The Burton Blossom and the Burton Custom Camber are two incredible snowboards that are similar in some ways and different in others. While both are built with Burton’s signature quality, higher end feel, and traditional camber profiles, they are configured for two different riding styles.
This article compares both boards and aims to cover the nuances to help you decide which one will complement your riding style for the upcoming season.
At its highest level, though, if you’re more of an all-mountain freestyle rider who hits the park more than you carve outside of the park, you’ll enjoy the Blossom more, and if you’d consider yourself someone who rides every inch of your resort, with some park included, and want a board to help you do that, you’ll enjoy the Burton Custom Camber more.
Read Full Burton Blossom Review – Rated 92.68 / 100 – In the Park Category
Burton Custom Camber – Full Specs
Read Full Burton Custom Camber Review – Rated 89.52 / 100 – In the All Mountain Category
The Comparison Chart
In this chart, we are aiming to help you find out which of these boards performs better in a certain category. If there is a number one indicated under both boards for the category, it just means both boards are equally as strong in the category, and there is no clear winner. The important detail is the columns where one board wins over the other, though.
So, let’s compare the Burton Blossom against the Burton Custom Camber.
| Considerations | Burton Custom Camber | Burton Blossom |
| Resort Riding | 1 | |
| Powder | 1 | |
| Carving / Turns | 1 | |
| Responsiveness | 1 | 1 |
| Speed | 1 | 1 |
| Ice / Poor Conditions | 1 | 1 |
| Switch | 1 | |
| Jibs | 1 | 1 |
| Small Jumps | 1 | 1 |
| Medium to Large Jumps | 1 | |
| Durability / Quality | 1 | 1 |
| Buttering | 1 | 1 |
| Fun to ride | 1 | 1 |
| Total Points | 11 | 10 |
In the above table, the Burton Custom Camber wins by one point mainly for its go-anywhere and do-anything versatility. The Blossom is noticeably versatile, too. It’s just more centered and park-focused.
Summary of Results
The Burton Custom Camber and Burton Blossom are both exceptional boards that have some specific strengths for specific types of riders. The key is really to see if those strengths align with the style of riding you do most often.
The Burton Custom Camber is the powerhouse on an all-mountain board. It excels in its precise carving, speed, jumps, and side hits. It also has an excellent level of response for more aggressive riders.
The Blossom is a jump-focused park board that is still capable of being your all-mountain board, too. While this board can carve outside of the park, the all mountain carver would benefit more on the Custom Camber.
So here’s the cheat sheet summary for everything you will read about below.
- If you prioritize aggressive carving, top-tier speed, and powerful jumps with a precise feel, go with the Burton Custom Camber.
- If you spend most of your time in the park and love jibbing and jumping with a powerful yet forgiving when it needs to be, choose the Burton Blossom.
The Burton Blossom: The Versatile Park Powerhouse with an Extra Boost of Pop
The Burton Blossom quickly became a park staple due to its exceptional ability to carve, jib, and pop massively high off of jumps. It offers a pressable medium flex, combined with a traditional camber and carbon I beam in its construction, making it feel stable and explosively poppy. The Carbon I Beam is an added beam that runs the length of the board from tip to tail, and it makes this board flex torsionally for butters and jibbing while being extremely poppy (even springboard-like) off jumps.
It also has Burton’s Super Fly II 700G wood core, which makes it incredibly lightweight and durable. The Blossom is designed for fun and versatility in the park while still being ready to explore outside of the park.
The Burton Custom Camber: The Resort Dominator with Precision and Power
The Burton Custom Camber is Burton’s best-selling snowboard. It’s beloved for its award-winning performance and versatility for helping you ride everywhere at your resort.
This board offers a responsive feel with excellent pop and power for carving and launching off jumps and side hits. This board features a carbon construction that promotes carving performance, power, and response.
