Neversummer Lotus: My Wife Hated It :( - Page 2 - Snowboarding Forum

BigmountainVMD · 01-25-2013, 10:01 PM

It's worth mentioning that something as simple as shifting your weight further forward or back can do a lot for edge hold with the hybrid boards. When you get a new ride, especially something a decade more new than what you are used to, troubleshooting is a needed process to get the riding dynamics down.

Treegreen · 01-25-2013, 10:07 PM

There's a lot of great advice in this thread, but it ultimately comes down to her riding style and the conditions you're normally riding. If she likes to carve and really dig the edges in on icy east coast snow she probably will want a traditional camber deck.

On the other hand, she might find a different brand's hybrid/rocker shape perfectly acceptable. It's totally possible that she might find Magnatraction (or whatever) fixes the edge complaints she had with the Vario sidecut. For example, you might have her demo a Gnu B-Pro and see if she still has the same complaints (Warning: it looks absurd).

If you can swing it I actually second Mixie. If she liked the Lotus in pow keep it for trips and the occasional pow day. Then pick up another camber deck for her everyday cruising/carving/riding. If you can't, sell the Lotus and let her pick out something else she'll be happy on for the majority of your riding.

cocolulu · 01-26-2013, 01:04 AM

Yeah, I went from a camber board to an NS hybrid and felt something similar in the beginning. Mostly it was just that if I threw in a really aggressive carve, the NS wouldn't hold the edge as well and it was easier to sideslip.

I've never had problems with squirreliness though, but my board is a bit oversized for me.

After awhile though, I got used to it.

DexterMichigan · 01-26-2013, 09:52 AM

All very helpful thoughts. Thanks very much to everyone. I think I'll see if she wants a new board and recommend keeping the Lotus for good powdery days. I don't mind spending the money (I was piggybanking to get myself a modern board, but I too am scared of these modern new-fangled rocker and hybrid boards, so I'll just buy her another one).

I did mean Holy Moly II by Forum, not Lamar (brainfart). Thanks. I'm sure she can get around to riding the Lotus well, but we didn't have a long ski trip and the conditions were all packed powder/corduroy from a lack of snow at Jackson Hole. She just didn't feel like learning the hard way on a short trip.

fatbob · 01-27-2013, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DexterMichigan

What do you guys think?

So, I read every review, asked on this forum and elsewhere, and last year bought my wife a Neversummer Lotus 151 to replace her well-aged 1995 Burton Custom 151. She rode it on one trip last year out to Whistler (which had lots of powder), and road it in our local downhill ski race slalom league (more of a beer league). We just got back from Jackson Hole. She road the Lotus for about 3 hours, decided she couldn't find an edge on the hybrid rocker board, so we went to the local shop and she rented a demo board for the rest of the trip (no fresh snow, all packed powder and groomer corduroy). She rented a Lamar Holy Moly II 155 (it was the shorted woman's camber board they had). She really liked it and rode the heck out of it on all sorts of blues/double-blues/blacks around JH on it.

She mostly rides groomers, and is 5'7", 115 lbs, size 10 womens boot. We get maybe one good week of skiing out west per year, so that limits the number of days to adapt.

I don't know what to make of it. She hated this super duper board. I think if she had given it more time she could have got used to the reverse camber, but she didn't want to. She thought it got squirrly at high speeds when trying to hold edges or carving. This sounds like a fairly common reaction.

So, should I sell this board and get her something else, or convince her to try it again?

You say your wife has size 10US size boots? My opinion is that the board is too narrow at just 235mm waist width. Most women's boards have smaller waist widths as women tend to have smaller feet. Likely to feel unstable at speed and likely to loose edge grip through toe/heel drag.

Another reason your wife doesn't get on with the board maybe technique. If she doesn't move her weight along the length of the board she won't drive in and out of the turns. The Never Summer RC tech places camber at either end of the board so you need to move your weight to the nose of the board (fore movement) to drive the start of the turn and towards the tail (aft movement) once the board has crossed the fall line to drive the end of the turn. Get this right and the snap from the tail should set you up for the fore movement to start the next turn.

DexterMichigan · 01-27-2013, 09:37 AM

Hmm, I guess that board does seem a bit narrow. She isn't toe dragging, but she is close to it. She wears a women's US10 boot, which is a men's US9 boot. Not wide, but now narrow either. She said she thinks she would prefer another men's board, but I had figured that was silly with gender specific boards. She is only 115 lbs, so tall and light.

fatbob · 01-27-2013, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DexterMichigan

Hmm, I guess that board does seem a bit narrow. She isn't toe dragging, but she is close to it. She wears a women's US10 boot, which is a men's US9 boot. Not wide, but now narrow either. She said she thinks she would prefer another men's board, but I had figured that was silly with gender specific boards. She is only 115 lbs, so tall and light.

I think due to foot size she'd be better off on a short men's board. Check waist width though before buying.

Leo · 01-27-2013, 10:53 AM

So she enjoyed the holy moly. It has a real funky camber profile. Size 10 boots, coming from camber, riding big mountains, all on a guys board and enjoying it. Ever thought about just buying her a smaller men's board and forgoing women's specific altogether?

