Positives
- Improved Set Back On Board for 2024-2025
- More Damp Than Most Capita Boards
- Good In Uneven Snow
- Good Sizing for a lot of boots
- Nice Pop for such a mellow camber
Negatives
- Too Much Base Structure
Summary
The 2023, 2024, and 2025 Black Snowboard of Death have the same shape and camber profile, and there have only been minor tweaks to the setback on board and base. I didn't need to do a review for 2025, but I was curious about the possible change to the setback on board. It turns out there is a change to the setback on board, so I'm glad I got to try it. The extra directional float gives the BSOD a much more recommendable ride. FYI, it seems the 2024 model has the same setback on board as the 2025.Where To Buy
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Blauer Board Shop
Favorite Storeevo
Tactics
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Behind The Pines
BlueTomato Sweden
Capita Black Snowboard of Death
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Capita Black Snowboard of Death
BlueTomato UK
BlueTomato Netherlands
Capita Black Snowboard of Death
PRFO Sports Canada
Riding Style | All Mountain |
Riding Level | Intermediate - Expert |
Fits Boot size (US) | 8-10, 10-12, > 12 |
Manufactured in | Austria by The Mothership |
Shape | Tapered Directional |
Camber Profile | Directional Camber |
Stance | Setback -12.5mm |
Approx. Weight | Feels Normal |
Split | No |
On Snow Feel | |
Turn Initiation | |
Skidded Turns |
Flex | |
Buttering | |
Edge Hold |
Where To Buy
No obligation, but these links support the site.
Blauer Board Shop
Favorite Storeevo
Tactics
Sun & Ski Sports
Christy Sports
Snowboards.com
REI
The House
Behind The Pines
BlueTomato Sweden
Capita Black Snowboard of Death
BlueTomato Denmark
Capita Black Snowboard of Death
BlueTomato UK
BlueTomato Netherlands
Capita Black Snowboard of Death
BlueTomato Austria
BlueTomato Germany
BlueTomato Spain
SnowCountry
PRFO Sports Canada
Capita Black Snowboard of Death Written Review Review by The Good Ride
Breakdown Of How the Capita Black Snowboard of Death Rides And Who It Is For
How It Was Tested:
I borrowed the 156 Capita Black Snowboard of Death for an extended demo and sent it back but asked for a 159 to keep to test against other All Mountain Boards. I only do this for favorites.
Size: 156 (2025) and 159 in 2023, almost the same board.
Days: 3 on the 156 and 6 on the older 159
Conditions: Good spring conditions but a wide variety of conditions in the past, including some pow
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10”, 185-190lbs). I’ve tested and compared 800+ boards.
Boots: Ride Deadbolt, Bataleon Acid BOA
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas, Union Force
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Jones Mtn Surf Anorak, Skyline Fuse Jacket,
Pant: Jones Mountain Surf Bib, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Bib, Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant
Helmet: Smith Method, Smith Scout, Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt,
James’s Set Up: 21.5” Wide. Stance Angles +18/-3, +18/-9, +15/-15. Close to Reference on groomers and Set all the way back in powder.
Similar Boards We Like (but not the same):
Korua Otto, K2 Manifest, Jones Frontier, Ride Algorythm, Ride Shadowban, Salomon Highpath, Yes Standard Uninc, Yes Basic Uninc, Cardiff Lynx
Ethics Statement
This review has zero brand oversight. This is our best effort at an honest, objective review to help you, the consumer.
If this review helped, we’d appreciate it if you:
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Approximate Weight
The Capita Black Snowboard Of Death feels on the light side of normal and borders on being ultra light.
(We don’t put in the exact weight because, with wood cores, there is no consistency in a board’s weight)
Sizing
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death 156 felt a little small for me and for what this board is designed to do. I have always felt the 159 to be a great fit for me, which is the size I want to own. If I wanted more speed and a little more float, I’d go 162, but the turning would be slower, and I prefer control over speed. The 159 is the best size for my size 9 US boots to turn but also good enough for my 185-190lbs.
Sizing is all about balancing what fits your boot size and your weight for how you like to ride. If your boot is too wide, you can’t turn it; if it’s too narrow, you get the dreaded Toe & Heel Drag. Your weight is a close second to boot size because it determines how the board will feel under your foot. Height comes in a distant 3rd. Some prefer control, so matching the boot size is the priority. Others prefer dampness over control and like to size up.
Here are some ideal US boot sizes for these boards. One thing to remember is the Death Grip (1.5mm extension) on each side of the waist, which makes it about 3mm wider than it really is compared to many other boards.
156: 8-9
159: 9.5-10
162- 10-10.5
157w: 11-12
161w: 11.5-12.5
165w: 12.5-13.5
169w: 13-14
I would stay close to the Capita’s recommended weight range, but it’s not a hard ceiling. If it comes down to boot size or weight, I would ensure it fits your boot first and then your weight a close second.
Shape
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death has a tapered directional shape, but it’s barely tapered at 1.1mm. This is directional for Capita but not for most all-mountain boards and it rides very centered. The tail is almost the same width as the nose but has less surface area, so it sinks more in pow. However, it feels similar to the nose on groomers.
Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level
The Capita, Black Snowboard of Death, has a pretty mellow, forgiving camber compared to many of the mostly camber rides out there these days. It has a little early rise before the tail, then flat, then camber between the feet, and a lot of early rise before the nose.
Flex Personality
There is a pretty medium overall flex with a little softer nose than the tail. It’s not that hard to butter off the tail and only a little more challenging in the tail. The pop on an ollie off the tail is pretty solid and much better than you would think for this mellow amount of camber. It’s probably better because of this flat section. I found flat areas often make it easier to load up for an ollie. It’s not as good for a turn, though.
In comparison to the Mega Death, the BSOD is just not as dynamic and poppy, but read on about uneven snow. One thing I will say about this board, the Mega Death, and almost all capita boards, is just how much this board can flex before it snaps back. These boards just don’t want to snap. Years ago, Capita had problems with that, addressed their rider complaints and went nuts on making a board that can bend instead of break but somehow still have a dynamic pop to it. It’s very unique to the industry.
Uneven Snow
I found the Capita Black Snowboard of Death one of the best boards in Capita’s line for handling soft, thick, uneven snow. Most of Capita’s boards get unruly in those conditions and buck all over the place. The BSOD isn’t amazing compared to the rest of the industry, but it’s more than manageable. It does do better in hard, uneven snow, making this a solid all-day ride.
The BSOD is much better than the Mega Death, and I would choose this if you ride all day. The Mega Death bucks and bounces me around way too much, and it just isn’t a good all-day ride. It’s best for clean and pristine conditions.
Edge Hold
The grip of the Capita, Black Snowboard of Death, is pretty good, and it’s competent in hard snow, but it still has its limits. It can’t hang with many boards that have different disruptions on the sidecut. I wouldn’t get this if you see lots of hard-to-icy snow, but it will hold well enough if you have the occasional hard snow day.
Speed
The Capita, Black Snowboard of Death can go straight and fast pretty well for an all-mountain board, but many others are faster.
Base Glide
If it weren’t for all this aggressive structure in the base, the Capita Black Snowboard of Death would have an amazing base. I personally preferred the more mellow structure of the Mega Death and wish the BSOD had the same structure. The Mega Death’s base is a little faster, but Capita has been really doing great things lately with its base speed, so it’s not a huge deal that this is slower. It is a huge deal that there is so much structure, though.
Turning Experience/Carving
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death can turn medium-quick, and I never felt I needed to be faster when sized correctly. I did occasionally feel the flat in the tail to be a bit sticky in tight tree lines or turning through moguls, but it’s not as bad as some boards with flat in the tail can be.
When I got the Capita Black Snowboard of Death on Edge, I found the turning experience to be pretty balanced, and it can make just about any radius turn you want to without shining in any one place, but it’s far from shitting the bed, either.
There was pretty good spring out of the turn for having such a small camber between the feet. I found the Mega Death was a little better.
Powder
This is the main reason I did this review again was to see if the set back on board changed. Everything else is very close to the previous model. When I tried the 2024 Capita Mega Death size 159. It had a setback of -2.75″ if you don’t measure from the little pointy extension in the nose/tail (-2.375″ if you do) and set it back at a 22″ stance width. The 156 I tried had the same setback on board and stance width. We’ll call it 2.5″ just because that is more like what the set back is.
The 2023 BSOD in size 159 was -1.875″ at a 22.75″ set all the way back. Even better, the 2025 159 BSOD I just got is -2.5″ at 22″ from the pointy middle of the nose tail and 3″ if you measure from the sides of the nose/tail instead of the pointy part in the middle.
So you are getting a good bit more setback on board at a narrower stance, similar to what most will use in this size. So now, this is a much better floating board if you are like me and want to set it back in pow. From what I understand, 2024 had the same setback on board, so it should be safe to buy that, too. It’s still no freeride board when it comes to easy directional float. Most of those have -3.5″ or more back on board but this is up there with the better all mtn boards that usually are -2.25-2.5″ back with minimal to no taper.
So, the bottom line is that the new setback on board, the less surface area in the tail, and the large amount of early rise before the nose make this very good in pow for an all-mountain board. In the past, when it had a setback of -1.875″ at 22.75″ inches, I felt too centered and struggled with easy directional float compared to other all mountain boards like the YES Standard Uninc and others like it. Now this is on par with those and gives you a taste of that more set back freeride feeling.
Switch/Jumps/Pipe/Jibs
The Capita Black Snowboard Of Death rides pretty well switch, but if you want a better board for that, try the Mercury or Indoor Survival or other directional to true twins in their line.
This is a pretty solid board for getting air, too. It tracks into jumps well and lands pretty well, too—even when set back.
The BSOD isn’t bad in the pipe, either. Some, like me, might prefer more grip, but it still does well.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes, just a little tweak to the stance width can really change the ride. The Capita Black Snowboard of Death went from being a good board to a much more versatile ride because of the better directional pow float. That little tweak made it a favorite and a much more recommendable board. I only wish they would dial back all that structure on the base.
Capita Black Snowboard of Death Past Reviews
2023 Capita Black Snowboard of Death Review- How it rides and who it is for
The 2023 Black Snowboard of Death retains that pretty aggressive all-mountain feel and offers a slightly damper ride than before. I have ridden this board in various forms and flexes over the last decade, and it has changed a lot from year to year.
