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2015 Never Summer Ripsaw review

77K views 149 replies 52 participants last post by  foobaz 
#1 ·
Hi All,
I recently bought a 2015 limited run Never Summer Ripsaw 156. I thought I would post a brief review in case it might help others considering it.

I'm about 185lbs, 5'9", with a size 10 Burton Driver X, and Burton Diode bindings riding at +18F/-9B angles. My riding style is very aggressive and I tend to charge most runs at full throttle. I race boardercross when the opportunity arises and competed HP/Slopestyle for my college snowboard team back in the day when I was a young buck. My last board was a K2 Slayblade 158 and before that, a whole bunch of Salomons (got them for pennies or sometimes free).

In a nutshell, this board is like having your own little pet monster. I have lapped Killington and Jay Peak on this through 2 pow days last week, and a bunch of groomers and a few park runs thrown in. Its my first NS board so maybe other owners already know this but...I don't think I've ever ridden a board that holds an edge as good as this one. On an early morning corduroy run, I basically laid down full body rooster tails the whole way without the deck even hinting of washing out. The pop off lips on park kickers was like raw kangaroo meat. Made me wish I would have done more squats at the gym last summer.

We had a pretty solid storm system come through last week so I rode the board in 2 days of pow too. The float on it was ... meh. I think the Slayblade floated a little better but at the same time, my stance was set back about .5 inches on that board and I'm totally centered on the Ripsaw. I'm not sure .5 inches would make that big of a difference though. Also, it has zero forgiveness. If you get lazy on this, you WILL be punished. Catching edges at speed almost happened so I found myself having to really concentrate the whole time, especially in the trees. Its was a more intense experience for sure...almost zen-like but not laid back at all. The board wants to charge full speed at everything all the time. I'm not sure how fast I got it up to but suffice to say I don't think I felt a limit or high speed chatters...even through crud.

All in all, the ripsaw is a very aggressive board for hard-charging riders. For my style of riding; its definitely the best board I've ever owned.

Hope this helps anyone considering it for their next axe. Cheers,
 
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#7 ·
What board were you coming from? When I went from Arbor rocker back to the NS crc I felt the board was unforgiving. But after one day it was normal again and I didn't get that feeling. I'm wondering if coming from the flat slayblade is what caused this sensation.
 
#12 ·
Well that's what I mean. If you were on CRC going to a more aggressive version of it probably isn't such a huge jump as going from flat or rocker to it.

When I went from camber to the SL I didn't notice any difference. But after riding Arbor for one full season (Coda then westmark) and when I jumped on to the Cobra I felt whipped around once or twice that day. Didn't take me long to adjust but the first 1-2 runs reminded me I needed to be more serious and not lazy. With the Arbor rocker I could ride lazy all day and not get whipped around.

I never got scorpioned but the board reminded me I needed to bend my knees more and get in a proper stance :laugh: Didn't help it was fast/hard on Crystal Mountain. The next day we went to Stevens and it was 60F and soft everywhere. Not as bad.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Not to threadjack, but just recieved my 159 Ripsaw, and figured I would give you my thoughts as well.

I am 5'10, 202 lbs.
Been snowboarding since '89. I ride pretty much all the resort runs from Green through Blacks. Will ride the small, to medium boxes at times, but 90% of my time is spent charging all mountain.

Current board (besides Ripsaw) 2012-13 Heritage 162.
Past boards:
Flow Drifer 158(hated this board)
Burton Hero 158 (v-Rocker)
Burton Custom 158 (camber)
Burton Baron 160
Couple old burton boards (Asym-air, Twisted, Craig Kelly) All Camber

1/7/2014 Keystone Front Mountain, North Peak about 12 runs total. Packed powder conditions in the morning, icy spots on the steeper stuff mid day.

Bindings/Boots - 2012 Flow NXT-AT, Salomon Synapse Boots

Let me start by saying my Heritage is my favorite board I have ever owned, and any direct comparison will be to that board. I wanted to check out the Rip Saw, because I always liked Camber boards, and liking the Heritage, I figured I would see what Never Summer was trying to do.

Unboxing it, you are immediately greeted by the usual high quality you would expect from Never Summer, and I expect this board will hold up very well. I really like the look of the board, and having spent much of my life in construction like the "Rip Saw" name. I know I am probably alone in that, but to me it seems rugged.

First impression on first ride was that it seemed stiffer than the heritage, not just lengthwise (Butters), but also torsionally between the feet. This may be attributed to the shorter length than I am now used to, but it was something I noticed right away. (I see that the Rip Saw is rated a 7 for flex as opposed to the Heritages 6, but the difference seemed greater than what I would have guessed was 1 point). Oh, and also that the board is not going to win any awards for being lightweight. While I did not weigh it, it actually seemed kind of heavy. That heavy feeling goes away as soon as you start riding, but I am just mentioning what I remember.

The board was very playful, and definitely exhibited more pop than the Heritage. You would expect that with the increased Camber, and it did not disappoint. It transitioned quickly from edge to edge, and turned smoothly. There was no hint of catching edges for me, until the very end of the day when I was tired, and getting lazy. On one run while cruising a flat area, I felt the tail tug a little, as it caught it's rear edge. Nothing violent, and easily correctable, but it was there. That was the only time I ever felt anything like this, and as I said I was being lazy, and just cruising pretty flat at that point. By contrast, I know I would not have had that tug with the Heritage. The different bottom profiles allows me to sometimes be lazy, with little fear of repercussion.