Despite the Burton Custom Camber’s aggressive traditional camber profile, it’s got the tech to make its nose and tail a little softer, and that makes the ride still approachable for most riders. It’s a hard charger when it needs to be and casual and forgiving when you want it to be. The base of the board is fast, and when you ride it, it feels like a higher-end, quality board.
It’s the type of board that inspires confidence, so you push yourself a bit harder while you’re on it.
How to Think About the Similarities Between Both Boards
In terms of tech, think of these boards like this.
- The Burton Blossom is basically just like the Burton Custom Camber but with a centered stance and more park-focused features to help you jib and jump.
- The Burton Custom Camber is just like a Blossom with a slight setback stance and features that help it carve better and be more versatile than the average snowboard.
Overview of the Burton Blossom
- Versatile Higher End Park Board: Excels in all aspects of park riding (jibbing and jumping) while still being capable of all-mountain riding. Think of it as a park first, an all-mountain second type of board.
- Insanely Poppy: Features traditional camber and a Carbon I-Beam™ for explosive, springboard-like pop while still offering some shock absorption for more forgiving landings.
- Pressable Flex: Medium flex makes it easy to jib and butter, allowing for tall presses.
- Fast and Durable: Utilizes a WFO sintered base for noticeable speed and robust durability with a 3-year warranty.
- Lightweight: Built with Triax Fiberglass, milled core, and carbon beam for exceptional agility.
Overview of the Burton Custom Camber
- Versatile Higher End All-Mountain Resort Board: Celebrated for its award-winning performance and ability to excel across all resort conditions. Think of it as an all-mountain / resort board first and a park board as a second type of board.
- Responsive and Powerful: Offers strong power and pop for carving and jumps, boosting rider confidence.
- Damp Feel: Features 45 Degree Carbon Highlights to absorb vibrations, providing a smooth ride and filtering out chatter.
- Durable: Built lightweight and durable with a 3-year warranty and eco-friendly Super Sap epoxy.
- Really Fast Base: Utilizes a Sintered WFO Base for noticeable speed and excellent wax retention.
- High-End Feel: This board feels like a premium snowboard underfoot, delivering a fast, smooth, and stable ride.
The Primary Differences of These Boards
While these boards are very similar, here are the most notable differences.
Their Shape & Stance: Twin vs Direction Twin
- The Blossom: Park-Focused Twin Shape / You Can Land Switch
The Blossom is an actual twin symmetrical board, while the Custom Camber is a directional twin. On the Blossom, you stand perfectly centered, and the board has the same specs and dimensions as the nose and the tail. This shape helps you in the park because if you land switch stance coming off a jump, the board rides exactly the same with either foot pointing forward.
- Custom Camber: Resort Focused Directional Twin Shape / Promotes Powerful Carving and Powder Performance
The Burton Custom Camber has a directional twin shape with a setback stance. That means that you stand on this board .49″ (almost half an inch) closer to your tail rather than perfectly centered. This shape is the better shape for carving performance.
Why is it the better carving performing shape?
The directional twin effectively lengthens the front of your board from your front foot through the nose and then shortens it from your back foot through your tail. By having a longer nose and shorter tail, you can apply more concentrated pressure and leverage into the tail section of your edge, which allows you to get a more powerful and stable feeling turning experience.
Additionally, the directional twin is the more versatile resort shape because it helps you float in powder. By having your weight back, your board keeps your nose up and out of the snow so you can glide effortlessly in deeper snow instead of having the snow pile on top of the nose, making your board harder to steer.
Their Carbon Construction
The other main difference in these boards is their carbon construction.
The Blossom features Burton’s Carbon I Beam construction, while the Custom Camber features Burton’s Carbon Highlights construction.
The I Beam promotes pop and power-off jumps, while the Carbon Highlights promote versatility and carving.
So, what specifically are they?