Update 2024:
Other than a slightly improved base, the Capita BSOD is almost the same as the 2023 we rode, except the stance width might be narrower and give you more setback on board. Hopefully, this is true.
How This Review Happened:
Borrowed this for an extended demo and sent it back
Size: 159
Days: 4
Conditions: Good groomers, uneven snow, wet spring pow, excellent spring pow.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs)
Boots: Burton Kendo, ThirtyTwo TM-3XD, ThirtyTwo TM-2 XLT
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas
Jacket: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Tusk Jacket, Volcom Guide Jacket, Burton Gore-Tex 3L Treeline Jacket, Jones Peak Bagger Jacket. Burton AK Helitak 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
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Clutch Glove, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Burton AK Tech Glove, CG Habitats Work Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt
Similar Boards (but not the same): Korua Otto, Capita Mercury, YES NSB, Jones Mountain Twin, K2 Manifest, Yes Typo, Jones Frontier, Ride Algorythm, Ride Wild Life, Tahoe Labs Directional Twin, Yes Basic Uninc, Cardiff Lynx,
James’s Set Up: 21.5” Wide. Sance Angles +18/-3, +18/-9. Close to Reference and Set all the way back.
How It Was Tested
I rode this often against the Capita Mega Merc, Mercury, and Indoor Survival. I also occasionally tested it against the YES Basic Uninc and Standard Uninc with the same boots, stance set up and bindings.
Approximate Weight
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death didn’t feel heavy but wasn’t ultralight either. Most will be on the lighter side of the middle. (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores and varying resin absorption per board, there is no consistency in a boards weight)
Sizing
Here are some ideal US boot sizes for these boards. You can of course, go bigger or smaller depending on your riding style and boot’s footprint, 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
159: 9.5-10
162- 10-10.5
157w: 11-12
161w: 11.5-12.5
165w: 12.5-13.5
169w: 13-14
One thing to remember is with Death Grip (1.5mm extension on each side of the waist) you need to think of the waist as 3mm narrower.
For weight I would stay close to Capita’s recommended weight ranges. If it comes down to boot size or weight, I would make sure it fits your boot first and then your weight a close second.
Shape/Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death has a directional shape with only a touch of taper, so you don’t feel it much or at all. Especially comparing it to the Mega Merc or Mercury. It likes front foot-weighted, center-weighted & back foot-weighted turns almost equally well.
The camber profile of the Capita Black Snowboard of Death is flat before the tail going to the camber and then a good bit of early rise before the nose. It doesn’t look too technical, but the flat in the tail feels pretty catchy. It’s not like full camber, but it does take a little more work to skid turns. Best for advanced to expert riders.
Edge Hold
The death grip and stiffer/pretty damp flex of the Capita Black Snowboard of Death made the edge hold really good this year. Or maybe the slight tweak to the side cut radius did it, too. I never felt like I was going to lose an edge, even with only a little scraped snow on top of the snowmen. In the past year, it didn’t grip as well.
Flex Personality
So we tried two different 159 BSODs, and both had a stiffer flex than the rating states of 6.5. They felt more like 7-8 out of 10 than 6.5. It wasn’t easy to butter in the tai. The nose wasn’t that soft either, but it was a little easier to butter because of that flat kick.
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death wasn’t easy to get to pop, but the more work you put in, the more pop you get. So, this is a very poppy board for stronger riders. For me, I got more out of the Indoor Survival just because it was easier to get it to pop, and I’m not a strong rider.
Uneven Terrain
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death did very well in all conditions I rode it in. It isn’t the most damp board I’ve tried but it never got super cranky either.
Speed/Base Glide
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death can be pointed it very well. The board is damp enough to bomb, and the sidecut doesn’t fight you if you want to go straight.
The Base glide is great, and this is a fast base. The structure was not ideal, though. It grabbed too much in good snow for my taste. The production models don’t have as much of an aggressive structure, which is good. The 2024 model has a slightly updated base but its very similar to the 2023.
Turning Experience/Carving
So the flat in the tail gives the Capita Black Snowboard of Death a lot of pop on an ollie but not as much spring out of the turn. It felt more fun to carve than the Mercury’s but not as much compared to the softer Indoor Survival with more camber for me. If you like a very stiff board for carving, you might like the BSOD better, though. The overall turning experience leans a little towards the straight line side, but I had no problem making all kinds of turns.
Powder
The directional float is good but not as much compared to some boards it competes against. The Capita Black Snowboard of Death is more for those who like to ride a directional board close to centered for big mountain riding and big air. If you ride a lot of low-angle pow like I do, this will take more back leg weight to keep it up.
With a 22.75” stance width, you can get 1.875” back from the center of the board. Some competitors are 2.25 or even more back with a narrower stance. I think Capita changed their stance location for 2024, so if this now has the same stance location as the Megadeath, you can get 2.375” back from the center of the board at a 22″ stance width. I hope this is the case, as it makes the BSOD much better in powder for most of us who set our stance back.
Switch
Even though the Capita Black Snowboard of Death is the most directional of all their all-mountain boards, it still rides switch pretty well.
