Wide Board / AllMountain / Med Flex / CamRock

Posted: 17 December 2010 12:05 PM

Hey Guys!

I am looking for a new board. Last Winter I rode a Nitro Pantera until it died. Was a nice board, but a little to stiff.

What I am looking for is:

- WIDE Board (US 11, 30.0 Mondo)
- Should be able to do all mountain stuff. I ride mostly Pow, but do like butters and jibs. Depending on the weather, it needs to be able to carve somewhat as well. I do not have the money to buy a bunch of boards, so I need that all mountain solution that handles it all.
- Medium Flex sounds good, Pantera was too hard. Especially with my weight (65 kg).
- Length: 157 to 163cm.
- Never used a rocker board, always camber. Guess CamRock should be fine for me and sounds more versatile than positive camber only, especially looking at the Pow I love to ride.

Looked at the following boards so far:
Rome Manual (WW 264mm, Camber)
Forum Recon (WW 260mm, Camber)
Ride Machete (WW 261mm, Lowrizer Rocker)
Ride Antic (WW 262mm, LowPro Rocker)
K2 Raygun (WW ?)

Unfortunately do not have the chance to try these before buy. Would they do as an all mountain solution? Will they fit with my foot size? Unfortunately, the Boot Size Calculator does not show results in Mondo Points, think that would help alot.

I am up for other suggestions as well. Price wise it should be somewhere in between expensive and budget. Thanks in advance!

/edit: to round this request up a bit:

I am 1.86m, boot size see above, riding for like 8-10 years (which is 8-10 weeks as I have no mountains nearby). Can handle any piste.

40% Pow, 30% Piste (incl. Ice Carves, Butters, Cruising), 10% Park

Posted: 17 December 2010 07:44 PM

Hi Ceilingcat welcom to Snowboard-Review.com,

It’s funny because in the title of the thread you’ve got exactly what you want to a tee, but the boards you have listed aren’t right at all. Firstly, a US 11 is more suited to a mid wide board. There’s no need for you to go any bigger than 26.2 cm at the waist. Secondly from the terrain you are riding I think a hybrid rocker is a good idea either something with camber between the feet or at the tips. Finally, having come from a Nitro Pantera, you have been riding a super firm freeride gun so I wouldn’t go too soft, a flex in the region of 6-7/10 sounds like it would hit the nail on the head, but with your weight it’s about finding the right length too.

The Boards I would check out are as follows:

Lib Tech travis Rice 157 - THis is a do everything board… ok maybe not rails, but for hauling ass, laying down big carves on piste and in pow and doing the odd jib here and there it’s fantastic. Rocker between the feet so you can nail those presses and camber in the tips for pop and recoil out of carves. The 157 has a 25.7cm waist which will fit your boot size ok.

Rossignol Angus 158mW - I’m riding a 157 Angus this season. THis board is absolutely blowing my mind. The board rails carves no problems. In powder it’s a mtach for a cambered board at least 5cm longer, except it’s way more fun because it just bounces out of turns, sticks landings and the nose never goes under. I’ve been riding a lot of park on it and it feels soo useable on jumps and even holds it’s own on rails. With the rockered tips buttering is almost too easy. If you like the sound of it but are a little worried that it’s too freestyle check out the 158mW Rossi One. The All Black Shredder did a good video review of this years Angus, definitely Google that.

Amplid Dopamine 157 - Amplid make the best quality boards going. The Declaration is the all mountain board for float in powder and destroying the park. You can rail carves to your hearst content, safe in the knowledge that if you fin yourself in the park, you shouldn’t have too many problems. A tigh no-nonsence brand headed up my one of the biggest European Snowboard legends Peter Bauer.

Endeavor Live Series 157W - Ok so it’s cambered, but everyone loved camber before the rocker revolution and I’m still digging it. The Live is Endeavors do it all freestyle board. Charge hard or do some butter combo onto a rail it’s what the Live is all about. Classy graphics too.

Nidecker Pam 158W or Legacy 159mW / 163mW - So YES don’t make wide boards yet (I think they’ve done themselves out of a pretty penny there), but the guys who make YES and who named Camrock erm… Camrock are Nidecker… ta..da. The Pam is an all mountain freestyle board for jumps butters, powder booters and pretty much everything. The Legacy is the all mountain freeride board designed to fit the needs of those that want to freeride primerily but like to hit the park jumps or pipe on the off chance that there’s some powder hidden away unridden by the park rats. Last year we though the Legacy could have done with a deeper camber between the feet, guess what, they used a deeper camber between the feet this year… are we good or what. Definitely worth checking out.

There are some boards to be looking at for now. Let me know your thoughts, have I gone too freestyle or are these boards still too firm flexing… I can add to the list if needs be.

Rich

Posted: 19 December 2010 01:28 PM

Hey Rich,

thanks much for your feedback. I think you are pointing me in the right direction. The boards you recommend look interesting, but I think I will have a foot size problem here. I checked back with my Salomon Boots, and seems I didn’t remember too well what their size is. Now looked it up again, the boot specs are:

USA 12.5
EU 47
MondoP 30.0

For me, it looks like I need definately need a wide board. ;) I doubt a 26.2 waist for example would be sufficient. That’s why my Pantera was a wide one instead of a mid-wide. It has a 27.2 waist…

I am sorry that I somewhat wasted your time with the wrong boot size. Hopefully you have some more ideas for me, which will fit my foot, but carry the spirit of above line of boards.

Posted: 20 December 2010 11:37 AM

Did some research on my side, and came up with Bataleon Goliath 161w or Nitro Team Gullwing Wide. The TBT on the Goliath looks very promising. Would it be a board you would recommend looking on my riding focus?

In case the boot size calculator is right, the Goliath should be “okay” for US 12. Guess my 12.5 would do as well. With Burton boots, I got a 12.0 foot.

Posted: 20 December 2010 12:34 PM

You should definitely check out the K2 TurboDream! It is a perfect ride for pow, is really jibb-able and can also handle carving on the piste. It’s fully rockered and available in wide. The only downside is that you probably have to look a while to find one, they are selling like hot roast chestnuts!

The Goliath is a really nice freestyle ride but I don’t think it will be all too great riding pow. The Team Gullwing on the other hand, should fit the bill quite good!

So I’d say the decision is between the TurboDream and the Team Gullwing. Let me know what you think about the TD!

Cheers, Tobi