Rossignol, K2...Yea or nay? - Snowboarding Forum

boardmom · 03-17-2012, 04:26 AM

Hi everyone
Though it's actually my son who is the boarder, I joined this forum in the hopes of finding out information about equipment before we grace the little guy with some new toys! I hope you don't mind sharing...
I've found a Rossignol board in the clearance cave of our local shop. It's of a length and weight rating that will work for him, and it's a little on the soft side, which should suit him for the place where he's been learning to board. We also found K2 boots that have the steel cable lacing system, which I've liked better than regular laces so far. My question to all of you is, what do you think of those two brands?
Little guy and I thank you!

rdot84 · 03-17-2012, 06:13 AM

Welcome to the forum. Rossignol makes some solid boards and K2 gear is good as well. I've owned Rossi boards and still do and i love their tech and durability. Cant vouch for K2 but from what i hear they have a good rep.

gprider_capita · 03-17-2012, 08:10 AM

Rossignol makes ok boards but k2 definitely makes great stuff i own a pair of their boots. But, have your kid find a pair of boots that fit him best otherwise problems start arising like heel lift or sore feet from boots that don't fit right.

rdot84 · 03-17-2012, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gprider_capita

Rossignol makes ok boards but k2 definitely makes great stuff i own a pair of their boots. But, have your kid find a pair of boots that fit him best otherwise problems start arising like heel lift or sore feet from boots that don't fit right.

I've had many different boards and Rossi definitely makes a great board. From the magnetraction, to cores with carbon kevlar stringers, to the hybrid camber shapes. They have real good tech. Maybe not in previous years but the last 4 yrs they have some good boards. And the quality is top notch. I think people are so stuck on certain name branding and marketing hype that they dont look at the actual gear they are riding.

Have you even rode any to make a comment on it?

lernr · 03-19-2012, 01:27 AM

Rossi makes OK boards?

Rossi makes some of the best freeride boards right now, and for some time. Xavier de la Rue rides the Experience (not that this is a good board for the OP!) Jerenmy Jones rode one before starting his own company (with a similar shape on the Flagship).

The One Magtek is possibly one of the most versatile AND great value (even if butt ugly) boards on the market.

OP - if the board is last year's One Magtek it's probably a great buy, same for this year's

K2 is very solid in my experience with boards and bindings in the upper ranges. The women's K2 boards, on the other hand, seem to be less durable. I know some demanding riders are very happy with their boots (like Thraxis, which is a triple boa). I wish they still manufactured in the US, though. Also, some update on edge tech would be nice.

gprider_capita · 03-19-2012, 04:26 PM

Rossi copies everyone else's tech and just because certain riders are sponsored by a company doesn't make them good. Rossi does make some good boards but they make some bad boards too. I rode the 2013 Rossi jibsaw and I liked it, but what I don't like about Rossi is that they copy other people's tech and are just in the board industry to make money. Angrysnowboarder has a good article about Rossi if you care to read it. But k2 is always coming out with new tech and has been solid constantly.

lernr · 03-19-2012, 04:39 PM

I'll read the article - but if Jeremy Jones didn't think it was good, he could have changed the shape, and also foregone the magnetraction. If Rossi didn't pay royalties for magne - well, that sucks, and I won't support them one bit. But really most everyone wants and needs to make money - Burton, K2 moving production overseas, Mervin, etc.

My current resort board is a K2 Turbo Dream and I have always said that it's a great board, so I am not knocking them. It rides very fun and has held up extremely well on top of this. I just wish it had some form of edge tech for better grip on ice / hard

gprider_capita · 03-19-2012, 05:15 PM

I have that same problem. My only board right now is a capita horrorscope and I ride in Wisconsin so I ride on a decent amount of ice and hard pack, that's a big reason why I looked at the jibsaw because it had magtek and it was great on ice and fit my needs great. But if you don't care if they came up with the tech or not, then certain Rossi boards would be a good choice.

rdot84 · 03-21-2012, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gprider_capita

Rossi copies everyone else's tech....

You do realize that every board company takes tech from another and then finely adjusts it to call it their own. Neversummer, and Mervin both use similar hybrid shapes. Does that mean that one copied the other. I guess it could be argued but who cares as long as the board rips.

