Tactics crew members Luke Coleman, Brandon Clark and Hunter Hess traveled up to the WWSRA Northwest On Snow Demo a few weeks ago. Luke did a write up of their trip and Brandon snapped a few pics — check it out.

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In mid-February of 2010, Brandon, Hunter and I were treated to the experience of attending the WWSRA Northwest On Snow Demo. Retailers in this neck of the woods were able to come and try out ski and snowboard equipment for the upcoming season. The who’s who of brands were all present, with a plethora of demo-ready gear in tow.

The event took place at Mission Ridge, a resort in central Washington, just 20 minutes from the town of Wenatchee. Reps were on hand to sign out gear, discuss with and take input from those testing it, and provide complimentary food and beverage. We were able to test boards from the likes of Burton, Capita, Bataleon, K2, Signal, Yes, Neversummer, Lib Tech, Gnu, K2, DC, Rome, Arbor, Forum, Nitro and Ride. The environment was casual and easygoing, with little cool-guying or vibing taking place.

Conditions were sunny for both days, and the snow was a treacherous mix of everything, in varying and unpredictable forms. This worked brilliantly however, as a backdrop for observing the performance of gear in rough situations. The entirety of a run took us from powder, to groomers, to rutted icy chunder, to softer slushier snow at the bottom. Board testing methods included hard-carving edge grab heelside turns, butters and presses, nose and tail taps, spins, and grabs of the highest tweakitude.

The next season will bring a fresh wave of rockers, rocker-camber hybrids, and different sidecut designs (YES, we even rode a board with literal serrated edges). With the economy causing everyone to tighten the screws and take risks at the same time, companies will be putting out more and more innovative and worthy products. Next season will be a bright and exciting time to ride a snowboard. Stay tuned for more upcoming product reviews from the Tactics crew!