2010 Nitro Swindle

The demise of my 2009 Swindle found me distraught to say the least.  I loved that board so much, the first thing I did was call around looking for this years' model.

Even so, I would be lying if I said I wasn't just a little reserved about going from camber to zero camber. Yes, with the advent of alternative camber and the Swindle being intended as a rail deck, it was a natural progression for Nitro. Since I needed a new board desperately and the price was right, I decided to take a chance.

This was my first opportunity to compare two generations of the same model, so I made sure to check out all of the differences between them.  Aside from their camber, Nitro thinned the 2010 Swindle just a tad for a softer flex, which worried me.  I loved the 2009 because it road way more like a park deck than a jibstick; maybe Nitro thought so as well, since most of the changes seem directed towards better performance on rails and boxes.

Cruising groomers with this deck remains just as enjoyable. Now that it is a bit softer the ride is more playful, which makes for more fun.  Nitro elongates the contact points in the Swindle so a smaller size will stay in control through turns, so as far as carving goes there isn't much difference from last year.  Thankfully, a softer deck didn't mean a change in control at speed (maybe we have zero camber to thank?); the board can point a mild diamond slope without getting too squirrely.

Nitro built the Swindle to jib, so don't expect to send anything bigger than 30 feet--and that is on a good day with no chop or slush. Zero camber seems to be a happy medium for jumping; I didn't need to adjust my pop like with full reverse, nor have I found the board booting me out of control at any time.

For ollies this board performs standard.  Zero camber means you don't have to pre-load, so you can pop on demand.  The Swindle isn't stiff enough to really boost, but I've had no trouble getting on to the features at Bear Mountain and Snow Summit; it even hopped the occasional snow gun cover.

I've ridden this board in soft boots, soft bindings, stiff boots, and stiff bindings; it slays jibs even with the worst possible combination.  This doesn't surprise me since that is what Nitro built this deck to do.  It pops nicely onto any rail, box or barrel; and if you like to butter your way from jib to jib zero camber eases right into presses.  The flex is forgiving for those sketchier slides, and a perfectly flat base makes locking on almost effortless.

The bottom line: A lot of Bear's local park stars have been spotted with the Nitro Swindle, and there is a reason.  The deck is perfect for everything Bear throws at it, from their mild jumps to their technical jibs.  The responsive pop and playful flex make even the flattest groomer fun, fun and more fun.  If you are a park kid not looking to huck double corks off 60-footers, this board would do well in your quiver.

For more information on the 2010 Nitro Swindle, head on over to Nitro's website by clicking...here.