Over the years, I’ve owned dozens of snowboards, but among them, the Weston Hatchet stands out. It’s the ONLY one where I’ve had not one but a handful of people come up and ask “What the heck is that? That’s a shape I’ve never seen before.” If you’re someone who enjoys being on the literal cutting edge, then the Weston Hatchet is definitely worth considering.
Perfect Name For Its Shape
When you think of an axe, you’ll probably picture something big, cumbersome, and heavy. However, a hatchet is quite the opposite. It’s that versatile tool—compact, easy to pack, and capable of handling various tasks. The Weston Hatchet may not chop powder like a 172 cm board but it’s small shape, sharp edges and easy profile makes it an awesome all-purpose tool for a variety of conditions. From navigating snorkel worthy deep pow, weaving through tight trees, or railing carves on groomed slopes, the Weston Hatchet is up to the task.
Volume Shifted Is The Future For Pow
The Weston Hatchet embodies the essence of a volume-shifted snowboard. If you’ve kept up with discussions about snowboard shapes, the newest evolution in design is the concept of “volume shifted.” Essentially, this concept aims to maintain the same surface area as a longer board by sacrificing length in favor of increased width.
Although I’m not a surfer, riding the Weston Hatchet feels akin to what I imagine surfing on a short board would be like on a wave. It’s nimble, playful, and downright fun. Its shorter length facilitates quick turns in tight tree runs and offers pinpoint precision on steep terrain, when you need those fast-twitch muscles to maintain your line.
Rides Bigger Than It Looks
Volume-shifted designs are recommended to be ridden 10 cm shorter than your usual board. Transitioning to one was truly eye-opening for me. Standing at 6’3″, it’s been quite a while since I rode anything shorter than a 164 cm snowboard. However, opting for the 156 cm board proved to be the perfect compromise, offering a balance between maneuverability and control.
Once I got over the shorter length, I realized that the effective edge was comparable to that of my larger board. This meant that I still had to apply similar pressure to the edge as I did with my 164 cm board. However, thanks to its shorter shape, the Weston Hatchet allowed for much quicker movements, particularly in tight tree runs.
A Powder Monster
Weston’s lineup thrives on powder, hence the company’s name “Weston Backcountry.” I’ve had the opportunity to ride the Weston Backwoods model and it took me some time to figure out the weight distribution, but once I did, it’s become my preferred tool on deep days. The Hatchet, on the contrary, felt like a natural born deep swimmer in deep snow. Its broad shape effortlessly stayed afloat, making it a breeze to maneuver. I also noticed that on the Hatchet I didn’t need to constantly focus on keeping the nose up. I could simply relax and savor the ride.
A Freestyle Dynamo
The profile of the Hatchet is quite intriguing. While technically a directional twin, it leans more into the “twin” aspect compared to others on the market. Its centered stance on a camber profile allows it to almost ride effortlessly in both switch and regular. Additionally, its shorter length reduces spin weight, making it easier to spin if you wanted to throw a 360, fives, and sevens. And yet when the pow does arrive, the slightly longer and wider nose ensures you stay afloat, providing added stability and control in deeper snow.
Weston’s Are Built Mountain Tough
Since getting my Weston Backwoods splitboard, I’ve been impressed with the construction. They might not be the lightest, but they’re built to take a beating. Not to call out any particular brands, but we’ve found our fair share of decks that may have great designs but are constructed with inferior materials. On firm conditions, we’ve come across some that need to get their edges sharpened after a handful of days. Others begin to delaminate or just can’t take a scratch or two from fellow powder hounds jockeying for position in a lift line. However, this is not the case with the Weston Hatchet.
When Does It Not Work
After testing it in various conditions, from icy slopes to waist-deep blower, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the Weston Hatchet performed. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to carve on corduroy. In powder, it behaved like a reverse camber board. It just wanted to stay afloat on the snow. Even on soft moguls, the board’s short profile made it a blast to bounce through them as if I was on a pair of skis.
However, there were instances when the Weston Hatchet didn’t feel ideal underfoot. On firm, uneven snow, trying to maintain a flat ride felt bouncier compared to a narrower board. Similarly, on icy slopes, its wide profile made quick edge transitions challenging. It’s important to note that these limitations aren’t just a Hatchet issue but typical for all volume-shifted boards.
Who Should Buy This Board
This volume-shifted board is the perfect solution for riders with larger feet size (12+) and can easily serve as a daily driver. However, for the rest of us, it truly shines on those epic, bottomless powder days at the resort, tackling big lines heli-skiing, or exploring untracked pow while cat skiing.
We recommend adding this board to your quiver as your versatile second option, ideal for specialized powder pursuits. However, for a reliable daily driver, we highly recommend the Weston Backwoods snowboard, which we thoroughly review in our article: Choppin Pow, Slashin Corn – The Weston Backwoods Review.
Weston – FREE DEMO February 2024
Trying new shapes and designs are a challenge. What if you don’t like it? What if the shape is not what you wanted? Well Weston is solving that problem by offering a one-time-only demo of its ski and snowboard gear — free of charge. For the month of February, they’re offering demos for anyone that who’d like to try out Weston’s gear, from backcountry skis to snowboards and splitboards.
Spread the word! And let them know Local Freshies® sent ya!
Would you think the 152 would have been too small? I’m your height 95kg wanting something like the weston hatchet but only one I’ve seen local is 152.
Hey Tim,
The general rule I was told is that you should go with one that’s 10 cm shorter. I normally ride a 163 so the 152 was perfect. I was shocked how “big” the Hatchet rides in deep snow. The board floats like it’s 170 cm and yet you’re allowed to make quick turns. It’s spin weight is insane too since there isn’t a tail or nose to throw you off. You should be totally fine with a 152 AND if you have bigger feet the boards dimensions provide you the opportunity to lay trenches for carving too.