Got a Nitro Punisher, want a park board

Posted: 31 March 2010 08:59 PM

Hi,

I currently have a Nitro punisher. I’m guessing it’s pretty old ‘cause I can’t find any image of it. (Not of my version anyway).

What I’m looking for, is a board to go into the park with (currently only jumps and boxes), but that will also let me just get some speed and go down some hard slopes. I now that’s probably asking for the impossible, but I can always try :-). I would like to use my current bindings (Burton Customs) on my new board. My shoe size is 12 (46 EUR) so the board can’t be to narrow.

My skill-level is that of about 12 weeks (, spread over 8 years). I don’t have any problems with snowboaring on a slope and I’m practicing on becoming better in the park.

I’m also still a student, so price is important. Some of the options are:

Nitro: T1, Swindle, Sub-Zero, Haze, Pro-SERIES-Keller
Burton: Blunt, Deuce, Mayhem
(And all the others boards here [http://unitedbrands.be/wintersport/BOARD/board-hardware.asp] that go up to 400€)

Currently my favorite is the Nitro T1 since it has a wide version, this site indicates that it’s good at the park & halfpipe and it’s affordable.

So, what do you guys say ?

Posted: 01 April 2010 08:00 AM

Welcome to the site…

A wide board is needed, a size 12 boot will have a lot of hang on a regular deck.

That being said I’m not familiar with Nitro boards or Burtons for that matter.  But for a park deck you should look for something with a softer flex, but not too soft cause it doesn’t sound like you’ll be into jibbing and rails heavily.

A lot of the popular boards this season in the park have a reverse-camber feature of some sort…  one of the most popular boards that all the Aussie lifties around here have is the Lib Tech Skate Banana, however that is not a cheap board.

Since you have Burton bindings you could easily stay in the Burton camp…  and the most park oriented board of Burton you listed is the Blunt (which is also available in wide models).  That would be a good choice however I’m not educated enough to say for certain.

Posted: 03 April 2010 01:13 PM

Yo Dauntless, what are your vital stats, i.e. weight height etc?

Posted: 05 April 2010 09:47 PM

I’m 1m82cm and I weigh about 86kilograms. (I’m pretty heavy for my height, but I’m in great shape)

Posted: 05 April 2010 10:31 PM

Ok going on your height, weight and the style of riding you’re looking to do, I’d look at the following boards:

Head Transit I XL:- A park board built with Intellifibres so it will ride softer at slow speeds and stiffen up when you’re charging. I’m not sure whether you should look at the 156 or the 160, I think the 156 is going to be fine if you’re main agenda is park riding.

K2 Darkstar or Parkstar:- Ok so it’s upto you whether you want to go for traditional camber or rocker. The rocker will sacrifice the boards ability to stick tail heavy landings or hold superfast carves on sketchy snow, but will definitely help you with spins, butters and pressing.

GNU Carbon Credit Series:- Mervin’s budget banana, the Carbon Credit has all of the technology the other boards in the Lib and GNU ranges have, it’s just cheaper. Reverse camber will help to loosen up the board and will help with slow speed pop. The mag edges will help with grip when the park hardens up.

Forum Destroyer Chillidog:- The board choice of park rats world wide. A medium flex thanks to triax glass and a fast sintered base. Not much else to say… a good board.

Nitro Swindle:- Heards lots of good thinks about the Swindle, our tester Kev rates it as one of the best decks out there for riding everything. Although it’s got camber, it’s been kept to an absolute minimum, so it’s going to lock onto rails. It’s got thinker edges for durability and a cool base that when you scratch you go though to another colour, so they look like wounds… nice.

Of course the Burton Blunt is going to do the job too.