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“The abstract uses Salomon’s signature blend of flat, rocker, and camber to create a park friendly profile that performs well in the park, buttering, and on groomers. It is a soft and forgiving board that also works well for a beginner or novice rider looking for some playfulness in their board.” – Ally Watson
The Salomon Abstract is one of the most hotly anticipated new boards for 2023, a playful and easy-going board that’s the result of years of rider feedback and input from the Salomon team. Building on the legacies of freestyle favorites like the women’s Gypsy and men’s Villain, the genderless Abstract is a creative instrument of self expression for riders of all genders and sizes. The graphics were designed by Desiree Melancon with intent to emphasize the for-everyone mindset behind its creation. At the Rude Girls x Snowboard Mag Board Test, the crew was lined up to try out the Abstract because when Desiree signs off on a snowboard, that is a heck of a recommendation.
The Abstract is a freestyle-specific true twin board made for the park (of course, it’s at home in the streets, too). While the board can handle the demands of the highest level of rail riders, its forgiving flex, stability, and quick turn initiation without feeling hooky makes it an ideal deck for riders with any level of park experience; the Abstract prompts progression and will grow with you.
Abby Furrer, Rude Girls manager and buyer, put it succinctly, saying, “I would recommend this board for anyone who might be new to the park but not new to riding, or who may be wanting to level up their park game.”
Chelsea Dore agreed. “Overall, I think the Salomon Abstract is a sweet, softer flexing snowboard, ready for that beginner person to hit the park for the first time or a more experienced rider to hit some heavy rails in the street,” she commented. “It seems durable enough to take impact landings and soft enough to butter all over the mountain.”
The Abstract features Salomon’s popular Rock Out Camber profile (flat between the bindings for stability, camber near the feet for pop and response, and rocker on the nose and tail for pressability. It’s a fine-tuned park machine that locks into rails and jibs easily, is stable on take off and landing, and is a breeze to press and butter. Read: Its park pedigree translates to the streets, of course, and when cruising the resort, it’s fun and playful.
At the RG x Snowboard Mag Board Test, the Rude Girls crew took the Abstract all over Sunshine Village, putting it through the paces on a variety of terrain and in variable, wintery conditions. The Abstract shone in the park, on side hits, and on mid-trail buttering.
The straight-to-the-bottom line is that the Abstract is a park-focused board that excels on rails and jibs, and is a blast to take on cruiser laps. Side hits? Yep. Buttering? Yep. It’s a playful, forgiving snowboard that initiates turns quickly and holds an edge well, especially considering it has a softer flex.
Of course, with the flat camber between the bindings and softer flex, the board was a little less stable on steeper and icier conditions–this is understandable considering the Abstract’s focus on rail riding–but when initiating turns, the underfoot camber really performed. Multiple testers commended the Abstract on its turn initiation and how easy it was to just get on and feel comfortable. Ally Watson, Rude Girl and Snowboard Mag writer commented, “This board carves well. It is gentle when initiating turns, but can hold an edge. Salomon’s Quadratic Sidecut allows the Abstract to ease in and out of turns while maintaining a fair amount of edge hold through the radius of a turn.”
The softer flex and camber profile make the Abstract a forgiving ride that is effective as heck in its specialty, which makes it a snowboard that can be ridden by park novices and pros alike. Looking to progress your park game? The Abstract offers a perfect combination of stability and flex for getting comfortable with your first nosepress or for dialing in more tech tricks.
MSRP: $500
sizes: 138, 143, 147, 151, 153, 155, 158, 155W, 158W