Need Advice for Snowboard Upgrade

Posted: 24 March 2010 05:19 AM

Hi Guys,

I’ve been riding for about 12 years now and am definitely due for a hardware upgrade.  I mostly freeride, love to speed and carve up the mountain while still hitting some jumps, fakie on occasion.  Never spend any time in the park though.

I tend to ride throughout the US, but spend most of my time riding in California.  I’m 6’2”, 180lbs, with a size 12US boot.

I was looking at the GNU Altered Genetics 159 or the GNU Billy Goat, but what would you suggest?

Thanks!

Posted: 24 March 2010 09:44 AM

Hey there, thank you for using our forums!

Before talkin about specific boards: How do you adhere to powder? Is there much powpow where you are riding?
If that’s not the case, I’d definitely go for a regular cambered deck for the best possible edgehold and pop!

What deck did you ride until now? I don’t see the two GNU’s you suggested being available in a wide version which you should definitely get with a size 12 boot! Didn’t you ride a wide board before?

Posted: 24 March 2010 04:17 PM

Sounds like the Billy Goat is going to address your needs out of the two, it’s a bit stiffer and has the C2 banana profile which should give the board some power out of turns. My only worry would be that your feet are going to be quite big for a 25.2cm waist.

I’d possibly look at the Never Summer F1-R which at 163cm has a 25.7 waist, this board has a similar rocker/camber profile to the Mervin C2 banana technology and is damp and stiff for hard carving and charging, or the Never Summer Legacy which is a wide version of the popular SLR, more in the burton Custom, ride everything style of boards… at 26.5cm wide , it’s definitely going to have enough width under foot, also has RC technolgy and a 3 year warranty. Gnu also tend not to have full wrap edges (i.e. they don’t wrap around the nose or tail) so if you’re riding the trees and hit a tree trunk under the snow, there’s a posibility your board might explode.. but that’s not so much the issue, it’s the width.

Rich

Posted: 24 March 2010 04:49 PM

Wow, thanks for the quick replies!

Right now I have a Ride Fleetwood with Burton P1 Bindings.  I know it would be ideal to get a wider board, but I really wanted something that will be a bit quicker heel to toe and since I ride duck footed I thought I would be OK.

I’m always hunting for the Pow and can find it some time, but more often then not I find myself on groomed mountains.  I hit South Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, and Big Bear quite a bit.  Powder early in the season, packed snow towards the end…

So the Never Summer or Burton Custom may be my best bet?

Posted: 24 March 2010 11:53 PM

I think the Amplid UNW8 would be a great ride for you, unfortunately it’s not available as wide version. Damn that would have been nice..
The Palmer Honeycomb is also not available in wide but the 164 does have a 258mm width; probably still too narrow I guess.

The Head Intelligence AK also sounds like a great choice to me. Great Freeride-specific deck and it’s mid-wide!
Alternatively, for less powder but more piste, the Head I.CT Intelligence would be a good shot! Also mid-wide and with great specs.

It’s worth a look for sure, so check those two out and let me know what you think!

Oh and abot the NS and Burton Custom you suggested- I think that for mainly freeriding, they won’t be as rewarding as the decks I listed above!

Posted: 25 March 2010 11:33 AM

Sorry I didn’t mean the Burton Custom, I meant the Legacy and SLR are boards to ride everything on the mountain, from kickers to pow, much like the Burton Custom.. a jack of all trades master of none.

Tobi’s spot on with his suggestions, I just wanted to check that it’s a out-and-out freeride board you are looking to purchase? Hard carving and powder with the odd jump thrown in, but very little park? Also are you looking for a stiff board or a board with a slightly more progressive flex (encouraging learning)?

Rich

Posted: 26 March 2010 12:52 AM

Thanks Tobi and Rich.  I was curious as to your input whether I should really go for a freeride-specific board or something which is more of a jack of all trades.

I will never be in the park, love to freeride.  But I certainly like to hit natural jumps and gaps, occasional fakie while freeriding.

Sounds like you gave me some solid suggestions for in between boards and freestyle-specific which is really what I needed.

If there is anything else I should take into account as far as board technology or make/models, please let me know.

Thanks again!

Posted: 27 March 2010 06:02 PM

Always a pleasure to help!

Yeah unless you plan to just freeride or intend on buying a quiver of boards (an expensive and addictive option), I’d go for an all mountain board, jack of all trades snowboard. Buying a hybrid rocker/camber board should help with varying snow conditions but still mean the board carves hard.

Rich

Posted: 30 March 2010 12:38 AM

Hey Guys,

Found the Never Summer Premier F1-R 163 for $375, may have to snag it…. You don’t think that will be a bit long?  I don’t want to get a board that limits maneuverability in the air/ground…

Again, I’m over six feet and about ~175.  Current board is 156.

The reviews for the NS F1-R are stellar and it sounds like a good fit.

Posted: 30 March 2010 08:12 AM

I’m 180 and my deck is 159 so I think with your 188 the 163 fits.
A longer board provides you better flow in the pow and better carving abilities as long as you got the stats for it; I think you could go with it.

Posted: 30 March 2010 07:11 PM

Yeah so long as you’re main interest is carving hard and super fast no matter what the snow conditions, the F1-R 163 will be absolutely perfect. NS have kept the sidecut nice and tight, so it should be responsive to quick turns. If you want to spin and flip off park jumps you might find the damping a bit heavy and the shape too directional. It’s a pure freeriders deck.