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The Never Summer Proto FR is a versatile all-mountain snowboard that will put a smile on your face in various conditions and terrain. The Triple Camber profile and premium core provide a unique balance of playfulness and performance, making it ideal for intermediate to expert riders. The edge hold can help you make the best of firm conditions, while the overall stability makes it a great companion for charging at your local resort. Riders coming from a more traditional board might need a day or two to adjust to this unique ride. It's an excellent choice for those seeking a single board that performs well across different riding styles and conditions or those riders looking to upgrade to high-performance board for long-term progression.
REASONS TO BUY
Good edge hold
Great uneven snow ride
Lower skill threshold required to unlock performance
A capable board that is reasonable for intermediates to ride and progress yet still satisfying as an expert rider
The versatile performance and sheer enjoyment make it a top choice for the team
An all-mountain ride of exceptional quality and capability with a flex pattern that is friendly to intermediates and experts
Jones produced a highly adaptable and enjoyable board that excelled in all aspects of performance
The board is ideal for experienced riders seeking top-notch float, stability, and excellent pop from a regular freeride board
Rating Categories
Never Summer Proto FR
Yes Standard Uninc DC
Cardiff Goat Enduro
Jones Stratos
Burton High Fidelity
Edging(25%)
7.5
8.5
7.5
8.0
6.5
Float in Powder(20%)
6.5
7.0
7.5
8.0
8.5
Stability at Speed(20%)
7.0
8.0
7.5
7.5
8.0
Playfulness(20%)
8.5
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
Pop and Jumping(15%)
6.5
7.0
7.5
7.0
8.0
Specs
Never Summer Proto FR
Yes Standard Uninc DC
Cardiff Goat Enduro
Jones Stratos
Burton High Fidelity
Shape
Tapered directional
Directional twin
Tapered directional
Tapered directional
Tapered directional
Camber/Rocker
Triple camber
Camber, rocker
Camber, rocker
Camber, rocker
Camber, rocker
Flex
8
7
6
7
9
Tested Length
156 cm
156 cm
162 cm
156 cm
158 cm
Measured Weight of Tested Length
6lb 14oz
6lb 10oz
6lb 8oz
6lb 10oz
5lb 11oz
Available Lengths
156, 169, 157w, 161w, 165w, 162df ,166df
149, 152, 156, 159, 162
150, 154, 156, 162
149, 153, 154w, 156, 158w, 159, 161w, 162, 164w
150, 154, 158, 158w ,162, 166
Core Material
Poplar, paulownia, bamboo, birch, carbon
Poplar, paulownia, bamboo, carbon
Poplar, paulownia
Paulownia, poplar, basalt
Wood and carbon
Waist Width
25.6 cm
25.8 cm
26.5 cm
25.4 cm
25 cm
Radius
7.2 m
7.5 m
10 m
7.2 m
7.8 m
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Never Summer Proto FR stands out by offering versatility that caters to various conditions, terrain, and, most notably, different abilities. Designed with the modern rider in mind, it bridges the gap between freestyle playfulness and freeride performance. This board is a jack of all trades and appeals to the riders looking for the convenience of one board that does decently well in most areas. The Proto FR is one of the most capable yet user-friendly boards in the review, and our test team feels that it will be a great board for intermediates to advanced riders to progress on.
Performance Comparison
Intermediates should be able to capitalize on this model's potential without the fear of outgrowing the performance capabilities down the road.
Credit: Isaac Laredo
Edging
One of the Proto FR's most impressive characteristics is its liveliness on edge. Equipped with a medium-stiff flex and a hybrid rocker-camber profile, this board manages to strike a balance between edge hold and forgiveness. We found the board provided a reliable and impressive grip on firm snow, allowing us to ride with more confidence. The board was happy to make energetic short-radius turns or medium-speed long-radius turns for a powerful riding style. After we tuned in to the board, we found it fun and easy to slash the tail around, but it can take some time to tune it to that as the board naturally wants to be on the rails.
The Power Grip sidecut is the brand's edge enhancement to improve edge hold and control, especially on firm snow. The side cut blends in different radii to provide more contact of the edge throughout the snow, which translates to more grip when carving on hardpack or icy conditions. Riders will find that the Proto FR offers a confident carving experience on groomers, with smooth and predictable edge-to-edge transitions.
