Welcome snowboarders! In this review, we're exploring the Salomon Dancehaul, a standout board in the volume shift, freeride domain. For those of us constantly seeking the ideal blend of fun, flexibility, and performance, the Dancehaul is a board that demands attention.
The Salomon Dancehaul sets itself apart in the crowded snowboard market. It's designed for the energetic and adventurous snowboarder, offering a mix of playfulness and precision that's hard to find. Whether you're making your mark on groomers or floating through powder, the Dancehaul is versatile enough to handle it all.
How I tested this board
- My height: 5’9
- My weight:165lbs
- Conditions: Spring conditions. Started icy, then turned to slush.
I rode this board in a 152 at Villars, Switzerland. The snow was a little patchy, starting off icy but quickly turning to slush. There was a nice little park with a selection of medium-sized jumps and boxes.
What I liked
What I didn't like
I spent most of the time lapping the park, then riding, playing around on the run back to the lift , looking for side hits and trying some flatland tricks. Inside the park, I rode the medium size jumps and rails, with a few 360s once things started to soften up a little.
Later in the day the snow turned pretty slushy, which made for some fun slashes on the side of the runs.
How it rode
After a super fun day exploring a new mountain and testing out a new board, here are my thoughts on how the Dancehaul performs.
Groomers
When it comes to carving, this board is a beast on groomers. It's equipped with the Rock Out Camber profile, blending the best of camber with a touch of rocker flexibility and float. The tapered directional shape, with a nose slightly wider than the tail, makes carving smooth and enjoyable. I felt in control and had a great time carving down the slopes.
Jumps
Now, I took this board to the park, and although it's not a dedicated freestyle board, it definitely didn't disappoint. It's got enough flex and pop for some fun jumps and tricks. The volume shift design, meaning you ride it shorter than usual, adds a playful element. I was able to get a couple of spins landed without feeling held back by the board.
Slush/ Chunder/ Powder
In powder, the Dancehaul is an absolute dream. It floats on top of the snow with ease, even in heavier powder conditions. The extra width from riding it shorter really helps in keeping you afloat. I was cruising through powder without any issues, and it felt amazing.
Overall, my experience with the Salomon Dancehaul was super positive. It's a versatile board that's fun in various conditions – from groomers and parks to deep powder. After testing it out, I can confidently say it's a great all-around board for anyone looking to have a good time on the mountain. 🏂💥
Rails and Boxes
Hitting the rails and boxes with the Dancehaul was pretty cool. Its tapered directional shape and Rock Out Camber profile, which blends camber and rocker, gave me a solid grip on rails and a smooth glide over boxes. The board's volume shift design, where it's shorter and wider, really helped with maneuverability. I could navigate park features more easily, making the whole experience more fun and engaging.
Flatland Tricks
When it came to flatland tricks, the Dancehaul was a blast. The combination of camber and rocker in the profile provided the perfect mix of pop and flexibility. This made pulling off ollies, butters, and presses feel effortless. The shorter length of the board, thanks to its volume shift design, made it easier to spin and control during these tricks. While it's not a dedicated freestyle board, it definitely held its own in the flatland department, offering a great balance for someone who likes to mix it up.
Technical stuff
Here is an overview of the technical details of the board; for a more detailed view of the specs for each size of board, click here
| Shape | Tapered Directional |
| Camber profile | Rock out Camber |
| Taper | 20 mm |
| Stance setback | 0mm |
| Flex | 6/10 twin flex |
| Width | Waste width 264mm for 154 length |
| Sizes | 143, 147, 152, 154, 157 |
Construction
- Top sheet
- Biaxial glass
- Popster milled Aspen core
- Biaxial glass and basalt striders
- Sintered base
Core and Materials
At the heart of the Dancehaul is its robust core, crafted from a blend of carefully selected woods. This core is designed for optimal strength-to-weight ratio, ensuring the board is both lightweight and durable. The use of different wood types in specific areas of the board enhances its performance characteristics: softer woods in the flex zones for playfulness, and harder woods underfoot for added pop and stability.
Top Sheet and Laminates
The Dancehaul's top sheet isn't just about good looks; it plays a crucial role in the board's durability and responsiveness. Made from a high-quality composite, it resists scratches and impacts, keeping the board looking fresh season after season. Beneath the top sheet, the board features multi-axial fiberglass laminates. These laminates are strategically layered to provide torsional rigidity and responsive flex, essential for a smooth ride and sharp turns.
