Gnu R/C MTX vs. Burton Hero - Snowboarding Forum

01-05-2009, 01:44 PM

So I'm just getting back into riding after being out for a few years and I'm looking to get a new board. I'm a pretty average rider...do more freeriding than park right now just because of the group I ride with but it'll be a 50/50 split once I get back into the swing of things. I demoed the Burton Hero yesterday up at Mount Snow and loved it, but was looking for some feedback in comparison to the Gnu Rider's Choice, or even the Skate Banana if you have experience there too. Thanks a lot for the help!

BurtonAvenger · 01-05-2009, 04:15 PM

The hero destroys the R.C.
The Angry Snowboarder: Burton Hero with Triad EST my view
The Angry Snowboarder: Gnu Riders Choice BTX with K2 Formula Sweaters my view

01-05-2009, 05:03 PM

Thanks a lot man. Really seems like the R/C is crap. Are there any Mervin boards you'd recommend that are similar or better for all around than the Hero?

dave1billion · 01-05-2009, 05:45 PM

Please check around for reviews from more than one (angry) person.

This board has won awards and is definitely not crap. There are riders on here that rate this board pretty highly. (You'll probably want to look at the Rider's Choice BTX rather than the MTX, BTW)

You can find some pretty kind comments towards the BTX in other threads here.

I'll be trying mine out next weekend.

01-05-2009, 06:46 PM

Thanks Dave. I'd probably be best off just demo'ing as many as I can. I definitely would have if Mount Snow had the option. Is there any reason you recommend the BTX over the MTX?

01-05-2009, 06:54 PM

Sorry, should have mentioned this to start...

Weight: 155
Riding style: 50/50 Freestyle/Freeride
Age: 24
Mostly riding on the east coast...

dave1billion · 01-05-2009, 07:03 PM

The BTX has the same magnetraction (MTX) as the MTX.

It also has the latest hot thing, the reverse camber banana rocker (BTX). It's the same tech as the highly (overly in the Angry Snowboarders opinion) hyped Skate Banana, which is from Gnu's sister company. From what I've read, that makes the BTX a little better in the powder AND the park than the MTX.

BTW, the Burton Hero also has the reverse camber rocker.

01-05-2009, 08:26 PM

Gotcha. I thought both had the Banana tech and only the MTX had magnatraction so I had it all mixed up. Thanks for the clarification. I'm definitely going for a board with the reverse camber after riding the Hero, but let me know what you think of the R/C BTX if you get a chance. Is there any reason you chose that one over the Skate?

dave1billion · 01-05-2009, 09:16 PM

Yes, actually. My wife and I ordered both for Christmas (accidentally) and I had a RC BTX 157.5 and a Skata Banana 159. So I was able to do a side-by-side comparison.

One was purely cosmetic. The Green (Chartreuse?) and yellow graphics on the Skate Banana turned me off. The RC has better graphics IMHO. That's pretty lame, but if you're paying around $500 for a board aesthetics matter.

Holding up the 159 to the 157.5 together showed the 159 SB was only about a half cm longer, although it was wider as the specs indicated. So I figured I'd get pretty much the same amount of lift from the RC for powder days. I was actually surprised how similar the boards were.

From reviews, the RC is a little stiffer and more stable at speed and more of an all-around board than the more park-oriented SB.

I've also read about the SB having problems with the top sheet delaminating (although the warranty coverage is great). I read that the RC is supposed to be more resilient due to their automated manufacturing process. It was hard to find any definitive data on this, however. Just anectodal reports.

And last, but not least, since the Skate Banana is hyped so highly I simply chose the lower profile Rider's Choice since I'm only an intermediate rider and didn't want to look like a poser with the more flashy "IN" snowboard while busting my ass as I try to learn my way around in the park. I've always been a rather low profile type.

So one cosmetic reason, a couple of technical reasons, and a self-conscious reason.

Again, all my info was from reading other people's reviews so I can't give any first-hand info. Hopefully I'll be able to give some feedback in a couple of weeks.

01-05-2009, 11:00 PM

All those reasons definitely make sense. I pretty much look for boards for the same reason (mostly technical) but that's why I initially wasn't looking for the skate. I've heard mixed and I'm also intermediate so I definitely don't need the "in" board. Looking forward to hearing your review...

