Best Volkl Snowboards: Reviews by OutdoorEquipment.com
OutdoorEquipment.com rates the best Volkl snowboards. Reviews include the Volkl Squad, Coal XT, Cashew & more! We compare Volkl to Burton, K2 & Gnu snowboards
The ownership of Volkl snowboards has changed hands more times than a pair of dice in a game of Monopoly. But unlike much of the competition, that hasn’t stopped them from maintaining a heavy presence in the boarding scene.
Sadly, this industry is known for chewing up and spitting out snowboard manufacturers with potential. Money runs out and an independent company gets up by larger and larger corporations until they’ve been completely stripped of their identity and either thrown into the discount bins or obliterated all together.
Not so with Volkl.
This company has survived a number of transitions, and not just so that they could be given a second life as a pathetic third-tier beginner line, either. They’re still managing to introduce some exceptionally innovative, powerhouse snowboards to the industry on a yearly basis.
If you’re in the market for a new ride that will tear up the mountain with style and finesse–and you don’t want to break the bank to do so–take a look at what Volkl has to offer.
Best Volkl Snowboards: Reviews of the Bestsellers
It’s reasonable to think that a company like Volkl, who has had several parent companies, would be the producer of inexpensive, beginner snowboards that you can find in any store’s discount barrel. But boy, are you far from the truth!
Volkl doesn’t seem to care about the dollars and cents; they’re much more interested in creating fantastic boards that push the boundaries of today’s manufacture.
There are snowboards that are meant for racing, for jibbing, for carving, and for floating. There are boards for women, boards for men, and boards for children. There are boards with space age technology and board made from recycled products. Volkl has it all.
Below are three of the bestselling snowboards in the Volkl catalogue:
- Volkl Squad Snowboard
- Volkl Coal XT Snowboard
- Volkl Cashew Snowboard
Take a look at each of these to find out a little bit more about Volkl, and what makes them stand out from the massive crowd of competitors.
Volkl Squad Snowboard Review
The Squad is Volkl’s attempt at a true park rocker that can perform just as well as any of the industry’s impressive competition–and they succeeded with flying colors.
From the first moment you step on the Squad, you’ll feel how amazingly comfortable the board is. It’s steady and stable enough so that you won’t ever feel like you’re going to be knocked off because you’re going too fast. This is a board with power.
Whatever you want to do in the park, you know that you’ll be able to do it with absolute confidence when the Squad is with you.
If there’s anything to criticize in the Volkl Squad snowboard, it’s that it may be a bit too heavy to get the kind of air you’re dying for, and there’s also a bit too much vibration felt when stream-lining it towards a kicker.
But those are small prices to pay for the smooth power of the Squad’s performance.
Some of the Squad’s best properties include:
- Tip-to-Tail Supreme Wood Core
- Horror-Shock Absorber
- Twin-Tip Freestyle Sidecut
- Upper and Lower Triaxial Fiberglass Weave Plus V-Tex
- Ultra Light Top Sheet with Partial Grip Lacquer
Volkl Coal XT Snowboard Review
This is one freakin’ fast board! While it isn’t technically an alpine snowboard, it is a bit of a racer. If you like to travel faster than the pack, taking as few carves and turns as possible to get down the mountainside, then you may want to look a little closer at the Coal.
What makes this thing move so fast, you ask? Well, for starters, it features a stiff flex, large sidecut radius, VRL sintered base, and aerospace technology. How’s that?
But this is more than just a speed freak–the Coal XT is also a really fantastic powder runner and backcountry cruiser.
Here’s a little peak at some of the Volkl Coal XT’s best features:
- Anti-Vibrations System (AVS)
- Carbon and Aramid Weave
- Lightweight Cellcore Technology
- Upper and Lower Triaxial Fiberglass Weave
- Volkl Race Lab P-Tex 4000 Splitbase
Volkl Cashew Snowboard Review
Like Arbor Snowboards and Capita Snowboards, Volkl has seen the toll that snowboard manufacturing can take on the environment. Their answer is the Cashew snowboard, an eco-friendly ride made from mostly recycled products and environmentally safe materials.
And also like those companies, Volkl has created a board that is more than just a poster child for the green movement–it’s a true shredder that performs just as well as the others boards in the catalogue–if not better.
The Volkl Cashew is an all-mountain freestyle snowboard that absolutely loves the deep powder. If you like to get out in the backcountry, where the white stuff is fresh and deep, there may be no better board to cut through it with. The Cashew features a rocker profile and powder convex base for the best in pow-running.
There’s no argument that the Cashew represents a great step forward in the industry of manufacturing sustainable products, just as with Arbor and Capita, but it’s also great proof that you can do so and still be a contender for top performer in any category.
Now if only all the other big name brands out there would jump on the bandwagon and protect the snowy mountainsides that give them a home.
The Volkl Cashew snowboard sports great features, including:
- 80% Recycled Sintered Die-Cut Base
- Hemp Canvas Top Sheet with Partial Grip Lacquer
- Directional Freestyle Sidecut
- Shock Absorber with Pop 2.0 Construction
- Insert Systems 6×2
Volkl Snowboards: Summary
Volkl is a company that has weathered the business of corporate buy-outs and still manages to produce some really great boards. Whether you’re more interested in park, backcountry, racing, or alpine, Volkl has several models for you to choose from.
These are powerful, durable, lightweight, high performance snowboards that will take you where you want to go. And there’s even a model or two that’s created with eco-friendly materials and renewable resources.
Volkl is at the top of their game today, and the only way forward for them is up. These are highly recommended boards.
Volkl is a company that has a long history with the winter sports industry. It’s a Germany-based manufacturer that was founded in 1923 to create the next generation of skis.
Over the years, they expanded their lineup to feature other products like snowboards, clothing, and even tennis gear. Volkl was owned by the K2 Corporation of Carlsbad, California, which has since been bought out by the Jarden Corporation in 2007. Through it all, Volkl continues to offer fresh innovations and high performance boards for every type of rider on the mountain.
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