Conclusion
So overall, the Capita Black Snowboard of Death is a very recommendable board for those who want to go a little aggressive but still have a lot of versatility. This is very good for bigger-footed riders as they make some pretty wide sizes.
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.
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2020 BSOD Review
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death has been around for years and continues to evolve. It’s got a semi-aggressive personality to match its name and how it used to be about eight years ago. However it has a different camber profile and a more modernized flex.
Ethics Statement: The manufacturer doesn’t pay us 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 rider’s perspective.
How This Review Happened: We borrowed this for an extended demo and then returned it.
Size: 156
Days: 2
Conditions: Some pretty soft spring conditions that were good but not great.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-195lbs), Jimbo (Size 11, 5’11” 160lbs)
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV
Insoles: Sandsole Custom Insoles, Footprint Insole Technology Gameghangers Low Profile
Bindings: Union Atlas, Union Strata
Similar Boards (but not the same) That We Referenced this to or you should check:
Burton Flight Attendant, Jones Flagship, Never Summer West Bound, Korua Otto, Lib Tech Terrain Wrecker, Loaded Algernon, Capita Mercury,
Set-Up: 22” Wide. 18 front -9 back. On Reference Stance
Approximate Weight
Felt on the light side of normal but pretty normal-ish.
Sizing
The 156 didn’t work well for Jimbo’s 11s, but it worked well for my 9s. The 156 and 159 are better choices for boots ten and under. The 162 and 165 can do a little better with 10-11 boots, but it seems best not to go past 11 for the two bigger sizes.
Flex/Buttering
Thinking about the flex when I first started riding this board over ten years ago, it blows my mind how much it’s changed and evolved over the years. In the late ’00s and early teens, it was stiff and mean and had a super poppy flex that felt like it would break if it flexed too hard. Nowadays, it has similar energy underfoot, but now it feels like it can bend super far without breaking. That said, the rockered nose is way easier than the flat tail. It was a touch stiffer about two years back, and it mellowed out a bit, but not over the top.
On Snow Feel/Ability Level/Skidded Turns
The Capita, Black Snowboard of Death, has a good bit of camber between the feet that transitions to the rocker in the nose and a little flat section in the tail that feels a little catchy. The camber goes well past the inserts; you can feel it in the profile. It is forgiving for full camber but not mellow enough for most intermediate riders. It’s more for advanced to expert riders who don’t need to skid their turns much. It has a very consistent feel underfoot in all conditions.
Edge Hold
The way Capita Boards come to you out of the wrapper doesn’t have much going on edge hold-wise when the snow starts to get hard.
Turn Initiation
It’s pretty medium to medium quick edge to edge, and it can start a turn quickly enough in tight spots. However, it doesn’t make hard direction changes.
Turning Experience/Carving
In comparison to the Supernova, the Capita Black Snowboard of Death didn’t quite have the same spring and springy feel edge to edge but it was no slouch either. It turns well, and although the flat in the tail might be altering the way the board turns a bit, it was fun to lay it over.
Powder
We didn’t get the 2020 Capita Black Snowboard of Death in powder but we did get the same shape and camber profile from a previous year and it floated pretty well. When set all the way back it is just a bit ahead of the Mercury. The rocker in the nose did a good job keeping it up in the thick Sierra snow we had. With a 22″ stance width there is a difference between nose and tail of 3.75″ or a 1.875″ set back from the center of the board. This isn’t a lot for a freeride board at all but maybe a touch better than average for an all-mountain board.
Speed
Even though the flex is a bit softer than it was before it still has a damp personality to it and it can point it. It’s not the board you get if all you want to do is straight line though.
Uneven Terrain
Capita has really come a long way since we first started riding their boards and the Capita Black Snowboard of Death does a pretty good job powering over snow and it turns through it almost as well.
Switch
It’s far from perfect but very doable and just a shade behind the Mercury. If you just want to throw it around and make a few turns or get a traverse going then it’s great but if you want to put the Capita Black Snowboard of Death through its paces switch as much as regular it will come with some adjustment time to get used to how it’s different the other way.
Jumps
That tail might make carving seem different than other boards with camber there but it sure helps it pop. The Capita Black Snowboard of Death has a nice stable approach to a man-made or natural kicker and It’s pretty easy to land.
Jibbing
Doable but far from ideal.
Pipe
We liked this better for getting air than riding pipe. The edge hold was lacking for us but it did drive well wall to wall in a soft pipe and it didn’t feel too sluggish in transitions.
So overall, the Capita Black Snowboard of Death is a good choice if you want to take it a little more directional than the Mercury and get a little better float in powder.
2018- 2019 BSOD Review
The 2018 Capita Black Snowboard Of Death changed back into the board it used to be. It’s got a stiffer more damp flex but still retains some butterability in the tip and tail. Other than the edge hold in harder snow the BSOD really shines as a board that lives right in between the world that is Freeride and All Mountain. It’s a great choice if you want something more set back and directional than the Mercury but doesn’t want to go super tapered. It drives off the front foot well compared to many freeride boards with more taper.
The 2019 Capita Black Snowboard of Death is a touch softer, has a few minor tweaks under the hood and on the base compared to the 2018 but its overall ride is almost the same.
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: 159
Days: 6+
Conditions: Pretty good spring conditions. Some hard mornings but overall pretty good.
