Expert Review: Arbor Swoon Camber Snowboard

Published on 07/13/2022 · 4 min readThis review is my own honest opinion of the snowboard, which I bought with my own money in December 2018.
Hannah S., Snowboarding Expert
By Snowboarding Expert Hannah S.

Photo courtesy of Hannah S.

About this review This review is my own honest opinion of the snowboard, which I bought with my own money in December 2018. I was not paid by the manufacturer to write this review.

My take

The Arbor Swoon Camber Snowboard is geared towards intermediate to expert riders who want a fun, versatile all-mountain option. It’s great in powder and in the park, but really excels on groomers during some speed laps.

Photos courtesy of Hannah S.

About me

  • Height: 5’6”
  • Weight: 150 lbs
  • Model: 2019 Arbor Swoon Camber
  • Size: 147
  • Boots: Ride Cadence
  • Boot Size: 7.5
  • Bindings: Union Trilogy
  • Experience: 13 years of snowboarding

How it performs

Carving
5/5
Durability
5/5
High Speed Stability
5/5
Turn Ease
5/5
Flotation
4/5
Versatility
4/5

Test conditions

  • When I bought this: December of 2018
  • Days tested: 75
  • Where I’ve used it: Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail, A-Basin, Copper Mountain, Aspen Mountain, Winter Park, Eldora, Loveland
  • Terrain: Powder, Park, Groomers, Backcountry, Ice

What I was looking for

I wanted a new snowboard to tackle the fast, steep and long runs of Breckenridge, Colorado. I wanted something versatile enough for deep powder days without sacrificing on ice, terrain park or jumps.

Why I chose this gear

I decided to buy this board because I saw the different technology that Arbor offered, like their Uprise Fenders. Uprise fenders are slightly raised edges on the tip and tail of the board so that when you turn, the board turns with you easier, enabling a catch-free ride. I also really liked that they are an eco-friendly company.

What I love about it

  • Speed: With a fresh wax on this board, this board gets up to a really nice speed with virtually zero chatter. The board can lose its wax pretty quickly resulting in loss of speed. Just keep up with regular waxing for optimal performance.
  • Edge hold: The uprise fenders provide an amazing edge control with a catch-free ride. They can take some getting used to at first. It’s a little different and the edges are raised slightly higher, but once you learn it, it’s the best technology ever!
  • Turns: Smooth turns on this board, but the uprise fenders may take some getting used to if you’re learning from a flat profile board. Because the tips and tail are slightly raised, it does the work on some hard turns for you and this caught me off guard my first few times how effortless turning was, I basically didn’t have to work as hard for my carves. The serrated edges also enable smooth turns on ice.
  • Groomers: The Arbor Swoon provides a surfy, stable feel on groomers.
  • Powder: The swoon excels in powder more than I would have expected because it is a camber board, which generally does better on groomers. The camber on this thing provides effortless float that typically a rocker profile gives, so it really surprised me. The medium flex adds stability and confidence in the deep stuff.
  • Trees: Fun and poppy in trees, the Arbor Swoon is able to turn quickly and swiftly even in tight trees. You definitely want to size down for tighter turns in trees with this specific board.
  • Weight: This board is super lightweight!
  • Switch riding: It’s very fun and easy to ride switch on this board due to its twin profile.

Issues I’ve encountered

  • Park: The swoon is not ideal for park in the sense that it has a little bit higher of a flex. Still, the camber is really fun to take off of jumps.
  • Backcountry: This board would probably not excel in backcountry. It could get you through some powder and it will hold up due to its stiffness but I would recommend a different board for the backcountry. The profile of this board is camber and is geared more for resort riding.

Favorite moment with this gear

I took this board to a “secret locals” spot in Breckenridge on a powder day through tight trees and I felt confident taking it there! It felt super stable and I felt in control going through some challenging terrain. It was one of those “ah-ha!” moments that made me really glad I went with this specific model.

Value for the money vs. other options

Arbor does an awesome job with offering bang-for-your-buck boards at a good price. This retails around $459 but rides as well as some of those $600+ boards. The quality of this board will last for many seasons, so even though I may be paying more than a cheaper board at around $300, this one will last me a lot longer.

Final verdict

This board is truly a fun ride. The surfy feel and ease of use this board provides makes this a wonderful choice for the intermediate to expert rider looking to cruise with confidence.

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