Upgrading and need your help!

Posted: 23 March 2010 01:59 AM

Hi everyone, I am obviously brand new to your forum…found it during my search for new stuff.

I enjoyed reading the comments and have found some great info.  I could get lost on here all day.

Been snowboarding for 16 years now and have had a few different boards.  My current being an 05 Burton Custom with mission bindings.  After a week in Park City I feel its time for new gear (board and bindings).

After researching on my own; all I am certain about is that the newer technology/terminology is confusing the hell out of me!  I used to ride park a lot but now spend most of my time charging down groomers, hitting the trees (when snow permits) and popping off kickers I find along the way.  I do venture into the park but mostly for the small/medium jumps.  I stay away from the rails but do like to ride switch and jib around. 

I am no expert but far from intermediate.  I was hoping to hear your advise and see if it matches up with what I have found.

Any help is greatly appreciated!  Naturally, I want to make the best decision I can. 

Thanks again guys.  Best.

Darren

Posted: 23 March 2010 04:35 AM

Darren, so what’s your specific question?  Are you looking at any specific boards?

The guide off the homepage at the bottom has a write-up on the different cambers:

Click me for the insta-guide-link!

If you’ve been riding for 16 years you probably know someone riding a reverse camber board.  I’m sure once you get on one you’ll feel the difference.  I personally have not tried one yet but I’m looking at getting a K2 Parkstar this week which has a “Jib Rocker” technology…  basically a flat board with a sharper-rising tip and tail.

Posted: 23 March 2010 04:45 AM

Thanks for the reply Reloaded. 

I guess I need to be more clear.  My problem is that I have not ridden anything but a true camber board.  I am looking to purchase a new board and bindings and it seems like each board on my short list has utilizes newer technologies.  I am looking to you guys, who seem to have ridden these newer decks to point me in the right direction. 

So far I have narrowed it down to the K2 Turbo Dream, K2 Believer, K2 SlayBlade, LibTech Travis Rice BTX, Rossi Agnus, and Ride Machete. 

With that said, what do you guys think? Does one of these stand out or should I look elsewhere?

Posted: 23 March 2010 09:02 AM

Hi Darren and a warm welcome to our forums!

The Rossi Angus and the Ride Machete definitely are standout decks this season. Saying this, it is pretty hard to get a hold of them these days, but maybe you’re lucky..

The K2 Turbodream is a fully-rockered deck as you know, which mainly means it’s a powder killer and great in the park. And although it has quite some edgehold on the groomers, you will surely notice the difference to a rocker-hybrid, or even more, a cambered deck. If you are mainly charging the piste, this board is not the perfect choice for you.

I’ve had it with the K2 Slayblade myself but in the end decided to go with the Amplid Paradigma. The Slayblade does have zero camber which is a bit more forgiving than the regular camber.

The LT Travis Rice BTX would be a really good match for you, in my opinion. Rocker between your bindings to make jibbing easier, magnatraction for better edgehold.. indeed a great allround ride!

Can’t say much about the K2 Believer..

As a conclusion I’d say that you can surely find your ‘perfect’ board out of the ones you listed.
Come back if there are any more question!

Cheers Tobi

Posted: 23 March 2010 03:28 PM

Hi Darren,

Thanks for the feedback on the site… got to say Reloaded and Tobi are doing a sterling job on the Forums, helping peeps like you out, so that’s definitely a massive help which i’m super grateful for.

Regarding your question. I completely agree that a hybrid rocker/camber profile technology is going to be the best option for you. It will loosen the board up for you, but also keep some of the key properties that you get from camber. Now if it’s pop and hard charging stability that you are after, I’d be inclined to go for the C2 banana / NS RC technology type of profile, E.g. the Lib Travis Rice and the Never Summer SLR. If you want the pow float and shorter flat base edge contact (Not to be confused with effective edge) which gies a very agile and freestyle feel to the board, but with great carving properties my vote would be with the Rossi Angus or a YES deck… Might also be worth mentioning that the Rossi are putting amptek on all of their boards next season… and the One gets Amptek and Magnetraction.

