Curated Snowboard Experts Arielle Busch and Yuri Czmola got their hands on the Burton Cartographer this spring and put it to the test at Powder Mountain in Utah. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every snowboarder is different. If you have any questions about the 2023 Burton Cartographer or need recommendations on which board would be best for you, reach out to a Snowboard Expert here on Curated.

One final point before we dive in: It's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Burton claim about this board? [Arielle] Burton claims that the Cartographer is a blend of stability and float to keep it playful in the pow with the power and response to rip.

[Yuri] Burton claims this snowboard is a playful option for play and powder while still having enough in the tank to rip when you are looking to tackle the rest of the mountain.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of this board? [Arielle] My overall impression of this board is that I was super stoked to get on it. The Cartographer's been in the Burton line for some time now, but it recently got released in some smaller sizes. I am a tiny human, so being able to ride this board in a 144 today was really exciting. This board is kind of a do-it-all board, but it has the power behind its directional camber, and it is a very playful flex. Lastly, for someone like me, I am a very aggressive rider, but I don't like very stiff boards. Sometimes when you get on an aggressive board, it's going to be a little bit more rigid, but this Cartographer doesn’t feel like that.

[Yuri] So, the Burton Cartographer is a very fun snowboard. It is a party board option. It is definitely less stiff than the Burton Flight Attendant, but I feel that is a great thing in this instance. It allows you to handle this board at any speed that you really want to ride it at. And it very much fits the description of Burton’s claim.

Carving

How did it turn? [Arielle] It carved really well. It went very fast for someone my size. I don't know if it would be the fastest board on the mountain–if you put it up against the Flight Attendant, it might be a little bit slow. The best explanation for the board is that it is just the more playful version of the Flight Attendant; however, it doesn't lose too much power. With the directional camber profile, this board is definitely going to have some precision, control, and stability. I felt like I was always locked in on all of my turns and on my curbs, and I also felt that the turn initiation on it was very simple. I think sometimes people get a little concerned with a camber dominant profile snowboard, but this one was really easy to turn short radius and long radius. And I do believe that is because of the nose shape on the board.

[Yuri] With a playful approach and a pow was the description I’d give the turn. I was very curious about how this thing would turn, and it really did well in both realms, being able to plane and break through snow and play with low angle stuff, which I think it's very much at home at.

How about edge hold? [Arielle] I took this board over some jumps in a bordercross track, and it flew over the jumps. Then it held a really secured edge in my carves as I made some tighter turns. And it was just really fun to have under my feet because it had the power from the directional camber, but it also had the spirit of a playful park board.

[Yuri] Even at higher edge angles and laying into some carbs, it very much is capable of ripping and handling more advanced turns as well.

Was it stable? [Yuri] There is a wide, stable platform on this thing, so I feel like it makes it where you don't even realize that the nose has early rise in it. And it creates really stable landings when playing around on side hits or jumping around in the woods.

What about dampness? Any chatter in the board? [Arielle] It's not to say that you can't take it through a jump line, but I did find this board to be pretty damp when I came off of my jumps. It really absorbed everything I did on it. That being said, it's not super stiff. So, there might be some moments where you might feel like you have a little bit of chatter..

[Yuri] I did not feel much chatter, even though this is a less stiff option.

How did it perform at speed? [Yuri] I felt, despite the early rise, that this was very stable at speed, and this was one of the more playful and fun boards that was still a great time.

Freestyle

Could you speak about playfulness and pop? [Arielle] With that directional camber profile, it's definitely going to have a crazy amount of pop in it.

What about riding switch? [Yuri] There is early rise in the nose. So it's something you would have to pay attention to, but it's not something that would hinder you. There's a tapered shape on the snowboard, but overall, riding switch on this thing was still pretty smooth. It is definitely not a true twin, but switch is very much a doable thing on the snowboard.

How is it for buttering? [Yuri] All in all, I had a great buttering experience on this thing since it is a more playful option. I think this is great for low-edge angle work. Buttering can definitely be included in that category. This is a great option to be social, have fun, and make some slash turns in the pow with friends and not have to ride at top speeds all the time.

How is it on jumps? [Arielle] This board will launch you off of jumps and will send you to the moon on some jumps.

Freeride

How would it be in powder? [Arielle] If you put this up against the Flight Attendant, the Flight Attendant would probably be a little bit faster. But it's going to float through the powder.

What kind of terrain would it perform well on? [Arielle] I think this board thrives in powder and then on some groomers, in some trees. Kind of all over the mountain. It wouldn't necessarily be my go-to park board. But the best terrain for this board is going to be powder.

[Yuri] It will take you through the pow, and it will go on your groomers. It really can do it all, and it does it with such a fun flex underneath it.

Is there any location you'd pack this board for? [Yuri] To me, the snowboard screams “Vermont woods”: just low-edge angle stuff, a little bit of bushwhacking, and great times. I think it would also work really well across the US. I just think it's an option where if someone were looking to explore tree riding, they would start with this board. The early rise in the nose is inviting, so you don't have to worry about getting buried. And it is still very much a cambered snowboard that feels locked in and at home, carving from turn to turn.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this board to? [Arielle] This board will be perfect for an intermediate-to-advanced rider, someone who likes to take on the entire mountain but doesn't want to be on something super stiff. That being said, because it’s not rigid, there might be some moments where you might feel like you have a little bit of chatter. However, with that directional camber, it really keeps you on the snow and keeps you locked and loaded.

I would recommend this board to someone who is kind of like me. They’ll like a full cambered board, that traditional style of a snowboard. They’ll like to do some jumps. They’ll like to feel some power underneath them, but they’ll also like to get playful, press, and butter.

[Yuri] The snowboard is a great option for the intermediate snowboarder looking to become an expert. I do think, though, that expert snowboarders will have a great time checking in and seeing how this board rides.

Who should avoid this board? [Yuri] This is definitely not a park option for those types of riders, but that's not what Burton has designed it for. This is a solid all-mountain option. The park could happen, but I just don't think this would be my first choice for that.

All of these snowboards that we test are designed for different people and work differently for different types of snowboarders. That's where we, the experts, come in handy. Talk to Arielle, Yuri, or any other Snowboard Expert here on Curated. We’ll help you find the right board for you.