Recommend me a board

Posted: 13 July 2011 06:56 AM

Hey all,

I’ve been riding a long time (since about ‘92), but only a few days per season.  I’m looking to upgrade my gear and need some help.  My current ride is a 2000 Burton Custom 160 with Custom bindings.  I live in Australia and for those that don’t know, our mountains aren’t very high and snow is pretty marginal, ie often wet, and icy in the morning.  When it snows the pow tends to be on the heavy side.  I like to ride all-mountain.  I think I would be described as “advanced” but by no means expert.  I’ve been told I have a cruisy/laid-back carvy style.  I don’t do any park, but like to carve, and be able to jump, ride up natural walls, get off into the trees (tight turns in the steeps) and maybe throw the occasional flatland trick.  I want to improve my carving on the steeps, especially my turn initiation.

So, looking at gear, it seems I now have to choose between a traditional positive cambered board and a rockered board.  I’ve done a lot of reading of reviews of various boards and while I’m leaning towards something with a hybrid camber (eg. LibTech TRS C2BTX, Arbor Element RX, LibTech Attack Banana), I have some doubts about the negative camber thing.  It comes down to this: at the level I’m at, would I be taking my learning backwards by picking up a rockered board, ie would I be “un-teaching” myself how to carve and initiate turns properly?  Are the rockered boards really intended for intermediates and people wanting to ride pow or park (not me), and would I be better learning “proper” carving on a cambered board then taking that forward into trick territory?

In answering, any board/binding set-up recommendations are welcome.  An instructor recommended an Arbor Element board, some stiff Rome bindings and 32 Lash boots (if they fit).

Any comments welcome.

Mud

Posted: 17 July 2011 08:36 PM

To answer your question about rockered boards. Yes they are best suited to more intermediate all mountain riders, cruising around the park and definitely playing about in deep powder. If you get your kicks from carving, like you said camber or hybrid camber are where it’s at.

From your post I’m gathering you aren’t into park and you wnjoy carving, but do you ride switch much? Do you like playing about on the pistes or are you more into pointing the board down the hill and holding on for dear life? Do you prefer the responsive lively feel of a tight sidecut of the cruisy stable feel of a long sidecut?

Rich

Posted: 17 July 2011 11:58 PM

Thanks for the reply, Rich.

I’m not really thinking of a full rockered board, more the hybrid camber boards or regular camber.  I guess the Arbor RX board is fully rockered, albeit with something like Magne-traction.

I don’t ride switch that much, but don’t want to completely rule it out.  I usually end up riding the piste, or trying to find some interesting stuff off the side of the piste.  I mostly ride at Mt. Hotham which is blessed with lots of natural half-pipe shaped gullies, so it’s good for boarders.  I’m at a stage where I’m starting to carry more speed into my riding, and also trying to ride steep stuff with tight turns.  I guess my priority is to be able to nail my carving, but also have some freedom to chuck down a flatland trick or two and hit the occasional kicker.

In terms of boards, I’ve been checking out the Arbor Element RX and CX, Lib Tech TRS, Lib Tech Travis Rice and Rome Agent.  What I don’t want is an ultra-stiff board that requires expert level skills to ride properly.  I’m also a bit curious to know how much difference I will notice from my 2000 Burton Custom.

Cheers

Mud

Posted: 25 July 2011 07:51 AM

I would look towards a hybrid camber where camber is still between the bindings.  I tried last season the Flying-V (Burton hybrid rocker) and wasn’t sold on it as much as a “mellower” cambered board with earlier rising tip and tail.

A complete reverse camber board is fantastic to ride slow and in the park, however I find pushing it at higher speeds and steeper pitches you loose control which sucks.

I am a big fan of K2 and Ride with their flat between the binding profiles.  I have a K2 Parkstar and it’s been helping me a lot in the park and learning switch.

If you stick with Burton I would stick with their camber boards.

As for bindings you have a lot of options.  I’m a fan of Ride’s with the aluminum construction instead of composite plastics like pretty much the rest of them.  If I had money to blow though I would get some Union Force or Contact…  probably closer to the Force’s for all mountain.

If you need new boots get stiff ones…  you’ll thank me later. :)

Posted: 27 July 2011 10:58 AM

Hey Honey,
Rome sure makes some good bindings but so do Union and, as Steve already said, Ride and many others. That means I’d go after looks and fit with your boots (btw I’m also on the “stiffer boots > softer boots” side).

If you want a do-it-all snowboard which is mainly designed for piste riding but can also handle everything you throw it at, check out this years Amplid Paradigma. It was a quite stiff ride before they put a flatline tech on it for the coming season. That means it is more playful that a cambered board but still gives you lots of stability and edge hold and all that. Depending on where you are living you should definitely check that one out!

Cheers Tobi

Posted: 28 July 2011 12:44 AM

Thanks for the replies.  If I’m going to stick with a camber board, I’m thinking I may as well just stick with my 2000 Custom, or do you think I would notice a big difference between it and a current generation Custom?  I am definitely planning on stiffer boots and maybe bindings and will check out those you have recommended.  Someone has recommended 32 Lashed boots, but obviously they would have to suit my feet so will check them out.

There seems to be a lot of opinions around about the “camrock” profile (cambered between feet, rocker at tips), so not decided on that yet.  I may try to demo one if I get a chance later in the season.

Posted: 28 July 2011 09:52 AM

Hi again, if your current Custom is still good without any major flaws and you’re happy with it, you might as well stick with it. You would probably notice a slight difference when riding this season’s Custom but that’s definitely not worth the cost, I’d say. Just stick with it until it’s broken or you feel like you definitely need something new ( or just WANT something new =) ).

Yeah for boots, it’s all about the best fit (just as I wrote here).

If you have the chance to go demo some boards, try as many as you can. Noone can tell you if you’re gonna like that feel you get from rockered / hybrid rockered boards or not; you have to try it on your own!

Cheers Tobi