Riders: James, Jimbo,
Boots: Burton Almighty, Adidas Tactical ADV,
Bindings: Union Atlas
Set Up: Centererd to set almost all the way back. 15 front -9 back 15 front -15 back 22.5″-23″ wIDE
Approximate Weight
Feels normal bordering on light but still well built.
Flex
Really love the flex change of the 2018 Capita Black Snowboard of Death this year. It’s stiffer between the feet and a massive improvement over the 2017 model. You can still butter around with the tip/tail and we love what Capita has been doing with the overall flex this year.
Sizing
The 159 felt right for my boots despite it’s a wider waist of 25.6. It’s got a good feel for normal size feet and as you get up to the taller sizes it seems like it borders on being a mid/wide. The tip and tail are pretty wide too.
On Snow Feel
So the 2018 Capita Black Snowboard of Death is night and day different than the 2017 model. For us, it’s different in a good way mainly because the flex now matches its name. It now has a much more aggressive personality but it still lets you butter pretty well. We would say it’s just barely a Freeride board with a lot of All Mountain personality. It definitely takes it a step further as a directional ride than the Mercury. It’s got a technical semi-locked in feel to it that is great for flat basing and one footing off the chair. It appeals to good condition riders that love to turn, carve, float easily in the deep but also like to butter and occasionally ride switch.
Edge Hold
Felt like it borders on being a hard decent hard snow ride. It’s got more grip than many of the Capita boards but not quite as much as the Mercury thanks to that little bump in the middle called Death Grip. We would love to see a little more when you pull it out of the wrapper. You can probably tune it to grip better but even when the edge seems sharp to us the grip is slightly off.
Turn Initiation
Despite it’s wider waist and wider nose/tail for a 159 that would fit my size 9 boots really well it turns quickly. It’s fine for making quick turns through trees or in tight spots.
Turning Experience
The flat in the back of the BSOD didn’t seem to affect the turning experience as we have felt in the past. Maybe its because there seems to be less flat in the back than before. It almost seems like it’s camber from the tail to past the front binding and we like that. The Capita Black Snowboard of Death is a pleasure to turn and if you want to just make turns around the mountain all day this is the way to go.
Carving
As long as the snow is medium to soft the BSOD carves well and you can really lay it out. I found it fun to carve and it really springs out of the turn. If it could grip a little better in harder snow it would make it a little better. The past model used to be more washy off the tail than the 2018 BSOD.
Skidded Turns
Not ideal for skidded turns and it prefers a more technical rider on it.
Speed
The biggest improvement isn’t the new shape but the new flex. It’s so much damper and speed friendly. Also, that base is just as fast as ever and it’s got a good glide to it that picks up speed quickly as well as keeps speed on long flat cat tracks.
Uneven Terrain
The overall build these days from Capita makes the BSOD much better than it used to be in uneven terrain. The softer model from the past few years could weave in and out of turns well but couldn’t power through the chunder. The one from a few years before that was super stiff and could power through chunder but wasn’t the best for sloppy messy snow. The 2018 BSOD handles both really well. It’s damp but the flex is also more forgiving in messy snow.
Powder
There is a good set back on board that’s around 4″ with a normal insert and close to 4.75″ back on board with mini discs like you see with the upper-end Union bindings as well as many other companies these days. The rocker in the nose helps a lot too. Also, the tiny bit of taper in the tail, as well as the reduced volume, makes it a good deep powder board. It’s not super surfy as the older shape but pretty floaty.
Switch
The 2018 Capita Black Snowboard of Death is not a perfect switch but better than the 2017 design. If you get more centered on sidecut as well as duck it out it’s pretty good for such a directional camber profile with rocker in the nose and a touch of flat leading to camber quickly in the tail.
Jibbing
The older model could but this is a pass.
Pipe
Great directional pipe rider as long as you are ok with the lack of edge hold.
Jumps
This flex and camber profile really makes the Capita Black Snowboard of Death pop off the tail. A really strong board for directional air and an ok board for those that spend a lot of time taking off or landing switch.
So all in all the Capita Black Snowboard of Death really improved over 2017. They could of just made the 2017 model stiffer and we would of liked it but the change of shape gave it a much less back foot heavy/slashy feel to it as well. This will appeal to a much wider variety of riders than the past model and it reminds me of an improved version of the 2012-2013 model I use to really love.
2018 BSOD Review
2017 BSOD Review
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death has been around for a long time and in a few different forms. We started riding this back in the days when it was more like the Mercury is now and then over the last few years (14-16) it evolved to a more tapered freeride board. This year it still has a lot of the 14-16 personality but they added a little more camber and slightly tweaked the ride/tech from 2016. It’s still pretty soft though so it’s not quite typical for a mostly mountain/freeride board.
Size: 159
Days: 1
Conditions: Really good Sierra snow with only some small patches of hard snow.
Riders: James, Peter, Jimbo, Kyle
Boots: Burton SLX, Burton AMB, Nike Kaiju
Bindings: Union T.Rice
Set Up: A little set back 23″ wide 15 front -9 back
Approximate Weight
Felt light and pretty snappy.
