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Time for a new board for PNW pow and leftover chop(?)

5K views 36 replies 15 participants last post by  Fergatron2000 
#1 ·
Me: 5'9" 175lb, 7.5 boots. intermediate side of intermediate/advanced rider. 25yrs with lapses and shading off my aggressive approach. Still love to push into carves, pop off anything I see and haul balls. Park only for medium jump lines. Don't really ride beyond 158cm unless it's a pow deck. Pow means freeride to me more than freestyle. Maybe bust a 1 off some rock drops and a nose butter here and there. But mostly just want to surf the opens and slash the trees popping off whatever I can.

Quiver:
2012 Gnu Riders Choice 157.5cm - main daily driver
2016 Arbor Coda Camber 159cm - sold some stuff and just picked this up cheap. Love it.
2012 Burton ME Nug 146cm - Only ride this when I'm with slow friends or hungover/super lazy.
2015 Signal Omni 156 - Other hangover option/rock board/slush board

Thinking about replacing my current pow deck: 2014 K2 Ultra Dream 158cm. It's a rad board and I love most of what it offers. Rides pow really well and blast through crud/shop with ease. So why replace?
-I find it overlaps quite a bit with my Gnu RC although it is the better pow board.
-Feels a tad sluggish in trees.
-Potentially getting board with flat camber and I have problems with gear infatuation.

I normally bring two boards to the Mt especially on pow days since they don't last but an hour before the hungry hoards of locals eat it up. Usually that means ride the Ultra Dream for 2 hrs then go grab the Riders Choice. So I'm considering several options for a more pow specific ride that will still bust through the chop and rutted out leftovers. Railing groomers is a bonus:

Burton Barracuda 157 (local CL deal and current leader)
Burton Landlord
Burton Flight Attendant
NS Swift
Solomon Sick Stick
Arbor Shreddy Kreuger (normally like some camber, but I had a Coda Rocker and loved it in pow. Just hated flatbasing on it.)
Burton Fish/Mod Fish
Burton Branch Manager (so fkn pricey!!!)
Flow Darwin

...I'd consider a short/wide but small feet (7.5) may mean slow turning. I'm also at this point open to keeping the K2 UD since I still have a great time on that board and not all winters bring the goods to the PNW like this one.

Any input is appreciated. Also open to trades if any owners of the above are interested. PM for pics.
 
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#7 ·
Out of the list I'd be all over that 'Cuda cos it's freekin awesome and I own one too for exactly what you want to do with it :grin:

I have a 161 and it rips groomers too. Love it.

I'd also throw in this option - Smokin Jetson. Maybe I'm tahoe-biased but Smokin makes killer decks and the Jetson is a newish twin powder deck with their WTF profile (RCR) that apparently kills it in pow and on groomers too...I want to demo this board soon.

http://smokinsnowboards.com/product/jetson
 
#8 ·
Any input is appreciated. Also open to trades if any owners of the above are interested. PM for pics.
Heck, I'd probably trade you my Flight Attendant straight across for the Arbor! I bought it in 156, which makes it awesome for tight trees and small feet (248mm waist)! I'm the same size as you - it floats in nearly everything and still rips the groomers and chop.

My FA here.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I only have experience with one board on your list so I will just comment on that.
I'm 6', 170lbs, 10.5/11 and I ride a Burton Flight Attendant 162. The thing absolutely rips and, because of it's effective edge, rides a little shorter than the specs may suggest. Bombs groomers but will slay powder given the chance. It's predominantly camber so the edge hold is fantastic and (though I'm not a great carver) it will lay a trench whenever you want it to. Pop is there, like it is for many camber boards. It is most at home on natural features where it doesn't have to work much for the lip though I've seen guys send the shit out of it.
I'm on the lower end of the weight range for the size and I spent a few hours the other day trying to wheelie it down the mountain. I had a few picture worthy moments but for the most part I was wiping out so if you up-size you'll find it stiffer and damper, go down a bit and it will be nimble and more flexible on the tail.
Definitely stiffer in the tail section but the nose is nice and big for powder days.

All that being said - the Flight Attendant is more of a one board quiver. It's not a dedicated powder board, though it can ride like one given the right size and the opportunity. It can carve like crazy on a groomer, but it's directional so maybe the typical switch rider would be turned away because of that. I don't necessarily see it so much as a quiver addition as it is a board for the person who doesn't have the time/energy/money to afford a full quiver.

