Snowboard Review: Women’s GNU B-Pro C2BTX

Monica Frate
May 30, 2013

The day the Women’s GNU B-Pro snowboard came into my life, ice was literally falling from the sky. I had spent the morning on another board- flailing and falling down the mountain. Needless to say, I was miserable.

When I stepped onto the B-Pro, it felt much heavier than my powder board. The only thing I knew about this board was that the Techs at the snowboard shop had assured me that the B-Pro was perfect for today.

Review Women’s GNU B-Pro C2BTX on Ice

The very first ride down the icy mountain was shocking, in an extraordinary way. While everyone else was sliding and falling all over the place, there I was – cruising through the ice and crud as if the sun was shining and the snow was pleasant. I suddenly felt the confidence of a pro rider.

With C2BTX/ Magne- traction “Joy Stick” technology, the GNU B-Pro carved through ice just like a knife and hugged every curve just like a sports car. And crud? It sailed right through it as if it was a powder day. Seriously grippy and stable, this board definitely proved to be the safe ride for the day.

Like speed? Fasten your seat belt, as the Women’s GNU B-Pro will take you for the ride of your life. I soon realized what my job was: strap in, take a direction, stand strong, put my entire trust and faith into this board and just let it fly. The more I trusted this board, the more it purred and the more fun I had. The board was seriously amazing!

Review Women’s GNU B-Pro C2BTX in Pow

I took the Women’s B-Pro out on a powder day recently. I was not sure what to expect again. The fluffy dry stuff had dumped the night before, and fresh tracks were everywhere! Surprised again, the B-Pro actually loved the powder too. It just sailed through it, cleanly, easily and also very fast. Much faster than my powder board.

The only downfall I found was riding through trees and getting through the bumps. The pop factor was low. I had a super tough time popping around and through tight spots. The B-Pro really seems to shine in the big open mountain rides. Not only shine but also purr. But, trees? No.

Summary

If you are a serious female rider who likes big mountain riding: high speeds, huge turns and huge jumps, the Women’s GNU B- Pro may just be for you. Super grippy and confident, it has phenomenal handling in ice and crud. It loves speed and purrs the faster it goes. The B- Pro also sails through the freshies. Tight spots like trees and bumps are a “No.” though.

Trust the Women’s GNU B-Pro. The more trust you bestow onto the board, the more fun you will have. This board purrs with confidence. It has the capability to do all of the work for you if you allow it to. If you truly trust the technical capabilities of this board, your ride down the mountain will be one of the best rides of your life.

Pros:

Super sturdy and very grippy
Plows through crud and ice as if it was powder
Prefers big mountain riding and big turns
Super grippy, has great stability and purrs at high speeds
Can do the work for you if you let it

Cons:

Very heavy underfoot
Hard to pop it around trees
Does not favor small turns

The history of the Women’s GNU B-Pro

Designed by US female Olympic rider- Barrett Christy, the Women’s GNU B-Pro has won more gold medals than any other women’s board out there. Barrett donates a portion of her royalties to Boarding for Breast Cancer- the first Breast Cancer education and prevention foundation for younger people.

The B-Pro and all of the other GNU boards are hand-built at Mervin Manufacturing in the United States. Mervin has been building snowboards and skate decks for over 26 years and commits to using environmentally friendly manufacturing process. Mervin manufactures GNU, LIB Tech and Roxy snowboards.

Full Specs

Board Size Tested: 152 cm

Rider Level: More Advanced to Expert

Rocker Type: Camber/Rocker/Camber

Edges: C2BTX/Magne- Traction

Core: Mervin AG2 Sustainable wood core

Shape: Twin geometrics- can ride regular or switch

Flex Rating: Medium (4.5- 6 cm)

Snowboard Awards: Transworld Snowboarding Good Wood

GNU Snowboards are handmade in the USA by Mervin Manufacturing

Monica Frate

Born in the USA- entrepreneur, writer, ski bum, gypsy, chocolate aficionado and bona-fide dog expert Monica Frate was bit by the travel bug at a young age. At the ripe old age of 4, Frate began her ski bum lifestyle when her mom moved her to a Vermont ski town.

Frate eventually quit the skis to pick up the snowboard and has since never looked back. Fascinated by the technology, she spent two seasons demoing before buying her first three snowboards only months apart. She insists that "Snowboards are like shoes, you can never have enough."

Frate feels more at home while on the road than anywhere else. Although searching for a home base she admits that old habits definitely die hard. Always hungry for excitement, she is ready for whatever is next- whether snowboarding, surfing or exploring new cities. Bring it on.

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