Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro 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.

A Breakdown Of How It Rides And Who Its For

How This Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro Review Happened:

Borrowed this for an extended demo and sent it back.
Size: 157
Days: 3
Conditions: Really good groomers, decent groomers & some mixed pow. Some places were pretty good and others shallow with hard uneven snow below.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs)
Boots: Ride Torrent, Ride Fuse, Ride Deadbolt
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas
Redunancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Jones Mtn Surf Anorak, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Jacket,
Pant: Jones Mountain Surf Bib, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Bib
Helmet: Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt,

Similar Boards We Like (but not the same): Amplid Souly Grail, K2 Alchemist, Burton Skeleton Key, YES PYL Uninc, Weston Backwoods, Cardiff Powgoda, Jones Mind Expander Korua Otto, K2 Manifest, Yes Typo, Jones Frontier, Ride Algorythm, Ride Shadowban, Salomon Highpath, Yes Standard Uninc, Yes Basic Uninc, Cardiff Lynx

James’s Set Up: 21.5” Wide. Sance Angles +18/-3 and set all the way back in pow. +18/-9, and Close to Reference on groomers.

How It Was Tested

I often rode this same day as the Mega Death, Aeronaut and Navigator. All had the same bindings on. There is no better way to know how a board performs than to test it against others.

Approximate Weight

The Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro felt pretty normal if not a touch on the light side of the board.  (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores there is no consistency in a boards weight)

Sizing

I wouldn’t change up the sizing on the Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro 157 I tried. This would be the size I would buy. My size 9 boots and 185-190lbs could easily control it. It matched well with my 5’10” frame as well too.

Here are some ideal US boot sizes (most important) for the Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro 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.
151: 7.5-8.5
154: 8-9
157: 9-10
160: 9.5-10.5

For weight I think this and the BSOD can handle capita’s recommended weight ranges better if you are on the higher end. 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

You have 9mm of taper with the Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro but it has a very centered stance for being this tapered.

Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

The Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro’s new hybrid camber profile with early rise before the nose as well as the tail makes it more forgiving but also makes it feel less tapered. With the older model’s camber to the tail it was less forgiving but also more washy and needed more back foot weight to not feel all that taper on groomers. Now that the camber ends well before the more tapered nose it doesn’t feel as washy. It still tracks well one footing and flat basing though.

Flex Personality

There is a pretty medium stiff flex with the Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro but the early rise in the nose/tail helps it butter a lot easier than you would think. There was still pretty good pop/ollie power even though it was missing some camber in the tail but those that liked the older model with camber to the tail might miss it.

Uneven Terrain

The Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro was the best of all the directional Capita boards I tried this year. This and the BSOD from last year do very well in all kinds of uneven snow. It might be because they share a similar fake wood topsheet but whatever it is I like it. Especially in thicker uneven snow. Most Capita boards get very bucky but this isn’t anywhere near as bad.

Edge Hold

Not a hard snow specialist but felt a little better than past years models.

Speed

This damp personality and balanced sidecut lets this straight line pretty well. It’s no powerful freeride straight liner but is better than most Capita boards.

Base Glide

Capita really stepped up their base glide game over the last 3-5 years and I really like what they are doing with the Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro as well. The structure is a bit much for me but it didn’t bother me as much as in past seasons tests. Sometimes an overly structured base can grab too much and make it hard to turn.

Turning Experience/Carving

So the older Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro was a better carver but this new hybrid camber version wasn’t bad. Even coming off the Mega Death, a pretty competent carver, I didn’t feel the Kazu lacking when it comes to spring out of the turn.

I could initiate a turn pretty quick and when I got it on edge the turning experience was pretty balanced. I could to everything from a narrow turn to a circle carve. I think the Kazu needs more back foot weight on a harder carve than some rides just because I’m more centered on board and there is 9mm of taper but I could get away with center weighted and front foot weighted carves as well.

Powder

The Capita Kazu Kobu Pro didn’t have the directional float I prefer for lower angle or deep pow but it did well for a more centered ride. It’s not there directional float wise as most freeride boards but instead more like an average to good all mountain board.

So with a 22” stance width I could set the Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro back -2.375” from center of board. That is a noticable improvement over the old model which was -1.75” @ 22.5” but still far from most freeride boards out there that range in the -3.25” range and up. So if you like to set your board as far back as possible in pow this isn’t the one. Especially if you ride low angle pow like I do. This is for those that like a centered feel in steeper terrain so you can get big air and not feel light on the tail.

Switch/Freestyle/Park

I think the Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro rode switch well for all this taper and this is a good board for kickers. Not as much for pipe but doable for sure.

Final Thoughts

So the Capita Kazu Kokubo Pro isn’t for directional set back freeriders. It’s for those that want a freeride shape but with a big mountain freestyle personality.

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