Gearing up for 10-11 Season
Posted: 05 April 2010 11:22 PM
Measurements:
Body height:5’4
Weight:135
Shoe size:7-7.5
Riding level:
[ ] Beginner
[ ] Intermediate
[X] Advanced
[ ] Expert
Riding style:
[X] Piste [30] %
[ ] Powder [10] %
[X] Park [30] %
[X] Rails [30] %
Hey Guys, I’m trying to get a complete gear set for the upcoming 2010-2011 season on the east coast. I’m pretty much a solid rider but intermediate on the parks/rails. I got my 180’s down and not afraid to hit most rails unless it has massive kinks but need to work on style/presses and etc. I love to do butters and hit natural terrain jumps and side kickers.
I have never really ridden a freestyle board and have been working on all those tricks on my cousins 159 soloman forecast. I know this is going to be a huge change once I get a real board underneath me. What are the size ranges I am looking for? I tried the size calculator and it recommends a board around 146 for me but I noticed that a lot of boards get cut off at 150 in size, are these ok?
Currently I’m trying to grab a deal during the off-season so i’m going to be price shopping throughout this whole summer. I’m trying to not spend more than $500 for a complete boots/binds/board package.
I narrowed it down to a few of these…
Board
K2 Jibpan
K2 WWW Rocker
Never Summer Evo-R
Bindings
Rome 390
Union Force
I would love to put Rossignol Angus or Ride Machete in there but it seems the board sizes are too big for me? Any input would be great on where to find deals or brand/board/binding/boot choices.
Posted: 05 April 2010 11:30 PM
oh, and how good is this deal? Should I really shell out a few extra bucks and get the rocker version?
http://www.aspenskiandboard.com/K2-WWW-2010-P971C165.aspx
looks like some disgusting deals here also… are Sierra brands decent?
http://www.sierrasnowboard.com/snowboarding/Mens/size_144-148/snowboards_0.asp
Posted: 07 April 2010 02:49 PM
Hi Chayo234,
Sorry for the late reply… things are very busy at Snowbord Review HQ (aka my damp squalid flat), dreaming up ideas for next years site Snowboard Review 2.0!
Ok back to your question. I think you’re looking at boards in the right ball park. Rocker definitely looks like the best option for you as you’re super keen on park and flat land tricks. With your height and weight I’d say anything from 148 to 150 ish is going to suit you.. and at 60kg you’re not crazy light.
Yeah the K2www is a good choice. but be warned that it is very very soft… the K2 Jib Pan is also pretty soft, but has damping under the feet so you won’t feel quite as many bumps through the board. Personally I’d be wary of the EVO-R, it’s pretty stiff and if you want a soft jib board it won’t really fit the bill, it’s a bit more for red to black jumps and halfpipe riding. My other suggestions would be the Ride Crush which is quite like the K2WWW and can be picked up for a good price, the Salomon Salvatore Sanchez, another jib and park killer and the Signal Park, which has a nice soft and forgiving flex that is impossible to not get along with, even though it is cambered (don’t be tempted by the Park Rocker.. it’s silly soft… probably the softest board on the market). But yeah the K2 WWW will do the job for sure. I’d pair it up with a set of Union Contacts which have a minimised baseplate footprint which helps your rockered board to flex truer, i.e. without the deadspots.
Rich
Posted: 08 April 2010 08:05 PM
After researching, there is soooo many boards to choose from!
I feel like every review feels positive about most boards and its hard to tell apart from the pro reviews and opinions.
How do you feel about the burton hero 2010? the 149 comes in orange and would look sick with the union contact orange cream color! or the rome artifact 85 with 390 bindings?
Also how do you feel about any of the sierra board line ups? It seems the sierra stunt got some good reviews. How are their prices so low compared to the original brand which they teamed up with? It seems kind’ve crazy.
Posted: 08 April 2010 10:43 PM
Yeah the Hero and the Union Contact bindings would be a sick setup if the Hero didn’t use the slider ICS channel binding mount system, which means you have to use Burton ICS bindings with it.
I’m afraid I haven’t ridden the Sierra branded releases, but as far as Sierra goes I’ve heard good things about their customer service… just might not be a good idea to buy a Burton as next season Burton have banned Sierra from selling their product which might make warrantying your deck a little difficult through the shop… although I’m sure the W48 warranty that Burton provide will cover it.
I think you’re going to find most boards get fairly good write-ups, it’s all about being fit for purpose. Someone who’s hitting rails and jibs with the K2 WWW is going to love it as it’s built with that job in mind… fortunately there aren’t many brands putting out crap at the moment. It’s all about picking the boards that people are raving about! YES 149 with Union Contacts… that’s a looker of a setup!
