# Is Burton really that bad?



## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

People have a biased uninformed hate for Burton, that's for sure. I don't "love" them because of reasons other than their product. However I have had issues with their product too. Burton is hit and miss, as is almost every company. There are tons of these threads though, just search a bit.


----------



## SMLZ (Oct 22, 2011)

I dont support burton just cause they already have a name for themselves.
I love the little guys in snowboarding (Signal, Bataleon, Weekend, Celsius) The list goes on. Once I found out that burton bought Forum and Specialblend....thats when the hate started.
They are trying to be the biggest and the best..but cant do that when some of their boards are pressed in china.
I dont want a 8 year old making my snowboard. I like talking to Daniel from Signal and asking him whats up? I cant do that with burton.


----------



## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

oh good god, another one of these threads.


----------



## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

Qball said:


> oh good god, another one of these threads.


Exactly, we don't need another one of these.


----------



## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

EST is cool because of the micro adjusting and great feel. No EST Reflex because it already happens on EST bindings. It is rad BTW.

They make and design some damn good boards. The Malolo, Fish, UnInc, Supermodel, Custom, Custom X, and all the Vintage boards are legend . What other builder besides Capita has LEGENDARY boards? Very few to none.

They make better than great outerwear and gloves too.


----------



## SMLZ (Oct 22, 2011)

Sick-Pow said:


> EST is cool because of the micro adjusting and great feel. No EST Reflex because it already happens on EST bindings. It is rad BTW.
> 
> They make and design some damn good boards. The Malolo, Fish, UnInc, Supermodel, Custom, Custom X, and all the Vintage boards are legend . What other builder besides Capita has LEGENDARY boards? Very few to none.
> 
> They make better than great outerwear and gloves too.



Few?

What about bataleon and their patented TBT base.
What about mervin and their a-symmetric sidewalls?
What about signal and their every third thursday?



Burton to me is meh compared to other companies.


----------



## idshred (Jun 20, 2010)

Qball said:


> oh good god, another one of these threads.



x1000




SMLZ said:


> Few?
> 
> What about bataleon and their patented TBT base.
> What about mervin and their a-symmetric sidewalls?
> ...


The point. You missed it.


----------



## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

Burton is more core than any of us here, except the veterans.

For the guy who is blinded by his indy fanboy status ( i am right there with you man sometimes): Burton has made 10+ boards that are LEGEND, not just fancy names for shit that has been done before in new ways. Capita, Signal, Lib, all have one or two GREAT and legendary boards. Burton has at least 10, one company, 10+ legendary boards. Think about it. 

They have an outwear line (AK) that is better than most skier's shit.


----------



## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

Id say that the Atomic Hatchet is legendary.


----------



## annabananasplit (Apr 6, 2011)

I think like someone else said, Burton stuff is kind of hit or miss. Obviously they have done something right or they wouldn't have been around as long as they have been, and remain as successful as they are. They have put out some pretty legendary stuff and their AK outerwear line is pretty solid. I love my Forum (apparently owned by Burton now) board, but I have had terrible luck with Burton boots and bindings. They fit me well and seemed good at first but just didn't hold up *at all* so I won't be looking to Burton for those things in the future. There are plenty of other companies out there that offer the things I need that are just plain made better but still within my budget.

The kind of sad thing is, while I want to support smaller companies, I don't always have the money to spend to try out new gear and technology that maybe hasn't been proven on the mountain. For me thats why things like this forum and reviews on snowboard sites are so important...without them I would be limited to what I learn by my own experience and what my friends on my home mountain have tried out. Makes it a lot harder to support the little guys.


----------



## KingCharming (Apr 19, 2011)

In before the lock...


----------



## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

To the OP, you like their boards the best, keep buying them. Enjoy riding them. Each to their own.

They are not the cheapest boards, but obviously some of their boards are classics that many people love.
I personally have not had the same problems as you with my ride highlife. Its holding up well.
I use burton bindings and boots which some have found unreliable but not me. They have been comfortable and solid.

