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Gnu Banked Country 2021-2022 Snowboard Review

Tested and selected for our top 100 snowboard products of the year: the Gnu Banked Country

  • Price: £470 / €530
  • Category: All-Mountain / Freeride + Powder
  • Sizes: 151, 155, 159, 160W, 162
  • Flex: 5-7/10
  • Shape: Directional
  • Profile: Combo
  • 3D: No
  • Base: Sintered

Why we chose the Gnu Banked Country Snowboard: We’re dubbing their factory ‘The Large Hadron Collider’ because Gnu are bringing worlds together with this brand-new snowboard. Banked slalom meets backcountry, old school meets next gen, and we meet one of our favourite boards for 21/22.

The Christy-Cummins clan are an institution within the Mervin family, and in snowboarding itself, mum and dad are two of the most prolific riders of the last three decades, so it only makes sense that their son Cannon is an absolute ripper too. For 2021/22 we’re seeing some much-anticipated teamwork from the father-son duo to bring to you the brand-new Gnu Banked Country.

A resort ripping juggernaut that eats up pump tracks, laughs at skin tracks and boosts over cat tracks with aplomb. This is a high spec snowboard built for high performance riding from high octane individuals. We’d expect no less from a family that has more Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom wins than we’ve had hot dinners.

“A resort ripping juggernaut that eats up pump tracks, laughs at skin tracks and boosts over cat tracks with aplomb”

MORE INFO:
GNU.COM

Who Is The Gnu Banked Country For?

Experienced riders who are looking for something really next level for charging in-bounds but is also more than capable of giving as good as it gets when the conditions are prime. Rad dads with 20 seasons under their belt find mutual ground with their up-and-coming rippers (who are already better than them) in this all-mountain freeride steamroller.

Shape, Profile and Sidecut

Its big hooter, mellow taper and 1.5” setback do the heavy lifting when you hit the payload, keeping the nose up and out of the snow and helping to sink the tail. When the snow isn’t quite as fluffy, you’ll be thankful for the camber dominant profile bringing stability, power and control on the groomers.

As with all their offerings, the Banked Country uses Gnu’s Magne-Traction edge profile, but it’s been tricked out with the brand-new directional pro version offering extra grip and drive through the tail for really pumping and holding through your turns. Great for digging trenches, even better for eliminating wobbles and shaving off seconds when the stakes are high and you’ve got eyes on the (duct-tape) prize.

“This is a high spec snowboard built for high performance riding from high octane individuals”

Construction and Materials

While the Billy Goat is bowing out of the Gnu line for 2021/22, construction-wise the Banked Country seems to take a lot of its cues from the old fan favourite. They share the same snappy Aspen & Paulownia core, sintered base and the responsive fibreglass weave, so to a point the two boards will have a similar feel underfoot. Some snowboards talk a big game, but when you really get down to the nitty gritty, they’re all fur coat and no knickers, but suffice to say the Gnu Banked Country can back up the big talk with its aggressive profile and dominating internal layup.

The Banked Country has been hand built to the same high standards as the rest of the Gnu line, with the same eco principles guiding the inclusion of recycled materials and green manufacturing. Every snowboard has a footprint, but all Mervin products have been thoughtfully designed to limit their impact on the planet as much as possible.

“Every snowboard has a footprint, but all Mervin products have been thoughtfully designed to limit their impact on the planet as much as possible”

Roundup

We’re picking up some big Darth Maul vibes from the colour palette (or Louboutin depending on your interests outside of snowboarding) but the topsheet artwork was designed by Cannon himself, rips a snowboard and paintbrush? Some people get all the luck.

Trade Secrets

Julian Ankenbrand – Marketing Manager Europe, Mervin

“The ultimate resort shred stick for advanced rippers who constantly watch the weather and score ridiculous amounts of pow but, rip every day regardless of the conditions. Designed by legendary freestyle minded resort Billy Goater Temple Cummins and his skateboard influenced son Cannon. This fantasy father-son project is a refined high-performance ATV with one eye on float, the other eye on fly and the third eye on more Baker Banked Slalom gold duct tape. A big floaty nose, a powerful responsive construction, directional camber set back 1.5”, mild taper angle, a nice switch friendly tail and exclusive all NEW Directional Progressive Magne-Traction®. Banked Country is what you want to ride and where you want to be. ART: CANNON CUMMINS @CANNON_CUMMINS”

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