Big Mountain board for hiking around kicking horse and blackcomb type terrain - Snowboarding Forum

Penzer · 08-06-2012, 07:41 PM

Current Boards:

-2008 Burton Custom 156 with 2 degree edge bevel (regular camber) with Flux rk30s
-2010 Gnu Altered Genetics 159 (Full reverse camber, not hybrid) with Union Forces

Rider and Style:

Weight is 180 lbs, 5'11, 25 years old.

I live in Vancouver, BC and ride about 70 days/nights a year. I night ride a few times a week after work, ride most weekends. Last year I got 3 weeks off work for a roadtrip in the interior, and 4 weeks booked off for this coming season.

My Altered Genetics is great, but doesn't handle higher speeds and bigger terrain with it's full reverse camber, and isn't stiff enough when the westcoast pow gets really heavy.

I would still use my current boards for night riding and most resort riding and depending on who I was riding with, i'm looking for a board to use specifically for the big epic days.

I like varied double black terrain, steeps, chutes, trees, anything interesting to ride.

I'd be aiming to use this board at places like Kicking Horse (my favorite mountain), Revelstoke, Lake Louise, Baker, Red Mountain, Fernie, the backside of Mount Washington, and when hiking around Whistler and Blackcomb (bodybag, spankys, etc...).

I want something directional and on the stiffer side for dealing with heavy west coast pow, good for charging and stable landings in pow. Ideally it be maneuverable enough for dense trees. It will be for pow days or hiking to hunt pow on non-pow days, but it still has to work well in ice, crud and late season corn, and ideally be good for traversing.

I care more about riding and handling than pop and tricks. For airs it just needs to handle small cliffs, straight airs and grabs on med/large natural jumps, some 360s.

Boards I'm Considering:
These are very different boards, I'm open to any camber option and suggestions.

-Neversummer Raptor
-Ride Berzeker or Highlife UL (leaining towards Highlife, the Ride camber sounds really interesting to me)
-Capita Charlie Slasher (would be good for pow, but would it handle crap well enough?)
-Jones Flagship (very interested, not sure if damp enough)
-Prior Khyber
-Yes Pick Your Line

Thanks for your help,

linvillegorge · 08-06-2012, 08:43 PM

I have a 164 Charlie Slasher. GREAT powder stick, but marginal at everything else. It's a dedicated powder stick.

hktrdr · 08-06-2012, 10:39 PM

Consider a newer version of the Altered Genetics. Has been hybrid camber since 2011 and went a lot stiffer in 2011 and then again in 2012.
Also the Billy Goat.
Basically those two are Gnu's big mountain sticks.

Nivek · 08-06-2012, 11:40 PM

Raptors' good, personally I just don't vibe NS
Charlie is not what you want. Pow stick, not freeride.
Flagship. Surprisingly harsh ride.
No Clue on the Prior.
YES has yet to wow me. The PYL is supposed to be the Optimistic replacement and that other than the '13 Greats was the only other YES that didn't strike me as blah.

Berzerker for more maneuverability and Highlife for more stability. Both good options.

I'd also look at the Flow Solitude and Salomon Mans Board.

ETM · 08-06-2012, 11:55 PM

Prior fissile.

Penzer · 08-07-2012, 01:13 AM

Sounds like the Charlie Slasher is cut.

I have looked at Billy Goat and newer Altered Genetics, maybe if I see one at a great deal but I think I'd like something a bit more different. Flow Solitude sounds pretty similiar to my current board, looking for something a bit stiffer.

Fissile sounds awesome, but it seems pretty exotic and a bit of a risk given the price without demoing one. I figured Khyber would be a safer bet.

ETM · 08-07-2012, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penzer

Fissile sounds awesome, but it seems pretty exotic and a bit of a risk given the price without demoing one. I figured Khyber would be a safer bet.

Safe wont get you anywhere man!

Penzer · 08-07-2012, 01:27 AM

The more I read about the Berzerker and Highlife UL, the more I like.

You get reverse cambered nose for float with some forgiving handling, but still have camber for a solid edge and tail.

Both are available in 161 and 164, not sure which board would be better or which size.

I've always liked Jake Blauvelts riding too.

Miguel Sanchez · 08-07-2012, 08:02 AM

Take a good look at the Rossignol Experience 159 or 163. The Highlife's camber is so minimal that it's almost non-exsistant. The Experience has some actual, noticable camber, plus the kicked tip & tails. It's plenty stiff & damp, has magnetraction so it can deal with just about any kind of icey conditions. Smaller effective edge makes it ride a little shorter than it would seem, crazy fast base.

The thing is just a rocket ship, I love mine. If in the market for a true big mountain board, this is it.

oak · 08-07-2012, 11:30 AM

Check out bataleon The jam. Pure charger board.

