Are there snowboard cores other than wood available? - Snowboarding Forum

zspec1 · 02-05-2010, 09:25 AM

Just wondering if anyone has heard of a company experimenting with metal, composite plastics, or any other kind of core besides wood?

Leo · 02-05-2010, 09:49 AM

Arbor uses bamboo cores in some of their boards. I don't know if you still consider that wood. Technically it is still wood I guess.

I believe there are skis made from man-made composite cores though.

**killclimbz** · 02-05-2010, 10:02 AM

Isn't the Shaun Palmer (if they make 'em anymore) honeycomb cores a composite? There have been variations on carbon fiber cores and stuff through out the years. Fact of the matter it's pretty much impossible to beat wood cores for performance. Adding stuff like carbon stringers to the wood core seems to be the way to go.

Leo · 02-05-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killclimbz

Isn't the Shaun Palmer (if they make 'em anymore) honeycomb cores a composite? There have been variations on carbon fiber cores and stuff through out the years. Fact of the matter it's pretty much impossible to beat wood cores for performance. Adding stuff like carbon stringers to the wood core seems to be the way to go.

Oh yea, there are boards with honey comb cores or some type of mixture of it. Yea, wood is best.

lisevolution · 02-05-2010, 12:16 PM

My first board back in the day was a styrofoam core Morrow that I snapped in half my 3rd day out on the mountainl... Palmer still does make that Honey Comb core board. Alternative core materials were big in the late 90's and early 00's when everyone was all about carbon fiber and "techy" materials but really they mostly produced stiff, dead feeling snowboards. Wood is the core of choice because of the diversity of types of wood available and it's different properties to design a core that fits what type of riding you want to do.

zspec1 · 02-05-2010, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the info everyone. Seems like wood is the dominant material. The bamboo one, sounds promising given how strong and flexible it is. I wonder I some of the exotic metals, like inconel or titanium would hold up?

Reede · 02-05-2010, 05:13 PM

Premium boards tend to have aluminium honeycomb cores and the like as well. Burton Vapor and Method etc. They certainly dont come cheap.

**killclimbz** · 02-05-2010, 05:18 PM

Bamboo is a wood btw...

Reede · 02-05-2010, 05:19 PM

Yep, it's wood.

CaptT · 02-05-2010, 05:20 PM

yep....fairy dust.....I'll sell you one....

02-05-2010, 09:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
zspec1 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 39	Are there snowboard cores other than wood available? Just wondering if anyone has heard of a company experimenting with metal, composite plastics, or any other kind of core besides wood?

02-05-2010, 09:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
Leo -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Detroit Area Posts: 6,212	Arbor uses bamboo cores in some of their boards. I don't know if you still consider that wood. Technically it is still wood I guess. I believe there are skis made from man-made composite cores though. __________________ www.aGNARchy.com Reviews and David Z's rants

02-05-2010, 05:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
CaptT Forum Mayor Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UTAH Posts: 1,013	yep....fairy dust.....I'll sell you one.... __________________

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02-05-2010, 10:02 AM	#3 (permalink)
killclimbz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Front Range Posts: 9,178	Isn't the Shaun Palmer (if they make 'em anymore) honeycomb cores a composite? There have been variations on carbon fiber cores and stuff through out the years. Fact of the matter it's pretty much impossible to beat wood cores for performance. Adding stuff like carbon stringers to the wood core seems to be the way to go.

02-05-2010, 12:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
lisevolution Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Hicksville, NY Posts: 1,824	My first board back in the day was a styrofoam core Morrow that I snapped in half my 3rd day out on the mountainl... Palmer still does make that Honey Comb core board. Alternative core materials were big in the late 90's and early 00's when everyone was all about carbon fiber and "techy" materials but really they mostly produced stiff, dead feeling snowboards. Wood is the core of choice because of the diversity of types of wood available and it's different properties to design a core that fits what type of riding you want to do.

02-05-2010, 05:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
zspec1 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 39	Thanks for the info everyone. Seems like wood is the dominant material. The bamboo one, sounds promising given how strong and flexible it is. I wonder I some of the exotic metals, like inconel or titanium would hold up?

02-05-2010, 05:18 PM	#8 (permalink)
killclimbz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Front Range Posts: 9,178	Bamboo is a wood btw...

02-05-2010, 05:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
Reede Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 398	Yep, it's wood.