I think the burton hate on this forum has more to do with company practices than products, but trust me no one wants to go into it again so do us all a favor and check out some old threads on "burton hate".


----------



## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

Again, Burton makes a lot of great stuff...and so do a plethora of other companies. We all like variety, we don't all like one snowboard company monopolizing the industry.


----------



## bobthegood (Sep 14, 2011)

You get what you pay for???


----------



## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Extremo said:


> Again, Burton makes a lot of great stuff...and so do a plethora of other companies. We all like variety, we don't all like one snowboard company monopolizing the industry.


/agree. Since I have never bothered with one of the Burton hate threads I might as well post in this one and pop my cherry heh.

My issue is pricepoint, seems Burton stuff commands a higher price due to the name recognition. Of course that makes resale value better as well. It's kinda like buying a Mac, except Burton stuff is more value for the money.... 

I have an issue overall with anything built overseas. Yes I am a hypocrite in some ways, but I try to make major purchases that are produced in North America. Many times I don't have a choice as prices get very high for NA stuff or it just doesn't exist, but there are choices out there if you look around.

Burton tech is again like World of Warcraft of the MMO world... Blizzard in the past was able to afford to hire and develop stuff for their games that little indy devs can't come close to.
It's hard to expect a small company's tech to match that of a behemoth company like Burton.
A lot of the "tech" may be hype and unnecessary but regardless it's gotta be tough to match.


----------



## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

SMLZ said:


> I dont support burton just cause they already have a name for themselves.
> I love the little guys in snowboarding (Signal, Bataleon, Weekend, Celsius) The list goes on. Once I found out that burton bought Forum and Specialblend....thats when the hate started.
> They are trying to be the biggest and the best..but cant do that when some of their boards are pressed in china.
> I dont want a 8 year old making my snowboard. I like talking to Daniel from Signal and asking him whats up? I cant do that with burton.


 So you hate Burton but don't mention K2 who actually is the largest wintersports manufacturer. Reason Burton bought The Program was because they saw what happened in the 90's with Ride and K2. If you're going to hate for that might as well hate just about every brand that is part of some bigger corporation and isn't owned independently. 



Qball said:


> oh good god, another one of these threads.


Yep another one of these. Get the popcorn someones going to get butthurt. 



Sick-Pow said:


> Burton is more core than any of us here, except the veterans.
> 
> For the guy who is blinded by his indy fanboy status ( i am right there with you man sometimes): Burton has made 10+ boards that are LEGEND, not just fancy names for shit that has been done before in new ways. Capita, Signal, Lib, all have one or two GREAT and legendary boards. Burton has at least 10, one company, 10+ legendary boards. Think about it.
> 
> They have an outwear line (AK) that is better than most skier's shit.


Legendary? What makes a board legendary? The only real legend they have is the Custom which is more of a legacy board for them at this point as it's been revamped over and over and over again. Just about every brand has one deck like this that is a staple board to their line. K2 it's the Darkstar/Zepplin depending on who you ask. Capita it's the BSOD. Signal the OG, Never Summer the SL/Legacy, Lib Skate Banana or Jaimie Lynn, etc. etc. Realistically they're just fucking snowboards. 

Quality is all subjective. The OP is raving about his Dragon I had one as did many of my friends it was the most warrantied board out of my region at that time. Mine developed a golf ball sized dimple on the base when it was cold due to moisture seeping in. Other friends snapped tails/noses. It was a great pipe board but aside from that nothing spectacular. 

FYI all edges will get a little rust on them if you put them away wet and any base can be gouged. If it's a snowboard it can and will be broken by some fucking idiot at some point that's just how it goes when you have an activity that millions of people do. 

I'm not pro or anti Burton I'm just pro good rides and real marketing not false lies. Burtons shop local campaign is complete and utter bullshit right now. If they cared about local shops they wouldn't be setting themselves up to go 100% direct while fist fucking everything in their way to domination. Good business tactic? Eh depends on who you ask but I know I don't go to the flagship Burton stores to buy shit and we have one in Vail.


