Never Summer has been in the game for a long time, with a reputation for making bombproof snowboards that withstand anything you throw at them year after year. The Evo (or the Revolver for big-footed guys) is their answer to the “Do you guys make a freestyle board?” question.
I’ve been riding the Never Summer Evo since late last season and it has been my main board this season. I loved it then and love it more each time I ride it. But it was time for Dave to hop on this and he finally did so here’s our take:
2012 Never Summer Evo
First Impressions:
Leo: When I first laid eyes on this board, the awesome zombie graphics stood out. I mean, who doesn’t like zombies? The Evo felt light and the rocker camber profile was noticeable.
Dave: I own an old NS Legacy from like 2005 and it was indestructible. I also enjoyed riding the Proto CT last spring and this is supposed to be a little more playful than that, so I’ve got high hopes to see what this deck will do.
Conditions: everything but the pow.
Size: 157
Shape: Never Summer’s patented Rocker+Camber hybrid, so, camber starts just outside the inserts rocker in the middle and tips.
Bindings: Dave rode Ride Deltas and Leo rode with Rome 390 Boss
Dave’s stats: 6′, 210 lbs 25″ stance at 15/-15
Leo’s stats: 5’9″, 180 lbs, 23.5″ stance at 18/-12
Flex
Leo: The Evo is Never Summer’s freestyle focused snowboard. Originally, I gave it a 4.5/10 flex rating. The board has since broken in nicely and sits at around a 4. Torsionally flexy and stiffer in the tips.
Dave: Felt fairly soft by NS standards but this board definitely isn’t a noodle. Good amount of mid flex with slightly stiffer tips to plow the chunder as needed. Torsionally soft enough to get pretty much whatever you want out of the board. Overall definitely agree with Leo it’s a 4 out of 10.
Ollie/Pop
Leo: Carbon stringers in the tips… what do you think? Nice and satisfying pop on the Evo. Ollie or nollie, choose your weapon.
Dave: Pretty damn snappy and never had any trouble with ollies or boosting over hay bales or whatever random obstacles were around.
Jibs/Playfulness
Leo: The Evo shines in this department. It feels lively underfoot which was great on log and box jibs as you feel everything that’s going on underfoot. The soft flex makes for easy presses and butterability.
Dave: For what it’s worth I tried to bust it up on some tree bonks but the sidewalls came away unscathed. Only had a few jibs set up when I rode this board and one was really grabby that day so didn’t have the best experience in this department but I blame it on the features not the board. The Evo was good for general jibalicious buttering, stalls, stump bonks and that sort of thing hopefully I can update this if I can ride it for some park laps.
Handling
Leo: Last season, I did a lot of tree runs with the Evo. Loved it as the soft torsional flex lent to effortless edge to edge. I was able to turn on a dime. This season, I’ve taken it through some steeper terrain and was actually pleasantly surprised. Although not damp by any means, it handled well. Just don’t lay on an edge too long as it the Evo does experience chatter if you do this on steeper runs. Even on a 157, the Evo’s swing weight is a non-issue. Thank the blunted tips for that. Never Summer’s RC profile feels like a rocker until you engage an edge then the camber section takes over.
Dave: alt-camber R+C tech does a good job holding an edge even on the icy banks of the trick tube the Evo handled pretty well but it meets its match on the blue/bulletproof ice common in the midwest and northeast. As a softer board it’s not super damp, there is a lively ride to the Evo and it doesn’t favor those longer drawn-out carves and not superb at higher speeds, but no problem with quick short radius turns. Twin shape & flex so it’s your fault if you can’t ride it switch.
Pricing: $499.99 is not a shocking price in terms of Never Summer snowboards. They are American made and have a 3 year warranty which is one of the best in the industry. If you have the dough, I say it’s worth it.
Summing it up
Leo: I love the Evo for my freestyle/tree shenanigans. It’s a nice flexy, playful board that handles decently outside the realm of freestyle. But that’s not what you’re really looking for is it? You want a badass freestyle stick and the Evo is just that. I’m going to say that beginners should look away. Normally, a park board doubles as a great beginner setup. However, I can see the NS RC being a little tricky for noobs. Intermediate and above freestyle riders shred it! Works for all-mountain freestyle too with more focus on the freestyle side of the spectrum.
Dave: Despite all the hype over the Proto CT I actually preferred the Evo, something about the more traditional flex was more comfortable for me. The Evo is squarely a freestyle oriented board and although it doesn’t have to be simply a jib stick. Backed by NS’s bombproof construction it’s a serviceable all-mountain freestyle deck, too, as long as you don’t ask too much out of it. I’d also say not really for the beginners but for the intermediate+ riders who will spend a lot of time in the park but still bounces around all over the mountain.
