Ippy's Guide to Buying a new snowboard

[Jynxx 4]

Go longer - then when you go back to your old size,

It will feel buttery!

 

There will alway be :

Mogul and ice. - bad news - That will always be tough.

Pow. - great news - But want that float without the back leg burn and not getting stuck.

[ippy 66]

haha, i'll take that battering just so long as you let me play on your new riot afterwards I mean jebus! 7-5-7 flex profile? Ridiculously poppy, no edge catching... lightning edge transfer, AND a lightning base... solid for switch riding and float... total carving mode when you engage the edges... I mean COME ON!!! What the hell is the jam going to do that this deck isn't? Actually thats a good question, im off to find out

 

And mamabear, thats exactly it I feel the same. If nothing else i hope i made a bit of a case for camber in amongst all this reverse hype

[Tubby Beaver 209]

I'm a bigger guy and the Jam comes in slightly bigger. Also I7m not really a trick type of rider.....I usually like carving out big truns down the mountain and bombing through fields of (hopefully) untracked powder. That being said, the tricks n flips is a side of my game which I wanna improve on and so here in lies the dilemma!

[Schneebored 0]

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver

I'm a bigger guy and the Jam comes in slightly bigger. Also I7m not really a trick type of rider.....I usually like carving out big truns down the mountain and bombing through fields of (hopefully) untracked powder. That being said, the tricks n flips is a side of my game which I wanna improve on and so here in lies the dilemma!

I understand your pain TB. I was pretty close to buying the Jam. But opted for a Rocker as all my other boards were camber and wanted to mix it up a little....and also improve the styleeee part of my repertoire.

[ippy 66]

hehe, was only playing a little bit still, i want the riot and the sooner someone buys one and has an utterly miserable time on it, the sooner i can swap them for a nice reverse camber gouged to crap LTD EDITION Horrorscope!

 

<.<

 

>.>

 

What do you mean its just a sierrascope? It doesnt say sierra on it anywhere, i dont know what youre talking about!

[ippy 66]

aint forgot about fixing this by the way. In the middle of editing it at the other place, will post up the finished version as soon as ive done the second pass. I may however start it up in another thread because i want to add an intro and a conclusion to each section so you can skip the waffle if you like. Plus i want to get in a glossary; a proper TLDR introduction; and a decent conclusion. Hopefully each section (aside camber) wont feel so overwhelming. Oh and have a new size chart... well, actually 2 new size charts

 

Basically because the edit timers run out, its not as solid as it could be at the minute, so once im sure the second pass is ready, ill bring it back over.

[RobBright 35]

Ippy:

 

 

My wife hates you now.

[ippy 66]

haha1 get her stoked out as well! Women snowboarders get short shrift everywhere, maybe i need a guide on that as well

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Originally Posted By: ippy

haha1 get her stoked out as well! Women snowboarders get short shrift everywhere, maybe i need a guide on that as well

[Tex 3]

Originally Posted By: ippy

haha1 get her stoked out as well! Women snowboarders get short shrift everywhere, maybe i need a guide on that as well

A guide on Women is a good idea. Probably need to start a whole new forum

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Tex

Originally Posted By: ippy

haha1 get her stoked out as well! Women snowboarders get short shrift everywhere, maybe i need a guide on that as well

A guide on Women is a good idea. Probably need to start a whole new forum

when angry - give them chocolate.
when sad - give them chocolate.
when happy - give them chocolate.
when tired - give them chocolate.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

^^^ not bad for a youngster...

 

Although If you give her a snowboard she wont get angry and sad, happy will come with the snowboard, and she might then give you something ... unless she is too tired.

[Thundercat 60]

or has a headache...

 

The thing is if you buy her a snowboard and she gets good at it she'll eventually want another one... and NO! you can't just give her your old one and buy something new for you!

[panhead_pete 27]

Originally Posted By: ippy

Women snowboarders get short shrift everywhere,

Not everywhere, they are my preference!

[panhead_pete 27]

Ippy are you up for some individual advice as my last purchase was somewhat flawed.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Why flawed Pete?

