Help in deciding an all mountain board

[bodero]

Looking for a little help on a new board to ride.

I am 6'5", ~180 lbs and size 13 boots. I normally ride mostly groomers with some park and powder thrown in. I currently ride a Nitro Voltage 163 but im not sure what the rocker type of that is (traditional camber)?

I'm new to the whole rocker/camber hybrid thing but it sounds like for what I want to ride a rocker/camber/rocker would be good?

I saw a Yes. The Greats wide 160 which I thought may be good.

Any help on what some good boards would be is appreciated. Also not sure on the type of length I should be riding.

Thanks

[poutanen]

Pretty sure that Nitro is cambered. If you're already comfortable on camber, going to camber with "lifted tips" (i.e. rocker-camber-rocker) would be a logical choice.

The other option would be to just stick with camber... For groomer bombing there is nothing better.

For your weight a 160 is a good size. Size down a bit if you do more park than powder, size up if the opposite.

[longboardsrule]

I think the 160 is too small for a dude your size, I am 6'3 and got a 169 and the fit is good. Maybe try something a like a 165?? If you like to spin maybe something a bit shorter. I know for my 169 the jump has gotta be perfect in order for me to get all the way around when pullin 3's.

I bought a Never Summer RaptorX, it was my first experience with Rocker Camber and I really like the board, I can recomend Never Summer. I also rode my friends Lib Tech skunk HP, also a really nice riding board, both were pretty similar

[bodero]

Thanks for the responses.

I was under the impression that what size board to ride is based on weight and what you are going to ride and not height? 169 seems massive.

Also, arent the NS and Lib boards camber/rocker/camber? How would that ride differently coming from traditional camber?

[poutanen]

Originally Posted by bodero

I was under the impression that what size board to ride is based on weight and what you are going to ride and not height? 169 seems massive.

Just ran through my trusty size calc (which I'm required to say isn't the be all end all but it is a good reference point)...

For your size, it suggests a 161 for freestyle riding, 164 for all-mountain riding, and 165 for freeride. Assuming intermediate ability levels.

longboardsrule, you live in the heart of big mountain country, where big boards make sense. If this guy is riding on smaller hills with 90% groomers a 169 might be a little overkill. Great for carving but will get long to spin and have fun on.

[longboardsrule]

Originally Posted by bodero

Thanks for the responses.

I was under the impression that what size board to ride is based on weight and what you are going to ride and not height? 169 seems massive.

Also, arent the NS and Lib boards camber/rocker/camber? How would that ride differently coming from traditional camber?

My bad NS is a C/R/C board.

I feel the length is based on skill/height/weight/inteneded use for riding; a combination of the 4. C/R/C vs traditional camber, the difference I find is that it initiates turns quicker and brings the board around with less effort. Other than that they are pretty close, IMO.

[Leo]

Those board sizes that are being recommended are pretty big for your weight. What you also need to take into consideration is that you're most definitely going to be on a wide board. A wide 158 is going to support a higher weight range than a regular 158. So with that said, doing a 164 wide is simply going to be a tank for you. If you're focused on powder or pure freeride, that's actually a good way to go. But for any freestyle or tight turning, you're going to have to put a lot of effort into it.

At your weight, I'd place you in the 156-160 range all in wide. If you're interested in Never Summer, the Proto CTX in a 158 would be an excellent size for you. It also has blunted tips so the board will actually ride like it's a bit longer. You could even move down to the 155 if you want more playfulness.

The difference between Never Summer's and Lib Tech's profile is the placement of the camber zones and the amount of rocker in the middle.

Never Summer places their camber zone just outside of the inserts. Lib Tech places the camber under the inserts. So with Never Summer, the camber doesn't really kick in until you initiate an edge. With Lib Tech, you feel the camber at all times, but because of the rocker in between, the board remains more playful than a full on camber.

I will say that the NS will have a steeper learning curve coming off a traditional camber just because it's going to feel loose when you're not on edge. Carving on an NS should feel familiar though so don't hesitate to lay one down like normal.

[bodero]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I’m not really partial to any brands and am just looking for the board that would suit me best.

Most of the ones you guys are recommending seem to be camber/rocker/camber. Would that be better for what I want to ride than rocker/camber/rocker? Is one better than the other for buttering?

[Justin]

Im 200lb 6"6', i currently ride a 158w board for park and slower days, 161w for my stiffer bigger board although i would probably consider going up a bit depending on the board.

I also have a 164.5 split, when i got on it for the first time it definitly felt significantly bigger than ridding a 161. Its not like you couldn't get used to it but its there.

[Mysticfalcon]

I would probably recommend the Proto CTX in a 160. It would about have the running edge that you are used to but be a little smaller overall. It is a great all mountain board for someone who likes a little park. The size would be fine for Powder too. I am 200lbs and ride a 158 SL splitboard for deep backcountry days without a problem.