kusanagi 0 Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 How do powder boards specifically for open bowls differ from ones for backcountry tree skiing? Those for open bowls are stiffer to provide more stability and speed while those for tree skiing are softer to thus providing more maneuverability? Am i right?? Whats the function of swallow tail? More speed? For deep powder? If I will be snowboarding open wide bowls with 1 foot to 2feet deep powder, what would be the best board for me? I'll say I am somewhere between intermediate and advanced. 175cm, 155lbs, 8.5US feet size(Yep very small feet) Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Well, it's all about personal preference really. In the trees it's better to have a shorter powder board. Something with a big taper is better (wide nose, narrow tail) because it allows the board to be shorter while still providing a bigger surface area for float. Swallow tails are there to help sink the back foot while raising the nose out of deep snow. You can find them on boards with and without tapers. As for best board... difficult to say. If you are not in the trees then something longer will be fine. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I think youve pretty much got the gist of it. Tree boards tend towards float and maneuverability for tight turns. For longer steeper hits though you aint sinking, so floats not really the main priority, so really youre after a jynxxie board. Something with a good long edge, thats nice and damp, and that nukes anything that might cause a taper shorter ride to get bounced around in poor conditions. Swallowtails on the other hand are very much for all things. It helps with float, and usually they have a nice long effective edge on them. I would say theyre damp and that they offer quick edge to edge response, but thats on a board by board basis. (well, its all on a board by board basis of course). But these are outliers in truth. Most of us arent riding massive open steep chutes. We're just pottering about in sidecountry stuff which (in almost all the resorts ive hit up) doesnt entirely offer steep hits without a decent hike attached to it. Sounds strange to say this, but for japow, you just need a kill it all board more than a specialised one focused on JUST the trees or JUST steep chutes, and honestly a swallowtail is pretty much the delivery system for a fun do it all japow board. I should also add though you can still tweak it in a few directions. Swallowtail a nice 20mm Taper. Reverse camber nose Longer board Reverse all over but with reverse sidecuts (mtx/deathgrip/vario ET AL) to help with stability in bumpier terrain. Lots of things you can do. Just have a wee look around for something that ticks your boxes and fits your price range. For example: If you want something ALL mountain (slack country resort and park) then maybe you want to look at the camber profile first and tweak that. If instead this is your designated powder board, then as BM says, its pretty much rider preference along with where you think youre going to be spending most of your time and finally what options you have in your price range. You can get some kick ass (tapered) pow boards for under $400 (cameltoe;hovercraft;charlie slasher), swallowtails usually cost a bit more, whilst a standard camber ride that youre sizing up from a couple of years back you can maybe find pretty cheap. Link to post Share on other sites
gozaimaas 61 Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I have found that swallowtail + setback gives agility and enables very hard, sharp back foot driven turns that are essential for tight tree riding. In open bowl areas you are better off with a centred stance and more of your traditional long swallowtail shape like a prior pow stick. Link to post Share on other sites
kusanagi 0 Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 Thanks everyone for the replies I am considering the Burton Fish(156), Cheetah and the Con Artist. Which one is the best? The Con artist has a length of only 152cm, so its for very high maneuverability? The fish has sth like Nug Raduction for downsizing purpose? How does it work?? And for a US8.5/JAP26.5 what would be the perfect waist width of a board? How much overhang should there be, 1cm for each of the toes and heels? Actually does it even matter as we mainly use the base instead of the edge of a board when riding powder Link to post Share on other sites
kusanagi 0 Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 And how different are the surfy feels between the Camber shape(Cheetah) and the Springloaded one(Fish/Con Artist)? S-Rocker = Springloaded?? Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I'm a big fan of the Fish. I've been riding a 156cm for years now and it's everything I want in a board. Mine is an older model so there are some differences with what they are putting out now (mine has no cut-out swallow tail and is stiffer). I'm a surfer as well so it's the perfect snowboard. That board really feels like surfing on snow. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Love my Fish Although I am going for something different this year I am sure whatever you get will work fine I always think in Back Bowls the bigger the better to get out so the Fish. I wouldn't worry about toes and heels in Powder and I have size 12 and ride the 156 Fish on anything. Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts