What should I buy??

Posted: 16 January 2011 06:43 PM

Hi There, am looking for a new board to replace my Rome solution 159 from about 6 years ago!  I’m about 5’9’’ & 70kg (155lbs) I’m looking for 1 board to cover it all, as always i love powder but need a board to work well on piste when the snows not fresh. Also i dont lap the park but love hitting kickers in the pow.Boards i’ve thought of include yes optimist, jones MT,k2 turbo dream, burton custom flying v etc. etc.  I like the idea of a loose fun board but it has to work on hard snow as well..only get away for 7 to 10 days a year.  If any of you have any thoughts on make & size i’d love to hear it.  ps I’ve been snowboarding for about 12 to 14 weeks in total Thanks

Posted: 18 January 2011 10:09 AM

All of those boards are spot on!

The Jones Mountain Twin, Yes Optimist and Rossignol One Magtek or Angus would be my suggestions to you. I like the TD too but it’s maybe more on the park end of the spectrum.

If you want a Jones Mountain Twin, they are a little hard top come bye but just a heads up, if you don’t need the board for this season, next years board looks absolutely incredible.

I’m riding a Rossi Angus this year, the board respons well to aggressive riding, it loves riding in the park and in powder it floats like a dream, it’s a great all mountain quiver but if you want a touch more of an all mountain piste and powder slayer then the One is a bit more dialed as it has Magnetraction edges. From what I have heard the Yes Optimist also hits the spot for powder freestyling and freeriding… well DCP rides it so it must do.

You might also want to check out the Never Summer SL which is a beast for all mountain riding. It floats nicely in powder and rips on the groomers, but you have to work it. Also worth looking at the Lib Tech Travis Rice and Phoenix Lando.

Rich

Posted: 18 January 2011 10:54 AM

Thanks for the reply Rich.  The mountain twin is the board I’m really after & think will take your advise & wait until next year as I leave this sat!  Also what size should I go for? 155 or 159?  5’9’’ & 70kg.  Would the 155 float as well as my old solution 159 that doesnt have rocker?  I think I’d prefer a shorter board in general but love riding powder.  Have they changed the Jones MT much for 2012?  I didnt really want to buy a custom but was there any reason not to include it in recomended boards?  you gave it a good review, is it not just such a fun ride?

ps the site is great! Thanks Will spread the word!  Paul.

Posted: 18 January 2011 11:17 AM

Yeah I liked the Flying V, but the more I ride Flying V in hard conditions the more I realise it lacks a bit of grip on really hard snow. I think Burton could probably just tweak the frostbite edges on their Flying V boards so they pretude a touch more. Frostbite is insane on their cambered boards but just needs a bit more on the Flying V. Not that it isn’t a fun board to ride, it just didn’t quite match to what you were asking for.

I think you would be fine on the 155. I rode the 157 which was preproduction version of the 158 and it was great but I could probably have ridden it shorter.

Here is a link to a picture of next year’s Mountain Twin (the red one)... it also looks to me like they may have extende the camber a little under the feet (pic here) which I think is a really good move. Just a touch more camber , and a little deeper won’t effect float too much but it will steady the board on hardpack. Don’t the red graphics look amazing!

Posted: 18 January 2011 08:57 PM

Thanks again Rich, new board does look awesome, look forward to reading your view on it when you test it, (late spring?)
Do you think its worth spending a lot on bindings like cartels or are customs or similar as good as you need.  I’ve heard union bindings are well made but I’d rather spend money on the board than bindings.  I use missions at present & they seem fine to me.  All the best, hope you’re enjoying fresh snow & if not are real soon! Paul.

Posted: 18 January 2011 09:26 PM

I think we’ll probably do a video on the Mountain Twin this coming year…. big demand on the Jones boards.