Help Choosing Next Freeride Board

[Soawsome]

I would like some help and hear some opinions and experiences to help me choose my next Board

I already have last seasons Lib tech T-rice C2btx in 161.5. This board is a good all around board and if I ever go to travel and can only bring one board this would be it. Its pretty fast on groomers but ive ridden boards much quicker and better suited for freeriding. The board also does pretty well in POW but this isn’t a big deal since we get like one POW day a year on the east coast and most likely I will be snowed in or busy with school or work. So my new freeride board doesn’t have to be a good POW board I want it to shine on Groomers

I also have a Bataleon Aerobic for the parks rails and smaller jumps

I Often ride at mountain creek in NJ (lots and lots of ice) but for really bad ice days I will use the T-rice since It has MTX. But I would like my new board to be able to handle an occasional ice patch, which I am sure most there boards will.

I also travel up to Vermont and go boarding at Killington. The new freeride board I want is mainly for when im up in Vermont bombing the long trails there.

So in Short. I want the fastest smoothest Freeride board for nothing but bombing the longer groomer trails while I am in Vermont. I will never use it for jumps or in the park! So an all around board is not needed, Strictly freeride.

I am 6’2” and weight 200lbs with an 11.5 boot

I have looked into

Never summer Titan 164/169
Arbor A-Frame 166
Nidecker Mega light 163
Burton T6 164

Which of these do you think is best suited for what I am looking for as far as speed and stableness on groomers and also carving (carves so effortlessly that it pretty much drives itself)

Also any other board suggestions or if you think these sizes are suited for my weight and purpose.

[skip11]

Never Summer Raptor, Jones Flagship

[HoboMaster]

The NS Raptor is supposed to be the new freeride king. It's a new version of the Titan.

[Soawsome]

I considered the Raptor, but i understand that it has never summers RC camber on it. i figured the raptor was the new version of the titan in the direction of a more all-around board since it has there RC camber technology

[HoboMaster]

All of their boards have the RC technology now, which is a combination of rocker and camber in order to give you a stable yet forgiving ride. The Heritage is really the board your thinking of, it's more of a all-around yet mostly freeride oriented stick. The Raptor is supposed to pretty much be a Freeride only beast from what I've heard.

NS is going to update their website pretty soon with the 2011 lineup (early September), so check it out, they will have a better summary then I.

[david_z]

I wouldn't be so quick to write off the Raptor as an all-around board... NS went alt-camber (it's not a simple reverse camber) on all their decks this season. Raptor is still their bad-ass big bomber, and getting rid of the old traditional camber should make it a little more forgiving on that back leg when you're in the pow.

[tekniq33]

First off, if you are mostly at Mountain Creek, I am not sure why you are getting this type of board. I would say the T. Rice in a 161.5 is pretty freeride oriented. I can highly recommend the Never Summer Raptor and Premier, have great faith in any of the Jones boards, hear great things about the A-Frame and the T6 is legendary.

In regards to the Heritage I would say its Never Summers most similar board to the T. Rice. Also, at your size I would probably go 165/166 if you are really looking for a monster freeride board. Though, you would certainly be fine on a 163 or larger.

[Soawsome]

i wouldent need a freeride board for mountain creek since the runs are so short.... but i want it for when i go up to vermont and have much better conditions and longer steeper trails

[walove]

camber is king for carving groomers. I'd look for a lasts titan, if you want NS. I've ridden romes carbon deck (i dont remember the name) and that thing railed turns. Nidecker and palmer make good boards with lots of carbon too. If you are staying on groomed runs i prefer a responsive board vs a damp one, thats why i suggest looking at boards with lots of carbon.