But it's a ripping board and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Just my .02
ThatsNotFennel

p.s. I'm just an intermediate rider. Take my words with a grain of salt.
 
#11 ·
Fergatron2000,

I'm also a PNW rider (32 years and counting), everyone has their personal favorites but since I own three of the boards you're contemplating (Full camber FISH, S-rocker Barracuda and the newest a Full camber Landlord and just sold a full camber Malolo).

Since you want a pow/chopped pow board, I would look at a full cambered board, of the boards I have the Malolo was the best all-around board I've owned and why 4 of my friends still own and rip on them. One reason I bought the Landlord was due to Burtons description of it, that it was based off of the Malolo, as I said I sold it to a friend but before we mounted his bindings I want to set my LL on top of it to see the difference in shape, the shape was EXACTLY the same as my Malolo, except for the tiny point on the tail and the nose rise on the LL starting sooner, other then that the sidecut, length and width were the same. The FISH is the powder stick to own and if people say its only a powder board they don't know how to ride, myself and 2 of my buddies own the cambered FISH and we've all left a fresh knives edge on plenty of groomers. I still haven't had the epic knee/thigh deep day on my LL yet but since the shape is so close to the Malolo and a longer rise in the nose its gotta rip.

We typically bring 2 boards as well, I'll bring my Cuda and either my LL or FISH, but I think that my LL will be taking over for the FISH :crying:. The Cuda I like to ride in 4-6" of fresh, but one thing I really like about the s-rocker Cuda is that it is super predictable at higher speeds 45+mph, never fear catching an edge.

I am contemplating selling my FISH (160 too tall for you at 5'7") and picking up Korua Stealth, looks and sounds like a ripper.

Good luck and enjoy our killer powder just don't tell anyone else how killer it is.
 
#12 ·
On baker for the past 16 years and small footed at 180#...and also bring a couple of boards...on pow depending on depth...old charlie slasher for the deeper or billygoat and then switch to bpro or an old option twin. Anyways was goin to say an old c2 159 billy...but perhaps too much over lap with the rc 157 and your cambered coda...but that costa looks interesting due to seeing some folks rip'n on some short little pow decks last week.
 
#16 ·
On baker for the past 16 years and small footed at 180#...and also bring a couple of boards...on pow depending on depth...old charlie slasher for the deeper or billygoat and then switch to bpro or an old option twin. Anyways was goin to say an old c2 159 billy...but perhaps too much over lap with the rc 157 and your cambered coda.
Hey Wrath,

My RC is of course C2. Are you on a C3 Billy Goat? I had assumed it didn't float that great since it was camber dominant and twin tip width. Didn't exactly scream surfy pow stick, but you're the second person on this thread to recommend the BG for pow. I saw on another (similar) thread you seem so use the BG for most days under 14" or so. So I take it the board can float????

With the waist width & setback I've been eyeing the BG to replace my RC which is getting a bit flexy after 5 years. Not much park for me anyway aside from the small to mid jump lines. Maybe the Billy Goat is calling and I kill two birds with one stone. Any chance you've been on the Mullair for comparison? That's also in the mix.

ThX!
 
#15 · (Edited)
From you list, the Barracuda would be a good choice if longer. Not at 157.

Landlord 163 = good choice. Really good all around. You're a bit too heavy for real float and big mtn on a 159. But the 163 would be solid and it's a bit narrower, which would suit small feet.
Flight Attendant 162 = good choice. Probably the best choice if you want just a good overall board. Definitely better than LL on chop because it has less setback.
Mod Fish = good choice.

Fish... not such a good choice for the chop and chopped-off groomers. Not terrible, but others are better. Bigsby ^ is talking about the older gen Fish which was all camber and a bit narrower. The newer ones are great... but ride differently as they have less camber and are wider. The Landlord would definitely not replace a newer Fish, as they are pretty different, but would probably replace those older gen camber Fishes.

Forget the Shreddy and the Swift.

Charlie Slasher = too stiff. Too un-damp... not cool in chop. But great on open pow fields or on smooth groomers.

From Lib Tech / Gnu etc look at stuff with C3.

Another good solid option would be that Gate Keeper somebody was selling in the For Sale forum a few days ago.
 
#29 ·
I live in the PNW
You ride the same snow as I do.

