Atoxa

Hey guys, I'm getting into snowboarding, and have been running my 1st season on a season rental Burton Learn to Ride Package. I've been progressing pretty fast, I can snowboard any black diamond with confidence, and I spend a lot of time in the park. I've been looking for a a board that has some decent pop and flex (My LTR is like "wtf is flex"), but still has gusto in it to handle some double blacks, as I'm just now getting into them. I've heard a lot of good things about never summer, and I'm wondering if the Proto can handle harder terrain or if I should go with the SL.

TBomb

The Proto is basically a true twin SL with blunted tips. I love mine, and find it more than adequate for most all terrain. The only time I have had any issues with it is in pow...not quite as much float as I was hoping for but that just gives me more reason to get a Cobra for pow days and backcountry riding

snowklinger

Seriously? I rode mine tits deep last week center stance with no leg burn 180lbs on a 154.

Must be comparing it to a pow specific deck? Which I probably will never bother with because I like riding the Proto so much and it has no deficiency in this area...

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is it late october yet?

TBomb

It's also possible that I just suck at riding pow I was in about 18" of fresh and it was constantly nose diving on me if I didn't make a big effort to keep my weight back. Centered stance, 170 lbs on a 154. Again, that was my only negative experience with the board, and I don't hold it against it

Extremo

Yeah I found the same thing. First time out in pow on the Proto and Evo this weekend and even with no set back I found the cam-rock to float with ease. I was impressed.

BigmountainVMD

Maybe you would have been knee deep if you were actually floating on a different deck...

Iowa_kid

How does proto compare to evo? I have last years evo. I love it in the park and just cruising.. But thing is scary at high speeds, chatters like crazy.. Wondering how the proto handles it.. I want something still plenty playful but a little better at higher speed basically

BigmountainVMD

I heard for the 2014 line they are putting some dampeners at the tips of the Proto and maybe Evo as well to maintain the flex but reduce chatter... Harmonic Dampening (HD) they call it.

Extremo

Just got the Proto with HD in today so I'll get some time on it tomorrow.

I don't take the Evo outside of the park so I don't really know how it acts at high speeds. Super fun jib board though.

BigmountainVMD

I'm really curious about the HD tech. If it makes any difference when bombing, it will really make that board an absolute true all-mountain deck. I only get the slightest chatter when bombing chunky stuff, but if it reduces it without changing the flex... and that sick black colorway... I'm in!