Atomic Banger - Pow stick? Advice on size?

Posted: 12 July 2013 07:11 AM

Hey Rich & Co. Just wanted some advice re : size & appropriateness of the Atomic Banger, for what I want it for. I’m going to ask you Rich, because I know you have ridden one!

I am at a level where I do high intermediate & lower end black/advanced runs in New Zealand. I am more of a freeride kind of guy - with my background as a surfer, the main thing I love is going fast and carving. Have never entered the park and probably never will. Don’t care about switch.

I am going back to NZ in a month and am expecting I will be finding a little powder here and there, and probably up to doing mostly low end black runs most of the time. I am also going to Japan for the first time early next year and going to Niseko and Nozawa. I expect over there that I will need a more powder oriented board to cope with super deep powder, and hope to do a lot of tree runs for the first time!! Expecting I will be venturing into sidecountry in Japan.

My weight is 65kg and I’m short at about 165cm.

I’m looking at the 2012 Atomic Banger. Reason - crazy cheap prices which is obviously because they don’t make snowboards anymore. With me being so light, is the 158 the ticket? Or do you think I should even go longer and go for 162? I think 162 would be too long for New Zealand, but maybe a good length for Niseko. Everyone I’ve ever talked to about Niseko says you can’t have enough length for Niseko! Is the Banger “enough” of a powder board for Niseko? (ie nipple deep powder) Is the “pop-cam” of the Banger too “camber” for crazy deep powder?

I guess the idea for the board is to use a bit in NZ on powder days and when I hike (for which I’m sure 158 will be plenty), but also using it basically as a pow stick in Niseko. Will a 158 Banger be O.K in Niseko or should I go longer? Thanks Rich!!

Posted: 18 July 2013 10:06 AM

He Geewhizz,

Yeah the 158 Banger is going to be enough board to give you floatation in deep pow and you’re relatively lightweight and that board has plenty of surface area. If you wanted a bit more of a gun you could size-up to the 162 but I don’t think it’s necessary. I’d opt for the 158.

Hope that helps,
Rich

(Nice board by the way)

Posted: 18 July 2013 10:44 AM

Hey Rich. Thanks for the reply.

To be honest, whilst I was waiting for your reply I thought it through (and realised I was overthinking things massively) , and figured the 158 should be big enough, and would be more versatile in NZ where I normally board, so I ended up going ahead & ordering the 158. It actually arrived today.

A couple of interesting points for prospective Banger buyers - the 2011/12 models are all a lot less width than the previous 2 years worth of models. My 158 has a waist of 251, wheras the previous years models of 157 had a waist of 254 (according to what I have read on the net anyway…..). Nose and tail are also less wide than previous years. Board is very cambered before you get to the rockered nose - much more so than expected.

The other thing that really impressed me was the finish quality - it is absolutely fantastic. I have seen some brands these days where the finish of topsheets etc is pretty hit and miss (Jones comes to mind!!) but the build quality and finish looks amazing, as good as anything I have seen. Shame they don’t make snowboards anymore (outside Japan!!).

I am going to NZ in 4 weeks - I am taking my Rossi, but this will go in the board bag too for a trial run before I hit Japan in 6 months. I’ll give you a full report after NZ.

Thanks again Rich!