In need of some clarification

Viriato

Snowboard Virgin
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Total Posts: 5 Joined 2010-11-18

Posted: 18 November 2010 06:39 AM

First of all congratulations on the site. I really learned many things I needed about snowboard and that only happened when I came across this site. Again, thank you and congratulations.

Now, a little presentation. I am a snowboard addict from Portugal, a country best known for its beaches and with no snow tradition, but with perseverance ( and airplanes !) I can, from times to times get “high” on snow. I really love it and I spend the summer often catching myself dreaming of a beautiful white mountain.

As for what brings me here. I am currently thinking of upgrading my board. I have a 2004 Nidecker Icon 159 and I am thinking of going for the Ultralight or Megalight.
I ride mainly on groomed slopes with ocasional incursions to powder ( ocasional meaning about 30% of the time ). I like to go fast, carving all the way down and “geting airborne” using the natural bumps in the snow for it. I never go to the half pipe or rails. The only place you will see me in the park would be in the jump kickers.Also, sometimes I go to the trees, it is allways fun.
My ultimate goal is to get on an heli and go down the mountain, shooting all the way down.

Basicly, I am looking for a board that holds is own with turns no matter how fast I go and what kind of snow I am in ( from ice to powder ), a board who would also allow me to land my jumps ( they are not that big, no 360s or more than that ) and in effect that helps me to step up to the next level.
I would consider myself to be an allmost expert snowboarder. I feel confortable on any kind of slopes and on any kind of snow conditions.

I am sorry if I am repeting some of the questions other members asked but I really would like your opinion specifically to my case, once I cannot have a straight answer. Some have told me that the Ultra or Megalight are not the boards for what I want but they do not elaborate on that opinion and so I get confused because to my limited knowledge they seem perfect.

As for sizing I am in doubt if I should get a 158 or a 163, so if you could help me on that also I would appreciate. I am 5’9’’ ( 176 cm ) and 181 lbs ( 82 kg ) and my boot size is 11 US.

So, having read this what do you think ? Are the Ultra or Megalight appropriate for me ? If so, wich one would you advise ?

Sorry for the long post, but I am trying to lay it out for you the most detailled way I can, so that you can enlight this for me in a way that leaves with no doubts.

Again, congratulations on your spectacular site and I hope to have a reply from you soon.

Viriato

Tom Ewbank

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Posted: 18 November 2010 07:40 AM

Hey Viriato,

Thanks for the props on the site, glad you like it; we wanted to put a site together that really helps people like yourself and it seems like we’re finally getting there. We don’t get many Portuguese riders on the site, you ridden Estrella yet?

With regards to the board; I think the reason people are trying to advise you to look at a different deck is because the Megalight and Ultralight are pretty serious freeride decks that don’t offer the same level of versatility as some other boards on the market. You mentioned in your description that you want a board to ride mostly piste, a bit of powder and straight-airs over jumps. Although the Megalight and Ultralight will be great for carving they’re very stiff and responsive decks with directional shapes…......have a look at the list of reinforcements in the ‘specifications’ list.

If your heart is set on buying one of those boards then I think the Ultralight is a more suitable purchase…...but if you want to consider a few more options then I’ve listed some boards that offer similar qualities with some added versatility:

Burton T7
Atomic Alibi
Rossignol One Mag
K2 Zero
Salomon Special 2
Lib Tech Dark Series
Ride Society UL
Endeavor Board of Directors

I’d check your foot size on the ‘boot size checker’ on the site…...but I think you may have to look at a mid-wide board. With regards to size; if you want the versatility to hit jumps then I’d look at below 160 and if you want to go super fast and freeride then you could go up to 165.

Hope this helps,

Tom

Viriato

Snowboard Virgin
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Total Posts: 5 Joined 2010-11-18

Posted: 19 November 2010 02:16 AM

Thanks for your reply Tom, it helped me and you mentioned one board I was also considering, the Burton T7. You think that it would suit me better ?
As far as the boot size I went to your boot size calculator and in fact the mid wide is the advised for me.

Strangelly I never got to ride at Estrela, but that is because you have to live very near to it ( 80 miles or less ). That happens because it is a very poorly managed resort ( if you can call Estrela a resort !) and when you go there you will find it closed 80% of the times, mainly due to a fight between the 2 cities near it over the cable cars. Because of this when it snows the roads get blocked and we do not have any other way to get there.
Nevertheless once I tried to ride there and went for a weekend there hoping to have a good time, after all it is the only place with snow in my country, I had to try it. End result… hotel troughout the weekend.
Never again for me. Another fact is that they charge 25 € per day to ride on their amazing 4 miles of slopes beeing that only half of it is open 90 % of the time.

I live 400 miles from it, and I have at the same distance Sierra Nevada in Spain that offers me at least 50 miles ( 75 total ) of slopes on a regular basis for 30 €, the hotel prices are cheaper and I am guaranteed that it is open and it stays that way if it snows !
It is sad for us, portuguese snowriders, but we have to go where we know we will get to ride. For us that means mainly Sierra Nevada and Andorra, although me and a bunch of friends often plan trips to Switzerland and France and travel there to carve the Alps snow.

