The Aether from Niche Snowboards

It has taken some time for me to get myself a new board but thanks to the folks at Niche Snowboards hooking me up with a pro-deal, I got myself a good one...
First, about Niche Snowboards and who they are.



Niche Snowboards' Veggie Bus @ SIA

They are a Salt Lake City based snowboard company that "goes against the grain" and introduces new boards to the world that are eco-friendly.  Yep, a GREEN snowboard company AND they are serious about it.  Don't believe me?!  They had a bus converted to vegetable oil.  NICE!  As an outdoors person, it does make me sleep a little better knowing that my snowboard is now eco-friendly, not toxic (for manufacturing sake), PLUS, it does help that it performs really freakin' well.  So, here is the board that I have been riding for about 2 months now, taking it through all the good, bad, and ugly snow.

Introducing the "Aether"

Comes as small as 148cm to a max length of 163cm.

Top and Base of the Aether


From the mouths of Niche on the Aether

"If your day consists of dropping chutes in the morning and slaying booters in the afternoon, the Aether is your all mountain soulmate. From its sustainably harvested poplar core to its cancer-free Snappy Sap™ Bio Resin, this board serves as a showcase of future-friendly technology. Its centered stance and reverse camber allow you to float backside 180s into pow and then make your way to the park to press some rails. The sintered base is scary fast and bombproof. With a mid-stiff flex and directional sidecut, the Aether is ready to tackle the entire mountain. We’ve also teamed up with Michael Sieben to deliver some extra tasty art on this shred stick."

My less markety way of talking about the Aether

An all-around, mountain dominator.  This board feels super light underfoot with a centered stance.  It has handled everything that I have thrown at it, or thrown it into.  Whatever you want to say!  Anyway, handles real well in the deep powder staying a float with a simple pop to the tail.  I would say it does not handle as well in the heavier pow (spring snow), but that is mainly due to the center stance and me being lazy to switch my stance back.  It has a nice pop to it and I feel that I can clear many more obstacles on this board than my old board.  The flex is perfect for what I want to do with it.  It is a much thinner board than what I am use to giving it a much lighter feel to it.  My old board would give me some serious foot pains, on the Aether, DOESN'T EXIST.  I think this is due to the sheer load off my feet.  Furthering on that note, its turnability is outstanding!  I can shred through trees much cleaner and cruise through them (well, around them actually) with confidence.  I have taken it into the limited park riding that I have done this year and it handles nicely.  I feel like I became a much better park rider with the flick of a switch by simply switching to this board, and it is not even their park monster board!

The Quick and Easy Rating

Weight 9/10

Have not been on a lighter board.  Only reason it is not a 10 is because there might be a lighter one out there that I do not know about yet.

Turnability 10/10

See above, I go on and on about it.

Park ?/10

I can not give an honest review here, since I am no park rat.  Like I said before though, having this board improved my skills instantly, when I am not big mountain riding.

Stability 8/10

The center stance makes this board stable but I find that it becomes "squirrelly" when riding on groomers or cruising quickly on traverses.  It is stable when it matters though, in the nice soft pow.

Style 10/10

Honestly, I did not like the design on the board when I first got it.  Then, I actually looked at it when riding on the chair day-after-day.  I saw everything that was drawn by Michael Sieben and fell in love!  It is a completely unique graphic designed by a well-established artist with so much freakin' detail on a snowboard! Overall on the Aether, it is an awesome, light, stable, eco-friendly, all-mountain dominator!  Definitely check out their boards when released next year!

Before I am done here I would like to personally thank the Niche Snowboards team for hooking me up with this deck!  Greatly appreciated!


More info on Niche:
NicheSnowboards.com
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