We take a deep look at the new pro-model snowboard from the mind of Torstein Horgmo and CAPiTA Snowboards – The Matriarch.
“A jack of all trades, and a master of…all.”
Built with Torstein Horgmo, the CAPiTA Matriarch is a wicked juxtaposition that pits all-terrain versatility with high-end precision and performance. A jack of all trades, and a master of…all.
You’re a serious rider looking for a snowboard that can deliver high-end performance regardless of terrain or conditions. You don’t have to be winning Olympic medals ability-wise, but you certainly need to be confident and experienced enough to handle this turbocharger; this ain’t my little pony- it’s a prime-grade rodeo horse looking to buck and chuck.
The all-new Matriarch dropkicks all notions of set terrain or riding style right in the ‘nads and delivers all-terrain awesomeness by the bagful. This is thanks to the clever blend of shaping theory and an all-access pass to CAPiTA’s box of tricks. Power, precision and reactivity are so important when you’re riding technical terrain, and the elevated camber profile brings the stability that you need when charging on hardpack and the dynamism and energy you want when you’re threading lines in gnarlier conditions.
A 4mm taper from nose to tail decreases the surface area in the rear of the snowboard, helping it to sink in deeper snow and in turn lifting the nose up and out so you can skim along the surface way easier. Add this to the 0.8” setback, which further increases the volume up front and shifts your weight towards your trailing foot, allowing you to pump and drive from the back leg for über-powerful turns.
“Having this stiffer nose means you can blast through chop and slop…”
So the silhouette and design of the Matriarch give it a tonne of aggressive rideability, but it’s the insane internal makeup that really allows for instant response when it matters most. The boffins at CAPiTA HQ have brought out an all-new core for the Matriarch that blends a lightweight feel with punchy carbon and a tri-wood blend for increased control and stability when cranking the dial and charging.
The nose is reinforced with Fairmat carbon strips, running lengthwise from the insert pack out to the tip. These additives are beefy in the sense that they pack a punch, but they’re also super lightweight so they won’t be dragging it down. Having this stiffer nose means you can blast through chop and slop, charging through undulating and sketchy terrain without bucking around. Carbon additives are also woven into the fibreglass layer, both reducing weight and allowing for pinpoint accuracy and precision when channelling rider input.
Let’s be real, you’re probably not gonna be jibbing around doing flatland butters on this badboy (unless you manage to snag some fresh powder, and that is a completely different story…), but for throwing tweaked grabs off lofty pillow drops, hucking natural features in the backcountry, charging on the hardpack or just basking in the glory of always beating all your mates to the bottom, it’s versatility on tap. Fair warning though: ride it, or it’ll ride you.
“This is a very fun all-mountain freeride board for the aggressive rider looking to tackle the whole mountain. Stiff and full cambered with tons of edge grip, yet it remains light, nimble and exceptionally snappy. You get out what you put in with this board, and if you push past the flex, it offers snap, manoeuvrability and loads of stability at speed!”
“Full-speed precision. It’s poppy, responsive, and likes to be pushed but not too stiff that it’s too hard to control. A really fun snowboard if you’re ready for it”
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