Need input/advice on a new freeride board

[snafs]

I am looking for a new free ride board. Need to retire my Lib Tech after 6.5 seasons of abuse. I am 6'6" 200lbs and size 14 boots.

Don't really hit the park but hit a lot of natural jumps, build jumps and drop small cliffs. Looking for a board to do this as well as ride in the tress and some powder.

Right now I am looking at the Lib Tech T. Rice Pro Model, Never Summer Heritage and the Lib Tech TRS. I am open to other boards to, any input or advice will be greatly appreciated.

[Leo]

Huge feet! What was the size of your old board?

The T.Rice is a sick ass board. It's stiff though so I'm not sure if that is your cup of tea. Fast, poppy, stable, and C2 BTX is sweeeet. 161.5 should be okay. With size 14 boots, might be a tight fit depending on your angles.
Lib Tech T. Rice Pro Model C2 BTX Snowboard 2011

You should also strongly consider this beauty of a board.
Ride Highlife Snowboard 2011

Slightly stiffer than the T.Rice. However, this board is going to shred the pow better thanks to its rocker profile. Higher rocker in the tip, mellowing out to almost flat in the middle and a lowrise rocker in the tail. This board had great edge to edge power and was responsive. Good pop and stability was superb. This is a pure freeriding board and it handles that label very well. 159W is a good size.

[snafs]

Thanks for the response.

Old board is this first production year of the Magne Traction in a 160. Was lookin at mid 160's for sizes (164.5, 166, ect). Will rocker camber make up for the shorter length?

[Leo]

So you weren't on a wide board? You didn't experience any drag? Interesting... what are your angles? I would expect a size 14 boot to have considerable drag on a normal width board.

The whole going shorter with rocker or hybrid camber boards is misunderstood. You still want to ride your normal length based mainly on weight and boot size. This misunderstanding originates from the fact about float. Strictly talking about powder riding, yes, you can indeed go significantly shorter than your normal cambered powder board. On any other type of terrain, you want to stick with your normal lengths.

Going shorter, no matter the camber profile, will sacrifice stability. How much is dependent on the board and your size of course.

[snafs]

Alright, that makes sense. Thanks for the info.

As for toe drag I had it happen bad here and there but did not notice it mostly.

Only really noticed it in heavy powder and when I found my self sliding down a groomer on my hands and knees haha.

[Joeyblunts420]

Subscribing to this one. I got size 13's and I'm considering some of these boards but concerned about the width. I know you guys will say demo them and I'd love to but I never get the chance to..

[Zee]

I'm a big NS fan lol. The Heritage X or the Legacy would be tons of fun. Heritage is obviously the stiffer of the two.