I don’t often get scared while snowboarding, but fear crept in as I hiked along a ridge above Banff Sunshine Village. Up ahead, jagged peaks cut into the horizon, resembling dinosaur teeth against the sky. My boots slipped and gripped along the narrow ski track, where one wrong move could result in a slide down the mountain. Finally, we arrived at the drop-in.
Above a couloir that fed into a vast bowl, I surveyed the terrain and planned my line. I dropped in. With rock faces creating a tunnel, I made medium-radius turns, managing my speed through the heavy, chopped-up snow. My snowboard, the Burton High Fidelity, stayed composed as the incline, edge angle, and speed converged. I focused as I negotiated the face before finally flowing into the bowl. Relief.
While big mountains require skill, equipment is essential too. To that end, I’m testing the Burton High Fidelity snowboard, designed for the consequential terrain of the Natural Selection Tour. Here’s how the board performed in the Canadian Rockies.
Design & Natural Selection Influence
The Natural Selection Tour is among the finest tests of snowboarding skill, unleashing the world’s best riders on a blank mountain canvas. Participants include Olympians, X-Games winners, and freeride legends, competing in venues like Revelstoke, BC, Valdez, Alaska, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Key is the blend of turning, jumping, line choice, and control across “the planet’s most exciting natural and naturally enhanced terrain.”
That’s where the Burton High Fidelity snowboard comes in. From Burton: “Inspired by the Natural Selection Tour, the Burton Family Tree High Fidelity Snowboard is tuned for big mountain riding. Designed in collaboration with Burton team riders, it prioritizes speed, control, and power for charging through big mountain terrain.”
The design includes a firm flex (it feels like 8/10), 7mm taper, shovel-like nose, and a lightweight build. The board uses Burton’s Super fly II 700G core, 45° carbon highlights, and The Channel Mounting, which allows infinite stance adjustment.
The top sheet graphics are dark and sleek, appearing from a distance like deep forest green, but upon inspection, depict the silhouette of tree branches, birds, and a vulture. The base is a vibrant collage of orange, green, and black.
Pros:
• Composure in big terrain
• Appetite for speed
• Agility
• Powder float
• Lightweight
Cons:
• Could be smoother
Testing the High Fidelity Across Banff’s Biggest Terrain
To put the High Fidelity to its intended use, I rode it for three days across Banff’s SkiBig3: Mount Norquay, Banff Sunshine Village, and Lake Louise. Over tens of thousands of vertical feet, I evaluated turning, float, agility, and stability. Terrain included steeps, bowls, gulleys, groomers, and glades. I rode a size 162W, size L Burton Step On Genesis Re: Flex bindings, and size 12 Highshot X Pro boots.
On-Snow Performance: Speed, Stability, Precision
Starting at Mount Norquay, I warmed up on the groomer, Ray’s Run, where the board’s directional camber bend locked into carves and propelled me into the next turn. Picture a Formula 1 car flying through Eau Rouge. So fun.
Next, I dropped into Gun Run, a steep burner with inclines up to 39 degrees. There, I got the first taste of the board’s agility and composure, as I performed hop turns through heavy snow, fighting to maintain control and dodge trees. The board’s light weight and 260mm waist width allowed quick direction changes, while the stiffer flex blasted through powder mounds.
At Banff Sunshine Village, Wild West highlighted the board’s character. After entering through avalanche-beacon-detecting gates, I dropped into a roughly 50-yard-wide natural gully with untouched snow ahead. I let the High Fidelity stretch its legs. Like a big wave surfer, I made wide arcs across the surface, the nose planing just above, and the stiff flex maintaining stability, with snow mists in my wake.
Last was Lake Louise Ski Resort, home to Freeride World Tour (FWT) qualifier events and expansive peaks. First, I hiked along Eagle Ridge, gazing over a windlip and questioning if I’d go. When I dropped into ER3, the board again displayed its trademark stability through heavy leftover snow and a roughly 45-50 degree incline, helping me hold my line and flow into the next turn. As I explored more — like Swede’s or the 4/5 Shoulder — the board kept imparting confidence.
That brings me to one of the High Fidelity’s best attributes: it loves speed. The hammerhead shark-like nose seems to eat up snow, and the stiff, resilient flex wants to go faster. The mild taper (7mm) feels almost twin-like, and the tail holds when exiting turns.
While the High Fidelity proved an excellent tool, it could’ve been smoother across chunked-up, uneven snow. Also, this is an expert-only freeride board. Those needing versatility should look elsewhere, like the Burton Custom.
The High Fidelity, Summed Up
Snowboarding in the Canadian Rockies provided a thrill I won’t forget. As I gazed around at the sharp, glacially sculpted peaks, I felt gratitude at the chance to ride them. But key to that was having the right board. With the High Fidelity, Burton designed an instrument for serious terrain.
Across Banff, the High Fidelity was light, agile, solid, and floaty. I could focus on turning down Sunshine’s couloirs, holding my line on ER3, or flowing through Norquay’s glades.
Remember, this board is for speed and steeps. If you ride everything, a more versatile ride would be better.
But for the dedicated freerider, the High Fidelity holds up anywhere, imparting confidence as the incline builds.