----------



## The Donohoe (Oct 30, 2011)

BurtonAvenger said:


> So you hate Burton but don't mention K2 who actually is the largest wintersports manufacturer. Reason Burton bought The Program was because they saw what happened in the 90's with Ride and K2. If you're going to hate for that might as well hate just about every brand that is part of some bigger corporation and isn't owned independently.
> 
> 
> Yep another one of these. Get the popcorn someones going to get butthurt.
> ...


Thank you. I've been waiting to read this since I saw my very first "Burton Hate" thread. Also thanks for the knowledge i keep learning shit from you.

Now I have never had a bad experience with Burton, never had a high end board of theirs, but have had friends who love Burton boards, it's all they'll buy. I have a bit of Burton clothing, and I love it, it's comfortable and keeps me warm. Also have boots and bindings of theirs. And my own problem with the boots was my own damn fault and rested my edge on them and cut them. Now I don't really go out to support large corporations of local businesses, I just buy what I need and think will work, then I find out. Generally Burton isn't the path I take right away just because I know I can find something that will work just as well for cheaper, unless i buy the last season's gear, then I get good quality stuff, without the price tag large corporations tend to slap on their products. When companies go over seas and "Hire 8 year old children and underpay them", just think that now that 8 year old can eat tonight. However like said before in a different Burton hate thread, that is a myth. A large corporation wouldn't hire a child for a job that requires skill because they can't afford to fuck up that often, they hire adults who are grateful for their job and take pride in it so they don't fuck the company over. Think about it. Also on a side note, I love Nike.


----------



## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

Burton's shop campaign seems to be working, actually really well. All the Restricted stuff, meat eaters, etc is ONLY through your local shop, you cannot buy it online, anywhere, TONS of money moving through the local shops now.


----------



## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

annabananasplit said:


> I think like someone else said, Burton stuff is kind of hit or miss. Obviously they have done something right or they wouldn't have been around as long as they have been, and remain as successful as they are. They have put out some pretty legendary stuff and their AK outerwear line is pretty solid. I love my Forum (apparently owned by Burton now) board, but I have had terrible luck with Burton boots and bindings. They fit me well and seemed good at first but just didn't hold up *at all* so I won't be looking to Burton for those things in the future. There are plenty of other companies out there that offer the things I need that are just plain made better but still within my budget.
> 
> The kind of sad thing is, while I want to support smaller companies, I don't always have the money to spend to try out new gear and technology that maybe hasn't been proven on the mountain. For me thats why things like this forum and reviews on snowboard sites are so important...without them I would be limited to what I learn by my own experience and what my friends on my home mountain have tried out. Makes it a lot harder to support the little guys.


which bindings/boots have you tried i am curious... because i thought their bindings were quite durable unless i was mistaken?


----------



## idshred (Jun 20, 2010)

Jenzo said:


> My issue is pricepoint, seems Burton stuff commands a higher price due to the name recognition. Of course that makes resale value better as well. It's kinda like buying a Mac, except Burton stuff is more value for the money....


When was the last time you looked at all the different price points that burton has? As BA mentioned in another thread. They have one of/the most diverse lines in snowboarding. Look at how many sub 400 dollar decks they have, 400-600, and 600+.... The tech in the process would be what you would expect in any companies board of that same price. There are good reasons to be 'against' burton, some of which BA mentioned. The products/prices... nahhhhh not so much.


----------



## Nolefan2011 (Mar 12, 2011)

I'm not a fan of Burton because I'm not a fan of frostbite edges. IMO, there are many other companies that do a better job in that area.


----------



## JeffreyCH (Nov 21, 2009)

Fuck em all, strap a piece of plywood to your feet n go ride


/thread






Edit** forgot to add merp merp berp weeeeeee


----------



## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Sick-Pow said:


> Burton's shop campaign seems to be working, actually really well. All the Restricted stuff, meat eaters, etc is ONLY through your local shop, you cannot buy it online, anywhere, TONS of money moving through the local shops now.