On a side note Rossi has magnetraction because they used to be under the same parent company as Lib tech. Smokin boards use magnetraction, and Arbor has a form of it in their grip tech. So who copied who?

lernr · 03-21-2012, 10:46 AM

I am pretty sure that Never Summer came up first with the rocker middle - camber tips profile, and then the next year Mervin did it and tried to patent it.

Not cool. I do care who copied / stole. So should you - if companies get no protection, royalties, or even recognition, there is less incentive to innovate and pour money into R&D.

03-17-2012, 04:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
boardmom Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 1	Rossignol, K2...Yea or nay? Hi everyone Though it's actually my son who is the boarder, I joined this forum in the hopes of finding out information about equipment before we grace the little guy with some new toys! I hope you don't mind sharing... I've found a Rossignol board in the clearance cave of our local shop. It's of a length and weight rating that will work for him, and it's a little on the soft side, which should suit him for the place where he's been learning to board. We also found K2 boots that have the steel cable lacing system, which I've liked better than regular laces so far. My question to all of you is, what do you think of those two brands? Little guy and I thank you!

03-17-2012, 06:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
rdot84 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: New Jersey Posts: 137	Welcome to the forum. Rossignol makes some solid boards and K2 gear is good as well. I've owned Rossi boards and still do and i love their tech and durability. Cant vouch for K2 but from what i hear they have a good rep. __________________ -Its not how fast you ride...Its how you ride fast

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03-17-2012, 08:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
gprider_capita Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Granite Peak Posts: 221	Rossignol makes ok boards but k2 definitely makes great stuff i own a pair of their boots. But, have your kid find a pair of boots that fit him best otherwise problems start arising like heel lift or sore feet from boots that don't fit right.

03-19-2012, 01:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
lernr Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 167	Rossi makes OK boards? Rossi makes some of the best freeride boards right now, and for some time. Xavier de la Rue rides the Experience (not that this is a good board for the OP!) Jerenmy Jones rode one before starting his own company (with a similar shape on the Flagship). The One Magtek is possibly one of the most versatile AND great value (even if butt ugly) boards on the market. OP - if the board is last year's One Magtek it's probably a great buy, same for this year's K2 is very solid in my experience with boards and bindings in the upper ranges. The women's K2 boards, on the other hand, seem to be less durable. I know some demanding riders are very happy with their boots (like Thraxis, which is a triple boa). I wish they still manufactured in the US, though. Also, some update on edge tech would be nice.

03-19-2012, 04:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
gprider_capita Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Granite Peak Posts: 221	Rossi copies everyone else's tech and just because certain riders are sponsored by a company doesn't make them good. Rossi does make some good boards but they make some bad boards too. I rode the 2013 Rossi jibsaw and I liked it, but what I don't like about Rossi is that they copy other people's tech and are just in the board industry to make money. Angrysnowboarder has a good article about Rossi if you care to read it. But k2 is always coming out with new tech and has been solid constantly.

03-19-2012, 04:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
lernr Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 167	I'll read the article - but if Jeremy Jones didn't think it was good, he could have changed the shape, and also foregone the magnetraction. If Rossi didn't pay royalties for magne - well, that sucks, and I won't support them one bit. But really most everyone wants and needs to make money - Burton, K2 moving production overseas, Mervin, etc. My current resort board is a K2 Turbo Dream and I have always said that it's a great board, so I am not knocking them. It rides very fun and has held up extremely well on top of this. I just wish it had some form of edge tech for better grip on ice / hard

03-19-2012, 05:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
gprider_capita Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Granite Peak Posts: 221	I have that same problem. My only board right now is a capita horrorscope and I ride in Wisconsin so I ride on a decent amount of ice and hard pack, that's a big reason why I looked at the jibsaw because it had magtek and it was great on ice and fit my needs great. But if you don't care if they came up with the tech or not, then certain Rossi boards would be a good choice.

03-21-2012, 10:46 AM	#10 (permalink)
lernr Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 167	I am pretty sure that Never Summer came up first with the rocker middle - camber tips profile, and then the next year Mervin did it and tried to patent it. Not cool. I do care who copied / stole. So should you - if companies get no protection, royalties, or even recognition, there is less incentive to innovate and pour money into R&D.