The Summit Marauder is a great board. It has very nice construction quality. It is sidewall construction as opposed to the cap construction of the Spruce long boards… but I can’t really say I notice much difference performance wise in sidewall vs cap construction. It has great float in pow and definitely more float then the Spruce 120, and has good edge hold. BUT it in no way matches the performance of the Sherpa. The Sherpa beats the Marauder on every count hands down, in stability, powder performance, ice hold, stability in crud, speed, even on turn ability and carving. A lot of the carving performance difference has to do with the more relaxed side cut of the Marauder vs. the very tight turning radius of the Sherpa. The Sherpa’s 160 tips are simply amazing in pow and crud and offer major improvements in performance over the 147 tips of the Marauder in those conditions as well.
Marauder in the backcountry and am using it more than the Sherpa for one reason. It is easier to climb with than the Sherpa. If I could get the Sherpa UP the hill as easily as I can get the Marauder, the Sherpa would be hands down my favorite backcountry board. The Marauder has two primary benefits for me in the backcountry. I travel in the company of skiers all of whom have smaller tips then me! We take turns breaking trail and following each other. If I am on my Sherpa. I cannot fit in their track because of my huge tips!!! I either have to break trail myself all the time or else break the trail again for my wider boards! Also , when climbing uphill traversing across icy slopes , the straighter side cut and smaller tips allow me to get a better climbing edge then the deeper side cut of the Sherpa so climbing in those conditions are easier .
The Marauder has a significant float increase over the Spruce 120 which I used extensively in the backcountry last season and so for these reasons it has become my go to backcountry board.
Rider – Jack Jue – Expert Skiboarder
