The Capita Ultrafear is on our Best Park Snowboards for a good reason. It is fantastic at hitting rails and jumps in the park.
The Ultrafear is a three time winner of the Transworld Good Wood awards. This has been my main freestyle snowboard for the past season, so I wanted to share my review on how well it performs in the park as well as in other types of terrain.
The Highlights
Capita Ultrafear 2023 Snowboard
Sizes Available: 147, 149, 151, 153, 153 Wide, 155, 155 Wide, 157
Flex: Softer Side of Medium 4 out of 10 – Note that Capita calls this a 5.5 out of 10. It is softer than that.
Main Reason I Bought This: It is a pressable / soft park board with positive camber that can still hold its own on jumps.
Bindings That Pair Well With It: Union Force or Union Strata
Core Features
- Perfect 4/10 flex – It is pressable and yet still perfect for jumps
- It is durable – Carbon Aramid Body Armor
- Hybrid positive camber profile of the board is playful when you need it to be and aggressive when you need it to be (Profile was updated for 2022, so now it has more pop.)
- Fast, easy to maintain base
- 360 Edges
- Damp for a softer board – there is cork built into the deck to absorb shock and keep it riding smooth
First Impression of the 2022 – 2023 Capita Ultrafear Snowboard?
I bought this board in October and couldn’t ride it until December. I had three full months of staring at it, thinking to myself, “this is the sickest looking board I’ve ever owned.” I couldn’t wait to ride it.
Now that the snowboard season has begun here in PA, I took it out for a few days and honestly didn’t like it at first. Why? Well, because in Pennsylvania, the parks weren’t opened yet. So for my very first impression, I was forced to appreciate this board as an all-mountain board which it isn’t. I wound up comparing it to my other board, the Capita DOA and these boards are meant for different things.
So the first note is that if you’re looking to do more all-mountain riding than park riding, consider the Capita DOA. However, if you spend a lot of time in the park, that’s where the Ultrafear shines over the DOA.
Once the parks opened, I got to really appreciate the Ultrafear in contrast to the DOA. The Ultrafear is a park beast. It is phenomenal at butters, jibs, and jumps. That’s what it does well.
In contrast, it doesn’t carve as well in ice as the DOA does. The DOA is a bit more well-rounded for the resort. It is decent as a jib board and great as an all-mountain board.
They are both excellent snowboards in their respective categories.
Here is a quick overview video of all of the features of the 2022 Ultrafear.
Why Did I Buy the Capita Ultrafear Snowboard?
I chose the Capita Ultrafear snowboard for the 2022 season because I’ve spent a lot of time in the park last season and wanted to get my first dedicated park board for this season.
The main attributes I looked for in a park board were these:
- I wanted a soft to medium flexing board at around a four out of a ten rating.
- It needed to have a positive camber profile.
- It needed to be able to jib and be well rounded enough for hitting jumps.
One massive push for me to buy the 2022 – 2023 Ultrafear was that it was upgraded to Capita’s camber Resort V1 Profile. I love that upgrade because it is the same profile as the Capita DOA, which I was used to riding already.
If you’ve ever ridden the Capita Ultrafear in the past, it might have been a very different feeling snowboard. After the 2021 version, this board was upgraded to a camber profile. Capita kept that change in the new 2023 version of the Ultrafear.
Before 2022, this board was designed with Capita’s Park V2 Profile. Here is an image showing the difference, with this year’s profile on the top and last year’s on the bottom.
Basically, the board profile now has a positive camber section between your feet, flat under your feet, and a slight reverse camber (rocker) right before the tip and tail. In previous years the board was primarily flat between your feet, and now there is some camber to give it more pop.
So How Does the New Capita Ultrafear Feel to Ride?
How the Ultrafear carves:
The 2022-2023 Ultrafear is a smooth ride that is great for taking slower, more drawn-out wide turns. This board has a catch-free feel to it, and it can butter or press with very little effort. This board is meant more for someone who is interested in riding the park over it being a carving focused freeride snowboard.