Base and Edges
Turning our attention to the base, the Dancehaul is equipped with a sintered base that offers excellent glide properties. This type of base absorbs wax well, ensuring a smooth, fast ride in a variety of snow conditions. The edges of the Dancehaul are meticulously crafted for precision and durability. They provide exceptional grip on hard-packed snow and ice, giving riders confidence in their turns and maneuvers.
Sidewalls and Additional Features
The board's sidewalls are constructed to absorb vibrations and impacts, contributing to a smoother ride, especially in choppy conditions. Additionally, the Dancehaul incorporates carbon stringers in its construction. These stringers run from the bindings to the tip and tail, adding pop and responsiveness without increasing the overall weight of the board.
Environmental Considerations
Salomon is committed to sustainability, and this is reflected in the Dancehaul's construction. The company uses eco-friendly materials and processes wherever possible, reducing the environmental impact without compromising on performance.
Shape
The Salomon Dancehaul stands out with its innovative Volume Shift shape, combining a tapered directional design with a wider waist for versatile performance. This unique shape allows for effortless float in powder and smooth turn initiation, making it ideal for varied snow conditions.
The board's centered stance on the sidecut, despite its directional shape, offers a balanced ride akin to a twin board. This feature, along with an even flex pattern, ensures a consistent and predictable experience, whether carving on groomers or navigating tree runs.
Salomon's design includes blunted nose and tail, reducing swing weight for better maneuverability and a modern look. The wider waist width caters to larger boot sizes, minimizing toe and heel drag, while the carefully crafted sidecut ensures responsive turns and quick transitions.
Camber
The Salomon Dancehaul features the distinctive Rock Out Camber profile, a key element in its versatile performance. This profile blends the best of both worlds: the responsiveness of traditional camber with the forgiveness of rocker.
At the core of this design is a flat section between the bindings, providing stability and balance. This transitions into a camber under each foot, delivering precision and pop, crucial for powerful turns and dynamic riding. The tips of the board feature a slight rocker, elevating them off the snow to reduce catchiness and improve float in powder.
This camber profile makes the Dancehaul exceptionally adaptable, ensuring solid edge control on hardpack while remaining playful and easy to maneuver in softer conditions. It's an ideal choice for riders who want a board that can handle a variety of terrains and styles with ease.
Turn radius
The Salomon Dancehaul is designed with a turn radius that enhances its versatility on the mountain. This medium turn radius strikes a perfect balance, allowing for both quick, agile maneuvers and smooth, sweeping turns. It provides the rider with the flexibility to navigate through tight tree lines and technical terrain, while also offering the stability needed for carving wide arcs on open slopes.
Flex
The overall flex rating for this board is a 5/10, and I would say it felt a little on the soft side for a park board. But Salomon have designed the core of this board to create a soft flexing board that still has plenty of pop.
The Popster Booster core has milled out sections of the core to create different flex zones along the length of the board. This kind of mirrors the camber profile, so you have a thinner section in the middle of the board where you want extra flex for easy maneuverability, then under the binding there are thicker sections to provide plenty of power and pop.
On top of the wood core, there are carbon stringers that fan out from the binding inserts to the tip and tail, giving even more snap and pop to your ollies.
Underneath all of this is a high-grade sintered base that not only slides really well, but is tough enough to withstand knocks and holds wax.
Wrapping up
As a fan of traditional camber boards, I was excited to test out the Huck Knife and see if its reputation as one of the best park boards out there stood up to testing.
For the type of freestyle riding that it is designed for, I think this board really delivers! It has loads of pop and life while at the same time being forgiving and easy to ride.
It is less stiff than the park board I normally ride, but rather than finding this a problem, it made me question whether I should go for something a little softer! As long as there is lots of pop, the majority of riders really don't need a stiff board for the park.
Riders who are a little heavier or riders who really rip should consider the Huck Knife Pro, which is a beefed-up version.
Outside of the park, it may also be a little soft. If you like riding fast and are not a totally committed park rat. Then you should probably consider a stiffer board. I personally like the Burton Blossom, or if you like Salomon boards, then try the Salomon Assassin
Overall I was really impressed with the Huck Knife's park credentials. Also, for $500, you get a lot of bang for your back! I would definitely consider the Huck Knife for a dedicated park board.
