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Review: 2012 Signal Park Flat 150

11K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  davidj 
#1 · (Edited)
This format was borrowed, with permission, from Snowolf. Thanks!

The MSRP for the standard board is $369

Available sizes: 150, 152, 154, 156, 158

General Construction:

Park series Poplar core, flat from contact point to contact point. Triax(bottom)/biax glass laminating with precisely metered resin layup. Pretty no frills board. Single radius sidecut.

OTHER FEATURES & TECHNOLOGY

• Built for today’s terrain parks and city streets. Built to take a beating
• Magnum ABS sidewalls
• Sintered bases on all models
• “Park Profile” core, which is thinner on the nose and tail but has a standard thickness between your feet • The alternating grain structure of the Poplar core provides maximum strength and maximum pop
• Biaxial glass gives the Park its soft tip to tail flex
• Nylon 8210 top material provides a softer torsion flex
• Carbon stringers from tip to tail for added pop and strength

Technical details:

Overall Length: 150 cm
Construction: Poplar Park Series Core, Flat Camber
Effective Edge: 113.93 cm
Sidecut: 7.59 m
Nose Width: 28.67 cm
Waist Width: 24.5 cm
Tail Width: 28.67 cm
Stance Range: 51-63 cm (20.1" - 24.8")
Flex: "Soft"
Weight Range: None listed

My Setup:

Height: 5'7"
Weight: 145
Boot: DC Park 9.5, regular laces
Binding: Flux RK30 M
Stance: Regular, 23.5", 15/-15 and 18/-18
Rider Skill: Freeride and Freestyle Intermediate
Wax: Hertel Super Hot Sauce

Conditions: Camelback, spring mashed taters and hardpack. Super thin coverage with ice underneath in places. Liberty (Jiberty) artificial, large granular, springish conditions.

Philosophy of Use: Park stick, pure and simple. This year, the core was said to be beefed up just a hair to be more overall park rather than pure jibbing.

Sidecut/Manuverability: First impression was not really impressed here, to be honest. My feet are probably colored with bias coming off center reverse with a super well dialed tri-radial cut, but the board just felt a bit unresponsive and kind of boring. Once I got a feel for the flat and the sidecut, it got better. I could see the board getting better as it softens torsionally, but drive it like a camber stick and you'll be fine. Again, this is probably bias from riding The System all season save for one day.

Stability/Damping: Actually, it was good here. For a soft board, you could really charge through big chunks of corned up, refrozen crap and it didn't get too hairy. It's still a lively board and while I wouldn't say it "plows" through stuff, mashed taters, death cookies and everything else didn't seem to upset it that much.

Flex/Snap: This is the boards really strong point. Out of the box it felt about equal if not just a very tiny bit stiffer than the Westmark, but the Westmark is nice and broken in now. After pressing the crap of it around the mountain, it started to feel a tiny bit softer. Extrapolating from this, when it breaks it it should truly be a "soft" board, but not an unusable noodle. For those of you looking for a jib stick that is still good at jumping and going around the mountain, this is really the board for you. My 147 Horroscope was softer for sure (WDT core), but this will still be a soft enough board for doing most any technical jibbing or ground tricks. It has a really good sweet spot for locking into 5-0's. It has a nice, consistent flex that gradually stiffens going into the center of the board. This is a good thing and gives you tons of room to play around on the tips.

The snap was unbelievable. I literally was taken aback, I didn't think it would be much better, if even equal, to the Westmark. The poplar core, flat camber and carbon stringer just popped you up like nuts. Ollies of rollers felt like a pogo stick. If you like to pop off rollers, side hits and random features around the mountain, this board is super fun because of the amplitude it will gives you.

Torsional flex is a medium, matches the longitudinal flex well but I would prefer it a bit softer just to offset the flat camber to make it a better cruiser. Again, some of this is probably my bias from being spoiled from being on center reverse but it's a critique nonetheless. Center reverse just cruises better, IMO and the camber means it doesn't have to give up torsional stiffness to do so.

Base: I got a heads up from Nivek before I bought this board and my experience confirms it. I abused this thing, rode it over thing coverage, over dirt and off the trail (thanks winter 2012) where I could and the base basically just laughed at me. Awesome. It's fairy fast too, on par with the Rocket Base on the Westmark. A base this good on a board this cheap is just a flat out bargain. With Signal in the game, there is no excuse to be riding extruded anymore. Capita, Academy, TechNine should be taking notes.

