Burton Custom Flying V - 2012

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We liked the Custom Flying V last year but on the whole opinion was divided as to whether the Custom Flying V lived up to expectation. With the addition of the Squeezebox core profile the Custom Flying V will be receiving tons and awards and accolades this season because it’s a belter. Fun to ride, responsive and lively with stability and sure footed grip the Custom is King once again.

Manufacturer's Description:

The addition of Squeezebox to the Custom Flying V™ changes the game completely for riders like Mikkel Bang and Mads Jonsson. The thinner core underfoot transitions to thicker, more powerful areas between and outside your feet to optimize pop, snap, and handling. Considering this Flying V is already Springloaded with rocker float and camber stability, along with the electrified edge control of Lightning Bolts and Frostbite, it’s advisable you keep this board stored outside.

Recommended for park riding.

Recommended for halfpipe riding.

Recommended for freeride riding.

High cost $

Available in Wide.

Hybrid Rocker/Camber Construction.

Directional Shape.

Year: 2012

Available Lengths (cm):
148, 151, 154, 156, 158, 160, 163, 155W, 158W, 162W, 169W

Riding Style: All Mountain

Specifications:

Gondola Package
The Channel
BEND: Flying V
SHAPE: Directional
FLEX: Twin
CORE: Super Fly II™ with Dualzone™ EGD™
FIBERGLASS: Triax™ Fiberglass, Lightning Bolts, and Carbon I-Beam™
BASE: Sintered WFO
SIDEWALLS: 10:45™
EXTRAS: Squeezebox, Frostbite Edges, Pro-Tip™, Infinite Ride™, and Progressively Wider   Waist Widths

Similar boards: Nitro Team Gullwing - 2012 Lib Tech Travis Rice Pro - 2012 GNU Riders Choice - 2012 Rome Agent Rocker - 2012

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Snowboard Review:

Watch the 2012 Burton Custom Flying V Video Snowboard Review

2012 Burton Custom Flying V Video Snowboard Review

Last year Burton launched the Custom Flying V and unsurprisingly it was a hit, on Snowboard-Review.com it attracted almost twice as many page views as any other board on the site. Having reviewed it last year I was pretty impressed. I felt it was lively in and out of turns, it felt nimble and responsive and stable enough for riding most terrain. I didn’t encounter any really hard snow last year so my opinion of the edge hold was pretty good. However, over last season feedback on the site was that edge hold wasn’t up to scratch, this year I made doubly sure that I rode the Custom Flying V on some super hard re-frozen early morning groomers.

The biggest change to the Custom Flying V this year is the addition of the Squeezebox a core profile. Squeezebox is about as bizarre and elaborate as a core profile can get, thickening just before the inserts and then rapidly thinning under the inserts and thickening after the inserts again, finally thinning towards the centre of the board. The idea being that the thinner sections beneath the feet allow the board to be worked into carves and flexed with less effort whilst the thicker sections either side of you bindings provide stability and increased pop. The Custom Flying V’s outline shape and profile remain untouched and the rest of the spec is pretty much identical to last year’s board too.

I’ve got to say, I enjoyed last year’s Custom Flying V but this year’s board kills it! As I mentioned earlier I took the Flying V out on one of the colder mornings when I could be sure that the pistes were frozen corduroy that had been formed from the previous day’s slush… seriously this stuff is like glass. The Custom Flying V made mincemeat out of it… on a flat base it felt a little sketchy just because any rocker between the feet gives a board a natural squirliy-ness but as soon as I set it on an edge it gripped like extremely well. Impressed, I took the board through the pipe and edge hold up the icy walls was as good as, if not better than the other boards I rode that week including the K2 Protohype and Salomon Man’s Board, two boards with grip by the bucket load! So if you’re complaining that this year’s board doesn’t have grip, it’s time to stop blaming the tools and book yourself in for a lesson. On the re-frozen corduroy I also noticed that this year’s board damped-out vibrations and chatter far better than last year’s board.

