Engage_mike

Hey all...I'm new to this forum and I'm loving the posts...I think I've already read 500 posts in 2 days but I've noticed something...there is absolutely no talk about Burton boards,bindings,boots or at least if there is...it surely isn't positive and I know (although I'm inexperienced) they are not a bad manufacturer...but I just wanted to know...are Never Summer, Lib Tech, GNU, K2, Ride... boards that much more superior, and if so..Please do a compare and contrast for me so I can see there is a legitimate difference or is it just a "commercial" hatred towards Burton. Looking forward to your replies! (P.S. you all really have sold me on the Never Summer line..thus the power of the message boards! )

S4Shredr

I used to love Burton. I rode a Custom for about 4 years. Once that was pretty beat up I decided to get a JJ pro model and the tail snapped in 2 weeks. So I warrantied it the Gigi Un. Inc. and the tail snapped in exactly the same way. At that point it was getting to the end of the season and I could either wait and get the next seasons board or get store credit. I took the credit and switched to the Rome Agent and rode that for 4 years, the thing was indestructible. I just switched at the end of last season to the rome agent rocker which also kicks ass. Hence my dislike for burton boards. Their outerwear is alright, just a bit pricy for the specs they offer.

snowklinger

In my limited experience alot of Burton products are kind of like McDonalds. You can drive through and get fed, but that's about it. If you are looking for craftsmanship, bomb-proof quality or BC gear, look elsewhere. If you ride in bounds and need something to just get the job done Burton is fine. Unfortunately even though they are middle of the road quality at best, their gear is priced at a premium.

Almost every rental in the world is a Burton, this is practically the only reason u see their boards on the slopes. Their boots and bindings probably have the widest appeal of most of their products. The Moto boot is the top selling boot for the last 10 years, of course, again, rentals could be responsible for this. The Cartel bindings in particular are also popular.

Disclaimer: I have a Burton helmet and use the liner glove/mitt combo from them as well. As I have said in other posts, this gear is fine, but there is almost no reason that I would re-purchase these items, I simply got a great deal on them. At full price ... meh.

david_z

Part of the issue, IMO, is that as a "premium" brand, they command a higher price than most other manufacturers for similar quality equipment. It is like the difference between shopping at Macy's vs. Saks.

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Phunky

Its more the fact that Burton products are overrated and not particularly worth the extra cash. That being said i own a pair of Burton pants and love them(only reason i got them because they were $75), i also at one point owned a pair of their custom bindings, had them for a few seasons, and busted them this past winter. They did me well for a few years, but deck-wise i will never own a Burton board.

Engage_mike

See...again I'm still not understanding because no one can really be critical of the other brands...I see NS boards and they start in the 500's..compare the burton custom with a NS SL? same price point what are the differences? I've always heard the custom is a great board...on these message boards I see no love...strange?

david_z

NS is a higher build quality (they have a well-deserved reputation for being bombproof snowboards) and still 100% made in the USA. I'm not suggesting that cost of production justifies price, but many people value "made in the USA" and are willing to pay a premium price for it. Other people value "name brand" are are willing to pay a premium price for a board with "Burton" stamped on it.

I think that for the most part, that latter group does not include very many members on this forum who tend to be a lot more knowledgeable & discerning than the average guy or gal who snowboards maybe 5 or 6 days a season.

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WasatchMan

bomb proof / 3 year warranty

BurtonAvenger

No one can be critical of the other brands? I can shit on just about every brand on earth for one of their products if you want. Educate yourself outside this forum whole world of reviews and knowledge out there. The Angry Snowboarder good starting point right there.

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Angry Snowboarder Because someone has to call it how they see it!

HoboMaster

This must be the 10th incarnation of the yearly "Why does everyone hate Burton?" thread. Price and quality are factors, but I think a lot of it simply has to do with the fact that Burton holds a huge share of the snowboarding sales market and people want something different/unique. As the biggest player in snowboarding (behind Redbull,lewl) they can also afford to not be as competitive, which people may not like (once again price/quality factor).

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PowderHound and TreeNinja