Curated Snowboard Expert Yuri got his hands on the 2023 Salomon Assassin Pro this spring. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every rider is different; if you have any questions about the 2023 Salomon Assassin Pro or need recommendations on which board would be best for you, reach out to a Snowboard Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand claims

What does Salomon claim about this board? Salomon claims this is a directional, all-mountain, ready to pop and float twin. It’s built with their Rock Out Camber profile, and is one of the lightest boards in their line.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of this board? First impressions of this board, it is a great light all-mountain twin. The Assassin is a very fitting name for this snowboard as it had a ninja type feel to it. It has one of their lighter cores that allows this board to be very damp underfoot in terms of chatter, and very quick edge to edge, which was my immediate takeaway. I was a little bit concerned based on my build, just because I happen to be 6'6", and I was riding a 159cm regular today, as opposed to one of their wider options. I ride a size 13 boot, and this held up really well. This is one of those where if you happen to stumble onto it, it’s a great investment.

Carving

How does it turn? Turning, it felt great, it had a very flat, damp feel underfoot. The early rise allowed for great, smooth, easy edge transitions almost instantly. This board can fit a lot of different people.

Did it feel stable? Stability, it does feel damp underfoot. The early rise allows for smooth initiation in the beginning of a turn. It doesn't quite have the locked-in camber feel, but I think that allows for a wide range of applications, anywhere from someone learning how to smooth out those turns to even someone just looking for a setup in the park - which is why this is a very versatile snowboard in Salomon's line.

How is it in terms of speed? At speed, it's great. You do have to anticipate the early rise in the nose and tail, and I thought it would have a lot more chatter because of that, but the flat section between your feet allows for a very smooth ride. Between that and how light it is, you would assume that this wouldn't be able to absorb anything, but in these spring conditions, it was able to absorb everything I threw at it.

How about control? It is very nimble, the name Assassin Pro is very fitting. It had a ton of control and was one of the quicker boards I rode edge to edge today.

Freestyle

Could you speak about playfulness and pop? There was no park available today at Powder Mountain, but this was a very freestyle-friendly board. I was able to butter often. You can throw it around pretty quickly. I would love to take this off jumps, boxes, rails, in the future. Off the side hits that I was able to find, it was a good time between that and the rollers.

And what about riding it switch? So, this is an all-mountain twin and in terms of riding switch, this would be great to ride in either direction. The dampness and flat zone between your feet allows for you to truly progress and kind of figure out that new range of motion as you're working on your switch riding, or even just taking it to ride switch in the park.

Freeride

How well do you imagine it would perform in powder? I love the float on this, it was able to help me through the slush today, riding around when it got sticky. I feel like that would translate very well to riding powder. All in all, this is a very versatile option that is very maneuverable, whether it's in the trees, powder, or even moguls.

How does it fare in uneven terrain and chunder? I thought this was going to buck me a few times and I was proven completely wrong today. I was impressed by how it was able to be light yet stable. This is very much a top tier twin in Salomon's line.

And then riding in trees, how is its maneuverability? I got to ride this a little bit in the trees, it was a great time. I was able to get through those tight sections really well.

Recommendations

What kind of terrain is this board ideal for? This is a great all-mountain snowboard that lets you dabble in a little bit of everything. I feel like this board is at home in the park and on groomers. You could ride trees as well. If the snow got too deep, I might suggest something with a little bit more shape, but if you were looking for one board to solve it all, the Assassin Pro is a great step in the right direction.

Is there any location you'd pack this board for? I think you could take this board pretty much on any trip and just understand that it will excel in most scenarios. It's definitely at home as an all-mountain twin on groomers and park setups, or even just chasing side hits. But this could be a great investment towards having a one-stop shop.

Finally, who would you recommend this board to? I would recommend this board to someone who is passionate about working on skills, so anywhere from someone who finally wants that answer to dabbling in park, or even just dabbling in switch. This board is very much ready for jumps, dabbling in trees, and beyond.

Who should avoid this board, there are better options for them out there? I would not recommend this board for anyone who is looking to focus specifically on big mountains. I think this board teeters a little bit more towards the resort experience and probably sticking to chairlifts. But all in all, I think this is a great investment and Salomon has done a great job here with the Assassin Pro.

There are many different snowboards out there for different types of riders. If you want help finding the right board for you, reach out to Yuri or any other Snowboard Expert here on Curated. Note that the 2024 version of the Salomon Assassin Pro is linked below - same tech, just different graphic: