Burton Sherlock Snowboard 2011-2012 Season

by Fraser
Updated:

This is a preview of the Burton Sherlock – written for riders who are looking for help from snowboard reviews. It’s a look at the information out there – is this snowboard suited to you?

burton-sherlock-snowboard-162-Wide-2014

The message from Burton

If fresh landings and untapped zones make you drool on your pillow lines, the critically-acclaimed Burton Sherlock should stack up as your dream ride. The nuts and bolts of what’s inside start with Flying V™ and Side Effects for float and control on natural features, Frostbite Edges for billy goat grip, and Smooth Ride™ dampening to save the legs for one last shot. Built for riders like Mikey Rencz and Kim Rune Hansen who don’t hesitate to pick their own line, this is the one for every mission imaginable.

What riders think?

All mountain freestyle. The Sherlock fits well in the category of all-mountain freestyle. It has features that are good for shredding powder and tackling the piste whilst also being playful enough for jibbing around. A powder board for freestylers? The question is, how well does it do in each area?

Riding powder. The Sherlock definitely delivers when it comes to riding the soft stuff. There’s a very slight setback of 0.5″ in the twin-like shape, which is a good start. The Sherlock also has the Flying V™ profile, so that raised nose provides help with float. And there’s also one of Burton’s newer designs/technologies, Side Effects, giving a longer surface area at the tip/tail contact points, which provides further assistance with float. All in all, the Sherlock has good float and control in powder.

Cruising the piste. The Side Effects mentioned above means the board has a shorter side-cut; considering the relatively soft flex of the Sherlock and a decent sintered base – you’ve got a board that’s easy with turn initiation and generally good for cruising.

Riding hard and carving. Something that’s less sure is the board’s ability to hold a good edge, something that is available on other, all-mountain boards. Burton have that design feature called Frostbite Edges – the board’s edges protrude in the regions where your bindings are, on both sides (toe and heel) – aimed at providing better hold in hard/icy conditions.

Opinion is mixed here. Perhaps it’s the effect that the Side Effects has on the sidecut, maybe it’s the Flying V rocker profile? Compared with other Burton Boards, the Frostbite Edge feature doesn’t seem to work so well with the Sherlock. Some riders consider this to be one of the board’s weaker areas.

Freestyle and jibbing. The Sherlock’s tip and tail are designed with buttery play in mind. It’s a definite tick in the “freestyle” box. The tips are also lighter, reducing swing weight, making rotations that little bit easier to initiate and complete. Strong “pop” is also reported – so add in the nimble dynamics of the board and the Sherlock is very well suited to jibbing around the piste and getting air.

The flex profile may be a little bit stiffer between the bindings, so the Sherlock might not “lock on” to rails in the same way a pure jib board would. But then again, you can’t have everything and this board is good for riding powder!

What’s new in the 2012 board?

Putting the graphics to one side, there isn’t much difference between the 2011 and the 2012 Sherlock. This video provides a good summary of the design features:

Summary – who’s it for?

The Sherlock is a good attempt at all-mountain freestyle. Riders will tell you that it’s fun to jib on whilst also riding well in deep powder. It’s light and almost twin, so you’ve got good flexibility with your riding. A weakness? If there is one, it’s edge hold and dealing with tough, hard and icy conditions.

So, if you like to ride powder, to take your freestyle to the piste and to lap the park, and are willing to make a compromise on out-right carving ability, the Sherlock could be for you…

You may also like

Leave a Comment

Subscribe for discounts AND A Chance to win $50!

Sign up to our newsletter for entry into the annual $50 gift card draw.

Subscribe for discounts AND A Chance to win $50!

Sign up to our newsletter for entry into our annual $50 gift card draw.