By: Mackensie Baer, Planner | Last Updated: June 21st, 2024
Imagine you are the professional snowboarder Hailey Langland riding the 2025 Nitro Karma in the backcountry. You’re slashing powder down the face of a mountain while competing in the Natural Selection competition in Revelstoke, British Columbia. You then launch yourself off of a cliff and stomp the landing beautifully – Dreamy, right? The Karma has proven to be the board of choice for not only professional athletes such as Langland, but I can also attest that this board rips all over the mountain for us not-so professional snowboarders.
I had the fortune of testing the 24/25 model of the Nitro Karma in the Pacific Northwest. This deck felt right at home on the wintery, powder days but also pleasantly surprised me in variable terrain. In my opinion, given the shape and profile of this board, the stability and clean response is genuinely unmatched. Continue reading on for more details as to why the Nitro Karma is the perfect upgrade for your all-mountain board.
The Progressive sidecut, Directional and Mid-Wide shape coupled with the True Camber allow for deep, seamless carves along with the power and stability to charge the whole mountain. The Karma is an aggressive freeride/all mountain board that yearns to go fast but also provides the maneuverability and responsiveness you need while ripping a banked slalom or weaving in and out of the trees.
As previously mentioned, the Nitro Karma is a freeride/all-mountain deck built for riders that want to put down some deep carves and rip with speed and stability. You might ask yourself what specific characteristics does the Karma exhibit to make such a claim? To start, lets dig into the key features of the shape. This board is a directional board meaning that the nose is longer than the tail aiding in your floating ability in powder and variable conditions. Another key attribute of the shape is the Progressive sidecut which is essentially a more robust radius in the nose than the radius near the tail. This will help you accelerate out of turns without edge catch. Next, I want to note the mid-wide width of the Karma. This feature has a few advantages such as allowing women with larger feet to ride this board without the potential heel/toe drag. It also enables you to lean into those deep turns with ease. Lastly, with the additional surface area under foot, this will help performance in powder by providing extra float.
Moving onto the profile - the Karma has True Camber which will give you the stability and pop you need to charge at high speeds and the playfulness when you want it. The Karma has Nitro’s All Terrain Flex and is rated a 6 on the flex scale meaning this deck has a mid-stiff flex – the ideal flex pattern for a high-performance board ready to shred the whole mountain. Aiding in this flex pattern is the core. The Karma has the performance driven Powercore which is constructed of poplar wood from the tip to the tail and provides the perfect balance of lightweight strength and response. Next up, we have Bi-lite Laminates which not only add stability but also provide a more responsive feel from a torsional flex perspective. Finally, we have the Sintered Speed Formula HD Base – the ultimate recipe for durability, optimal wax absorption and super-fast speed.
Sizes (cm) | 144, [148], 152 |
Shape | Directional |
Wasit Width (mm) | 243 @ 148 cm |
Rocker/Camber Profile | Trüe Camber (Full Camber) |
Flex Rating | 6/10 (Mid-Stiff) |
Construction | Power Core + Bi-Lite Laminates |
Base | Sintered EcoSpeed HD |
Binding Compatibility | 2 x 4 Inserts |
If I haven’t already sold you on the 2025 Nitro Karma, let me dive into my experience of ripping the Karma during this past 23/24 season. I had the opportunity to test this deck in various conditions in Washington state – from the choppy, heavy snow to the deep, light snow, the Karma far exceeded my expectations.
On the groomers, the Karma crushed it. As mentioned earlier, the Karma loves to throw down deep carves and cruise with speed and I couldn’t agree with this more. I tested size 149 and although this board was slightly larger than my go-to all-mountain boards, I found that the extra length coupled with Nitro’s All Terrain Flex added tremendous stability as I picked up speed and carved my way down the mountain. When conditions allowed for it, I loved dipping into the trees on the Karma. Despite the stiff flex, I found that the Karma was quite versatile with its responsiveness and ease while maneuvering through tight spaces. The True Camber provided just the right amount of pop on side hits and ample stability on the landings.
When the weather cooperated, the Karma truly shined on the deep powder days. The directional shape and mid-wide width enhanced my floating abilities without needing to work too hard for it. This board has a lightweight core but also enough strength and durability to plow through just about anything the mountain throws at you. To say the least, the freeride capabilities are evident the moment you strap in and slide on the Karma.
The Nitro Karma is for an advanced-expert rider who is on the hunt for an all-mountain board with major freeride capabilities. This rider is looking for a stiff, durable deck that can throw down deep carves with ease and charge with stability at high speeds. They want a versatile board that can cruise the whole mountain including groomers, trees, banked slaloms, deep powder, etc. The Karma can truly do it all.
There’s no doubt that the 2025 Nitro Karma is an absolute machine. The progressive sidecut, directional and mid-wide shape will enhance your carving abilities. The True Camber and sintered base will give you the power and speed to charge all while remaining lightweight, durable and responsive with Nitro’s Powercore and Bi-Lite laminates. The Karma has everything you need without sacrificing one feature over another. With that said, if you want to elevate your all-mountain shred game, the Karma is right for you.
Shop Nitro SnowboardsName: Mackensie Baer
Age: 31
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 125 lbs
Size Reviewed: 148 cm
Location(s) & Conditions: Pacific Northwest
Bindings: Union Legacy (size M)
Boots: Ride Cadence (size 7.5)
Riding Style & Ability Level: Fast and agile — I love seeking powder but also enjoy charging groomers, sidehits, berm tracks and weaving through trees any chance I get.