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Niche Wraith 2020 Review by The Good Ride

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The Niche Wraith is a somewhat technical freestyle to jib twin that has a nice balance between being easy to butter but also having good mostly camber pop. Many boards like this are super boring out of the park but the Wraith kept some of its fun park personality to it when playing around the mountain.

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.

How This Review Happened:  We borrowed this for an extended demo and then returned it.
Size: 152
Days: 4
Conditions: Pretty good spring conditions.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-195lbs), Zobel (Size 11.5, 6’ 180lbs),  Jimbo (Size 11, 5’11” 160lbs),
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV, Adidas Response
Insoles: Sandsole Custom Insoles,  Footprint Insole Technology Gameghangers Low Profile
Bindings: Union Strata, Union Superpro

Similar Boards (but not the same): Rossignol Jibsaw, Lib Tech Box Knife, Yes Jackpot, Never Summer Funslinger, Ride TwinPig, Signal Park,

Set-Up:  22” Wide. 15 front -15 back.  Centered.

Approximate Weight: Feels normal for the length.

Sizing: The 152 rode bigger than it’s size and it matched up well with my specs. Zobel and Jimbo would prefer the next size up for their 11’s.

Flex/Buttering: Such an easy buttery ride and the flex in the shop matches how easy it is to butter on snow. There is easily accessible pop to it as well.

On Snow Feel/Ability Level/Skidded Turns: The Niche Wraith is soft but it feels technical to us. It felt like it could catch an edge easy even with the mellow camber to a touch of early rise in the nose/tail. It tracks well one footing and flat basing though.

Edge Hold: The Niche Wraith fresh out of the wrapper has pretty good edge hold but it let’s go a little easier than the Crux and especially so with the Aether.

Turn Initiation: There is a little delay when initiating a turn for a board this length and it likes to track straight more than make quick edge to edge turns. It doesn’t protest too much though when you really want it to go somewhere.

Turning Experience/Carving: Good for a jibber but far from good if you compare it to something like the Crux.

Powder: not so good for a short twin with not so much early rise.

Speed: a little soft and messy but better than you would think.

Uneven Terrain: Ok and damp enough to absorb enough underfoot but not ideal for hammering through uneven snow all day.

Switch: same either way.

Getting Air/Park: The Niche Wraith really shines in the jib park and it really has a lot going for it there. It can still hit small kickers and get air on small to medium natural features on the mountain easily. It has a very stable easy approach to most jumps.  Pipe isn’t ideal but doable if the edges are sharp.

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