On Snow Feel
Even with a lot of new tech the ride felt pretty similar to the 2016 model. The one thing that stood out to us most on snow was the extra camber but the lowered nose and other little tech tweaks were more subtle and would probably stand out more if we tested the 16 vs. 17 at the same time. Without the 16 to test against it felt pretty similar. It’s stable easy riding freeride board that handles one footing and long flat runs perfect but at the same time isn’t catchy in most situations.
Powder
I’d actually prefer this over the Charlie Slasher because it’s got that nice rocker in the nose, a big nose and the topper is the camber to flat in the back pops really well off the tail. It’s also set back 1″ which is a good bit.
Turn Initiation
It’s pretty quick and pops well from edge to edge. It’s a fun board to turn and when it’s not dumping you can go out and have a good time making anything from short to wide radius turns.
Skidded Turns
This is easier to skid turns than many of the stiffer freeride boards but it’s still not for the intermediate to beginner rider. A stong intermediate on the verge of becoming a good turning advanced rider should be able to handle it but it’s not ideal.
Carving
The extra camber helps for sure but the flat in the tail doesn’t seem to help with carving. While it pops on an ollie really well it doesn’t pop out of a turn off the tail. You just have to keep the pressure more on the camber points a little after the bindings and then it’s less washy. I did feel though that the board could wash a little if you weren’t careful on where you put pressure on the board. I felt the taper still but not as much as I did before. Can’t really speculate as to why.
Speed
You can get some mountain speed going but it’s not a bomber. As you heard from the vid we all felt a little bouncy clown shoe effect going on. For many this will be a deal breaker because they don’t like chatter in a mostly mountain/freeride board like this.
Uneven Terrain
It’s not a chunder buster but its softer flex can quickly navigate edge to edge in messy/bumpy snow and flex over it as long as you aren’t bombing through it.
Edge Hold
We all miss the death grip it use to have when it was more like the Mercury and would love to see that back. As it stands now it’s more of a good conditions ride.
Flex
So maybe this softer flex goes along with the joke about the name. When they started making this board way back in the day they called it Black Snowboard of Death because every snowboard was trying to give their boards more thrashy death metal names than the other. So maybe that’s why their is a soft flex.. You know…..Death Metal name with a Dirt Twirling Hippie kind of flex but who knows for sure.
It was stiff many years in the past so it might just be rider preference at Capita right now too. You can butter really easy than you would think with the Black Snowboard of Death. It seems a good bit softer in the tip/tail than it is between the feet. So you loose a stiff board at speed but you get some easy buttering out of it. For some this could make this board appealing if you want butter-ability out of a Freeride shape. For us we liked the older stiffer model.
Switch
Feels doable but not ideal. It’s a far cry from an asymmetrical twin but as far as a tapered Freeride board goes it’s doable for sure.
Jibbing
You could hit a mellow jib or two with this but even with the softer flex than you would think for a board of this type it’s still not an ideal jibber.
Pipe
We had a mid sized to small soft playful pipe to ride through and it did fine but I don’t think any of us would like to take this into an icy pipe. Just not enough grip and a little too directional for most.
Jumps
Like I said before great pop off the tail. Really good board for launching off a wind lip or hitting natural features. Not for lapping the jump park but fun for where you want to ride it.
Conclusion
So all in all the Capita Black Snowboard of Death’s 2017 changes helped improve the board but there is still a lot of personality from the 2016 model. It’s a board we liked but weren’t completely in love with. The biggest deal breaker or maker for you, kind reader, will be the flex. If you want a Freeride board you can butter and play around with then this could be a really good fit. However if you want a more traditional harder charging freeride board don’t let the name fool you into buying it.
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death was a great aggressive all mountain ride but the 2014- 2016 went more to the Freeride side. The 2014-2016 is a softer tapered directional ride where the 2013 and below was not tapered, stiffer and less directional. It’s less fun to ride switch but better for more of a surfy approach to the mountain. Also it’s a better directional powder ride.
2014-2016 BSOD Review
Not much has changed since 2014 to 2016 but a lot is different from the 2013 and below models.
Size: 159 and 162
Days: 3
Conditions: Hard pack with some light soft snow pushed around. Petty good snow that got messy at the end of the day
Riders: James, Peter and Eli
Boots: Salomon F3.0, Burton Ion, Burton Imperial
Bindings: Union Atlas, Union Charger, Flux SF
Set Up: Peter and I- 23″ wide 15 front -9 back set back a bit. Eli- 22.5 wide Goofy 18 front and 0 back. James- 23″ wide 18 front -6 back
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death (AKA BSOD) has changed a lot but it’s but still great board. It’s a tapered directional shape with the much larger nose and a new hybrid camber profile. It doesn’t have reverse camber in the back seat but instead has a flat section to the tail. So now it goes rocker in the big ass nose, camber between the bindings and then a flat section.
The Capita TFA and BSOD were pretty close to each other before the BSOD changed up. The BSOD now it’s much more in the old school freeride world of directional riding with a new school float in powder.
On Snow Feel
On the first few turns it still feels like the light snappy Capita Black Snowboard of Death. The more you ride it though the more you start to feel the directional surfy change to the ride. The flat in the back, big ass nose and slightly tapered tail really transform this into a kinky sex child of the Charlie Slasher mated with the Old Black snowboard of Death. It’s all about speed, pow, lively pop and surfy turns. It’s got a true camber feel combined with catch free rocker slashy surf the mountain like float.
