Salomon Assassin Review

This is my review of the Salomon Assassin snowboard. 

I’m a lifelong snowboarder who has spent the last ten years working as an instructor in the Canadian system (CASI). I’ve ridden on many different boards and know how to tell a high-quality option from the average model. 

The Salomon Assasin is a decent all-mountain snowboard best suited for beginner to intermediate riders who want to explore different styles and terrains. It’s too soft for serious or technical terrain but is well built and a good value. 

In this post, I’ll provide you with an in-depth review of this board to give you an idea of how it performs on the mountain. The goal is to help you make an informed purchasing decision to match your preferences or needs as a rider. 

Let’s get started. 

Salomon Assassin Overview

The Salomon Assassin is a moderately priced all-mountain snowboard that also comes with moderate capabilities. It’s not a bad board by any means but will fall short of meeting the needs of more experienced riders. 

If you are a beginner or intermediate rider looking for an all-mountain option that will let you explore the mountain, it can be a good option. It’s capable of helping you progress by giving you versatile performance characteristics. 

I think the board is a little soft to be effective for advanced riders, and this increased flexibility makes it less stable at higher speeds. You can expect some chatter if you want to go fast, which will increase if you are a larger rider. 

As long as you know what you are getting into and want a softer model, the Assassin can be a great option. It has a strong design and excellent construction that make it very durable and can withstand the rigors of heavy use. 

It has a directional twin shape that is ideal for all-mountain purposes. This lets you dive into anything that comes your way on the mountain, from the park to decent amounts of powder. You can also start exploring riding switch along the way.

It’s a fun and approachable board to ride. It’s not too aggressive and will give you a playful and forgiving experience. This is nice for freestyle situations because you’ll get a little extra pop and flex when working on new moves in the park. 

Outside of the park, the Assassin is capable, but I don’t think it’s quite a do-it-all destroyer. The same playful nature that makes it fun for freestyle poses limitations when you want to go down a steep run or need to make a technical maneuver. 

It’s a decent snowboard overall. It’s just not a great option with performance in mind. I wouldn’t recommend it to expert-level riders, and I don’t think I’d choose this model for my personal use because I like a stiffer all-mountain option. 

Still, it’s a good value and comes in at an affordable price. That can make it worth considering if you are on a budget or like an all-mountain option with added flex.

Detailed Review

The Salomon Assassin is an average all-mountain snowboard with an affordable price. It will give you decent performance all-around but is too soft for experienced riders to consider as a daily driver. 

Performance

The Assassin is built to be an all-mountain board that provides riders with versatility in a broad range of conditions and terrains. I would classify it as an all-mountain resort board for beginner and intermediate riders.

With a softer flex, I think the board does better for anyone who likes to spend a lot of time in the terrain park or pursuing other freestyle situations. It has a good response, and the flex makes it poppy when you want to hit a feature or take it to the air. 

I don’t like how it performs in the halfpipe, but it can hold its own on nearly every other aspect of the park. The softer flex makes it ideal for butters and presses, and it’s also pretty lightweight, which can help with spins and other aerials.

I think the Assassin does best on intermediate terrain where things aren’t very technical outside of the park. It can handle blues all over the resort and be a fun option for cruising groomers when the snow isn’t perfect. 

It’s also pretty fun in powder, and you can expect a decent amount of float. It has plenty of rocker in the tip and tail to keep you on top of the snow, and the directional shape allows you to make long sweeping turns when the snow stacks up. 

I don’t like the Assassin in steep, freeride situations. It just isn’t built for it, and I think it lacks power and response, which can hold you back. I wouldn’t take this one off-piste, and it’s much better left to the front side of the resort.   

Construction

Salomon did a solid job with the construction and design of the Assassin. Being a more prominent brand, they can utilize quality materials that help with performance while also keeping the price down. This board is well built and does a good job for its intended niche. 