How the Ultrafear jibs:
The Ultrafear shines on rails and boxes. The camber profile hugs the rail while the rocker sections in the tip and tail make it easier to spin in and out of features. Additionally, the board is around 4-6cm wider than most boards in its class. The added width combined with the flexible torsional flex help give the board a skate like locked-in feel while hitting rails.
How the Ultrafear jumps:
It gives you an extra little boost of pop for hitting jumps or ollieing on flat. The hybrid camber profile helps you land your spins if you’re slightly off-axis. This board is probably perfect for small to medium sized jumps in all conditions. It can be right at home hitting large jumps too. However, I’d be careful if it was icy out. The Ultrafear can wash out while landing on ice when your weight is slightly off balance.
What do I like/dislike about the Ultrafear?
Likes
Softer flex – I like its softer mid-flex. The Ultrafear is a snowboard that can butter and press easily. As you read about this deck, you will notice that Capita rates its flex as a 5.5 out of 10. I can’t entirely agree with that. Compared to the DOA, which is rated at a 5.5 out of 10, the Ultrafear is closer to a 3.5 or 4 out of 10. Its a more flexible medium. It is the perfect park board for both jibs and hitting jumps.
Wider waist width – I like that it is slightly wider than the other boards in my quiver. The Ultrafear has a stable feel to it as you ride. You will notice the stability when you’re 50-50ing or doing a nosepress. It feels like its easier to balance on this snowboard over most other boards. It also is really fun to carve on this deck. I find myself taking wider turns and enjoying the feel of every turn.
Fast base / Easy to Maintain Base – The base on this board is fast, perfect for jibs, and doesn’t require a lot of maintenance.
Lightweight – I love how lightweight this deck is. It is the lightest board I’ve ever owned. It feels more maneuverable. The 2023 Ultrafear’s core is made of a combination of Poplar and Paulownia wood that is constructed like this.
Easy to ride / Catch free – I love the catch-free feel of the resort V1 profile. There have been times where I wasn’t exactly perpendicular on a front boardslide, and the profile allowed me to slide as if I was doing a front feeble. I have yet to catch an edge while riding the Ultrafear.
Great for learning to spin off jumps – The Ultrafear is an incredibly forgiving board to hit jumps with. It almost feels like I am cheating compared to some of the other boards I am used to riding. If you land slightly off-axis, the wider base of the board helps give you an extra split second to correct yourself and ride away.
Basically, the board is so catch-free as long as you are balanced, you should be able to ride away from most of your under-rotated spins.
The design – Lastly, I love looking down and seeing this graphic when I look down.
The cool factor is definitely there while riding this snowboard. There is something to the fact that you ride better when you have gear that you think looks cool. It is similar to the confidence you would get if you were dressed well. Sometimes, that little added confidence is all you need to just send it and land a new trick.
Dislikes
I only have one detail that I don’t like about this board.
Riding on ice – Unfortunately, the Ultrafear doesn’t carve so well on ice or rutted-out terrain. It gets the job done. However, it would help to consider the deck more as a park board than an all-mountain board.
The Ultrafear is park first and all-mountain second. It is not meant to hold its own on icy, steep terrain. It is a do everything in the park perfectly type of snowboard. If you’re looking for an all-mountain board that can also perform decently in the park, check out the best all-mountain snowboards award list.
Who Is the Ultrafear a Good Fit For?
The 2022-2023 Ultrafear is a great fit for any rider who wants to spend time in the park or the streets perfecting their rail game. If you’re going to be jibbing and jumping, this is the deck for you. This deck can be good for riders of any experience level too. If you’ve been riding reverse camber boards, the Ultrafear will be a great entry into riding a positive camber board thanks to its catch free, flatter nose and tail.
