Freestyle powder board

Posted: 28 September 2010 02:53 PM

Hey!

I’m looking for a new all-mountain board. The boards on my list right now are K2 Turbo Dream, Burton Sherlock, Yes the Dudes/Optimistic and probably last years used Joystick wide. I’m also open to other boards.

Problem is that I won’t be able to test any of the boards (I have tested the Joystick last year and I liked it, even thus it was 150). And Yes boards I can’t even see before I buy.

I think that Turbo Dream would be safe choice. Joystick would be least expensive one and good choice too, but I don’t know how it works in powder. Sherlock sounded like a nice board, but I’m not sure if it’s too soft. One of the Yeses might be the best choice, but those I would have to buy solely based on the internet reviews (which there aren’t many).

Has anyone ridden more than one of those boards and could give some advice?

I’m 5’11’’ and 180 lbs. Last year I rode malolo 62 on powder days and uninc 57 for everything else.

Thank you!

Posted: 28 September 2010 03:04 PM

I’ve ridden the YES basic and last years 156.5 and 154, the 156.5 being like the Dudes this year and the 154 being like this years TYPO. They’re nice boards, but the rocker/camber hybrid is different to a standard rocker which is what you will have experienced on the Joystick. You get the majority of the flex at the nose and tail instead of through the entire length which is what you get with reverse camber. Basically the board rails carves harder and sticks dodgy langings better, but feels a little less buttery and jibby. I’d certainly consider the TYPO over the Dudes, the Dudes is really quite firm between the bindings, like Romain’s Uninc board at Burton, less feel, more power.

The K2 turbo Dream is a lovely board for all mountain freestylers, a medium flex, easy as pie to ride and fairly poppy. I felt the TD was really stable running into kickers, enough grip and mellow set-up carves.

To be honest, if you’ve tried the Joystick and you like it… it’s a good choice. To pick up one of the other boards and think, yeah this board rocks, but I prefered the Joystick would be well annoying!

Were there any aspects of the Joystick you didn’t like?

Posted: 29 September 2010 07:56 AM

Well, the Joystick I tried was 150 and too short for me. I was surprised how well it held an edge even thus it was so short and a rocker board. But the thing I really liked about it was how much pop it had, and that’s something which important to me.

I don’t want nothing loser than the Joystick. I tested also the Whammybar, but it was way too loos for me. Of course it was buttery and jibby, but not much more.

But thanks for the answer, and I have to consider also the TYPO and see if that Joystick is still available.

Posted: 29 September 2010 02:41 PM

After reading some reviews if I understood right the Dudes would be more all-mountain and the Typo more park oriented. Does that sound about right? And the Optimistic even more to the freeride end because of being directional.

You said the Dudes is more like Uninc was? I have had 2 Unincs (07 158 and 09 157) and I have really liked those both. So thats one more reason to be interested in the Dudes (not saying TYPO would be bad).

Maybe I just have to flip a coin or roll a dice in this case :)’

Thanks

Posted: 29 September 2010 03:31 PM

I think the 158 was Gigi’s Uninc. Romain’s old Uninc board (which has a similar flex between the bindings to the Dudes) was the 156. Like last year’s Yes boards the Uninc boards flex varied by length. I can’t comment on the pop of the two burton boards you mentioned but the Yes Camrock boards certainly aren’t popless. They don’t have the same kind of pop as camber because with Camrock, the camber ends at the bindings, so it’s not quite as powerful but easier to pop with less energy.

If you want aboard that rails carves, stomps sketch landings and goes big in the pipe, the Dudes is the best choice. If you want an agile board with a bit more feel, that a little big more forgiving and useable at lower speeds the TYPO is the better option. If it’s freeriding and all mountain freestyle the Optimistic is a goo choice.

Posted: 29 September 2010 03:33 PM

Oh if you want more camber in the profile for extra high speed pop, check out the Rossi JDub or Retox, these boards have Freestyle Amptek which has a deeper and longer camber area… the Salomon Grip uses a similar profile too.

Posted: 30 September 2010 12:37 PM

Yeah, I like to have the pop in my board, but now I’m looking for a board that has a decent float in powder. And I think some kind of rocker is the key for that.

Pipe riding abilities are certainly a plus, so the Dudes gets that plus.

How’s the float on the Yeses?