Signal Omni Series - 2010
Summary:
Combining the Wavelength profile with triaxial glass, a directional shape and a standard poplar core makes for a truely versatile ride, as happy in the park and pipe as fresh alpine steeps. The Signal Omni Series uses the new Wavelength profile, camber between the bindings and rocker at the tip and tail, much like Rossignol’s Amptek and Nidecker’s CamRock profiles.
Manufacturer's Description:
This board is all things to all mountain riders! Rocker and camber blended together create Wavelength technology, exclusive to Signal. You will never bury your nose in powder again.
The Omni has camber between your feet and rocker from your feet out to the tip and tail. The rocker keeps your nose up in powder while the camber provides edge control while you carve.
The two meet at a transition point, providing an additional contact point that engages even before the edge. And the fact that the rocker starts at your bindings means that you have less surface area on the snow and, therefore, a faster board!
The Omni is both a directional and a twin board. It’s directional in the sense that the nose is longer than the tail. And it’s twin in the sense that the tip and tail widths are identical as well as the fact that the radial sidecut meets at the center of the board.
These boards — a 152, 156, 159 and 162— are built with full-length poplar cores with Triaxial glass on both the top and bottom, Durasurf sintered base material, matte urethane 4160 tops, and
carbon torsion bars.
Ride the Wavelength!
Year: 2010
Available Lengths (cm): 152, 156, 159, 162
Riding Style: All Mountain
Specifications:
Durasurf sintered base
Urethane 4160 topsheet
Carbon torsion bars
Radial sidecut
Triaxial glass
Directional shape
Wavelength rocker profile
Similar boards:
What we reckon:
Read our pro guide to buying a park snowboard.
Read our pro guide to buying a rails snowboard.
Read our pro guide to buying a pipe snowboard.
Read our pro guide to buying a freeride snowboard.
Review of Signal Omni Series:
Before you consider the Omni, you should probably know that the Signal Omni has a shape that only a mother could love. On the plus side you know what they say about those not blessed with the best looks… well the same goes for the Omni, it’s a great ride. The Wavelength technology is very similar to Rossignol’s Amptek and Nidecker’s Camrock, but the rocker at the tip and tail is less pronounced, I think that’s what’s responsible for the ‘interesting’ aesthetics!
Enough about the looks, everyone knows it’s what’s underneath that counts! Well I have to congratulate Signal on the Omni, because it’s a very versatile board. I took the 156 out for a spin, my usual all mountain board size is around 158, but I thought as I was riding park, I’d take a slightly shorter length. The flex on the Omni is what I’d describe as medium/soft, the camber between the feet gives the board a medium torsional stiffness but the cambered tip and tail make the Omni buttery soft. What this means is, you get plenty of grip carving and sticking bumpy landings, but you get loads of forgiveness for slightly over or under rotated spins and great press-ability. One thing I was surprised about was how much pop the Omni had and how lively it felt on an edge, it felt a little weird riding quite a soft board that still felt snappy and lively on an edge.
So here comes the big question. You’re probably not sure whether to go for the Signal Omni 156, or the YES 156.5? Fortunately despite using similar technology, they’re quite different boards. If you’re interested in mostly riding park and you want a responsive but forgiving board, you’ll be better suited to riding the Signal Omni, or sizing down to the YES 154. If you’re after a burly all mountain charger for backcountry charging then it’s the YES 156.5.
So to summarise, I’d definitely recommend the Omni. If you’re a keen park rider who is looking for a versatile board, don’t let the talk of triaxial glass and carbon reinforcement put you off this board it’s really forgiving and a real joy to cruise the park and about your local hill on, on and off piste. On the flip side, don’t think because it’s cambered between the feet, using a directional shape that it’s a firm flexing board that’ll replace you’re freeride board because of the float that rocker offers. Sure, it’ll float in powder, but it’s definitely more tailored to park riders.
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