if you want more park specific, look at a board like the Parkstar with rockered tips and tail and zero camber between the feet which make the deck buttery and essential part of the board incontact with rails when your sliding, or look at a softer version of the Angus/Yes profile (Amptek/Camrock) like the Signal Omni or Nidecker Blade or a softer version of the C2/RC system like the Nitro Gullwing on the Sub Zero. I’m also digging on Atomic’s Pop Rocker profile for park, rode this years Axum at the test and next years in Austria a couple of weeks ago and it’s fantastic for thrashing the park, great edgehold in carves, plenty of tail reistance for of axis landings but riding where you’re thinking about the trick your about to pull instead of worrying about what your edges are doing.

Rich

Posted: 23 March 2010 07:42 PM

Thanks Rich! 

The responses have really helped to focus my search!  It seems like I am stuck between the Angus & TRice at a discount right now or waiting for the new boards like the Rossi ONE you mentioned.

The problem is that my riding is split between hard-pack and fairly shallow powder, say 2 feet and under.  I am in the trees, on the better days, popping off the hits I find.  When its torn up or ice, I am charging the groomers and playing around off the lips and such.  I do enjoy the park, for the kickers,  and hardly ever flirt with the rails/boxes anymore.

Does that sound more like the TRice to you?  I do like to jump and jib around but is the Angus to loose at high speeds for me?  Would my best bet to be to wait until the Ampteck gets the Magnatraction? (the ONE)

And what bindings should I pair with the new deck? 

Your help is greatly appreciated guys! The forum and ride tests are most helpful.

Posted: 23 March 2010 07:56 PM

Hey Darren,
as Tom reported from his Rossi board test the Angus is super stable even at high speed. If Rich says the C2 rocker type a bit better for charging, he is probably right, still I don’t think you would be disappointed by the Angus.

Bindingwise, I quote myself as it’s always what I’m saying :)
Bindings are mainly about personal riding style and comfort. Rich is riding a Drake Czar, Tom Salomon Relays, me Union Superpros (Force). Ride RX e.g. are also really nice bindings. Just grab your boots and visit a local store, check out which bindings you like concerning highback stiffness,.. and check if your boots fit in. You should probably prefer bindings with a stiffer highback for better response as you are charging hard from time to time.

Sorry if this text is a bit messed up, just not completely focused. Hope it still helped a bit.
Cheers Tobi

Posted: 23 March 2010 09:14 PM

From what Tom’s been saying, I gather the Rossi is pretty stable, but from my own experiences the Travis Rice was stable at uber speeds. Nice firm do it all board with loads of pop, and mag edges just rip into hard pack, kind of perfect for you from what you’re saying. To be honbest you’re going to love either… oh it’s worth mentioning that the Atomic Alibi gest pop rocker next season… that is one serious rocket!

To be honest… bindings are all about personal opinion. I like a mid/firm highback on my all mountain boards and a slightly less supportive binding for park and rail action. I also like to have a cushty ankle strap and a toe strap that I can use like a cap strap. my only critism of my drakes are that the base plate is quite narrow which is not doing my boots many favours, but then again my boots (vans andreas wiig) have a small metal plate detail which exacting revenge on my bindings… all fair in love and war. Oh and the toe strap when put over the end of my boot like a cap strap has a tendancy to slip as Drake didn’t put any rubber/silicone grip on the inside of the strap (bit stupid is you ask me). If you go for a binding with a stiffness around 6-7 out of 10.. you’ll be a happy man. Tom digs his Salomon’s which are his second pair and Tobi is enjoying his new Unions. The one thing worth major thought is buying a binding that you know you can get spairs for. I’ve got a set of Rossi bindings which I really like, but a couple of weeks after buying them some bolts fell out… went back to the shop and they didn’t have any spairs… phoned the distributor in the UK… erm no spairs. You get my jihst.

Rich

Posted: 24 March 2010 01:00 AM

Damn guys…I was set on the TRice c2 157…but after shopping around not only can I only find it in a 153, its still $540!

