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Salomon Assassin Pro 2019-2020 Snowboard Review

UPDATE: Check out our review of the Salomon Assassin Pro Snowboard for 2020/2021 by clicking here.

  • Sizes: 150, 153, 156, 158W, 159, 162, 163W
  • Flex: 8
  • Profile: Camrock
  • Shape: Directional Twin
  • Price: £560
  • BUY ONLINE

Why we chose the Salomon Assassin Pro Snowboard: A board which more than lives up to its big all-mountain claim.

Introducing the premium version of the all-mountain ace, the Salomon Assassin, it’s the Assassin Pro. This is truly a weapon. To the untrained eye, there might be not much to distinguish between the two Assassins but the Pro is the beefy meathead brother. Its place in the Whitelines 100 is well deserved.

“Paulownia is one of the newer woods used for snowboard manufacturing, and one of its signature traits is that it is light yet strong”

Just like its namesake, the Assassin Pro also carries a camrock profile, directional twin shape and quadralized side cuts. What tells these two apart, in the main, is the core.

The Assassin Pro’s core is made out of lightweight paulownia, a core type that Salomon likes to call the Ghost Green Core. Paulownia is one of the newer woods used for snowboard manufacturing, and one of its signature traits is that it is light yet strong.

Another trait that tells the Pro apart from the standard Assassin is is the stiffer flex. The Assassin Pro has a flex rate of eight while the Assassin sits at seven. A stiffer flex provides a more responsive ride and makes it easier to connect with the board. It also offers stability while at high speeds and in the air, while allowing for quicker turns and better edge hold. This board is more aggressive than the regular Assassin so it does require more effort if you want to ride it to its full potential.

“What makes the Assassin Pro even more of an all-mountain trooper than the traditional Assassin, is the wider insert range for the bindings”

What makes the Assassin Pro even more of an all-mountain trooper than the traditional Assassin, is the wider insert range for the bindings. While the Assassin has the range possibility of 5×2, the Assassin Pro offers a 6×2 variety, and thus makes it possible to set your bindings back even further when heading out on a powder day. With the back foot being placed further back on the board you’ll avoid putting your leg through any sort of major discomfort, something which makes riding powder noticeably more pleasant.

You might be intimidated by the slightly higher price tag but trust us when we tell you that this manoeuvrable masterpiece is worth every penny. The Salomon Assassin Pro isn’t something you ought to pick out as a beginner, but the more advanced riders who are looking to take things to the next level will be in for a real treat.

Tester’s Verdict

Rhys JonesTDC Snowboarding

“This board looked like a stealth weapon! Awesome graphics which were right up my street. Cool shape. Cambered board which flattened out between the feet which makes this a super stable ride. Bit of rocker in the tip and tail making it nice and playful.

“Cambered board which flattened out between the feet which makes this a super stable ride”

Enjoyed carving on this one down the groomers. Performed long carves super smooth. Felt this board gave a real solid edge hold on hard packed snow. Fun, fast and responsive directional twin. Quite a light board. Found it nice and poppy with a mid to stiff flex which keeps you on your toes. Good for pinging off natural features. Being a higher stiffness makes this quite an aggressive all-mountain freestyle number which really makes you earn your turns. It didn’t come alive in powder like other similar boards I’d ridden but it still got the job done.

This is the sup’d up version of the Assassin. I’ve never ridden an Assassin but I’m keen to check it out after riding the Assassin Pro.

I would recommend this for the advanced intermediate freestyle riders who like a challenge in the park but want something nice and sleek to rip around the whole mountain on.”

Trade Secrets

James Fuller – Salomon Snowboards, UK

“Pimped up Assassin – same shape but stiffer, faster, lighter, more powerful. Carbon not basalt forks, Gun slinger side wall, and a ghost Green core.”

Tester’s Verdict 2018/19

Ed Leigh

“This thing is a pure weapon – a samurai sword of snowboard. I rode the regular Assassin and it was great; it handled powder and a backcountry kicker with ease. But that’s what it designed for so that shouldn’t surprise anyone.

“I thought the funky profile might be a bit squirrelly in a big pipe, but it was the opposite”

What did surprise me, though, was when I borrowed the Pro off Tim Warwood in Korea and went to ride the Olympic halfpipe. I thought the funky rocker/flat/camber profile might be a bit squirrelly in a big pipe, but it was the opposite. It’s way stiffer than the normal board, and super light, so it held an edge effortlessly.

I am anything but graceful in a pipe but I did manage to elicit a cheer from the volunteers for one particularly nice frontside air, the credit for which should go as much to board as to anything I did.”

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