: 1
Conditions:  Soft to pretty hard Utah snow.
Riders: James and Tim
Boots: Burton SLX, Burton Imperial
Bindings: Burton Genesis X
Set Up: a bit set back 15 front -3 back approx 23″ wide

Approximate Weight: Felt normal bordering on light.

Flex: The flex of the Burton Gate Keeper has a more mellow flex compared to the Flight Attendant and Landlord but it’s still not mellow. We felt it was more of a medium feel on snow instead of Med/Stiff.  It was very easy to butter off the tail and wheelie up.

On Snow Feel: The Burton Gate Keeper has a nice stable feel underfoot that borders on being catchy if you aren’t a good rider. However if you are it’s got this personality that’s down for charging as well as cruising. It’s easy to one foot or flat base and it’s got a good feel underfoot. It’s confident but not cocky and you don’t always have to be on your game.  There is some forgiveness in it if you know how to turn.

Edge Hold:  Pretty good edge hold but not amazing.  Good from anything from medium snow with hard patches to soft powder.

Turn Initiation: For my size 9 boots it turned pretty easy and only felt a little slower than the Flight Attendant and Landlord so if a guy with a mid/wide boot was on it it would turn very quick.  If you are someone like with a boot under size 10 the turn initiation would be medium.

Skidded Turns: Not super easy to skid turns but easier than the Flight Attendant and Landlord. Still not a board for an intermediate who skids unintentionally.

Carving: Even though this is more of a powder first board the Burton Gate Keeper carves well and it’s quite at home on groomers laying it down.

Speed:  Neither of us really had the conditions to really open it up and bomb but it feels like it can handle speed really well and

Uneven Terrain: It’s got that nice flex that will allow you to bust through chunder but also quickly navigate bumps.

Powder: We didn’t have any powder with it but based on the specs it’s a blunt nose/tail version of the Burton Landlord that we have had lot’s of powder with.  There is no way this won’t float like a champ and give a very nice set back surfy ride. Even though there isn’t much rocker the nose is so large and when combined with the -56mm set back on effective edge (more on board) you can really get it back a good bit to get effortless directional float.

Switch: Doable but not ideal.

Jibbing: nah.

Pipe: Yeah this could work for the directional pipe rider or the guy who likes to just slash the wall like a wave.

Jumps: Nice pop off the tail and its’ got lot’s of ollie power that a lot of flat to rocker powder boards are missing.

So all in all the Burton Gate Keeper is a nice powder to freeride mid/wide design that we think a lot of riders with specs to match the board will like.