I was a big fan of the original Dancehaul, and put it at the top of my shopping list after I demoed it the very first time. When a board only has graphic update each season, it is a good sign that the designers got the rest of it right. The Salomon Dancehaul Pro is an upgraded addition, with a stiffer flex but keeping the same shape.
In my original review, I found it to be more capable than you would think, especially as I bought the 147 which does sound tiny for my weight/height (183cm/72kg).
Eventually I did hit the limit of the smaller size and softer flex, but that was when I was riding steeper terrain that did call for a more serious, or less playful and fun board.
The Salomon Dancehaul Pro, just like the Assassin Pro or Super 8 Pro, has a stiffer flex, with a faster base than the regular board. Since seeing that the Pro version was coming out, it made it to the top of the list of boards that I wanted to ride.
How the Salomon Dancehaul Pro rides
My setup
Board: Salomon Dancehaul Pro 154cm
Bindings: Salomon District Pro
Boots: Nitro Team Pro MK 9.5 / 27.5
I had a pretty standard setup with this board, with a relatively narrow stance width, and angles of +12 and -9.
I had previously owned the Salomon District bindings, and these were just the slightly stiffer option, with nicer straps than I had on mine. No huge changes or surprises with these bindings.
The Team Pro boots were still quite new, so I was breaking them in, although I had also removed the additional tongue stiffeners.
I originally bought the 147 in the regular Dancehaul, which was quite small. I fit into the weight range for that size, and it was a fun board especially seeing how wide it is.
There wasn’t a similar sized Dancehaul Pro that I could borrow, so I had to ride the 154cm. It is still shorter than my normal boards, I normally ride boards that are around 157cm long.
The 154 wouldn’t have been my first choice, because the waist widths on the boards gets noticable wider as the length goes up.
Both the regular Dancehaul and the Pro share the same shape, so the measurements translate across easily. The 147, although quite short has a waist width of 255mm, which is pretty standard for a normal board that is around the 155cm length. That extra width is why you can get by with riding these shorter than you normally would.
Going up to the 157cm Pro, it is a pretty big jump width wise, at 266mm. Well into what would normally be considered a wide board.
Testing conditions:
I was riding the Salomon Dancehaul Pro at Mt Hotham, in Victoria, Australia. There had been a small amount of fresh snow a day or two before, so everything was fast, and firm enough. Other than that, it was getting to spring like conditions.
Profile
The Dancehaul Pro has the Rock Out Camber profile, which is used on the majority of Salomon boards. I am very familiar with this profile, and there is a good reason it is used from their more basic boards all the way up to the more serious options.
Flex
The stiffer flex of the Pro is one of the main, more noticable differences. Although it does have a much more stable and solid feel, it is never scary, or even close to feeling like it is “too much”.
Turns & Edge Hold
Turns on the Dancehaul Pro felt very nice to me. It has a simple radial sidecut, so all parts of a turn felt stable and predictable. Even with the extra wide width, it didn’t feel slow swapping edge to edge. I imagine that the fairly large (12mm) of taper helps speed the feeling up.
Speed
The base has a nice structure, and I had no issues at all with the speed. It has the feeling of a “fast” board, and it was quite noticable when I had to weave through other riders on slower sections of cat tracks.
Even at high speeds, the edge hold felt very reliable, even through tracked out and icier sections.
Who would this board suit?
Even though it is a fair step away from the fun and playful original version, there is still going to be quite a few people that would get a lot out of this board.
If you are someone that likes the idea of the original Dancehaul – but are worried about the medium to medium/soft flex, then this could be the option.
It will also suit bigger and heavier riders, who would just overpower the original and make it feel like a noodle.
Does it come in wide models?
The Dancehaul Pro doesn’t come in specific wide models, but every model is wider than normal. As a general rule, boards that have a waist width (the narrowest part of the board) that is 260mm or wider are counted as Wide. If you have big boots, any Dancehaul 152cm or larger will have plenty of width.