The Assassin comes with a Rock Out camber that allows for a solid all-mountain experience. It’s somewhat unique in that it has a flat profile shape in the middle of the board – this helps with stability and is suitable for beginners. 

You get camber underfoot to help generate pop in the park while also helping with response. The tip and tail are pretty heavily rockered, which allows you to stay on top of the snow or have some fun in the terrain park. 

A directional twin shape is another solid feature for both all-mountain and freestyle situations. The board also has a quadralizer sidecut design that helps increase turning ability while providing increased edge control. It’s a helpful feature that I like quite a bit. 

The board’s core is lightweight and strong, thanks to a blend of aspen wood and bamboo rods. This keeps everything nice and flexible without compromising strength. The bamboo rods are used as a Popster Eco Booster that does an excellent job of increasing pop. 

The Assassin also comes with an all-mountain edge bevel that helps give the board versatile capabilities and effective control across changing conditions. This factory-tuned edge gives you a blend of 1 and 2-degree beveling for a grippy experience.  

Additional Features

This board isn’t packed full of additional features, and that’s part of the reason why the price remains very affordable. Still, Salomon does throw in a few extras that are worth mentioning. 

The Assassin comes with an ABC Wrapper laminate that incorporates thin layers of bamboo with fiberglass to reduce the amount of resin used in construction. This is an excellent eco-friendly nod that also heightens performance. 

Royal cork rails are another nice touch that helps to add durability and long-lasting performance. These rails help protect the board’s edges from damage while also increasing the board’s stability at higher speeds. 

A sintered EG base is very fast and easy to maintain. It comes ready to ride straight from the factory, and you can anticipate excellent performance and wax retention without the need for another tuneup for quite a while. 

Salomon also includes a fine stone finish, which keeps the board in excellent shape and focuses on increased control and float in powder. It’s a subtle thing, but another nice design feature.  

Value 

The Assassin does get a high value ranking because it comes with a very affordable price while providing solid all-mountain performance. It’s not my pick for the best all-mountain snowboard by any means, but it’s hard to deny a good deal when you see one.

This board is a good value for beginner and intermediate riders looking for a capable all-mountain option that can help them grow. That’s especially true if you like freestyle riding because of the softer flex. 

I don’t think it’s a good value for experienced riders because it simply doesn’t have the power and response to live up to demanding riding styles. The price may be enticing, but I’d hold back for a different all-mountain option.

Overall, it’s not a bad board. I just don’t think it’s a model that delivers outstanding performance levels. The price is right, but that shouldn’t always be the only factor you consider. 

The Alternatives

Here are some recommended alternatives to the Salmon Assassin that are all high-quality and worth exploring. 

1. Rossignol One

The Rossignol One is another all-mountain board with a very affordable price. I think this model gives you better all-around performance than the Assassin and is best suited to intermediate riders who like to explore. 

The board has a RadCut sidecut that gives you excellent edge control and turning ability. It also has Aramid construction that is super strong and durable to deliver lasting performance all over the mountain. 

==> Read our detailed Rossignol One review for more.

2. Burton Custom Flying V

The Custom Flying V is another recommended all-mountain board that will give you serious performance and response through changing conditions. It has a Flying V profile that is playful but powerful and makes it a blast to ride. 

The board also comes with a directional shape that is ideal for all-mountain situations and a twin flex that allows you to ride switch with ease. This is a solid option from one of the best brands in the game. 

==> Read our detailed Burton Custom Flying V review to learn more.

3. Lib Tech T. Rice Pro

This is one of the best all-mountain boards for experienced riders and sits on the opposite end of the performance spectrum as the Assassin. The T. Rice Pro is an absolute ripper that can easily crush freeride lines and let you explore anywhere you can reach. 

==> Read our detailed Lib Tech T. Rice Pro review for more.

My Verdict

The Salomon Assassin is an approachable all-mountain snowboard that will give you decent performance in various conditions. It’s not a good option for experienced riders, but beginners and intermediates will like what it can do and love its affordable price.

About Lorraine
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.

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