Board to buy

[panhead_pete 27]

Will probably retire my 5 year old well thrashed Premier V-Max Never Summer prior to coming over and am looking for suggestions for a replacement as an everyday board. I rarely ride park and love riding the mountain. Current NS is 157. Thanks.

[damian 0]

Sounds like another freeride NS would suit you well, like it did in the past.

[panhead_pete 27]

Thats my thoughts at the moment, just wondering if someone had some other suggestions.

[damian 0]

You said you want an all purpose board, so it is hard to suggest anything better than what you already have been happy with. But if you were to open up to the idea of a slightly more specialised board, perhaps a nice tree ripping Burton Fish or Prior Khyber would suit you down to the ground in the deep tree lines of Japan. There is nothing worse than riding the wrong board in powder. Excellent powder riding abilities but more all mountain might be the Burton Malolo.

[Kumapix 0]

i would only suggest the malolo if you never touch rails. without knowing if you like a stiff fast board or a more forgiving freestyle board I couldn't really suggest anything. Ok, I lied. A Burton Custom. the board has a 'lively' feel

[panhead_pete 27]

Thanks for the input guys. I do love riding in the trees and steep deep powder so will look at the Burtons. I come from a surfing background so see the mountain more as a wave them most non surfing snowboarders do ie big carving turns, re-entries off banks etc etc. Rode some Nitro's late in the season in Steamboat in 02 which were stiff and lots of fun. Appreciate the input.

[tsondaboy 0]

I ride a Prior Khyber and I have to say I am 100% happy with it, when ride it where is meant to be ridden, i.e pow.

I have been with that board almost anywhere, trees, steeps, waist deep pow, groomers and even a BX course. If I would rate its performance on each of the courses it would be:

 

Waist deep pow : 10

Trees : 10

Steeps : 10

Groomers : 8

BX course : 6-7

 

Its big wide nose and tapered shape gives you all the float you need even in the most recent pow. Fast and responsive, that can be ridden through the tightest tree runs. It is stiffer in the centre but progressively less stiff toward the edges, which helps floating and also landings. In the groomers performs really well and doesn’t start trembling even in high speeds. But, I have to say that it doesn’t grip on ice as well as an all mountain board. There was 1-2 times that I was turning really fast on the gromers and my tail didn’t grab on the ice and slide towards the outer side of the turn. It’s also not something I would recommend on a park. It’s a bit wider than it should be and also too stiff. It hurts to land it on ice because of its stiffness, since the edges aren’t soft enough to absorb all of the extra pressure. I am planning to get either a Prior MFR or a Yonex ACW for the groomers and park.

When my Khyber goes bad from use, I will probably replace it with a new Khyber.

[ibk6020 0]

check out the burtont FISH!had one for 4 years and just love it!

or even the volkl SELECTA!

(designed by 2 good friends of mine Harry Putz & Martin Wolf, 2 of austrias best freeriders!)

[Rag-Doll 0]

Here is a decent review/assessment of the Khyber - sounds like a nice board. Matches many of the things Tsondaboy says.

 

http://www.wigglesworld.klebos.com/sports/snowboard/reviews/khyber/index.asp

[tsondaboy 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Rag-Doll:
Here is a decent review/assessment of the Khyber - sounds like a nice board. Matches many of the things Tsondaboy says.

http://www.wigglesworld.klebos.com/sports/snowboard/reviews/khyber/index.asp

It is note fare to compare Khyber with the fish. I would compare Khyber with malolo, and fish with the Prior Pow-stick or with le spuds Dupraz.

[damian 0]

>>le spuds Dupraz

 

Don't you [censored]ing dare compare a Burton Fish with a Dupraz D1!

 

 

(I see your point, but the 178cm Dupraz in unique. It has no peer, especially in terms of stance and riding sensation. You drive it quite differently to both a normal snowboard and a normal longboard. But comparisons with the new 165cm D1 would be interesting... but still an insult)

 

Anyway, I was interested to read that the Fish is not in the same class as the Khyber. In ignorance I thought the Kyhber was a less fishy Fish.

 

I am thinking about buying a kyhber for my girlfriend, but I think even the shortest one is slightly too long.

[tsondaboy 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by le spud:
I am thinking about buying a kyhber for my girlfriend, but I think even the shortest one is slightly too long.

You probably know better than me that there is not such thing as “too long board” when it comes to powder, only too sort ones.

After that it’s a mater of riding stile. Some people like the ultimate surfing experience wile others want a bit more control and turning speed. I prefer for the time being a bit more control over surfing, that’s why I am riding what I would call a hybrid between a 100% powder board and an all mountain board. The Khyber or Malolo are neither a 100% powder board nor an all mountain board. So I think in their league are probably the best 2 choices you have. By the way, how small is your girlfriend? Khyber starts from 150 cm and Malolo from 154 cm. The 150 might even be too short for her.