As for the portuguese riders, it is a fastly growing comunity and there are already a vast legion of snowlovers here.
We are getting bored with the sun ! eheheh

So, returning to boards, what do you think of the Burton T7 ? Why do you think it would be more suitable for me ?

Again, thanks and hope to ear from you soon

Steve Medeiros

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Posted: 19 November 2010 04:31 AM

Bom Dia!

As a Canadian-born of Portuguese descent I feel your pain.  I find myself sometimes dreaming of the beaches and culture of Portugal, they always say the grass is greener on the other side. :)

If I was only going to buy one snowboard to ride everything it would have to be the Rossignol One Mag.  I went into a shop yesterday and got my hands on one finally, it is a sweet, sweet board.  Surprisingly felt really lighter compared to last years Rossi One, I have a feeling that’s because they lightened up on the materials since the deck has more flex.  It has magnetraction edges for grip on ice and all-mountain amptek rocker which was really popular in last years Angus.  It has a competitive price to boards with similar techs…  I would seek it out for sure.

The other boards Tom listed are great for comparison, should help get the ball rolling in the right direction for you.

Viriato

Snowboard Virgin
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Total Posts: 5 Joined 2010-11-18

Posted: 19 November 2010 05:27 AM

Hmmm, I have not thought about the Rossignol because it haves somewhat of a bad rep here, but… what do we know, after all you are the experts. I will have a good look at it, thanks.

As for what you said (Steve) about the grass beeing greener on the other side, that is a fact. We often take for granted and do not appreciate the beautiful things our home as to offer.
So, you are of portuguese descent. I thought so, your last name does not give any room for doubts. Where were your ancesters from ? Maybe near my hometown, who knows ? The world is a small place.
I hope you have a chance to kill your “saudades de Portugal” soon.

On topic again. Would you think the Burton T7 is inferior to the Rossi One Mag ?

Steve Medeiros

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Posted: 19 November 2010 05:57 AM

My mom was born in Lisbon and my dad in Sao Miguel…  they met in Canada, quite a strange mix to have an islander wed a mainlander. :)

Up until this summer we had a house near Torres Vedras, but I haven’t been back in over 15 years…  I am LONG overdue for a visit.

I have to admit I have been very impressed by the snowboards put out by traditional alpine manufactures.  Rossignol, Salomon, Elan (Artec), K2…  they are putting out some great boards at competitive prices.  To say that a Burton board is better/worse then a Rossignol board is not a good way to review boards…  every board has it’s target market.  If I were to strap into the Rossignol Experience and ride a halfpipe with it I would be cursing it as probably the worst board ever made…  that board isn’t designed for park/pipe so it wouldn’t work well for that.  You have to try and get a board that covers as much as you want to do and manufactures are pretty spot on with how they designed their boards for the terrain / type of rider / price point.

One of the biggest things between the T7 and One Mag is the profile.  T7 is cambered and One Mag is rockered, that alone will create a different feel.  It sounds like you have been riding a while and big mountain riding boards still tend to be cambered so that would place the T7 more up your list since you are familiar with that profile and it’s tried and true for many, many years.

Once you know pretty clearly what exactly you want from your deck it will help you to weed out your choices.  Do you have a local store you can visit to feel the boards in person?

Tom Ewbank

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Posted: 19 November 2010 11:31 AM

Hey V,

Steve’s pretty much there, although the One Mag isn’t rockered it’s a hybrid…....rocker and camber. In short the One Mag will be easier to ride than the T7 but if you’re prepared to put more effort, and money, into your ride then the T7 may deliver the goods! Personally I’m a big fan of both but the One Mag is wicked value for money.

Hope this helps,

Tom

Viriato

Snowboard Virgin
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Total Posts: 5 Joined 2010-11-18

Posted: 20 November 2010 07:00 AM

Thanks Tom and Steve. You guys really helped me making a decision. I am leaning towards Burton T7 mainly because of the fact that here in Portugal it is almost impossible to get other brands. There are maybe 5 stores in all the country that sell snowboards and they are all related to Burton. Some have Head but just one or two models.

To buy other brands we only have the options of going to Spain ( a bit far even if Spain is our neighbouring country ) or online and I allready had some bad experiences buying online.

The Rossignol brand has a bad rep around here because of the fact that most of the shops that rent snowboards use Rossignol and usually they are in bad conditions.
So, subconsciously, an image of poor performance and poor durability was attached to that brand. Personally I started to see Rossignol differently when a friend of mine bought one a couple of years ago and the board responded very well to what he wanted.

@Steve

Yes, an inlander marrying a mainlander is rare, so you can consider yourself the fruit of something special ! eheh
So your father is from Azores, I have family there, also in Sao Miguel. Beautiful islands. Well worth the visit. To my knowledge there is a big portuguese community in Canada beeing most of it composed by inlanders from Azores.
A house near Torres Vedras ?! Maybe Santa Cruz ? Anyway you are near two of the best surfing spots
here. Santa Cruz and Peniche where it was recently held a competition of the WST where Kelly Slater finally won here ( so many were rooting for him because they wanted to have him on the winners list ) on his third appearance. That competition comes to Portugal once a year, normally in September. I am not a surfer but if you are you could not ask for a better place to be in the summer when you decide to revisit your parents ( and yours ) country.

Thank You for all your advises. Now it is time to get my new “feet” and wait inpaciently for the winter season to start.

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