It’s fact that spring is always the best time to add a new board to the quiver. With deals aplenty, and conditions that warrant a creative lens for both carves and side hits – introducing that playfulness can really spice up your spring snowboarding experience and with Northern Hemi pursuits on the horizon, something that is equally pow compatible does warrant an impulsive purchase.
No brand fits the bill better than Burton when it comes to appeasing that end-of-season ‘fun board purchase’ – and when the Alekesam made its way into our peripherals, we were fast to draw the plastic. Despite a looming Southern Hemi season expiry date, we don’t regret the purchase one bit – here’s why.
Slush slashing, powder stick
Around 10 years ago, surfing masses cottoned on to the joys of owning an alternative board/s, and snowboarding would follow soon after. Things got crazy, and while the undersized silhouette of the Burton Nug still lurks among us, we’ve since realised that there’s plenty of practicality in owning a pow board that works just as well as a slush slasher. This is where the Alekesam, as Burton states ‘delivers unparalleled versatility and performance’.
A board built to grovel in conditions currently present in Australia, then be packed as we search for powder come early new year. A board that brings a smile at every turn, and rewards those who find flow in the most arterial groomers.
Pop to boot.
The Alekesam is no sag-wagon, it’s actually quite stiff which gives it plenty of pop. Given its directional nature and hybrid camber profile, along with its obvious stumpy tail – you’ll be ollieing off of everything in sight. Despite the length being towards the taller end of inbound applications, the board’s very purpose lends itself to these sizes, so don’t be afraid when scoping the metrics.
With a wide waist width, the Alekesam is big-foot ready and shares the same graphic as the other Family Tree boards, albeit an altered orientation. After all, this range is really a celebration of shape and application. That little insignia asserts itself in knowledgable circles as a piece of refined snowboarding equipment. For those who seek something visually different, the board’s also offered up in an LTD colourway under the guise of the legendary Selema Masekela (of snowboarding presentation fame) who’s actually behind the board’s inception, and the likes of NYC painter Chase Hall – who did the masterful work behind this limited rendition of the Alekesam.
We like this graphic approach, as it somewhat future-proofs it against graphic developments which is always a value-add when purchasing a pow-board, since it may not be a daily driver. Or is it?
Not a daily driver, but could very well be.
Although somewhat specific in its application, this board definitely has that restorative power that can reignite one’s love for simply gliding on snow. If you’re done with keeping up in the park, then we’d be happy to just surf this thing all across the mountain, no matter the conditions. It’s a board that slows things down, not the time, but the moment in which you’re snowboarding in – and this is the Alekesam’s greatest attribute. …
A gateway to snowboarding flow-state of mind. Worth the price of admission? We think so.
