SALOMON ASSASSIN SNOWBOARD 2013/14 REVIEW

Salomon have been making snowboards since the late 90s, so have plenty of experience when it comes to launching new products. Which means the Assassin, the latest new board to join their line, is probably going to be a big seller. It helps of course that they’ve come up with a simple formula for describing how it feels which involves combining two of their most popular models: “Villain + Sick Stick = Assassin”. But what’s really going to sell this is the fact that it’s a versatile all-mountain board that’d suit most terrain types and conditions.

At the centre of this board is a snappy, responsive core made of aspen rather than your standard poplar. Salomon have shaped this specially, milling out bits of the core so it’s thicker along the length where you need it to pop an ollie, and thinner where you don’t. They’ve also added carbon stringers which run to the tip and tail of the board, as well as bamboo rods. They call this the ‘popster eco booster’ core, and it gives the board a lot of ollie power while not weighing much at all.

There’s other tech in the Assassin too, like the ‘equalizer rad’ sidecut, which rather than being a continuous curve, is divided into sections creating extra contact points along the edge which means extra grip. The profile is a combo, but actually feels similar to regular camber – the board is reasonably solid at speed, and holds an edge nicely. One typical test report said it was “totally stable so great for cruising down runs and landing off big booters.” Our man went on to add: “The Assassin is a perfect choice for an all-mountain board for any rider with a more freestyle focus.”

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