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The Burton Custom Flying V takes one of snowboarding’s most historic nameplates and pairs it with a hybrid rocker profile designed for approachable, all-conditions freeriding. While the traditional camber Custom is known for its rigid precision, the Flying V version is tuned for riders who want a more forgiving, surfy, and catch-free ride. It appeals to intermediate and advanced riders seeking a dependable one-board quiver that handles soft snow and casual cruising with ease. The Flying V profile places rocker between and outside your feet, with small camber zones underfoot. On snow, this translates to effortless float in powder and a relaxed, pivot-friendly personality when weaving through trees or traversing choppy slopes. Turn initiation requires very little muscle, making it much less fatiguing on long resort days than stiff camber alternatives. The board also incorporates Burton’s Squeezebox core profiling, which balances thin, flexible sections with thicker, powerful zones for natural flex. The inherent trade-off of the Flying V profile is edge hold on hard ice. Because the center of the board is rockered, it lacks the unbroken rail contact of a traditional camber board, meaning it can feel loose or skatey on bulletproof mornings. Aggressive carvers will find the edge washes out when driven hard on frozen surfaces. **Highlights** - Hybrid rocker profile offers catch-free turning and relaxed cruising - Exceptional natural flotation in powder without heavy back-leg burn - The Channel mounting system allows infinite stance micro-adjustments - Proven core construction balances light weight with durable pop **Watch-outs** - Edge grip can feel insecure on steep, icy hardpack - Lacks the high-speed drive and rebound of a pure camber deck
Pros
- Effortless flotation in powder without causing severe back-leg fatigue
- Catch-free turn initiation makes tree runs and moguls easy to navigate
- The Channel mounting system enables precise, micro-adjustable stance tuning
- Fast sintered WFO base maintains consistent speed across flat terrain
Cons
- Compromised edge hold and stability on bulletproof ice and firm groomers
- Tail can wash out under heavy, high-speed carving pressure
- High price point for an inherently forgiving, intermediate-friendly profile
Best uses
- All-mountain resort cruising
- Glade runs and powder fields
- Intermediate skill progression
- Spring slush and soft snow
Specifications
- Bend Type
- Flying V hybrid rocker
- Shape
- Directional shape with twin flex
- Core Material
- Super Fly II 700G with Squeezebox
- Base Material
- Sintered WFO
- Mounting Pattern
- The Channel system
- MSRP
- Approximately $680
Pricing
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Best for
All-mountain resort cruising, Glade runs and powder fields, Intermediate skill progression, Spring slush and soft snow
Where to buy the Custom Flying V
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The Burton Custom Flying V adapts one of the most storied nameplates in snowboarding to a forgiving hybrid profile. While the flagship traditional camber Custom has spent decades serving riders who demand precise, aggressive edge control, the Flying V variation swaps rigid camber for a rocker-dominant bend. Placing rocker between the feet and towards the tip and tail, with discrete camber zones beneath the bindings, this layout creates a distinctively surfy feel on snow. It targets intermediate and advanced riders looking for a playful resort board that eliminates edge-catch anxiety and excels in soft conditions. Priced around $680, this board occupies the premium end of all-mountain decks. Burton outfits it with top-tier materials, including their Squeezebox core profiling and a dense sintered base, giving it responsive snap without demanding excessive physical input. It is built as an approachable daily driver for long days on the mountain where ease of turning, low leg fatigue, and natural powder flotation matter far more than laying trenches on bulletproof hardpack.
Target Rider and Terrain
The Custom Flying V serves riders who prioritize effortless maneuvers and forgiveness over high-tension carving. It suits advancing intermediates stepping into all-mountain riding as well as experienced riders who prefer a looser, surf-inspired feel in off-piste terrain. Because the center rocker keeps the contact points slightly lifted off the snow, navigating bumps, side hits, and tight tree lines feels fluid and non-threatening. Riders who view the mountain as an open playground with variable snow conditions will find it a welcoming platform. Conversely, riders focused on competitive pipe riding, aggressive alpine carving, or high-speed stability on icy racecourses will quickly find the hybrid profile too soft and disconnected from the snow edge.
Core and Laminate Construction
Burton builds the board around its FSC-certified Super Fly II 700G core, which strategically places alternating strong and light woods across high-impact sections to drop weight while keeping durability intact. The board also features Burton's Squeezebox profiling, which thins the wood core in specific zones between the feet and thickens it outward beneath the bindings. This alternating thickness transfers energy efficiently to the board's tips and provides lively pop despite the rockered midsection. Surrounding the core is a 45-degree Carbon Highlights fiberglass layup, which optimizes torsional stiffness without adding heavy bulk. The result is a deck that flexes predictably from nose to tail while retaining enough lateral stability to handle chop.
