The Wintersporters.NL test claims to be the biggest snowboard test in the Netherlands, with 128 boards on test it's believable. Each year the crew pack a truck-load of boards and drive south from Europe's flattest country to the Austrian Alps. This time they took a stack of Amplid decks with them. Below is what they thought of the boards. Just as a quick warning, the reviews have been translated using good ol' Google translate so please accept our apologies for any inaccuracies in the translation. Some sentences have been omitted, not because they said negative things about the boards, but because we could make zero sense of the translations. The original reviews can be viewed in Dutch at www.wintersporters.nl
Stereo
The Stereo is a great all-terrain snowboard. Simple, fun and versatile. We had a great time on this board made in Germany. You'll immediately have the confidence to go faster. It’s not too soft and not too stiff, perfect for a nice playful flex but simultaneously remaining stable at speed. The super pop makes riding kickers no problem, whether it's in the snow park or on a self-built powder jump. Landings are easily stuck, so you will always want to jump further and higher. With the Stereo, we have a really versatile twin on our hands. Overall an easy and forgiving ride.
Positives: versatile / easy / turns easily
Negatives: None
HiDef
The HiDef is a true freestyle board, it’s playful with great pop. Thanks to its classic camber, this board has an almost unbeatable ollie. A small rocker in the nose mean the HiDef is versatile. The HiDef is therefore a great board for freestyle and backcountry. If you're on this board the first thing you feel is a solid board that keeps its steel edges locked even on hard slopes. The tips deform significantly when you press, which in turn makes for a great pop. Very stable as a freestyle choice, but feels equally at home in a raked snow park as it does on a hefty windlip.
Positives: pop / freestyle / carves / lightweight
Negatives: None
Paradigma
The Paradigma is the perfect board to do everything. A true Swiss Army Knife. It’s not too aggressive underfoot, so you do not need to be too heavy footed. Also, the board is not too damp, so you can really feel everything through the feet. This Amplid has a very broad rider level and is suitable for almost all snowboarders. The Paradigma also allows for occasional sloppiness forgiving mistakes. It turns very easily thanks to the central point of the camber. This camber also offers good pop and means you can carve this board aggressively. It will float in the deepest powder. The Paradigma is a great freestyle board that is very versatile, it’s a little stiff at first acquaintance, but if you put a little more force (or weight) into it then this board is tremendously playful.
Postives: Easy to ride
Negatives: None
Pocketknife
With the Pocketknife we knew immediately what we had in our hands. The small tips are not suitable for the powder. It's a board for snow parks and rails. The first time you ride, it seems a bit hard in the tips, but then, to our surprise, this board did bend, at least if you give it a little speed. The pop and playfulness make this a true park beast. Thanks to an explosive nature makes that you can do with here. Good tricks The Pocketknife can do everything in the park and gives you confidence too. And the landings? Like velvet. This board is for riders who spend all day in the park.
Postives: pop / playful
Negatives: short tips for powder
LoveLife
We immediately knew what the LoveLife is made for: staying afloat and being agile in deep powder. It has a short sidecut radius, making it ideal for tree-runs. This board is truly easy to ride, at least if the snow is soft. The big nose ensures that the board will be fine gliding if the slope is not so steep. It’s a pleasant and quick snowboard. Overall the LoveLife is a great all-round board in powder, but it’s also remarkably good on hard slopes and in the park. A board for ladies who love life in the snow.
Positives: easy to ride / agile / floats
Negatives: stance is too far set-back