JVee

Hi,

My initial understanding was that pow decks were built longer with greater set back but then a new set of technologies develop and pow boards are built shorter, e.g Jones Hovercraft. I've followed guys like ETM on here, who are building these incredible longer pow decks but then reading that riding a pow deck greater than 155cm would be ineffective. Jones says his 156cm Hovercraft rides like a 178. Is there an actual formula? I was just reading the stats on Hovercraft, and wondered what real difference would be to the 156 and 160 sizes?

ShredLife

it floats but it doesn't ride like anything that long - how much do you weigh and where do you ride?

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JVee

92kgs (200lbs), 5'11, Japan

ShredLife

i'd say you're kind of on the line and could ride either.

if you were riding lots of steep stuff i'd say just get the 156 but most of the japan stuff i've seen looks on the flatter side, so you might want the 160 for some more speed/float on the low angle stuff... the hovercraft is a bit on the slow side.

if i were you i'd probably go for the 156, because i personally like to ride shorter boards as long as they stay up. i'm 150# and could probably ride this board in a 152 if they made it (155 Heritage is my all-around)

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get the hell off my lawn.

ARSENALFAN

I am 175-180 and 6 ft tall. The 156 is perfect for me. Just cannot comment on the Japan issue. Oh yeah, I was riding some deep pow today and decided to ditch the Hovercraft for my new Yes Pick Your Line. The Yes board was very good in the Pow, but it was no Hovercraft. My back leg fatiqued and it never does with the Hovercraft. Great board choice.

Angler

They do make the hover in a 152 I own one and it rocks.

ShredLife

i didn't know that... mine is a splitboard tho, those don't come that short.

edit: nevermind - i am wrong, the split comes in a 152 too (at least this year it does) - i got mine on clearance last year and it was just 156/160.

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get the hell off my lawn.

tekniq33

From what I have seen in Japan there is a lot of riding to be done in the trees. A 156 would be great for that.

Biggest question should be what do you normally ride? If you are typically on a 160, the 156 Hover will have a ton more float than a regular 160 board. if you are riding decks that are 165ish youll probably want a 160.

Angler

I demo the 156 last year liked it but live in the east and wanted a smaller board for the right trees around here. Since I weigh 150lb the 152 workes great in this environment. It still blows me away how a pow board can be so great on hard pack as well.

ETM

Watch those hovercrafts, the inserts are forward of the centre of sidecut radius. Unless you would set up a twin forward of centre Im not sure why anybody would want that on a powder board. Its a design flaw in my opinion.

As for riding like a bigger board, they dont have the effective edge of a longer board and the only way you can increase the surface area of the board is by width. So when you cut through all the hype its just a wide board.

You have to consider if you want something that will hold a good edge on the hardpack, a board with full rocker forward of the bindings is never going to be as good as one with camber out in front like mine does, then add the long powder nose and the board is getting long, theres nothing you can do about it.
If you value the performance on hardpack as much as you do in the powder you find yourself needing a longer board. If you are prepared to have a rocker board from the front foot forward you can basically start the rocker nose profile a lot earlier and end up with a shorter board like the hovercraft. But I still dont know why the inserts are forward of centre? Id love someone to explain that one.

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