Posted: 08 April 2010 10:55 PM
yeah, i would love to get my hands on a 149 YES board but it seems there is virtually no deals out there for it atm. I was thinking about it over and I am actually thinking about mostly working on doing 3’s and maybe try to start doing 5’s by the end of the 2011 season. if this was the case, what board/binding combo would you recommend?
Posted: 08 April 2010 11:15 PM
My advise would be to still go for a softish-medium stiffness board. To be honest the 149 Yes would be even more perfect for getting your spins now… especially when you start taking your spins to slightly bigger jumps.
Posted: 19 April 2010 10:57 PM
What are your thoughts on the Rome Artifact 1985?
Also what about Delta MVMNT and Rome 390 bindings? what are the primary differences between those two and Union contacts?
Posted: 20 April 2010 07:24 PM
Howdee again Chayo,
I’m afarid I haven’t ridden the Artifact 1985, but from what I gather it’s uber soft. Mostly a park rail and urban shred. I’ll be sure to test it in a couple of weeks time.
Regarding your question about the Union Contact binding, they’re kind of unique as Union have minimised the solid nylon footprint of the binding and used rubber for the rest. This effectively means that the deadspots you get from traditional bindings on a rockered board like the Artifact 1985 and Capita horrorscope fk which are super soft are eliminated. You get a truer flex through the board. A great concept, and I can see that it will probably reduce the number of areas at risk of fracturing… kind of a problem with soft rocker boards. Below is a link to an article I did on them
Rich
Posted: 27 April 2010 10:51 PM
I guess the Union Contacts are being heavily praised! My mind on my bindings are definitely made up then.
It looks like more companies are coming out with assymetrical type boards. Do you see this as a trend where its going to be crucial for new boards later on?
It looks like I do have some extra cash to spend on a premium board so unless I think I get a ridiculous deal on this previous years models, I will save up and try to nab a new YES board.
Do you have any recommendations for boots? I hear that you should really go to a store and get it fit instead of shopping for it online?
Posted: 27 April 2010 11:00 PM
Yeah next year’s YES boards are looking tight.. we should have a couple of reviews of next years YES boards lined up for August so be sure to check them out.
Boots are all about fit, so it’s really important to get to a shop and try them on. If you’re going for the same brand, you’re pretty safe buying over the net, but only when you know a boot brand fits. Personally I’m a big Vans fan, they’re quite a bit heavier than some other brands, but they’re super snug and really supportive. I have narrow ankles and quite a high instep.
Posted: 18 October 2010 05:54 AM
not to bring back dead topics but its been 6 months and i’m getting antsy!
For my stats, which YES board do you believe would be the best? Also has anyone tried out the new UNION contacts? How much difference do you believe there is between this years and last years model?
Thanks
Posted: 20 October 2010 12:48 AM
Heya, I’m also gearin up for this season. Landed myself a job at Whistler Blackcomb and heading out in November!!! I’m really excited, and think it’s time for an upgrade in gear.
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 80kg
Boot Size: 12
Riding level: Intermediate
Riding style:
Piste: 35%
Pow: 35%
Park: 20%
Rails: 10%
I’m a fairly solid rider, and I especially love riding powder. That being said, I’m hoping to get a nice all-around board where I can enjoy powder and piste, but also sneak in some practice time to develop my park skills. Wouldn’t mind hitting some of the easier rails too.
I’m intrigued by these new hybrid camber style boards, I’ve been riding a traditional camber on a Rossignol District (i think from 03 or 04?) up until now. It sounds like they’re the kind of board profile that suits what I’m looking for? The boards I’m most interested in order of preferance are as follows:
Jones Mountain Twin
Never Summer SL
Rome Anthem
Yes GDOH
Burton Custom Flying-V
Capita Black Snowboard of Death
Suggestions, opinions, and any advice at all on which board I should pick would be greatly appreciated! (The burton and capita are nearer the bottom for financial reasons, I’d really rather not burn that hole in my wallet… but if you insist strong enough perhaps I’ll be swayed?) Any advice on bindings would be solid too!
Thanks in advance!
Posted: 20 October 2010 01:06 AM
Whoops forgot, I think I need a wide board too right? Do you know if these boards have a Wide option?
Posted: 21 October 2010 05:38 PM
Hey Iago,
concerning bindings I advice you to check our binding buying guide: click here
And you are totally right about the wide-board thing. With size 12 boots this will be exactly what you need.
Maybe the 160 Mountain Twin will be wide enough, though- check the width of the deck and then enter all your data to our boot size calculator: click here.
Posted: 21 October 2010 09:35 PM
Thanks for the links, very helpful. Looks like I’m a size too big for the 160 Mountain Twin unfortunatly, guess that’s a no go… : ( Oh well, it was gonna be tough to get to a place that sells them for me anyways
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