Never Summer Proto Synthesis

Features of the Never Summer Proto Synthesis 2021

• Shockwave Rocker Camber
• Twin Shape
• Medium Flex
• NS SuperLight Wood Core
• Bi-Lite Fiberglass
• STS Pre-Tensioned Fiberglass
• Recluse Web Carbon Layup
• RDS 2 Damping
• Elastomeric Underfoot Stabilizers
• Surasurf XT Sintered 5501 Base
• Co-Extruded Polymer Topsheet
• Vario Power Grip Sidecut
• Sintered P-Tex Sidewalls
• Low Profile Nose and Tail
• Perforated Rocker Pad
• Extended Transition Area

Sizes available:

There are plenty of sizes available in the Proto Synthesis, which is a good indication of how popular they think it will be. Like all Never Summer boards, if it has an X in the name, that means it is the wide model, which likely has a waist width of 260mm or wider to handle bigger boots. For the guys with really big boots, there are also a couple of DF or Drag Free models which have a huge waist width of 280mm of bigger, so that you can still carve hard with monster boots.

• 149cm
• 152cm
• 155cm
• 158cm
• 161cm
• 154cm x
• 157cm x
• 160cm x
• 163cm x
• 159cm df
• 162cm df

How it Rides

Board size: 155cm

Boots: Salomon Launch Boa 27.5

Bindings: Burton Cartel

This review is based me riding the 2021 Proto Synthesis, with my regular bindings set up to +12 and -9, with a stance width of around 22 inches.

I weigh 72kg/160lbs, and am 6 foot tall.

Camber Profile

Compared to the other profiles that Never Summer have, this one has longer or stretched out camber sections, for more pop and stability. I did find it quite stable for a hybrid board, and it felt like it has less rocker, or at least is toned down quite a lot.

Flex and Pop

Although any hybrid board with rocker between your feet will never be able to match the pop of a traditional camber board, as far as hybrids do this is is very good.

Comparing to the other hybrid profiles that Never Summers have, the new Shockwave camber has the most camber, as well as the longest “sections” of camber.

Being longer and more exaggerated than the others, it pushes back a bit harder, so it isn’t hard to get a good ollie from the board.

Although they rate it as only having a medium flex, to me it felt medium stiff, especially when I compared it to the Proto Slinger riding it right after.

Edge Hold

The edge hold is always very good on Never Summer boards, no matter what the hybrid profile it has they always do a very good lob. Though comparing the Shockwave camber is much better than the Original and even the Ripsaw options. It still has a smooth entry and exit to the turns, but it grips so hard and pushes you through a turn very aggressively (if you ride it hard).

It only takes a few turns to get used to it, and after a few runs I was making the hardest turns at the highest speed I had on questionable snow with no fear – it held through everything.

Float

Although I was able to ride the Proto Synthesis in some soft snow, it wasn’t deep enough to get a realistic idea of how it would float in powder.

Speed

The sintered bases of Never Summers are always decent, and I had no problem riding very fast on this board, which was a combination of the fast base and stable feel of the Shockwave profile.

Pros:

• Great hybrid profile
• Amazing edge hold
• Solid feel for a hybrid

Cons

• High price

Overall

If you have ridden a Never Summer board and liked how it felt, then this might be a good option. For me, who likes traditional camber boards much more than any hybrid – this is a very good in between step. It takes the already solid edge hold of Never Summers, and takes it up a big notch, in a board that can easily handle very quick riding.

Similar boards:

• Never Summer Proto Type Two
• Never Summer Proto Slinger