Help me pick a new board, Please.

[peaceblaster]

To start off with I have been snowboarding for 5-6 years now, taking trips out west about every other year. Other than that I would be skiing in Michigan and Ohio crap. I just moved to South Lake Tahoe and am looking to purchase a new board, but with so much out there, I figured I would come here to ask for some advice/recommendations.

I would say I am an intermediate rider. Before now, I was mostly riding groomers, trees, and I would hit the blacks. I can hit some small jumps and easy boxes. I am looking to start hitting the park more, but want a board that will allow me to get all around the mountain as well. So I guess I'm looking for a board that will do well in the park but is not park specific. I am also starting to learn how to butter, so maybe a softer board would be good? but not too soft as I want to be able to hit up the entire mountain?

I like Lib Techs top sheet designs, but that would not limit me to that company. I would not pick a board specifically because of its looks. I've read a lot about NS too, and am somewhat interested in the Proto.

Any help would be much appreciated. Advice on bindings too? Are Burton Cartels all they are hyped up to be?

I currently ride a K2 Fuse 161 camber board, I think I bought it in 2004ish, with K2 bindings. I just bought Burton Ambush boots this year.

I am 6'1
185 lbs
Boot 10.5
let me know if you need more information, Thanks guys!

[Riley212]

if you can get the NS proto do it man. it sounds like exactyl what youare looking for. That or the Lib Attack banana.

Definetly go a little smaller for more freestyle-ness, probably 155-157

I really like my cartels. the only fault(if it is one) is that the hardwear doen't look as burly as some of the other companies, no problems yet though. Super comfortable and the straps fit perfect. good heel toe response and a little side to side flex.

[peaceblaster]

Which of those two boards is going to be softer and easier to butter? Or is being able to butter pretty much just a skill you have to master, and some boards are going to make it a little bit easier.
Is the Lib Attack Banana maybe a little more park oriented than the proto or would you say they are about the same?

Thanks for the advice in advance.

[Pow?POW!]

Originally Posted by peaceblaster

Which of those two boards is going to be softer and easier to butter? Or is being able to butter pretty much just a skill you have to master, and some boards are going to make it a little bit easier.

Park boards inherently are going to be more flexible thus making it easier to butter so it might be a tad harder on an all mountain board. I checked the for the 2011 NS Proto CT which has a mid flex of 5 which is what my board is (2010 Stepchild), and I can butter pretty well with it. I bought my board to be more of an all mountain board as well with the park in mind so I figure the NS should suit you well. Sorry I couldn't quickly find any flex specs for the Lib Attack Banana but its worth researching none the less.

I can comment on the Cartels however as I rock them as well and as mentioned above they are very responsive, ideal for the riding I do from cruising down the mountain to natural jibs/park stuff.

[peaceblaster]

Thanks for the info. So, do you find presses to be fairly easy as well even with a flex level of 5? Do you think its probably better for me to buy a little stiffer board if I am going to be going more all mountain over park all the time? Do you know how the Heritage compares to the Proto by chance? And do you think the Attack Banana is going to be just a little bit more park oriented and softer than the Proto? Would a Proto 153-5ish (not sure exactly what sizes they come in off the top of my head) be more stiff than the Attack Banana?

[WasatchMan]

Arbor Blacklist

Arbor Coda

Ride Machete

Never Summer Proto

Never Summer SL/Legacy

Check em out - Also I love my cartels

I'd say the Attack Banana is more all mountain tailored than the proto, it's a tad stiffer in my opinion.

The heritage is going to be a lot stiffer and damp than the proto, better for pow, bigger mountain stuff. If you are looking to jump up a little from the proto why not the SL?


EDIT:

Here - if you're curious about the differences on the Never Summer boards check their chart:

[Riley212]

Any medium flex board will probably be what you want. check out the boardinsiders youtube channel for quality reviews.

i think it is easier to ride a soft board everywhere than trying to jib and butter with a stiff board.

i like the arbor boards but ive only demoed them, but have been hearing a lot of durability issues. so i dunno.

still think the proto ct is what you want though.

[Nivek]

Wasatch pretty much nailed it.

Add a Signal Omni and your good with all those. Maybe a Rome Reverb Rocker too.

Minus the Machete, its just too stiff in the tips to make buttering and jibbing easy to learn or all that fun.

Bindings: I like the Cartels, but they're more of a super hard charger freestyle binding or all mountain freestyle. What will match better with the decks you're being recommended is the Malavitas if you go Burton.

Others to take a look at are the Raiden Phantoms, Flux SF45's, Flow M9's, or K2 Uprises.