[ippy 66]

of course, but theres people with WAY more knowledge than me out there, i just know whats relevant to someone looking for their new snowboard is all and can explain it. Don't think that makes me an authority though

 

If i can help though, i'd definitely be happy to. (oh, and expect me to recommend you a capita obviously, its the only line i know inside out )

[panhead_pete 27]

Originally Posted By: Mamabear

Why flawed Pete?

Bought a 152 Custom X at the end of the last season MB and rode it a bit. Like it but being so short is probably gonna hold me back then let me improve.

Thanks Ippy. 80kg, 172cm. Intermediate at best but looking at spending up to 9 weeks riding this year so am thinking my fitness and skills will rise through that time. No park, rails etc. Want to get competent again in the pow incl trees whilst riding groomers etc.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

actually scratch all that crap I just said (and deleted), I got my measurements mxed up!!

[ippy 66]

that deck is a beast. A fantastic deck if you want to be hitting some heavy kickers, but yeah, WAY too small for what it should be doing. At your weight, sure you might get away with that kind of length on a jib deck, (though id be going closer to 154), but for softening up the custom i think you'll get away with a 156 if youre more down for spins and mid kickers (whilst retaining stability and pop).

 

You should be on about a 160 to get the ride you want from it.

 

I think youve definitely ended up a little too small so youre not gonna get a good trade off. You'll have less stability and yeah, you'll make it closer to a custom, but because its a really solid (stiff) deck that butterability is going to be minor regardless of how far you size it down, the stability loss for what you get probably isnt worth it because its a teensy bit too small and you're going to lose a lot of pop from it.

 

That deck should be 156-162 for you: 156 if youre more focussed on making it more like a custom and an all resort demolisher. But 162 if you want it to be flying in the backcountry (158-160 to give you the balance of stability climbing those walls and manoeuvrability for spinning and burst in pipe i'd say).

 

Basically its too small, my advice is you sell it in truth. Everything that makes that deck STUNNING youve kinda lost for a bit more manouverability and a small drop in flex. Get someone around 140lbs on it, and theyll kill it! Alas, there arent many of those around Which makes me think you got it cheap on a deal precisely for that reason

 

Sell that custom-x, and get on a 158-160. At that point its a case of what you want though, start limiting it down, and ill give you some recommendations

[panhead_pete 27]

Thanks Ippy. Yeah got it really cheap and figured only being 2.5cm shorter each end then my old NS 157.......

 

Sounds like good advice to flick the 152. Thanks. If not a Custom next time around whats your input?

[panhead_pete 27]

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver

actually Ippy, if we ever meet I reckon I'm gonna have to batter you!!

Not only have you BULLIED me into buying a new board, but now you've confused me.....do I want more flex to develop my buttering, jibbing and all round skipping skills, while still being able to max down the mountain (and so buy the Riot) or do I want it a little stiffer so i can bomb down the mountain like a bat outta hell (and so go for the Jam)!! So much to think about, so little time!!

Im feelimg your pain, hence my question too TB

[ippy 66]

funny you should have said that, i was about to say the single best deck was a neversummer if you have the cash to drop on it. For what youre after, youre maybe looking for something with reverse or hybrid camber just because you live in japan and you likely want to wreck the pow.

 

I guess some things to look at might be:

 

Capita indoor fk (though id definitely sit around 160 because it can be squirly on the groomers - mines 156). They changed the carbon stringers in it this year so that you get a bit more pop. My mate has one on order, and its definitely a really playful deck. Again, you can possibly go from 154 if youre park exclusive, to 160 for all resort mayhem (including trees). I think 160 might be ideal for you, but i worry that even with a bit more edge length the flat kick might lose you a bit too much stability at the end of the day for what you seem to be after (even if youll have a blast on it).

 

I only learned yesterday that the Capita ultrafear is actually slightly stiffer than the indoor. So you might want to consider that if you like the sound of the indoor, but worry about the stability. In addition the stairmaster extreme is ALSO stiffer than the indoor FK but its cambered if thats where you want to go. Oh and then theres the indoor survival (non fk) version too. Lots of options at capita.

