2023 Salomon Highpath Snowboard Review
By: Kevin Kastafanas, Outerwear & Bags Buyer | August 17, 2022
The Lowdown
New for 2022/2023 the Salomon Highpath comes into the line as their new high performance all-mountain snowboard. Coming with a host of advancements in sustainable construction. Not only do they use an FCS certified wood core but Salomon also integrates recycled material into the sintered base and steel edges. Going along with this we see a bio-based topsheet as well as their totally new bio-based Greenpoxy resin. Having Salomon’s Rock out camber profile and tapered direction shape the highpath is at home anywhere on the mountain. With the most sustainable construction that Salomon has introduced into a snowboard the Highpath delivers not only the high quality ride but a more eco-friendly ride as well.
I was able to test the new Highpath in a myriad of different conditions this past winter. I can attest that the board lives up to its claim of being the go to for a premium all mountain board. With the slight setback stance and 4mm of taper I found the Highpath perfectly at home carving up groomers as well as staying afloat in any amount of fresh snow. Offering what I found to be the perfect blend of dampness and liveliness there is plenty of pop to go around while still being able to give a comfortable ride in variable conditions. On a few days I even found myself taking the Highpath into the park and felt just at home on jumps and rails as I was around the rest of the mountain.
Technical Details
The most sustainable construction Salomon has ever brought to market. Introducing bio based materials in the topsheet, resin, and core while implementing recycled material in the base and edges.
When looking at the specs of the Highpath we need to start with Salomon’s new sustainability initiatives. Focused on how they can implement as many sustainable and recycled elements, the Highpath was their muse to see how far they can go. 50% recycled base material in the ultra fast sintered base as well as 20% in the edges. Going along with this we see an all new bio-based Greenpoxy resin being used to hold this all together. This goes along with a host of other more sustainable elements in the board in comparison to traditional board construction. A castor bean topsheet, basalt stringers, and a natural wax used in the finishing of the board.
All of these sustainable elements get packaged into Salomon’s go to tapered direction shape and Rock Out Camber profile. This profile gives you a solid flat camber section that leads to a small amount of rocker in the nose and tail allowing for smooth transitions edge to edge while still offering power and precision.
| Sizes (cm) | 145, 150, 153, 156, 159, 159W, 162, 162W, 165 |
| Rocker Type | Rocker / Flat / Rocker |
| Shape | Directional |
| Flex Rating | Stiff (4 / 5) |
| Dimensions (Tip, Waist, Tail - mm) | 301 - 255 - 298 |
| Stance Setback (mm) | 20 |
Ride Impressions
When I first got my hands on the new Highpath the first thing I noticed was how light it felt. The Ghost Green Core, lives up to it’s name and is feather light. Setup was easy, just put it on the reference stance markers and get out and ride.
My first day testing offered up some firm groomers with some fresh snow on top of a crust layer if you ventured off trail. Pleasantly surprised from the start that the Highpath delivered more that just the lightweight lively ride that i was expecting from when i set the board up. The basalt used in the layup of the board really calmed things up and offered that happy medium of liveliness and dampness. In and out of carves the board offered a predictable pop as I transitioned edge to edge. When venturing off the groomer I still found a comfortable enough ride to be able to fight through the crust and stay on edge. I was able to find a couple nice side hits on the day as well. Coming up a takeoff I felt fully in control, again with that predictable snap and pop off the lip. The smooth medium/stiff flex gives a great platform to pop off of as well as provide a smooth landing.
Day 2 out on the Highpath was one for the ages. I arrived on hill to find that what was reported to be 6-8 inches of new snow overnight was more like a solid foot of fresh light powder. The tapered direction shape of the Highpath offered all the float i would need while still giving a solid platform to draw long arcing pow turns. Not once did I wish i had a larger size or feel like i needed to change how i distributed my weight on the board to keep the nose up above the snow. I was able to find a couple small cliffs on this day and again felt comfortable picking my line into and off of them with plenty of landing gear to come in soft.
Day 3 came in the way of a classic late season slushy park day. I was expecting a classic groomer day but was welcomed by some warmer temps. Deciding to see how versatile this directional shape could be around the whole mountain I ventured my way into the park. Now no directional board will obviously feel the same riding switch but I don’t find myself coming into big park jumps switch too often these days. Landing switch on the Highpath felt almost the same as landing regular. I was able to get in a couple switch turns after landing before reverting back to my regular stance. Again it definitely feels different but the shape is not too extreme where it feels completely out of place. Rails felt great as well. Again the board has a predictable smooth flex which felt great popping onto rails and boxes. Not finding myself sliding sideways too often I didn’t notice the setback stance hindering me much at all.
Outcome: 100% delivered.
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Pros
- Versatile shape - rides well all over the mountain.
- Perfect flex - stiff enough for variable conditions while not feeling like the board is riding you.
- Lightweight - feels like nothing under your feet.
Cons
- Directional shape - if you're looking to spend a ton of time riding switch this might not be the most ideal board.
- Lack of dampness - lightweight and snappy, some may be looking for a board that soaks up more of the ride.
Who Is It For?
Everyone! Designed in all sizes to fit anyone who is looking for a perfect do-it-all board. A true quiver of 1. A true all-mountain board that can handle all conditions. If your looking for the perfect board to take out when you're not sure what the day might look like on hill; the Highpath is the choice.
The Bottom Line
For someone like myself who has a pretty big quiver of boards, I continued to find myself reaching for the Highpath. Conditions aside, the Highpath is just fun to ride. Very lively feel while still offering enough comfort to handle variable conditions. Everytime I went to grab another board in the back of my mind I would think “will I have a better day on this than the Highpath”. Directional but with freestyle tendencies the Highpath is the perfect choice if you are looking for a got to premium all-mountain board.
About the Reviewer
Name: Kevin Kastafanas
Age: 30
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 200 lbs
Size Reviewed: 156 cm
Location(s) & Conditions: Snoqualmie Pass, WA
Bindings: Union Atlas
Boots: Salomon Echo Boa Wide
Riding Style: Go Medium! Pow when I can find it, always looking for a good side hit!