CAPiTA Mercury 2020-2021 Snowboard Review - Whitelines Snowboarding

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CAPiTA Mercury 2020-2021 Snowboard Review

  • Price: £510 / $560
  • Category: All-Mountain
  • Ability Level: Intermediate, Advanced
  • Size: 153, 155, 157, 159, 161
  • Flex: 6.5/10
  • Shape: Directional Twin
  • Profile: CamRock
  • Base: Sintered
  • BUY DIRECT FROM SURFDOME

Mercury was fabled as a Roman god, he had many names and wore many hats, but known overall for his speed, agility and versatility, like its namesake the Mercury sits in CAPiTA’s line as a veritable buffet of fun, a smorgasboard, should we say. The all-mountain charger you know and love, back to blow minds for another season. Whatever your interplanetary alignment, the CAPiTA Mercury has got a bit of something for everyone.

The Mercury might have a space age topsheet but pop the hood and you’ll see where the magic really happens, CAPiTA use their FSC Certified Panda Core. As the name suggests, the Panda Core utilises a whole buttload of bamboo, it’s a great material to use in a snowboard core thanks to its flexibility and insane strength to weight ratio. Eight Bamboo Power Rods sit inside the Mercury by the insert packs, these boost the Mercury’s rebound and give amazing snap through the edges.

“Whatever your interplanetary alignment, the CAPiTA Mercury has got a bit of something for everyone”

When you start picking up speed, which you most certainly will thanks to CAPiTA’s inclusion of their top of the line Hyperdrive Base, V-shaped flax and carbon stingers fan out from the inserts out to the tip and tail. These dampen vibrations, taking some out of flap out of the tips, and boost power directly from your bindings.

If you hit the jackpot and strike white gold on your pow mission, the rockered nose and tail glide along the snowpack and the slight set back stance shifts your weight down the board giving the nose that little extra lift. The Mercury is primed and ready to aid and abet your exploration to the white room and beyond.

Despite its penchant for powder, the Mercury has still got the chops to take a spin through the park. Its mellow rockered tips with early rise flat kick not only improve floatation, but also provide a playful zone to lock into presses and butters. The powerful midbody camber acts as a springboard, boosting ollie power and is always preloaded ready to fire.

“The Mercury is primed and ready to aid and abet your exploration to the white room and beyond”

If mercury is in retrograde and the snow is low, you’ll still get a full bag of treats, CAPiTA’s Death Grip reverses the sidecut between the bindings to give an extra point of traction. You can carve up a storm without fear of washing out, and the aggressive profile loads up the whole sidecut to engage your edges even when it’s sketchy.

Tester’s Verdictg

James Blog – Snowboard Instructor, Ultimate Snowsports

“Having been admiring the way Longo charges about on this board and making those side hits look so damn easy, this was one of the snowboards I wanted to test the most and – thankfully – it lived up to the hype.

From the outset, this board was just fun. It has a nice balanced feel to it, steady but also super snappy and responsive when you wanted it to be. I went through the park and it was solid off the jumps. On side hits, it was super confidence inspiring. It’s definitely got a ton of pop and the ‘flat kick’ profile on the nose and tail was amazing for locking in the butters too – it just sat there waiting for you to release it… so forgiving!

“I’d highly highly recommend the Mercury to more intermediate to advanced riders who like the all mountain freestyle side of things”

I’d say the flex rating of the board is pretty spot on, just really down the middle not too soft or stiff.

Riding in switch was all good, too. It’s slightly set back but, to be honest, I didn’t really notice that. It felt fine when I was popping it around between the two directions.

Again, on the piste, it seemed to strike that balance right down the middle. It was solid enough (obviously nothing like how a super stiff freeride snowboard might carve an arc), but it felt locked in most of the time and still allowed me to manipulate the flex through the waist and over the tail.

Sadly, I didn’t get to hit much powder on it. I’d imagine from the shape it would handle all the sidecountry you can throw at it, and maybe then you’d be more aware of its slightly directional outline and stance.

I’d highly highly recommend the Mercury to more intermediate to advanced riders who like the all mountain freestyle side of things. If, like me, you’re hovering between the shoe size of needing a regular or a wide, go for the wide. You’ll appreciate the extra stability for landings and those few extra degrees of tilting the edge angle on a carve!”

Tester’s Verdict 2019/20

Rhys Jones – TDC Snowboarding

“I have always liked riding Capita boards and the Mercury did not disappoint. The newest model looks good and rides good. I instantly felt comfortable on it by the end of my first run. This board has adopted the hybrid freeride camber profile with slightly directional shape. I found it gave me great control when hooning around.

“ took it through the park and it was solid off jumps and super comfortable at higher speeds”

The Mercury has a setback stance but didn’t affect my switch riding. It feels really lightweight, easy to throw around, giving you a really fun jibbing board which is great for those looking for a more tech freestyle board who want to tune in their tricks.

Plenty of snap in this board. I took it through the park and it was solid off jumps and super comfortable at higher speeds. Perfect mid flex all round ripstick! Didn’t get the chance to ride this in powder but feel it would plough happily through anything.

Think this board rates at a 6.5 flex which i would say is pretty accurate. I would highly recommend this to the more advanced intermediate riders.”

Topics:

Advanced 2020/21 All-Mountain 2020/21 Buyers Guide 2020/21 Buyers Guide 2020/21 Snowboards capita Capita Reviews 2020/21 capita snowboards Directional Twin 2020/21 Intermediate 2020/21

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