Nitro Squash Snowboard Review

An Un-Paid, Un-Biased Breakdown Of How the Nitro Squash Rides Review by The Good Ride

• User Reviews
• Past Reviews
• Product Specs
• Product Images
• Questions?

An In Depth Breakdown of the Nitro Squash For Average Riders

How The Nitro Squash Was Tested:

I borrowed the Nitro Squash for an extended demo and sent it back.

Ethics Statement

I was not paid to do this review, and it comes from an honest, objective perspective with no brand oversight. If this review helped, we’d appreciate it if you support objective content by:

• Buy Through Blauer Board Shop in our Where To Buy Links – They are doing more than any other store to help us provide honest and objective reviews.
• If you can’t buy through Blauer Board Shop, buy through our other links. Please make sure we are the last click. Don’t use Loyalty/Discount/Coupon Toolbar/Chrome Extensions.  They steal my commission even if they don’t provide a discount.
• Please don’t use any Discount Toolbar Browser Extensions or Coupon Providers. They take the small commission we receive even if they don’t offer you a discount.
• If you can’t buy through our links it greatly helps if you donate via Paypal, Venmo @TheGoodRide
• Join Patreon as I offer early access reviews, free advice etc.
• Subscribe to us On YouTube & Follow us On Instagram

Size: 159
Days: 2 (Unfortunately it was a very short demo)
Conditions: Good Late Spring Pow and mostly messy but decent groomers.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10”, 185-195lbs). I’ve tested and compared 800+ boards and close to 1,000 if you count different versions of the same Model over the years.
Boots: Nitro Team TLS,
Insoles: Footprint Kingfoam Orthotic Elite
Bindings: Union Force
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Skyline Fuse 3L Jacket
Pant: Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant, Skyline Faze Pant
Helmet: Smith Method
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt

James’s Set Up

21-21.5” Wide. Stance Angles +18/+3, +24/+6. Close to Reference on groomers and Set all the way back in powder.

Similar Boards We Like (but not the same): 

Nidecker Beta, Nidecker Beta APX, Stranda Tree Surfer, Jones Hovercraft 2.0, Korua Transition Finder, Rome Stale Fish

Approximate Weight

The Nitro Squash felt pretty normal for its surface area and if anything is a touch on the light side. (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores, there is no consistency in a board’s weight)

Sizing

The Nitro Squash 159 felt about right for me for what this board is even though I felt my size 9’s were a little on the small size. If I had a size 10 boot this would be a perfect size. I was at the top of the recommended weight range at 185-190lbs but I felt like it could easily handle a rider 20+ lbs heavier. That made me wonder if the 156 could work for me even though it’s much lower than my weight (175lbs vs 185-190lbs)  I would like to see how it feels as it would better work with my size 9 boots.

Nitro does not recommend boot sizes but it’s conservative with their recommended weight.

Sizing is all about balancing what fits your boot size (most important), weight (a close second) and height (third most important) for how you like to ride. Size down for more control and size up for more speed/stability/carving power. Here are some ideal US boot sizes for these boards.

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

When it comes to shape. This is very directional but only has six mil of taper. This doesn’t feel like your typical swallowtail.

The Setback On Sidecut: -25mm
Setback On Board at Reference Markers: -5.25 @21.25”
Setback All The Way On Board: -6” @ 22”

They say 21 on the specs. But I measured this and it’s 21.25. Could be a demo issue or could be that they don’t measure from the mini disc reference stance marked on the board.

So this rides pretty far back on board from any stance position but you aren’t riding fully back on the tail like you do with many snowsurf rides. It really sits on that border between Alt Freeride and Snowsurf.

Camber Profile

The Nitro Squash is full on old school camber from tip to tail.  It is super locked in, super technical, and far from ideal for beginner intermediates. It tracks super well like almost all camber does but it is not easy to skid a turn if you get off your game.

This is best for advanced expert riders who understand how to handle a locked in board. It never felt like it wanted you to mellow out and just cruise.

Flex Personality/Ollies/Butters

The  Nitro Squash has a medium/soft nose, a medium/stif middle and a stiff tail.

There is some really dynamic pop to this board but it takes some work to get it to do so.

It’s not easy to butter from the tail but the nose will be great for a pow butter if you feel so inclined.

Getting Air

And it’s a little difficult to set up for a side hit with the way this board maneuvers in tight spots for my specs.But when you have something that lines up easier, this just springs off and excels for those who love straight airs. Not ideal landing or riding switch.

Uneven Snow & Speed

The Nitro Squash is a pretty damp, powerful board that didn’t chatter much in more microbumpy snow or buck/bounce around too much either in some soft/tracked/messy pow I was in as well. It goes pretty fast for a 159 squashy swallowtail ride and you can for sure point it.

Edge Hold

The Nitro Squash isn’t ideal for super hard to icy days but it’s more than fine if you occasionally ride in hard snow. You just have to dial back your turns a bit.

Turning/Carving

The Nitro Squash was medium when it came to turn initiation and I thought it would be a little faster with my Union Force and Nitro team set up.

And when I got it on edge, this side cut starts out with a more straight line friendly radius at 8.4m and then goes to a much more turny radius 6.4m at the tail.  No matter how I weighted the turns it felt more down the line like it was mostly on the 8.4 meter part of the sidecut and not as turny/slashy as I thought it would be with a very turny 6.4 meter sidecut towards the tail but it never felt washy.

So wile it wasn’t that easy for me to make circle or across the groomer carves, the down the line carves I had felt great and the spring out of the turn was so fun. I like this so much better on groomers than I did in powder. This just really lit it up for me.

Base Glide

The base on the Nitro Squash wasn’t exceptional but very competent and thanks for sending this waxed Nitro/Benny!

Powder

The Nitro Squash didn’t have the personality I wanted in powder for my style riding. The full camber and my inability to access the more turny part of the sidecut sapped my confidence and I didn’t get that easy to turn/slashy feel I was hoping for. Instead it felt very locked in and wanted more down the line/narrower s-turns in pow just like on groomers. It wasn’t a board I’d want in a tight tree line or steep/technical area with lots of rocks. Instead I’d like it in more wide open terrain. This opinion might change if I ever get on the 156 but this is definitely how I felt with the 159.

Final Thoughts

So overall, I think the Nitro Squash isn’t my kind of board but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad board. It just means it has more appeal to someone that likes a more technical down the line kind of ride with a ton of pop for groomers and powder.