Never Summer Valhalla Review

Never Summer’s newest board, the Valhalla, has been generating a lot of buzz online and I had been wanting to take it out for a spin. On a recent weekend up at Targhee, I stopped by the Never Summer demo booth and was fortunate enough to take one out for a few laps.
Graphically, the Valhalla is very aesthetically pleasing. The board offers a beautiful contrast with a sleek, black topsheet and Viking graphic. The bottom also was not a typical Never Summer base because it has a printed ptex base. It has a fun shape with a big round nose, 7mm of taper, and a bat tail.
The Valhalla uses Never Summer’s triple-camber fusion technology, with camber underfoot and between the bindings. Triple camber is definitely a unique feel but once you adjust it's very stable and allows for excellent edge hold.
On my first run on the Valhalla, I struggled to figure the board out. It is definitely stiff, without much flex in any direction. It has a full Recluse Carbon Web Layup which is a diamond-shaped layout of carbon stringers from tip to tail. Typically, a fair amount of the other Never Summer boards will use these to stiffen boards in specific areas, but not usually the whole board. Never Summer rates the Valhalla an 8.5 out of 10 in stiffness and I would agree that holds pretty true. On run number two I started to figure the board out a bit more. It requires some effort to get edge to edge and wants to be ridden pretty aggressively. Once on edge, it holds really well and without chatter. I was able to really lay down some long, drawn-out carves. There’s a video of Never Summer team rider, Nick Larson, carving on an iced-over lake in Colorado that gives a good feel for what this board can really do.
Unfortunately, I was not able to get out in powder but I am sure the big nose and rocker would make this board excellent on deep days. It’s designed to offer a slightly set-back stance and I am sure would be a lot of fun in deeper snow also.
On a whim, I took it through the jump line and really liked it there. Historically, I like a softer board when hitting jumps, but found this was really stable on landings.
Run number three, I really was able to make the board come alive. I played around carving, riding it switch, and pushing the speed. It’s very stable and I hardly noticed any chatter. It is definitely not a beginner board but would be a lot of fun for someone that can get in there and push the limits.
For more snowboard reviews subscribe to our channel and visit us at oldguysriptoo.com