Words: Matt Taylor
You must be living under a rock if you are yet to see the Blossom board slide into your social feeds as Burton have really been getting behind this board, and after this review its easy to see why.
Sink your teeth into the sleek green scaled top sheet, mirroring the theme of the alligator artwork on the base. This so far has to be my favourite graphic of the 3 instalments with it so accurately representing that of a monster, fitting I’d say.
Seeing Zeb Powell have every cheat code under the sun activated and ripping this classic popsicle stick I’d be lying if I wasn’t a little bit excited to finally demo this. Feeling like the bigger juiced up jock brother to the now discontinued Killroy twin, which was an absolute powerhouse for all park rats, this board is no different. The Blossom is the brainchild of Burton Team riders who evidently have the midas touch when it comes to creating a board that could possibly be constructed from the wood on Noah’s ark. Giving the team free reign over the design build was a superb idea and who ever ticked this off is deserving of a raise. If you build it, they will come!
Let’s look at the finer details behind the board. Starting with its construction, the Blossom has Burton’s Squeezebox technology which is used to create softer flexing sections underfoot and stiffer sections outside of the foot which distribute energy for stability and that ever so exquisite pop. It preaches a classic but modernised feel, no smoke and mirrors here, a true twin and traditional camber. The camber profile has dominated the snowboard industry since its creation in the good ol’ days, so it’s no surprise the team chose it. Providing a snappy flex it gives the rider an abundance of edge control, this goes hand in hand with the Super Fly II 700G Core which uses a mixture of stronger and softer woods targeting specific portions to provide strength while reducing weight.
Also using Burtons Sintered WFO base (Wide F@#%ing Open) a super durable, highly absorbent sintered material that helps you ride all season long in any condition. Sintered bases deliver better performance but is a bit like the Karate Kid “Wax on wax off” always show your board some love and wax it regularly.
Now we can go on and on about the tech specs surrounding the board but let’s get into the good stuff. The main question is how did it perform overall? First initial thought was how exceptional this felt underfoot, I could taste the nostalgia and it reminded me of just how much I’ve missed camber.
Its freestyle construction hungers for park riding and must I say, it didn’t disappoint. It felt super controllable on rails and effortless airtime hitting jumps. Personally, I have a soft spot for a good press, and this had the perfect bite. Holding it just where it needed to be, putting the flex rating closer to a 6/10. This is what people refer to when they say they need stability in their life. Outside of the park this never felt rickety or had any sort of noodle chatter that you typically get from softer park boards.
The Blossom still has amazing edge control and as much as it’s based towards park, it’s still immensely suited to all mountain freestyle riding. Now you’re not about to do a high-speed flyby past the patrol hut on this bad boy, but it is designed to just have good old classic fun and anyone riding this can be my wingman anytime.
Whether booters or rails are your poison the versatility of something created so traditionally is endless. Extra style points for getting the gator base on display. For some inspiration check out BURTON WEEK at Mt Hood on YouTube, see Luke Winklemann, Zeb Powell, Brock Crouch and Mikey Ciccarelli to name a few go absolutely balls to the wall putting on an awe-inspiring exhibition.
A wise Burton poet once said, “Creativity is best achieved without supervision, Blossom is the future”. I had an absolute blast on this board and can honestly say I’m going to cry a little handing it back over, this may very well have to be added to the quiver.