Float and Loose-Snow Dynamics
Soft snow is where the Flying V profile clearly outperforms traditional camber decks. The rocker zone positioned between the stance naturally lifts the nose when weight is applied, generating immediate flotation in powder without forcing the rider into a deep, fatiguing back-seat stance. This relaxed posture preserves quad strength over full resort days. In chopped-up powder, slush, and tracked-out tree runs, the rockered tips pivot easily around obstacles rather than slicing aggressively into transitions. Edge catch is nearly eliminated when pivoting flat on cat tracks or sliding sideways across transitions, making it an exceptionally friendly companion for off-trail exploration when conditions soften.
Hardpack and Carving Limitations
The defining trade-off of the Flying V design is its grip on firm surfaces. Because the center of the board arches upward away from the snow, total effective edge contact is reduced compared to a continuous camber deck. Burton integrates subtle Frostbite edges beneath the bindings to add bite, but on steep, wind-scoured ice and hard frozen groomers, the board still tends to skid rather than lock into a clean rail. Heavy lateral pressure can cause the edge to wash out when driving through high-speed turns. Riders who regularly face sub-zero ice on early morning slopes will find the edge connection vague, requiring more calculated braking and cautious speed control.
Hardware and Stance Tuning
Burton integrates The Channel mounting system across the Custom line, replacing standard screw patterns with an adjustable central track. Paired with Burton EST bindings or standard bindings using conversion discs, this interface provides micro-adjustments in stance width, centering, and angle without being restricted by preset hole grids. For regular maintenance, the factory-installed Sintered WFO base requires consistent waxing; the high-density material absorbs wax deeply and offers outstanding glide across flat runouts when properly hydrated. Factory edge bevels are tuned for immediate all-mountain use, but riders who face harder snowpacks often choose to tune the underfoot edges slightly sharper to squeeze out additional bite.
Comparable Market Alternatives
At roughly $680, the Custom Flying V competes directly against several renowned all-mountain models. The traditional Burton Custom Camber remains the benchmark for those wanting precise drive, explosive pop, and ice reliability from the same chassis. Outside the Burton ecosystem, the Lib Tech T.Rice Pro utilizes a hybrid C2 rocker profile backed by aggressive Magne-Traction serrated edges, which provides a similar surfy pivot while delivering significantly more edge grip on frozen hardpack. Another strong alternative is the Never Summer Proto Synthesis, which uses a proprietary rocker-camber design with a damper, more shock-absorbing ride feel. The Custom Flying V remains the best pick among them for riders wanting minimal catch and effortless powder float.
How we picked
We started with a long list of snowboards that people actually buy, cut anything that could not clear our baseline for durability and field performance, then ranked the 10 that were left against the same criteria. Rankings are editorial. No brand pays for placement, and affiliate links never move a pick up or down.
- Edge hold and stability
- Grip on firm snow and composure at speed for the intended skier level.
- Versatility across conditions
- How the ski or board handles groomers, crud and fresh snow in one day.
- Real-world durability
- How the material, stitching, or steel holds up after a season of hard use — not how it looks new.
- Performance in bad conditions
- Wind, rain, cold, and grit are the test. Anything that only works on a nice day gets marked down.
- Weight and packability
- Every ounce has to earn its place in the pack, but not at the cost of something that fails in the field.
- Ease of use
- Setup, adjustment, and maintenance with cold hands, in the dark, without the manual.
Custom Flying V — frequently asked questions
- Is the Custom Flying V worth it?
- We rank it #8 in Snowboards. The Burton Custom Flying V takes one of snowboarding’s most historic nameplates and pairs it with a hybrid rocker profile designed for approachable, all-conditions freeriding. While the traditional camber Custom is known for its rigid precision, the Flying V version is tuned for riders who want a more forgiving,…
- What is the Custom Flying V best for?
- Best for all-mountain resort cruising, glade runs and powder fields, intermediate skill progression and spring slush and soft snow. Standouts: effortless flotation in powder without causing severe back-leg fatigue and catch-free turn initiation makes tree runs and moguls easy to navigate.
- What are the downsides of the Custom Flying V?
- Compromised edge hold and stability on bulletproof ice and firm groomers, Tail can wash out under heavy, high-speed carving pressure and High price point for an inherently forgiving, intermediate-friendly profile.
- What are the key specs of the Custom Flying V?
- Bend Type: Flying V hybrid rocker · Shape: Directional shape with twin flex · Core Material: Super Fly II 700G with Squeezebox · Base Material: Sintered WFO · Mounting Pattern: The Channel system
- Target Rider and Terrain — what should I know about the Custom Flying V?
- The Custom Flying V serves riders who prioritize effortless maneuvers and forgiveness over high-tension carving. It suits advancing intermediates stepping into all-mountain riding as well as experienced riders who prefer a looser, surf-inspired feel in off-piste terrain.
- Core and Laminate Construction — what should I know about the Custom Flying V?
- Burton builds the board around its FSC-certified Super Fly II 700G core, which strategically places alternating strong and light woods across high-impact sections to drop weight while keeping durability intact. The board also features Burton's Squeezebox profiling, which thins the wood core in specific zones between…
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