Overall
Overall, the Salomon Dancehaul Pro is a clear upgrade over the regular. It has a very similar overall feel to the Mega Merc, Super DOA and Mega Death from Capita, which I think is a combination of the stiffer (but not crazy) flex, along with a fairly easy to ride profile and a fast base with a nice structure.
I found that I could hit the limit of the regular, but the stiffer flex of the Pro would give me all the support in the tail to handle bigger drops, and rougher terrain at higher speeds. Depending on your riding style, if you want to get more from a board, then the extra $100 is probably worth it.
Similar boards:
Same shape, sizes and profile, but with a softer flex
Quite a similar board in terms of specs, though the Superpig does have a more aggressive and less forgiving camber profile.
Features of the Dancehaul Pro
Tapered Directional Shape
The tapered shape mean that the tail is narrower than the nose, which helps float in powder as well as making turns on firmer snow smooth and easy.
Rock Out Camber
One of the more popular camber profiles from Salomon. Overall it has a cambered profile, but with some decent rocker sections in the nose and tail to stop if from feeling too “catchy”.
Ghost Carbon Beam
Carbon beams on the nose and tail for extra pop.
Radial Sidecut
A standard sidecut, that has a predictable feel in the regular direction and switch.
BA MD Fiberglass, 30% Bio-based resin
Ghost Basalt Stringers
Gunslinger Sidewall
Carbon running through the sidewall.
Popster
The core is milled to have thicker and thinner sections, so that it has a smoother flex between your feet.
Sintered EG Base + Area 51
A sintered base material, with a nice stone structure.
Aspen SLCT Core
All-Mountain Edge Bevel
The edges have a 1 degree base bevel, that blends into a 2 degree between your feet.
Sizes Available:
- 139cm
- 143cm
- 147cm
- 152cm
- 154cm
- 157cm
Technical Specs of the Dancehaul Pro
| Size (cm) | Waist Width (mm) | Effective Edge (mm) | Taper (mm) | Nose/Tail (mm) |
| 139 | 243 | 1046 | 8 | 285/277 |
| 143 | 247 | 1075 | 12 | 294/282 |
| 147 | 255 | 1100 | 12 | 302/290 |
| 152 | 264 | 1135 | 12 | 312/300 |
| 154 | 266 | 1150 | 12 | 315/303 |
| 157 | 269 | 1170 | 12 | 320/308 |
Awesome review as always Lockie! Just wondering if you felt that the pro was more damp than the original and would it suit someone coming from a Harpoon who wants to get into camber boards?
Thanks! Nah I wouldn’t say that it seemed any more damp than the original, but definitely stiffer. Depending on your riding style, there is a good chance the regular model is going to be the best intro to camber boards.
Hey there Lachlan, thank you for the review on the dancehaul pro! I’m sold on the board and I was hoping to purchase a size 152 from a local shop (I’m based in Asia) however they only have the 147cm and 154cm models in stock.
I am 175cm / 5’9″, 73kg / 161lbs with US9.5
Based on my weight, it seems that I might be alright with either model (unless I’m reading the charts wrong). For the 147cm model I’m worried about toe/heel drag as my boots measure 30cm. For the 154cm model, I’m attracted to it because of better performance at speed and in pow but getting this size seems like it’d defeat the purpose of riding a volume shifted board!
Which size between the two would you recommend? Or should I give up and find a board in stock better suited to my weight and boot size?
Hey! Sorry for the late reply, if you haven’t alread bought on, these would be my thoughts.
If the shop had both models, I would be comparing between the 147 and the 152 as the top two choices – though measurement wise the 154 is pretty close.
With 9.5s (don’t stress about the outside measurement), you can happily ride on either. If you want fun and much quicker turns, then the 147. If you want to prioritise carving and more aggressive riding, then the 152/154 with the big jump in width will let you push it over quite a lot more.
I think if I were you I would consider the 147 as a top choice, or if the extra width does really play a big part, try and find a 152 somewhere.