I can get the Angus in my size for $299 no tax and shipped to my door!  Should I go with that or wait for next seasons crop of new Rossi’s, K2’s, Atomics…..

Finding a new board is turning into a chore! But now I want one even more.  Damn it.

Posted: 24 March 2010 01:10 AM

$299! THat’s a crazy deal… personally I’d take Tom’s word that it’s a verstile deck that can handle hard carving and park action and commit to the Angus. It’s pretty much half the price of the Trice and it’s the right size.

Posted: 24 March 2010 01:58 AM

Go for the Angus!!!  It won the Good Wood TWS award in it’s sub-$400 bracket and was the only all-mountain winner in that group.

Ditto on bindings.  I ride Salomon Relays and they are super soft, took me a while to get used to them but now I’m thankful to the feel I get out of my board because of a softer binding.  That said I’m looking at Ride EX’s for my park setup as they are pretty light and seem to be built strong…  would be boring to get the same bindings again. :)

Posted: 24 March 2010 04:53 AM

You guys rock.  I’m going with the Angus…just too good a deal.

Alright I got another good question.  Now lets not overreact and starting freakin out or anything…but has anyone ridden a flow binding lately?  I am considering the NXT-ATSE, amongst other brands have you! ha

For some reason I feel the flows have really improved but I have been wrong once before.  Alright there, I said it…go easy on me.

Thoughts?

Posted: 24 March 2010 09:17 AM

It’s not like the Flows are coming directly from hell or anything :)

(man.. I can’t seem to find the topic where we already discussed the flow thing before.. )
Anyway, I am with you saying that Flow has improved in the last time and there has to be a reason some pros ride them in competitions and stuff.

I personally just don’t dig them too much, as many others do. The advantage of the Flows mainly is the step-in-and-go concept which spares you some seconds coming out of a lift. The thing is, when I go shredding, I am not like “omg come on let’s get down the piste fast so we can be up here as soon as possible again” so I don’t mind the 5 secs it takes me longer to tighten up my binding. In comparison to that, the disadvantages of Flow bindings just overweigh the advantages. Like: try to get in to a Flow at a steep powder-ish piste.. it can turn out into a total desaster and stress!

If you want a compromise between a Flow and a regular strap binding, have a look at the APO Expresso or K2 Cinch. Both bindings with fast entry and straps.

Posted: 24 March 2010 03:52 PM

Yeah the flow argument is centuries old… you’re never going to convince a hater that they are great or a lover that they’re sh*te. Flow have gone a long way to addressing people’s critisisms of the bindings, they’re a millions times lighter than they used to be, they’re using more durable materials and most of all they don’t look as wack anymore. Personally taking 2 minutes to get my bindings on, making sure the straps are tensioned correctly and on the right part of my foot is worth it… even when it’s cold. If you’re used to conventional bindings I hear the fit and feel is very different and you can end up with quite a lot of wear on your boots from slipping your foot in and out… saying that, you don’t have to worry about ratchets breaking or strap teeth being ground down. Basically, it’s probably apparent that I’m not a massive fan, I’ve tried Flows and K2 Cinch and neither gave me a riding feel I liked or was used too… but just to clarify, that’s my personal opinion only… please don’t quote me as a hater… just not a lover.

Posted: 25 March 2010 01:17 AM

Another option and one that I might consider this Friday when I pick up my board is the Ride Contrabands.  Basically they integrate the toe strap into a split harness that connections to the heel strap…  just putting on your heel strap does up the whole binding.

I personally had a disaster with some Flows I tried…  my wide stance didn’t suit the easy entry of the binding.  Sold them to a friend and he loves em so it is such a personal preference.

Posted: 06 May 2010 07:33 AM

Hi again guys,

I just purchased my new deck!  The Rossi Angus in 1.5.7.  The best part…I got it brand new and delivered to my door for..wait for it…$145! Rad right?

I still need to pick up bindings but im pretty stoked on my new ride; and the smokin deal. 

Thanks again for all the help.

Darren