Coalition Snow Myth Snowboard Review
Back in 2014, I upgraded from a hand me down rock board to a 2013 Burton Feather snowboard that I hoped would take me from a beginner to an intermediate rider. It definitely did that, and it kept up with me as I moved from intermediate to advanced. A couple of years ago, I added a Weston Backwoods splitboard for backcountry adventures. One thing I noticed from riding the Backwoods was that I really appreciated how it rode in uneven, rough terrain compared to the Feather.
I’d been contemplating a new inbounds board for awhile, and I decided to start shopping spring sales. I was looking for a board that:
Could handle rough, uneven snow
Turned quickly and easily
Felt solid on steep terrain
I was NOT looking for a board that:
Excelled in the powder
Is oriented toward the park
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to demo any boards, so I was relying on a lot of internet research. The Good Ride was by FAR the best source I found for snowboard reviews - I especially appreciate how much work went into their women’s specific review. I also used Outdoor Gear Lab, but they have fewer snowboard reviews. My research led me to the Coalition Snow Myth, which my husband bought for my birthday in April.
The Myth has dual hybrid camber under each foot with flat camber between the feet. It’s got twin rockered tip and tail and slanted sidewalls. Reviews pointed out its strong edge hold for security on steep terrain, stability in choppy snow, and that it has a wider waist than a lot of women’s specific snowboards.
I’m 5’11”, wear women’s size 9 boots (10.5 women’s in street shoes), and weigh ~165 when I’m geared up. Coalition Snow’s size chart for the Myth sizes me at 151 or 155, depending if I rate myself intermediate or expert. I ended up ordering a size 151, deciding to size down for quick turns and tight trees. Since I didn’t get the Myth until April, and we had a slow start to winter, I had to wait forever to finally try it out. At this point in the winter, I’ve gotten 8 or so days on it in a number of conditions - warm days with choppy, soft snow, cold and frozen days with lots of ice chunks, sunny days cruising groomers, and even a storm day with more fresh snow than I was expecting.
What I Love:
Overall, this board does exactly what I was looking for. I love this board! It’s stable in rough, uneven snow (which we’ve had plenty of in Truckee this winter), whether that’s chopped up Sierra cement or frozen chunks on the side of a groomer. It turns super quick for me - I think due to the camber underfoot. Because the board is so responsive, I have more confidence in the trees and can pick the best lines. The stability and strong edge hold make it feel solid on steep slopes - I never feel out of control. Finally, it’s not a powder board, but I took it out on a day with fresh snow and found a few spots that were deeper than anticipated. With the rockered tip and tail, it did a lot better than I expected.
Downsides
This board does have a few downsides, though they’re pretty minor when considering what I was looking for in a snowboard. While it handles messy, choppy terrain like a dream, I really felt bigger bumps and holes in the snow, especially when visibility was bad and I didn’t see them coming. In mountain bike suspension terms, it has excellent small bump compliance but you’re going to have to use your body to absorb the big hits (or avoid them). When the snow got deep, warm, and heavy on my accidental powder day, I definitely struggled to stay on top of the snow, especially in spots where I couldn’t keep my speed up.
Who It’s For
I think this is a great board for intermediate to advanced riders who are looking to add another board to their quiver who want to get more aggressive in off piste and treed terrain and have another board for riding in deep powder or heavy, wet days. I think it would also work well for riders with a single board quiver who want something that is equally fun on the groomers, trees, and steeps, but aren’t super into riding powder.
I don’t think this is a great board for brand new beginners - it’s on the stiff side and the responsiveness could lead to oversteering. I also don’t think it’s a great fit for single board quiver riders who want to spend their time in powder stashes.
Coalition Snow
Coalition Snow is a women-owned and local to me brand that’s “on a mission to deconstruct the status quo.” They “started in 2014 with an obsession to fill a void in the industry with our performance-driven skis and snowboards and with a belief that a community of enlightenment, sustainability, and solidarity were key ingredients that had been missing.” I had an excellent experience buying from them. As I said above, I wasn’t sure on sizing, and their owner chatted with and left me confident with my decision on sizing. And she was right!
I highly recommend the Coalition Snow Myth board if you’re an intermediate or higher rider looking for something that’s great in mixed conditions and the trees. If the Myth isn’t the board for you, I’d definitely consider checking out the other Coalition Snow options as an awesome women-owned, women-focused brand.