Born on the slopes of Tahoe in 2002, Academy Snowboards have been making a nice name for themselves lately. I have seen more of their decks in the past few years than ever before, and I finally got the chance to ride one for myself. Academy claims that the Propacamba is a “priced right ollie machine”. It’s packed full of fancy sounding features, and the 2019 version won TransWorld’s Good Wood award. Sounds good to me, and here’s how it performed.
Conditions and Test Details
- I rode the Academy Propacamba at Solitude Resort after about 4” of new, dense snow. Conditions ranged from powder to chop and groomed runs.
- Rider Height/Weight: 5’9”, 145 lbs
- Board: 2020 Academy Propacamba 153
- Bindings: Burton Cartel size M
- Boots: Vans Aura Pro
Turning/Edge Control
I turned laps on steep groomed trails to find out how well this board holds an edge. I was pleased to find that the MicroCamber profile behaved exactly how my other camber boards do. Once you set an edge this board bites in and doesn’t let go. Turning was predictable and precise. It also performed well in fast edge to edge turn scenarios. As you’d expect with a camber board, it handled high speeds pretty well. Overall, I give the Propacamba high marks when it comes to railing turns on groomers.
Jumping/Landing
This board is billed as a street and park dominator, and jumping with the Academy is a treat. Thanks again to the MicroCamber profile, I was able to really load up and explode off side hits and steep rollovers. Lots of pop in this board. Landing was as you’d expect on a camber board: as long as you’re lined up right, you’ll stomp. Iif you are squirrely in the air, expect to wash out or get bucked on impact. The RDS 2 Dampening System really ate up the impact on flat landings. Unfortunately, I was not able to test this on any jib or cheese wedge features, as Solitude does not have a park and I only had one day to test it. Lame.
Switch and Spinning
Because the Propacamba is a true twin snowboard, riding switch is a dream. The swing weight feels very low. Spinning on this deck is easy; just start rotating and the board complies with no issues.
Powder and Chop Performance
Here’s where things go downhill (pun intended). When riding the minimal powder (4-6”) I could find, the Propacamba performed OK in wide open spaces. Once I needed to make tight turns, I found myself having issues. I really had to force the board to turn, and needed a lot of weight on my back foot to keep it from sinking. I would want no part of this stick in more than 6” of snow. When I hit chopped up snow, things got worse. The board chatters at high speeds and washed out easily if the snow underfoot was not groomed or flat. This board is not built for pow, but hey, it doesn’t claim to be. This is more of a heads up for anyone considering this as a potential all-mountain ride. If you ride a lot of pow and mixed chop, look elsewhere.
Overall Quality and Value
This board has a very solid feel to it. Academy has packed a good amount of tech into a great price point ($419 dealer direct price). Features like the Durasurf 4501 Sintered Base and RDS 2 Dampening System are welcome luxuries when you’re in the sub $500 realm. Add in the fact that this board is built by Never Summer, a brand known for quality, and you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.
Final Verdict
This isn’t the board I would want to ride every day, but I’d sure ride it on a lot of days. I’d reach for the Academy Propacamba on any park or groomer day. If you’re riding street, it also seems like it would get the job done. It is chock full of great tech, which adds up to a great overall value. If you need a park board with a bomber build, I’d recommend it with no hesitation.