Powder
We had no pow but just by the look of it combined with our pow experience with the Charlie Slasher and the old BSOD you can just tell this board will float very very well.
Turn Initiation and Carving
Still a really lively snappy edge to edge kind of ride. It’s very quick edge to edge if you know what you are doing. If you don’t know how to turn correctly this could be very challenging and unforgiving. It requires you to be mostly on your game. I think I had more fun leaning into a hard carve with the old BSOD over the New BSOD though as it felt like it held better. The flat in the tail does make it fun on a surfy laid back carve. Also the new taper does feel a little bit washy. It’s still really fun to carve but it just doesn’t hold like the old one did but they both still have that springy fun carvy feel.
Speed
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death has always bombed in the past but with the new model I felt more chatter free at speed. Before the 159 was always enough board for me but with the new 2014-2016 design the 159 felt too small. It felt like the 162 would be closer to the older model 159 when it comes to speed.
Uneven Terrain
Not the best here but the quick edge to edge nature of this board can get you around bumps.
Edge Hold
Pretty good edge hold but I liked the older BSOD’s grip better. The new tapered design is a little washy in the tail if you try to ride it like the old BSOD. You have to get more weight on the tail/off the back foot. Also it just doesn’t handle the hard snow like it use to when it had the death grip side cut and wasn’t tapered.
Flex
The new Tapered 2014-2016 BSOD is softer than the 2013 and below BSOD. Funny enough you could butter this board rather well and there was more give in the tip/tail than the old BSOD. Some will like that but others might prefer the stiffer flex of the Old BSOD. We did like that we could butter this better but I think all of us would prefer the older stiffer flex so it could handle more speed.
Switch
The 2013 and below models weren’t perfect Switch but it was very doable and were very much like the Mercury is now. The 2014-2016 is more difficult than the 2013 and below model. It’s still doable just less doable than before. Now you really feel that taper in the tail and much bigger nose when riding switch.
Jibbing
Not really a board for jibbing but now with the softer flex you can take a lap or two if you would like.
Pipe
This use to be an excellent technical riders pipe dream but now it’s much more directional tapered shape isn’t quite the pipe board it use to be. It just doesn’t feel the same. There is less edge hold and the taper makes it easier to slash walls but it’s not the pipe board it use to be.
Jumps
Even more pop off the tail than before and it’s a very snappy one direction high speed ollie or bomb off a natural feature kind of board. Not really one for the jump park if you like to spin and land switch.
All in all it’s a mixed bag with the newer model. You get a better powder board, a more surfy directional ride and an easier board to butter but you get less edge hold, worse fakie riding and more chatter at speed.
2010-2013 BSOD Review
Size 159
Days: 15+
Conditions: Hard pack to 1.5 feet of powder.
Riders: James, Peter and a few friends not on the site.
Bindings: Union Force SL’s, Union Atlas, Burton Cartel Limited
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death has a small camber between the feet and then slowly kicks up like rocker after the bindings. This makes for a great all conditions ride and provides better float in powder than the old camber board.
2011 Black Death Changes
The BSOD is now a hybrid shape it doesn’t mean that it’s now a super jib friendly snowboard. This is still a very aggressive board for carving, doing things big and hitting runs at a high speeds. For 2012 the BSOD is still the same design and ride except it’s a bit lighter.
2013 Capita BSOD Changes
None really. This is the same ride as the 2012.
The Capita BSOD was a board both riders really enjoyed. It is a very fast aggressive board that isn’t for everyone but will be amazing for others. The BSOD ia inbetween the Yes Big City and the Rome Anthem in terms of stiffness and all mountain performance and design.
The BSOD has more camber than the Big City and more rocker than the Rome Anthem. If you are looking for a camber like performance on groomers but want better float in powder the BSOD will do a great job as your one aggressive all mountain snowboard.
This was one of my (the editor’s) favorite boards of the year. Just to reiterate this is not a mid/wide board even thought he waist is pretty wide. The “death grip” side cut has an extension in the middle of the waist but the rest of the board is narrow. Just look at the 2010 camber snowboard specs to get an idea.
On Snow Feel
There is a very locked in feel here that feels almost just like regular camber that many of us really liked. It’s very stable under foot but there is some consequence if you get off your game. If you spend most of your time riding on groomed runs there aren’t many boards that are it’s equal in this situation if you like high speed turns and a more aggressive approach to riding groomers. The camber like feel was quite refreshing in this world of rocker boards but it’s a little more forgiving than it’s old camber predecessor.
Powder
If you compare this to the Yes Big Cityit’s not going to be as good but it’s a little less work than the Rome Anthem. Still the rocker at the tip and tail help alot over a regular camber board. In addition to the rocker the BSOD has a decent set back and a directional shape that is more twin like than directional which helps keep it afloat as well.
Turn Initiation and Carving
This board takes a little work to get from edge to edge but it’s very easy for it’s stiff flex. Don’t get us wrong this board still requires you to be on your game almost all the time and it could make you pay if you aren’t. You can make tight quick turns through trees or just fooling around on groomers as well as big high speed carving turns. The BSOD might be one of the best hybrid camber carving boards we have tried. It’s right up there with the new Rome Anthem. It has a nice spring out of every turn that helps you gain momentum and set you up for the next turn.
