Voile was the first company to make production splitboards back in 1996. They were influenced by a snowboarder named Brett Kobernick who was making homemade splitboards as early as 1992. Over the years they have refined their product in different areas but their interface design hasn't seen too many changes. As the old adage goes, "if it aint broke, don't fix it".

With the Voile splitboards being born and bred in Utah its no surprise that's where they excel the most. Soft, light snow is what these boards are designed for and it shows. The boards are built right outside of Salt Lake City, Utah with the Wasatch Mountain Range being their testing lab.

We found the float to be excellent in powder conditions and loved the simple and durable interface design. The board uses a basic wood core and sintered base which perform well and keep the cost down for the consumer. The board also has a softer flex than most other splitboards due to the type of snow it was designed for. When initiating turns in powder snow the soft flex was responsive yet forgiving and provides a surfy feel to the board. The board has the narrowest waist in its class at 25cm so riders with small to medium feet will find edge to edge transitions easy. It also has the longest effective edge and sidecut radius compared to other splitboards in its class. We found the long running edge made the board ride longer than it was while still providing the maneuverability and weight savings of a smaller board. The Voile splitboards are also very durable, allowing for multiple seasons of use. Where the boards are lacking performance is on steep and firm snow. The flex pattern is just too soft. The good news is that Voile is offering a new all mountain shape and stiffer flex in two sizes (161, 171) to address this need. Look for a mid-season review from us this year!

Pros:

• Proven, bombproof interface design
• Soft forgiving flex
• Affordable price

Cons:

• Doesn’t hold and edge well on steep, firm slopes
• Isn't very damp

The Conclusion:

The Voile 166 is a great powder and soft-snow splitboard. The soft flex provides a surfy feel in these conditions but is lacking on harder snow. The board is the least expensive among other splitboards we've tested, built to last, and provides great value for your dollar.

Jive Stick testing the Voile 166 at an undisclosed location in the Wasatch on a warm spring day.

Photo: bcrider