Overall, it is suitable for intermediate to advanced riders who enjoy carving but also want the flexibility to explore both a playful or driven riding style. Intermediate riders will appreciate the user-friendly, playful, and reliable nature of its turns. Expert riders will enjoy the fun and powerful nature of the core but may prefer more stiffness in the nose and get more performance out of a stiffer, more specialized board. For most, it provides an excellent balance of performance and versatility.
The Never Summer Proto FR is very quick edge to edge for an agile ride.
Credit: Isaac Laredo
Float in Powder
For a board with a modest setback, taper, and traditional shape, the Proto FR performs better than expected but provides less float than expected from a more powder-specific model.
The hybrid rocker-camber profile, a slight setback stance, and a tapered profile help stack the deck in your favor. However, speed is very helpful in helping this board keep its nose up. If you want to jump off cliffs and kickers, this board provides enough float and stability for confident landings. This design makes the Proto FR a versatile board that shines at busier, freeride-oriented resorts that get tracked out quickly aside from those more freeride-oriented lines.
A Proto was great tool for a small storm because of its quick turn initiation and stable platform.
Credit: Isaac Laredo
Stability at Speed
Regarding stability at speed, the Proto FR does not disappoint. The medium-stiff flex and Triple Camber profile work to provide a stable platform underfoot. Its damp feel helped absorb uneven snow surfaces like a solid freeride board.
The camber sections improved the board's ability to track and proved to be better than other Never Summer Boards that we have tried but it still didn't provide the same stability as a true camber model.
The Proto FR does very well at muting chatter and moving through uneven snow surfaces to provide a stable ride. Never Summer has always provided one of the dampest rides around, and the FR employs one of the most robust damping systems yet with their E.C.D.S, which are rubber-topped carbon stringers running from the inserts to the tips of the board, which dampens the ride feel and micro chatter. While the dampening properties are top-notch, our test team wanted more stiffness and reliability out of the nose. We rode slower on snow surfaces with larger firm bumps and disruptions than on other stiffer cambered boards. Overall, it provides a nice balance of stability and maneuverability, making it suitable for riders who want to push their limits without sacrificing control.
The FR offered the most stability at speed on smooth surfaces. It still performed well on disrupted off-piste snow; we definitely rode slower than other boards.
Credit: Isaac Laredo
Playfulness
The Proto FR is one of the most playful board models within our review fleet, making it an excellent choice for freeriders looking to have some freestyle flair around the mountain. Our test team found this board to be one of the more capable yet user-friendly boards. The easygoing ride is a hallmark trait of Never Summer boards, and the FR delivers a more powerful package.
Its medium-stiff flex strikes a good balance between responsiveness and forgiveness, allowing riders to press and butter. The triple camber profile stiffens up the mid-section of the board compared to a more distinct rocker camber hybrid profile. The center of the board has a tighter balance point but remains generally easy to find and maintain for stylish buttering. The hybrid profile contributes to this playful feel, providing a loose, nimble ride when desired. The hybrid profile gives the board a unique character with easy turn and butter initiation but can also carve hard fast and pop well when you want it to.
The triple camber profile has noticeably more camber than other NS profiles, with three distinct sections isolated by smaller rocker transition zones located at the start of the insert packs.
Credit: Natalie Kafader
Pop and Jumping
The Proto FR offers easier-to-harvest and ample pop compared to equally capable freeride boards. The camber sections provide enough snap, energy return, and landing stability for most riding abilities and styles.
The bamboo, paulownia, poplar, and birch core magnifies energy for pop and stability for takeoffs and landings without being too rigid for smaller features. This makes it a fun option for smaller and larger side hits across your favorite mountain. Its ability to generate pop from the nose and tail makes it well-suited for switch takeoffs and landings, adding to its versatility in freestyle scenarios.
We placed a standard weight on the boards over 2 sawhorses to measure their flex. It's important to note that every manufacturer has a different flex scale. This test helps us standardize the flex ratings by measuring the distance the board flexes from our level. The flex of the FR, was middle of the road compared to the review fleet.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Should You Buy the Never Summer Proto FR
The Never Summer Proto FR is an excellent choice for riders seeking a versatile all-mountain board that can handle various conditions and riding styles. Its easy-to-ride nature is great for intermediates looking to step into a more performance-oriented daily driver.
What Other Snowboard Should You Consider?
If you are looking for a board with more floatation, you should consider the Jones Stratos. Never Summer boards come with a unique feel that is quite different from a camber board, for those looking for that traditional camber feel with a generally playful nature should look at the Yes Standard Uninc.
