Burton Day Trader Review

The Day Trader isn't the most playful board out there and is probably best kept out of the park. It's not great for jibbing, and its asymmetric profile can make riding switch feel quite awkward.

Performance Comparison

Edge Hold

The Day Trader got off to a good start in our tests with a solid performance in our edge hold test, which is responsible for 25% of its final score. This board bites into all but the firmest snow in the iciest conditions, giving us more than enough confidence to open up the throttle.

We think Burton's serrated FrostBite edges work exceptionally well. We never had the edge slip when traversing on steep or icy terrain, and it easily carves into hardpack when turning at higher speeds. However, this board can be a little predisposed to skidding turns while carving, and we would feel the board start to slip just a tiny bit on top of that if we hit any patches of ice at high speed.

Powder Performance

Next, we moved on to rating and comparing how each snowboard handled in deeper snowfalls, which accounts for 20% of each board's final scores. The Day Trader isn't the most powder-specific snowboard we have tested but doesn't fair too poorly when it comes to riding freshies.

The Day Trader is a directional freeride board with a longer nose and shorter tail, as well as a flat rocker profile that helps it float to the top of the snow. This snowboard also has a slight taper — 12 mm — from nose to tail to further enhance its floatation in deep snow. It is a little on the stiffer side, so you don't get as surfy of a feel as other models, but it feels rock-solid through big carving turns in deep snow.

Stability

Our next series of tests compared how each of these snowboards felt when you got them up to maximum speed, which accounts for 20% of the final score. It's pretty clear that the Day Trader is a snowboard that wants to go fast and luckily feels super steady when you open up the throttle.

This snowboard has a medium-stiff flex that we didn't find to be too predisposed to developing speed wobbles or any chattering at higher speeds. It feels pretty good to carve with though we found that you can definitely feel the flat portion of the board when transitioning edge-to-edge, making it feel just the tiniest bit shaky if you linger too long in that portion of your turn when ripping down groomers.

This board also cuts through crud and chop as long as you commit and power through. We found it to be a bit of a freight train, and it seemed to handle blasting through uneven terrain at higher speeds better than attempting to do any last-minute corrections or speed checks.

Playfulness

While we wouldn't expect the Day Trader — a directional freeride board that is on the stiffer side — to be all that playful, we have to say we were pleasantly surprised. Don't get us wrong; there is no comparing the Day Trader to some of the super soft snowboards on the market, but it does have more flex than you might expect from a freeride-focused snowboard.

The Day Trader like to make medium to large turns and rides with a fairly fun loose and surfy feel. It's not horrible to ride switch, with a little rocker in the tail of the board that keeps it from catching too often. However, as we mentioned above, the Day Trader can be a bit of a juggernaut when going down the mountain, and we feel it would be quite a stretch to call it particularly nimble.

Pop and Jumping

Our last round of tests looked at how much spring each snowboard has, with the Day Trader delivering another solid performance.

The Day Trader is stiff and stable enough for jumps and drops, but you are in for a rough time when doing a press or buttering. This also wouldn't be a great jibbing board by any means, either.

Value

The Day Trader isn't the cheapest snowboard on the market, but it is a bit less expensive than some of the other directional snowboards, making it worth your consideration if you are looking for a hard-charging directional freeride board and trying to save some cash.

Conclusion