Newer Version: the XV 2019 Splitboard.
Bottom Line: Great performance for a reasonably priced splitboard designed for all snow conditions
Rating: Overall: 4/5, Quality: 5/5, Performance: 4/5, Value: 5/5
Pros: Affordable, hybrid rocker/camber, stiffness in the nose is great for charging down mountains
Cons: Difficult to maneuver between tight northeastern trees.
Features:
- Weight: 3100 grams (163 cm board)
- Sizes: 159, 163, 167 (cm)
- Shape: Directional
- Sidecut: Serrated edges (7m)
- Rocker Camber: Amptek Elite
- Insert setback: 30mm
- Inserts number: 5*2
- Flex rate: Flex 10/10
- Core: THC² CBF²
- Ceinture: 25.3cm
- Base density: 7500 sintered
- The splitboard version of Xavier De Le Rue’s signature pro model snowboard.
- Skill level: intermediate to expert
- No difference in shape from 2015 to present day.
Activities: Backcountry snowboarding, resort snowboarding, skinning with no intention of riding.
Familiarity: Used 2 winter seasons snowboarding in the northeast backcountry and for early morning skins up groomed resort trails.
Size bought: 163 cm
Personal height: 5’11” Personal weight: 165 lbs
I would recommend this product
Skinning – Excellent board for skinning all day. The board’s camber underfoot performs great during steep ascents. The tail of the board has an odd cut which seems to be meant for installing homemade tail clips. Traditional tail clips work fine as well.
Snowboarding – In all snow conditions this board performs excellent when in open areas. You can feel a stiff nose and more flex near the tail. This stiffness is not great when in tighter glades. I can maneuver through extremely tight trees like skiers do but with this board I was working harder than on other boards I ride.
Year to year differences – The only difference between these boards’ model years is the price and graphics. 2016’s model came out with new splitboard clips called “Plum Cowboy Clips” (the XV use to have Voile clips). The board continues to use those clips up through 2019’s model.
Click here to learn more about the XV splitboard on Rossignol’s website.
Order the 2016 model from Amazon.com