Once the park had started to soften up I went for a couple of laps of the mini shred. Last year I wrote that the Custom Flying V was “surprisingly poppy” well this year’s Squeezebox enhanced Flying V is ridiculous… you may as well strap two enormous springs to your boots. I was riding a 158 which is my usual all-mountain board length, usually riding this length of board you need to work the flex a little harder to access the pop, not with the Custom. You hardly have to load the flex up at all to get big ollies and landings are equally as easy the nose and tail work well with the rockered waist profile to lay you down from tail or nose heavy landings or incomplete rotations. I loved the Custom Flying V in the pipe but I had just as much fun if not more on kickers and even on the odd rail.

The Custom Flying V has had the weirdest make-over. It’s like building a cyborg with a metal endoskeleton, for all intentions it looks the same as a human being but like T2000 it’s vastly superior. That’s what Squeezebox is like with the Custom Flying V, it has turned a good board into a fantastic board; it is as responsive and versatile as it ever was it just has better edge hold, easier pop, more forgiving landings and better dampening. I would thoroughly recommend this snowboard to strong intermediates through to expert all-mountain snowboarders with an attacking riding style.

Highlights:
Impressive edge hold on all snow conditions
Very easy to access pop from the Squeezebox core
Versatile directional all-mountain shape
Forgiving in the tips for less than perfect landings
Fast base

Letdowns:
A little too directional for park focused riding

Posted by Rich Ewbank in • Burton

User Snowboard Reviews

Want some advice, or have a question about the Burton Custom Flying V snowboard, or whether it is right for you? DON'T POST HERE! Head over to our snowboard forums and our community will be happy to help.

Seriously - READ THE ABOVE..., the snowboard forum the best way to get your question seen by all of our community and an answer, rather than just those who happen to view this page.

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What colour is powder?

Robert on October 31, 2011 at 01:25 PM

I cant’t get along with some lines in this test.

I rode the 2012 Custom Flying V for 1 hour in Hintertux mainly on hardpack and icy conditions. There was almost no grip even with this new fancy Squeezebox. I have never ridden a board with this bad grip. I hardly overtook a guy with his Nitro subzero and completely detuned edges. We both sat in the snow together and complained about the bad grip.

I expected more from this Board with so called frostbite edges. I call them nobite edges.

With my Magnetraction-board the ride was effortless and fun on the same conditions.

Jamie on November 01, 2011 at 11:01 PM

Hi really in a tough spot on what board to buy. Was looking at the custom flying v but getting put off by several reviews including Robert in the above report in lack of grip.

I have a 155 K2 darkstar 08/09 camber at the mo just looking to update for a better all mountain to freestyle board as love to mess around all over.

Just would like a good fun board with not much downside to it. For a 5,8 light rider 145lbs size 7 uk good intermidiate. Help me what do i go for?!!!

nuculerman on January 12, 2012 at 09:53 PM

I agree with everything in this review except the grip part.  I may need more lessons, but I’m hardly the only person that has a problem with the edges on this board on new england ice.  In fact, this is the only review I’ve seen (and there are many) that praises this board’s edges.  The closest thing I’ve seen elsewhere is a rating of “average.”

I agree with Robert.  They’d be more aptly described as no-bite edges.  This board is just awful on the slick stuff.

Rich Ewbank on January 12, 2012 at 10:20 PM

I wonder if it has anything to do with stance width… I rode a 24” stance on the 158 and my toes and heels placed nicely over the frostbite edges. It’s good to have lots of peoples opinions on this. I’m still of the opinion that edge hold was good as I gave it an icy test. Thanks for your comment Nuculerman… good to have a blanced argument.

