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Burton Talent Scout 2020-2021 Women’s Snowboard Review

  • Price: £450 / $500
  • Category: Park/Jib
  • Ability Level: Advanced
  • Size: 138, 141, 146, 149, 152
  • Flex: 6/10
  • Shape: True Twin
  • Profile: Camber
  • Base: Sintered
  • BUY DIRECT FROM BURTON

Why we chose the Burton Talent Scout Snowboard: It’s the crème de la crème of women’s freestyle.

The weapon of choice for Anna Gasser, the Burton Talent Scout can take you from your first frontboard all the way up to stomping triple corks. Everything about the Talent Scout has been specifically thought out to make it a premium park destroyer- twin shape, poppy camber profile and tough as old boots. This is for the certified rippers, for whom freestyle isn’t just a hobby, it’s a way of life.

The Talent Scout has an old school full camber profile, built to go big. It’s long been the profile of choice for those wanting the most dynamic and lively snowboards thanks to its unrivalled pop. Aggressive and powerful, it’s probably not ideal for a novice who wants a gentle board to hold their hand, this is for meticulous riders who crave a consistent board feel.

“The Talent Scout is a top shelf whisky- no chaser required”

While most park boards these days have a little bit rocker in the nose and tail but the Talent Scout does no such thing. These rocker zones ease up the ride a little and let you get away with slightly sloppy landings, but they also take away some of the power from the board. It’s like having a chaser after slamming back a whisky shot, yeah it makes it a smidge more palatable but you’re losing a bit of that raw, undulating power coursing through your veins. The Talent Scout is a top shelf whisky- no chaser required.

The Talent Scout is built around a balanced true twin chassis to give you that extra versatility whilst you’re airborne. It also opens up the Talent Scout to Burton’s ‘Off Axis’ systems, right and left foot are specified giving you a definitive heel edge regardless of whether you’re rocking regs or goofy. The core is profiled down the length of the board and is stiffer outside the bindings for extra pop, and softer underfoot for more control and feel. It’s optimized at 15, -15, to mimic a freestyle stance, and gives you an added boost when you start to push it.

The Burton Channel System can be seen as a bit of ‘Marmite’ kit, some people absolutely love it, some absolutely hate it, although most are impartial. One thing that can’t be denied about the Channel is that it gives you a wider range of stance option. Being able to micro adjust your stance width isn’t absolutely necessary, but it’s this attention to detail and ability to finetune that has made Burton the de facto choice of many a discerning rider.

“It’s this attention to detail and ability to finetune that has made Burton the de facto choice of many a discerning rider”

The core is Burton’s premium Super Fly II 700G Core with Dualzone EGD, and while that’s a bit of a mouthful to say, it just means that it’s super lightweight (700grams to be exact). While the majority of the core lies vertically down the board, the wood running down the edges between the contact points is horizontal, giving more power, bite, and durability where you need it most.

Although the Talent Scout is primed and ready for park rats, the Frostbite Edges, responsive nature, and high-quality sintered base mean it’ll still rip on piste when you’re getting from A to B. It’s a prime option for those looking to up their game and take their riding to the next level.

Tester’s Verdict 2020/21

Tarun Knapp
Snowboard Content Writer, Surfdome

“If you’re daring enough to strap into Anna Gasser’s weapon of choice, you ought to know you’re in for a powerful ride. Made for freestyle riding, my 15/15 stance felt right at home when taking the Talent Scout out for a stroll.

“The full-on camber profile makes this board powerful af whilst giving it a great amount of pop too”

The full-on camber profile makes this board powerful af whilst giving it a great amount of pop too. And you can pick up some decent speed too, as you’d expect from a board that’s more or less made for a woman who’s hitting the pro kicker lines.

The Burton Talent Scout is definitely not made for the faint-hearted, but if you’re an intermediate rider looking to improve, I’d say this board will help to push you that extra mile.

I personally prefer a board characterised by a bit less aggression, so even if I do admit that the Burton Talent Scout is superior to many women’s freestyle boards, it isn’t my cup of tea. However, I did enjoy riding it for a day, as I found it to challenge my riding. The camber profile made me get out of my comfort zone, which I quite enjoyed.”

Tester’s Verdict 2019/20

Stella Pentti 2019/20Whitelines

“I must admit that I do have a soft spot for the Burton Talent Scout. I’m not sure what magic the guys over at Burton do to this Anna Gasser signature board but year after year they just keep getting it right. With its camber profile and true twin shape (my go-to shape), the Talent Scout is my kind of board.

“I’m not sure what magic the guys over at Burton do to this Anna Gasser signature board but year after year they just keep getting it right”

You can tell that the Burton Talent Scout is first and foremost a park board and I think my best ever park performance has been accomplished when riding it. With the mid flex it makes for the perfect combination of soft and stiff. It’s just stiff enough to keep you stable, while the camber shape gives you all the pop you need. It’s fast, it’s fun and it’s also good for carving.

Despite clearly being a park board, it works very well for other types of riding as well, and I bet anyone who likes to charge would appreciate this board. It might not be ideal for beginners, but I’d say it is a fitting choice for anyone looking for a good board to help them take their riding to the next level.”

Tester’s Verdict 2018/19

Joy Dutchsnowboard-asylum.com

The Talent Scout is always a board that gets me stoked for riding. It just effortlessly makes your day more interesting.

It’s a little bit stiffer than what I personally like riding but it’s mega poppy and great for stomping landings and locking in. It’s great in terms of speed and you always find yourself going quick even when the snow got super slushy at the end of the day.

“An awesome freestyle board with bags of versatility for charging round everywhere”

Carving was fun too; it’s quick to get on an edge and great at holding the line. I like the Talent Scout because it performs over the whole mountain from start to finish – it doesn’t pigeon-hole your riding and leave you wanting more.

An awesome freestyle board with bags of versatility for charging round everywhere.”

Tester’s Verdict 2018/19

Stella Penttiwhitelines.com

“Before trying this board myself I heard people saying they felt it to be slightly too stiff, which I can understand, but personally I felt that the balance between stiff and flexy was perfect.

“The balance between stiff and flexy was perfect”

The Talent Scout provides you with both a stable and fun ride. It’s maybe not the most fun board I’ve ever ridden, but I bet when you ride it often enough you learn how to make the most of it.

I rode this board in powder, on the piste and in the park, and though it worked well for all three, I definitely felt it worked best for park riding. The stability of it can best be appreciated while riding park, although the board can be used by anyone and for any kind of riding.”

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