About this Review: This review is my honest opinion oft he board whichI purchased with my own money in February of 2022.

My take

The Never Summer Swift is not only an incredible pow board, but it’s also super fun to carve groomers on. It also rips in the trees! This board met my very high expectations and blew them out of the water.

About the gear

• Model: 2022 Never Summer Swift
• Size: 157

About me

• Height: 5’9”
• Weight: 185
• Experience: 15 years

Test conditions

• When I bought these: February 2022
• Days tested: 15
• Mount position: Recommended
• Boots: K2 Darko
• Boot Size: 9
• Bindings: 2020 Union Contact Pro
• Where I’ve used it: British Columbia, Colorado
• Terrain: Pow, trees, groomers, side hits.

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a dedicated pow board ideal for skipping through tight trees in BC. I searched for a directional board with a big shovel nose and a tapered swallow tail.

Why I chose this gear

This board fits all of the criteria I was looking for in a pow board. I had also demoed it in Colorado years before and loved the ride. Many boards on the market would fit in this category: The Burton Pow Wrench, Salomon Sick Stick, or Nidecker Mellow.

What I love about it

• Speed: The board is pretty damp and stiff, so it doesn’t get chattery at higher speeds. However, the rocker point between the bindings does feel less locked in than the traditional camber.
• Edge hold: The edge hold is very good when pressing hard into the hybrid camber profile. At lower speeds, it feels much looser at lower speeds.
• Turns: Turn initiation is very easy. Once I lean over the rocker point in the center of the board and initiate an edge, The board practically turns itself once the turn is initiated. It took a little getting used to since I mostly ride full camber, but once I figured out the contact points, I was hooting and hollering, having so much fun.
• Groomers: This board exceeded my expectations on groomers. It handled deep, hard carves really well. It did not handle smaller micro-adjustment during turns quite as well.
• Powder: This board is made for powder. The tapper swallow tail helps keep the back of the board low, and the shovel nose gives the front of the board high.
• Trees: The rocker in the center of the board makes it very nimble in the trees.
• Durability: This board has one of the toughest base materials on the market. Also, the burly metal tip and tail prevent an everyday tree bonk from totally destroying the board.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Moguls: This board is a little too stiff to be great for moguls
• Park: The directional shape doesn't ride very well switch, but it is super stable when boosting jumps and stamping landings.
• Backcountry: This is not a split board, so it is not ideal for backcountry riding.
• Switch riding: The tapered, swall tail does not ride very well switch, but you can certainly ride it backward in a pinch or just for fun.
• Other: I found this board to be very squirrely getting off of the lift. This is due to the pivot point being at the center of the board.

Favorite moment with this gear

The first time I took this board out, the mountain reported 7cm of fresh snow. I HAD TO GO when I pulled my new board out of the box. I showed up, and it was riding more like 20cm of fresh snow, and this board could not have been more at home in those conditions.

Value for the money vs. other options

This is not a cheap board; however, it is well worth its value. Never Summer makes boards so durable that you may pass them on to your grandchildren. Not to mention, the shape of this board is more fun than anything else I’ve owned. Similar boards that might compare if interested in the Swift might include the Burton Pow Wrench, Lib Tech Orca, or Nitro The Quiver POW. Although, I would choose the swift over any of these options due to the durable construction and enjoyable nature.

Final verdict

For those who are looking for the ultimate pow board, this is it. The kicker is that this thing rips on groomers as well. It also is a ton of fun for boosting side hits and getting some major air on my way down the hill.