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Never Summer Raptor Review - Carving on Groomers

11K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  wwgk1980 
#1 ·
Hey there,

Here are some of my thoughts about NS Raptor and carving on groomers, originally posted on my blog: MeGustaSport - Never Summer Raptor Snowboard Review:

What I like:

+ Easy to find the edge
+ Quick edge change
+ Pop - just right. It helps you out of the turn, great for the little jump between the carves.
+ Flex - the board is easy to flex and it's easy to change the radius of the turn while riding
+ Turn radius - easy to control, perfect for shorter blue and red runs as well as crowded slopes
+ Feels really light on the feet
+ Makes good trenches in the snow
+ It allows relaxed casual riding

What I don't like:
- Torsional stiffness - Raptor does not hold the perfect edge on the steep black runs.
- Too narrow - I've booted out in few turns, specially on the steeps. When I have the opportunity, I'll try the Raptor X model.

Summary:
Great, if you want to take a single board on a family skiing trip. It is truly one of most versatile boards around.
For soft-boot carving on groomed slopes - Raptor is OK, but there are better boards.

Setup:

- Flux SF45 Bndings
- Angles 33/18
- Stance 52cm
- Boots Vans Aura
- Raider Weight 75kg







 
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#2 ·
Great to see actual carves (trenches) by someone talking about carving (an inflationary used term). Gonna borrow one of your pics from time to time :)

I think I stumbled over one of your takes on the Coal as well... which leads me want to stress one little detail that is a bit hidden in your review and of which I think is a very nice + of the Raptor: very nice dampening in uneven terrain/crud.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I think I stumbled over one of your takes on the Coal as well... which leads me want to stress one little detail that is a bit hidden in your review and of which I think is a very nice + of the Raptor: very nice dampening in uneven terrain/crud.
Thanks Neni,

Didn't test it in those conditions - can't tell. I only mention stuff i actually KNOW about. Real pictures, real riding. I never read the marketing blah blah before testing boards and even if I do - I do not take it seriously...

I hope to get more time on Raptor soon and test it in other conditions. We're having a difficult winter around here...

Cheers
Bart
 
#6 ·
Great review Canmanski and pics. Awesome to see someone railing turns like that. I especially love the 3rd picture with the swooping heelside carve line.


Funny you mentioned that, you were on the same page as us. Everything you don't like about the Raptor we've addressed with our new Chairman.

-"Torsional stiffness - Raptor does not hold the perfect edge on the steep black runs." By adding a massive Carbon X (heel to toe) in the mid-section of the board on top of the core and long Carbon V's on the bottom, the Chairman is stiffer torsionally and holds an edge better in a long turn and the steeps than a Rpator.
- "Too narrow - I've booted out in few turns, specially on the steeps. When I have the opportunity, I'll try the Raptor X model." Even with an 8.5 someone carving hard as you do will boot out, imagine someone riding a regular width board with a 10.5 or 11. We increased the width even on the on all sizes of the chairman. I was one to never ride wider boards being under the assumption that they are sluggish edge to edge and I ride an forward angled stance. With agile feel of Rocker/Camber combined with the progressive verison of Vario Power Grip Sidecut on the Chairman I don't need the narrower board for quick response and have the extra width to eliminate booting out in a hard heel side carve.

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#8 ·
Vince,

Super stoked on the Chairman, (and its split cousin.):eusa_clap:

Any reason for the size jump from 164 to 173? I am really considering going to larger decks after spending some time on my 166 Blaho bros split. I know you will have more sizes in the wide option, but I would love to get a Chairman in the 166-169 size range (reg width). I think a lot of riders who want a board like this with the larger sidecut and directional profile would also prefer something in that size range.

Given the larger sidecut, doesn't that increase the waist width automatically, all other things being equal? (aka the Furberg effect) I notice the tip and tail widths are relatively narrow. Are the underfoot widths similar to previous models?

Thanks
 
#12 ·
The Chairman

Hey,

So only a few days ago The Chairman mentioned The Chairman... and I already had an opportunity to ride it.
The full review coming soon (in seperate thread).

This is just a preview:



Cheers
Bart
 
#15 ·
Stole my thunder.

I was waiting to get back from a trip where I rode some groomers and hard pack then I was going to post my review of the Raptor. But I get back and sit down to write and Canmanski has beaten me to the punch.

Having said that he probably did a better job. But here is my 2 cents, I will warn you that I am comparing it to my old board which is a 2007 Step Child Hammer Head with mid-level Burton bindings, so I expected everything to be better.

I bought it just after christmas and had some nice pow to play around in(30-40cm of fresh with not much of a base under the fresh) and was getting great float and pop out of the snow that I would have really had to work hard for with the old board. Hard not to have great things to say about a new board with that much new snow.

I just got back from Sun Peaks yesterday where it was -15 to -30 with no substantial new snow for 2 weeks or so. Lots of hard pack and groomers, even the off piste was either chewed up or looked fresh but was hard. So a good place to evaluate in less than ideal conditions. I noticed right away that the catch points on the board were now under your feet and not out at the tips because of the rocker which made riding the flats a little easier. Much better initiation and edge hold and if you push a little bit there is a nice pop going from edge to edge. I had it wash out on me a little on steep blacks but i was being tentative and not setting the edge hard enough. I never had it wash out or chatter when being aggressive. Felt confidant at speed, very stable had about the same dampening as the old board which was very good. I wear a 10.5 Burton Driver X's and I did notice that I would drag my toes when really leaning into toe side turns but not badly enough to make me want a Raptor X.

I bought it as a one board for everything I do and I feel like it has delivered, obviously not a park or jibbing board but thats not my thing anyways.

I like it. It does what I ask and it hasn't let me down yet.

On a maintenance note I wax it myself and it seems to hold really well. 4 days on hard pack and cold ass groomers I expected to have to wax again but I could probably get a few more days out of it. Like an idiot I rode it over a small snow covered bridge at the resort which also had some rocks on it from peoples boots tracking it on and scratched the base, but not nearly as bad as I thought i would though which was a nice surprise.
 
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