Board decision- leaning Gnu - Page 2 - Snowboarding Forum

wrathfuldeity · 11-25-2012, 08:03 PM

I just posted the following in another thread. First day impressions of a 159 billy goat split.

Today I took the goat with sparks out for a first ride...hard packed...practically ice groomer day; no splitting just lapping the groomed to see how it rode and get it dialed. Mother of god....it just wants to go down the fall line...its like the nose wants to drop the fall line, takes off and its not happy unless its in the fall line. Its nimble enough and quick edge to edge. Its FLOWS....I've never ridden a board that just wants to flow...no twitchy...no grabby...rock solid and confident; little in perfections...whats that...literally did some unseen 1 foot divits/drops....was nothing, banking terrain, hitting little airs. A few times I would have washed out, it kept an edge.

Now for the scary part....the thing wants to take off and doesn't want to stop and I haven't figured out how to confidently shut it down....its likes to frickin haul ass....it seemed not to like hockey stops and wants to keep going...nose in the fall line thing. The only way I could shut down was by doing quick hard shallow tail slides back and forth...and not 1 or 2....more like 3 or 4+ tail slides.

I expected some give due to being a split but it felt like a solid board and perhaps even more so with the Sparks (blaze base plate with burner highback and straps). The sparks were dreamy, stiff, responsive, solid and comfortable...they felt more solid and confident than my old drake f60's and limiteds. A great combo...very responsive and efficient flying down the hill.

Fwiw & imho the 159 split is a very fine groomer/resort board (and if only riding in-bounds a 156 would have been plenty), it seemed to ride big (fast and stable) and ride small (nimble and quick edge to edge). I was thinking this board would be a more technical billy goat hopping around board for steeps and chutes.....NOOOOOO.....this thing wants to run full fucking speed down the frickin technical parts of the hill....shit I got some work and learning to do...and damm I need to find some bigger balls.

So the last 4 runs of the day, was with my daughter and her skier crew....young healthy 15-23 years olds....I kept up with them, passed them and got to the chair first....I haven't been able to do that in 2 years and the little whipper snappers noticed.

Alkasquawlik · 11-26-2012, 01:50 AM

OP, have you looked at something like the Burton Sherlock? Or Capita BSOD/TFA?

rg21 · 11-26-2012, 06:36 AM

Thanks everyone for the insights. It is very helpful on this site that people comment on how a board responds to different snow types as it aids an informed decision. With that in mind, I think I am going to go for the 156cm Goat. My major concern was that it could get me round the resort on the hardpack and be stable on long run outs at the end of a tiring day. I think looking at the board, hearing peoples experiences and even the fact that Gnu have made a split reassures me that this board can be the good off piste machine that is my priority but I have also had the all rounder aspect confirmed.

Basically, the Impossible is expensive and it is not clear what it is really for, just a souped up Riders Choice. The TRS/ Riders choice look decent but sacrifice something in trying to do it all (as with the Custom, BSOD etc.) The Trice is too wide for my size 9s. The Billy goat is fast, agile and floats wel- I love the trees and this board grabs me better than the Pjeonix seriess and seems more suited than the Banana magic or Dark. not too familiar with neversummer but I would imagine they are just as good.

As tempting as trying to butter with the young guys is, it is obvious that no do it all board exists and I would hate to sacrifice what I really need; not that I could compete with the kids anyway. Also, I don't think I would waste a good powder line, that I hiked an hour for, on riding it switch anyway (although I am hearing what Snowolf says that you don't need a true twin, especially in the resort.)

I called the local Gnu dealer in Zurich and he has every board but the Goat. He also said it could be difficult to order as it has limited production. Sadly, I may not be able to get back to Canada at Christmas this year so hopefully I can find some way to make this purchase. If I am succesful I will put up a few coments about how it rides (or rides me). But somethings got to give as my current set up is well past it's best days.

Again, cheers for the info. Snowolfs epic review of the 2012 was particularly interesting- especially as he had one hardpacked day and one powder day to talk about.

hktrdr · 11-26-2012, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rg21

Thanks everyone for the insights. It is very helpful on this site that people comment on how a board responds to different snow types as it aids an informed decision. With that in mind, I think I am going to go for the 156cm Goat. My major concern was that it could get me round the resort on the hardpack and be stable on long run outs at the end of a tiring day. I think looking at the board, hearing peoples experiences and even the fact that Gnu have made a split reassures me that this board can be the good off piste machine that is my priority but I have also had the all rounder aspect confirmed.

Basically, the Impossible is expensive and it is not clear what it is really for, just a souped up Riders Choice. The TRS/ Riders choice look decent but sacrifice something in trying to do it all (as with the Custom, BSOD etc.) The Trice is too wide for my size 9s. The Billy goat is fast, agile and floats wel- I love the trees and this board grabs me better than the Pjeonix seriess and seems more suited than the Banana magic or Dark. not too familiar with neversummer but I would imagine they are just as good.

As tempting as trying to butter with the young guys is, it is obvious that no do it all board exists and I would hate to sacrifice what I really need; not that I could compete with the kids anyway. Also, I don't think I would waste a good powder line, that I hiked an hour for, on riding it switch anyway (although I am hearing what Snowolf says that you don't need a true twin, especially in the resort.)

