Growing Young Snowboards Kanaloa Review
Aloha Products brings you Growing Young Snowboards; all Growing Young snowboards are made to order in their California facility.
Snowboard and Rider Specs:
Kanaloa Park Series Size: 61 inch (155cm)
Price: $599
Bindings: Union Ultra M
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV size 9
Stance: 23.5(ish) +18 Front & -12 back
Rider Height: 5’9
Rider Weight: 175
Conditions/Terrain Tested: Park, Rails, Groomers.
Product Details
LET-Lock Edge Technology
Freedom Core
True-Twin
Bibi Fiberglass (Biaxial woven fiberglass supports the construction and core while still maintaining a softer flex)
Origins:
We ran into Aloha Snowboards, now Growing Young snowboards, at SIA in 2016, and were really interested in their island vibe, unique graphics and H-Tech base design. The seamless sidewall construction provides a consistent feel throughout the board, and increases its structural integrity and strength. In April 2017, I was able to try out the 2017-2018 Kanaloa Park Series board. Growing Young measures their snowboards in inches rather than centimeters, and you can check out their tech and sizing chart here.
The Ride:
The Kanaloa (the Hawaiian god, or ruler, of the oceans) is part of the park series from Growing Young, and features a bit of rocker between the bindings and flat camber zones outside the bindings, providing for a soft flex and aggressive carve; this board has a nice flowing ride all over the mountain. I was lucky enough to get a few days with varied conditions, soft groomers and park. The Kanaloa has a fast base, and in the park it was at home riding metal and handling air time easily.
Summary:
I found the Kanaloa to weigh a bit more than other boards in this category. It does ride well for all mountain and park, and it has a very unique and fun topsheet graphic. The turn initiation on this board was good, it was stable riding regular or switch at high speeds, and the board has good pop off of jumps and locks into rails well. If you’re looking for a unique all-mountain or park board made right here in the USA, check out the Kanaloa. It will bring an island feel to your day on the mountain.
Pros:
- Unique design
- Stable at high speeds
- Good pop
- Locks into rails easily
- Rides well, all over the mountain, in any conditions
Cons:
- Price is at the higher end of park boards
- Weight may be a factor