Jukka on January 21, 2012 at 07:05 PM

I love this board! First I was doubtful of buying this board after reading so many comments about lack of grip but then I give it a go. Previously I was riding a camper Burton Custom and first rides with this flying V felt obviously different, but not bad at all. After couple days of riding I think this is the best board I’ve ever rid. No signs of grip lacking and the conditions have been different from hardpack to fresh snow. I personally think that this is NOT the board for the beginner who cannot steer by CARVING. If your steering by moving your backfoot, not carving, of course it will slip, because there are no touching points.

This is not a camper but the grip lacking really is not a problem with this one and confident rider. 4,5 / 5

Eddie on January 25, 2012 at 12:31 AM

I just got the 156 and spent 3 days riding everything from hardpack to fresh powder up at Whistler last week.  I had the same problem with the grip.  Maybe its my technique, but I had a really difficult time carving this board and stopping.  It slides out on everything except for powder.  I agree with all the other positive reviews about the board - but the grip was a huge problem.

nuculerman on January 25, 2012 at 12:43 AM

@Jukka-

Though my technique is not perfect, I’m sure, I know how to carve.  More importantly, there are others who have reviewed this board that are advanced and even expert riders who had the same complaints.  I’m more than willing to believe Rich, in that the right combination of sizing and stance width might make all the difference, but the idea that the divide on this board is just skill level is ill conceived.  Especially since this board is marketed pretty heavily as a great board for all skill levels.

I think the more important point though is that there are better boards out there when it comes to edge hold.  A lot better.  Even boards with similar shapes and feel.  Burton’s frostbite edges just don’t compete with the best technology out there, and if someone plans on boarding a lot on ice (like in the American North East) I really think they should pass on this board, and try the Agent Rocker by Rome, or SL by Never Summer.  The TRS is another great all mountain board, and the Onemagtek from Rossignol will also be a more well rounded ride.

Donny Hamel on February 15, 2012 at 01:53 AM

I am planning on buying the flying V 158. I have a Rome agent now and had a custom x previously that I had to sell in relation to starting a family. Recently now that my kids are old enough I statues to pick it back up. I have a medium stiffness boot and with this board I was wondering what binding you may suggest for medium stiffness. I am not much of a park rider at the moment but like to play and hit some jumps. I am taking it easy this year where as next year I would be more aggressive. I was thinking mission or cartels. Looking for good toe-heal response and stabiliyy for ripping the trails but enough flex for play. Thanks in advance

nuculerman on February 15, 2012 at 04:46 PM

“Seriously - READ THE ABOVE…, the snowboard forum the best way to get your question seen by all of our community and an answer, rather than just those who happen to view this page.”

There is a forum page for these questions.  This is the review board.

I’d consider the mission EST’s considering you’ll have a Burton board.  Though I’d personally recommend the Rome 390 Boss paired with a Rome Agent Rocker, since I think that’s a better setup in almost every way.  But if you’re dedicated to staying with the Burton name, you might as well take advantage of their proprietary EST tech.

Stu Bennett on February 19, 2012 at 11:21 PM

I rode the 158 with CO2 bindings for a week in deep powder and on piste.

I loved this board in powder, it floats brilliantly.  My favorite board i’ve ever ridden in powder.  I set my stance back an inch after the first day and it was even better.  It’s a fantastic board for powder and soft snow!  I didn’t get into the park as they were closed all week but its a softer flex than I thought it’d be and quite poppy so I reckon it would stand up there well too.

I spent the week convinced it was the board for me and that I’d buy one, until the last day when we’d had no fresh for a few days and the temperature dropped over night.  The edge hold is below average in icy conditions, which It’s not cool for a 500 euro all mountain board, if any class of board can cope with those conditions it ought to be this one.  It skids, I never slipped out but its just not good enough.  I just don’t think the frostbite edges give enough.  It doesn’t make for a confident ride if you’ve got to face hardpack & ice.

I get what some guys have said about technique could be an issue but I’ve faced those conditions on other boards and had better results from cheaper all mountain boards.

That said if you’re thinking about buying this and you get regular powder where you go boarding then I whole heartedly recommend you buy a Custom Flying V.  I would!

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