Want a flexier board - currently have a Custom 156???

Hey guys.

Currently I have a Burton Custom 156. Pretty keen to get a more flexible board, mainly so I can start learning butters and stuff when we head down to the snow this year. Just looks like heaps of fun but I don't think the custom will be flexible enough for that?

As alternatives I have looked into the Capita Stairmaster, K2 Darkstar and the Rome Cheaptrick or possibly Riff.

I still want to be able to hit all the runs on the mountain, but I don't think i reach the speeds where a 'park/freestyle' board will start to become a problem, the custom was more the capable as far as I could tell last year.

So are any of these boards going to be much more flexible/playful for butters and presses etc than a Custom?

And if so, will they limit me with general all mountain riding (not really hardcore carving) and hittinh some jumps (smaller ones) etc.

Thanks alot for any advice, I can't decide!

Cheers.

[Frankhead]

i think the capita is too stiff, same with the darkstar. I'm not sure about the cheaptrick.

Its hard trying to find a board that does 'all of the above'. Buttering is great with a board designed for it, same goes with hitting booters and pow where you need a stiffer board. If you want to learn butters I recommend getting a jib board, they make it effortless and MUCH more enjoyable. You may not want to hit the 60 footer, but your day will be for jibbing around having fun, and it will open up another side to snowboarding that you haven't seen before. Soft board are everywhere now, k2 Weapon, one of those Nitro kooley sub-zeros or a Rome Artifact.

So I say, ride to the conditions, or who you're riding with. If the snow dumps down, you want airtime or your mates want to head BC, ride your custom. If its spring time sunshine slushies and buttering with your crew, get out your jib stick.

Also, it really depends on your weight, if we're talking about flexibility.

Hey. Cheers for that.

Yea I figured as much, so now im thinking I might just buy a second hand board and see how much I like a more fexible board. Perhaps an Artifiact or maybe a Dominant? Seen a few used dominants for sale if you think that would be ok, sposed to be pretty flexy yea?

Im about 80kg so i was thinking for a park/flexy board maybe 154-156???

Will the custom be like way to stiff to butter? I didn't really try last 2 times i've been down? Cheers.

[DC5R]

You could probably go down to a 152 at your weight. I'm 170lbs (77kg) and I ride a 152 darkstar for park. I'm able to press the board decently (not 1 foot presses) and still be able to take it to the rest of the mountain.

Awesome. Cheers for the replies.

Also, what do you consider a 'high landing'? Like anything over 2 - 3 meters and I don't think it will be a problem for me haha.

What do you guys think about the Burton Hero? Im really leaning towards that now!

[hellonasty]

Bump.

I'm in the same situation. I bought a Burton Clash 151 to start off with and now I feel its weighing me down both figureatively and literally. Its heavy and on the stiff side for me. I'm around 5'8 145 pounds. I usually just ride all-mountain with my friends but we stop by the park to fool around sometimes on some of the jumps and boxes. I've been so crazy about buttering though. IT seems so much fun and it just makes riding seem so much more free.

So i guess to sum things up, I'm looking for an butter/all-mountain board. From my research, I'm leaning towards the Hero 152. Any suggestions? I've always wanted a K2 Darkstar though...

I went and ordered the 155 Hero (Im about 5'11 180lbs) and got it with the Triad ESTs so hopefully that will be a pretty sick setup. Will take it down to perisher this year and see what she's like. I am hoping to be able to use the Hero solely, with the rocker and flexibility of the board helping with presses and butters etc, while still being able to hold its own and fairly decent speeds on the mountain.

I am yet to push the custom to such speeds and hardcore runs etc, so it was hard for me to decide, figured i'd better just try it out. So ideally I will find that the Hero is exactly what I'm looking for, and sell the Custom setup when I get back.

Otherwise, I will sell the Hero and keep the Custom, and then get a park board possible a WWW coz they just look awesome, and if your going to go park might as well go all the way right!

Anyone have any alternative solutions or see any flaws in that plan? Cheers.

[Incogneato]

i rode a hero all year. its super easy to press, you can press a whole run if you want w/o even trying and buttering is almost too easy, actually i fell more for the first while buttering it around because its easier than you think, but once you figure it out its great. it actually does really well in the pow and holds up fine unless its really firm snow or really choppy pow.

[hellonasty]

I think i might actually go through with buying the hero. But i'd still like to hear more opinions

Question. How does the hero ride in more icier areas? Cause I'm on the east coast and the places i go tend to be man made and icy... for the most part :|