Advice on a second board - Never Summer SL?

[Solitaire]

I've been riding for 2 years now, and it's been an absolute blast. A friend of mine recently asked if I would consider selling him my gear, which sounded like a perfect opportunity to buy new stuff

Stats:
Height: 5'7
Weight: 140
Boot Size: 9
Currently riding: 2010 Rome Crail(147), with Rome Arsenal Bindings.

I consider myself to be a "new intermediate rider". I can go down blues very confidently, and do relatively well on beginner blacks. I live in Ontario so I mainly go on groomers, while flirting with some basic jumps and such.

I've always wanted a Never Summer based on the great things I've heard, but understand a lot of their boards are for more advanced riders. I was hoping something softer like the SL would be a good board, and am planning on pairing it up with one of new 2013 flows.

Does anyone have any thoughts or advice on the SL for a rider such as myself? I'm open to any other Never Summer suggestions, but have kinda set my heart on one of their boards even if I have to wait another year to get ready for it.

Thanks in advance for all thoughts

[linvillegorge]

I don't have an SL as it's kind of a jack of all trades, master of none type board, but if I only had one board it would be a NS SL.

[lernr]

I think you will be happy with the SL.

Not ideal for groomers, but as you get into other fun stuff you'll probably like it even more

[ETM]

I have one, it sure aint soft. Its good for general hooning around the mountain, i don't do any park so no comment there and it isn't good at all in powder which is where I love riding. I pull it out when the conditions suck and I am wondering if I should bother riding or not, the sl seems to make it all worth while somehow.
There are plenty of better boards out there if you know exactly what you want, if you don't the sl is a safe bet.
It was my first NS board and most probably my last.

[Mel M]

I have one and think it's amazing!

My friend who has an all mountain board says the SL is a little stiffer after riding it and many way the SL leans more towards the freeride side, while the proto leans toward the freestyle side. I've done ZERO park, so I can't comment on the freestyle.

It definitely has a steeper learning curve than a soft park rocker board because turn initiation isn't as easy. I found I had to pick up a bit of speed to turn it properly, so it might not be the best board for a complete newb. However, you say you can go down blues confidently, so it definitely won't be a problem for you. It's my first year and after a dozen times on the SL, I can go down blues pretty well.

Also, I crashed and skidded into a patch of rocks and dirt that wasn't blocked off by my local resort. Besides a few scuffs on the base, the board didn't get damaged at all! That's a testament to it's durability. Hell, I got more banged up than my board!

Some commented on the "jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none" type board that the SL is. Well, that's what an all-mountain board is supposed to be, right? If you want a one-board, all-mountain solution, then it's pretty hard to pass up IMO.

[Mel M]

Oh yeah, and I forgot to add that I've been doing night boarding with it on the East Coast when the slopes turn into a skating rink after 8. My friend comments how well I ride on ice and how confident I am on it since this is my first year. I've been really working hard to improve my form so I can ride on ice pretty well, but I can't help think that the edge hold of the SL has a LOT do to with it.

[Solitaire]

Thanks for the responses.

I'm probably not going to go anywhere like Tremblant/Banff/Whistler for the next year or two, so groomers are probably all I'll be working with in the meantime. Plus if the winters stay this way in the east, it's very rare to get good powder days to go out on.

I like the jack of all trades bit, but am wondering if there is any other board in the Never Summer line I should consider? I read Snowolf's review on the Heritage and he suggested that could be a good board for an intermediate, but I think it's even stiffer than the SL?

I'm not sure if this would translate into it being more likely that I catch an edge...

[linvillegorge]

Neither of them are catchy, but the Heritage is a little more catchy in comparison.

I have a Heritage (actually two, but one is an older cambered version) and it's the board I grab on most days. I'm pretty freeride biased though. For an all-mountain board that can venture into more park, I'd go SL or Proto. I love the Heritage and if you're more of a freeride guy, I'd definitely recommend it for a one board quiver, but IMO, the SL is the most well rounded board in the NS lineup in terms of being a one board quiver stick.

[Kapn.K]

I have the Legacy(wide version of the sl). The damping is incredible to me. Awesome on groomers, powder, whatever. I could or should have gotten the SL. I worried about the width/boot size thing like most new shoppers and went with the legacy. I've had it for 4 years and still love it. At the very minimum, it's a great starting point or reference. It might be everything you're looking for or close to something that you're looking for. I think if it needed replacement, I would get another SL. Mine's a 163. Just got my kid the new Evo 157. Happy hunting.
Steve

[jdang307]

I thought it did on powder the one day I rode it on powder.

Much better then the Evo I'll tell you that. My leg burned on an Evo. Not so the SL.

I'll say this, it was my first board with any type of rocker in it. It was a 2ft powder day. SO I figured, just ride normal. Wrong. Face first over the handle bars. So I realized, just lean back very gently, and I was able to ride fine after that.

Is it effortless? Nope. But not terrible either.