Advice for a freeride NS Int/Advanced board?

[kcg016]

Hey guys. Love the forum - always get a ton of info out of reading it but this is my first time posting. I'm looking to make a purchase on a Never Summer freeride board and some new bindings to go with it as well but could use some advice on a model to buy. I would classify myself as a near advanced rider, I can go down blacks at most of the bigger mountains no problem, but struggle with some of their double blacks. I'll be replacing my trusty old k2 wisdom board and burton custom bindings that were used for about 3 seasons.

I live in the midwest, but travel quite a bit and tend to ski out east in upstate NY for a week in the winter where everything is groomed and icy and out west for a week in spring in powder. I'm pretty set on a NS board since I'm a fan of the whole RC concept.

I'm deciding between the raptor, heritage, and premier f1. I'm interested in strictly freeriding, but hitting a good ollie every now and then on the trail. It's been difficult for me to decide since I can't seem to find ANY differences between the raptor and premier. I want a board that I can get better on, but I worry that the raptor/premier are more big mountain boards. I don't see myself doing backcountry stuff any time soon. Are these boards too advanced for me? Or will I be able to grow into them?

Here's my height/weight/etc...
6'1
150 lbs
Size 11 w/k2 UFO boa boots

I would appreciate any advice on sizes, wide or not wide, and bindings to go with the board. I was thinking rome targas. I understand this setup will be a lot stiffer than my current, but I find myself working harder to initiate quick turns sometimes and would like to get something much more responsive as I develop.

Thanks guys!

[Basti]

in my opinion the main difference between the heritage and your other choices is the stiffness. I own a heritage and I love it. just yesterday I did some whistler backcountry on it and it never failed me, even though it's more on the medium side, flex-wise. I'd say it's intended to do some freestyle on it but I find it a superb freeride stick. I haven't ridden the other two though.

I guess it comes down to your personal preference: really stiff or not. burton cartels are a great fit for that board.

[HoboMaster]

considering you live in the midwest and aren't riding terrain where you need an ultra stiff board all the time, go with the Heritage.

[kcg016]

Alright thanks - I suspected the premier/raptor would be a bit too stiff for me. Just needed that little bit of justification before I went with a purchase so I didn't question myself : )

I've been leaning on the 158 in regular. And yea looking into the burton cartel's or the rome targa's. Would at 158 make sense?

[Triple8Sol]

From the NS line-up, the Heritage sounds like a good fit for you.