New board,

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Nice-looking pow-stick TB! I think you should take it to the wedding ceremony then Mrs TB will know from the outset that you'll be sharing everything!

 

 

people from home keep asking what we'd like for a wedding gift and I do tell them that Mrs TB would really love a Jones Hovercraft, Burton Fish or even a Charlie slasher....

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Tubby I would think a board like that would make a damn fine wedding gift! PB has brought up purchasing a really nice wedding/engagement/eternity set of rings for my currently bare fingers for our anniversary for a few years in a row ... I always weigh up how many days on the snow the rings could buy me and opt for a ski trip instead... Hope Mrs Tubby is just as nuts as me!

So how was your first rocker experience Mamabear? I'm guessing sketchy at first then fun once you got used to it?

Mick, I am prone to panic attacks, so there was a little breathlessness and uncertainty as to how I would go, but the Eminence is a hybrid board...banana rocker in the center, traditional camber under the feet where the binding inserts start and finish, then rocker at the tip and tail. It also has magnetraction. I also couldn't recall what my stance set up was, and the shop assistant wasn't all that interested and just whacked it in 'bog standard rental' - her words not mine.

 

The first few hundred meters was flat and I was working out the feel and angles, so I felt sketchy, but once the pitch of the slope picked up I found the board amazing. I rode faster than I ever have and turned more aggressively but without the overgrip that the Troop used to have. I gave it two runs down the piste before we hit the more difficult stuff. Flatter or inclined powdery spots where I automatically groan and expect to be scooting or walking I sailed through, surprising myself! I didn't have to lean WAY back on the rear foot to get through the powder either. I quickly realized that my stance was set up too narrow and the back foot was too straight, but managed to ride better than normal even with that handicap, although I have got a sore outside edge to my left foot and a sore spot in my left butt cheek. I also discovered that stomp pads make a lot of difference. Being a rental it did not have a stomp pad, and my back foot was sliding around like no ones business when I was sliding back foot out.

 

The bindings were Burton Lexa's. I did not like them. I am pretty used to the rear entry fastecs, and these were just cumbersome. They needed a bit more forward angle on the hi-back but I was hesitant to adjust them as they were pretty stiff after a couple of hours out in the snow, and I didn't want to snap the hire gear. I was thinking I should shift back to ratchet bindings due to the few times where I found the fastecs awkward (mainly when the wind is howling and you really find it tough to stand still to get in to them and wish you could sit, but can't because they are rear entry.), but I learned today that ratchets are just as frustrating at times, and for me...the fastecs tick more boxes than ratchets. The backs are also lower on my fastecs than the Lexa's, and I like this.... I don't think the extra height gives me anything extra in control, just makes it cumbersome when they flip back up on the lift and you risk getting them caught under the low Japan lift seats as you exit the lift.

 

So...I had pretty much decided to take the rental back, buy myself the Eminence in a 155 and have a chat with them about binding options, so I did a couple of runs putting the board through its paces. Full arc carves, tight short radius turns, butters, 360 spins (on the ground peeps, Mamabear is too old for park stuff) and realized this board is going to take me places I have not been before. My switch is crap, I can't write legibly with my left hand, and I look like a total spaz riding down the mountain switch, so executing a 360 turn has always been iffy for me. I have made it around twice before ONCE, but usually it is 50/50 whether I will catch an edge on the first rotation or not. Quite easily made it three rotations one way, followed immediately by three rotations the other ... Unheard of! I realized that for all the edge hold the Troop was giving me, she was also prone to edge catching.

 

So I went to buy the board.

FAIL.

They rented me a board specifically to demo with a view to buy that day or the next that they did not have in stock.

Yeah... I am serious!

I was pretty furious initially as I had been pretty specific about what I wanted, and had done all the ground work, and asked if it was possible before I went ahead... More furious because the customer service was pretty lacking, the staff all tried to palm off the problem as a misunderstanding implying that my request was unclear...when it was the opposite and our conversations at the time confirmed that they were on the same page as me. It was simply a case of not really giving a toss.

I walked the entire village looking for anyone else who stocked the board, and found some amazing people on my travels who I would have loved to have supported and bought the board from!!! But alas, no luck. Plenty of the same board in small sizes, but none in the big 155.

 

So I decided to look for the silver lining...I was stuck renting for the week no matter what, so why not make this week DEMO WEEK!!

I took the board in and got them to swap the board and bindings for me. I gave it a quick test this afternoon, but will be back tomorrow with a proper review of my experiences with a 155 Burton Feelgood.

[big-will 7]

I receive this at the end of the week.....

 

 

Salomon Powder Snake 163...........hope that winter hangs around a wee bit longer and gives me the chance to ride it in the soft stuff before the end of the season. Actually its that blasted wedding that is curtailing my snow activities this year............damn getting married ceremony!!

 

Is the black one for you left foot and the yellow one for right?

[Jynxx 4]

Good move mamabear!

I was thinking about you and wanted to say, Don´t buy the first car you see when you go shopping ...remember that from looking for our first (used) car?

Also, why buy a Twin when you don´t ride switch !? Doesn´t make sense.

