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Review: 2012 Never Summer Proto CT

272K views 919 replies 187 participants last post by  dreampow 
#1 · (Edited)
Review part 2 here with David's take on the board as well:

aGNARchy Proto CT Review

Introduction

For the past two years, I've slowly been getting sucked into the Never Summer hype around these forums. I wondered, "Can a line of boards really be that good?". Well, earlier last month, I was presented an opportunity of a snowboarding lifetime. Vince and Tracey from Never Summer contacted me and offered me a position in their online design team. What does that entail exactly? Well, they wanted my input on their products present and future. If I have any ideas/input regarding all aspects of their boards, then I am more than welcome to provide them. What's the catch? I have to ride and review a board of my choice. I chose the Proto CT because the tech specs sounded to be a perfect compliment to my riding style.

So you might be wondering what I thought about the board now. Well, I am a little angry at snowboardingforum to be honest. All that hype... all that talk... for what? A board that did not meet my expectations... THE NEVER SUMMER PROTO CT EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. So why the anger? Because now I have to add another brand of boards to my want list. Now I want to ride them all! Thanks guys. This is not a good thing for a gear whore like me.

So here it is, my initial review of the excellent 2012 Never Summer Proto CT 157:

Setup
Board: 2012 Never Summer Proto CT 157
Bindings: 2011 Rome 390 Boss L/XL
Boots: 2011 Burton Restricted Hail 9.5 US
Stance: +18/-12 Regular @ 23.5"

I am 5'9, 180lbs.

Handling
The Proto CT really shines in this department. The snow conditions was as good as it gets for Michigan at a generous 10-12". The Proto absolutely loves the snow. It held a solid edge when initiating carves and was more than easy to engage the sidecut. I did a series of short to medium to long carves and it was superbly stable and smooth. The Proto rode like a 160ish board, but handled like a 155ish. I attribute these characteristics to the longer effective edge and light weight (the blunted tips reduce the swing weight as well).

As the day progressed, the good snow had been pushed off to the side leaving the hardpack exposed. The Proto didn't have a single problem eating through it all. In fact, I felt so confident on this board, that I still rode aggressively even though there was crazy wind gusts with snow that made it hard to see. Of course, I didn't mach down the run in fear of hitting another rider, but I sure was carving it up on terrain I could barely see.

I didn't take the Proto into park jumps yet, but I definitely will soon. I was hitting some pow build ups though and it was super stable on those little jumps. On one occasion, I leaned forward too much and was sure I was going to eat snow. Much to my joy, I was able to ride it out. Come on, I got away with landing on my nose. That's pretty good. Not sure if this will be the case on an actual kicker, but I'll take it.

The only cons I could find about the handling is the edge to edge quickness and speed. It wasn't quite as fast as other boards I ride. This is because the board's width is a little wider than what I normally ride. The Proto CT 157 has a waist width of 25.3". My other boards are under 25". But to be honest, that is nitpicking and someone with even a size 10 boot won't likely have this problem. As for the speed, I found it to be a bit slower than my other rides. However, this is on factory wax and I will surely have to see how it rides after I personally wax it.

Pop
Very satisfying. One of the more poppy boards out there. Load up on either the nose or tail and off you go. I was having a ton of fun just ollieing over branches and clumps of snow.

Flex/Camber Profile
I'd give this board a 6 rating flex-wise. Just over middle-of-the-road. Perfect for all-mountain freestyle in my opinion. Torsionally, it is a bit stiffer which is one of the reasons why this board carves so well for a mid-flex.

I was very curious about Never Summer's now famous Rocker Camber profile. Love it. I'm going to say it... I like it more than my previous favorite, C2 BTX. While the C2 is in fact more playful, it doesn't lend to carving and stability (stable C2 boards are good deal stiff like the T.Rice). Never Summer got things right with their hybrid camber and this is probably another reason why a board of this flex can handle like a bigger, stiffer board. I like that their camber section feels like it has more bite. I haven't compared it next to a C2 yet, but I'd hazard a guess that NS's camber zone is a little more pronounced. Although there wasn't a ton of pow, I did take the Proto on the sides of the runs where everyone was neglecting the untouched snow build-up. The NS held up really well and gave me a glimpse of what riding actual pow would be like. Obviously, there are better pow boards out there, but the Proto CT does well enough.

