The New Capita Birds of a Feather vs. its Predecessor
The latest Birds of a Feather is updated with plant-based Magic Bean™ resin, "environmentally responsible" fiberglass, and a new sintered base. We've reached out to Capita to fill out some of the details about these upgrades and will do so when we hear back. The graphics are completely redesigned and the list price stays put at $420.
Check out the two iterations side-by-side below (the new model is on the left).
Here's a list of the updates:
- Magic Bean™ Resin — Capita switches to an environmentally responsible plant-based resin.
- Updated Sintered Base — According to the manufacturer, the new sintered base results in a fast ride that's easy to care for.
- New Fiberglass Application — The new Special Blend™ fiberglass application supposedly increases responsiveness.
- New Graphics — The top coat and base graphics are redesigned.
We haven't taken this new version for a test run. At this point, the review below refers to the prior model.
Hands-on Review of the Original Capita Birds of a Feather
This board is for women who want to charge park and powder, regular and switch, day and night. Aggressive and high-charged, the Birds of a Feather inspired lady shredder Jess Kimura's pro-model, the Space Metal Fantasy. While the Feather is flexy enough to hang in the park, this board really sings when carving on groomers. Perfect for big J-turns, slashes and euro carves, Capita's Birds of a Feather is sturdy and responsive. Almost impossible to catch an edge, this board also great for beginners who are still working on edge control, or intermediate riders who want to try new tricks without catching.
Gorgeous topsheet graphics of the Birds of a Feather.
This board is more aggressive than most others that performed as well in the park. With impressive edge hold and consistency in a variety of conditions, the Birds of a Feather is for the intermediate rider looking to push their skills all over the mountain.
Beautiful base graphic on the Capita Birds of a Feather
Edge Hold
Scoring an 8/10 in this category, this board performs incredibly well in tough conditions. Cutting through ice, the Birds of a Feather is perfect for big carves or hard slashes. Even in less than desirable conditions, this board locks in and takes control. The hybrid camber provides an aggressive edge hold, powering through hard carves in icy hardpack. The Birds of a Feather dramatically outperformed the Rome Lo-Fi and the Burton Lipstick, both of which scored a mediocre 6/10 in this category. However, this Capita board was outperformed by the stellar Jones Twin Sister, which received full marks in edge hold with its unparalleled carving capabilities.
The Capita Birds of a Feather launches with ease.
Float in Powder
Scoring a 6/10 in this category, the Birds of a Feather performed the worst in powder out of the boards we tested. While the Feather feels soft and cruisey in light snow on groomers, it sank in pretty quickly in the deeper ungroomed stuff, and we found that we had to really work to sit back while riding through powder. The BoaF has two 30mm carbon beams running from the tip to the middle, which are supposed to provide the nose with extra stability in deeper powder, but we didn't feel like this board really belongs in the deeps — unless you really want to work for it.
Women who spend more time in powder stashes may want to look at something with a more rockered profile, like the Arbor Swoon Rocker, which scored a perfect 10, or the Jones Twin Sister, which received a competitive 9/10.
The Birds of a Feather floats above the powder and through the trees.
Stability at Speed
The Birds of a Feather received a moderate 7/10 in this category. The board's DS Select RFC Sustainable core made from poplar and beech is damp and responsive, giving you stability at most speeds. We found the Feather to be a little chattery at higher speeds, but still felt like there was plenty of board underfoot. Ladies who rip may need a board with more stability, such as the Never Summer Aura, which got a perfect 10 in this category for its unrivaled dampness and absorption in choppy conditions. Another stable board is the Burton Lipstick, which received a noteworthy 9/10.
Playfulness
Scoring a prosaic 6/10 in this category, the Feather has mid-range flex, but wasn't as playful as we would have liked. With the poplar/beech core giving a consistent flex throughout the entire board, it feels solid on rails, and is quick in rotation, pushing beginners and experts alike to advance their trick portfolio.
Presses took some added work, but this board started to loosen up after just a few days of riding. We expect this board to gain more flex through the season. It outperformed the super-stiff Never Summer Aura, which received a 4/10 in playfulness due to its unforgiving nature. While a true-twin is ideal for switch riding, an asymmetric twin like the Gnu Ladies Choice is the only shape that makes riding switch even easier than a true-twin, causing the Ladies' Choice to receive a flawless 10/10 in this category.
The Birds of a Feather flexes through a hard landing.
Pop
Scoring an 8/10, the Birds of a Feather can get some serious air, and feels stable during landings. Cambered between foot, this board is super poppy, sharply outperforming the Never Summer Aura. The Aura received a 6/10 in pop, due to its heavy feel underfoot and stiff, unforgiving body. Launching with ease, the Birds of a Feather feels light and maneuverable off of any jump, whether it's a side hit or a huge booter. We did prefer the Gnu Ladies' Choice for pop, which received another perfect 10 in this category for its effortless launch and ease of landing.
Best Applications
The Birds of a Feather is an aggressive all-mountain board perfect for jibbing, charging and carving. Park ladies will love this board for progressing their performance.
Value
The Birds of a Feather was a close contender for Best Buy. At only $420, this board was the cheapest one we tested, but certainly didn't feel like it. Solid performance across all categories makes this board an inexpensive option for a one-board quiver, whether you're just starting out or fine-tuning your skills.
Capita's Birds of a Feather is a versatile all-mountain destroyer.
Conclusion
All together, the Birds of a Feather is an inexpensive yet high-performance board perfect for any rider who's ready to take it to the next level, in or out of the park. Catered to riders that love to charge, rip, and jib, this board is progressive and responsive without breaking the bank.
Other Versions
The Birds of a Feather inspired Jess Kimura's Capita Pro Model, the Space Metal Fantasy, is set at a higher price point, but also has bad-ass cat/galaxy/laser graphics.