Anyone remember Coalition? Yeah I'll believe it when I see it first hand. 



idshred said:


> When was the last time you looked at all the different price points that burton has? As BA mentioned in another thread. They have one of/the most diverse lines in snowboarding. Look at how many sub 400 dollar decks they have, 400-600, and 600+.... The tech in the process would be what you would expect in any companies board of that same price. There are good reasons to be 'against' burton, some of which BA mentioned. The products/prices... nahhhhh not so much.


Nailed it! Price can be an argument amongst any brand what people fail to realize is that mid to high end get the most market play. When's the last time you saw a brand marketing their sub 300 dollar price point?


----------



## Racer20 (Feb 5, 2010)

IMHO, if you are riding middle of the road gear, ($400 board, $200 bindings, $200 boots) then there are probably many other brands that have advantages over Burton. Their low to mid-grade stuff is probably over priced for what you get, and they probably cut corners on quality on these products, just like everyone. 

That said, I ride a 2011 Custom X (also had a 2010) with C60's, and I'm on my third pair of Ion's. I have been VERY happy with their high-end products, and their customer support has also treated me very well. The boots and bindings fit me like a glove, the board rips, and after riding my EST's for the past two years, I would have trouble going back to a 4 screw baseplate, since I'm always tweaking something or other.

Burton has the most experience with the high-end market, and their products show that. I'm not necessarily saying they are the absolute best, because I haven't ridden most other boards, but their top-end stuff is certainly not junk.


----------



## Hodgepodge (Dec 9, 2010)

I like burton. They have great team riders, especially those on the Frends crew (Jack and Luke Mitrani, Kevin Pearce, etc). They make, IMO, the best outerwear. You really can't beat a burton jacket from the AK line. I ride Malavita bindings on my T.Rice now. While im not the hugest fan of their boards, mainly because i like boards made in the USA, i tried out the nice guy at HCSC and enjoyed it. People give burton a lot of flak, but honestly its still one of the greatest companies out there. I certainly dislike other companies more than Burton (echem dare I say NeverSummer?)


----------



## Bparmz (Sep 7, 2011)

Hodgepodge said:


> I certainly dislike other companies more than Burton (echem dare I say NeverSummer?)


O_O oh god...u went there..be prepared to get flamed lmao


----------



## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Hodgepodge said:


> I certainly dislike other companies more than Burton (echem dare I say NeverSummer?)


[french accent]Of course you realize, zis means war..... [/french accent]


----------



## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Hodgepodge said:


> I certainly dislike other companies more than Burton (echem dare I say NeverSummer?)


Everyone hates something different. I personally think YES is a fucking joke and their boards are about as solid as a house made of toilet paper in the middle of a hurricane.


----------



## WHOisDAN (Jan 16, 2011)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Everyone hates something different. I personally think YES is a fucking joke and their boards are about as solid as a house made of toilet paper in the middle of a hurricane.


My friend bought a Yes Great Beauties, and the board looks like a second. Dimples on topsheet and color smears on the base. Also, "beauties" is spelled "beautys" on the sidecut. He messaged Yes about it, but they have yet to respond.


----------



## Hodgepodge (Dec 9, 2010)

Donutz said:


> [french accent]Of course you realize, zis means war..... [/french accent]


:cheeky4: All i see are drug crazed teens wearing tall tees riding never summer sl's or whatever at my mountain. they're all posers. i hated the evo when i rode it to. meh whatever. i swear by mervin, but im sure someone out there hates mervin so... ride whatever fits you best i guess!


----------



## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Mervin hahahahaha.