01-05-2009, 01:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
eastcstrdr Guest Posts: n/a	Gnu R/C MTX vs. Burton Hero So I'm just getting back into riding after being out for a few years and I'm looking to get a new board. I'm a pretty average rider...do more freeriding than park right now just because of the group I ride with but it'll be a 50/50 split once I get back into the swing of things. I demoed the Burton Hero yesterday up at Mount Snow and loved it, but was looking for some feedback in comparison to the Gnu Rider's Choice, or even the Skate Banana if you have experience there too. Thanks a lot for the help!

01-05-2009, 04:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
BurtonAvenger Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mountains Posts: 8,019	The hero destroys the R.C. The Angry Snowboarder: Burton Hero with Triad EST my view The Angry Snowboarder: Gnu Riders Choice BTX with K2 Formula Sweaters my view __________________ Angry Snowboarder Because someone has to call it how they see it!

01-05-2009, 09:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
dave1billion Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 35	Yes, actually. My wife and I ordered both for Christmas (accidentally) and I had a RC BTX 157.5 and a Skata Banana 159. So I was able to do a side-by-side comparison. One was purely cosmetic. The Green (Chartreuse?) and yellow graphics on the Skate Banana turned me off. The RC has better graphics IMHO. That's pretty lame, but if you're paying around $500 for a board aesthetics matter. Holding up the 159 to the 157.5 together showed the 159 SB was only about a half cm longer, although it was wider as the specs indicated. So I figured I'd get pretty much the same amount of lift from the RC for powder days. I was actually surprised how similar the boards were. From reviews, the RC is a little stiffer and more stable at speed and more of an all-around board than the more park-oriented SB. I've also read about the SB having problems with the top sheet delaminating (although the warranty coverage is great). I read that the RC is supposed to be more resilient due to their automated manufacturing process. It was hard to find any definitive data on this, however. Just anectodal reports. And last, but not least, since the Skate Banana is hyped so highly I simply chose the lower profile Rider's Choice since I'm only an intermediate rider and didn't want to look like a poser with the more flashy "IN" snowboard while busting my ass as I try to learn my way around in the park. I've always been a rather low profile type. So one cosmetic reason, a couple of technical reasons, and a self-conscious reason. Again, all my info was from reading other people's reviews so I can't give any first-hand info. Hopefully I'll be able to give some feedback in a couple of weeks. Last edited by dave1billion; 01-05-2009 at 09:19 PM.

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01-05-2009, 05:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
eastcstrdr Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks a lot man. Really seems like the R/C is crap. Are there any Mervin boards you'd recommend that are similar or better for all around than the Hero?

01-05-2009, 05:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
dave1billion Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 35	Please check around for reviews from more than one (angry) person. This board has won awards and is definitely not crap. There are riders on here that rate this board pretty highly. (You'll probably want to look at the Rider's Choice BTX rather than the MTX, BTW) You can find some pretty kind comments towards the BTX in other threads here. I'll be trying mine out next weekend.

01-05-2009, 06:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
eastcstrdr Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks Dave. I'd probably be best off just demo'ing as many as I can. I definitely would have if Mount Snow had the option. Is there any reason you recommend the BTX over the MTX?

01-05-2009, 06:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
eastcstrdr Guest Posts: n/a	Sorry, should have mentioned this to start... Weight: 155 Riding style: 50/50 Freestyle/Freeride Age: 24 Mostly riding on the east coast...

01-05-2009, 07:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
dave1billion Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 35	The BTX has the same magnetraction (MTX) as the MTX. It also has the latest hot thing, the reverse camber banana rocker (BTX). It's the same tech as the highly (overly in the Angry Snowboarders opinion) hyped Skate Banana, which is from Gnu's sister company. From what I've read, that makes the BTX a little better in the powder AND the park than the MTX. BTW, the Burton Hero also has the reverse camber rocker.

01-05-2009, 08:26 PM	#8 (permalink)
eastcstrdr Guest Posts: n/a	Gotcha. I thought both had the Banana tech and only the MTX had magnatraction so I had it all mixed up. Thanks for the clarification. I'm definitely going for a board with the reverse camber after riding the Hero, but let me know what you think of the R/C BTX if you get a chance. Is there any reason you chose that one over the Skate?

01-05-2009, 11:00 PM	#10 (permalink)
eastcstrdr Guest Posts: n/a	All those reasons definitely make sense. I pretty much look for boards for the same reason (mostly technical) but that's why I initially wasn't looking for the skate. I've heard mixed and I'm also intermediate so I definitely don't need the "in" board. Looking forward to hearing your review...