About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the snowboard, which I purchased with my own money in January of 2023.

My take

The CAPiTA Defenders of Awesome (D.O.A.) is a seven-time undefeated Good Wood Board of the Year award winner and great for boosting side hits, all-mountain charging, park laps, and then some. This board does it all. I bought this as a fun, medium-flex daily driver. Intermediate to advanced park riders and all-mountain rippers will fall in love with the pop, butterability, lightweight core, and ease of throwing spins. This board can be purchased for a beginner as well, making for a great long-term investment. The flat/camber/flat allows newbies to learn edge control with camber, while the flat top maintains stability in the tip and tail.

About the gear

• Model: 2023 CAPiTA Defenders of Awesome
• Size: 157 wide

About me

• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 170lbs
• Experience: 10+ years riding, 200 days in three seasons

Test conditions

• When I bought this: January 2023
• Days tested: 15-20
• Mount position: 0.5” back from Reference +15 degrees front foot, -9 back foot
• Boots: 2021 Thirtytwo TM-2 XLT Diggers
• Boot Size: 12
• Bindings: 2021 Union Atlas
• Where I’ve used it: Stowe, Vermont
• Terrain: Double-black to greens, all-mountain, sidecountry, woods, park laps, and powder.

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a new daily driver for boosting side hits, all-mountain cruising, and learning basic tricks like grabs, 180s, and 360s. I bought this board as a fun medium-flex ride to help progress as a freestyler and make the whole mountain a park.

Why I chose this gear

I decided to purchase the CAPiTA D.O.A. after hearing so many good things about this board. I was also considering the CAPiTA Mercury, but the tapered nose, directional design, and setback of the Mercury pushed me towards a true twin design, the D.O.A.

What I love about it

• Speed: This board surprises me. It rides like a full-cambered board thanks to CAPiTA’s Resort V1 profile.
• Edge hold: Again, thanks to the Resort V1 profile, the edge hold at the contact points (after bindings) is exceptional and reliable.
• Turns: This board is extremely easy to swing at low speed, making it great for butters and spins. Turns at high speed are easily matched, the WAH-POW. The reverse camber in the nose makes the tip and tail swing easy.
• Groomers: This board absolutely laces groomers, mainly searching for side hits. But if I still wanna lay a heal/toeside carve, this board makes light work of it. It’s a fun and playful board because of the flat/camber/flat profile.
• Moguls: This board is extremely responsive; making quick turns around moguls is easy. The twin shape helps riders ease out of tricky situations that moguls put us in (seriously, who makes those things?).
• Park: This is a category the D.O.A. excels in. The profile of the board (flat/camber/flat) makes it super easy to initiate butters on the nose and tail of the board. Takeoffs are stable off jumps, especially side hits. The camber profile makes it easy to pop and ollie into transition.
• Durability: The topsheet has this awesome “Magic Bean” resin that adds a little extra protective layer to the graphic. It has ABS1000 sidewalls and an ultra-high density polyethylene base to hold up over time and hold wax better. Carbon fiber through the board increases power and response while remaining ultralight.
• Weight: Brand new P2 Superlight Core. The carbon fiber boosters make this the lightest D.O.A. CAPiTA has ever made.
• Switch riding: Its twin shape makes switch riding identical to regular stance.
• Stability: Super stable at speed because of the flat profile on the tip and tail. Combined with the camber, it’s surefire turning from here on. This board is built very well for the price.
• Other: Overall, this is an extremely lightweight, twin shape board that spins incredibly easily, enables stable takeoffs, and has reliable edge-to-edge turns.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Powder: I was surprised by how well the reverse camber worked for floating powder from under the board. But, the twin shape and no taper make this a difficult choice for low-angle glades (green/blue difficulty glades).
• Trees: This board is easy to maneuver and turn in the woods. Yet, the twin shape does not help search for fresh tracks.
• Backcountry: In the true backcountry, this board will struggle. No taper is a poor decision for a rider going into dangerous conditions with fresh snow. But for sidecountry (Vermont), one can’t go wrong. However, for true B.C. Canada backcountry, don’t get this unless one is Torstein Horgmo (he rides the Super D.O.A. in all conditions, board size varies).

Favorite moment with this gear

After picking up this board, I’ve already had a lifetime of memories with it in 15-20 days. This board has helped me unlock cleaner 360s and given me the confidence to start learning 540s. Now, it’s easier to look more confidently at park jumps and side hits. In addition, I’ve just started lacing front 3s thanks to this plank of wood.

Value for the money vs. other options

This board is so well worth the price point. I’m surprised CAPiTA hasn’t pushed to make this board more expensive. Get it while you can. The D.O.A. is my favorite daily driver now. If someone is looking for a twin shape board and constantly seeking side hits and air time, this board is so much fun. It also can be a great beginner to intermediate option for someone learning how to ride and who wants to invest in a board that can progress with the rider. A similar twin shape, the Burton Custom is roughly $159 more than the CAPiTA D.O.A.

Final verdict

The CAPiTA Defenders of Awesome is the perfect board for every level of rider. Beginners can progress on this board and make a worthwhile long-term investment. Intermediate riders will make this their go-to everyday board. Advanced riders will enjoy the easy butterability, spins, cruisy feel, and side hit-boosting nature of the D.O.A. This board might not float the best in the powder, but it can still be a quiver killer.