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Goat or Rice ?

8K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  BFBF 
#1 ·
Been riding for 15 years. Freerider, trees, pow, groomers natural drops/jumps. No Park or Pipe. Gotta order a new board this weekend. Picked SnoWolfs brain and got some great input but want to see what others have to say.

Should I get the Lib Tech T. Rice Pro 164.5

or

Gnu Billy Goat 165


ready...set...go
 
#2 ·
I went with the 159 goat split...haven't rode either board; but since got small feet and the goat is narrower, has deeper side cut, less pronounced mag to which 3 other lib/gnu mags I've rode were a bit grabby. Iirc and it was a while ago, the shop guy noted and showed the cam was slightly different where it started, the goat had slightly less rocker and that the rice had some stiffer carbon? strips on the edge and thus torsionally different...but idk...it was a while ago. So at least to my needs and preference for quick edge to edge response, less rocker and envisioning a more technical billygoat style of riding...it was a fairly clear choice.
 
#4 ·
I've got the 2012 goat, and love it.

The thing is so maneuverable it's disgusting. Turns on a dime. Carves to my satisfaction, and it allows me to take it easy when I'm so burned out I can barely board any longer. It will kick your ass though if you just say fuck it and pay no attention to what you're doing.

I rode it half the season, all the way through may spring skiing on Palmer at t-line and the best powder days of the season in march to everything in between.

I have Burton diodes and salomon f22s paired up with it.

I've never ridden the rice but I've read it's very stiff like 509 says.

I briefly had a capita BSOD before the goat. That board was a chore to ride, but it did bomb and carve nicely. But get in tight spots and it was just too much work for me. That's mostly camber though , and stiff.

Another board that's supposed to be similar, but a bit more aggressive is the Jaimie Lynn .... I wanted to try it out but the shop didn't have any at the time.
Good luck w your choice!!
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the input pdx. Still wavering back and fourth with a new adition. Now the list is:
T. Rice Pro 164.5
GNU Billy Goat 165
Neversummer Raptor 169.

BTW...PDX did you like your diodes? Trying to decide if the malavita isnt enough for these boards but have heard about high ack snappage with the diode.
 
#6 ·
Trying to decide if the malavita isnt enough for these boards but have heard about high ack snappage with the diode.
Diodes are great performance-wise, but don't hold up to heavy use at all. I have, however, been assured that the 2013's are much more durable. Malavitas are definitely not enough binding for a stiff board, I don't like them at all paired with my T.rice, but Cartels seem to have just enough extra response to work well.
 
#9 ·
I have size 10.5 boots and weigh 250 and have ridden boards like the T6 without toe drag issues. I am used to a board that I have to be on top of all the time to stay in control. I live in the NW ride lots of trees and pow. Just want a board, that will be stiff like i am use to, float, carve and be fun. Quiver killer without the park concerns. with proform bg and tr pro non HP would be the same price...Raptor would be about 5 hundy.

The diode sounds like my kind of binding , have ridden the 1st gen C60 in the past without difficulty...just havent ridden anything burton in almost 10 years so dont know what direction their hardgoods have been headed quality wise.

Im such an overanalizer...they probably wont have any boards for proform by the time i put in my order.

Thanks for the feedback guys
 
#13 ·
Im such an overanalizer...they probably wont have any boards for proform by the time i put in my order.

Thanks for the feedback guys
Ha... Me too. I just spent two days straight, all day, trying decide what boots to buy. Seriously.... It's an issue. Lol.

Have you thought about buying from dog funk/backcountry? They have a no questions asked return policy. Try before ya buy in a way.
 
#14 ·
well i just think that NS build a better quality snowboard than Lib.

I'll be honest - i've never ridden the goat, the rice, OR the raptor but i have 3 NS decks...they're just burly snowboards...

the raptor looks sick on paper. i ride a 2012 heritage and a 2012 heritage split but for big mt riding i think a raptor split would just be the shit
 
#12 ·
Personally I prefer the TRice. Overall it's a much more playfull board all-around for my style of riding (carving, trees, powpow, freeride.) You can't really go wrong with either board.

As for the Diodes, very responsive but a crap highback. I went with a few buddies while they were shopping for bindings last season. While testing the flex of the highback my friend snapped the display model with relatively little pressure, folded it right in half. They both still ended up buying them in the end, though. Under normal use they are fine, they just don't handle abuse too well.
 
#16 · (Edited)
That's cool. But if your local shop won't let you demo or doesn't have what you want why settle for less? Or a board you might not like?

It's a big purchase.

Hell, I bought mine from Meadows board shop. It was the second board, the first one didn't work out for me. They were willing to work with me so I went with it.
 
#20 ·
I have a BG from a few years ago -10' I think 162
I've had a few trices over the years. 161.5- a camber and a C2
Own first generation diodes that were samples.

quick breakdown off the top of my head without looking at any tech:

- The BG is faster from Edge to edge as the TRICE is almost a ww wide and at times felt sluggish with my 9.5 boot.

- Bases are both decent speed wise but nothing special( IMO burton's WFO base is the fastest base on flat areas on the planet + holds wax better than libs)

- The mTx has been toned down on the TRICE over the years and is much less aggressive.. The BG mtx is even more mellow and barely noticeable.- both hold a great edge with the TRICE being more aggressive.

- Flex wise, the BG is a tad stiffer - TRICE is a twin flex/shape with centered stance and BG is Directional twin with a setback stance--- they are considered mid/stiff for boards these days, but both can be pressed. They feel like noodles compared to my Rossi Experience.

- BG is not super stiff torsionally. Can't remember the TRICE as I sold it.

- TRICE is poppier.

- Both are pretty stable at speed(as stable as c2 can be- you will feel chatter if you really open up)---

- BG has some dampening tech in it and is smoother/damper than the TRICE. BG really shines off piste in open variable terrain.

- Both do pretty well in deep snow-- I've ridden the BG in a few feet at Wolf creek and it excels.-- Rice is wider so it floats well too.

- To sum it up - I liked them both.
I still own the BG and sold the TRICE because the WW was not working with my boot size. Both boards are solid all mountain/freeride decks with the Rice leaning freestyle and the Goat Freeride. My issue was with the WW on the rice.

- diode is the stiffest binding I've ever ridden and I do really like them for free ride.
- The response is off the charts, they are ultra light, comfortable and the straps are cush.
- Damp as well.
- No idea if Burton has changed the tech, but the Forward Lean adjustment is horrid.
- There is no flad to quick adjust the lean on the mountain. You have to adjust the highbacks with a screwdriver by aligning the highback.
- When I first got the bindings, I had the lean set up way too aggressive and had to make an adjustment in a storm at Heavenly -- it took like 10-15 minutes.
- I haven't had to adjust them since, so this is a good binding for those who don't play with the lean(I don't)

Favorite binding all time is the Burton CO2(RIP)-- They are on the BG.
I had cartels on it briefly and they were a little soft.
Rode the TRICE with CO2's

Good luck.
 
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