Construction and Materials
Under the hood, the Soul Mate is built around Amplid’s Omni core – a tried and trusted poplar wood platform that’s lively and lightweight, if a little simple compared to the honeycomb designs and paulownia blends higher up the line.
The idea throughout the Purist series is to shave a few bucks where you can without sacrificing significant performance, so alongside the poplar core the Soul Mate features an extruded base which is plenty quick enough for most and won’t need waxing regularly to stay fast.
Biax glassing helps dial in the board’s mid-level flex, with plenty of torsional feel underfoot. There are no fancy inlays on the topsheet, no fluro paint jobs, no embossed logos and no die-cut base graphic. It’s just… black. But here’s the thing. Most brands use big logos and bright colours on their entry level models while reserving the ‘stealth bomber’ look for their premium carbon-filled flagships, so the Soul Mate’s minimalist approach actually elevates – rather than cheapens – the product. It’s a genius move that inverts the age-old marketing playbook.
Of course, it helps that the finish is as flawless as we’ve come to expect from this most teutonic of board brands.
“Amplid have always been about the art of board design rather than the art of selling”
Roundup
Amplid have always been about the art of board design rather than the art of selling. Superstar team riders and big budget movies are not their thing. In a sense, then, the new Soul Mate – and the wider Purist series it sits within – is the clearest expression yet of their ‘product first’ philosophy.
The bold minimalism is a welcome departure from the majority of boards at this price point and a challenge to the accepted norm that ever-changing graphics are an essential part of the sales churn. We’re sure that it will appeal to Amplid’s existing army of fans and tempt new people into the fold – not least because above all else, it’s damned fun to ride.
Pros:
- Pedigree performance at a more accessible price
- Classy looks
Cons:
- With that directional shape, the ‘all mountain’ performance is tilted more to turns than freestyle
- Lacks a sintered base to match the stealth appearance
Tester’s Verdict
Joy Dutch – Wordsmith, Whitelines
“I’m ashamed to say I rode my first Amplid snowboard last season, I absolutely loved it and couldn’t help but think why the hell did it take me so long?? As a newly converted Amplid fan girl, I was drawn to the new Soul Mate and had almost unattainably high expectations for it. I’m happy to report that it surpassed all of them. A fantastic snowboard, especially when you factor in the price.
At first glance, it looks like it’s just a snowboard for bombing hills in a skin-tight speed suit but it’s actually a really playful and fun snowboard to ride. It was late spring so the mornings were pretty bulletproof transitioning into slush as the day warmed up and the Soul Mate was great for both, really locked in on its edges and you can really get down into carves and hold right up until the last second. I probably wouldn’t spend the day lapping the park on it, but it’s still pretty poppy and playful in the nose and tail.”
