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Snowboards

KORUA Pencil Split 2021-2022 Snowboard Review

  • Price: €699 / $799
  • Category: Freeride + Powder
  • Sizes: 147, 164
  • Flex: 7/10
  • Shape: Directional
  • Profile: Combo
  • 3D: No
  • Base: Sintered

If you’re going to go as far as buying a splitboard then you may as well do it in style. The Pencil Split is truly a thing of beauty, based on one of KORUA’s best-selling templates. It has the same agile turning ability as the regular Pencil, only lift access is optional.

“The Pencil Split is truly a thing of beauty, based on one of KORUA’s best-selling templates”

MORE INFO:
KORUASHAPES.COM

Who Is The KORUA Pencil Split For?

Riders who are serious about getting out into unspoilt snow, and who don’t want to ruin it with any ugly turns.

Shape, Profile and Sidecut

There’s a lot of rocker at the front of this board, and the nose is pretty humongous, so float is never going to be a problem. The Pencil Split takes to powder like the proverbial duck to water, eliminating back leg burn and letting you focus on surfing it off the back foot. The tail has a small crescent to help it sink, but to be honest the bulk of the volume is so far forwards that it probably doesn’t make a huge difference.

Anyone experienced in splitboarding can tell you that you’re not always going to be riding perfect pow, though. Sometimes you’ll need to skin up bulletproof tracks, or traverse icy sections at the top or bottom of a face, at which point the Pencil Split’s camber profile beneath your feet keeps it feeling planted.

There are only two lengths in the split version of this board – a 147 for women, and 164 for the guys – but with a tight sidecut radius even the longer model is adept at picking lines through tightly-spaced forests.

“The Pencil Split takes to powder like the proverbial duck to water”

Construction and Materials

A full length poplar wood core might not be the most original of choices, but it lends the KORUA Pencil Split a lively performance that most riders will feel instantly at home on. A mid-stiff flex builds on this accessible theme, dialled in via biaxial fibreglass in the topsheet. Finally, there’s a sintered base to ensure the descent-to-ascent time ratio is as ridiculous as possible.

“Finally, there’s a sintered base to ensure the descent-to-ascent time ratio is as ridiculous as possible”

Roundup

If your idea of a good time is getting away from the crowds and truly exploring what the backcountry has to offer, then the Pencil Split is well worth consideration. OK, the likes of Jones have upped the ante by developing 3D shaped splitboards, but KORUA have done the simple things well here – and once you’ve done the hard work reaching the summit, no board will get you more hyped just to savour every turn.

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