The Burton Elite snowboard is a high-performance powder snowboard that has been upgraded and reissued for 2024 from its original 1987 version. This board features a swallowtail design for cruising through powder and groomers. It also features Burton’s WFO base for going ripping fast. The profile gives the board a loose, surfy feel, while the sidecut allows it to hold an edge exceptionally well.
I demoed the new Burton Elite snowboard during a Burton Demo Days event at Big Snow in New Jersey. Here is my full review of what I thought of the board.
The Highlights of the Burton Elite 2024 Snowboard
Pros
- Easy to Ride: This board has Burton’s Directional Flat Top™ profile.
- Medium Flex: The nose is softer than the tail to help the board float.
- It Rips Slush & Powder: Burton gave this board a wide 27 cm waist width with 2 cm of taper.
- Durable and Lightweight: Burton used Triax Fiberglass and added in its Super Fly® 800G Core
- Ready to Ride From Day 1 (Pre-Broken In): Burton’s Infinite Ride technology for consistent flex and pop from day one. Burton uses a machine to flex your board until its ready to ride.
- Fast: Burton used its Sintered WFO Base for durability and speed.
- 3 Year Warranty: Burton offers a 3 year warranty on all of its boards.
Cons
- Only Two Sizes Available: There are currently no wider or longer sizes available for this board. If you need a wider size, you will need to find a different board.
- Not the Dampest Board: If your primary focus is to jib and butter, you will prefer a softer board. You will feel vibrations while riding this board on rough or rutted out terrain.
- Not the Cheapest Board: This is on the pricier side for a powder / slush slasher board.
Sizes Available
The Burton Elite reissue is available in either 140 or 150cm. Check out the specs section below to see all of the dimensions at each size.
This expandable chart will help you see which size of the Burton Elite will be right for you.
Click to See Which Size of the Burton Elite You Need
| Size (cm) | Rider Weight (lbs) |
|---|---|
| 140 | 80-120 |
| 150 | 120-180 |
First Impression of the Burton Elite
This is one of those reviews where I knew nothing about the board before I rode it.
I specifically went to a Burton Demo event at Big Snow to ride the new 2024 Burton Blossom. When I was done riding the Blossom, the demo booth team recommended that I also take the Elite from the Burton Retro Collection for a few runs. I looked over at it and thought it looked like it would be fun to ride.
My true first impression was that it wasn’t a reissue and that it was a board from 1987 that the Burton reps wanted me to take a few laps on for fun. As I was taking the lift up, I researched the board and learned that it is a reissued board from 1987 with modern tech built into it.
Here is the original ad for the Burton Elite from 1987.
It’s incredible how far snowboard technology has advanced since then.
Who Is the Burton Elite For?
This board is for someone who is looking for a directional all-mountain / powder board that is extremely fun to ride at your local resort on the softer days. The Burton Elite has a retro-inspired look and feel to it. If you’re looking for one snowboard to do it all, this isn’t the board for you. This is for someone who wants to slash pow turns, dig a wide trench on groomers, and look rad as hell doing it. It’s going to be the “most fun to ride” board in your quiver waiting for you to bust it out on the right day rather than it being your daily driver.
How Does it Ride?
It’s an Easy to Ride Board
It’s an easy-to-ride board with a playful, loose feel that feels stable underfoot and excels at taking wider carves. The Burton Elite has an intuitive feel to it. Even if you’ve never ridden a directional board like this, the board’s shape naturally wants to help you connect your turns.
Burton gave this board a flat rocker profile. If you were to flip this board on its side, it would look like this.
It’s a Playful Directional Board Ready for Slush Slashing and Pow
While I never rode the original version from 1987, I can say with a high degree of confidence this version of the Burton Elite likely doesn’t share the same flex pattern as its original version. I was surprised at how well this board can butter. The playful flex runs through the long nose, making it an excellent platform to butter with. Depending on the conditions, the swallow tail works well for tail butters too.
What I like about the Burton Elite
Perfect for Powder & Slush
The Burton 1987 Elite is perfect for cruising through powder and slush. This board was released during the spring months of the 2023 season. The early release must have been by design because this board feels exceptionally stable in slush and softer snow. The one detail to note is that it is only available in two sizes, so depending on your weight, it might be more for the one-foot powder days than the extremely deep days.
