The new Nokhu features high upturn or rise in the tip and tail off the board
These early rise kicks lift the contact points off the snow, giving the Nokhu a shorter running length, making it feel like a shorter board and the ultimate tree board.
This allows for effortless transition from edge to edge. Perfect for maneuvering in tight trees, glades, bushes, gullies, bumps and managing steep lines.
Never Summer Nokhu is a Volume Shifted Snowboard. This means it has a wider nose than tail and is set back stance for a longer tip. The wider nose gives you more surface area and set back stance offers more nose on the board, to keep the board afloat in deep powder.
This is also enhanced by the shorter tail as more weight is pressured over the back end of the board, allowing the tail to sink and the nose to pop up in deep, blower powder. This tapered shape and short tail enables the board to finish a turn smoothly and to brush the tail of the board around quickly. Conserving energy and navigating through tight trees.
The shorter tail also allows a rider to spring load the tail of the board for jumping from one turn to another.
Super fun for porpoising in and out of powder and doing hop turns in technical, steep runs.
What sets the Nokhu apart from other Volume Shifted board is Never Summer’s revolutionary Triple Camber Design. On the Nokhu you get the fun, surfy feel of a Volume Shifted Snowboard like the Lib Tech Orca but with the edge hold and stability of Never Summer’s patented Triple Camber Technology. The primary edge hold starts from the center camber, this pressure area also allows for straight tracking predictability on high speed groomers and catwalks. The outside camber areas located under your feet, when engaged provide carving edge hold like no other.
However, they are flanked by two smaller center rocker zones. Giving a rider the advantage of the rocker pivot points for ease of turn initiation, increased glide and powder float. Triple Camber give the Nokhu the edge hold for laying out big turns on groomers, stability on hard pack and icy runs, while giving you the loft when you pop off into the powder in trees and bowls. With the Nokhu you can have a mid-flex that is Very forgiving, but the triple camber gives it the stability of a firmer board. The Nokhu is surprisingly stable. It will cut through chopped up powder, mow over slush push piles and solid in variable snow conditions.
Size Waist Taper
152 26.1 13
155 26.3 13
158 26.5 13
161 26.6 13
161DF 28.1 13
Nokhu Split:
We’ve also taken the Nokhu and split it! This brings the insane edge hold in variable conditions, traversing and straight tracking stability of our Triple Camber Technology into the most nimble split on the market. The center camber also provides pressure for uphill skin traction on those firm, icy, well beaten in skin tracks. Float like a butterfly in the deepest low angle pow with its broad, early rise nose. The Nokhu's 13 mm of taper allow the board to snake through the tightest trees and the shorter running service enables a rider to tame those steep, technical lines like a Mountain Goat. This fun, surfy split will take your backcountry experience to the highest peak.
Size Waist Taper
155 26.5 13
159 26.6 13
I had pleasure of riding Nokhu at Vail this past spring and absolutely love it. I ride Vail and it's perfect the board for that mountain. I can get into the tightest trees on the front side and then have the float and stability in the back bowls. It handles all the variable terrain and conditions Vail offers. The triple camber gives it really good track ability for traversing across the bowls and when you get to where you want to drop in, you have a dynamic turning machine. Getting out on the groomers the tri camber holds so well, it’s ideal for eurocarving. Lay out turns on groomers and then the shorter running surface and big kicks in nose and tail make it so nimble in trees. I love that broad nose for pushing or surfing off the tree well piles. It’s such a fun board. A really nice mid flex to be forgiving but still so stable.
A few of our favorite Tree Lines in Colorado:
- Vail
- Bacarat Trees: In Game Creek Bowl, there is a swath of trees between the runs Bacarat and the Woods, that you can get fresh tracks days or even weeks after a storm.
- Sheer Terror Trees: These trees are between Riva Ridge and Prima. It’s a really long tree run and can get your legs burning. The super manageable, easy to ride, highly maneuverable Nokhu is vital on this run to conserve energy and navigate through the Sheer Terror Trees. You’ll end up on the Brisk Catwalk where the Nokhu’s Triple Camber design comes in handy to allow the board to track down it with ease.
