Does it float better?
Maybe. When it comes to powder, my longer, stiffer Burton 152 Feelgood outperforms the GNU, but that isn’t to say that the GNU didn’t perform well. I was actually quite surprised at how well the board maneuvered in powder, despite it’s flexibility and weight. The only reason I would choose a different board is because the GNU is so short that I really had to shift my weight back to stay on top of the snow. As to whether or not the stiffer nose creates more float, I’m not sure, and I’d like to ride a longer B-Pro to eliminate the length variable.
Is it more stable?
Maybe. I honestly never really noticed that the B-Pro is wider than normal. I can generally say that the board did feel stable, that I never found myself in situations where it felt too soft or squirrely. Landings felt solid and I certainly wasn’t disappointed with stability.
Is this a good All Mountain performer?
Yes. I must say that from the park to the trees, this board was straight up FUN. I really enjoyed flexing this board doing flat land tricks, sliding it on boxes, and hitting jumps. Equally pleasing was its stability rallying down steeps and its agility whipping through trees.
Is this a good all conditions performer?
Yes. The B-Pro C2 BTX performed well in all conditions, but it particularly outperformed other boards when it came to man made conditions and icy groomers. It handled powder just fine, though it took more work to stay afloat given its relatively short length.
On man made snow, it held an edge when other boards would wash out. It felt like I could take longer, harder turns and push the board harder in conditions that would normally find me riding a lot more timidly. In fact, often performed better with speed. It felt catchy / grabby on flatter, slower terrain where it’s more difficult to stay on one edge.
What GNU doesn’t tell you:
I would not recommend this board to beginners or to someone who isn’t already comfortable riding hard and fast. It has a tendency to catch edges or get sticky on flats and at lower speeds, when you aren’t completely on one edge or the other. For beginners, this can be discouraging (and painful).
Bottom line?
If I had to sum up the B-Pro C2BTX into one word, it would be “playful.” This board has all the features for an experienced rider to have an awesome day, regardless of conditions. It is perfect for the park, responsive in the trees, holds an edge on steeps and groomers, and I’d even go so far as to say… it’s fun in moguls (Gasp!)
The board’s traction and edge control make it an outstanding board for just about any riding style or condition. I do have to check myself on catwalks but that’s a small price to pay for such a fun board. While I might choose another board on a powder day, I want this board for every other day of the season.
So what’s new for 11/12?
For the 2011-2012 season, GNU has made some further changes to the B-Pro, and I’m eager to see how these modifications will affect the board that I’ve enjoyed riding this past season.GNU has increased the Magne-Traction contact points along the board’s edge from three to seven; a new Bio-Plastic topsheet claims to increases strength while reducing weight; and a “4-way Quasi-Isotropic fiberglass” is said to “enhance pop and control.”
I don’t really imagine that these changes will have a noticeably negative impact on the board’s performance, but the really interesting thing will be to see if there is a noticeable improvement in performance.
I can’t wait to find out, and I’ll certainly let you know.