This is a Fast Board With a Stable Feel
Burton gave the Elite its WFO sintered base. It’s exceptionally fast when you wax it. I loved how stable this board felt even while I was cruising fast. The board’s wide profile gives you this loose yet stable feel. I always felt in control while riding this board.
The Level of Stoke This Board Brings to the Session
The Burton Elite looks very different from every other board you see people riding at their favorite resort. It’s a conversation starter that gets tons of smiles and questions, “Hey, what board is that!?” This board has an energy to it that translates to an extra level of fun you will have while riding it.
You Can Fully Customize Your Stance Width and Angles
The original version of the Burton Elite from 1987 – 1988 had minimal insert packs, so you couldn’t customize angles or your stance width.
In the 2024 reissued version, the channel system in the Burton Elite runs through the length of the board. It’s all one channel rather than two individual channels for each foot, as you would see in most other Burton boards. By having one channel, you can customize your stance in any way you might need to. The width and angles of your stance can be adjusted to any dimension you might want them to be set to.
What I don’t like about the Burton Elite
There Are Only Two Sizes Available
Burton only released a 140cm and 150cm size of this board. While most riders will be fine with either of these sizes, it limits the potential of the board. If you are a heavier rider, you might need a different board for floating on the deepest days.
You Will Feel Vibrations
The Elite isn’t the dampest board. The longer nose will feel some vibrations as you ride over rough ungroomed snow. Those vibrations will be felt under your feet. The vibrations can be offset by pairing this binding with a set of damp bindings like the Burton Cartel.
Burton Elite 2023 – 2024 Snowboard Specs
| Size (cm) | 140 | 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Effective Edge (cm) | 97 | 105.1 |
| Tip Width (cm) | 29.97 | 30.73 |
| Waist Width (cm) | 27.5 | 27.5 |
| Tail Width (cm) | 29.47 | 30.43 |
| Sidecut Radius (m) | 8.9 | 7.9 |
| Stance Setback (cm) | 2.5 | 0 |
| Stance Range (mm) | 42.5 | 46.7 |
| Rider Weight (lbs) | 80-120 | 120-180 |
| Binding Sizes: | Fits All Sizes | Fits All Sizes |
What Bindings Pair With the Burton Elite?
Highlights of the Burton Cartel
- Medium Flex (Park or All Mountain Riding)
- Comfortable
- Ridiculously Simple to Get In and Out Of
Overall Rating of the Burton Elite Snowboard
| Considerations | Rating Out 5 |
|---|---|
| Resort Riding | 4.4 |
| Powder | 4.7 |
| Carving / Turns | 4.6 |
| Responsiveness | 4.1 |
| Speed | 4.6 |
| Ice / Poor Conditions | 4.2 |
| Switch | 3.0 |
| Jibs | 2.5 |
| Jumps | 4.0 |
| Durability / Quality | 4.8 |
| Buttering | 4.5 |
| Fun to ride | 4.8 |
| Total Rating | 4.2 |
Editor’s Review Rating of the Burton Blossom: 
The Main Summary: Is the Elite Worth It?
The Burton Elite is a great snowboard for riding in powder and slush, but it’s not a do-it-all type of board. If you’re looking for one single snowboard that can handle everything from groomers to powder, there is a better board for you. However, the Burton Elite is exceptional and worth considering if you’re looking for a specific powder board or slush slasher to add to your quiver.
While it’s not a do-it-all type of board, it’s fun for taking softer runs in the slush and the powder.
Where To Buy the Burton Elite Snowboard
You can buy the Burton Elite 1987 Reissue Snowboard here from Burton.com.
About This Review
Rider Name: Steve Weber
Size / Model of the Board Reviewed: The board I reviewed was the Burton Elite in 150cm.
Where I Rode This Board: I tested the Blossom at Big Snow the indoor ski resort in East Rutherford, New Jersey
Conditions When Rode: The snow was dry and powdery with pockets of harder packed snow leading up to park features.
Rider Weight: 144lbs
Rider Boot Size: Men’s size 9
Bindings Used: 2024 Burton Cartel bindings in a size medium
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Steve Weber is an avid snowboarder and skateboarder. He has been snowboarding for 26 years, skateboarding for 20, and is always looking for a new board sport to try out. When he is not riding or skating, he runs a marketing agency. Board of the World is Steve’s blog for skateboard and snowboard gear reviews. The blog’s goal is to help people find the right board for them and encourage people to have fun outside.