Capita Ultrafear Snowboard 2022-2023 Specs
| Size (cm) | 147 | 149 | 151 | 153 | 153Wide | 155 | 155Wide | 157 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rider Weight (lbs) | 90-150 | 90-150 | 100-150 | 110-170 | 110-170 | 120-180 | 130-190 | 140-200 |
| Effective Edge (mm) | 1129 | 1147 | 1166 | 1182 | 1182 | 1198 | 1198 | 1213 |
| Tip Width (mm) | 289 | 292 | 295 | 297 | 302 | 299 | 304 | 301 |
| Waist Width (mm) | 248 | 250 | 252 | 254 | 259 | 255 | 260 | 260 |
| Tail Width (mm) | 289 | 292 | 295 | 297 | 302 | 299 | 304 | 301 |
| Sidecut Radius (m) | 7.6 | 7.65 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 7.86 | 7.9 | 7.96 | 8.1 |
| Stance Range (in) | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26.6 |
| Stance Range (mm) | 584 | 609 | 609 | 609 | 609 | 635 | 635 | 675 |
What Other Benefits to the Ultrafear Are There?
The 2022-2023 Capita Ultrafear is insanely durable. The Ultrafear has been upgraded to include Capita’s Carbon Aramid Body Armor in the 2023 version (prior to 2021, it had carbon kevlar body armor). The body armor protects the contact points while increasing the pop and responsiveness of the snowboard. Capita also managed to decrease the vibration you would feel riding this by adding more cork into the edges. When you look at the sides of the board, you can see the cork.
This adds to the durability and dampness of the board.
The pointed nose and tail act as reference points to help you balance while hitting rails and jumps. I use these to know that I am directly centered on the rail or going off the lip of the jump.
| Considerations | Rating Out 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Resort Riding | 4.25 |
| Powder | 3.3 |
| Carving / Turns | 3.7 |
| Responsiveness | 3.85 |
| Speed | 4.65 |
| Ice / Poor Conditions | 3.5 |
| Switch | 5.0 |
| Jibs | 5.0 |
| Jumps | 4.65 |
| Durability / Quality | 4.75 |
| Buttering | 4.8 |
| Fun to ride | 5.0 |
Editor’s Rating of the Capita Ultrafear: 
So Do I Recommend the Capita Ultrafear?
Absolutely!
If you are looking for a dedicated park board that is great for both jibbing and jumping, get the Ultrafear before it sells out. Overall, the Ultrafear is the perfect freestyle snowboard for beginner to advanced park riders who want a durable, playful, and fast deck.
Which bindings go well with the Capita Ultrafear Snowboard?
Union Strata
The Union Strata is a lightweight freestyle binding with a six out of ten flex rating. These bindings are perfect to pair with the Capita Ultrafear. These are some of the most responsive freestyle snowboard bindings you will find on this list.
If you are looking for a lightweight, flexible, yet still responsive binding, check out the Union Strata.
Pros
- Shock absorption
- Lightweight
- Flex in highback and baseplate
- Minidisk compatible
- Soft and surfy board feel
- Upgraded no-slip hardware
Cons
- Not the dampest binding. These are best suited for park riding rather than going fast on rough terrain.
Sizes
Small (US Men’s 6 – 7.5), Medium (US Men’s 8 – 10), Large (US Men’s 10.5+)Summary
The 2023 Capita Ultrafear is the perfect park snowboard. It has technology built into it that makes it easy to jib, jump, and press. Additionally, it carves well outside of the park. The only potential downside I found was that it doesn’t carve well on steeper pockets of ice or rutted out terrain. If you are looking for a dedicated park board to add to your quiver, get the 2023 Capita Ultrafear.
Where Can You Buy a Capita Ultrafear?
You can buy the Capita Ultrafear snowboard here.
When is the Capita Ultrafear 2024 Release Date?
The new 2024 Capita Ultrafear graphic is expected to be released and ship around September 19th, 2023.
You can see a preview of what the new 2024 Capita Ultrafear graphic will look like here.
The 2023 Ultrafear is currently still available and on sale here.
This snowboard is popular, so get your size now while it is still available.
About the reviewer
Rider Name: Steve Weber
Home Mountains: Big Boulder, Jack Frost, Montage – North Eastern Pennsylvania (Lots of east coast ice.)
Size / Model: The board I reviewed was a 2022 Capita Ultrafear size 151cm.
Rider Weight: 142lbs
Bindings Used: 2023 Union Strata
Boots Used: Thirty Two STW Boa
Days Rode this Deck: 100+ days this was my primary park board for the 2022 season.
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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.