----------



## bcasey (Jan 19, 2011)

Racer20 said:


> IMHO, if you are riding middle of the road gear, ($400 board, $200 bindings, $200 boots) then there are probably many other brands that have advantages over Burton. Their low to mid-grade stuff is probably over priced for what you get, and they probably cut corners on quality on these products, just like everyone.
> 
> That said, I ride a 2011 Custom X (also had a 2010) with C60's, and I'm on my third pair of Ion's. I have been VERY happy with their high-end products, and their customer support has also treated me very well. The boots and bindings fit me like a glove, the board rips, and after riding my EST's for the past two years, I would have trouble going back to a 4 screw baseplate, since I'm always tweaking something or other.
> 
> Burton has the most experience with the high-end market, and their products show that. I'm not necessarily saying they are the absolute best, because I haven't ridden most other boards, but their top-end stuff is certainly not junk.


Agreed, burton highend is good. Its a big name and they cater to all levels and budgets. Dont compare budget gear to highend r+d gear.


----------



## Hodgepodge (Dec 9, 2010)

Hodgepodge said:


> i swear by mervin, but im sure someone out there hates mervin so... ride whatever fits you best i guess!





BurtonAvenger said:


> Mervin hahahahaha.


case and point


----------



## extra0 (Jan 16, 2010)

I've ridden quite a few boards/brands in my short time, but bataleon is among the sturdiest built of them all. Yes, I've encountered the occasional light rust (very light) on my riot, but is that really such a big issue? When/if there's any rust, I just scrub it off during my regular edge maintenance...no biggie.

Haven't tried a lot of burton stuff, but I do own a few burton "dryride" hoodies that I practically live in most of the riding season (really nice stuff) and a new pair of 2011 Cartels that I feel are going to snap sometime within this next season...they feel like plastic toys compared to my previous rome and salomon bindings.


----------



## Ratsch-Bumm (Dec 24, 2010)

Sick-Pow said:


> Burton's shop campaign seems to be working, actually really well. All the Restricted stuff, meat eaters, etc is ONLY through your local shop, you cannot buy it online, anywhere, TONS of money moving through the local shops now.


OMG! I have bought jacket and cargo pants, both of it are from Restricted collection via ebay. :laugh:



Sick-Pow said:


> Burton has at least 10, one company, 10+ legendary boards. Think about it.


Most of riders cannot even carve. Why they need "legendary" board? Because it is a serious business, and "legendary" is a banner that marketing guys are swaying.


----------



## SnowSource (Aug 21, 2011)

Snowboarding is a fragmented industry which increases the exposure and following of the smaller companies in the business. Sure - many great manufacturers are making great product and Burton is definitely not the only company doing it but the Burton rants are juvenile. Burton has forgot about more podiums and epic descents than any other snowboard company has experienced in total. 

There was a time when Burton pissed me off - probably all of us actually. But when I look back it was really just the prick kid repeating the word Burton pretending to know it all about snowboarding his third day on the hill that was irritating me. Or - maybe it was that Twat Shaun White.

Anyhow - here is the bottom line. I don't currently ride a Burton board and I'm sure many of you do not ride one either. However, at any point you begin to question the "core" nature of the Burton brand or the quality of their build - go demo a Burton Custom mounted with their higher end bindings and you will most likely shut your mouth.

If charging the hill on a Custom is a strange, uncomfortable, and frightening experience - well....congratulations! You just rode your first f*cking snowboard! If you still hate Burton in a strange emo kind of way there is still good news - many other high quality "snowboards" are produced out there as well. But again, the point is this: Burton's equipment will probably always provide the authentic snowboarding experience - they innovated it.


----------



## Sean-h (Oct 21, 2011)

JeffreyCH said:


> Fuck em all, strap a piece of plywood to your feet n go ride


Thats what I'm doing. I just went into my small local store, spent about 30mins looking at boards, don't really want graphics that scream so loud the whole mountain turns to look at me, and trying on boots, then walked out with board, bindings and boots, end of story.

Hey, if you like a name, to each their own.