The Blossom’s Carbon I-Beam is a carbon fiber stringer that runs down the center of the board, adding longitudinal stiffness and pop. The beam acts like a springboard to launch you higher off jumps or to help the board rebound to give you an extra boost while popping out of jib features.
Notice in the fourth layer the vertical beam that runs the length of the board? That’s the I-Beam. It loads up tension as you flex your board and gives you an explosive level of pop as it rebounds.
It’s the carbon construction that promotes getting air in the park.
The Custom Camber’s Carbon Highlights are sheets of carbon fiber that are integrated directly into the board’s core, and this improves the board’s carving performance by improving its torsional stiffness and edge hold.
If you look closely at the construction chart above, you’ll see 45-degree zigzag patterns in the 2nd and fourth within these layers. These are the carbon layers of the Custom Camber. They’re a large part about what makes the Custom Camber such a uniquely versatile board. These carbon layers make the board lighter, incredibly durable, and noticeably stiffen its torsional flex (its toe to heel flex).
The benefit to having a slightly stiffer torsional flex is that the board becomes more predictable, responsive, and controlled for carving.
How These Boards Compare
Now that you see how the tech helps each of these boards in their own areas let me explain how they felt under my feet when comparing both in the categories where one excels over the other.
For Groomed Resort Riding: It’s a Tie, But the Custom Camber is the Better Carver
Both are incredibly good on groomed runs, but the Custom Camber is the better feeling carver. The setback stance and directional flex felt predictable yet powerful as I carved my local resort.
The Blossom works really well on groomed runs (out of the park), too. It’s a damp-feeling ride that holds a decent edge for cruising.
If you’re riding groomed terrain, either work. I prefer the Custom Camber, though.
For Powder Performance: The Custom Camber Wins
While neither board is a dedicated powder board, the Burton Custom Camber takes the lead for powder performance. Its directional twin shape with a .49inch (12.5mm) setback stance helps it float better and requires less effort in light to mid-depth powder compared to the true twin, non-setback Blossom.
For Carving: The Custom Camber Wins
The Burton Custom Camber offers a more aggressive and precise carving experience. Its Dualzone EGD technology strategically aligns the wood grain along the edges, providing noticeably more response and power when digging into turns. It’s also got the directional twin shape to offer you a more stable feeling turn to begin with.
While the Blossom carves well enough for all-mountain use, it’s not as carving-focused as the Burton Custom Camber is.
For Responsiveness: It’s a Tie, But the More Responsive Carver is the Custom Camber
Both boards feature Burton’s responsive Dualzone EGD feature. This means that Burton laid the wood core differently right under your toes and heels to give the board a more responsive feel when trying to get it on edge. It makes both of these boards incredibly responsive.
However, due to the directional twin shape of the Custom Camber, I’d still go more with that board if response and power for carving are what you’re looking for.
For Speed: Tie
Both boards feature Burton’s incredibly fast WFO sintered base. Speed-wise, both boards offer an identical level of glide. I’d rate it at an 8 out of 10 on the speed scale, where it is noticeably above average. It is one of the main reasons for the higher price tag for both of these boards.
The WFO base is made with an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (P-Tex). It offers a greater level of wax retention and feels a bit faster than the standard sintered base when it is waxed and maintained.
I rode the new Custom Camber at an indoor slope that tends to feel dry and usually slow. However, the Custom Camber had no issues maintaining its speed in the dry indoor conditions. It was more than fast enough to keep me flowing from feature to feature.
For Ice and Poor Conditions: It’s a Tie
Both the Burton Blossom and Custom Camber handle icy and poor conditions well. The Custom Camber boasts good edge grip to power through, while even though the Blossom is more of a park board, it still has a decent amount of edge hold while still feeling stable and controlled on icy patches, too.
You’ll feel controlled on ice with either of these boards, but neither has any noticeable edge tech built into them specifically to help them grip the ice. Just keep your edges sharp and your knees bent, and you will have no issues.