 

Burton Custom Flying V and Never summer SL-R. Both the same camber profile and both around the same flex. These decks will give you way more stability because they are both a stiffer flex than the indoor, but also because the camber profile will give you contact points (as well as frostbite edges from burton giving you a few more subtle contact points, and vario from neversummer giving you some kinks in the sidecut to give you some pseudo contacts...

 

Because of this, you can also maybe be hitting these around 156-158 without too much of a hit on anything. Youll still have float and youll stil have great stability so in a way these will be perfect all resort killers.

 

As me and tubby have also been getting hyped on, theres also the Bataleon riot which honestly sounds sick. Still, i have no idea what the float's like on this, but for in resort stuff, its going to kill it. Throw in the goliath if you want something more aggressive, or the jam if you want a proper freestyle charger (all mountain killer).

 

Two choices from gnu: park pickle is number 1 choice, but number 2 and much cheaper is maybe the carbon credit. Stability, float, and under 400 (you can probably dig out last years for about 200). Still, these both come with MTX (though i think the pickles is way more mellow), either way MTX is a love/hate thing. Definitely a tech i wont be buying without trying it. Im pretty sure the park pickle is only banana as well. But it comes with an asymmetrical sidecut which is one of the most interesting innovations out there right now (basically you use more effort getting on your heel edge than your toe, so mervin/gnu made a deck where getting on your heel edge is easier by altering the depth of the sidecut on one edge of the board to compensate and make it easier). It also comes with a sintered base instead of the extruded on the carbon credit.

 

A BIG capita option might be the black snowboard of death, its definitely a charger that you might grow into. Its also going to be a deck you wont be getting rid of (assuming you want a stiff charger with a bit of a freestyle lilt). Hybrid camber (camrock), stacks of pop, a third contact for stability and it BOMBS mountains. Theres a reason shay stiull has her 2001 bsod. That reason is this deck is one of the best charging decks out there. This year its gone hybrid, and the reviews from people on both sbforums and sierra from late season testing is that this thing is the nuts!

 

But heres the deck i honestly think you should be on:

 

*ttp://www.lib-tech.com/snow/snowboards/phoenix-series-mark-landvik/

 

(killed the hotlink just in case its not allowed, just change star to an h).

 

This deck is much more aggressive than some of the decks ive been recommending (aside the bsod). Its also the epitome of the new direction of modern all mountain freestyle hybrids. This thing does it all. It is precisely the all mountain stick an aggressive freeride orientated rider wants to twist and spin about in the trees with. Its also aces in the resort, and you will be able to dick around in the park on it as well. Definitely does what it says it does: all mountain freestyle shredder. (though lib bases are notoriously sticky by the way... just on a point of balance).

 

There, thats some recommendations. Id say you honestly want something bordering categories 3 and 4 (all resort and all mountain freestyle). Something around a 6 for flex, directional twin, hybrid, and definitely sintered. I think if you tinker with some of those recommendations youll end up with the right deck.

 

Also aim for something around 158-160 if you can. You can hit a 156, but its not going to be great for you. Also with the trend to sizing down maybe a 162 may feel a bit much since youve spent your last two seasons on a 157 and a 152.

 

basically look at the stiffer rides in the all resort section, and some of the hybrid sticks in the all mountain freestyle (and all mountain freeride), and you'll get a deck that gives the ride that lets you ride what i think you want to ride (nudging into off resort, maybe hitting some good back country late this season or next). Definitely teh decks i recommended will all take you there.

 

Ooooh, if that is your aim, you might want to look at the NS premier instead of the sl-r. Its much closer to the phoenix lando than then sl-r.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tubby Beaver 209]

BUT the Battaleon Riot only top out at 159.....which s the thing that's making me lean more for the Jam which tops out at 164 (although I reckon that I'd get the 161 wide if I buy it)

[ippy 66]

yeah i just meant bataleon rather than the riot specifically im hyped on the riot and youre hyped on the jam, and we're both hyped on tbt! hypehypehype