About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the snowboard, which I purchased with my own money in January of 2022.

My take

The Salomon Super 8 Snowboard is great for an all-mountain, free-ride experience. I would recommend this board for the intermediate to advanced rider and up.

About the snowboard I own

• Model: 2022 Salomon Super 8
• Size: 160cm

About me

• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 225lbs
• Experience: Two years of snowboarding

Test conditions

• When I bought this: January 2022
• Days tested: 20
• Mount position: 21.5 width, +15 front, -6 back
• Boots: 2022 Ride Jackson
• Boot Size: 10.5
• Bindings: 2022 Arbor Cypress
• Where I’ve used it: Arapahoe Basin, Winter Park, Copper Mountain
• Terrain: Powder, groomers, slush, ice

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a board that would be able to charge hard down those steep runs and float well in powder. My Lib-Tech Skate Banana that I used for the park was too soft for the big-mountain rides.

Why I chose this gear

I bought this particular board because of its mid-wide width. I have a size 10.5 boot, which puts me right on the edge of needing a wide board. I was worried a full-wide board would be too much width, so the Super 8 was a good in-between. I was considering the Burton Hometown Hero and the Capita Navigator. I ultimately chose the Super 8 because of the price. It is a lot of board for the value.

What I love about it

• Speed: This board flies. The base on this board is made for racing. I was cruising past people on cat tracks where others had to unstrap and skate.
• Turns: Turns are super fun at both high speeds and low speeds. The camber is under the back foot, so boarders that ride back-foot-dominant will really like turning on this.
• Groomers: I had so much fun getting on edge and carving groomers. This board loves turning on edge. A little bit of taper in the shape makes turning smooth.
• Powder: With the setback stance and the larger nose, I float in powder. It is literally what this board is made to do.
• Trees: It maneuvers well in trees as long as the person riding the board is used to how a wider board handles.
• Moguls: I personally avoid moguls, but this board is so good at turning; an experienced rider would have no problem.
• Backcountry: This board is good for the backcountry. It is stiff, durable, and floats in powder. It is versatile and will handle the variable conditions that one could face in the backcountry.
• Durability: This board is built to last. I may have been going a little too fast off of a side hit and knocked the board on a tree. Surprisingly no damage. Another time a skier crashed into the side of my board and the top sheet stayed firm.
• Weight: For this being a mid-wide board, the weight felt light underfoot. It makes for easy transitions from edge to edge.
• Switch riding: The Super 8 has a setback stance, so riding switch may feel a little difficult if one’s used to riding a true twin.
• Stability: I put this thing through some high speeds and it always feels stable and capable.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Edge hold: The sidecut does not have any kind of magnetraction. I did feel the grip slip a couple of times when hitting icy patches. I definitely need to keep sharp edges to avoid slipping out on icy days.
• Park: This board is not ideal for the park. It can handle jumps, but the camber profile and shape of this board do not make it ideal for jibing.

Favorite moment with this gear

My favorite moment on this board was coming down from a black run to a smoothed-out cat track. I was holding so much speed through the flats that I was flying past skiers and other snowboarders that had to unstop and skate. You would think that I had an engine mounted on the board.

Value for the money vs. other options

I think this board is super cost-efficient. Other boards in this category, like the CAPiTA Mega Mercury or the Jones Flagship, cost anywhere from $200–300 more. For those interested in an all-mountain freeride board, I don't think there is a better value.

Final verdict

Like going fast? Like carving? Like powder? Get this board and never think twice about what board to take on the mountain that day.