About this review This review is my own honest opinion of the skis, which I bought with my own money in November 2020.

My take

The Never Summer Swift is the Swiss Army Knife of snowboards, geared towards the expert rider looking for a great powder board that can also dominate the whole hill. Don’t let the swallowtail and tapered shape fool you. Sure, it can handle powder like an absolute champ, but you can still carve full speed down your favorite groomers, navigate through the bumpiest of bumps, and even enjoy it in the park. The Swift has your back on virtually all types of terrain.

About the gear

• Model: 2018 Never Summer Swift
• Size: 157

About me

• Height: 5’7”
• Weight: 160 lbs
• Experience: 21 years standing sideways

Test conditions

• When I bought these: November 2020
• Days tested: 100+
• Mount position: Front foot at reference, back foot one past reference – roughly 16” wide.
• Boots: K2 Maysis and Burton Photons
• Boot Size: 10.5
• Bindings: Flux TM
• Where I’ve used it: Vermont **– **Jay Peak (my home mountain), Burke Mountain, and Killington. New York – Gore Mountain.
• Terrain: Powder, trees, groomers, bumps, and park

How it performs

What I was looking for

I’m a sucker for unique board shapes, and the Swift sticks out with its directional shape, tapered waist, and reinforced swallowtail. I look for boards that can handle a little bit of everything, and the Swift hits the mark time and time again.

Why I chose this gear

The Swift is a part of Never Summer’s Shaper Series, which features the best of the best when it comes to board tech and overall quality. I own and ride a number of different boards, but as soon as I saw the Swift on the market, I knew it had to be mine. I chose the Swift as I am a big fan of Never Summer boards for their durability and overall quality, and the reviews on the Swift were nothing but positive.

What I love about it

• Speed: With its directional stance and taper, the Swift easily hauls a$$ and doesn’t chatter. You can feel confident pointing this thing downhill.
• Edge hold: Never Summer’s fusion rocker camber profile is superior when it comes to edge hold and carvability.
• Turns: With rocker between your feet coupled with camber underfoot, turning on the Swift is a breeze.
• Groomers: From wide open carves to short radius turns, this board will do whatever you make it.
• Powder: Ha, is this really a question? The Swift loves fresh snow.
• Trees: The Swift is one of my favorite boards for riding in the woods. The rocker shape excels at short turns, allowing you to easily navigate through the woods with style.
• Moguls: You’d think a directional board wouldn’t be great for bumps, but the rocker profile helps keep your turns quick and playful.
• Backcountry: The Swift is a phenomenal powder board, so it’s no secret it can absolutely kill it in the backcountry. The splitboard version of this board is equally amazing if you are looking to get into touring. Highly recommend the Never Summer Swift Split.
• Durability: Never Summer boards are some of the most durable rides out there. From the topsheet to edges to base, NS boards can take a serious beating. I still ride my first Never Summer from 8 years ago!
• Weight: Weight is average to slightly below average, depending on what you run for bindings. The Swift doesn’t feel sluggish or heavy on your feet, quite the opposite actually. The tapered shape and curvy lines really make this board sleek and agile out on the hill. Less of a tank and more of a cruise missile.
• Stability (pop/dampness/buttering/underfoot chatter): the Swift is great for nose butters, has a good amount of pop in the rear thanks to the sections of camber underfoot and minimal chatter at high speeds.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Park: I wouldn’t go this route if you’re looking for a dedicated park board, but the Swift will lock into presses on rails and hit jumps just like most boards. Landing switch is possible despite the directional shape, but if you like switch tricks, you’d likely want a board that is twin-shaped and not directional.
• Switch riding: Given the Swift is a directional board, riding switch is a little funky. It can be done thanks to the rocker/camber shape (I love switch nose presses on mine) but I’m not planning to land switch off a booter anytime soon. Landing switch on a Swallowtail board can be a little exhilarating as you have a lot less tail than nose. Don’t land heavy on your front foot!

Favorite moment with this gear

There are too many favorite moments on this board to count, seriously. I have taken my Swift on all sorts of adventures. From charging down my favorite tree runs in knee-deep blower pow at my home mountain (Jay Peak, VT), to climbing Mount Washington in the spring and descending Tuckerman’s Ravine, there is no trail or terrain that the Never Summer Swift can’t handle. I love the splitboard model for backcountry touring as that has allowed me to access zones I never would have thought about riding. I love my solid board for resort riding year-round.

Value for the money vs. other options

The Swift is worth every penny. Sure, Never Summer boards can be pricey, but if you want to invest in a quality ride that you’ll have for years, the Swift is a fantastic option for you. Never Summer really hit a home run when they designed the Swift. There are a lot of different companies producing directional all-mountain boards like the Swift, but it’s hard to beat Never Summer’s ride quality.

Final verdict

The Never Summer Swift is a top-of-the-line snowboard built for the expert rider looking to dominate the whole hill. From pow to trees to groomers and more, nothing will stand in your way while riding the Swift.