Now for the best part, this board likes to move. It handled speed very well even transitioning through the changing, end of the day, soft chop, and ice of River Run. It holds an edge incredibly well, and has enough damping so you do not feel pretty moderate chop. While I did not measure the speed, of course, it went as fast as I could go without a hint of washout, or any instability at all. The board breeds confidence, it literally just carves into the mountain. If there is any one thing I took away from this first day ride it is that this board sticks. Just point it where you want it to go, and it will get you there.

Overall, I really liked this board, though in the end, I can't say it has supplanted my Heritage as best board. It is different for sure. I think the Heritage is easier to ride, and maybe more versatile, though I can't pinpoint why I feel that way yet. The Rip Saw is an impressive board for sure, and in time I may find I prefer the carving ability I perceived during this first outing. I will add to this as I go, but color me impressed with the Rip Saw as a start.
 
#11 ·
Sorry should have added that. I used a pair of 2012 Flow NXT-AT's, and wore a pair of Salomon Synapse boots in a 9.5 Wide. I will swap out the bindings for newer Flows (NX2-GTs) in the future, but just wanted to see if I liked the board first, and used a pair I had lying around...
 
#25 ·
With length I think it's generally personal preference but in this case, I went with the 156 because of the waist width. At a size 10 Burton driver X, the footprint gave me about a quarter inch of toe and heel hang, which is about where I like our personally. Also, I will say that despite the effective edge comment above, I felt that for carving ability this board rode like a 58 or 59, which is the length I typically have ridden in the past. I spun a couple of 3s and 5s and it felt pretty light but I think the diodes had something to do with that... But again so much of this is personal preference so others might think differently.
 
#30 ·
Its official. This is the sickest board I've ever ridden. Got to take a bunch of pipe runs on Sunday and.... Holy ass. Incredible edge grip, super predictable pop, rididonkulous fast base.
This is a keeper! I'm using it for everything except split boarding of course.
 
#31 ·
I knew I didn't want to read this review.

I was at my local shop yesterday, picking up a few small things and window-shopping since they've started marking down inventory. The have one NS Ripsaw (159) and currently have it on sale for just over $300.00.

It took everything I had to not buy it and just leave the store with a new goggle strap and some wax. You see, my wife... *ahem* um... *nervous cough* she would murder me if I bought another board. My current quiver for riding includes a Proto CT (158) and an Evo (154). I bought the Evo at the beginning of the season so I had a smaller play-toy for spending more time in the park. I also bought a few vintage boards this year for my collection. So yeah... Mrs. MeanJoe is not real happy with my choices with my discretionary income.

But damn, it looks like a sexy beast and I wanna ride her hard.

So, whining aside regarding my level of pussy-whippedness... where does this board sit in the NS range? Is it a compromise between the SL and Proto? Is it a twin Heritage? I can't quite place where this board is supposed to fit.

MeanJoe
 
#32 ·
Hahaha, know all about the missus being the chief financial officer of the relationship.

I'd say it's an entirely new direction for NS. Doesn't really "fit" anywhere in there lineup. I would think it's a Proto on steroids. True twin, with a much more pronounced camber section. If you lay it flat, the tip and tail actually touch the ground.

This board is NS's answer to the current trend in snowboarding, being going back to camber.

Give it a few years... people will be bitching about the catchiness and how "unplayful" it is and go back to rocker.

It'll play out like a sine wave... rocker, camber, rocker, camber, rocker, etc. :D
 
#33 · (Edited)
I'm purchasing a Ripsaw and would love some feedback on the size. I am 5'9", and usually about 175 pounds. Size 9 boot.

I rode an SL 155 for almost four seasons now, and felt like it wasn't enough board for me.

I demo'd a 159 Ripsaw and loved everything about it (the feel is so crazily different from anything I've ridden, and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face).

I ride mainly east coast stuff, harder pack, though I seek out the softer stuff whenever I can. I don't do park, don't jib, and don't jump much. I also don't ride switch often and am usually directional in my style (carving mostly). I realize the Ripsaw is a true twin. I try to get out west once a year to play in powder.

I have access to a 156 and a 159. Is there a huge difference between these two fro someone my size?
 
#35 ·
I weigh a little less than you at 160lbs, and I'd been riding SL 55s since they came out. I recently started to feel the same way, that I wanted a bit more board. Right now I'm riding a 56 Ripsaw, and a 58 Heritage. I love both, and honestly feel like the Ripsaw gives up virtually nothing to the Heritage in terms of being able to really lay into it and charge. So, I'm sure you'd be fine on the 56, and would feel like it's more substantial than your 55 SL. All that said, if you've ridden the 59 and loved it, why 2nd guess that? Of course, I say that as an owner of a 56, that really wants to try a 59.
 
#37 ·
The waist of a snowboard makes a lot of difference in edging and responsiveness. Small differences have big effects on how quickly a broad transitions from one edge to the other, as well as how stable it feels. I've always felt people don't give this spec the importance it deserves.
 
#44 ·
Well crap. Went to buy the 156 this morning and....it was a 157. So it was the wide (X). With my size, I don't have use for the wide. The 159 is still on its way there, but after much deliberating, including advice here, I'd decided on the 156. Kinda pissed the clerk on the phone hadn't specified (and that I hadn't noticed she said 157). Back to square one. Prices are 30% off so the 159 is still on my mind.
 
#46 ·
Local shops here basically ALL go 30% off this time of year to clear inventory. It's a semi-local place. They still have the 159 on the way there for me from other store. (These are all this year stock...not 2015).

Sun Valley Sports Akron is the place. There's a 157 X there now for anyone looking.
 
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