- West Vail Trees: The West Vail Trees are accessible from the top of the Lionshead Gondola, just a short hike past the top of the Pride chairlift. A ripper end of the day run.
- Beaver Creek
- Bald Spot Access Gate: This is a backcountry access gate, so be properly equipped with an avalanche beacon, shovel, probe and always ride with a buddy. I love to drop in early before the bald spot. This amazing old growth fir and spruce tree playground has been known to provide many gigantic face shots.
- Arrowhead Aspens: The float of the Nokhu is ideal for meandering through these perfectly spaced Aspens.
- Steamboat
- Land of the Little People: Aptly named, you will feel transported to a fairy tale world with snow mushrooms and trolls.
- Shadows/Closets: Some of the best Aspen glades in Colorado with a nice steep pitch and filled with Steamboat’s infamous Champagne Powder.
- 1:30 and 2:30 Trees: Moderately tight, low angle trees in one of the most family friendly areas at Steamboat.
- Mahogany Ridge: This is newer terrain at the Boat and definitely worth an exploration.
- Snowmass:
- Hanging Valley Glades: If you’re into steep trees this is the spot. Being high up on the mountain this zone is prone to get a lot of snow.
- Powerline Glades: The Big Burn Chair has some great low angle pine glades like Powerline. Terrain like this is perfect for the Nokhu to make short radius, poppy pow turns.
- Copper Mountain:
- Enchanted Forest: Slice and dice your way through upper or lower Enchanted Forest for a magical tree shredding experience.
- Winter Park/Mary Jane:
- Gunbarrel Trees: Some of the best tree riding in the Vasquez Ridge Territory. A mixture of spaced out and tight trees, this is a perfect place to find pockets of fresh powder days after a storm.
- Hi-Lo Trees- Low angle and moderately spaced out, these trees are popular and are easily accessible off of the High Lonesome Express. Great for riders who are learning how to ride trees.
- Tweedle Dee- Short tree run that gets passed up by novice riders, this is a great area to start the day and gives you an opportunity to ride one of the oldest operational lifts in Colorado.
- Phantom Trees- Nestled between two of the more challenging runs at Mary Jane, these trees are tucked away and stay in a shadow for most of the day giving you the opportunity to find leftover stashes.
- Trestle Trees- Located off of one of the most popular mogul runs at Mary Jane, these trees give you a mixture of tight trees as well as steep pitches that will get your heart pumping. Recommended for intermediate/advanced riders.
- A-Basin
- Beavers: What used to be accessible only through a backcountry gate, is now inbounds terrain. The Beavers offers some great tree shredding on a pow day or hit up Pallavicini Chair and the alleys on the snow surfing Nokhu.
- Monarch:
- Mirkwood Trees: A short hike rewards with some great trees at this hidden gem of a ski area. Or hang skiers left and some smaller cliff bands and more technical terrain when the snowpack is deep.
- Elation Ridge- Slash some turns along the ski area boundary rope from top of Orcs and into wide open glades.
- Berthoud Pass
- Hanging Meadow- Hanging Meadow has a northwesterly aspect, making it ideal for storing some of the best powder on Berthoud and keeping it from getting sun crusted. These amazing open trees to a steep opening is also a 38 degree slope at the top, making it susceptible to slides. So, have your avalanche eduction certification, rescue gear and check Colorado Avalanche Information Center forecast before you venture out.
- Perfect Trees- A beautiful area of trees that drop down from the ridge, providing a lower avalanche potential and provides an area for some fun powder turns.
- Floral Park- A low aerobic, quick skin or hike to some of the best steep glade skiing and snowboarding in Colorado.
- Pumphouse Trees: Lower angle trees with a tight section coming out to the road, ideal terrain for the float and maneuverability of the Nokhu Split.
Written By: Vince Sanders (The Chairman of the Boards at Never Summer)
