GNU Klassy Review

Edge Hold

We took the Klassy down steep runs in varied snow conditions, trying to find the point where it washed out from under us. This turned out to be quite difficult.

The Klassy has the newer magne-traction serrated edges — similar to a bread knife — which boosts its edge hold in difficult conditions. These serrations increase the overall edge length and biting into even the hardest sections of snow and ice, ensuring you — almost! — never lose an edge while carving. The camber sections directly under the bindings also help it grab, but the softer surfy feel of this board does mean it will start to slip in places that stiffer boards wouldn't.

Powder Performance

The Klassy continued its strong showing. It's tons of fun in deep snow, particularly if you like a surfy feel while riding freshies.

It's got a directional profile with an extended nose, as well as a rocker section underfoot that boosts the amount of flotation it has.

However, even with all those power-specific features, there still were other boards that we would grab first after the biggest storms.

Stability

The Klassy delivered one of the stable performances we have seen, and holds its own with other snowboards that cost hundreds of dollars more. This board simply wants to scream down steep groomers.

Its C2x Rocker profile gives it a ton of stability, and we never got to the point where it would wobble or chatter. Carving is supremely stable and strong, making this board one of the best if you want to ski fast on hard-packed snow.

Playfulness

The Klassy continues to be a class act when it comes to playfulness. This directional freeride board has plenty of freestyle spirit, making it all-around super fun and playful — no matter where you are on the mountain.

This board has a medium flex and a playful and surfy ride that makes it exceptionally awesome in banked turns and other boardercross-style features.

We also really liked that you still feel like you have a great deal of control and stability, even with the cruisey ride. On top of that, it is a really solid park board and would be one of our first choices out of the group to take into any terrain park.

Pop and Jumping

The Klassy's finished out with a strong showing, and while this board does have somewhat of a long nose, it still has enough tail to launch off natural features or lips with plenty of pop. However, this shorter tail means you lack some of the spring when you ollie, so you will have to work a bit harder to get the exact height some of the other boards will.

It also is great in the park off of human-made features, affording you plenty of pop to send it and stomps the landing decently well. However, you probably would be better off with a stiffer board if planning on big air or if you are heading to the pipe.

Value

The Klassy is a solid value, offering decent bang for the buck when it comes to all-mountain snowboards.

Conclusion

Discounting its great value, the Gnu Klassy holds its own as an awesome all-mountain board on performance alone. The Klassy is a solid bet for most types of riding, doing a great job both on and off-piste terrain. However, its jack-of-all-trades nature means it can't match a powder or freestyle board in deep snow or the park. It's great for bombing steep runs, has plenty of edge hold and float for all types of snow, and is plenty playful for the park. Throw in the fact that it costs significantly less than the top boards, and it is easy to see why we would recommend this snowboard to anyone shopping on a budget.