161 Ultimate Ride, Driver X boots, Commission Super Cartel (Cartel/Diode Combo) bindings

What a sick shred stick. It is a really good all-rounder that happens to be a darn fine snowboard no matter what terrain and conditions you choose to ride.

It's a stiffer board which manages to provide huge pop while at the same time being soft enough to work with really uneven terrain such as mogul runs or sloppy seconds resort powder. This board has felt very stable to me at all speeds, from cruising to mach 10, in cut up and uneven snow. I haven't felt the "bucky" characteristic as described by the reviewers. Back to the pop. This board can and tries to pop off of everything in sight. Sidehits, traverses, cat tracks, knuckles, lips... all it wants to do is send you further and higher than the rest. Turning isn't bad either. It is an explosive carver and encourages you to jump into your turn, load up, pop out and repeat.

For powder just add speed. Decent float for a twin-ish board and it really shines when speed or steepness increase. Zero issues with float in very deep dry Montana snow.

Good edge hold, good pop and twin characteristics make this board a traverse monster. This is never included in reviews but really important if you live anywhere with decent side-country.

While this board begs for explosive riding, I've found you don't have to be at 100% to enjoy it. It feels good while cruising but opens up into the beast it is the moment you add more energy.

****Disclaimer I haven't tested this board in a park setting. Oh well.

The ultimate ride is a lovely board, great design and interesting profile. In the review its mentioned it felt as hybrid sometimes, though it technically is a hybrid with the "quad camber" if you on the designated mounting points for the bindings, it will be very very slight rocker nose and tail, if you are a winder stance its full on camber. I have used my board up mountains in Scotland, in powder in Andorra and many times in a snow dome. If set back in pow its amazing, centered its a little more challenging. I have a 155 which i ride using either Salomon Quantum, Union Trice (North star) or Union Force binding with and either Salomon HiFi or ThirtyTwo TM-TWO boots. The board is not forgiving at all, but extremely powerful, responsive and stable. Really good in the park as well and for kickers with an amazing amount of pop. So why is it a love hate relationship...if you ride dome, the snow does not compact under your feet, soo if the snow is loose the quad camber makes the rider a little more challenging with it wanting to submarine. but i would assume the board was not designed for dome riding so cannot put this down to the board itself. in those circumstances i would change to my Salomon Assassin instead. Edge hold amazing, railing tuns amazing, pressing/buttering can be done as the nose and tail does break in a little bit...The metal bumpers are great though i have taken a knock to the rail which has caused the topsheet to delam, so not bullet proof. Bode Merrill is a great rider and this is a great board.