- Price: £325 / €350 / $370
- Category: All-Mountain
- Ability Level: Beginner, Intermediate
- Size: 149M, 152L, 152M, 156L, 156W, 159L, 159W, 162W, 165W
- Flex: 6/10
- Shape: True Twin
- Profile: CamRock
It’s only been around for three seasons now, but Nidecker’s Merc has already become a board that the beginner buyer shouldn’t look past, especially if they’re in the market to rise through the ranks and get their teeth into some big piste, and even powder action, before their season is through. Even more so, when you pull out your microscope and look a little closer at the price tag.
Coming in at a frankly ridiculously decent £325, Nidecker make a real strong argument for this being the best-value all-mountain option for the straight-out-of-snow-school stick seeker. The Swiss legends haven’t held back with the construction of this board, using their Premium Sandwich approach to stuff it full of advanced materials, like carbon, to go big on durability and knee-friendly shock absorption.
“Nidecker make a real strong argument for this being the best-value all-mountain option for the straight-out-of-snow-school stick seeker”
The price isn’t the only small feature that delivers big, though – the almost negligible 1cm difference between the nose and the tail comes through with a great level of drive but, importantly for the newbie with their sights on ticking off a few entry-level freestyle tricks, makes riding switch a real breeze, too.
When it comes to feel, most notable is just how lightweight this thing is – a stand-out feature that’s helped massively by the use of Nidecker’s extra durable but weight-stripping Master Core combination of wood densities in its construction. The mellow flex and profile will cover up a multitude of sins and mishaps, helping even the most accident-prone beginner reduce the amount of post-bail snow they’ll be picking out of their neckline.
That’s not to say it’s going to totally mother and smother you on your way down your line – there’s enough response in here to really open up through the turns, and help that hungry-for-it beginner take steps towards the Nirvana-like feeling of the perfect carve or powder slash.
