Question – Hey, I am an intermediate rider and have been looking at getting a new board for this season. I have an old board that I think is a rocker. So far I have narrowed it down to the Burton Custom or the Burton Process, and I want a board that is going to be fun to ride everywhere, and I do want to start riding in the park and learning some tricks. Which one do you think would be better?
*updated with current board graphics*
Quick overview
These are probably the two most popular mens Burton snowboards, so because of that there are couple of versions of each of them. Below are the details of the 4 options. For both of these boards, they share the graphics on both the camber and Flying-V versions of the board.
The Burton Custom is a super well known board, which has hardly changed over the years. They got the design right then, which still works just as well as ever. When people are talking about the Burton Custom, I would assume that they are talking about the regular or classic camber version.
There are plenty of positives for regular camber board (of any brand, not just Burton). Camber gives you a very stable feel when you are riding fast, it has better edge hold on ice, and a lot of pop, or spring.
The downsides are that overall, camber boards have a “catchier” feel, which means that they don’t suit beginners as well, as they aren’t as forgiving.
To make the Custom a more attractive option to all different levels or riders, Burton also have a Flying V version of the Custom. This hybrid profile has a rocker section between your feet, with camber sections under your feet, and rocker on the nose and tail.
Overall this gives the board a looser overall feel, while the camber sections bring back some of the pop and edge hold that the rocker removed.
Both versions of the Custom have the same construction, features and look, the price stays the same, the only thing that changes is the profile.
In the past there were a ton of different versions of the Custom, but they have been refined down quite a lot now, making it all a bit simpler.
Although this has camber in the name, the profile of this is a bit different than a regular or traditional camber profile.
Burton call this profile “PurePop”. Overall it is a camber profile, but there are flat sections at the contact points, or the ends of the board. These flat sections give the board a bit more forgiveness, and tones down the overall feel that you would get if it was a full camber board.
What this means is that the board will still have good spring or “pop”, but it means that you won’t have to have perfect form all the time. Compared to full camber, you are less likely to catch an edge on this profile.
Just like the Custom with this profile, the Flying V version of the Process is much looser overall, with a lot more forgiveness.
Both versions of the Process have the same construction and features, same price, the only thing that changes is the profile.
Both models share a few features:
Why does the Custom cost more?
The Custom has a base that is one notch higher (faster) than the Process, as well as a full tip-to-tail carbon layer to reduce the weight and change the torsional flex. This also makes the Custom a little stiffer than the Process.
Other than that, they share the same core.
The Custom has a directional shape, although it is fairly subtle, so you could happily ride it switch and hardly even notice. The Process has a twin shape, so it will ride exactly the same switch/backwards.
$549 for the Burton Process
$659 for the Burton Custom
2023 prices, it is very likely they will jump up a bit in price for the 2023 season.
How do you choose between them?
No matter which model you are looking at, the Flying-V versions are going to be the easiest to ride.
It is good to be realistic with your riding level, so if you want a board that is easy to cruise around the mountain on, I would stick to one of the Flying-V options.
In terms of easiest to ride to hardest – easiest and most forgiving is Process Flying-V, Custom Flying-V, Process Camber, then Custom Camber.
All 4 versions are going to be fine for all mountain riding. They all have sintered bases, so they are all good, though the WFO version on the Customs are slightly better.
If you think you are going to favour all-mountain riding most of the time, then the small jump up in stiffness of the Custom is going to give it an advantage, helped by the slightly directional shape.
For park riding, especially if you like jumps, then the Camber Custom is going to be the best choice, followed by the Process Camber. The camber versions of both boards will give you plenty of room to progress, though the Custom will have a slightly steeper learning curve being full camber.
To actually answer the questions, I would recommend the Process Camber as the top choice.
It has enough camber to give the board a lively feel, but isn’t super aggressive, so when you are learning new tricks and getting things wrong, it won’t want to constantly catch an edge. It will feel stable for all mountain riding and popping off jumps, with enough flex that you can push and flex it in the park without too much effort. As one thing extra, if you are a quick learner, and don’t mind having to spend a little time getting used to a slightly more aggressive board, then go for the Burton Custom.
If you have any questions about these boards, leave them in the comments below.
Thanks for the info. I would love your opinion. We just bought our 15 year old a burton custom camber after a demo ride. He loved it. I was concerned he didn’t demo any other board for comparison. He learned on a rental board made by head last year then switched to big brothers 9 year old burton I think a custom. He loves to carve, makes beautiful S turns and can handle blues. Is this a good board for him. He doesn’t want to do the parks but would eventually like to try some jumps. Thank you
Out of any board, the Custom is one of the best choices, that can ride everywhere without a problem, and is going to help progress his skills quickly. The camber version is much much better than the Flying V, it will last a long time. I would happily ride my 2008 Custom if I still had it.