The Capita Navigator represents one of the most versatile snowboards in the all-mountain category, evolving from the legendary Charlie Slasher into a true directional freeride board that excels in powder while remaining capable on groomers and variable terrain. This board has become a daily driver for riders across North America, offering the perfect balance of float, stability, and versatility.
Evolution from the Charlie Slasher
The Navigator traces its roots back to the Charlie Slasher, a tapered board from over a decade ago that became essential for British Columbia powder riding. The original concept featured significant taper with minimal setback, creating a board that floated like traditional powder shapes while allowing riders to stay centered over the sidecut. This revolutionary approach challenged the trend of ultra-short tails and extreme setback positions that dominated powder board design at the time.
The Navigator has evolved this concept further, refining the shape into an even more versatile all-mountain snowboard. Despite its powder-inspired design, this board functions as a true quiver-of-one option for riders who want a single board that handles everything from deep powder days to groomed runs and park laps.
The Navigator's design philosophy centers on using the wide nose for float while keeping riders centered over the sidecut, creating a more natural riding experience that feels like a regular snowboard rather than a specialized powder tool.
True Directional Freeride Design
The Navigator features a true directional shape with tapered design that provides exceptional float in powder conditions. The board comes in multiple sizes from 56cm to 67cm, with sizing that accommodates both intermediate and advanced riders. The flex pattern is more forgiving than aggressive freeride boards, allowing riders to foot steer the board and power out of turns using their back foot.
This forgiving flex pattern makes the Navigator accessible to intermediate riders while still providing enough performance for advanced snowboarders. The board's ability to foot steer adds a playful element that many directional boards lack, making it easier to learn advanced techniques like powering out of turns and controlling the board through varied terrain.
For riders looking to build a versatile quiver, the Navigator fits perfectly alongside dedicated powder boards and freestyle options. Explore our complete collection of all-mountain snowboards to see how the Navigator compares to other versatile options.
V2 Camber Profile
The Navigator features Capita's V2 camber profile, which replaced the original reverse camber nose and flat camber design. The V2 profile uses regular camber between the bindings with reverse camber in the nose and tail, creating what's often called Mercury camber. This evolution significantly increased the board's versatility.
The addition of camber between the bindings provides better edge bite on hardpack and groomed terrain, addressing one of the main limitations of fully reverse camber boards. The camber also delivers improved ollie power and energy return, giving riders more pop when they need it. This combination makes the Navigator equally capable in powder and on groomed runs, eliminating the need to switch boards mid-day.
The V2 camber profile transforms the Navigator from a specialized powder board into a true all-mountain performer, maintaining exceptional float while adding edge hold and pop that makes it shine on groomers and variable conditions.
Ash Top Sheet and Durability
The Navigator features an ash top sheet that provides excellent durability and dampening properties. This wood veneer top sheet offers superior resistance to binding marks and general wear, making it ideal for riders who put serious days on their boards. The ash top sheet creates a smoother, more controlled ride by eliminating high-frequency vibrations without sacrificing the board's lively feel.
Wood veneer top sheets represent one of nature's most effective composite materials. The natural fiber alignment in wood creates strength and damping properties that are difficult to replicate with synthetic materials. Riders who have experienced boards with wood veneer top sheets often find them to be their favorites for these exact reasons.
Technora Boosters and Construction
The Navigator incorporates Technora boosters built into the core structure. Technora is an aramid fiber similar to Kevlar that works in tensile strength, providing reinforcement that holds strength in place rather than snapping back like carbon fiber. This creates a unique combination of dampening and strength that makes the Navigator feel smooth and controlled across all snow conditions.
When paired with the ash top sheet, the Technora boosters create a remarkably damp ride that excels on hardpack days, chunder, and ice. The board maintains its smooth turning characteristics whether you're in powder, variable snow, or challenging conditions. This construction approach makes the Navigator a reliable choice for riders who encounter diverse conditions throughout their season.
The board's ability to handle variable conditions makes it an excellent choice for riders who want one board that works everywhere. Whether you're exploring our Capita 2026 collection or considering other directional options, the Navigator's construction quality stands out.
Hover Core Technology
The Navigator uses Capita's Hover Core, which combines poplar and palonia wood. Poplar serves as the base wood for all Capita snowboards, providing excellent strength-to-weight ratio. The addition of palonia, a lightweight yet incredibly strong wood from Asia, further enhances the core's performance characteristics.
Palonia has become increasingly popular in snowboard and ski construction due to its remarkable combination of strength and low weight. Capita maintains its own palonia forest in Italy, ensuring they have access to the highest quality materials for their premium boards. This attention to material sourcing results in cores that are both lightweight and incredibly durable.