Also if you went OK with the 155, you can easily go 157, 158... won´t make that much difference. Impressed you got the hang of it in a day!

Bet you are thinking you shudda went longer eairlier, huh ? much more stable in high speed ...

The trend on the binding is that the backs are getting lower. If your boots are stiff enough for your liking, you won´t need additional stiffness coming from the high back.

Talking about the Van encore, my missus took out the reveved (changed wire shorter) encore and said it is too soft for her now lol. Funny that. I know that a women specific boot makes sense because the calf muscle is lower but she prefers stiffness over that particular fit.

 

Ah, forgot to say.. Can you get your hands on a Jones Hovercraft there?

[Tubby Beaver 209]

I receive this at the end of the week.....

 

 

Salomon Powder Snake 163...........hope that winter hangs around a wee bit longer and gives me the chance to ride it in the soft stuff before the end of the season. Actually its that blasted wedding that is curtailing my snow activities this year............damn getting married ceremony!!

 

Is the black one for you left foot and the yellow one for right?

 

yeah, helps me remember which shoe to put on!

 

Mamabear, Mrs TB is a lady after my own heart....ok not with the snowboard but she doesn't like jewellery, so buying our wedding rings was damn easy.............nice n simple and most important for a Scotsman, light on the wallet!!!

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Thanks Jynxx,

Good point about switch/directional vs twin. However I do like the versatility of being able to pop around switch when necessary...it might not look pretty, but does have its uses at times. I teased PB about this over breakfast this morning, he was recounting how he had ridden switch on the Gentem with a swallow tail while we were in Chamonix in January...I lolled and shook my head, and said it is a bt like patting a cat backwards isn't it? It is just WRONG. The Eminence is a true twin, but the Feelgood is a directional twin...so there will be a little difference to sus out tomorrow. Also the difference the magnetraction makes.

 

As for the size the Eminence is maxed out at 155, that's as big as she goes.

The Troop was a step up for me 3 years ago at 151, so the 155 is plenty big enough. And I was riding it like it was my own by the end of run one...sure didn't take a whole day...but the adjustment to the Troop took at least the whole first day.

 

I dunno about the Jones board. My specific request this afternoon was give me a hybrid board that you DO have in stock to try out for tomorrow. The response was 'we ony have the Feelgood'....

But they did suggest to come back and get the Malolo or a fish board if it dumps bigtime...so I will think right outside the box and swap to some radically different boards regardless of whether I am keen to buy or not. I will probably buy the Eminence online, so this week wll be about trying as many different boards as possible ...they won't be too happy with the workload setting up different hire boards for me everyday, but that is what the premium demo package is all about and seeing as they didn't have the board in stock, I may as well test out as many as I can!

[Jynxx 4]

Cool, let us know how you are going. Good to know you are having fun. Yes, swallowtail and switch is like stroking a cat backwards. lol (except I know one cat who loved it) Hey, if there are any Rossignol boards, give it a try. They have magnetraction. Krpto Magtek, or Diva Magtek (women´s) they have good flex not too stiff.

[Mick Rich 78]

Good stuff Mamabear - you're giving Ippy a run for his money with those reviews!

 

& I wouldn't worry about overworking the shop staff in light of their performance to date!

 

Hope the Feelgood feels.............good!

[Jynxx 4]

Ah, yeah, forgot to add.

You can go switch on a directional board. I know what you mean by at times we do go switch ... I have no issues with it even when it´s set backed a bit.

[Mick Rich 78]

Also, why buy a Twin when you don´t ride switch !? Doesn´t make sense.

 

This applies to me too and has got me thinking, why do I keep buying true twins when I know a directional twin would better for my riding style? I guess it's a combination of sticking with what you know and harbouring an annual desire to improve my switch-riding and buttering/ground tricks, all of which are crap! That said, I think I'll be heading over to the directional twin camp next time, probably with a Ride Berzerker or Slackcountry, as referred to earlier in this post.

[Mick Rich 78]

I bought it because I'm here in Hokkaido for the next two years and I wanted to have a purpose powder board for deep days that I can still enjoy on groomers.

I need to get another set of bindings, and then I'll take both boards to the mountain with me and choose based on conditions.

I rode it in knee deep pow today and didn't get stuck once. It's a great board.

 

Pics of rocker profile to come.

 

Andy, how have you got on with the Slackcountry since posting this?

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Righto.. The Burton Feelgood 155. Basically the women's version of the Burton Custom, which my instructor son has just acquired for himself.

 

The camber/rocker profile is very similar to the Roxy Eminence so I didn't expect a lot of difference, but the Feelgood does not have the magnetraction that the Eminence has. I also had a different stance...wider and and back foot turned out a touch more which suited me much much better. Similar to the Eminence in ride style it differed in the short radius turns not being nearly as tight. The Eminence seemed to snap to an immediate response, whereas the Feelgood would shorten up, but not to the same extent. It is possible this had more to do with my stance than the board, so I plan to get the Eminence back out in a few days and run it through short radius turns with the better stance.