Other note: Made in SoCal, based in SoCal great company. Their Every Third Thursdays really show how creative these guys are and that kind of thinking obviously goes a long way to make a good, value shred stick. Besides waiting for the break in period to pass, there's not much bad I can say about this board and I'd give it an A or B in every category a snowboard could be critiqued on.

Signal is now a favorite company of mine. If you want a no-frills, but solid tech and durable park stick you can beat up for a great price, go look at their boards. I still like my Westmark more, but its price and only average durability definitely are beat by the Signal.

edit*: addendum here. Credit goes to Nivek and BA for selling me on this board. It's not too soft to do most types or riding so if you are worried about that, don't be.
 
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#3 ·
Didn't really need to try out 3 Stage since I've ridden it before and only have a limited experience with flat boards, so I wanted something that serve the same role as the Westmark if it were to coreshot or break an edge in the middle of a trip but something that was also different.
 
#6 ·
Yep, I rode 5-0's and fakie 5-0's all over the place just trying to get it to soften up. I wish I had looked at it to verify the camber was perfectly flat (probably not, manufacturing isn't perfect) and I'm guessing the minor camber might even be intention so it breaks in flat. Anyway, more riding is in store! The Westmark will be out, though, next time.
 
#11 ·
54 is a fine size. I can ride the 52 everywhere and I'm 155ish lbs.

As for the minimal amount or camber. The industry basically allows you to call anything zero +/- like 2-3mm of camber/rocker. It takes so little weight to level out that much camber it basically isn't there.

The reason for it is the way a snowboard is pressed. With there being a heat blanket on the top and bottom, depending on initial resin temp, ambient temp in the factory, the difference in temperature between the blankets, the overall temperature the press gets too, the small variations in wood grain... those all effect the level of camber in a deck.
 
#9 ·
Nice review Cheese :)

I'm actually very surprised that you found the flex to be the same if not stiffer than the westmark out of the box. I always had the notion it was quite a bit softer than the Westmark...more of a jibber than jumper/beefed up park board. Im guessing its flex is much stiffer than say a Subzero and a shade stiffer than an Evo?
 
#10 · (Edited)
Keep in mind the Westmark might actually be stiffer but rocker makes it feel more playful. My Westmark has broken in quite nicely which makes me somewhat sad because I know one day the base will be beyond rideable and I'll have to break in another one all over again.

I have a Draft sitting on my porch right now, I'm going to take it out but my impression is it will be a shade too soft to hit that Goldie Locks just right spot. This is quite nitpicky though.

I haven't been on the Sub-Z but I have been on the Swindle and this board definitely is a bit beefier than that board was. Now, I found the Evo to be less playful than the Westmark (again, keep in mind it recambers in the tips) but it might have very well been softer than the Westmark. So from Park Zero to Evo, without having an Evo on hand (and not having ridden the 2012) I can't really say. I can say they're all (Westmark, Evo, Park Zero) very close that you should pick based on which camber profile you like to ride, durability, sidecut preference and price over the minor differences in flex.
 
#13 ·
So from Park Zero to Evo, without having an Evo on hand (and not having ridden the 2012) I can't really say. I can say they're all (Westmark, Evo, Park Zero) very close that you should pick based on which camber profile you like to ride, durability, sidecut preference and price over the minor differences in flex.
I have a 11/12 Evo 157 that I've only had a chance to ride for about 10 hours total and just picked up a Park Zero 156. It's interesting to hear people think these boards are so close in performance and feel since there's a huge difference in price. Once I get a chance to ride the Park Zero I may end up selling the Evo and pocketing the difference.
 
#12 ·
I agree the base is tough. After running over a few rocks and hitting yet another hidden tree stump this season, I stopped caring about what's in my way. The base got a few scratches at worst when I was fully expecting to end up with thick gouges instead. It's on par or maybe even tougher than my Never Summer SL's base in durability.

The entire board's construction overall is rock solid... and might I also add, very light too.

No fancy tech, but great quality for it's price.
 
#15 ·
I rode both now. I prefer the Evo but that is because I camber designs that are based on center reverse camber. 3 stage is meh, to me, I'd rather just have flat or camber with micro-rocker in the tips. The Park Zero is an awesome board and dollar for dollar probably the best buy you can get considering the quality of base.
 
#17 ·
In that case I'd look at the 155 OG Flat. That's actually what I rode as my park stick most of last year.
For me at 155lbs the 151 made a killer park board that I could jib and jump, and the 153 made a good jump and all mountain board. So figure the 155 would fit like inbetween the two, but for you. So a little less jibbable and a little less mountain oriented.

Or do the 156 Omni and be totally set for park and all mountain.
 
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