Speed
This board is very fast. The flex is stiff, the base is fast (maybe capitas best base) and the board is chatter free. We didn’t really open it up due to the very hard conditions but found the modest speeds we brought it to chatter free and very comfortable.
Uneven Terrain
The BSOD is a bomber board on good snow and can handle some uneven snow but towards the end of a crowded day or if you deviate off a groomer to a hard bumpy patch it won’t be the easiest in terms of shock absorption. If you have been on an aggressive camber board for the last 5 years or so and then go to this you will be happy with the progression but if you go from a softer board to this you might feel it a bit rougher.
Approximate Weight
Not a feather weight but pretty light. Nothing noticeable on the bad side at all.
Edge Hold
The mostly camber shape and the little extension (we are guessing 1/2 cm) at the center of the board makes for amazing edge hold. We’d say it’s almost there with Magnetraction and very grippy in almost any condition. Even in the hard conditions we felt very comfortable making turns and never felt like our edge will wash out. It felt like it had limitless edge hold similar to the magnetraction side cuts we have ridden.
Flex
This is a stiff board but it doesn’t act as stiff as it is. Must be the hybrid camber.
Switch
This is a directional board but it seems a bit on the twinish side. It wasn’t bad riding switch but you could tell the difference when you did.
Rails/Jibbing
Not that much fun. It’s too stiff.
Pipe
Many people like a stiff aggressive board in the pipe. If you don’t size up too much the Capita Black Snowboard of Death will do a great job in the pipe. The edge hold is great and the BSOD has a good personality for Pipe Riding. It can be a little unforgiving but for the most part this is a great pipe board.
Jumps
The new hybrid camber tech is still really springy. It’s does a very good job when it comes to generating your own air. It’s also very easy to launch of a man made kicker. Like in the pipe it can be a bit unforgiving but for the most part its very fun lapping a roller coaster or hitting a kicker after a long seep groomer run
Capita Black Snowboard of Death Specs
Capita Black Snowboard of Death Images
Capita Black Snowboard of Death User Reviews
Fun charging board
159 2021.This board blew me away. Wide enough for my boots. Great edge hold and very stable and damp( stil lively though). Fast board, excellent carving and jumps. Reasonably nimble and forgiving. Just above medium flex feel on snow. Had a life of fun on this today. Kept me wanting to push it more and getting rewarded for it. Real happy with it.
2016 BSOD - sz 162
I recently purchased a Capita BSOD. I've always had a soft spot for this board. Graphics are stellar - they seem to raise some eyebrows with the parents, which is always fun.
Overall, the board was pretty good. Carving was one of its strengths, and I found the base to be super fast. Edge hold was good, in good snow, but coming from boards with Magnetraction, it was not the best in icy conditions.
The frustrating thing for me was that it flexed (a lot). Weighing in at 200 lbs (no gear), I'm not the lightest guy out there.
In new snow, the board was really quite good. The nose makes for very good float. Things however, got EXTREMELY squirly in end of day slop, "lumpy-chumpy" snow (which I love to play in/pop off) and in heavier snow that's been pushed around creating mini soft moguls. The BSOD got pummeled and tossed around, feeling like a jib-stick with minimal to no dampening, and in many cases feeling like it was folding in half (at least for me).
My other gripe was that the top-sheet marked up very easily. After only 5 days of use, it looked worse than other boards I own, with more than 20 days of use on them. I guess that's what I get for owning a board with a glossy topsheet.
I ended up selling it after about 5 outings. :(
2014 BSOD
After 30+ days on this board I'd say I've taken it though most conditions, from snowment to corn snow to knee-waist deep Honshu powder, with inclines up to 39°. I've taken it on and off the groomers, and done some very mellow park too: straight airs off blue jumps and the occasional box.
I feel that it really comes to life at higher speed. She wants to go fast. She's fine for slower days too, but it's definitely best to ride it fast, and with confidence.
The base is fast, albeit not crazy fast. It seems pretty strong too, although I got a core shot after being rammed by a dickhead skier. The topsheet is a completely different story though. It quickly got a number of dings from meetings with trees etc.
Powdery tree runs are pure joy. Moguls not so much; you get bucked around hard. Of course, rider's skill level is not very high, but Madame BSOD does not feel like helping out. :)
Definitely not damp. You feel the vibrations from hard corduroy a lot.
Good float. In the deepest snow in Japan I did have to go into the back seat not to no plummet, with some severe rear leg burn as a consequence. However I did ride it centered all the time, and I regret not setting it back the last two days in Japan.
The nose is soft, and every now and then perhaps even a bit too soft? In moguls it almost felt like the nose folded on me sometimes on a toeside turn, resulting in a rebound and a fall.
The flat section from the rear binding and back is the only part of the board that I'd say is on the stiffer side. It's still not so hard to press but you have to work for it a bit. Pretty easy to flex torsionally. Stable on landings, at least on a blue jump. :D
Oh, and one last thing thing regarding your 2016 review clip: I'm almost positive the Death Grips hasn't been there after 2013.
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