Never Summer Swift 2022 Review

The Swift is a wider width, directional, tapered powder board that does end up riding pretty well on the groomed runs.

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Features of the Never Summer Swift

Terrain

All Mountain

Directional

Freeride

Fusion Rocker Camber

This profile is basically what is used on their directional boards. It has quite a large rocker section between your feet, with more camber under your back foot, a small section towards the nose and a large flatter section.

7/10 Flex

Mid-Wide Width

Although not crazy wide, the waist is 259mm on the 157cm, and 262mm on the 162cm.

Regular 2×4 Mounting

Will mount all regular bindings to the board.

UHMW Sidewall

Wood Core

Carbon Max Laminates

Bi-Lite Fiberglass

STS Pre-Tensioned Fiberglass

Co-Extruded Polymer

Durasurf XT Sintered 5501 Base

The better of the two main sintered bases that are used on Never Summer boards.

3.25 Inch Setback

Sizes available:

157cm
162cm

How it Rides

Board size: 157cm

Boots: Salomon Launch Boa 27.5

Bindings: Salomon Highlander

I am 6 foot tall and weigh 155lbs – or 183cm tall and 70kg. I was riding with positive positive stance angles, and a fairly narrow stance.

My original review was riding the 2017 model, where I rode it with my normal stance at the time (around about +15 -12) and a wider width with Burton Cobrashark bindings. At that time I rode the 152cm Swift, which has been removed and only the 157 and 162 are still around.

Camber Profile

Other than the Swift, the only other board that I had ridden with the Fusion Rocker Camber profile was the Harpoon.

Flex and Pop

The Swift is a stiffer board, and I really noticed that the stiffer flex in the short tail. The tradeoff that you get on a hybrid (rocker between your feet) board is that you naturally have less pop, as the board doesn’t have the built in spring between your feet. The camber sections on the nose and tail are there to try and cancel that effect out a little bit.

With the overall stiffer flex, and the more aggressive camber profile in the tail of the board, it did spring back for ollies better than the Harpoon did, but still nothing like a camber board.

Edge Hold

I can’t ever really fault the edge hold on any Never Summer boards, no matter which camber profile they have.

With the big 20mm of taper, it is very easy to get the board over and onto its edge, and grip is strong throughout all parts of the turn.

Turns

Turns are a big plus on a board like this, and although small quick turns aren’t hard at all, wide, stretched out fast turns seem to be what felt best on this board.

The wider width and edge hold make it easier to try and push the board further and further over each turn, and I never hit a point where it stopped gripping, or I felt like my boots would hit the snow.

This would all be helped by the positive positive stance angles I had, which I think really suit directional boards like this – and in my original review I rode a regular duck stance.

Float

On a board like the Swift you aren’t going to have any problems with float in softer and deeper snow. A big wide nose, taper and a short tail keep the nose up, and the tail sinking.

Speed

I was riding a freshly waxed board, but I have never found that this base on Never Summer boards to be slow anyway, it seems to be a solid option in all conditions.

Switch

It works, but isn’t great – thought who really cares.

Overall

Overall the Swift does what it says it should – it rides well in powder, but is surprisingly good on groomers.

Even though it does have a very powdery shape, it is going to suit someone who likes to ride fast and carve on groomers, and ride powder whenever it is there.

The slightly wider width gives you a bit more wiggle room for riders with big feet, though it isn’t so wide that it feels slow edge to edge.

If I was to compare it to the Harpoon, the Swift feels like an upgraded, more serious board. While the Harpoon is fun and playful, the Swift seems to do better the faster you ride it.

It’s worth a shot if you can get one to try out.

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