Ghost Board : Ghost Brigade

Review:
When I first read the press release about Ghost Board's series of snowboards, I wasn't sure what to think. So when the board box arrived, I "charged" it under a light for a few minutes, took it into the bathroom, and turned the lights off; sure enough, it glowed. The Ghost Brigade, like all of Ghost Board's snowboards, utilize photoluminescence in both the base and topsheet of the board, which after soaking in daylight, will glow (the color depends on the model) all night.

The Ghost Brigade's glow color is pink, not my favorite, but it really works on this board. In addition to the glow, the board features a wacky but cool topsheet design that makes you want to listen to punk rock. The topsheet has only a few pink glow highlights, but the bottom is mostly glow-in-the-dark. If pink isn't really your deal, check out one of the other Ghost Board rides, which have blue, red, and green glows. We did get it out in the dark on several occasions, and everyone that rode with us remarked on the glow and how rad it is. The glow is pretty bright, I guess I was expecting it to be dim, and I was super impressed by how much it illuminates the snow.

While the board may look sick, everyone wants to know is how it rides. The Brigade has taken over as one of my favorite play-boards. It has a very smooth flex, throughout its length, which makes it exceedingly easy to nose and tail-press on rails and boxes, and butter in the flats. I had a lot of fun riding this board on days when I wasn't really feeling like pushing myself and just wanted to play. Although it performed superbly in the park, it was a little more squirrelly when going through crud and chop. Its softer flex hinders it from providing the dampening you want when riding all over the mountain.

Ghost Boards are designed in Switzerland, and made right here in the US. They use top-of-the-line construction materials and techniques, and every last detail seems thought through. It isn't some cheap board with the added gimmick of photoluminescence, but at the same time I don't think it performs quite as well as many of the top-top boards on the market.

If you're interested in the board, the question you should ask is "How much do I ride at night?" The board caries a $395 price tag, and there are a lot of quality boards, including some of the big-name pro models, in the same range. The board has a great appearance, even in the day, and the photoluminescence is an awesome addition. So, it really comes down to what you are looking for in your ride.