Other Thoughts
I have to mention that I had a crash on the Proto. I was riding behind a skier and wanted take a path to the right. I did not realize that he had the same path in mind and he made an abrupt right turn. We ended up colliding causing him to lose his skies and me to go into a tuck and roll. Don't worry, I admitted fault and apologized and we both had a good laugh about it. Anyway, back to the point. I was sure I was going to find some damage on my board. Absolutely sure of it. Needless to say, I still can't find it and I want to give it another look over next time I ride. I guess Never Summer isn't kidding about the Carbonium topsheet being durable.

That brings me to my other point. The Carbonium topsheet not only looks good, but makes for a damn handy stomp pad. As in, you don't need one with this board. The whole topsheet acts as a stomp pad thanks to that cool looking texture.

Conclusions
Boy oh boy did Never Summer deliver. Trust me, I wanted every bone in my body not to like this board as much as I did just so I can have a different opinion than the rest of the crowd. But now, I realize that this Never Summer hype has a solid foundation. Is it the perfect board? Well, no. No board truly will be perfect. But for an all-mountain freestyle shredder, it comes pretty darn close.

Who do I recommend the Proto CT for? The intermediate-advanced rider that is looking for a do everything ride.

Big thanks to Vince and Tracey for giving me this opportunity. The Proto CT is definitely an excellent board that exceeded all my expectations.
 
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#599 ·
hey guys im freakin sold on this board after reading this whole thread and countless reviews. Instead of starting another thread I figured i would ask here. I'm going with the 157, restriced burton maltivas. question is.... what boot should i get considering price isn't an issue. looking for something high tech, shrinkage ( wear a size 12) just basically the most beastly boot out there. i ride mostly the park so take that into account but would like half responsiveness.
 
#607 · (Edited)
hey guys i have the chance of getting a never summer with good price:D

I wanted a proto 157 but they are sold out....

Do you think the 158 CTX for my 10.5 burton ion would be too wide? does it slow much edge to edge?

or a proto 160? but i read it rides like a 163....

Or should i go to 158 or 161 SL ? ( 1.86m and 95 kg )

thanks
 
#613 ·
I'm 6'1", around 210-220..I currently ride an old Rome Agent 158 (maybe an '06?, cambered) which I do really like, but its time for an upgrade. I'm looking for something a little more playful. I probably ride around 80% mountain / 20% park...want a board i can mess around with on the groomers, do ground tricks, hit the rollers, etc. I'm an eastcoaster and don't see too much powder.

After a ton of reading I feel like I've settled on the Proto CT, though I have more recently thinking about the EVO, but I feel it might be a bit too park oriented (I don't do too much jibbing and dont plan to).

So my question for you guys, based on what I've told you, does the Proto seem like a good match for me? I also considered a Ride Machete and I demo'd a Lib Tech TRS last yr which I really liked. How does the proto compare?

Lastly, at ~215lbs, will a 157 do the trick? I'd like to keep the board as short as reasonably possible for the type of riding I do. I'm afraid I might not like the feel of the 160 with its extra long effective edge given the board I've been riding the past 4-5 yrs. Mainly concerned about ability to handle the deep stuff, since thats the only time I'd really need the length. Anyone else out there 200+ on 157 and have no problems in pow?

Thanks!
 
#615 · (Edited)
Finally got my 154 proto ct, after hearing from 4 different stores in Ontario, Canada was sold out of proto. But lucky me I picked up a demo board today at Sanction for $300 like new, no binding circles and it had green sidewalls! White base, black eagle, red logo. You guys should ask if they have demo boards because they don't mention it and they had came up with the price of $300 for a demo board compared to $589+Tax = $660.



 

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#616 ·
My size ?..

Hey peeps..

First of all im from Denmark and aint sure i got all the spelling just right.

Ive got yet another sizing question for the Proto CT since this got to be my next board..

I’m 6.1 and 190-200lbs depending on the christmas and size 9.5 US size boot. ^^

Up until now i have been riding a Flow Infinite 163 and riding like 60% on the slopes (groomed/High speed carving). 25% backcountry and 15% park..

