Never Summer Proto Ultra Snowboard Review

Proto Ultra Snowboard Review

The Never Summer Proto Ultra is a twin shaped, wider than normal freestyle board. A bit of a step up in features from the Proto Synthesis, though I couldn’t really tell too much of a difference.

*The current version of the Proto Ultra has a different camber profile than the one I have reviewed here*

How the Never Summer Proto Ultra Rides

My setup

Board size: 154cm

Bindings: Burton Cartel X

Boots: Vans Infuse

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Testing conditions:

I was riding this at Falls Creek and Mt Hotham in Australia, in late spring conditions. A combination of wet snow, freezing overnight with pretty icy mornings, turning quickly to slush.

Profile

This one that I am riding has the Shock Wave Rocker Camber profile, which I have ridden on a few other Never Summer boards (Proto Synthesis, Proto Slinger).

So far each time Never Summer have a new profile, I seem to like it – though that could be because each time they are having less rocker and more camber. The Shock Wave has been my favourite so far, though I haven’t been on a board with Triple Camber yet.

Although the older version I was riding has the Shock Wave profile, I imagine that it was much too close in flex and profile to the Proto Synthesis, which is possibly why the new Proto Ultra has the Triple Camber profile.

Flex and pop

Although technically this has a stiffer flex than the Proto Synthesis, in real life I could hardly tell. It feels right in that medium stiff range, with plenty of stiffness in the nose and tail to smash through chunky snow without any issues.

Ollies are about as good as you can expect from a hybrid board with a profile like this. It takes more work, but the board still does push back nicely.

Edge Hold

Whether you like hybrid (camber/rocker/camber) boards or not, the edge hold on all Never Summer boards is hard to beat. It is very consistent and reliable in all conditions, and I feel that it is particularly strong in the middle of the turn, even when you aren’t putting in much effort at all.

Speed

This is by far the slowest board that I have ever ridden. I had waxed it with the same method and temperature wax as a few other boards that I brought on that trip, none of which had any issues.

All the other Never Summer boards that I have ridden have been quick, their sintered bases seem to soak up the wax well, and keep the boards moving quickly.

I rode the Proto Ultra for a few days, it wasn’t terrible the first day, but I did notice that I quickly struggled on flatter cat tracks, where everyone would overtake me.

Early mornings when the snow was hard, the speed was fine like it is for every board, but the second it warmed up and go a little slushly the board felt like a magnet in the snow. It made me want to stop riding an otherwise fun board.

From comments I have received on the Youtube video it sounds like it is just me who was struggling to get the board to ride fast, so it might have been a once off issue.

Who would this board suit?

If you are looking at decently stiff and capable all mountain board, and like the feeling of the hybrid profile.

Does it come in wide models?

There aren’t any specific wide models, though they are all wide with the 154 with a waist width of 260, and going up to a maximum of 266mm on the 163.

Similar Boards

Never Summer Proto Synthesis

Features of the Never Summer Proto Ultra

Shock Wave Rocker Camber

NS Superlight Wood Core

Bi-Lite Fiberglass

STS Pre-Tensioned Fibreglass

Carbon Max Laminate

RDS 2 Damping

Elastomeric Underfoot Stabilizers

Durasurf 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:

154cm
157cm