Never Summer Proto Type 3 Snowboard Review: Testing the Tech in the Park

This is the 2nd page of a detailed review of the Proto T3. Go back to page 1 to start from the beginning. It was getting long.

What are the Never Summer’s Blower Stance Inserts?

The Blower Stance Inserts are two extra insert holes that are 1.25 inches after the last holes of the standard mounting insert pack. These new holes are the ones closest to the nose or tail, and they allow you to get your stance really far back.

It makes the board more versatile because now, on the deep days, you can set your stance further back than any other twin board. By having your stance set back further, your weight shifts more towards the board’s tail, which naturally lifts the board’s nose up and out of the snow. With the nose lifted upwards, the board isn’t forced to plow through the snow head-on, and this dramatically reduces the drag and friction felt while you ride so that you can float effortlessly in deep snow.

To put it simply, the two extra insert holes basically let you turn the Never Summer Proto Type 3 into a dedicated powder board.

Tech Features That Give the Proto Type 3 An Explosive Level of Pop

There are two carbon patterns built into this board that help it have an explosive level of pop.

1. The Precision Stitched Carbon Matrix (PSCM) is placed right above the base
2. T3 Twin Carbon Mapping stringers are placed right under the topsheet.

The carbon matrix is a new type of carbon pattern that’s woven into the base of the board and acts like a highly tensioned springboard that stores and distributes its energy evenly across the board’s nose or tail to give it an explosive level of pop off jumps.

Meanwhile, the T3 Carbon Mapping’s stringers under the topsheet then offer a controlled, symmetrical rebound as the board quickly returns to its original shape (due to the carbon on the opposite layer of the way the board is flexed).

If you look closely through the base material, you can see the carbon showing right under the Never Summer logo.

Both of these carbon features gave the board a noticeable extra boost that seemed to send me around 10 to 20% further than similar boards would.

The Edge Tech That Makes This Incredible on Ice

Never Summer’s PowerGrip sidecut design uses a combination of multiple radii (different-sized arcs) with a flat spot in the center to improve the board’s edge hold while allowing you to make different types of turns with more control than a board that uses just one arc’s radius for its side cut (a radial sidecut).

This multi-radii sidecut approach also creates additional contact points as you turn. These additional contact points improve your level of grip on ice and hardpack.

The Powergrip sidecut also complements Never Summer’s R.I.P. Edge Hold Technology. This is a type of edge tech that uses pressure for added grip rather than adding in serrations or disruptions to the edges themselves.

The benefit here is that the overall ride and turn initiation feels smoother than it does with some other ice-friendly boards that have serrated their edges to improve their grip (like Lib Tech’s Magne Traction or Jones’ Traction Tech).

So rather than using a serrated or “disrupted” edge for additional grip, the Never Summer Proto Type 3 takes a different approach. It makes use of the various angles of its sidecut for additional contact points, and you get more out of those contact points with the additional three pressure points you get as the board’s triple camber profile flattens out while you make your turn.

How Does the Never Summer R.I.P. Edge Hold Technology’s Grip Compare to Magne Traction (Lib Tech or GNU)?

The edge hold is very comparable to the level of grip to ice you feel riding a Lib Tech or Gnu board with Magne Traction edges. The main difference is that the Never Summer Proto Type 3 has a smoother feeling turning experience due to the edge tech being designed through angles and pressure rather than adding disruptions into the edges themselves.

Which bindings go well with the Never Summer Proto Type 3 Snowboard?

I rode this with my Union Ultra Bindings and my Union Force Bindings. Both worked really well. The Force is a hair stiffer, so if you’re more focused on carving and riding powder, go with the Force. If you prefer to jib and jump, go with the Ultra.

It’s important to note that if you’ll be riding powder and using the new blower stance inserts, you’ll need to use a binding with the full-sized disc. The Union Force fits well in these inserts.

The Union Ultra uses a mini disk, so it isn’t able to get as far back to utilize the additional inserts. It’s fine for getting a centered stance, though.

How is the Durability of the Never Summer Proto Type 3?

So far, so good. I’ve ridden it on a few busy days where riders on the lift tend to chip and dig into your top sheet, and there’s been virtually no damage so far.