What i want with this board is mainly to have fun on the slopes and hitting som jump in the park and backcountry and maybe some pow.

So question is what way to go the 157 or the 160..

THX.

/The-Snoopy
 
#619 · (Edited)
Sorry I meant southern ontario, like meltdown, hustler, boardsports and a few others around the area said they can't get anymore and said on wednesday they were sold out/unable to order more, sanction is the only one left with a 157 in stock from weeks ago, I don't know if they have an order limit in a contract with neversummer or not

I also noticed that all the stores I called said there were exactly x amount left of size x of proto or heritage, so I'm assuming they all get it from the same supplier
 
#621 ·
Yeah you told me (thanks for the heads up) and I was really excited to get one yesterday but they told me they were sold out...as of November 16, it was exactly two days from today that I called all the nearby snowboard shops because I planned to order it but they were unable to, including hustler and sanction was the last I called with a 157 in stock, explained them the situation and then malcolm from sanction (really nice guy) was willing to sell me their 154 demo board for $300, its just the shops in the GTA area, but other cities like ottawa (which I have not called) might have them, just giving a heads up that they sold really fast
 
#622 ·
size

#raines

so with my 6.1 and 190-200lbs the 157 should do the trick for me?..

I did read it handles like a longer board, but someone said it handles like a shorter so im a bit confused since i really dont know anything about the board.

The only thing i though of is that i dont want to lose the pop of the board if im to heavy for the size.

/Snoopy
 
#623 ·
#raines

so with my 6.1 and 190-200lbs the 157 should do the trick for me?..

I did read it handles like a longer board, but someone said it handles like a shorter so im a bit confused since i really dont know anything about the board.

The only thing i though of is that i dont want to lose the pop of the board if im to heavy for the size.

/Snoopy
At your weight, you could could go either way. Are you keeping your 163? If so, get the 157, otherwise get the 160. Given your riding preference with only 15% park, the 160 would be better and has the shallower sidecut for wider carves.
 
#625 ·
I tested and reviewed a Proto CT 157 for my blog geeks of shred last spring. I liked the board a lot but it was way too much for me. Well, my 152 just showed up in the mail tonight. I CANT WAIT to see how this goes in the right size. GAME ON! will post results as soon as we have enough snow to take it out.
 
#626 ·
I picked up a Proto 157 last week and I'm pretty geeked about it. My old board is a cambered Burton Dragon (very stiff). The guy at the shop said "If this is your first time riding a rocker board it will feel weird and take some getting use too, like a day or two." I was too stoked to ask a follow up question. Can anyone fill me in on what to expect.
 
#628 ·
I went from a Cambered Technine MFM Pro to an SL last year. Adjustment took ... there was no adjustment. It's not full rocker and if you feel it getting squirrely I believe Snowolf said you can just ride the front slightly to engage the camber.

But I didn't adjust at all.
 
#627 ·
Your transition won't be so harsh because Never Summer has a rocker/camber hybrid shape. The rocker is in the middle with camber just outside the bindings. You will feel looseness when flat basing at first. The Proto carves well though so when you engage those edges, the camber will bite.

If you jib at all, you'll definitely notice the difference between rocker and camber. You'll notice that you slide on the rails/boxes much easier/smoother. This doesn't mean it will make you a jib expert. I'm just saying if you already have the technique down, it will just make things easier for ya.
 
#631 · (Edited)
It is easier to initiate spins on jumps. The board is more forgiving if you under-rotate (no edge catch), with little increase in washing out or over-rotating landings that is common with other rockered boards such Mervin BananaTech boards (Mervin owns LibTech, Gnu and Roxy). For ollies, you will notice you don't need to shift you weight as much to load up the board. NS rockered boards are fine on any sized jumps (provided you aren't riding some ridiculously short length board). Again, NS's mini rocker section give you good pop still (some other companies version of rocker boards has less pop since the camber is what gives the board its spring)

In the pipe, you give up a little bit of edge hold riding up the wall (the edge releases a little early due to the rocker), but it is very minor in the latest NS boards with Vario grip - I doubt most people would notice it. I still prefer my NS SL to some regular cambered boards in the pipe because of it's dampness and stability.

