Neversummer SL without rocker?
 

Been looking to upgrade from my older board. Not looking for a throwaway board or jibstick that is going to break. I want something higher quality that is going to last me several seasons.

My riding style is mostly all mountain- freestyle. I don't usually hit rails, pipes, ect although I do shit around on the mountain wherever something comes up (small jumps, ect). I do want a little bit of agility.. Maybe a flex right in the middle would be about good. I'm 5'10 and about 140 lbs...

I have looked at several boards like Neversummer SL, bataleon jam, K2 darkstar, and a few others....I don't think some of the newer technologies like magna traction and TBT are for me...likewise I don't ALWAYS ride centered so a rocker board may wash out on me in some cases.

I really like the sound of the neversummer SL, but does it come without the rocker technology?? If not, could you recommend any other boards for me?

I am moving from an older burton balance 157 that probably has a little stiffer flex than is good for me. I guess I have been use to riding it for so long that I am afraid of some of these new techs like tbt, ect. The darkstar I heard has a softer flex this year, but maybe since I am so light it will work for me.

Where to begin on this one wow seriously?

As of the 08/09 season (this year in case people can't grasp that concept) the SL, Legacy, Infinity, Revolver, and Evo will only come with the never summer rocker.

TBT is on every Bataleon board so if you are scared of it then you can not ride one at all.


3 stage rocker which is what you find on K2, Rome, Capita, etc. etc. is the rocker you have to ride centered. Mervin and NEver summers you can ride it how you want its not going to matter.

If you're so scared of new technology you might as well just keep riding what you're on and be happy and content with nothing changing.

I guess with the new technology the only way for me to know is try it. I have heard overall good things about reverse camber tech, but it does take some getting use to. I suppose the neversummer SL is the way to go so that I don't have to worry about riding off center.

I have ridden a few of the new burtons that are pure shit - and another ride dh that felt pretty good. Something tells me that since all the companies are moving towards this technology, it is probably the future of snowboards. Anyone know how the NS SL performs on hardpack/icey conditions?

Like a champ they put a new sidecut on it called the vario power grip. If you look down the sidecut of the board you'll notice that there's a slight kink in it that creates a very small contact point. This lets it grip in really well and hold on all conditions. I've been riding a 58 rockered sl since the first 10 came off the presses.

Do you think this new rocker idea is going to revolutionize the snowboarding industry, that in a few years every board out there will be build with some sort of rocker into it?

Rocker was done back in the 80's people just don't remember it. But with all the new materials and how boards can be built. I think some versions will remain and some will fucking fail.

I have yet to demo one these boards, but I am anxious to do it. Living in fucking Florida doesn't helps, ill try to demo one in January and maybe get one by the time end of these upcoming season.

This is my fear...that this style of riding will not only take getting use to for me, but once I adjust on a reverse camber board, will it be difficult for me to go back?

I have heard the auto vs. stick analogy, and I am the type that drives stick. I don't like it done for me. I really just need to try one of these boards to see for myself because I have a feeling I will be pleasantly surprised after a few runs. Especially with the NS SL. The benefits seem to vastly outweigh a conventionaly cambered board.

Sometimes on a conventionally cambered board I feel like I always have to be "on top of it" in certain conditions...I'm constantly putting small inputs to correct catching an edge (even going straight --->chatter). An inexperienced rider can get pwned if they don't watch it with the edges...my feeling is that this technology will reduce the amount of effort required to ride. I feel like I will not get worn out riding as easily on a rocker board. Is this a good thing? Well, I don't want to take away all the difficulty in snowboarding - yet it would be nice to eliminate some things like chatter and board instability . One thing I do NOT want to feel is wishy washy. Sometimes I hear people saying that rocker boards have a mind of thier own. I don't believe I can go wrong with the new NS SL...everyone raves about them.

The rocker boards are a bit of a different ride for sure. I think the beginner rider will find them easier to learn on and at that level through intermediate switching over to a regular cambered board might throw them. For the seasoned vet, I doubt there will be any problems. I have demo'd several rockered and regular cambered boards in a day, and guess what? It was just snowboarding to me, differences aside. I never got to take out the vario grip NS board BA was trying out last season. I am looking forward to taking one of these out for a spin at the dealer demo days.

They can catch oh believe me they can catch. Hardest scorpion I ever had this season was doing a frontside nose butter on my 56 Turbo Dream up at Baker. I ate shit so fucking hard I thought I was going to pop my shoulder out again! But if you look at the new Burton LTR boards th ey have something like either a concaved base or next to no camber, can't remember, but anyways they will help someone without crutching them. I think this because unless they only ever ride a reverse camber board they will at some point step on to a regular camber board. I bounce back and forth from all kinds of boards and realistically the only thing that makes it difference is what kind of terrain I'm riding with it during that day. It does make certain terrain easier to ride like flats, I hold speed way better in a flat because the contact points are raised up and not dragging which is nice when I'm going from peak 8 back to peak 9 in Breck.

Shouldn't be I still own regular camber boards and with the amount of boards I demo I know I'm not going to be riding reverse cambered boards always.

NS rocker isn't like a 3 stage rocker so its not going to ride like say K2, Rome, capita and its not a concaved base like MErvin and Nitro.

The reason you hear people talk about how a board is wishy washy is that you need to make the nose/tail stiffer in those boards to prevent it from being too soft. Most companies didn't take this into consideration so it would just fold when you'd come down and land on it. The other thing you need is better edge hold, this is where magnatraction and vario power grip come in those hold way better than a traditional edge.

With a NS you get their known ability to dampen so it will absorb chatter better than a traditional deck. Its so hard to reduce chatter in a board thats more of a place for the bindings and boots to do it.

Rocker definitely hasn't taken away the difficulty of snowboarding for me, but it has made certain things easier to do like press, butter, and ollie. Instead of having to preload the tail now I can ride it more like a skateboard and slap it down on the fly and pop.