-The Passion to ride-

"It's what drives us to wake up before the sun, load up our gear and head to the mountains while our neighbors sleep. It changes the meaning of 'Winter Storm Warning'. It drives us to question what's possible and never, ever take no for an answer. It creates unlikely friendships, unforgettable days, countless stories and a culture devoted to standing sideways and having fun." 
- Burton


----------



## bobthegood (Sep 14, 2011)

Amen Brothers and Sisters.............


----------



## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

SnowSource said:


> If charging the hill on a Custom is a strange, uncomfortable, and frightening experience - well....congratulations! You just rode your first f*cking snowboard! If you still hate Burton in a strange emo kind of way there is still good news - many other high quality "snowboards" are produced out there as well. But again, the point is this: Burton's equipment will probably always provide the authentic snowboarding experience - they innovated it.


The Custom rides like shit and is no where near what it was 10 years ago.


----------



## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

Sick-Pow said:


> Burton's shop campaign seems to be working, actually really well. All the Restricted stuff, meat eaters, etc is ONLY through your local shop, you cannot buy it online, anywhere, TONS of money moving through the local shops now.


You sure about that? Restricted Malavitas coming in the mail today says otherwise  Not from ebay either. I was headed to a local shop that had them (which really wasn't local about an hour away) until a shop let me buy online, and let me use a discount coupon. They're a tiny shop though, so I helped someone else's local shop ...

I better not open the box and find some Freestyles or something


----------



## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

SnowSource said:


> Snowboarding is a fragmented industry which increases the exposure and following of the smaller companies in the business. Sure - many great manufacturers are making great product and Burton is definitely not the only company doing it but the Burton rants are juvenile. Burton has forgot about more podiums and epic descents than any other snowboard company has experienced in total.
> 
> There was a time when Burton pissed me off - probably all of us actually. But when I look back it was really just the prick kid repeating the word Burton pretending to know it all about snowboarding his third day on the hill that was irritating me. Or - maybe it was that Twat Shaun White.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that. I really like the custom, custom x, and the custom flying v, sick boards, really lightweight and super playful.


----------



## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

jdang307 said:


> You sure about that? Restricted Malavitas coming in the mail today says otherwise  Not from ebay either. I was headed to a local shop that had them (which really wasn't local about an hour away) until a shop let me buy online, and let me use a discount coupon. They're a tiny shop though, so I helped someone else's local shop ...
> 
> I better not open the box and find some Freestyles or something



Still a local shop.


What is funny, all the people buying Burton off Ebay.....NO WARRANTY at all. Zero.


----------



## Engage_mike (Oct 14, 2011)

I really find these threads humorous...when I first got on these boards a couple of months ago I noticed the hatred towards Burton and created the Thread, "Who did Jake Burton Kill" the on going chatter in the thread was enjoyable to read and it helped me realize that people are just haters for no real reason ,and or for the simple fact of misinformation...great thread though...I would like to fire this thread up a little bit so here is a topic for ya..."Shaun White" now discuss amongst yourselves :cheeky4:


----------



## CheeseForSteeze (May 11, 2011)

jdang307 said:


> You sure about that? Restricted Malavitas coming in the mail today says otherwise  Not from ebay either. I was headed to a local shop that had them (which really wasn't local about an hour away) until a shop let me buy online, and let me use a discount coupon. They're a tiny shop though, so I helped someone else's local shop ...
> 
> I better not open the box and find some Freestyles or something


That's how I got my Restricted 'vitas but honestly, it's a shop I buy from in person anyway. This just saved me driving 400+ miles for a pair of bindings. I love my Asym Superstraps. Damned good bindings. But like everything else I own, I bought it because my research indicated the quality, features and value met my threshold. Not because they say Burton. It's just a name. More people ought to try this method. They might find there is a surprising number of quality products on the market, Burton included among them.

What in the fuck is a Legendary board, anyway? What is this, WoW? Yes, I played it, and yes, there are in fact such items in the game for those who haven't.


----------



## sidewall (Nov 6, 2009)

BurtonAvenger said:


> The Custom rides like shit and is no where near what it was 10 years ago.