I called the local Gnu dealer in Zurich and he has every board but the Goat. He also said it could be difficult to order as it has limited production. Sadly, I may not be able to get back to Canada at Christmas this year so hopefully I can find some way to make this purchase. If I am succesful I will put up a few coments about how it rides (or rides me). But somethings got to give as my current set up is well past it's best days.

Again, cheers for the info. Snowolfs epic review of the 2012 was particularly interesting- especially as he had one hardpacked day and one powder day to talk about.

If you cannot get the Billy Goat, the Jamie Lynn is pretty similar. Marginally more playful (because of the sidecut and flex - also has slightly less setback) but almost as much of a charger board as the Goat.

rg21 · 11-26-2012, 09:11 AM

Yep, the Jamie Lynn does seem to be Libtecs take on the same thing. It takes some time to decode the manufactures marketing talk from the engineering but needs to be done to understand what you are buying. may well have to plump for the Jamie Lynn. Not sure about the weird blue woman art but that shouldn't be a consideration, should it?

11-25-2012, 08:03 PM	#11 (permalink)
wrathfuldeity Resident poet Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bham Posts: 2,734	I just posted the following in another thread. First day impressions of a 159 billy goat split. Today I took the goat with sparks out for a first ride...hard packed...practically ice groomer day; no splitting just lapping the groomed to see how it rode and get it dialed. Mother of god....it just wants to go down the fall line...its like the nose wants to drop the fall line, takes off and its not happy unless its in the fall line. Its nimble enough and quick edge to edge. Its FLOWS....I've never ridden a board that just wants to flow...no twitchy...no grabby...rock solid and confident; little in perfections...whats that...literally did some unseen 1 foot divits/drops....was nothing, banking terrain, hitting little airs. A few times I would have washed out, it kept an edge. Now for the scary part....the thing wants to take off and doesn't want to stop and I haven't figured out how to confidently shut it down....its likes to frickin haul ass....it seemed not to like hockey stops and wants to keep going...nose in the fall line thing. The only way I could shut down was by doing quick hard shallow tail slides back and forth...and not 1 or 2....more like 3 or 4+ tail slides. I expected some give due to being a split but it felt like a solid board and perhaps even more so with the Sparks (blaze base plate with burner highback and straps). The sparks were dreamy, stiff, responsive, solid and comfortable...they felt more solid and confident than my old drake f60's and limiteds. A great combo...very responsive and efficient flying down the hill. Fwiw & imho the 159 split is a very fine groomer/resort board (and if only riding in-bounds a 156 would have been plenty), it seemed to ride big (fast and stable) and ride small (nimble and quick edge to edge). I was thinking this board would be a more technical billy goat hopping around board for steeps and chutes.....NOOOOOO.....this thing wants to run full fucking speed down the frickin technical parts of the hill....shit I got some work and learning to do...and damm I need to find some bigger balls. So the last 4 runs of the day, was with my daughter and her skier crew....young healthy 15-23 years olds....I kept up with them, passed them and got to the chair first....I haven't been able to do that in 2 years and the little whipper snappers noticed. __________________ Last edited by wrathfuldeity; 11-25-2012 at 08:12 PM.

11-26-2012, 01:50 AM	#12 (permalink)
Alkasquawlik Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: la bella vita Posts: 266	OP, have you looked at something like the Burton Sherlock? Or Capita BSOD/TFA? __________________ www.heckler.com "I'm only here for the apres"

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11-26-2012, 06:36 AM	#13 (permalink)
rg21 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 14	Thanks everyone for the insights. It is very helpful on this site that people comment on how a board responds to different snow types as it aids an informed decision. With that in mind, I think I am going to go for the 156cm Goat. My major concern was that it could get me round the resort on the hardpack and be stable on long run outs at the end of a tiring day. I think looking at the board, hearing peoples experiences and even the fact that Gnu have made a split reassures me that this board can be the good off piste machine that is my priority but I have also had the all rounder aspect confirmed. Basically, the Impossible is expensive and it is not clear what it is really for, just a souped up Riders Choice. The TRS/ Riders choice look decent but sacrifice something in trying to do it all (as with the Custom, BSOD etc.) The Trice is too wide for my size 9s. The Billy goat is fast, agile and floats wel- I love the trees and this board grabs me better than the Pjeonix seriess and seems more suited than the Banana magic or Dark. not too familiar with neversummer but I would imagine they are just as good. As tempting as trying to butter with the young guys is, it is obvious that no do it all board exists and I would hate to sacrifice what I really need; not that I could compete with the kids anyway. Also, I don't think I would waste a good powder line, that I hiked an hour for, on riding it switch anyway (although I am hearing what Snowolf says that you don't need a true twin, especially in the resort.) I called the local Gnu dealer in Zurich and he has every board but the Goat. He also said it could be difficult to order as it has limited production. Sadly, I may not be able to get back to Canada at Christmas this year so hopefully I can find some way to make this purchase. If I am succesful I will put up a few coments about how it rides (or rides me). But somethings got to give as my current set up is well past it's best days. Again, cheers for the info. Snowolfs epic review of the 2012 was particularly interesting- especially as he had one hardpacked day and one powder day to talk about.

11-26-2012, 09:11 AM	#15 (permalink)
rg21 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 14	Yep, the Jamie Lynn does seem to be Libtecs take on the same thing. It takes some time to decode the manufactures marketing talk from the engineering but needs to be done to understand what you are buying. may well have to plump for the Jamie Lynn. Not sure about the weird blue woman art but that shouldn't be a consideration, should it?