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Board decision- leaning Gnu

4K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  rg21 
#1 ·
Hey Guys,

This is my first post. I have been impressed by some of the board reviews, and responses, on this site so I thought I would just ask peoples opinions on which board I should by for the new season.

By way of background, I am 5'11 and 150 pnds and do not need a wide board. I like to get off piste as much as possible whether backcountry or sidecountry, a typical powderhound. I usually access the pow via resorts so this also involves a lot of piste bashing. Currently, I have beaten to death a Unity Pride, which I love, but I am looking for a board that is more stable on hard pack as I was frequently annoyed after a good day up top having such a sketchy time lower down.

Originally, I thought I wanted a more all round board. I had dreams of a true twin to ride switch on and be a little more playful and was thinking the TRS/ Riders choice.

However, I usually ride in St Anton/ Laax/ Davos with a trip to Revy/ Whistler/ Kicking Horse (back home) once a year and have accepted that I need a more directional board. I would like opinions on deciding between the Gnu Billy Goat, The Impossible, or the Jamie Lynn (or anything else- Jones for example). I am leaning Billy Goat as it looks a good combo of pow, speed and responsiveness and if I get that I was hoping for some insight on how I can source one in Zurich and if the 156 is long enough for me (my pride 159 seems long to me).

Many thanks; can't wait to hear your insights.
 
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#2 ·
Maybe

I know i learned on a "Directional Twin" board, that may be your answer to the shape. normally the bindings are slightly offset to the rear but if you move them both to the forwardmost position then theyre right in the middle.

and as far as length it depends on how you like to ride, if you ride as much big mountain as you say you do then i'd go bigger, i had a Neversummer legacy 166 last year that was the fastest steadiest board on the mountain but a nightmare in the park
 
#3 · (Edited)
Riders Choice/TRS might be your best choice, even if they are true twins. Playful, versatile, good on ice/hardpack, pretty good float in powder (although not directional).
Major difference is the Pickle tech on the Riders Choice (different sidecuts on toe and heel side).

Billy Goat, Jamie Lynn are not what anybody would call playful boards.
Impossible is a twin, i.e., note directional. Slightly more playful than Goat/Jamie Lynn, but still quite an aggressive/charger board.
 
#4 ·
thanks, you have summarised that pretty well. I can see the benefit to the TRS/ Riders choice, and would love the playfulness. I can also see the logic in pickle tech (I think).

However, I suppose that, not being able to have two boards, an agressive charger is really what I am after. I am keen to hear peoples experiences of the Billy, Impossible, or Jamie Lynn. How are they in hard pack and in powder. Just looking for experience to inform the eventual purchase decision.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Sure, I am a size 9 (maybe 9.5)US.
I had heard the Gnus ride big, so am tempted to drop down to a 156. I know this is not powder condusive but I am looking for a bit of an all mountian board with a focus on the powder (and a lack of focus in the park). I am currently on a 159 and feel I am sometimes wrenching the thing round corners. I was also hoping the smaller Billy Goat might mitigate the stiffness a bit but let me know if my engineering logic is flawed here.
 
#7 ·
I had heard the Gnus ride big, so am tempted to drop down to a 156.
Ji rg,

It sounds very much like you are trying to find the correct cm size that you would ride in any of these boards. I would highly suggest that you abandon that goal. At 150 lbs, size 9, 156 will be a much better choice for you in the Billy goat than the 159. In the Impossible you will want the 152.

The tip to tip length of a board is not a valuable measurement. Advice like, "Gnus ride big" is equally incorrect. Every board model has been designed for a specific rider weight range and foot size range. This will vary from model to model even within a brand. The reason your 159 was feeling unwieldy was almost certainly because it was too large for you in that specific model.

Once you have this corrected you will be very pleasantly surprised by how easy the correct board can be!
 
#8 ·
Thanks, that is all very informative. Is the shoe size just about width (toe drag). And, are you basing the sizing off the individual boards (a great point) on the manufactures specs, ie weight?

I also looked at the Trice but eliminated it based on it's wider width.
 
#9 ·
Hi Again,

When designing a board a manufacturer can only accomodate a certain foot size range for any given size of deck. Stance width and angle will effect this range. Essentially, at your chosen width and angle you will need to exceed the boards width (with your bare foot) to gain leverage but not by so much as to cause critical toe drag.

Similarly each size in a given model has a weight range that will be able to comfortably flex the core and laminates while not distorting the shape unintentionally.

You will get the maximum out of any design when you are centerred in the weight and foot size range for that deck.
 
#11 · (Edited)
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.
 
#13 ·
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. :thumbsup:
 
#15 ·
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?:)
 
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