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Short test | Never Summer Aura Splitboard

Versatile women's split

by Maximiliane Sommer • 03/06/2018
Maximiliane Sommer
Maximiliane Sommer
The Aura Split from the US snowboard company Never Summer from Denver is a reliable machine for splitboard tours. It guarantees stability, fun factor and safety even in steep and icy terrain. It is super easy to control in powder and offers enough float even at a size of 151 centimetres.

Tester and test conditions

The Aura Split was tested in size 151 centimetres on five splitboard tours up to 2900 m in the Davos mountains and on the freshly groomed piste. The test period is December 2017 to January 2018. The test subject is 1.60 meters tall and weighs 60 kg. The best snowboarding conditions for the test subject are freshly groomed and deserted slopes for maximum speed, storms and low visibility as well as fresh snow in varied terrain. The Aura was first tested on hard and steep slopes. It was then tested off-piste in fresh snow for pretracking and on hard, steep and icy passages on the ascent as well as in powder and broken snow on the descent. Overall, the choice of spiltboard brands is small for my size and gender (3-4 possible brands), so the expectations of the board are all the higher. In terms of price, the Aura is in the upper third and therefore has to impress with its quality and handling.

FIRST IMPRESSION

Never Summer didn't promise too much with the name of the board, I immediately notice the Aura in the store in a positive light, standing discreetly in the corner and waiting for me. The flowery women's design doesn't look kitschy thanks to the black background, but rather graceful, which is further emphasized by the matt carbon topsheet. Never Summer guarantees the customer to find a backcountry enthusiast in the Aura, strong and reliable thanks to the typical NS Rocker Camber profile. Weighing in at around 4.5 kg with bindings, the Aura is easy to tuck under your arm and I walk out of the rental shop looking forward to an unforgettable splitboard tour.

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Never Summer
Aura
Never Summer
Aura

TEST

On the ascent: Two ascents and two descents are planned for our first tour. The Aura glides gently along the first few meters of the ascent and I'm already a fan. It moves nimbly on flat terrain and, despite its shortness, can be used to lead the way with ease. The first steps are followed by a passage of daydreams, in which the Aura carries me along behind my group towards the summit without a hitch. The closer we get to the summit, the steeper and icier the terrain becomes. I stop at some of the edges and look after my group, who have skied over these edges with their long touring skis in no time at all. I have to concentrate hard, take a few test steps and ask the Aura how best to master the situation. In the end, I always realize that when I have doubts, the Aura is far from reaching its limit and we end up mastering all the difficult sections without any problems. The edges provide reliable support, even in places where I wouldn't expect it. Thanks to its strength, the Aura provides 100% stability on the ascent, even in steep terrain. The Aura is easy to turn in hairpin bends and the sharp edges provide safety when turning. I arrive at the top of the summit beaming and find the board very confident overall on the ascent.

Composition on the mountain: After a few minutes of enjoying the summit, it's time to return the Aura to its original shape. After a few practice sessions, screwing and tightening takes about five minutes. It is worth going through the whole process once before the tour. The skins are easy to put on and take off. The bindings are also very easy to pull off the board in two simple steps. The connecting hooks at the front and rear of the board are usually a little icy, but are still easy to adjust. Only the hooks on the nose and tail are a bit of a challenge with cold fingers and you need a bit of force to lock them into the end position. Finally, the bindings are slid onto the attachments with ease and the rapid descent in deep snow can begin.

On the deep snow descent: The Aura provides absolute powder enjoyment from the very first moment. I glide back and forth on the wide deep-snow highway with the Aura and feel like I'm in grandma's rocking chair. This descent could go on forever, the Aura lets me glide through the snow so effortlessly. Then it gets steeper and the board suddenly turns into the promised power machine, is maneuverable, easy to steer and finds its footing easily. We ride a little further and arrive in an area that resembles a whale's belly. Here, the board briefly gives me the feeling of riding waves and I arrive at my group with a grin on my face. I have to agree with Never Summer that I have found a real deep snow enthusiast in the Aura.

Even in a mixed group with skiers and boarders, I am never slower than average when putting the board together and on the descent. Only a few tricky sections on the ascent take me a little longer with the Aura, which can of course be overcome with a better technique. Don't forget your crampons!

Maximiliane Sommer
Maximiliane Sommer

On the slopes: The typical Never Summer Ripsaw Rocker Camber profile also makes the Aura a reliable and exciting board to enjoy fast descents on the piste. The NS Women's Carbonium Laminate Technology, i.e. the Carbon Matrix, Bi-Lite Fiberglass and P-tex Sidewalls that encase the entire board, gives the Aura stability in steep terrain, at speed and on hard slopes. On the piste, the edges grip immediately. I immediately notice that the Aura wants more and can do more.

Conclusion

The Aura has given me unforgettable tours and impressed me above all with the high-quality workmanship of the material and the ease of assembly. In moments when I briefly doubted off-road, the Aura showed me how and that I could go on. True to the motto - "Giving up is not an option". The mid-firm flex and the quality of the board provide power and stability in the terrain.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

+ Absolutely solid touring and freeride board

+ Top workmanship

+ Super quick and easy assembly of the individual parts

-Little playful due to mid-firm flex

-Board fasteners at the ends are stiff when frozen

DETAILS

  • Profile: Ripsaw Rocker Camber Profile

  • Flex: Mid-Firm Flex

  • Topsheet: Carbonium Topsheet; carbon look less prone to scratches

  • Core: NS SuperLight Wood Core

  • Base Material (Laminates): Women's Carbonium Laminate Technology; Bi-Lite Fiberglass; Carbon Matrix has a positive effect on power conversion and performance

  • Sidewalls: P-tex Sidewalls, continuous P-tex also on the nose and tail

  • Size: available in 148; 151 and 154 (cm)

  • Weight with bindings: 4.5 kg

  • Weight without bindings: 3 kg

  • Price (without bindings): 1200 CHF

Here is the link to the Never Summer website with more information about the board.

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This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

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