Summary

The GNU Velvet as a C2 BTX camber profile that has an easy to ride catch-free feel.  It's not a bad choice for an all mountain freestyle rider on a budget. The 2019 Gnu Velvet model we tried did have an upgrade to C2 so disregard our discussion about the camber profile.

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Riding Style All Mountain Freestyle
Riding Level Beginner - Advanced
Fits Boot size (US) Women's
Manufactured in USA by Mervin
Shape Asymmetrical Twin
Camber Profile Hybrid Rocker
Stance Centered
Approx. Weight Feels Heavy
Split No
Powder Average
Base Glide Good
Carving Average
Speed Good
Uneven Snow Good
Switch Excellent
Jumps Good
Jibbing Good
Pipe Good
On Snow Feel

Semi-Stable

Turn Initiation

Medium/Fast

Skidded Turns

Semi-Easy

Flex

Medium

Buttering

Semi-Easy

Edge Hold

Hard Snow

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GNU Velvet Snowboard Written Review Review by The Good Ride

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

Size: 143
Days: 1
Conditions:  Hard Snow in some places, to ok snow in others.
Riders: Steph
Boots:  
Vans Ferra
Bindings: Union Milan
Set Up
: 21.5” Centered 15 front -15 back

Sizes: 139, 143, 147, 150, 153

Flex

The Velvet comes with a medium flex that keeps it feeling stable but also playful on snow.

Camber Profile

GNU’s C2 hybrid rocker profile. This means it has rocker in the middle of the board, and positive camber zones under the feet. The positive camber is a medium amount, so it adds good stability and pop without being too aggressive feeling underfoot.

Edge Hold

The Velvet comes with GNU’s magna traction. Which is a serrated edge along the sidecut. These bumps allow the Velvet to grip in icy conditions and make it a reliable ride if you see scraped off, icy snow a lot.

Board Personality

This asymmetrical twin is a mellow, easy to ride board that would be good for a rider looking for an easy going snowboard. It would be good for someone that likes to ride centered or a lot of switch. The GNU Velvet is fun in freestyle terrain or all mountain riding too.

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Altitude Attitude

Instagram: @altitude_snow

 
Gnu Velvet Past Reviews

This is more like the Never Summer Rocker/Camber.  This provides a more loose ride but still allows your tail to grip the snow when in a carve.

On Snow Feel: Big surprise here.  We thought the Gnu Velvet Guru would be a more loose and playful freestyle focused kind of feel that is in between BTX and C2 BTX but it’s not at all.  It’s actually more stable between the feet than many C2 BTX shapes. It’s pretty easy to one foot and flat base. This isn’t a bad all mountain freestyle board for the price and offers more stability between the feet than most hybrid rocker boards out there.  It can ride the mountain almost like an all mountain board but it can also ride the mountain like an all mountain freestyle board.

Powder: You can tell by the rocker that this will plane well. When it gets deep it will be tough like all twins are.  You will have to be a good snowboarder to keep it planing above the powder.

Turn Initiation and Carving– Pretty easy edge to edge and a fun board to lay into wide to carving turns. EC2 still has enough in the tail to lay into a carve

Speed: The Gnu Velvet Guru has a base that isn’t super fast but still does a good job keeping the board moving forward and it’s predictable. As speed picks up the flex remains stable and holds pretty well for a hybrid rocker board.

Uneven Terrain: The Velvet Guru gives a decent shield between your feet and crappy snow.

Approximate Weight– Like all Mervin boards they are well built and very reliable but this happens to increase the weight.  It’s still nothing terrible.

Edge Hold: The Edges seemed to be in good condition and so we think this is how the board rides but we can’t say for sure.  The Gnu Velvet Guru seems to have one of the most mellow MTX side cuts of any board out there. This makes it a far better good conditions board than the more aggressive magnetraction boards. If you ride in anything from snowment to packed powder you will have a good time.  If you ride in ice you might like something like the Lady’s choice or TRS Slim.

Flex: Closer to the softer side of medium.  It did not press or butter anywhere close to the Ladies Pickle.  It seemed to have the same flex throughout the entire board.

Switch: This is a twin so it was just as easy to ride switch as it was regular.

Rails/Jibbing:  Fun in the jib park but it feels a little better in the jumps and pipe.

Pipe: This is a pretty good pipe board.  The Lady TRS is better but it’s not bad at all.

Jumps: The Gnu Velvet Guru is not super poppy but it can spring with moderate effort.  Hitting small to medium kickers is great with this board.

 

 
Gnu Velvet Specs

 
Gnu Velvet Images

We try to get as many images of the Gnu Velvet, but forgive us if they're not all there.

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Gnu Velvet User Reviews

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