08-06-2012, 07:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
Penzer Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 84	Big Mountain board for hiking around kicking horse and blackcomb type terrain Current Boards: -2008 Burton Custom 156 with 2 degree edge bevel (regular camber) with Flux rk30s -2010 Gnu Altered Genetics 159 (Full reverse camber, not hybrid) with Union Forces Rider and Style: Weight is 180 lbs, 5'11, 25 years old. I live in Vancouver, BC and ride about 70 days/nights a year. I night ride a few times a week after work, ride most weekends. Last year I got 3 weeks off work for a roadtrip in the interior, and 4 weeks booked off for this coming season. My Altered Genetics is great, but doesn't handle higher speeds and bigger terrain with it's full reverse camber, and isn't stiff enough when the westcoast pow gets really heavy. I would still use my current boards for night riding and most resort riding and depending on who I was riding with, i'm looking for a board to use specifically for the big epic days. I like varied double black terrain, steeps, chutes, trees, anything interesting to ride. I'd be aiming to use this board at places like Kicking Horse (my favorite mountain), Revelstoke, Lake Louise, Baker, Red Mountain, Fernie, the backside of Mount Washington, and when hiking around Whistler and Blackcomb (bodybag, spankys, etc...). I want something directional and on the stiffer side for dealing with heavy west coast pow, good for charging and stable landings in pow. Ideally it be maneuverable enough for dense trees. It will be for pow days or hiking to hunt pow on non-pow days, but it still has to work well in ice, crud and late season corn, and ideally be good for traversing. I care more about riding and handling than pop and tricks. For airs it just needs to handle small cliffs, straight airs and grabs on med/large natural jumps, some 360s. Boards I'm Considering: These are very different boards, I'm open to any camber option and suggestions. -Neversummer Raptor -Ride Berzeker or Highlife UL (leaining towards Highlife, the Ride camber sounds really interesting to me) -Capita Charlie Slasher (would be good for pow, but would it handle crap well enough?) -Jones Flagship (very interested, not sure if damp enough) -Prior Khyber -Yes Pick Your Line Thanks for your help,

08-06-2012, 08:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
linvillegorge Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Evergreen, CO Posts: 4,495	I have a 164 Charlie Slasher. GREAT powder stick, but marginal at everything else. It's a dedicated powder stick. __________________ "People say that marijuana smoking is going to get in the way of my career. I say to them that on the contrary, my fighting career is getting in the way of my marijuana smoking." -Nick Diaz

08-06-2012, 11:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
Nivek Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mountains of Mordor Posts: 5,368	Raptors' good, personally I just don't vibe NS Charlie is not what you want. Pow stick, not freeride. Flagship. Surprisingly harsh ride. No Clue on the Prior. YES has yet to wow me. The PYL is supposed to be the Optimistic replacement and that other than the '13 Greats was the only other YES that didn't strike me as blah. Berzerker for more maneuverability and Highlife for more stability. Both good options. I'd also look at the Flow Solitude and Salomon Mans Board. __________________ Snowboarding Sucks. Last edited by Nivek; 08-06-2012 at 11:43 PM.

08-06-2012, 11:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
ETM Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Hokkaido in my mind Posts: 1,355	Prior fissile. __________________

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08-06-2012, 10:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
hktrdr Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 1,151	Consider a newer version of the Altered Genetics. Has been hybrid camber since 2011 and went a lot stiffer in 2011 and then again in 2012. Also the Billy Goat. Basically those two are Gnu's big mountain sticks.

08-07-2012, 01:13 AM	#6 (permalink)
Penzer Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 84	Sounds like the Charlie Slasher is cut. I have looked at Billy Goat and newer Altered Genetics, maybe if I see one at a great deal but I think I'd like something a bit more different. Flow Solitude sounds pretty similiar to my current board, looking for something a bit stiffer. Fissile sounds awesome, but it seems pretty exotic and a bit of a risk given the price without demoing one. I figured Khyber would be a safer bet.

08-07-2012, 01:27 AM	#8 (permalink)
Penzer Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 84	The more I read about the Berzerker and Highlife UL, the more I like. You get reverse cambered nose for float with some forgiving handling, but still have camber for a solid edge and tail. Both are available in 161 and 164, not sure which board would be better or which size. I've always liked Jake Blauvelts riding too.

08-07-2012, 08:02 AM	#9 (permalink)
Miguel Sanchez Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 23	Take a good look at the Rossignol Experience 159 or 163. The Highlife's camber is so minimal that it's almost non-exsistant. The Experience has some actual, noticable camber, plus the kicked tip & tails. It's plenty stiff & damp, has magnetraction so it can deal with just about any kind of icey conditions. Smaller effective edge makes it ride a little shorter than it would seem, crazy fast base. The thing is just a rocket ship, I love mine. If in the market for a true big mountain board, this is it.

08-07-2012, 11:30 AM	#10 (permalink)
oak Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 56	Check out bataleon The jam. Pure charger board.