For Switch Riding: The Blossom Wins
The Burton Blossom, being a true twin with a fully symmetrical design and rounded tips, excels in switch riding. It rides identically in either direction, making it incredibly balanced and intuitive for park laps and practicing spins. While the Custom Camber, as a directional twin, is also capable, the Blossom’s dedicated twin shape gives it the edge for consistent switch performance (rated 5.0/5 for switch).
For Jibbing: It’s a Tie
Here’s where things might get surprising, but it’s a tie for jibbing.
The Burton Blossom is the stronger option for popping out of your jibs rather than locking into them, and the Burton Custom Camber is the easier board to press and balance on your jibs.
It ultimately comes down to their carbon construction and the differences in their flex patterns.
How Does The Flex Compare in the Burton Custom Camber vs Blossom?
Flex wise, the Burton Blossom is actually one flex point stiffer than the Burton Custom Camber. This is due to it’s extra Carbon I-Beam feature to give it an extra boost of pop.
The Burton Custom Camber is rated with a 5.5 out of 10 flex while the Burton Blossom has a 6.5 out of 10 flex. The Blossom feels like the noticeably stiffer board due to the carbon beam wanting to constantly snap the board back into its original shape.
While neither of these boards is overly soft, both boards can still nosepress with some muscle and practice.
Which is easier to nosepress?
The Custom is the easier board to nosepress, believe it or not.
Even though it is more of an all-mountain board, the Burton Custom Camber can actually lock into a press a little easier than the Burton Blossom. The Blossom is more of a jump leaning park board.
For Jumping: The Blossom Wins (Though Both Boards Work for Small Jumps)
Both of these boards will perform exceptionally well on small to medium-sized jumps. However, the Burton Blossom is the clear winner in the jumping category when it is compared to the Buston Custom Camber.
Why?
It’s because of the different carbon constructions and the Carbon I-Beam that runs the length of the Burton Blossom (that isn’t in the Burton Custom Camber). This I-Beam gives the Burton Blossom explosive, springboard-like pop-off jump lips. This extra boost of pop makes the Blossom perfect for jumps of all sizes. It gives you that extra boost of airtime to get an extra 180 or clear a knuckle that’s a little further than you think you can clear.
So both boards can jump. However, jumping is a main priority in the Blossom’s construction, so if you’ll be jumping often, go with the Burton Blossom over the Burton Custom Camber.
For Durability and Quality: It’s a Tie
Both the Burton Blossom and Burton Custom Camber are built with high-quality materials and with decades of proven craftsmanship practices. Additionally, both boards have durable wooden cores that are reinforced with carbon fiber, strong and durable sintered bases, and Burton’s 3-year warranty that covers manufacturing defects.
All in all, both of these are high-end, pro-quality boards that will last you.
For Buttering & Flat Ground Tricks: The Blossom Wins
Both of these boards are pressable and can butter (quite well, in fact).
For the flatground trick category, I chose the Blossom specifically because of the extra pop boost you’ll get out of your press. Once you’re done with your press, you will let your nose or tail rebound and that gives you an extra spring of pop to get one extra 180 or air out. That extra boost comes in as useful quality if you’ll be buttering into knuckle huck features.
However, if you’re just going to butter on the flat ground, either of these boards will work well for the occasional butter. Both are medium flexing boards, so you will have to put some muscle and practice into them (it won’t be as simple as lightly picking your foot up).
The Fun Factor: It’s a Tie
Both of these are incredibly fun boards to ride.
Conclusion: The Custom Camber Will Work for Most of You
If you’re still wondering which of these two boards to get, it’s pretty simple.
If you’ll be in the park or hitting the jumps often, go with the Blossom. Otherwise, go with the Burton Custom Camber for its versatility. The Burton Custom Camber does everything the Blossom does. It just doesn’t have the carbon beam to give it an extra boost of pop or the centered stance. However, both of those features were replaced with tech to help it be the more stable board for carving and handling all of the conditions you’ll encounter at your local resort.
