Hey all. Looking to pull the trigger on a NS board in the next couple of days. Seriously stuck deciding between the 25 or the West.
My riding profile is pretty much Freeride with a touch of All Mountain sprinkled in. I never ever go near the park, never ride switch. My jam is hauling down groomers, finding untouched powder spots off groomers to hit, tree runs, and straight away powder runs when they open back bowls or have big powder days at the resorts.
Originally was set on the 25 but the guy at the shop insists the West would be a better all around fit since I'm not always just looking to bomb and straight line. Now I'm seriously divided.
Edit: I should add that I'll be doing about 100% of my riding in CO. Mostly Copper/Park/Steamboat
Any advice from those who have rode both would be greatly appreciated.
I'd say the West IS better all around, but it sounds like your riding leans pretty heavily toward the freeride side. I found the West to be a pretty mellow board. I liked it a lot, but I wouldn't consider it a charger. I also found the 25 to be more versatile than you might otherwise think. Based on how you describe your riding, I say 25.
I had a West last season and loved the board. Very versatile and handled all conditions in the PNW and even on trips to Tahoe/Utah/Whistler. That said, it was not as much of a charger as I was hoping for. The ripsaw profile and vario grip was great, but it was just a tad too soft for what I was hoping for. I think the 25 would be perfect for me, just need to keep an eye out for some kind of deal/sale, if that's even possible, since it was produced in limited quantities...
I had a West last season and loved the board. Very versatile and handled all conditions in the PNW and even on trips to Tahoe/Utah/Whistler. That said, it was not as much of a charger as I was hoping for. The ripsaw profile and vario grip was great, but it was just a tad too soft for what I was hoping for. I think the 25 would be perfect for me, just need to keep an eye out for some kind of deal/sale, if that's even possible, since it was produced in limited quantities...
Haha, what does that even mean? Ever seen a snowboard with infinite production volume. FYI NS pressed more of the 25s than the entire production of some other brands.
Love the West. Riding styles sound similar but I ride switch a fair bit. Great all around board. I wouldn't get the 25 as my only board. The west slays the trees!
I went with the NS 25, size 158. Taking a quick break from setting up the bindings as I type this
At 5'10" 180lbs I was pretty divided between the 158 and the 160 but I decided to get the slightly smaller stick to gain just a bit more maneuverability. I'm not too concerned about board float in powder with this one so I figured a more nimble ride would be the way to go.
It's going to be a surfier ride. The center rocker creates a pivot point in the center of the board that simply doesn't exist on a cambered board. It'll feel a lot different at first and might feel sketchy. Just give it some time. The harder you lean on the edges the harder it'll bite. It's when you're flat basing that you'll notice the biggest difference.
Good info, thanks. One more question...what's the best approach to setting up bindings on a board that already has natural setback?
My approach was basically to center them up as much as possible based on the holes themselves while trying to maintain my 21-22" stance width. That resulted in the front binding landing in the 3rd hole placement and the back in the 2nd hole placement. Measuring from the contact points on each end of the board it's about a 1" or 1.5" setback. I can see how it could easily be 2-4" setback on this board if I wanted.
For the most part, try to stay as centered as you can over the reference points within your personal stance width. In my experience with boards that are rockered between the feet, you want to try to stay pretty centered over that rocker section. I don't like the way those boards ride when you set the bindings back, but your mileage may vary. Depending on your bindings and how centered you are heel to toe in them, you may be able to flip the mounting discs around to give you more tip to tail centering options.
Hey just wanted to say thanks one more time to everyone who helped with advice on both my threads involving this subject. Took the board out for the first time yesterday and again today. Right off the bat I can say it's the best damn board I've ever had the pleasure of riding in my life. Took a couple of runs to get my feet under me but oh man does this board level everything in its path. Haven't had much of a chance to ride it in powder conditions yet but it's a damn stiff ride (but not overwhelmingly so) that handles groomers and chunder like an absolute beast.
Hard to explain but I actually found myself forcing to back off and let the board do more of the work at times. I'm used to my old setup where I had to put a lot of energy into every little movement. With this guy, I found that if I just get into a groove with leaning into the flex a bit, it feels like the board almost takes over and does a lot of the work for me.
That said, you definitely have to be on your game at all times with it. There's never a second where you can be lazy and say "eff it" and laze-out on a turn. If you do, the board reminds you who's boss immediately. Jae's comment about de-tuning the back tail is right on as well. I haven't done that yet but probably will when I get it tuned up this week as the back tail can get grabby quick if you aren't fully committing in a transition. I noticed it more as my legs tired.
As mentioned before there wasn't as much powder so I didn't really get to test that aspect. The few quick tree runs didn't leave me terribly impressed, it seemed like the nose still had a tendency to bury if I wasn't leaning back. However that could just be the crappy conditions and/or my own false expectations for Rocker tech. To be honest I'm a little paranoid I should have rolled 160 because of that, but then again 2cm shouldn't make THAT much difference. I probably just have to get it into real powder a couple of times.
I'm also in the same boat as the OP, stuck between the West and the Twenty Five. I was able to demo the Twenty Five and it felt super stable at speed and I could really feel the dampness. It charged really, really well but I'm worried that it might only want to charge and may be less maneuverable than the West is. I wish I could demo the West but they don't have it to demo. I consider myself to be an expert rider, riding 50-70 day seasons out west and don't ride any park or switch. I have a dedicated powder board for deep days and a regular cambered board for groomer days but I'm looking for a board that will be good on the days with a little fresh snow or when I'm hunting for powder so I don't care too much about a super floaty board. I'm just worried that the Twenty Five might be too stiff. Is there a draw back to a board being damp? How stiff does the West ride? Are Never Summer boards typically stiffer than other brands? I've been riding Gnu and Lib-Tech boards primarily before checking these out. I pressed on it and it felt pretty stiff but it's only rated as a medium flex. Are the ripsaw camber profiles on them exactly the same? I can't remember how they compared in the store. I feel like I couldn't go wrong with either but still can't make a decision!
I've owned both the 158 and 160 NS25 (I sold the 58 to a friend and got the 60 afterwards). Also my main riding buddy owns the West 161 and we've swapped out boards several times.
The 25 rides noticeably stiffer than the West. It's the same basic profile, just set back more and stiffer flex and a few other bells and whistles but you can feel the same ripsaw profile underneath the ride.
When I ride my buddy's West it feels a lot softer and more playful. That said, I prefer the 25 because when I get up to speed the 25 feels a lot more stable and in control. Also it floats better in powder. The West is also a really fun board and it does many of the same things he 25 pulls off but I personally like the super stuff "destroys everything in its path" feel of the 25. Keep in mind though, the 25 is also harder on the legs/ankles after a day breaking through resort chop. You also have to have the technique and leg strength to ride it correctly or else it will remind you who is boss in a hurry. The West is a bit more forgiving.
Back to the 25--there's a big difference between the 158 and 160 models too. 158 a lot more playful, 160 more of a hard charger, carving, powder board.
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