WasatchMan

I used to ride longer stiffer boards as well, recently switched to shorter boards - they are just so much more fun in the trees, more agile, more playful and versatile. You seem to love trees and moguls/banks. I find shorter boards more fun in tight chutes and steeps, they will still handle well especially the boards I listed before. Also be great in powder with their rockered tips, but very stable with camber under-foot.

Longer stiffer boards are such one trick ponies - they can get boring.

You have your Nitro 161 if you want to blast groomers so i'd start a quiver and pick up a shorter board.

dbrownie19

Thanks again for the comments. Headed up to Vermont this weekend and then out to Colorado next week, so I think I'm going to try to demo a couple difference boards before I pull the trigger. Cheers.

EatMyTracers

I'm in this same position and am still unsure of what to get.

linvillegorge

There ya go. I think that's the right move.

__________________
"People say that marijuana smoking is going to get in the way of my career. I say to them that on the contrary, my fighting career is getting in the way of my marijuana smoking." -Nick Diaz

EatMyTracers

What would you guys recommend from your experience. I wish I could demo them like the op but sadly I can't

neni

Agree!
My husband is riding a Raptor 164, loves it for being very agile, fun to carve AND great in pow.
I'm on a Flagship 158 (I'm 123lbs). You'll find some of my impressions here girl-jones-flagship-good-idea guess if I'm pleased with it
I actually tried it yesterday in dense trees. It's easy to maneuver. The Flagship is damp, yes. I landed a little jump out of pow on the flat track with my legs not bent enough to absorb. The shock-energy was transferred through all spines but that's my fault. Bend your knees, ride low and you'll have a lot of fun.

maybe that's the reason, why I don't get the point of the flagship being hard to ride; I had to learn an old Custom X

I'd recommend, you give them both a try and judge by yourself, if they fit your expectations and riding style.

Weipim

OP hope its no too late for me to chime in, i am the exact same spec as u, 6ft 189lbs and 10.5shoes

i have over 10boards including the 159 raptor. i cant say it is better than flagship since i never tried one, but it is amazing for trees. it is super agile, a lot less forgiving than other NS board due to longer camber on nose, set back is for ultra float and very very damp. sometimes it scares me cause i feel like the nose is pulling me to sherr it wants at a fast speed, but if you come from an old school camber board than u shouldnt have a problem

whoever says rap is only for big mountain pow lines either never rode raptor or needs to relearn his skillz

danm

Agree, I think people get scared when they look at NS's board chart and see the Raptor (and Summit) on the far right... I think they get the notion that it's ONLY for gnarly steep AK terrain... well I'm sure it feels at home there but I love mine on ordinary double black tree, hike runs... actually REALLY love it in the trees. Be careful on steep technical runs though, the tail likes to really rocket through turns...

linvillegorge

It's not that it's the ONLY thing that it can do, but it IS what that board was designed to do.

I just see a lot of people wanting these burly boards when their stated riding preferences scream to get something else.

At the end of the day, ride what you want.

__________________
"People say that marijuana smoking is going to get in the way of my career. I say to them that on the contrary, my fighting career is getting in the way of my marijuana smoking." -Nick Diaz

danm

I actually totally agree with that