Curated Snowboarding Expert Matthew Kaminski got his hands on the 2024 CAPiTA The Black Snowboard of Death this spring. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every rider is different; if you have any questions about The Black Snowboard of Death or need recommendations on which board would be best for you, reach out to a Snowboarding Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does CAPiTA claim about this board? [Matthew] CAPiTA claims this board is perfect for the advanced all-mountain technician. It’s an all-mountain, freeride snowboard with a directional setback, New Age Progressive Death grip, and a directional shape. It's perfect for those hard chargers out there.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of this board? [Matthew] The board is really solid all around and has a stiffer flex. Whether it’s in the air, down the mountain, on the groomers, or through powder pillows, this board wants to do it all. Overall, I'd say this board is great for any intermediate to advanced rider.

Carving

How does it turn? [Matthew] Getting this board on edge was a dream. I really loved carving on it.

What is the edge hold like? [Matthew] Coming in with a directional shape, somewhat set back, you're going to have a little bit of a longer nose and a shorter tail which are going to allow the board to get on edge, really rail into turns, and also give you that extra float in the powder.

How damp is the board? Do you feel any underfoot chatter? [Matthew] Chatter and underfoot I didn't really experience much. It was super solid and really stable all around.

How is its energy/acceleration? [Matthew] One thing I really notice is that the board has a lot of pop.

Freestyle

How is it for freestyle snowboarding? [Matthew] I was able to throw a couple of 360s and definitely a lot of solid airs. The board just wanted to get, like I said, over everything.

Could you speak about playfulness and pop? [Matthew] I weigh 170 lbs and I was definitely able to press and button on it. It felt playful enough that I could actually do some tricks.

How is it on jumps? [Matthew] I tried out a few different boards besides the CAPiTA, including freestyle-specific boards, and this thing went two times higher than any other board I rode.

Freeride

How is it for freeride snowboarding? [Matthew] I wanted to fight through any little bit of steep or tacky terrain that I was getting into. I'd say this is a great board for that.

How is it in powder? [Matthew] In up to a foot of powder, I thought it was great. However, I had a little bit of trouble in the deeper, deeper sections of snow. In the powder, I definitely noticed this board was almost cutting through too much. It wasn't giving you that float on top. It really started to dive in and out of the snow instead of kind of keeping you on top and keeping you lifted up. You kind of want to have that float.

How is it in uneven terrain and chunder? [Matthew] It surprised me. I thought I was going to get bucked off the board right away because that's usually what happens when you hit a big piece of snow shoulder. But, no, this thing drove right through it.

What terrain is this board good for? [Matthew] I really think this board would be great for someone who's riding on the East Coast, and maybe seeing a lot of ice. Their hardpacked days might catch a good snowstorm here and there, and they want to have something that they'll be able to ride in that terrain.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend this board to? [Matthew] If you're an intermediate rider who is really looking to be an advanced snowboarder, this could take you to the next level. If you're trying to get into a quick, snappy, playful, experimental type carving style, this is going to be the right board. I'm an advanced snowboarder and had a blast on this board.

Who should avoid this board, there are other better options out there for them? [Matthew] If you're looking for something that's going to be really easy to ride, really soft, you're going to want something else. If you like that more aggressive style with those really long and drawn-out carves, there will be some better options.

Snowboards work differently for different types of riders. If you want help finding the right board for you, reach out to Matthew or any other Snowboarding Expert here on Curated for free, personalized recommendations on the best board for you. Snow