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Salomon Assassin Pro 2019 Review by The Good Ride

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The Salomon Assassin Pro has the same shape as the Assassin but it’s made with different materials and instead of 5×2 inserts per binding, it has 6×2 making it better for setting it back more in powder. The Assassin Pro doesn’t like uneven snow as much as the Assassin but the trade-off is a poppier dynamic feel underfoot. The Assasin Pro is the better board for those looking for a one board quiver type of ride and the Assassin is more for the person who usually just rides centered and often sees more uneven snow.

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:  159
Days:  5+
Conditions:
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs), Peter (Size 8, 5’11” 185lbs), Grant (Size 11 6’ 160lbs)
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV, Burton SLX
Insoles: Sandsole Custom Insoles,  Footprint Insole Technology Gameghangers Low Profile
Bindings: Union Atlas, Union Superpro, Burton Genesis, Burton Genesis X, Salomon Hologram, Salomon District
Set Up: 22.5” Centered 15 front -15 back and set all the way back  22.5″ 18 front -9 back.

Approximate Weight: Feels on the lighter side of normal.

Flex/Buttering:  Feels about the same flex as the Assassin but it feels like it is a touch stiffer. Maybe a better way to describe it is when it flexes it feels like there is more tension the further you go and it snaps back harder than the Assassin. Both can butter well but both aren’t super easy.

Sizing: The 159 felt just right for my 5’10” frame, size 9 boot and 185-190lbs when I was riding it.

On Snow Feel: The Salomon Assassin Pro has that nice stable feeling that is almost in the middle when it comes to the board’s personality.  It’s a little on the side of being more locked in for a hybrid camber board like this but it’s nothing like the consequence that comes from a full camber ride. It is very easy to one foot off the chair or flat base down a long flat cat track.  It has a pretty predictable personality underfoot because of that camber profile and it feels like it likes going big but still isn’t going to be unforgiving if you want to play it mellow…well in most conditions.

Edge Hold: The grip with the Assassin Pro and Assassin are both equally strong and can almost hang in icy snow but really shines in the hard snow that many are forced to ride in.

Turn Initiation: Nice and quick but not too quick.  There is a nice balance between stability for a straight line and getting it edge to edge when you need it.

Turning Experience:  Fun springy ride underfoot and it feels like it has more spring in the camber than the Assassin. It is a fun board for those who love to turn but want their board to be pretty well rounded.

Carving:  The Salomon Assassin Pro carves very well and it has a little more spring than you would think for not having a massive bow of camber underfoot.

Skidded Turns: Very doable but not ideal for the beginner or even some intermediates but most intermediates should be fine skidding out with this.

Speed: So the Salomon Assassin Pro is a touch board to describe.  It can bomb but it likes to bomb in really good conditions.  I think if the groomers are perfect the Assasin Pro will be faster but if the Groomers are a little messy the Assassin is the better call.

Uneven Terrain:  So weaving in and out of bumps is fine because the Assassin Pro can turn quickly but when dealing with micro bumps and messy groomers are hard on the body.  It just doesn’t seem to be made for all-day resort riders.  If you like going out in the mornings when it is pristine and then going home before lunch this works.  But if you are in tracked up snow of any kind the Assassin Pro get’s pretty angry and tries to hurt your joints.

Powder: So here is where the Salomon Assassin Pro takes directional/set back powder riding a step further than the Assassin. The shape and camber profile is the same but set all the way back with a 22.5″ stance width you can get almost 3.5″ back on board.  That’s about 1.5″ further back on board than the Assassin.

Switch: Almost a true twin from tip to tail but a true twin on sidecut so it goes really well either direction when centered up.

Jumps: There is so much pop in this board for the camber it has.  If you are ok with a board that gets pretty cranky in uneven snow you do get more pop in exchange.  You can go pretty big here.

Jibbing:  Not really the kind of board we would like to jib with.

Pipe: The Salomon Assassin Pro has a lot of things we like in a pipe ride.  Confident grip, nice wall to wall drive and a somewhat forgiving quicker turning board that doesn’t feel loose between the feet.

So it really comes down to what is more important to you with the Assassin Pro.  Is setting it back further in powder and really dynamic pop worth the sacrifice of poor uneven terrain performance? If so then the Assassin Pro might be the call.

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