Notes:
I have ridden a few K2's reverse camber boards - the old rev. camber Jibpan, the Fastplant, and the Parkstar(?). They were better than Bananatech, but not quite as dialed in as Never Summer. I ridden some other ones as well (Burton V-rocker... didn't like it) but can't remember them at the moment.

I haven't ridden the newer C2 Bananatech board (which in my opinion is a direct copy of Never Summer's RC tech, but I'm not an expert on such things)
 
#630 ·
Hmm... I don't do pipe so can't comment there...

Off jumps it's fine for me. The rocker section allows you to get away with some slop too. I don't hit big jumps though so others will have to chime in on that.

BurtonAvenger has definitely hit some big jumps in CO with the Proto and Evo. He's fine with both boards on 30'+ jumps he has said.
 
#634 ·
Just got my Proto today! (white base, 160) Super stoked, the pictures don't do this thing justice. I can't wait to break it in next week!

This may be a dumb question, but what kind of stance is everyone running on their Proto for all mountain/freestyle? Centered or slightly set back? I'm headed to wolf creek next week, so there is'nt a park to spend any time in, I'll be going all over the mountain. Whats a recommended stance on the Proto for that? My style is to ride just about anything and everything.
 
#637 ·
Ok so i've been reading this thread almost all day. I bought a lib tech t.rice limited 153 that just arrived in the mail and i dont know if it was defective but it looked cheaply made. The tips were peeling a little (already!?) and the top sheet graphic looked kind of muddy/blurry if that makes sense.

Anyway after packing it up and sending it back i was looking online for another choice. After much thought i went with the proto ct in a 154. Im wondering from those who demo'ed it...Is it the right size? Im 5'7 and a solid athletic 190lbs. I consider myself an intermediate/advanced freestyle rider. Im coming from a Rossignol Retox and want something that will be playful but still able to handle high speed without feeling like im going to die. Hope this was a good choice.
(sorry for the rant. Kinda stoked to get the board)
 
#638 ·
Just waxed my new board recently. Anyone else having trouble scraping wax off the board? This is my first RC board, i used to ride traditional camber but i'm having trouble scraping all the wax off the base. It's almost as if its uneven... i mean i can picture waxing TBT to be real trouble some but I thought the Rocker camber was just the profile and the bottom should still be flat...

might also be because my dry wall scraper has too much old wax built up on it.. maybe i'll go buy a real plastic scraper:dunno:
 
#645 ·
the main reason that im sold on the proto is because it is lighter than the sl. Im a girl so it matters ><

i have the roxy eminence previously which looks like a similar board to the proto. I've recently got the nike kaiju size 9 boots and the profile is way larger than my old f22 salomon boots so i was getting too much toe overhang with the kaiju+eminence combo. im hoping the proto will solve that
 
#646 ·
I see, you should have said you are size 9 women boots. So why aren't you looking at the Never Summer Infinity 154? I mean the description actually says "same design features as the SL, but is narrower, softer and is lighter in weight."

Is it because you don't think the 23.9 waisted board is going to be wide enough for your mondo 26 boots? I think they would fit, considering that guys with size 10 boots (28 cm) can ride 25 cm waisted board. Oh, I just checked the specs on the Roxy Eminence ... I assume you are riding in the 155 length... with a 23.9 waist as well. The Infinity flairs out a bit more (you can see it's tip width is a few centimeters more)... hmm... boot clearance might be an issue with the Infinity.

Anyways... back to the discussion of Proto CT vs SL. Just because you are female doesn't mean you "need" a lighter board. Girls tend to be smaller, lighter, and have less muscle mass... but your stats mean you are tall and probably as strong as many guys on this forum :cool: I've ridden both the 2012 Proto CT 154 and the SL 153, 155 and there is a weight difference... but it is not in my opinion a dealbreaker (the 2012 SL is MUCH light than the older models).

I suggest you talk to Shayboarder as she has ridden all the boards we are talking about (the Roxy Eminence 155, Roxy Envi 155 , Proto CT 152, the Infinity 154, the SL 153, the Raptor 159, etc) and as a woman would be much more qualified to tell you the issues/tradeoffs in riding a mens board as a woman.

Good luck!
 
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