The base shows no deep scratches from jibbing either.

Warranty

Never Summer offers a 3-year warranty on defects in the materials or due to build quality. All you have to do is file a claim on their website.

Specs of the Never Summer Proto Type 3 Snowboard

Sizes Available

The Proto Type 3 is available in 151cm, 154cm, 157cm, 160cm, 158cm X (Wide), 161cm X (Wide), 164cm X (Wide), 159cm DF (“Drag Free” Extra Wide), 162cm DF (“Drag Free” Extra Wide).

Details of the Size I Rode

I rode the 154cm size of the Never Summer Proto Type 3. For reference, this is my standard size for an all-mountain twin. I am 142lbs, 5’6″, and have a size US men’s 9.0 boot.

How Does the Never Summer Proto T3 Compare to The Capita Super DOA?

The Capita Super DOA is a very comparable board to the Never Summer Proto Type 3. Both of these boards are higher-end, camber-dominant true twin all-mountain freestyle snowboards that are built for the resort rider who wants one board to handle every type of riding well, all while allowing them to charge aggressively.

The truth is, both of these boards are on par with each other in most ways. They are so comparable in terms of their flex, speed, tech features, pop, and power. However, the real differences are found in their price (the Proto Type 3 costs $100 less), performance in powder, and their level of edge hold on ice.

Read our in depth comparison of the Capita Super DOA vs the Never Summer Proto Type 3 to learn more.

• Price & Versatility: The most obvious difference is the price, with the Proto Type 3 costing $100 less than the Super DOA.
  
  
• Powder Performance: The Proto Type 3 floats better thanks to Never Summer’s “Blower Stance” (setback inserts), allowing you to mount your bindings further back on deep powder days. The Super DOA has a standard centered-stance pattern without the additional inserts to set you back.
  
  
• Edge Hold & Carving Feel: This is the largest performance difference.
  
  
  • The Proto Type 3 is built for exceptional grip on ice and hardpack. It combines a Triple Camber profile with a Powergrip Sidecut that pairs with the RIP Edge Hold Technology. This system creates extra contact points that press down onto the ice, offering some extra traction to grip when it gets slick out.
    
    
  • The Super DOA uses a Blended Radial Sidecut, which is a single, smooth arc. While it provides a quick and smooth feeling carve, it doesn’t have the same extra bite you’ll get on ice as the Proto Type 3.

All in all, both are so comparable to each other. That you won’t go wrong with either. The Super DOA is by no means bad on ice. It just doesn’t have the extra edge tech to give you that extra little bite of traction that the Proto Type does.

Should You Get the Never Summer Proto Type 3 Snowboard?

Yes, this board is absolutely worth it If you can afford it.

Where to Get It

You can get this board at Blauer Board Shop, Amazon, Peter Glenn, Backcountry, or EVO.

Never Summer Proto Type 3 Snowboard

Image Gallery from This Review

About the Reviewer

Rider Name: Steve Weber

Field Test Notes: I rode the 154 2026 Never Summer Proto Type 3 in the preseason during October of 2025 at Big Snow in East Rutherford, NJ.

(and I will be updating this review as I get it outdoors here in Pennsylvania, too.)

Rider Experience Level: Intermediate to Advanced – I’ve been riding for over 15 years. However, I lean more freestyle than freeride. I prefer hitting jumps and jibbing over making the perfect turn.

Rider’s Preferred Terrain: The park with small to medium-sized features.

Size / Model: The board I reviewed was a 2026 Never Summer Proto Type 3 in the 154cm size.

Bindings Used: The Union Ultra and Union Force Bindings

Rider Weight: 142lbs

Rider Age: 42

Why Trust This Review?

With over 15 years of park riding experience here on the icy East Coast, I know what it takes to have a safe and fun time out on the mountain. I’m an intermediate park rider who can relate to riders of all skill levels. I’ve been writing in-depth reviews just like this one for the past four years, and my main goal with this review is simply to help you find the right board.

I write these reviews as a “for the fun of it” project. They are as unbiased as I can be for someone who tends to ride in an area with icier conditions.

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Thanks for reading, and good luck out there!

Steve Weber

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.

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