About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the snowboard which I purchased with my own money in March of 2022.

My take

The 2022 Weston Eclipse is a great board for a high intermediate to expert rider who is looking for a powder board that excels in more places than just powder. This board is very versatile, loves to carve, and is very stable at high speeds and over chunder.

About the gear

• Model: 2022 Weston Eclipse
• Size: 150

About me

• Height: 5’7”
• Weight: 130lb
• Experience: 23+ years

Test conditions

• When I bought these: March 2022
• Days tested: 5+
• Mount position: +12 / -9
• Boots: Salomon Ivy
• Boot Size: 8.5
• Bindings: 2022 Union Milan & 2022 Union Juliet
• Where I’ve used it: Oregon & Washington
• Terrain: Powder, hard-packed groomers, trees, uneven terrain/chunder

How it performs

What I was looking for

At first, I was on the hunt for a powder board. The more I looked, the more I decided I wanted a board that focused on powder but was a little more versatile in other conditions as well. I started hunting a powder board that also had good ratings for carving and plowing through chunder and heavy snow once the powder was tracked out. I also wanted something slightly wider than average.

Why I chose this gear

The first time I tried this board was a hard-packed groomer day, and it felt so stable and had great edge-hold. I was able to carve fast. Realizing this was also very powder focused, I decided I found what I was hunting!

I started out looking at the Weston Japow and Season Forma, more powder-specific boards. When I decided I wanted something more versatile I looked at the Jones Mind-Expander and also the Lib Tech Orca. The Orca was a little stiff for my liking, and I never got to actually try the Mind-Expander, but I already had some Jones boards (and loved them!) and wanted to try out Weston since I already had tested the Eclipse and loved it.

What I love about it

• Speed: I have never felt slowed down in any way by the Eclipse. It is slightly wider than average and feels very stable even at high speeds.
• Edge hold: I was surprised by how stable the edge hold felt. Weston doesn’t use Magne-Traction or any obvious sidecut disruptions on this board, but I felt really locked in and stable when turning, even on hard-packed groomers that were turning slightly icy. I would feel confident that the edges on this would hold on any traverse or in any conditions.
• Turns: This board shines at medium to wide turns I would say, and the faster I go the better my turning experience is. I have ridden this board slowly as well, in a group setting, and I found it a little harder to turn when I was going slower.
• Groomers: This board really shines on groomers, which I wasn’t expecting at first. It feels incredibly stable and is stiff enough to hold an edge and carve really well. I feel like I can point it downhill and go as fast as I want.
• Powder: The Eclipse is fantastic in powder! It has a wide nose and a more narrow half-moon tail which makes it float like crazy. Of course, it is also directional and designed to be ridden set-back. This board is so fun on a powder day in big open bowls going as fast as you want!
• Trees: I find this board to be pretty average in trees, but if it’s a powder day in trees, then it’s fantastic. The fat nose helps to float over the powder and it feels nimble and easy to turn quickly and slash pow. If there isn’t any powder in the trees, I find it takes a little more effort to turn quickly and stay in control if the trees are tight.
• Backcountry: I’d definitely take this board into the backcountry. It’s very versatile, and I would feel confident it could stand up to any conditions met. It plows through uneven terrain and chunder really well with its wider design, it floats effortlessly through powder, and it loves steeps. I think the split version of this board would be awesome, and if I was choosing a board to just carry on my back to hit some backcountry runs, this board is pretty lightweight and would definitely be a good choice for that.
• Durability: I think Weston has done a great job making durable products and this board is no exception. I’m guessing that being a brand more focused on splitboards and backcountry, the durability is really important and well thought out. They actually use a top sheet made from castor bean oil, and I have found it to be very rugged and durable. Zero chips on the board yet after riding hard. The sintered base seems fast and durable as well.
• Weight: The board is by no means heavy, but I wouldn’t say there is anything in particular that makes it stand out as lightweight either. It has a bit more volume for its length since it is a little wider than average, so if anything it could initially feel on the heavier side. When riding I don’t feel weighed down at all though.
• Stability: The stability on this board is great. I find it to be fairly damp and it feels pretty locked in when carving on groomers. It holds an edge well, and it plows through chunder and heavy snow pretty easily. It is a bit too stiff for me to be able to really butter on it. The camber underfoot to rocker at tip and tail does give it decent pop, but I definitely have to muscle into it to get its full pop. The chatter underfoot is minimal, although I would definitely suggest putting damp bindings on this board. It does not feel great with the Union Milans but with the Juliets, or a binding like the Now Condas, it felt way less chattery.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Moguls: This wouldn’t be my top choice to do moguls with. The wider design and the sidecut of the board make it way better for bigger carves, so it takes more effort and I even have to hop the board through moguls sometimes. A board with a sidecut more similar to the Jones Stratos would be way easier to turn quickly in moguls.
• Park: While the Eclipse does have some pop to it, it would not be my top choice to take into the park. I wouldn’t want to jib with it or hit boxes and rails. It has way more of a free-ride / powder-focused design, and I wouldn’t say it’s playful. For bigger drops off-piste though, it feels really solid and is very forgiving in the landing.
• Switch riding: This board has a wide nose and a thinner half-moon tail, and it's also directional. Due to this, I wouldn’t say it is ideal to ride switch, and when I tried it felt pretty awkward. I do think you could land a spin switch and then quickly turn back to regular without too much of a problem though.

Favorite moment with this gear

Shortly after I got this board we had an unexpected powder day in the spring. It was one of those days that wasn’t crowded because nobody was expecting it to dump, and so we had fresh runs of powder through the trees for hours. Even when we’d go back to the same area, our tracks were the only ones there! I really enjoyed the Eclipse because it floated effortlessly through the powder and even once it got tracked out I felt I could still go fast, the board just plowed through the bumps!

Value for the money vs. other options

I think the price point is very close to other options similar to this board. The Mind Expander is MSRP right around the same price, with the Orca still being a little more expensive. I do think there are other boards with similar features that come in cheaper, but I find that the durability of Weston is really high-quality, so yes I think this board is worth the price. There are always sales as well!

Final verdict

The Weston Eclipse is an extremely versatile board that excels in powder, carving at high speeds, and plowing through uneven terrain. It would be a great board for any high intermediate to expert rider who wants either a one-quiver board heavily focused on powder or a second board to compliment their park or all-mountain freestyle set-up.