 

I gave the Feelgood a run down into Hanazono and back, and that long flat run in at the bottom was pretty slick and solid ... A few times I felt like the board could slide out from under me, but it never did. It felt washy, but it didn't actually wash out. Perhaps in time knowing the board, knowing yourself on the board, and knowing yourself on that board in a variety of conditions you would learn to trust it ... I was not feeling the trust at that time.

 

It handled well on the steeper stuff, cut through chopped up powder without a problem and sailed effortlessly through fresh powder spots. I tackled some open tree's but lacked the confidence in the short radius turns to take it into tighter spots ... Which lends me back to the Eminence...as I want to be enjoying trees.

 

Hanging onto the Feelgood for a nighta, then will play swapsies tomorrow. I am thinking a fully rockered board for something different.

[Yuki-Uma 0]

I vote for the Hovercraft for the wedding present or the Demo, had a week each at Shiga & Hakuba recently on the 160, took my Lib Tech skunk ape but that never got ridden, The hovercraft rode crud or Pow & trees with ease

I did also have some new Cartel bindings as well which helped

The setback stance & longer nose felt like you floated in just about any conditions

[Jynxx 4]

I´ve noticed that after a couple of years.

Also, why buy a Twin when you don´t ride switch !? Doesn´t make sense.

 

This applies to me too and has got me thinking, why do I keep buying true twins when I know a directional twin would better for my riding style? I guess it's a combination of sticking with what you know and harbouring an annual desire to improve my switch-riding and buttering/ground tricks, all of which are crap! That said, I think I'll be heading over to the directional twin camp next time, probably with a Ride Berzerker or Slackcountry, as referred to earlier in this post.

 

Mick, my switch used to suck big. But I have one big tip that improved switch riding without even practicing it on snow. Get a longboard (skate) and ride switch on it. I know it doesn´t make sense but I ride my longboard switch. I find it easier to push on my left foot. I use it to just get around the ´hood, quick shopping and stuff ...

I´ve noticed that after a couple of years I´m going switch on snowboard without that feeling `right, I´m gonna practice ...´

I can´t ride short skates but I have respect for those who can, and I reckon it´s a lot easier for them to snowboard and go park.

 

I think the reason for me to ride directional is because they have a more setback hole pattern. Better in powder, however, Dupraz challenges that notion and hence, I am interested to demo.

[Jynxx 4]

Mamabear,

I know that feeling it´s gonna wash out and it doesn´t.

It´s a bit unsettling,

I think it is a compromise. Boards that turn on a whim ( short radius ) tend to do that on higher speed. They have deeper side cuts, so the edge doesn´t hold very well t the end of the turn... but the side curve on the board helps the initial turning.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

I vote for the Hovercraft for the wedding present

 

why thankyou very much Snowpony, I look forward to its arrival!

[pie-eater 207]

Here's one I made earlier!

 

[Mick Rich 78]

Now I'd like to see you ride that Pies! & I wonder what Mrs TB-to-be would say if that turned up amongst the wedding pressies!!

 

Hanging onto the Feelgood for a nighta, then will play swapsies tomorrow. I am thinking a fully rockered board for something different.

 

Good work Mamabear - keep 'em coming!!

 

Mick, my switch used to suck big. But I have one big tip that improved switch riding without even practicing it on snow. Get a longboard (skate) and ride switch on it. I know it doesn´t make sense but I ride my longboard switch. I find it easier to push on my left foot. I use it to just get around the ´hood, quick shopping and stuff ...

I´ve noticed that after a couple of years I´m going switch on snowboard without that feeling `right, I´m gonna practice ...´

I can´t ride short skates but I have respect for those who can, and I reckon it´s a lot easier for them to snowboard and go park.

 

I think the reason for me to ride directional is because they have a more setback hole pattern. Better in powder, however, Dupraz challenges that notion and hence, I am interested to demo.

 

Interesting you should say that because I keep looking at longboards and thinking I should get one!! I can feel a Spring/Summer purchase coming on!!

[HelperElfMissy 42]

I reckon we could all chip in a few yen to get tubby a hovercraft...but wait...I could also spend that on a Sapporo Biru or two

 

I am actually looking forward to demo-ing a full rocker tomorrow...last run of the nighta my little 'un (who has inherited instructor brothers last board since he grew .. A 154 Burton Joystick with the channels) calls out 'hey Mum, wanna swap boards for the last run?' LOL

Never mind that the kids are all goofy and I ride natural...

No hesitation. Sure. Swap, strap in and go. It helped we both had a similar width stance and rode 15, -12. Both of us hardly noticed.

I expected it to have zero edge hold, but it was actually fine, lots of pop though. I found myself airborne a few times.

 

This is FUN!

Why did I wait so long to do the demo thing!!!

 

[Yuki-Uma 0]

Hey TB

once I get the invite in the mail I'll order the Hovercraft for you

[Tubby Beaver 209]

and your address is........

[griller 9]

I want a jetpac. Been waiting for years and years.

[Yuki-Uma 0]

and your address is........

69 Rudolph lane

North Pole 9999

[Mick Rich 78]

Ho Ho Ho!

[NECK 14]

My buddy rocks the Slackcountry UL and says it's the best board he ever had. I am seriously considering getting the 157 one for myself. You got it cheap!