This is my review of the Capita Black Snowboard of Death.
I’m a well-seasoned snowboarder who has been working as a certified instructor in the Canadian system for the last ten years. I have years of experience trying different boards and know how to accurately judge their performance, value, and other essential traits.
The Black Snowboard of Death is a sweet all-mountain snowboard that gives you a slightly aggressive but still very versatile performance. It’s a fun option for experienced riders who want the ability to go freeriding without being limited to a single style.
In this post, I’ll dive into a full review of this snowboard to give you my opinion on how it performs on the mountain. I’ll list some of my favorite aspects as well as let you know about any potential downsides.
Let’s get after it.
Contents
Capita Black Snowboard of Death Overview
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death is an effective all-mountain board that gives you high levels of versatility and the ability to tackle nearly any condition that comes your way on the mountain.
If the name didn’t already give it away, this is a pretty aggressive board that is better suited for intermediate and advanced riders who know what they are doing on the mountain and want an option that can keep up.
A directional flex and medium-stiff flex give you high-end capabilities that will remain responsive and active in a wide range of conditions. This also helps the board achieve freeride effectiveness without being limited to off-piste situations.
I think Capita did a great job with the construction of this model. It’s very well built and designed to give you reliable performance and is durable enough to take a solid beating without any worries of damage or limited performance.
The directional shape lets the board hit top speeds quickly without any chatter or wobble. You can use the Black Snowboard of Death to bomb down steeps or cut through crud, and it will get you through anything in between as well.
I don’t think this is a very effective freestyle board, although you can have some fun with it in the halfpipe because of its high response levels and stiff flex. But it’s not as playful as most park rats will like.
The board is a ripper, that’s for sure, and this one will meet the needs of even expert-level riders who want all-mountain versatility. I like how it performs in nearly every situation other than the terrain park, and I think you will too.
Even though it gets my approval in most areas, I don’t think this is a high-value option. It’s priced really high, and while it lives up to its cost in terms of what it can do on the mountain, I think there are more affordable options out there.
Still, if you’re looking for a powerful and aggressive all-mountain option, the Black Snowboard of Death is built to conquer the mountain and will live up to even the highest standards in the snow.
Detailed Review
This board is aggressive by nature while still giving you all-mountain versatility. It’s best suited for intermediate and advanced riders who want to explore every inch of the mountain and get high performance throughout it all.
Performance
The Black Snowboard of Death can shred the mountain with the best of them. It’s a highly effective all-mountain model that delivers reliable performance in a range of different on-snow situations.
I like the board because of its aggressive nature that allows you to tackle freeride lines easily. The New Age directional shape gives you serious performance when the going gets tough, and this one can live up to the needs of demanding riders.
It also holds up really well at higher speeds, which is excellent for anyone who likes to turn up the throttle and rock. It stays stable and in control, so you can point downhill and let it rip. This also comes in handy when you are bombing freeride lines.
The board can let you explore every inch of the resort while also functioning as a potential backcountry option. A stiffer flex makes it ideal in technical terrain when you need power and response at a moment’s notice.
I don’t like how this board performs in the terrain park, and it’s just not that playful. If you are a park rat or looking for an all-mountain option with a freestyle lean, this isn’t it. It does alright in the halfpipe but will leave you lacking other than that.
This also isn’t a good choice for beginners. It can easily overwhelm any rider who doesn’t have higher-level skills, and I wouldn’t use it unless you have at least intermediate riding abilities. But if you can handle it, you’re in for a treat.
Construction
This is a well-constructed snowboard all-around, and that helps it stand out from the competition. You can expect long-lasting performance and durability from this model, which helps make up for a somewhat higher price tag.
The Black Snowboard of Death comes with an Alpine VI profile that helps make it an effective all-mountain destroyer. It features positive camber underfoot to help generate plenty of power with a zero camber section in the tail for a little extra on top.
You get flat rock sections in the tip and tail that help keep the board floaty without being overdone. It’s a solid combination and unique design that leads to the aggressive and more than capable nature this one has.
The New Age directional shape features progressive sidecuts that help expand the effective edge and give you a superior grip when you need to dig in and stay in the saddle. This makes the board easy to control without being sloppy.
It also comes with an FC Hover Core that uses lightweight woods to keep the board from being too heavy while still providing a ton of strength. The core is then supplemented with two forged carbon rods that keep things stiff and supportive.
Full ABS100 sidewalls help keep everything locked in, and these work really well with the 360-degree HRC48 steel edges to give you lasting power and control, even when conditions are hardpacked or icy.
Additional Features
The Black Snowboard of Death comes with a handful of fantastic features that add value and increase performance. Capita did a great job with the extras on this model, and it’s another way this one stands out.
It comes with an Amplitech V-Tech Amplifier laminate layer that utilizes a blend of flax fiber and carbon. This super-strong construction material helps keep the board rigid and aggressive even after seasons of regular use.
A carbon fleece Power Shield helps increase stability in the underfoot region and gives you a little extra oomph, which translates into additional power. This is an awesome feature for demanding riders who like to get everything out of a board.
A Hyperdrive base is another unique offering from Capita. This is a sintered base that offers high levels of durability thanks to a high-density polyethylene material. This base is also super fast and holds wax well.
The board also comes a Moonshot Pro Tune right out of the factory. This factory tune uses a base material designed for racers, and it moves water efficiently away from the board to add another increase in speed.
Value
The Black Snowboard of Death has a lot to offer for aggressive riders who want to take on the mountain. But all of the versatility and high-performance capabilities that it has comes with a hefty price.
Overall it’s a quality board, but I can’t give it a great value ranking because of its high price. I think there are other similar options out there that deliver equal levels of performance and will cost you significantly less.
It still makes for a decent value because of the solid construction, which adds durability and lasting performance. This board will hold up well over time, making it a quality investment if you don’t mind the original sticker price.
It’s not a good value for anyone on a budget or beginner riders. It’s too stiff and aggressive to be a board you can go from beginner to intermediate with. And it’s too expensive to meet the needs of any rider looking to save cash.
The Alternatives
There are some other solid all-mountain snowboards out there if you want to look into alternatives to the Capita Black Snowboard of Death. All of the models below are recommended.
The Skeleton Key is a quality option from one of the most well-known brands in the business. It will give you versatile all-mountain performance and is a little more forgiving to allow you to venture into freestyle situations.
The board comes with a freeride directional shape that will let you venture off-piste and does a solid job of floating through powder. This one doesn’t look like a freestyle board, but it does pretty well in the terrain park.
==> Read our detailed review of Burton Skeleton Key to learn more.
This is one of my favorite all-mountain snowboards, and I recommend it to other riders all the time. It’s a very fun and capable snowboard that over deliveries in nearly every on-snow situation.
The Skunk Ape has a medium-stiff flex that is versatile while still generating plenty of power and a directional twin shape that gives you a fun and playful experience in a variety of conditions,
The Mind Expander can very literally expand your mind. This board can do it all and delivers excellent all-mountain performance that riders of many styles can quickly get used to. It is responsive, fun, powerful, and a perfect companion wherever you want to ride.
My Verdict
The Capita Black Snowboard of Death is a well-constructed snowboard that makes for a competent all-mountain option. It’s best for aggressive riders with experience on the hill, and even though it has a high price, it delivers all over the mountain.
About Lorraine