If you are trying to pick between the Never Summer Proto Type 3 versus the Capita Super DOA, you’re looking at two of the most high-tech, aggressive all-mountain freestyle boards on the market. Both of these boards rip, and you really can’t make a wrong decision.
With that said, they have a few key differences in their price, edge-hold technology, speed, and powder performance that will make one a better choice for your specific riding style. This article will help you understand their nuances so you can figure out which is the right board for you.
Never Summer Proto Type 3 – Full Specs
Read the Full Never Summer Proto Type 3 Review – Rated 91.58 / 100
Price: $699.99
Read the Full Capita Super DOA Review – Rated 91.9 / 100
Price: $799.95
The Comparison Chart
For my comparisons, I use this chart format to help learn which of these boards performs better in a certain category or with a specific type of riding.
I use the same fourteen different categories that I use to review all-mountain snowboards. However, instead of scoring each board as I typically do in my reviews out of 100 possible points, for a comparison score, I award one point to either or both snowboards, depending on which board is the better performer in that specific category.
I then total the number of points each snowboard has won to give an overall comparison score between the two of them.
| Considerations | Never Summer Proto Type 3 | Capita Super DOA |
|---|---|---|
| Resort Riding | 1 | 1 |
| Powder | 1 | |
| Carving / Turns | 1 | 1 |
| Responsiveness | 1 | 1 |
| Speed | 1 | |
| Ice / Poor Conditions | 1 | |
| Switch | 1 | 1 |
| Jibs | 1 | |
| Small Jumps | 1 | 1 |
| Medium to Large Jumps | 1 | 1 |
| Durability / Quality | 1 | 1 |
| Value for the Price | 1 | |
| Buttering | 1 | |
| Fun to ride | 1 | 1 |
| Total Points | 11 | 10 |
It’s such a close comparison, but the Never Summer Proto Type 3 wins the comparison by one point. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the better board for you, it just shows that it performs better in a few categories over the Super DOA.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to the price, a few small nuances in tech and the type of riding you do most often.
If you are looking for added grip for ice, float for powder, and versatility for resort riding, you’ll want the Proto Type 3. However, if you’re looking to hit every park feature and charge as fast as possible outside of the park, you will want the Super DOA.
Summary of Results
The Never Summer Proto Type 3 and Capita Super DOA are both outstanding, high-end all-mountain freestyle boards, but they cater to slightly different riders.
The Proto Type 3 is the better value with it being $100 cheaper while still being the ultimate “one-board quiver” true twin. It’s an excellent board for East Coast riders, thanks to its additional edge hold from its R.I.P. edge hold technology. It’s also the more versatile option because it offers additional stance options that help you float on the deeper days, too.
On the other hand, the Super DOA is designed to be an ultra-lightweight, aggressive park and resort board that’s meant for advanced riders looking to get as fast as possible while being ever so slightly easier to lock into a nose or tail press.
- If you need some extra grip on ice and want a versatile twin that can also handle deeper powder days, go with the Never Summer Proto Type 3.
- If you are looking for the fastest option of the two, and you specifically want this board to spend the majority of your time in the park while having a stable board for the occasional run out of the park, go with the Capita Super DOA.
The Never Summer Proto Type 3: The All-Condition, Quiver-Killing Twin
The Proto Type 3 is the new all-mountain freestyle board that replaces the legendary Proto Synthesis. It’s for intermediate to advanced riders who want a versatile board that performs well across different terrains, especially on groomers, carving, and hitting jumps.
Its key features are found in its Triple Camber Recurve Profile combined with its R.I.P. Edge Hold Technology. Together, these two features offer an unreal level of grip on ice and a stable, smooth carving experience all over the resort.
It’s also got a new feature that helps it float in powder called “Blower Stance” inserts. These are two additional insert holes set 1.25″ after the normal insert pack that let you set your stance further back than a traditional true twin board. This helps to keep your nose up and out of the deeper snow.
The Capita Super DOA: The Aggressive, Lightweight Park Dominator
The Super DOA is the lighter, faster, and more aggressive version of the standard Capita DOA. It’s for advanced all-mountain freestyle riders who want a high-performance board that can handle every-sized feature in the park and still carve aggressively at high speeds out of the park.
It’s a very fast and very powerful board that features a blended radial sidecut for a smooth, quick carving feel and an ultra-fast base.
Similarities Between Both Boards
The Capita Super DOA is a very comparable board to the Never Summer Proto Type 3.
Both are higher-end, camber-dominant true twin all-mountain freestyle snowboards built for the resort rider who wants one board to handle every type of riding well, all while allowing them to charge aggressively.
They compare so closely to one another in nearly every category except for a few: their price, versatility on ice, and powder performance.
Overview of the Never Summer Proto Type 3
- Incredible Edge Hold: Features Triple Camber and R.I.P. Edge Hold Technology for an unreal grip on ice.
- True “One-Board Quiver”: A true twin that is outstanding in the park but also has “Blower Stance” inserts to set it back for deep powder days.
- Lightweight & Durable: Built with an NS Superlight Wood Core and durable Sintered UHMW Sidewalls.
- Damp & Stable: Has a high-end, damp feel that absorbs chatter well, rated at 6/10 for dampness.
- Explosive Pop: New carbon matrix (PSCM and T3 Mapping) creates a springboard-like pop for jumps.
Overview of the Capita Super DOA
- Ultra-Lightweight & Responsive: Lighter and more responsive than the standard DOA, with added carbon for quicker edge-to-edge transitions.
- Aggressive Park Performance: Built to be very quick and powerful, ideal for advanced riders who want to “send big park features.”
