Capita Defenders of Awesome Review

This is my review of the Capita Defenders of Awesome snowboard. 

I’m a certified snowboarding instructor with years of experience on the mountain. I’ve ridden on the Defenders of Awesome board and know how it performs in a range of different conditions and situations. 

This is a quality snowboard that gives you effective all-mountain performance and the ability to play in the park. It has a solid construction and approachable price that earn it high marks all around. 

I’ll dive into the details and explain everything I know and have learned about this board in this post. I’ll show you how it performs in different conditions, who it’s best for, and some areas that need improvement. 

Let’s get to it. 

Capita Defenders of Awesome Overview

The Capita Defenders of Awesome is a fun and effective all-mountain snowboard that will give riders plenty of versatile performance while also holding its own in the terrain park. It’s a quality board in many ways and is recommended. 

I like this board because of how approachable it is to ride while still being aggressive enough to handle just about anything that comes your way on the mountain. That’s what many riders want out of an all-mountain board, and this one holds up well.

All-mountain versatility is made possible by a medium flex that gives you a perfect blend of play and power. You can easily cruise in more technical terrain with this model strapped on and then slip into the terrain park for a solid session of going huge. 

It’s also a board that can work for just about any ability level of rider. Beginners can take advantage of the twin shape and playful nature to help them progress to the next level. Intermediate riders will appreciate aggressive versatility without being too stiff. 

It’s not the best option for riding at really high speeds, and you might start to experience a bit of chatter when you want to go full throttle. But that is made up for by decent performance attributes that can keep you satisfied and happy nearly anywhere on the mountain. 

The Defenders of Awesome features extremely solid construction that gives you reliable performance while still showcasing playful versatility. There are several unique key features, and I’ll explain those in depth in the sections below. 

I think this board will stand out for riders who love freestyle lines but don’t want to be limited to a single style. It’s really fun to ride all over the place and can hold its own in the terrain park. It’s also an excellent option to help you become a better rider. 

The twin shape helps cater towards freestyle riding but also makes it fun to ride in powder. You don’t get much camber for freeride situations, but it will do well in just about any other type of riding. 

On top of all the fun all-mountain and freestyle performance this model has to offer, it also comes in at quite a reasonable price. I’ve given it a solid value ranking for that and think it will fit into most people’s budgets. 

Detailed Review

This is a fun and versatile all-mountain snowboard that has a playful nature without compromising technical performance. It has excellent freestyle capabilities and comes with an approachable price tag as well. 

Performance 

The Defenders of Awesome lives up to its name and really does keep the stoke factor high. It’s a very fun snowboard to ride, no matter what style you prefer, and can work as an option for nearly every type of rider. 

This is an all-mountain board at heart, so you can expect effective versatility that will have your back no matter where you want to ride. It’s a good option for beginner and intermediate riders who want to roam all over the place. 

I think it performs at its best as a versatile freestyle option. A twin shape and medium flex make it very comfortable in the terrain park or up in the air. Riding switch is a breeze, and you can huck big airs or hit the halfpipe with ease. 

It’s relatively aggressive for a medium-stiff twin tipped board. That allows it to be capable in some technical terrain. I wouldn’t quite recommend it as a freeride option, but you can push your limits and expect decent results. 

It does lack a little stability at higher speeds. While I didn’t notice an extreme amount of chatter, I think larger riders will probably struggle with that when they want to cruise on groomers or hardpack. 

Overall, this board is more than capable and performs well all over the mountain. Expert riders who don’t like to spend time in the park might be disappointed, but everyone else should find it a solid choice. 

Construction

I’m a fan of Capita snowboards in general because they consistently deliver in terms of quality construction. The Defenders of Awesome lives up to that reputation and comes with excellent materials and a design that highlights its performance. 

The board has a V1 Resort Profile that adds to its more than capable all-mountain performance. You get a solid blend of camber underfoot for a bit of aggressiveness with a rockered tip and tail to help you in the park and powder. 