The swift is awesome for what you ride.

This is what you are looking for isn't it?

[ame]https://vimeo.com/152384145[/ame]


This board slays it all.
I don't even bring my Dupraz anymore.
Not in here & definitely not over that 3 foot high fence.


TT
 
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#30 ·
I live in the PNW
You ride the same snow as I do.

The swift is awesome for what you ride.

This is what you are looking for isn't it?

This board slays it all.
I don't even bring my Dupraz anymore.
Not in here & definitely not over that 3 foot high fence.


TT
Nice ollie. I would've drug that fence with me.

Wherever you ride looks real good. BC??? A bit less choppy and tracked out than most of what I normally find around Seattle, but the Swift looks great. I'd be all over one if I found it cheap or trade.
 
#37 ·
Quick Update:

Wound up snagging a 14/15 Burton Barracuda 157 for $150 in great condition. Seemed like too good an opportunity to pass on. Rode it in about 10" of light pow (for the PNW) at Stevens on top of a couple feet over the past few days. It was busy for a Monday so shit got tracked out real quick and I had the chance to see how it did in exactly the circumstances I had in mind.

Refresh:
5'10" 175lb
25 plus years riding: advanced freeride, low intermed freestyle.
Bindings Burton Malavita EST
My current pow stick is a K2 Ultra Dream which is rad, but I have come to the conclusion that I must have camber somewhere in my decks.

The Barracuda is more directional than anything I've ridden since the early 90s so it was an adjustment. I tried to charge everything on the backside of Stevens as hard as I normally would and had some interesting moments especially when looking for the nose to drive me out of high speed turns in chopped up pow. At first I was riding too far over the nose, then I over compensated and was back footing. Once I got the feel of the soft drawn out nose and setback camber things started to click. Drive that board through the back foot but keep even centered pressure between both feet and it gets really rewarding.

Without a full review I will just post some intial +/- impressions after day one.

Pluses:
+Surfy!!! Really unique surfy feel in pow. That big nose just wants to emerge from the depths while the tail sinks.
+Stable flat based. That short camber section gives just enough confidence to charge on a flat base. Also a surprised how stable it was 1 footing.
+Trees!!! The short tail and narrow waist makes quick turns in trees (or to avoid calamity) really easy.
+Pop off the tail. Yeah it's short but there's some really nice, easy access pop off that tail. It was too deep and snowy for big park jumps, but a little ollie off the top of the rollers and the Barracuda just sent you with a super stable feeling down the waterfall landings. Surprised at how good this board jumped on the small/mid jumps I did hit.
+Nose butters!! that is one easy board to butter on. And you can really press into the nose to 180 back around. I don't really get off on butters, but I found myself buttering all over the place on the home stretch to the chairlifts.
+Switch: MUCH better than expected with the short tail. I had no problem riding switch which may be thanks to the setback sidecut making for a more twin experience.

Minuses:
-Floppy nose! Not a full on, balls out charger. Or at least I wasn't able to break through the what feel to be a laid back lean to this board. Still really fun but the flex in the nose will have some limits in the PNW chunk/crud. I tend enter rutted out terrain at speed looking to bounce through and over chop/bumps using the feedback of a stiffer board and absorbing with my legs to stay upright. Not the 'Cuda's personality.
-Edge hold was meh.... Not a Burton trademark anyway (IMHO), but on variable terrain the 'Cuda can get a touch vague. Definitely not driving for grip on the traditional contact point of the nose, it's not there. Reasonable if you keep engaged at the short camber section, but still not a strong point.
-Malavitas???? Can't decide if the Malavitas where just a touch flexy for this board or perfect. Need more days on the combo. I have some non-EST Cartels I can throw on for comparison which I will probably do soon.


Overall I am pleased to have this in the quiver for more surfy laid back pow days. On some days it's limits could be a positive as I don't always want to push it. The 'Cuda want's to slash and surf and I'm cool with that, except when I'm not. At 44 with 2 kids I don't always get to the mountain ready to destroy shit. Barracuda could be clutch here. When I am feeling like charging a bit harder and throwing myself and board into more critical situations I'll probably go to a deck with a bit stiffer nose to drive in and out of messes. Gonna ride this board a lot through the 2nd half of the season and see if its a keeper or needs to get sold to fund something similar but a bit more aggressive. Landlord or Flight Attendant perhaps???
 
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