The poplar and palonia combination provides excellent dampening properties while maintaining a lively, responsive feel. Riders notice the board's snap and energy return, particularly in the tail, making it responsive when you need it while remaining smooth and controlled in challenging conditions.
Parabolic Sidecut Design
The Navigator features a unique parabolic sidecut that uses an 8-6.8-8 configuration, creating a deeper sidecut in the middle of the board that mellows out in the tip and tail. This design provides a long entry into turns with quicker response in the middle, followed by a long, stable exit. The parabolic shape helps the board initiate turns easily while maintaining stability through the turn's completion.
The deeper sidecut in the middle delivers maximum grip when you're deep in a turn, providing the edge hold needed for aggressive carving. The mellowed sections in the tip and tail make initiation and exit smoother, reducing the chance of catching edges and improving overall stability. This sidecut design is particularly effective on hardpack days, allowing the Navigator to carve confidently despite its powder-oriented shape.
The parabolic sidecut design makes the Navigator surprisingly capable on groomers, with the deeper middle section providing grip while the mellowed ends ensure smooth, predictable turn initiation and exit.
Taper and Sizing
The Navigator's taper has evolved from the original 25 millimeters down to approximately 10 millimeters, depending on size. This reduction in taper makes the board more versatile while maintaining its powder advantages. The smaller taper provides the float and turn initiation benefits of a tapered shape without creating the switch riding challenges that come with excessive taper.
The board comes in five sizes: 56, 58, 61, 64, and 67. The shorter sizes (47, 51, and potentially one smaller size) feature a white top sheet instead of the black ash top, but maintain the same construction and performance characteristics. These sizes are marketed as women's models, but like all snowboard gear, they're truly genderless - any rider who fits the size can ride them effectively.
The Navigator's sizing versatility makes it one of the few boards in Capita's lineup that can truly be called unisex. Riders of all sizes and abilities can find a Navigator that fits their needs, whether they're looking for a dedicated powder board or a versatile daily driver.
For riders considering the Navigator, pairing it with the right bindings and boots will maximize its versatility. The board works well with a range of binding stiffness levels, making it adaptable to different riding styles.
Hyperdrive Base and Factory Tuning
The Navigator features Capita's Hyperdrive base, a high-end base material that accepts wax exceptionally well and maintains speed when properly maintained. This base quality is particularly important for a board designed to handle diverse conditions, as it ensures consistent performance whether you're in powder, on groomers, or dealing with variable snow.
All Capita boards come fully tuned from the factory, including base grind, stone ground finish, base edge bevel, side edge tune, and full factory tuning. This attention to detail saves riders significant money - a professional tune can cost $50 to $100, and the Navigator arrives ready to ride with premium tuning already applied.
The combination of high-end base material and professional factory tuning means riders can spend more time on snow and less time in tuning shops. With regular waxing and basic maintenance, the Navigator's Hyperdrive base will maintain its speed and performance throughout the season.
Versatility Across Conditions
The Navigator's greatest strength is its versatility. While it's designed as a powder board, it performs exceptionally well across all conditions. Riders report using it as their daily driver for everything from powder days to park sessions with their kids, backcountry adventures, and everything in between.
The board's forgiving flex pattern and versatile shape make it suitable for intermediate riders who want a board that won't overwhelm them, while advanced riders appreciate its ability to handle aggressive riding when needed. The Navigator doesn't require stance changes or adjustments between conditions - it simply works regardless of whether you're in deep powder or on bulletproof ice.
This versatility makes the Navigator an excellent choice for riders who want one board that can handle everything. Whether you're exploring the complete Capita lineup or comparing directional options, the Navigator's all-around capability stands out.
Final Thoughts
The Capita Navigator represents exceptional value in the all-mountain snowboard category. Its evolution from the Charlie Slasher has resulted in a board that combines powder performance with everyday versatility, making it suitable as either a dedicated powder board or a quiver-of-one option.
The combination of V2 camber, ash top sheet, Technora boosters, and Hover Core creates a board that feels smooth and controlled while maintaining enough pop and response for aggressive riding. The parabolic sidecut ensures the board carves confidently despite its powder-oriented shape, while the moderate taper provides float without compromising switch riding ability.
For riders looking for a versatile directional board that can handle everything from powder days to groomed runs, the Navigator deserves serious consideration. Its construction quality, versatile performance, and accessible pricing make it one of the best values in Capita's lineup. Whether you're building your first quiver or adding a versatile option to an existing collection, the Navigator delivers the performance and versatility that makes it a favorite among riders who have experienced it.
Content courtesy of our friends at The Riders Lounge