Ultimately, your choice will depend on whether you lean more toward a dedicated, versatile park machine (the Burton Blossom) or a powerful and precise all-mountain resort board (the Burton Custom Camber).
Where to Buy
You can buy these boards here.
Read Full Burton Blossom Review – Rated 92.68 / 100 – In the Park Category
Read Full Burton Custom Camber Review – Rated 89.52 / 100 – In the All Mountain Category
Here are some additional frequently asked questions about both of these boards.
Are these boards suitable for beginners?
Both boards are primarily designed for intermediate to advanced riders due to their responsive nature and performance features. While a beginner could technically learn on them, they might find a softer, more forgiving board to be easier for fundamental skill development. Neither is explicitly marketed as a beginner board, but an ambitious beginner might find either to be a worthy challenge.
With that said, the Burton Custom also comes in a more beginner-friendly version called the Burton Custom Flying V. That version has the same tech as the Burton Custom Camber; it’s just in a rocker rather than a camber profile. Rocker boards are typically easier to learn on because the profile is shaped like a lowercase “u” where the tips of the “u” represent the board’s contact points. With the contact points pointed up and off the snow, the board is less catchy and precise, making it more forgiving to learn on. (This is as opposed to the Custom Camber version, which is shaped like a lowercase “n” where the contact points are always pointed towards the snow for a precise, grippy, in-control feel.)
Which board is more budget-friendly?
The Burton Blossom is $40 cheaper than the Custom Camber. However, neither of these boards would be considered the most “budget-friendly” option.
For more budget-friendly alternatives, I’d recommend checking out the Salomon Huck Knife as an alternative to the Blossom or a Jones Mountain Twin as an alternative to the Burton Custom Camber.
Do I need a specific binding for these boards?
Both the Burton Blossom and the Burton Custom Camber feature Burton’s Channel mounting system, which is compatible with most standard snowboard bindings via a disc. However, if you have older Burton bindings featuring “EST” in their model name, those are specifically designed for the Channel and may not work on boards from other manufacturers with traditional 2×4 or 4x patterns. Both boards can be paired with a wide range of bindings from other manufacturers (like Union, Jones, Bent Metal, Nidecker, etc) as long as they come with a compatible Burton disc.
Can I use these boards for backcountry riding?
No, I would not recommend either the Burton Blossom or the Burton Custom Camber for extended backcountry or freeride use.
They can work for the occasional off-piste run. However, these boards are designed specifically to work as resort boards and do not have the technology required to handle all of the various terrain and extremely deep snow you might encounter in the backcountry.
If dedicated backcountry riding, deep powder touring, or extreme terrain outside the resort is your primary focus, you should look for a more freeride focused board or splitboard.
Image Gallery From Review
Steve Weber is the passionate snowboarder, skateboarder, and author behind Board of the World. He understands that most gear reviews focus on having the perfect snow conditions, but his testing methodology is different. Living in Pennsylvania, Steve describes exactly how a board performs when the conditions aren’t perfect. His reviews cover performance on ice, hardpack, and flat-out brick conditions. In other words, he reviews boards for the conditions that East Coast riders actually face.
Bringing 27 years of East Coast snowboarding and 21 years of skateboarding experience, Steve is a 42-year-old intermediate park rider. His recommendations are informed by decades of battling icy conditions, ensuring every review accounts for the board’s performance on the roughest of terrain.
For the last five years, Steve has poured his passion into writing in-depth, unbiased reviews that help riders make informed decisions about the gear they’ll use. He also works part-time at a snowboard shop in Northeastern Pennsylvania, which gives him a direct line to learning about the new gear tech months in advance. When he’s not writing reviews, Steve is often found riding at Montage Mountain and testing out new boards.
Steve’s goal with Board of the World is simple: to help every reader find the right gear so they can have fun outside from the first time they use it.