Mike Hardaker Testing Weston Backwoods Splitboard on Teton Pass | Photo Mountain Weekly News
The Weston Backwoods Splitboard was the one board the surprised me the most on snow. At first, I looked at the shape and thought it was very powder specific niche type snowboard. Most likely made for the guy that can afford a quiver of splitboards. But for the rest of us, where would a board like this fit in?
Weston Backwoods Shape
The Weston Backwoods Splitboard sort of fell to the back burner in our test, that has all changed for the better.
Weston has been making huge moves as of late really impressing us by winning our editor’s choice award for their Weston Big Cheif Splitboard and most recently making our annual list of the best splitboards of the year with the Range Splitboard.
My goto splitboard this season has been the Weston Backwoods Splitboard and here’s why. Where the Weston Backwoods Splitboard truly excels is with its shape defining attributes. This is a surfboard made for snow with one of the largest spoon noses out there. With an 18mm taper design, and a directional shape that is even setback you know the board is going to offer a ton of float.
Quick shot of me riding the Weston Backwoods in British Columbia earlier this winter:
The Weston Backwoods is incredibly easy to rock from edge to edge giving the board a true surf-like feel. I use that term a lot, I know I’m a surfer first snowboarder second, for surfers – if you Surf the Weston Backwoods it performs the way a sporty 6″5 would surf. What that correlates to in snowboarding is this splitboard being able to handle everything from deep snow to steeper lines and even firmers snow conditions. Everything but the park…
What’s most surprising about this shape and design is the board’s ability to make lightning-fast turns and adjustments on the fly. Thanks to the mix of polar and bamboo this board offers really nice rebound when flexed coming in with a flex rating of 7 out of 10. So although it’s more of a big mountain powder board it keeps its fun playful feeling on the ride down. There are times where I feel the Weston Backwoods popping in the air from turn to turn riding the way a much smaller snowboard would perform. Especially for a beast of a 163 snowboard.
Touring
Weston, are you reading this? You guys should start making skins or perhaps look into a brand that is making tapered skins for such a board profile. The entire splitboard/snowboard industry is falling terribly behind the ski touring crowd. Skins should not be failing, however with this profile when the skins failed toward the end of long days they would always from the nose.
As much fun as this shape is, it’s a little heavier and clunkier on the skin track. I was riding this board with the Union Expedition Bindings which performed well but added even more weight. However, even when touring with Spark R&D’s Arc Pros on the Weston Backwoods at the end of the day you could tell by how tired your body was that you were lugging a little bit of extra weight around in the backcountry.
Do you like to split ski? With the little bigger board and a major rise in the nose, the Weston Backwoods Split seems to be a bit easier to ski and whole lot more fun especially if you like telemark turns on powder faces.
Weston Backwoods Splitboard Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Excellent float in deep snow
- Surf-like feel for quick adjustments
- Ideal for big mountain powder
Cons:
- Heavier and clunkier on skin track
- Difficult to find due to popularity
- Not suitable for terrain park
Overall Impression
Buy one if you can. The Weston Backwoods Splitboard ($899) is available in 5 sizes; 152, 157, 160, 163 and a 167. The only problem is these boards are already sold out from Weston. Weston, a smaller up and coming Colorado company is making boards that are truly working especially for splitboarding and shredding in the backcountry. Kudos Weston, the Backwoods Splitboard is now my daily driver.
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I think I’ve narrowed my choices down between this board and a Taka. Love surfy feel on pow and ski a lot of trees here in Colorado. This board seems like it could be a bit more versatile as far as conditions and some bigger spring lines though. Love the price I can get on a Taka with skins and looks to be a lighter board for touring as well. Decisions… decisions…
What’s your height and weight on this board? I’m 6’1″ 190# and am torn between the 160 and 163. I ride a 160W resort board, but often miss my 157 for the trees.
Justin,
I’m 5’11 150lbs. The board is surprisingly quick in the trees. I would opt for the 163.
Mike
I’ve been riding a Backwoods for two seasons now and I’ve been thinking exactly the same things…”this board has a really surfy feel”, and “I expected it to be a pow-specific board, but it has become my daily driver for “nose first” riding. I’m not sure about the flex factor, but the fun factor is 10/10.
Nose first riding!!! Thanks for the comment. Weston is onto something here.
Well written Mike! The skin game is definitely a conversation 😉
Thanks Sean. Did you see Volkl is making tapered skins for their skis? We are getting much closer. Or someone just steps up and makes a hey your skins won’t stick anymore put this on and enjoy the rest of the day, a spray, tape who knows. My touring partner is 70 and duck tapes his skins to start the day…
If this split is anything like their resort version, I’d completely agree.
I had already bought a split at the beginning of this season from a much larger international company. That board proved to me that I had outgrown my resort board, so I sought a smaller company to support. Weston turned out to be that company and the Backwoods turned out to be that board. I even went longer (167cm) than the resort board that I was replacing (163cm), but the Backwoods is significantly more responsive through tight trees and the steeps that the old board, yet floats through the pow with ease (unlike the old board). A truly fantastic all-mountain board.
My only disappointment when I unwrapped it was to find that the board was made in China. Although they don’t overtly market as a Made in the USA brand, they sure push the small community vibe in their branding when it turns out that their boards are made in the same overseas factories as all of the other brands. Would that have changed my purchase decision? Perhaps not, but it would have been good to know it going in, then I could decide whether or not I wanted to pay the premium for a US-made board. Considering this, I am surprised that they are sold out across their board lines so early in the season; it would make more sense if they manufactured in-house.
But none of that matters once the nose is pointed downhill. The Backwoods shreds!
Nunya,
Thanks for the comment, I too was surprised when Weston boards were being made in China. I believe they originally were being made in the tiny old mining town of Minturn Colorado and then onto Denver. We wish all boards were being made in the good ole USA or at least for brands based in the United States. However, from a business standpoint, the production cost is much less in China. Keep in mind all the outwear we use and review from Patagonia, TNF etc is all made overseas too…
That’s so killer you sized up and still noticed the quick response the board offered. Trees huh are you in Colorado 🙂 the Last sentence is amazing, I may use this in the future: “But none of that matters once the nose is pointed downhill. The Backwoods shreds!” indeed.
Last but not least there are some very niche high-end boards coming out of China too, although most believe they are being made by custom shapers… More on this to follow
Curious to know what you would recommend for sizing. I’m 5’7 and about 145 lbs. I currently ride a Never Summer Insta/gator (152) for powder days at resorts. Would you recommend sticking with the same size for this board or jumping up to the 157? Thanks!
Brent,
What is the largest board you have ridden? That might be a noticeable jump in size.