Voile Spartan Splitboard Review and Demo Program!
Value Rating: 10 for retail price, 11 for demo price!
Durability Rating: 8
Overall Rating: 10
Location of Test: Mount Hood's Palmer and Zigzag Glaciers
Duration of Test: Summer and Late Fall
Product Name: Next Adventure Demo: Spartan Splitboard
Product Brand: Voile
Best Use: Backcountry Boardin Baby!
The Full Review:
If you’re looking to get into splitboarding, the Next Adventure demo fleet has a full-size run of the Voile Spartan splitboard for rent (also for purchase upstairs). Available year-round, the demo program is a fantastic way to try out various gear options, dodge the lift lines, and keep shredding through all the seasons. You can even apply your demo cost to the purchase of new skis or boards, letting you ride before you buy! This summer and fall, I took out the Spartan splitboard out to do some hot laps on the Palmer and Zig Zag glaciers and I had a blast. I sized down a little bit and took out a 154cm Spartan: while the shorter boarder makes uphill travel a little more effort, it allows for more maneuverability and tighter turns on the way down.
The Spartan is well-named. It’s tough, minimal, and can ride any terrain, but it’s more playful flex (in comparison to other splits) and its shape makes it a user-friendly board that any intermediate boarder can hop on and tour with. The Spartan’s flex is stiff enough to hold its edge on crustier snow and ice, and rigid enough to power through slush. It also has enough play that I don’t feel trapped in a deep carve and that I can ride the Spartan more casually. Its medium flex also lends itself nicely for the more freeride style boarder who wants something they can press and butter with. I haven’t gotten a chance to whip it through deeper snow yet, but from how it handles corn, I bet it could hold its own in lighter powder. At the same time, I could definitely see a more aggressive rider finding the Spartan a little soft for the heavy PNW snow and looking for something burlier like the Jones Solution or the Rossi XV Magtek. Like with all things splitboard related, it’s personal preference.
I’m a huge fan of the Spartan’s camber profile and shape. The board is rocker-camber-rocker, meaning there’s a little bit of an arch under your foot, but the board rises up on the tip and tail. For skinning up, the camber helps with traction and push and gives the rider more purchase than a fully rockered board. For the way down, the camber gives enough bite and power that the board can grip on icier terrain, while the rockered nose and tail prevent the edges from catching. This hybrid profile is the best of both worlds and combined with the Spartan’s 2cm setback, the splitboard is incredibly versatile and easy to enjoy.
As I said before, the name, the Spartan, is fitting for this splitboard. Aesthetically, the Spartan is extremely minimal: white topsheet and black base. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the black base hides p-tex and repairs seamlessly and as we all know, flashier, sexier graphics tend to be factored into the price of a board. Additionally, the Spartan is tough. Figuring that I’d be the one to repair it, I’ve definitely ridden this board through some thinner snowpack (like an idiot) and was pleasantly surprised to find its base and edges are impressively rugged, showing little wear. The Spartan has an aspen core, which while not as light as a carbon dominant core, is durable and damp on the descent. It also features a tough topsheet paired with a cap sidewall construction to save weight, with 2mm thick steel edges.
Finally, it’s also worth noting that all Next Adventure splitboard demos use the Voile puck system with Voile Speedrail bindings. Next Adventure also includes skins and Black Diamond Trail model trekking poles with all splitboard rentals.
All in all, the Spartan is a great board for the true all mountain rider: It can really do anything. While there are definitely better big mountain, powder and freeride boards out there, the Voile Spartan is a versatile, user-friendly board that can handle any condition. It is a quiver-killer for the beginning or intermediate splitboarder, and a fantastic rental option for anyone trying to get some off-season turns in!
The Good:
Playful, Medium flex
Affordable
Duraall-mountainng
Available to Rent!
The Bad:
A little soft for aggressive riding
Looks like a rental board
The Bottom Line:
It's a simple, versatile, all mountain split-board, great for anyone who enjoys split-boards, split-boarding and boards that are split.
The Full Review:
If you’re looking to get into splitboarding, the Next Adventure demo fleet has a full-size run of the Voile Spartan splitboard for rent (also for purchase upstairs). Available year-round, the demo program is a fantastic way to try out various gear options, dodge the lift lines, and keep shredding through all the seasons. You can even apply your demo cost to the purchase of new skis or boards, letting you ride before you buy! This summer and fall, I took out the Spartan splitboard out to do some hot laps on the Palmer and Zig Zag glaciers and I had a blast. I sized down a little bit and took out a 154cm Spartan: while the shorter boarder makes uphill travel a little more effort, it allows for more maneuverability and tighter turns on the way down.
The Spartan is well-named. It’s tough, minimal, and can ride any terrain, but it’s more playful flex (in comparison to other splits) and its shape makes it a user-friendly board that any intermediate boarder can hop on and tour with. The Spartan’s flex is stiff enough to hold its edge on crustier snow and ice, and rigid enough to power through slush. It also has enough play that I don’t feel trapped in a deep carve and that I can ride the Spartan more casually. Its medium flex also lends itself nicely for the more freeride style boarder who wants something they can press and butter with. I haven’t gotten a chance to whip it through deeper snow yet, but from how it handles corn, I bet it could hold its own in lighter powder. At the same time, I could definitely see a more aggressive rider finding the Spartan a little soft for the heavy PNW snow and looking for something burlier like the Jones Solution or the Rossi XV Magtek. Like with all things splitboard related, it’s personal preference.
I’m a huge fan of the Spartan’s camber profile and shape. The board is rocker-camber-rocker, meaning there’s a little bit of an arch under your foot, but the board rises up on the tip and tail. For skinning up, the camber helps with traction and push and gives the rider more purchase than a fully rockered board. For the way down, the camber gives enough bite and power that the board can grip on icier terrain, while the rockered nose and tail prevent the edges from catching. This hybrid profile is the best of both worlds and combined with the Spartan’s 2cm setback, the splitboard is incredibly versatile and easy to enjoy.
As I said before, the name, the Spartan, is fitting for this splitboard. Aesthetically, the Spartan is extremely minimal: white topsheet and black base. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the black base hides p-tex and repairs seamlessly and as we all know, flashier, sexier graphics tend to be factored into the price of a board. Additionally, the Spartan is tough. Figuring that I’d be the one to repair it, I’ve definitely ridden this board through some thinner snowpack (like an idiot) and was pleasantly surprised to find its base and edges are impressively rugged, showing little wear. The Spartan has an aspen core, which while not as light as a carbon dominant core, is durable and damp on the descent. It also features a tough topsheet paired with a cap sidewall construction to save weight, with 2mm thick steel edges.
Finally, it’s also worth noting that all Next Adventure splitboard demos use the Voile puck system with Voile Speedrail bindings. Next Adventure also includes skins and Black Diamond Trail model trekking poles with all splitboard rentals.
All in all, the Spartan is a great board for the true all mountain rider: It can really do anything. While there are definitely better big mountain, powder and freeride boards out there, the Voile Spartan is a versatile, user-friendly board that can handle any condition. It is a quiver-killer for the beginning or intermediate splitboarder, and a fantastic rental option for anyone trying to get some off-season turns in!
The Good:
Playful, Medium flex
Affordable
Duraall-mountainng
Available to Rent!
The Bad:
A little soft for aggressive riding
Looks like a rental board
The Bottom Line:
It's a simple, versatile, all mountain split-board, great for anyone who enjoys split-boards, split-boarding and boards that are split.