Ride Buckwild 2015 - 2012 Review by The Good Ride

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The Ride Buckwild in a lot of ways is a reincarnation of the 2011 flat to rocker DH2. It has the same shape, same sizes, and almost all the same tech.  So if you liked the 2011 DH2 and was bummed that they turned it into a hybrid camber you can still get your flat to a rocker on with the Buckwild. The 2013-2015 Ride Buckwild is pretty much the same 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 riders’ perspective.

Size: 155

Days: 4
Conditions: Hard near the top and a little softer but still firm in the bottom and the park
Riders: James, Peter and Kyle
Boots: Burton Ion, Burton SLX, Burton Imperial, Nike Kaiju, DC Judge, Nike Zoom Ites, Burton Ambush, Burton Hail, Burton Ruler, Salomon Synapse
Bindings: Burton Cartel,Burton Genesis
Set Up: Centered 23″ wide 15 front -15 back.

We have to admit that the name Buckwild is far better than DH. It has a fast ultra damp ride that many twins don’t even come close to.  It also feels like it’s 1.5 times thicker than it is and some feel this makes it feel dull.  Others love this so it’s up to you to decide.  The edge hold is closer to average on the good side but it still holds well in most conditions you want to ride.  Ride’s flat/rocker tech in this design is mostly flat with a little at the tip/tail.  This makes for a very stable and predictable ride. If you are all about going fast regular or switch then the Ride Buckwild or 2011 DH2 is going to be a good call. You can have fun with this almost anywhere on the mountain and this is very close to a good all conditions ride for those that like the ultra damp feeling ride offers.

On Snow Feel: This is for those that like to attack the mountain regular and switch pretty fast you will like this style of ride.  It handles any condition very well and it’s easy on the body. This is a fun narrow waist aggressive twin that has a pretty decent all mountain freestyle ride to it. It’s aggressive while still being forgiving and stable between the feet. It’s got the flex and feel of an all mountain board packed into a twin shape with a centered stance.  Ride has a very damp feel with all their boards.  Some say it’s too damp and others really like this feel.

Powder: Not bad for a Twin.  The board wants to stay up in powder but a twin with a centered stance isn’t going to shine unless you are used to riding centered in pow.  In lighter fluffier snow the Buckwild will do just fine but if you are contending with thicker deep powder as you see along the west coast mountains of the US then it is going to take some work.

Turn Initiation– Most Flat to Rocker boards are easy but the Buckwild takes a little more effort. Short radius turns are pretty easy and rather quick for its flex but the closer the turns get to a carve the more it exposes the lack of pop out of a carving turn. Some love this feeling and others prefer something more lively like the Ride Machete.

Speed: It’s super damp which some love and some hate.  Super damp means you can take this out in almost any condition and not receive chatter even at higher speeds.   The problem with super damp for some is it takes the feel and liveliness that some prefer over super damp.

Uneven Terrain: The Buckwild has an ultra damp feel so it’s the ability to handle crappy uneven snow is really good.  Some complain that this board is almost numb underfoot.  Some love this feeling because it’s great for handling speed when conditions aren’t their best.  It’s also great for negotiating bumpy snow at slower speeds.

Weight- Kind of an in-betweener that doesn’t scream out either way.  It looks well built and sturdy though.

Edge Hold: Its edge hold is good but not great. We would prefer a little extra something that many companies add to the sidecut these days. It doesn’t have to be super aggressive but instead something between old side cuts and magnetraction.  That would make this more of an all condition ride.  As it stands now the Buckwild slipped when we came across harder snow bordering on snowment where other boards we tried that day didn’t.

Flex: This isn’t a bad board to slow down and butter.  It feels a little better than the previous models but it’s still not the best part of the Buckwild. It’s pretty stiff torsionally and makes for some work edge to edge.

Switch: True Twin =”s the same either way.  It’s meant to be ridden duck.

Rails/Jibs– Pretty fun in the jib park for a board with this flex.

Pipe: The Machete GT was a little more fun here too but it’s still not a bad board in the pipe.

Jumps:  We had a better time on the Machete GT popping of little bumps around on the mountain and in the park but it wasn’t bad at all for a flat to rocker board.  Hitting Kickers in the park is still pretty fun. It can handle kickers of any size while still being forgiving.

All in all, this is a board that will suit the rider that likes the forgiving ride of continuous rocker but wants much more stability at speed.