The twin shape puts the board’s freestyle capabilities on full display, and it also comes with a twin flex that allows you to ride switch with ease. You can tell that a park rat working for Capita probably designed this one. 

A blended radial sidecut is another excellent construction feature. This helps the board adapt to your riding style and was built to enhance versatility. You benefit from variable contact points that change depending on how you are riding. 

A Dual Blaster V2 core sits are the heart of the board and gives you responsive flex while keeping the weight down. This core is made from poplar and Paulownia wood. It’s a solid combination that keeps the board strong while still being flexible. 

Additional Features

The Defenders of Awesome also has a few features that add to its versatility, value, and performance. Like I mentioned above, Capita has always been an innovator in design and construction, and this model represents much of that. 

Fortress Kevlar sidewalls are one of my favorite features here. Kevlar is the same material used in bulletproof vests, which effectively makes the snowboard extremely strong and durable. This material connects the sidewalls to the core for nearly indestructible performance. 

You also get a Quantum Drive base that is durable, fast, and effective. It’s made with a unique blend of polyethylene that is a special brand formulation. The result is a base that holds its wax to give you exceptional speed and durability. 

The laminate construction is also innovative and unique. They include carbon fiber boosters built into the layers of the board to help generate power without adding much weight. A blend of biaxial fiberglass keeps torsional strength solid as well. 

Another feature worth mentioning here is the Magic Bean resin used in the construction of the board. This eco-friendly material does a great job of adding strength and durability while also being better for the environment. 

Value

The Defenders of Awesome is indeed an awesome snowboard, and I would recommend it to many different types of riders. It makes for a great value because of its well-rounded capabilities and approachable price. 

I think the board makes a fantastic value for beginner and intermediate riders who want the benefit of all-mountain performance while still effectively hitting the park whenever they want to. 

More experienced riders who tend to explore technical terrain or want freeride performance might be left wanting more, so it’s not as good of a value in these situations. The chatter at high speeds and twin shape limit some performance here. 

Still, the board has a very approachable price that could work well for nearly all riders. It sits right in the middle ground of quality all-mountain options, and I think it outperforms its price by a long shot. 

The Alternatives

Even though the Capita Defenders of Awesome is a great snowboard, many other models are out there to explore. Check out some of these recommended alternatives if you want to shop around for the best model for your riding style or preferences.

1. Arbor Element

This is another fun board to ride that comes in at a low price. It will give you effective all-mountain performance that many different riders can take advantage of and is a model that will encourage progress on the mountain. 

The System Camber profile gives you a good blend of power and response and encourages versatility in different situations. This isn’t an aggressive expert-level option but is suitable for beginners and intermediate riders. 

==> Read our detailed Arbor Element review to learn more.

2. Never Summer West Bound

The West Bound is a more aggressive all-mountain board recommended for experienced riders who like to rip. This one will give you effective performance all over the place while allowing you to explore off-piste and backcountry lines along the way. 

It comes with a fusion rocker camber that gives you plenty of pop and response underfoot to generate power. It also has enough rocker to keep you afloat when you ride in deep powder. 

==> Read our detailed Never Summer West Bound review for more.

3. Ride Machete

If you are looking for even better freestyle performance out of snowboard, check out the Ride Machete. This one fully caters to riders who like to spend most of their days in the park or hucking other freestyle lines. 

It comes with a quadratic sidecut that helps improve turning ability while also providing a ton of edge control. The twin hybrid rocker profile is ideal in the terrain park and for playing around the rest of the mountain. 

==> Read our detailed Ride Machete review to learn more.

My Verdict

The Capita Defenders of Awesome is a solid choice for an all-mountain snowboard that delivers excellent freestyle performance. It makes for a great value thanks to its affordable price and is really fun to ride just about anywhere you want to take it.

I'm a certified snowboard instructor. My first experience with snowboarding occurred at an indoor resort. One run had me hooked, and it has turned into a lifelong passion ever since then. I'm here to share with you some of the tips and advice I have learned along the way.