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New board for an old timer

1K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  snowklinger 
#1 ·
Hey all,

It's been a very long time since I bought a board, but now, finally, I think it's about that time :) I have to say, I'm a bit perplexed with it all. I'm kind of up on the rocker stuff. Kind of. I just tried a 2013 K2 HappyHour and that was totally flat! Was amazing. I nearly bought it on the spot. But then someone told me they're rubbish in slush… I don't know, I'm clearly behind the times… And if I'm not careful, I could end-up buying something I regret. So, yeah, I'm in need of help, there are brands I've never heard of, and the local board shops here just seem to want to push the brands that suit them…

So my riding is firmly all mountain. I've been riding for 15 years, but only 15 days a year-ish. I like to ride hard and fast, big carves, and living in New Zealand, I have a lot of steep ice to contend with. So whatever I get, it needs to hold really well at very high-speed in all conditions. But I also love to play around on the hill, jibbing, buttering and spinning about. I'm pretty sure that I'd like some rocker, but not 100%. I do want something that I can press easily, and something that will spin well.

I hardly ever go in the park, certainly never hit rails, and never likely to. But I do like to pop sizable ollies off natural features and you never know, maybe I'll hit some park booters, I wouldn't want to rule it out.

My current board will be able to handle the pow, I'm looking for a board that can keep me stoked in-between dumps.

I'm 6ft 1in, 185 lbs. I normally ride a 162, but the 157 K2 I rode was amazing in terms of edge hold. I'd happily ride the shortest board I can get away with provided it will hold on our bullet-proof ice.

And I'm on a budget - I might have to try to find a 2011/2012 board.

Not sure what else might be useful. Don't give a damn about brands. Burton, Smokin, someone nobody's ever heard of, all fine with me…

So any suggestions for a confused old man? Thanks a lot for your help!

Theade
 
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#2 ·
You are looking for 2 different boards. Even though some fanboy will probably tell you "x" board will do it all there really is no board that will excell at both the things you want. You will end up with a board that is average at both. My advise is to look at last years boards on sale and buy 2.

I like to ride hard and fast, big carves, and living in New Zealand, I have a lot of steep ice to contend with. So whatever I get, it needs to hold really well at very high-speed in all conditions.
This board wants to be camber and stiff.


But I also love to play around on the hill, jibbing, buttering and spinning about.
This board wants to be rocker and soft.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for your response, mate.

Ah really? I thought, from what little I've read up on magna-traction and the like (and in fact, from what snowboard shops have told me) that nowadays you can get playful all mountain boards. And you read the words "quiver killer" and get sucked-in. Heck, thought it was too good to be true. Man, I hate these shops, they'll just say anything to get you out of a shop with a board under your arm :dunno:

Theade
 
#4 · (Edited)
Hi, similar riding all over but the park, get 25-30 days. I'd recommend something with c2btx like gnu rider's choice or higher end in the lib/gnu line...158-160 range. Started on stiff cambered...great for high speed bombing, did a banana for a partial season but it felt dead, squirrly and cumbersome. The c2btx is more playful...can do tight snappy turns, ok at some blasting and holds a fairly good edge on firm/ice stuff. c2btx stuff was made for the stuff here in the pnw. I've see quite a few of last year's rider's choice available and think its a decent more budget friendly board.
 
#5 ·
Cheers mate. Have now read up on the c2btx and I think you're right. That might be the closest I'll come to a do it all. I've found a 157 trice that is out of my budget, but I *might* be able to stretch to it just, if I'm gonna love it that much. The Rider's Choice is really expensive here - I remember gnu being quite cheap a few years ago. Maybe it's just here. Can't but them from the US either - most US shops aren't allowed to ship Mervin abroad by the looks of it. Everything costs a bomb here. I'll just have to suck it up! Cheers again, pal.
 
#7 ·
Closest thing is any all mountain slayer like a Proto, but as has been said, you will sacrifice. On those big steep icy days you would wish you had a Heritage or Raptor (lets just go with the NS for examples), but when you want to butter and jib, its going to be alot more work and not look like wheelies compared to if you got an Evo.

I think I myself will be moving to something like an Evo because as I progress I like to ride slower and hit more things, however you do not want to be putting it on edge bombing ice.

Get 2 or get one this year and one next year.
 
#8 ·
The Evo is just so much fun. If I was limited to just one board, I'd take the Heritage... but, the Evo is just so fucking fun.

Snowklinger, we may have to kick it soon. I've had a TON of interviews lately and should be landing a new gig soon. I have a mason jar full of bountiful goods to partake in.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Groovy. Lemme know if u wanna rock a local hike or 14'er too!

Theres a Sims/Patron novelty board at the store I wanna try to get out before my boss drills holes in it to a wall or superglues shotglasses or pints to it. It looks like a noodle.

I don't know if anyone knows what beerskis and shotskis are, but we had a guy solo a 2-or was it 3- beer beerski last year, which was olympic.
 
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