Can you elaborate? I know it lost some freeride influence when Downing stopped developing it.


----------



## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Engage_mike said:


> I would like to fire this thread up a little bit so here is a topic for ya..."Shaun White" now discuss amongst yourselves :cheeky4:


(Darth Vader) NOOOOOOOOOOO!

So tired of carrot-top wars.


----------



## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Sick-Pow said:


> What is funny, all the people buying Burton off Ebay.....NO WARRANTY at all. Zero.


HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA Yeah right man. Really off on this one WAY OFF! Maybe you shouldn't be blowing your horn so hard it's creating a lack of oxygen to your brain.


----------



## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

BurtonAvenger said:


> HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA Yeah right man. Really off on this one WAY OFF! Maybe you shouldn't be blowing your horn so hard it's creating a lack of oxygen to your brain.


You call rider services and ask them. 

If you buy something off Ebay, even new, it is not covered by Burton's warranty. Which leads to my agreement with their strategy, being, dealers service warranty's way better than internet sales.


Tiss' the season!:laugh:


----------



## dkzach (Jun 30, 2011)

My friend had a burton hero and literally snapped the tail in half like 3 weeks after he bought it. But at the same time Im loving the cartels. Buying from Burton is kinda a hit and miss situation. Some times your lucky and get good product. Other times you get totally screwed and end up paying 550$ for wood. :dunno: So yeah right now im sticking with Mervin hand crafted = always a good time :cheeky4:


----------



## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

Sick-Pow said:


> You call rider services and ask them.
> 
> If you buy something off Ebay, even new, it is not covered by Burton's warranty. Which leads to my agreement with their strategy, being, dealers service warranty's way better than internet sales.
> 
> ...


They say the same about Canon gear (photography is my other hobby).

Except when the retailer sends you a normal invoice


----------



## Sick-Pow (May 5, 2008)

jdang307 said:


> They say the same about Canon gear (photography is my other hobby).
> 
> Except when the retailer sends you a normal invoice


Totally, yours happened to me too, but I have seen plenty of non-Burton dealers sell on ebay. High Volume sellers, but not "authorized".


----------



## SnowSource (Aug 21, 2011)

dkzach said:


> My friend had a burton hero and literally snapped the tail in half like 3 weeks after he bought it. But at the same time Im loving the cartels. Buying from Burton is kinda a hit and miss situation. Some times your lucky and get good product. Other times you get totally screwed and end up paying 550$ for wood. :dunno: So yeah right now im sticking with Mervin hand crafted = always a good time :cheeky4:


Those hand crafted Mervin's break too pally. See the 10/11 T. Rice in the profile pic? Yeah - I broke the nose on that within 14 days... I'm not dogging Mervin at all - it's all I ride most of the time. But the point is - your "friends Burton hero" isn't the only decent board breaking around town. 

They aren't $550 "magical" pieces of wood. If you send it big, go chunking through the air like I did and come down like a Kamikazee pilot then, well, you might break the hand-crafted bean burger.

Here's a pic of the broken Lib...


----------



## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Sick-Pow said:


> Still a local shop.
> 
> 
> What is funny, all the people buying Burton off Ebay.....NO WARRANTY at all. Zero.





Sick-Pow said:


> You call rider services and ask them.
> 
> If you buy something off Ebay, even new, it is not covered by Burton's warranty. Which leads to my agreement with their strategy, being, dealers service warranty's way better than internet sales.
> 
> ...


I have friends that work there. All you do is say it was a gift poof no proof of receipt needed. It's all discretionary. I've actually worked in warranty at a shop I'm not some pan flute playing jackass from the front range. W48 look into it.


