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PTO Review
We skied them. Here's how they stack up.
These snowboards span 2 categories (All-Mountain, All-Mountain Freestyle). Scores reflect each snowboard's intended use — direct comparison across all dimensions may be misleading.
Mercury — solid intermediates through experts who want one resort board for the season and who genuinely ride on edge. D.O.A. — riders who want one board that does 90% of everything well. Check the radar chart below to see where each one wins.
Each row compares all boards on one dimension. 🏆 marks the highest score.
| Dimension | Mercury | D.O.A. |
|---|---|---|
| Carving | 7🏆 | 7🏆 |
| Park | 6 | 8🏆 |
| Playfulness | 4 | 9🏆 |
| Forgiveness | 4 | 7🏆 |
| Stability | 8🏆 | 6 |
| Powder | 5🏆 | 4 |
Solid intermediates through experts who want one resort board for the season and who genuinely ride on edge. Riders whose home snow is hard, firm, variable or man-made - that is where Death Grip earns its money. Riders who want a directional bias without committing to a powder shape, who like to hit things, and who will keep a sintered base waxed.
Beginners and lower intermediates: an independent scored review calls it a little too much board to start out with and says it asks for reasonable technique, and the Pathfinder is CAPiTA's honest answer for a new rider. Powder-first riders: taper is zero and the float is ordinary, so if the word Freeride is why you are here, this is the wrong board - the Kazu Kokubo Pro has real taper that CAPiTA says is engineered for deep powder, and it costs less. Riders who want a loose, surfy, quick-pivoting board for tight trees. Rail and jib specialists. Anyone with a US 10.5 boot being sold a standard 155-159, which CAPiTA caps at US 10. Riders who never wax.
Riders who want one board that does 90% of everything well. Park riders who also rip groomers. Side hit hunters. All-mountain freestyle riders who value pop and versatility.
Beginners — the camber profile demands some technique. Deep powder devotees. Riders who want a dedicated freeride or carving board.
The Mercury is best for solid intermediates through experts who want one resort board for the season and who genuinely ride on edge. The D.O.A. is best for riders who want one board that does 90% of everything well. park riders who also rip groomers. side hit hunters. The right choice depends on your primary terrain, ability level, and riding style.
The CAPiTA Mercury scores highest in Stability at 8/10, making it the strongest all-mountain option. It handles groomers, chop, and variable conditions without losing composure, so it's the best single-snowboard choice for riders who want one board for the whole mountain.
The CAPiTA Mercury leads in Carving with a PTO score of 7/10. Its edge grip on hard snow and groomed runs is the strongest in this comparison.
The CAPiTA D.O.A. is the most forgiving option with a Forgiveness score of 7/10. It doesn't punish imperfect technique, making it the easiest snowboard to progress on among these.
Not sure? Ask us.