As for fish… I had a bit of sarcastic mood when I was comparing it with a swallow tail board or the D1. But since Burton advertises it as an 100% powder board, I thought I should compare it with the real things.

[Rag-Doll 0]

Spud,

 

I just had a read of the Dupraz website. It looks like a fun ride. But that length - 178! I know what it says on the box, but have you found that it is a bit difficult to maneuver in tight spots (rocks, tree, no-fall zones)?

[damian 0]

I have ridden it in deep tight trees and it was not ideal. However I appreciated the carry and float I got across flat sections and how easy it was to get going again after a crash in one of those lumpy undulating areas you get in pine tree lines (one of the big downsides of a crash in trees). I am looking forward to the 165 in trees.

 

No fall zones and tight rocks: I didn’t ride it in one. Although I did scramble a long ridge of otherwise easy class 3 and 4 rock for three hours in 30 knot winds with the long muther strapped to my back, nose sailing above my head. I was almost blown of the ridge and had the nose catching on the rocks above me. Riding down would have been worth the effort if it were not for white out conditions, crevasses and a few inches of sliding windslab. Anyway, I wouldn’t take the long D1 into technical no-fall riding situations. Nor tight rocks and pinches that require jumps to get around (but I despise jump turns anyway unless it is just to narrow to have any other choice).

 

Mogulled terrain: a very poor choice of boards. You often can’t avoid them when riding out an off-piste line and it is no fun at all.

 

Other than that, it’s the fastest dual purpose powder flying and piste carving board you could imagine. A seriously powerful board, like a 4wd Ferrari combined with a mountain surfboard. It isn’t really a snowboard at all. It is God.

[panhead_pete 27]

Hey guys. Those of you riding a Prior Khyber or similar how long are your boards? My current all mountain board is a 157 and wieght is about 76 kg, so will a 165 Kyber be sufficent/too long for trees etc. Thanks.

[tsondaboy 0]

I am riding a 160 Khyber, which has a rider’s recommended weight range of 55-85 kg.

I weight about 67 kg, so plus BC equipment the total weight on the board is close to 80 kg. Never had a problem with float except from one day that snowed 150 cm in a few hours. That was a day that I felt envy of people with 170~ swallowtails.

Apart from that, you can probably go anywhere if you pick the right length for your weight.

I sent a mail directly to the guys in Prior explaining what’s my riding stile, weight etc so they recommended the 160 board. If you are interested in one, you can always contact them. They are extremely helpful and will definitely help you pick the right length for you.

[panhead_pete 27]

Thanks. Email sent. Great idea!

[panhead_pete 27]

Wow what great service from Prior. Got an email back this morning and I'll probbaly pick up an ex demo 165 nice and cheap. Thanks Tsondaoy for the tip and everyone else for the advice.

[Kumapix 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by panhead_pete:
Hey guys. Those of you riding a Prior Khyber or similar how long are your boards? My current all mountain board is a 157 and wieght is about 76 kg, so will a 165 Kyber be sufficent/too long for trees etc. Thanks.

i weigh about the same as you. You'd be fine with a 162 malolo.You can find it a lot cheaper than a khyber. If you stop in Tokyo when you come out you'd be able to pick one up no problem. You could also order one from last year off yahoo auction japan.

with tapered boards like the khyber/malolo/fish you should pick one a couple of cm's less than your regular board. I think though that your 157 is too short for you. How tall are you?

[tsondaboy 0]

Good choice panhead.

I had mine a bit customized and it end up being quite expensive. It was something like 95000 yen including shipping, but I don’t regret a single yen I paid for it.

[panhead_pete 27]

Kumapix I'm a bit of a shorty at 172 cm with the 157cm comeing up to my chin. The kyber is an ex demo from Prior in GC and will cost me $520 Aus delieverd to my door in Perth Aus (59000 yen?) Here's a link

 

http://www.priorsnowboards.com/used_boards_list.php?BSTY_ID=3

 

Its the one that is $349 Can.

 

Looks a pretty fare deal but am happy to hear anyone views.

[Kumapix 0]

on the net auction i mentioned the 162 malolo is going for 60,000 yen for this years or 50,000 for last years. that's on the expensive side.

 

I personally would never get a demo board unless I could see that it hadn't been ridden much. Me and everybody I know always destroy demo boards. but you can't beat the price!

[bushpig 0]

yeah I was thinking the same re demo boards.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

bushy, ya gonna fork out some cash and get a powder board??

[bushpig 0]

schmidt! Man, you are like the little red guy sitting on my left shoulder with that! Last year it was the same. Mate, I was contemplating it but had almost talked myself out of it... If something comes up cheap then maybe. I dunno.