----------



## SnowSource (Aug 21, 2011)

SnowSource said:


> Those hand crafted Mervin's break too pally. See the 10/11 T. Rice in the profile pic? Yeah - I broke the nose on that within 14 days... I'm not dogging Mervin at all - it's all I ride most of the time. But the point is - your "friends Burton hero" isn't the only decent board breaking around town.
> 
> They aren't $550 "magical" pieces of wood. If you send it big, go chunking through the air like I did and come down like a Kamikazee pilot then, well, you might break the hand-crafted bean burger.
> 
> Here's a pic of the broken Lib...


PICS... Don't really capture a good angle. Notice the diagonal crease in the top sheet through the "B"? The laminate and edges were the only thing keeping it all together. The core snapped. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE - They sent me the 2011/12 model as a replacement in April last year.


----------



## KnoxBoarderX (Aug 26, 2011)

Haters gonna hate


----------



## FacePlant4Free (Oct 19, 2011)

does anyone actually own a Mervin and a NS? and did you automatically catch fire upon purchase?


----------



## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

FacePlant4Free said:


> does anyone actually own a Mervin and a NS? and did you automatically catch fire upon purchase?


Yes. Then a Unicorn gored me in the stomach and took my spleen.


----------



## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Yes. Then a Unicorn gored me in the stomach and took my spleen.


Who then offered it to Shaun White, who consumed the spleen and became HIGHLANDER.


There can only be one...


----------



## MeanJoe (Jul 20, 2011)

So here is my take...

I started snowboarding in 1987. There were a small few big players and lots of smaller players back then like Avalanche, Gnu, Kemper, etc. Burton was certainly one of the largest, along with Sims. Traditional ski companies like K2, Rossingal, etc., were not even remotely interested in getting into the snowboarding market. I started riding Burton and remained a loyal customer through the late-90s. Boards, bindings, pants/jackets, gloves, you name it and I wore it and rode it. Even back then, when snowboarders and skiers would stop hating on each other there was the brand hate - Burton hate, or Sims hate, or Avalanche, Barfoot, Winterstick, etc., etc. It is intrinsic in an activity that is about independence and personal expression to have these types of cliques develop. At some point, quite a few of the smaller brands disappeared completely from the scene. New ones emerged. The industry has grown and contracted and through it all, Burton has remained a top player.

I will always have a soft spot for Burton, simply for the way they moved this sport into the mainstream. Not sure how many people here remember the days when the list of resorts in the US that allowed snowboarding was printed each month in TWS and it was maybe a column and a half long at best. Large companies like Burton helped grow this sport into what it is today. For that, I'll always be grateful for Burton and support their company. I have also grow to appreciate the smaller companies out there producing amazing products and fortunately even with industry consolidation, corporate acquisitions, etc., it remains a market that allows a good mix of companies to be profitable.

Today, I ride NeverSummer snowboards and have for the last 7 or 8 years now. Full blown man-crush fan-boy love of NS boards but I cannot say I didn't love some of my past Burton boards too. On each and every NS, I've had Burton bindings and boots (until last year). I have zero problem with it. As others have mentioned, if the AK line is in your price range it is hard to find better gear out there. To refuse to acknowledge that Burton puts out some good stuff is absurd. They also put out low-end stuff which targets a different customer segment. NS really doesn't try to reach across those various segments and price-points - and that is good too.

Are there things I don't like about Burton? Of course, just like there are things I don't like about other manufacturers products or marketing. Personally I think Shaun White is a twit but at the same time when was the last time there was a snowboard pro that was a household name? My freakin' dad, who is a hard core Republican living his retirement in Florida and has never spent a day on the mountain knows who Shaun White is. That type of recognition for snowboarding is a benefit to our industry as a whole and although I could do with one less Goodrich, Target, whatever television advertisement I see how it has helped our sport. 

So love Burton? Great, support them. Don't like Burton? Okay, go buy what you like and let's hit the mountain sometime. What you ride, what gear you wear, if you are better or worse than me (and there are lots and lots of people better than me), makes no difference to me.

Just don't be ignorant of where your sport started and how it got where it is today (for good or bad).

MeanJoe


----------



## Towkin (Oct 14, 2010)

Well said sir :thumbsup:


----------