If you stick with women's, look for something stiffer. I suggest taking a look at Ride's lineup. They have plenty of rocker and hybrid options. Any rocker they do have is also much more mellow than most other types out there. Slimewalls stiffen up the board while making it damper as well. All of this sounds up her alley.

The Ride Farrah sounds excellent for her. It's a rocker in the nose, but camber in the rest. She should experience a very similar ride to her old cambered board with the added benefit of a rockered nose for deeper situations.

DexterMichigan · 01-27-2013, 05:51 PM

Cool. Man, I guess I am a good husband, but I tried too hard. She justs wants to pull her old Burton Custom 151 out of the basement. She really liked the Holy Moly II, and that isn't a women's board and was long for her. She is just used to Camber and riding 2x4s. I'll check out that board too. Thanks for all your help.

Nivek · 01-27-2013, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatbob

The Never Summer RC tech places camber at either end of the board so you need to move your weight to the nose of the board (fore movement) to drive the start of the turn and towards the tail (aft movement) once the board has crossed the fall line to drive the end of the turn. Get this right and the snap from the tail should set you up for the fore movement to start the next turn.

Right, yeah that's how you use camber to power through turns. Do that on RC and you'll wash out. Stay centered on RC and use the boards spring and sidecut to power through turns. At the most you can move your weight between your feet, but through it into the tip and you'll loose it.

01-27-2013, 10:53 AM	#18 (permalink)
Leo -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Detroit Area Posts: 6,212	So she enjoyed the holy moly. It has a real funky camber profile. Size 10 boots, coming from camber, riding big mountains, all on a guys board and enjoying it. Ever thought about just buying her a smaller men's board and forgoing women's specific altogether? If you stick with women's, look for something stiffer. I suggest taking a look at Ride's lineup. They have plenty of rocker and hybrid options. Any rocker they do have is also much more mellow than most other types out there. Slimewalls stiffen up the board while making it damper as well. All of this sounds up her alley. The Ride Farrah sounds excellent for her. It's a rocker in the nose, but camber in the rest. She should experience a very similar ride to her old cambered board with the added benefit of a rockered nose for deeper situations. __________________ www.aGNARchy.com Reviews and David Z's rants Last edited by Leo; 01-27-2013 at 10:55 AM.

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01-25-2013, 10:01 PM	#11 (permalink)
BigmountainVMD Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 689	It's worth mentioning that something as simple as shifting your weight further forward or back can do a lot for edge hold with the hybrid boards. When you get a new ride, especially something a decade more new than what you are used to, troubleshooting is a needed process to get the riding dynamics down.

01-25-2013, 10:07 PM	#12 (permalink)
Treegreen Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Utah Posts: 215	There's a lot of great advice in this thread, but it ultimately comes down to her riding style and the conditions you're normally riding. If she likes to carve and really dig the edges in on icy east coast snow she probably will want a traditional camber deck. On the other hand, she might find a different brand's hybrid/rocker shape perfectly acceptable. It's totally possible that she might find Magnatraction (or whatever) fixes the edge complaints she had with the Vario sidecut. For example, you might have her demo a Gnu B-Pro and see if she still has the same complaints (Warning: it looks absurd). If you can swing it I actually second Mixie. If she liked the Lotus in pow keep it for trips and the occasional pow day. Then pick up another camber deck for her everyday cruising/carving/riding. If you can't, sell the Lotus and let her pick out something else she'll be happy on for the majority of your riding.

01-26-2013, 01:04 AM	#13 (permalink)
cocolulu Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 203	Yeah, I went from a camber board to an NS hybrid and felt something similar in the beginning. Mostly it was just that if I threw in a really aggressive carve, the NS wouldn't hold the edge as well and it was easier to sideslip. I've never had problems with squirreliness though, but my board is a bit oversized for me. After awhile though, I got used to it.

01-26-2013, 09:52 AM	#14 (permalink)
DexterMichigan Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 49	All very helpful thoughts. Thanks very much to everyone. I think I'll see if she wants a new board and recommend keeping the Lotus for good powdery days. I don't mind spending the money (I was piggybanking to get myself a modern board, but I too am scared of these modern new-fangled rocker and hybrid boards, so I'll just buy her another one). I did mean Holy Moly II by Forum, not Lamar (brainfart). Thanks. I'm sure she can get around to riding the Lotus well, but we didn't have a long ski trip and the conditions were all packed powder/corduroy from a lack of snow at Jackson Hole. She just didn't feel like learning the hard way on a short trip.

01-27-2013, 09:37 AM	#16 (permalink)
DexterMichigan Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 49	Hmm, I guess that board does seem a bit narrow. She isn't toe dragging, but she is close to it. She wears a women's US10 boot, which is a men's US9 boot. Not wide, but now narrow either. She said she thinks she would prefer another men's board, but I had figured that was silly with gender specific boards. She is only 115 lbs, so tall and light.

01-27-2013, 05:51 PM	#19 (permalink)
DexterMichigan Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 49	Cool. Man, I guess I am a good husband, but I tried too hard. She justs wants to pull her old Burton Custom 151 out of the basement. She really liked the Holy Moly II, and that isn't a women's board and was long for her. She is just used to Camber and riding 2x4s. I'll check out that board too. Thanks for all your help.