2018-2019 DOA Review

The Capita Defenders Of Awesome is an affordable but somewhat technical mountain freestyle ride for those who like air most of all. The overall flex of the 2018 and 2019 Capita DOA feels like it’s easier to butter, but it’s not any less poppy, and overall flex has seemed to have improved over the last few seasons.

The 2018 and 2019 Capita Capita Defenders Of Awesome are the same rides, so the 2018 review still stands.

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 rider’s perspective.

The Capita Defenders Of Awesome has a couple of things going for it that make it a great board for its price range. It’s aggressive for a twin, it’s super poppy and it has a camber like feel to it. However, don’t let the low price lead you into believing this is a beginner/intermediate board. This is still aggressive all mountain freestyle twin that’s only a little less forgiving than a camber ride.

We think the DOA is a pretty good board and especially so for those that like air.  If you want a more forgiving well-rounded ride that does everything that is mountain freestyle well but nothing exceptional the Outerspace Living is the better call.  If you want a more technical mostly camber ride we prefer the way the Outsiders turns over the DOA’s camber to flat profile and to a lesser extent feel it pops better too.  Still, this is a good board and I can see why so many park riders are into it.

Size: 154
Days: 3+ on the 2018, 4+ on the 2016 and 1 on the 2013.
Conditions:  End of the year Sierra snow that’s hard in the morning, medium and then soft to slushy as the day goes by.
Riders: James, Jimbo, Peter
Boots: Salomon F3.0, Burton Fiend LTD, Burton Imperial,
Bindings:  Union Superpro Union Contact Pro, Union Atlas, Union Contact,
Set Up: Centered always 23″ wide always 15 front and -15 back always.

Flex

Medium and lively from the middle to the end of the tip/tail.  It’s a little work to butter for a board this type.  You could get a nice snap off the tip/tail.  The 2018 Capita Defenders Of Awesome feels like it’s a little easier to butter than past years models and the overall flex of the board has improved a good bit.  Capita has been improving the flex year over year and I’m starting to notice a difference in the DOA’s overall ride.  It’s softer but it’s more than just that. It feels like it can flex further than before but still keep that snappy lively personality Capita is known for.

On Snow Feel

This has a solid stable feel for those that like a stable feel underfoot and it picks up speed pretty well for its flex regular or switch on the groomers and also has a great ability to pop off rollers.  It’s not super aggressive or technical in comparison to camber but it feels like it’s almost there with mostly camber boards like the Outsiders. That’s weird because there is more early rise with the DOA but they feel pretty close. The flat after the camber is close to the snow and there is still an edge waiting to be caught if you don’t stay on your game. The boards’ personality type calls for semi-aggressive to aggressive riders on a budget.  It’s all about stability at pretty good speed, power butter, and mostly air.

Powder

This is better than a camber board but just by a little.  Most riders who will like this board don’t mind the kind of stay on your game ride in powder that this has.  So compared to camber this is better but there will still be some work of your rear leg to stay afloat If you are a rider that needs an easy float then look to another board when it gets deep.

Turn Initiation

The DOA is pretty quick edge to edge and starts turning quickly.

Turning Experience

The first few times I rode this I liked it for turning and carving but the more I compared it to other hybrid camber boards the more I found it to have some detractions.  When it comes to medium to wider radius turns it’s pretty not bad. Carving is pretty good but when comparing it to the Mercury on the same day it just didn’t have the same magic in and out of a carve.  Also comparing the DOA to the new Outerspace Living it just didn’t complete the turn in a fun way.

Carving

While the flat after the camber pops really well for an ollie it seems like it’s messing up the radius of the carve.  It’s just not as dynamic as Capita hybrid camber boards without flat after the camber and like regular turning, it’s just not as fun.

Skidded Turns

It’s not great for beginners and intermediates that rely on skidding their turns and don’t let the low price tag fool you into thinking it’s a beginner board.

Speed

The base isn’t super fast but there is little chatter for a board of this type. The Capita Defenders of awesome feels stable and pretty damp for a twin.

Uneven Terrain

So, the stiffer flex and faster ride are great for better conditions, but this comes at a disadvantage when it comes to powering through a bumpy end-of-the-day groomer.  You can feel a little more rough stuff under your foot than you can with other boards with better-dampening tech.  It’s a board you want to pair up with bindings that have lots of shock absorption, like the Contact Pros.  Even then you can still feel things you wouldn’t with those bindings on more damp boards. Still, it’s better than most with this board. Now the 2019 and 2018 Capita DOA is much better than in the past and feels like it can handle more uneven snow of all kinds.

Approximate Weight

It’s pretty light for its price, but I’d say it’s more on the normal side.

Edge Hold

the edge hold is more of a good snowboard that doesn’t hold that well in harder snow.   We’d love to see the bump in the center that the BSOD and Totally FK’n Awesome has. Our only gripe is we wish Capita would have spent a little more money and put in the same sidecut as the Mercury and Totally FK’n Awesome that has a little bump dead center in the waist.  It would have made this board much better in conditions that aren’t as good.

Switch

This is a true twin and it’s going to be the same either way. The only board I personally like riding switch better is an asymmetrical shape.

Rails

Not the best rail board but it can be done if you are a strong confident rider. For me, I’d much rather be on the Horrorscope or even better the Ultrafear.

Pipe

If the edge hold was a little better and there was a little less flat after the camber the DOA would be an excellent board for those that know how to ride the pipe well.

Jumps

What a fun board to Ollie and jump.  The combo of flat and camber is great for generating your own air.   If you are into bigger jumps this is a fun board and the tip/tail won’t give way that easy if you land a little off of center. Probably one of the strongest points about this board. It seems to be designed primarily for those that live to be in the air.

So, all in all, turning the board is a little dead with the flat after the camber but it sure does pop well on an ollie.  It’s hard to find a good aggressive board like this at this price range and while we prefer the Outsiders and Outerspace living a little more this might work for you more than it did for us.

2013-2017 DOA Review

Other than a few minor tweaks not much has changed for the 2017 model so most of the 2016 review stands. It has been updated to reflect how it stands with the 2017 line.