- Extremely Fast Base: Features one of the fastest bases on the market for aggressive, high-speed riding.
- Premium Build: A high-performance board for advanced freestyle riders who want to carve aggressively.
- Jib-Friendly: Slightly better for locking into nose presses compared to the Proto T3.
How These Boards Compare
For Groomed Resort Riding & Carving: It’s a Tie
Both of these boards are total powerhouses on groomers and hard pack.
The Proto Type 3 feels incredibly locked-in and stable and even smooth to carve with. It’s the type of high-end board that inspires confidence, so you push yourself a bit harder on it.
The Super DOA is exceptionally quick, light, responsive, and also very stable. While the sidecuts and edgehold tech differ slightly, the result is two boards that carve exceptionally well, so the choice here comes down to feel and your personal preference.
To me, both feel smooth and easily maneuverable, but the Proto T3 feels more locked-in and like the damper board of the two. The Super DOA feels more aggressive and ever so slightly faster (both have an above-average level of glide).
For Powder Performance: The Never Summer Proto Type 3 Wins
This is a clear win for the Never Summer Proto Type 3. At the same time, both are true twins, the Proto Type 3 features Never Summer’s “Blower Stance” inserts, which allow you to mount your bindings much further back (by an extra 1.25 inches) on deep powder days. The Super DOA has a standard centered-stance pattern. That setback option on the Proto T3 turns it into a powder-capable board, making it the more versatile choice for all conditions.
For Ice and Poor Conditions: The Never Summer Proto Type 3 Wins
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 R.I.P. Edge Hold Technology. This system creates extra contact points that press down onto the ice, offering extra traction to grip when it gets slippery out.
The Super DOA uses a Blended Radial Sidecut, which is a single, smooth arc. While it provides a quick and smooth carve when it’s sharpened, it doesn’t have that same level of bite on pure ice that the Never Summer Proto Type 3 has.
For Speed: The Capita Super DOA Wins (Slightly)
Both boards are built with extremely fast, high-end sintered bases. However, the Capita Super DOA’s base is built to be one of the fastest on the market. It also comes with a race-ready base tune right out of the wrapper. Capita gave the Super DOA its Moonshot Omni Tune. While both boards are incredibly fast, the Omni Tune makes a difference and makes this board slightly faster than the other.
For Switch Riding: It’s a Tie
Both the Proto Type 3 and the Super DOA are true twins. They are designed to ride identically whether you’re regular or switch, making them both perfect for freestyle riding where switch take-offs and landings are common.
For Jibbing: The Capita Super DOA Wins (It’s so close, though.)
Both boards are slightly stiffer than medium flex patterns that are intended more for jumping over jibbing, but both can still jib well.
The Capita Super DOA’s profile and flex allow it to lock in and hold nose presses a little easier (while both have carbon configurations that will want to rebound), with the Super DOA’s press being a little easier to hold without rebounding. It’s going to be the slightly better option for jibbing.
For Jumping (All Sizes): It’s a Tie
Hitting jumps and side hits is what both boards were built for. Both feature extensive carbon constructions (Precision Stitched Carbon Matrix in the T3, advanced carbon in the Super DOA) that create an explosive, springboard-like pop. Both are stable on landings for small, medium, and large jumps, giving riders the confidence just to send it off jumps of all sizes.
You won’t go wrong with either for hitting kickers.
For Durability and Quality: It’s a Tie
Both boards are the “premium” versions in their lines, built with top-tier materials, high-end cores, and robust construction. Both also come with excellent warranties. You can expect both of these boards to be highly durable.
It’s worth noting that Never Summer offers a three-year warranty while Capita’s warranty is only for two years.
For Buttering & Flat Ground Tricks: The Capita Super DOA Wins
Just like with jibbing, the Super DOA is a bit easier to hold a press, so it is the slightly better option for buttering and flat-ground tricks. The Proto Type 3 can butter fairly easily, too. Both boards have carbon built into their construction that will fight you while it tries to rebound back into its original shape. The Super DOA is the slightly easier of the two.
So, Which Should You Choose: the Prototype 3 or the Super DOA?
Either will work, and you can’t make a wrong decision here.
The Proto Type 3 is the better value at $100 less and offers more all-condition versatility with its unreal ice grip and powder-stance option, making it a true quiver-killer.
The Capita Super DOA is the choice for the advanced, aggressive all-mountain freestyle rider who is looking for the lightest, fastest, park-friendly option to hit every feature in the park and charge outside of the park.
FAQs
Are these boards suitable for beginners?
No. Neither of these two boards is designed for beginners. They are meant for intermediate to advanced riders to take their riding to the next level. Their stiffness, aggressive camber profiles, and high responsiveness can be catchy and difficult for a beginner to control. These are high-performance boards that expect a skilled rider.
Which board is more budget-friendly?
While both of these boards are higher-end boards that have features making them cost higher than the average all-mountain freestyle board, the Never Summer Proto Type 3 is the more budget-friendly option, costing $699.99. This is $100 less than the Capita Super DOA at $799.95. Again, both are premium, high-end boards with high-tech features, so they are priced accordingly. Out of these two, the Never Summer Proto Type 3 offers a better value.
Do I need a specific binding for these boards?
No, both boards use a standard 2×4 insert pattern, making them compatible with almost any binding on the market except for Burton EST bindings (the bindings meant for Burton’s channel system).
Can I use these boards for backcountry riding?
While the Never Summer Proto Type 3 has the “Blower Stance” for deep powder, both boards are primarily designed for resort and park use and not for riding in the backcountry for extended periods. They can handle side-country laps and powder days within the resort, but for dedicated backcountry touring, a specialized freeride or splitboard would be a much better and safer choice.
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.