• Sizes: 148, 150, 152, 154, 155W, 156, 158, 158W, 160, 161W
• Flex: 5.5
• Profile: Hybrid Camber
• Shape: True Twin
• Price: £409 / €449

UPDATE: Check out our review of the 2019/2020 Capita Defender of Awesome here

Far and away the brand’s best-loved board, the CAPiTA Defenders Of Awesome snowboard has delivered the true all-mountain experience to thousands of riders. After a few key upgrades last winter – developed in house at CAPiTA’s ‘Mothership’ factory in Austria – it’s largely unchanged for 2018/19.

The CAPiTA DOA packs a lot of tech for its price point, including a fast sintered base and carbon reinforcement. There’s also Kevlar (like you find in bulletproof vests) built into the sidewalls, giving you extra protection against impacts.

“The true twin shape is park-ready, but the profile ticks all the right boxes for all-mountain riding”

No amount of clever stuff can compensate for a bad design, though, but that’s not an issue with the CAPiTA DOA. The true twin shape is park-ready, but the profile – mostly camber, but with flat sections near the contact points – ticks all the right boxes for all-mountain riding. There’s still plenty of pop and carveability, but the overall feel is less catchy, and even slightly better in powder than the classic bend.

The flex is just about straight-down-the-middle, so you can push it if you’re feeling confident or just cruise instead. Likewise the biax glass is less torsionally stiff than the triax equivalent, and it’s built to last too.

A longtime seasonaire favourite, the CAPiTA Defenders Of Awesome has earned its place as one of the most admired all-rounders on the market.