Board width?

[GreyDragon]

I own a LT Banana Magic 161 and a LT TRice 161.5 (for different types of riding).

I've been advised that the TRice is too wide for my boot size (9) and should look for a regular sized board to replace that one.

From the LT website, the waist width on the two boards is 25.5 and 26 respectively.

So I want opinions on whether the TRice is too wide for me. Does that extra 1/2 cm make the TRice that much more unmanageable versus the Banana Magic?
Seems a bit extreme of an assumption, but I would like some opinions.

Thanks.

[hktrdr]

Originally Posted by GreyDragon

I own a LT Banana Magic 161 and a LT TRice 161.5 (for different types of riding).

I've been advised that the TRice is too wide for my boot size (9) and should look for a regular sized board to replace that one.

From the LT website, the waist width on the two boards is 25.5 and 26 respectively.

So I want opinions on whether the TRice is too wide for me. Does that extra 1/2 cm make the TRice that much more unmanageable versus the Banana Magic?
Seems a bit extreme of an assumption, but I would like some opinions.

Thanks.

Waist width does not matter. What matters is width at the inserts/binding positions, as this determines whether you are are able to pressure/work the edge effectively.
Both the T. Rice and the Magic are quite wide boards, at least what would be considered mid-wide. The Magic has such a deep sidecut that it is actually wider in the nose and tail than the T. Rice, so around the inserts they are probably fairly similar in width.

And yes, I would consider both of those boards too wide for a size 9 foot. How much do you weigh?

[GreyDragon]

175 pounds.

[hktrdr]

Originally Posted by GreyDragon

175 pounds.

Yeah, you are in a slightly tough spot given your weight and foot size.

What kind of riding do you do and in what conditions?

[GreyDragon]

Originally Posted by hktrdr

Yeah, you are in a slightly tough spot given your weight and foot size.

What kind of riding do you do and in what conditions?

I got the Banana Magic for all-mountain freestyle - jumps, spins, half pipe, switch, and still able to carve. No jibbing. I know it's on the agressive side of that type of riding but I absolutely love the ride! Incredibly fun, versatile board.

Riding is east coast hard pack/ice. Primarily groomers, and laps in the park through the pipe and kickers. Definitely love magne-traction as a result.

I got the TRice after riding at Whistler last season. While the Magic was quite capable, I wanted something with more stability for charging, but that I could still ride switch.
I got the longer length in both boards for the rare occasions when I could find powder on a trip out west.

Again, to summarize:
5'11"
175 lbs.
Size 9 boots

Thoughts? Keep what I've got? Alternatives?
And thanks.

BTW, my boot size went down from a 10 to a 9 last season, FWIW. I don't know how my body changed to do that, but it did. (Had to get new boots!)

[hktrdr]

Originally Posted by GreyDragon

I got the Banana Magic for all-mountain freestyle - jumps, spins, half pipe, switch, and still able to carve. No jibbing. I know it's on the agressive side of that type of riding but I absolutely love the ride! Incredibly fun, versatile board.

Riding is east coast hard pack/ice. Primarily groomers, and laps in the park through the pipe and kickers. Definitely love magne-traction as a result.

I got the TRice after riding at Whistler last season. While the Magic was quite capable, I wanted something with more stability for charging, but that I could still ride switch.
I got the longer length in both boards for the rare occasions when I could find powder on a trip out west.

Again, to summarize:
5'11"
175 lbs.
Size 9 boots

Thoughts? Keep what I've got? Alternatives?
And thanks.

BTW, my boot size went down from a 10 to a 9 last season, FWIW. I don't know how my body changed to do that, but it did. (Had to get new boots!)

Well, the good news is that the Magic seems to be working for you. At the end of the day, general rules will only go so far - conventional wisdom might say that it is a bit wide, but if you like it then I say it is just perfect!

But if you are still looking for some hard charging, slightly narrower boards, you could consider the Lib-Tech Dark Series or the Gnu Billy Goat, both also from the Mervin line-up. They have narrow waists (25.1 cm for the 158 Dark Series and 25 for the 159 Goat, both of which should be plenty long enough - but even if you were to upsize to the 161/162 the WW would only increase to 25.2/25.3) and shallow sidecuts, meaning that the board 'flares' out less towards the nose and tail.
Both are also stiff, hard charging sticks for freeriding. However, they are directional twins with slight setback (0.5"/0.75" respectively).

[509-pow]

if u do plan on getting rid of the t-rice shoot me a price.

[mjd]

I wear size 9 snowboard boots and am around 170 lbs. Have over 200 days on my TRice 157 which has a 25.8 waist and no problems what so ever with anything. Started riding a 156 Niche (basically the same board as the Trice except lighter and snappier) this year and that's a 25.8 waist also. Still nothing but fun.

That said, I would not go wider than that, 25.8, which is considered a mid-wide for a 156,157 board.

[GreyDragon]

@hktrdr
Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I actually demoed the Dark Series at Whistler last year (same week I demoed the TRice). Definitely liked it, but went with TRice because it is a true twin and I ride switch alot, while the Dark Series is directional (not even a directional twin according to LT). Same reasoning for shying from the Billy Goat, which is at least a directional twin.

@mjd
Very helpful input. Thanks.



For both of you (and anyone else): one thing I have been wondering is if I bought these boards too long. Moving both down to 157 narrows the waist on the TRice to 25.8 from 26, and narrows the tip/tail on the Banana Magic to 30.1 from 30.6 (waist width only drops 0.1cm).
Seems like only a small improvement for alot of expense if I was to size down though.

So, any thoughts on dropping down to 157 for both boards?

[mjd]

My 157 handles deep pow very easily. So for me it's the perfect bomb any terrain in any condition and pow board in one. Which is why I got it. 157 is the sweet spot for me for that type of riding anything bigger is a no go.