Gear review | Nidecker Escape Plus

First impression

Stylish and simple, but not boring. When unpacking the board, you immediately notice that it is less flashy than the rest of the Nidecker portfolio. Nevertheless, it's not just black; on closer inspection, the topsheet consists of a black and grey pattern, complemented by the colorful stripe between the inserts, which matches the base well.

Then you have the board in your hand and I start thinking: Carbon board... Shouldn't that be split? But wait, I'm not holding a splitboard here, but a solid board for the ski resort. So everything is fine after all.

The flex of the board is described as medium-hard. Wherever you draw the line, for me it's one of the harder boards I've ridden so far.

When mounting the binding, it is immediately noticeable: There is camber. I'm looking forward to the first days on the slopes at the start of the season.

Tester and test conditions

I tested the board in size 162W. With my 190 cm and 85 kg, a larger size would also have fitted. In my 15 years of snowboarding (with interruptions), I have tried out different models for different riding styles and have come to the conclusion that I am perhaps not a typical snowboarder. I feel most comfortable when my board is touching the snow and my body doesn't have to think about how to behave in the air. All those tricks on the piste aren't really for me either, because I just like going fast.

That's why I have a relatively stiff binding (Ride A-9) on the board. It's already a season old, but has been ridden so little that it's practically as good as new. With shoe size 46, the wide version of the "Escape Plus" is definitely necessary; however, I don't miss the even wider "XW" version, which is available with the normal "Escape". As you can already guess, I have mounted the binding at approx. +20°/0°.

Test report

Right from the first descent, I noticed the influence the carbon has on the handling. The board is quite stiff, which takes some getting used to, especially at slow speeds - perfect for the first day of the season. After a short familiarization phase, I increased the speed, because that's what the Escape Plus is made for. Here I was also immediately grateful for the decent camber. In normal piste conditions, slipping is only possible if you make a big mistake or perhaps when the edges are less sharp at the end of the season.

Unfortunately, the piste conditions here in Tyrol were normally not good, but sadly normally bad. Nevertheless, none of this was a problem, because the Escape Plus has an edge hold that I have never experienced before. Whereas I used to suffer the fear of death on icy slabs, now I only need to adjust my riding style slightly and I never feel like I'm losing control. Even at very high speeds, the board doesn't feel fluttery, so I can increase the speed day by day.

One change I made after the first day on the board was to change the stance. Initially, of course, I mounted the binding at the recommended distance. For my taste, however, the back foot is not in the right position, both in terms of the distance and the pressure on the edge. That's why I moved the back binding one hole forward, which made a big difference for me.

Switch riding takes some getting used to anyway due to my binding setting, but it works just as well with the Escape Plus as with other directional boards.

Off-piste, the directional shape does what it should. Thanks to the wide shovel, you also have enough float. I have never felt one hundred percent comfortable on the board on predominantly rough terrain and firmer snow. But thanks to the harder flex, I still feel like I have everything under control. For a lot of fresh snow, a board with more rocker in the nose would probably be the better choice.

Of course, after a few days of use, the first signs of wear and tear start to show. Most of these come from the lift line when the board comes into contact with other material. However, the topsheet is very robust and the scratches are not that noticeable due to the design. The base reports that it could do with some wax again; this is certainly due to all the artificial snow.

Conclusion

The board delivers what it promises. It is made for high speeds and big turns. And it's also a lot of fun! The big question: Is it the board for a "one-board quiver"?

Not for me, as I'm looking for a more maneuverable, perhaps even playful board. But it's a great addition for people looking for a board that you can ride fast on and off piste. This also makes it more suitable for advanced riders. I would like to make a brief comment here: Why the board is only listed on the Nidecker homepage under snowboards for men is not entirely clear to me. There are enough women for whom this board is suitable due to their body and shoe size.

Advantages & disadvantages

+ very good edge hold

+ very smooth ride at high speeds

+ very well made

- Fun factor rather low at slow speeds

Technical data

Available sizes: 156, 159, 159W, 162W, 165W

Center width: 255-270mm

Shape: Directional, camber, medium-hard flex

Weight:

Price: 519,95€

Click here to visit the Nidecker website for more information.

The board was provided to PowderGuide free of charge by the manufacturer. Find out how we test it in our test statement.