Stepchild FTW - 2012
The Stepchild FTW is the direct replacement to the extremely popular Headless Horseman. Our tester Tom rode the HH in NZ’s icy terrain parks Tahoe’s bottomless powder, huge booters and monster superpipe for back to back seasons and was constantly raving about the lively flex, versatile shape and all out performance. As the board has changed very little other than the name and the graphic we thoroughly recommend the FTW to all-mountain freestylers from intermediate to pro.
Manufacturer's Description:
Free The World or Fuck The World-you decide. The FTW is a strong and lightweight snowboard with a Bamboo core. The Bamboo gives this board extra pop and provides a longer lasting flex pattern. The high quality sintered base will get you where you want to go with your hair straight back. The versatile TWIN shape and Rocker camber make this an easy to ride board with great response. A whopping 28 inserts gives you all the stance options you’ll need. The Armadillo plate binding reinforcement strengthens the board around the inserts without kinking the flex. The FTW is a very high-end freestyle board that can ride anything.
Recommended for park riding.
Recommended for halfpipe riding.
Recommended for rail riding.
Recommended for freeride riding.
High cost $
Rocker Construction.
Twin Shape.
Year: 2012
Available Lengths (cm):
151, 154, 157
Riding Style: All Mountain
Specifications:
Bamboo Core
Structurn Base Finish - Sintered
Smooth “Soft Belt” finish - Pre waxed
Non Stick UV Lacquer coating
Quadrax glass
28 inserts
Similar boards: Rome Mod Rocker - 2012 Salomon Acid - 2012 Endeavor Next Series - 2012
Snowboard Review:
SB-RV’s very own Tom Ewbank spent last season on the 2010/2011 FTW and rates it highly; he’d been twisting my ear with how I would love from the start of the week right up to the day I tested the FTW. As a result I was doubly keen to be critical with my test and pay extra attention to the finer details. My first impressions were pretty average to be honest. I can’t say that the plain black & white colour and graphics excited me but we all know that’s personal preference and other members of the team likes the new paint job.
Swiftly moving onto my verdict. The FTW has a nice fast base and has a good amount of pop in the nose and tail despite the rocker profile. Ollying around the piste, dropping off ledges and popping off rollers and kickers was really rewarding. The overriding feeling you get from riding the FTW is that it is one seriously easy board to ride! Secondly the FTW is a great all-rounder and felt solid in the park, on piste, off piste and bombing around the whole mountain. That’s my opinion and the fact that Tom rode his Stepchild Headless Horseman (the predecessor to the FTW) last year in the rail and kicker laden parks, the monstrous superpipes and the epic dumps of fresh powder of Sierra Tahoe suggest that this is a true all-mountain twin. In my opinion intermediate to advance riders are going to get the most from the FTW, but to be honest riders of any level will get along with the FTW.
Highlights:
The Bamboo core offers some great pop
Versatile rocker profile, works on most terrain
Fast Structurn sintered base
Let-downs:
Shallow perhaps but the graphics didn’t do it for me
Posted by Mikee C in • Stepchild
User Snowboard Reviews
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