poutanen

At 190 pounds of muscle you're going to hit a point that a board goes from being "playful" to being "a wet noodle"... Just saying!

Where are you normally riding?

biocmp

Did you used to play football at the Div. I level?

Leo

The board doesn't know if you have fat or muscle weight. It just knows you have weight.

Now your strength is a different matter. But just because you're lean and big doesn't mean a fatty isn't just as strong.

Back to the point, your strength only matters when you forcibly manipulate a board which you really shouldn't be doing most of the time. Riding is about manipulating your weight more than it is manipulating your strength.

In other words, don't size down just because you're muscle weight rather than fat weight. If anything, like someone already pointed out, it's worse to size down if you're super strong.

There's a rainbow at the end of this scene though, the Proto CT is blunted. This means it's actually a longer board than it is because the tips were cut shorter. So that 154 is actually more like a 156. I weigh 180 and ride the 157 and have no desire to size down. I'm the same way as you in the park; smaller features. However, I do hit whatever I find on the slopes. I also jump more than I jib. If you're into hitting jumps, a 154 won't be as good as a 157.

By the way, I would warn against centering your stance on a board with a setback. Unless of course the sidecut isn't centered around the setback stance (it normally is). I'm not sure if the SL has a centered sidecut with a setback stance. By all accounts though, the SL only has a slight setback so you really don't even need to center it.

/2cents

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hktrdr

Exactly that. Most people have no idea how the stance position/setback relates to the sidecut (as opposed to just the position along the length of the board). An SL does not become a true twin simply by slapping the bindings on the board without setback.
Don't even get me started on flex...

61ragtop

If you like the coda then why not get the Westmark? Thats what I have done for this year. A true twin and a little more playful

marcdeo

I only mentioned my weight as a joke with regards to the "girth" comment. I didn't mean to imply that weight isn't weight, or I'm somehow special because I'm not a fatty. (Nor am I Hercules)

I too was wondering about the side cut on the SL, since it relates to binding placement which would be off if I shifted the bindings forward on the SL

ALSO..... Here is a review in which the reviewer states the proto has DIRECTIONAL flex. The NS website does not really specifically mention flex pattern in the proto specs but they do call it a true twin... So I'm still unsure. (Not that i dont trust you guys - you guys are insanely knowledgeable and ive learned SO MUCH here) looks like I will be be firing of an email to NS..

2012 / 2013 | Never Summer Proto CT Snowboard | Video Review - YouTube

marcdeo

Not downsizing at all because of my physical attributes, I simply found that while riding the coda, I found doing jumps/spins a little more trying than with my shorter board, since I already shave a 158 and a 161, I'm looking for something a bit more playful but shorter, and since the proto has a longer effective edge BUT is shorter with a blunted nose, I though I might just get the best of both worlds. I ride out east (Ontario Canada) but this year I am doing 3 trips 1- big white&revy 2- whistler 3- Stowe......

Kurver

From researching the Proto myself I remember it being a true twin (no setback, twin flex). I do remember reading something about directional flex, but I think it was in regard to how the longitudinal flex is stiffer than the torsional flex, not that the tail is any stiffer than the nose or vice versa.

mjd

Niche Aether 156= fun.

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jdang307

It needs confirmation from Vman/Vince or NS themselves, but an older post had the author saying they actually contacted NS, and they said if you adjust it, it is a twin.

Then again, it's a 1/2" setback. Who's going to really notice that.

SL describes it as a twin shape. that would mean the sidecut as well. It's best to contact NS, but again, who would notice a 1/2" setback. If you are good enough to notice it, you're good enough to ride it too IMO.