I'm 5'9" 155 lbs and I own the Proto 154 and the SL 155. If you only are riding the park 25%. I would say SL, Cobra or Heritage. Since you say carbonium topsheet - I say Cobra 158 or Heritage 158.
All this talk about needing twin for switch riding is overblown - in most cases, it is a pretty small difference. Don't worry about it until you are starting to land 540s... or not even... a Burton Fish is about as directional as you could possible get... 2" setback, huge taper, cutout tail...
Unless you plan trips to J-hole and the like, the Heritage is just extra board you don't need, hence my suggestion of the Evo even. I'm getting one soon that will replace my Proto if the only thing we have to ride all year is a WROD like last year.
The scaled down boards will be more playful and fun on smaller mountains.
Um, nothing wrong with buying something you like the look of! Just don't compromise elsewhere to do it.
For the riding you describe Proto or SL do seem like the best choices.
The heritage is going to be quite stiff if you're in the park 25% of the time. The Cobra is(I think) not quite as stiff as the Heritage but has some directional shaping which gives it more forwards float in pow at the slight expense of switch capability.
What's you're reason for needing the 'carbonium'? On this years proto is just looks like carbon weave embossed plastic. Might save a tiny bit of weight, other than that you wouldn't miss it.
I don't know how accurate this is but the guy at the shop I bought my Proto at said the Cobra is to the Proto as the Heritage is to the SL.... More like an all-mountain version of the Proto?
Except for the fact that the Heritage is not more of an all-mountain stick than the SL. In fact, the SL is probably the most all-mountain board that NS has.
How is the heritage not an all mt board? Sl is one step above their softest park board and the f1, raptor, and summit are all more true freeriding/alpine boards than the heritage...
How many people would regularly take a Heritage to the park? Not many - or not nearly as many as would take an SL freeriding. Hence, SL is more of an all-mountain board than the Heritage. Now, I would still consider the Heritage pretty much an all-mountain board, but certainly less so than the SL.
Incidentally, FWIW NS only labels the Cobra, SL/Legacy, and Proto as all-mountain.
BTW, SL is 2 steps above the softest park board (Proto is 1 step up).
I own an sl and heritage in 155 and have rode the proto. The proto isn't really softer than the sl in practice - just far less damp.
The heritage, while stiffer than the sl is fine for park. It's not any good for presses but its better on jumps.
The heritage is a better 'all mt' board for me because it charges way harder than the sl. Way better for busting thru and over chop.
Mostly true, but most people would consider the SL to be the better park board. It might lose out a bit to the Heritage in the jump line, but is way better for jibbing.
Most people would call that big mountain/freeriding. All-mountain includes that, as well as park, etc.
I prefer Heritage as well, but the SL is clearly more of an all-mountain board. On balance, the disadvantage the SL has in charging is smaller than the advantage it has in the park.
I guess my real point is that the sl is closer to the proto. For me the sl IS a park board, and a little too floppy at real speed for 'all mt' riding which fo sho means charging down the fall line.
Hey, I've been charging pretty hard on an Evo up until now and that feels fine until it gets fairly lumpy. Keeping up with more experienced riders on stiff cambered boards anyhoo. Frozen slush mounds get to be a little taxing.
While I'm sure boards stiffer than the SL are 'best' for it, especially if thats all you do. But I don't think its that a 'must have' requirement?
Hope so anyway, my SL arrived in the post today
Really comes down to either making the best tradeoff, or else having the perfect board (to hand) for every situation. Oh and rider preference!
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