About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the snowboard, which I purchased with my own money in March of 2020.

My Take

The Nidecker Mellow Snowboard is an incredibly good-looking board that is designed for someone interested in having fun on stiffer-flexing boards. Its unique shape offers a creative approach to riding that other boards dream of. I have loved this board while riding it and encourage it to any intermediate and above rider looking for a new shape, a powder-specific board, or a fast carver.

About the snowboard I own

• Model: 2020 Nidecker Mellow
• Size: 155W

About me

• Height: 6’1”
• Weight: 185lbs
• Experience: 8 years of snowboarding

Test conditions

• When I bought this: March 2020
• Days tested: Roughly 150
• Mount position +15/+7
• Boots: Ride Lasso
• Boot size: 11
• Bindings: 2018 Union Force & 2020 Burton Mala Vita
• Where I’ve used it: In-bounds at ski areas between CO, WY, and ID
• Terrain: Green, Blue, Black, Park, Side Country

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking at volume-shifted, powder-specific boards when I decided to purchase the Mellow. This board stood out to me over a few others I was looking at (Nitro POW, Lib Tech McWayfinder). Ultimately, my decision to go with the Mellow came down to price, appearance, and versatility, which were all met with this board and not the others.

What I love about it

• Edge hold: What really stands out in this board is its precise edge hold. Wide boards are rarely ever wide enough in my opinion, and a necessity to riders avoiding heel/toe drag while carving. This board has some of the best edge hold I have experienced for a camber board with no additional edge tech.
• Speed: This board is very stable at speeds allowing for quick turn initiation and stability while carving.
• Turns: The Mellow has quick edge-to-edge capabilities and turns quickly and precisely. Additionally, the turn radius allows the feeling of a larger board, even if downsized.
• Groomers: The Mellow carves hard on groomers, holding a solid edge and leaving deep trenches that beginners will fear.
• Powder: The Mellow floats like a boat; this is what the board is designed to do, and boy does it like to show off when let loose.
• Trees: The Mellow is nimble and quick and is a blast to ride through trees.
• Moguls: While most snowboarders are not here to ride moguls, this board could fool those folks as the agility allows for quick turns in moguls, and the stability of this board allows for plowing right through if I miss a beat.
• Backcountry: The Mellow does great in the backcountry; it would do better if there was a split version, but I can't have it all. With a snowmachine, this board would be made for the backcountry.
• Durability: This board has had many days on the mountain while in my quiver and shows very little sign of wear and tear. I am very impressed by the durability of this board
• Switch riding: While the Mellow is not designed to be a board that rides switch, it actually does surprisingly well given its shape. I would choose a twin in the park, but it will ride switch just fine.
• Stability: The Mellow is very stable and feels secure at all times, on or off the ground.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Versatility: Though there are few issues I have encountered, its lack of versatility cannot be avoided. With such a large nose, the board is cumbersome in the park and chatters on firm, uneven terrain. If I mount my bindings at the reference, the chattering is drastically reduced.
• Park: As for performance in the park, let’s be honest: it’s just not made to be a park board with its oversized nose and swallow tail, and I'm okay with that.

Favorite moment with this board

When I picked up this board, I was focused on its performance in powder. However, the day I took it out on some icy groomers, I found its potential for carving, which made this an extremely well-rounded board for my quiver. I was able to lay out a deep heelside carve that few boards I own have offered the ability for. This brought my stroke up and made it an essential deck for powder and groomer days alike.

Value for the money vs. other options

When I was in the market for this board, I was weighing it against other boards such as the Nitro POW and the LibTech McWayfinder, but at a fraction of the price, it was hard to pass up then and a clear choice now. The durability of this board alone has spoken for its value with close to 200 days on it and showing very little wear. I am impressed with the craftsmanship; few boards on the market hold this standard, and none at this price.

Final Verdict

I purchased this board on a whim thinking it would be a budget powder board to get me through the season. It has now found its way to having a permanent place in my quiver. I am thrilled with the performance, durability, and price this board has attached to it. I would highly recommend it to any rider looking for a unique, fun board to explore the mountain on.