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[Consolidation] Deep pow-bility of all mountain boards

9K views 48 replies 15 participants last post by  snowklinger 
#1 · (Edited)
EDIT: While I appreciate all the recommendations, the original intention of this thread is to consolidate the effectiveness of actual boards in deep powder. Subjective I know but better than guessing from board spec

Still trying to decide which all mountain board (deep pow friendly) to buy and well, during the course of my research, I came across quite a few similar post, just tot that it might be a good idea to consolidate what I have found so far. Should be a good reference for people troubled by board sizing.

Short of a super short board (pun intended), most boards should be able to handle up till 8" worth of fresh pow. So feel free to add your board below if you usually ride in pow > 8".

Name, weight, total riding days, powder condition, board,url?

U call this deep?

Willy, 165, 300+, hokkaido, 09-10 Skate Banana 156,
mjd, 170, ?, ?, T.Rice 157, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/52483-libtech-t-rice-pro-hp-157-a.html
Irahi, 160, ?, heavy, T.Rice 157, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/81074-lib-tech-t-rice-157-161-a.html
wrathfuldeity, 180, ?, ?, Goat 159, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/53346-pow-billy-goat-trs.html
Lstarrasl, 170, ?, ?, Dark 161, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/24747-lib-tech-dark-series-c2-btx-7.html
schmitty34, 210, ?, ?, T.Rice 161.5, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/24747-lib-tech-dark-series-c2-btx-7.html
snowklinger, 180, ?, waist deep & steeps, Proto 154
dreampow, 175, ?, nagano, 13-14 Cobra 158, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/neversummer/80570-review-2014-never-summer-cobra.html#post934682
ju87, 145, ?, hokkaido, Nidecker Ultralight 158
Supra, 160, 839, japan, Burton Sherlock 160 / Nug 150 / Ultra dream 161, pg 4
Neni, 123, 450, 40cm, Jones Flagship 158, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/52658-girl-jones-flagship-good-idea-3.html
"Hubby", 190, 800+, 40cm, NS Raptor 164, pg 4
duh, 200, ?, light, T.Rice HP 161.5
duh, 200, ?, heavy, T.Rice HP 164
snowolf, 190, ?, ?, Cobra 158, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/neversummer/45641-review-2013-never-summer-cobra-16.html
Lamps, 190, ?, 2 feet, Sherlock 163 / Malolo 166, pg 5

Tough but doable if you have legs of steel

Willy, 175, 300+, hokkaido, 11-12 Highlife 155
03SVTCobra, 180, ?, ?, 08-09 T.Rice 153, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/49282-lib-tech-board-sizing.html
ju87, 145, ?, hokkaido, Carbon credit 153
 
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#2 ·
Still trying to decide which all mountain board (deep pow friendly) to buy and well, during the course of my research, I came across quite a few similar post, just tot that it might be a good idea to consolidate what I have found so far. Should be a good reference for people troubled by board sizing.

Short of a super short board (pun intended), most boards should be able to handle up till 8" worth of fresh pow. So feel free to add your board below if you usually ride in pow > 8".

Name, weight, riding days, powder (max), board,url?

U call this deep?

Willy, 165, 300+, light (12"), 09-10 Skate Banana 156,
mjd, 170, ?, ?, T.Rice 157, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/52483-libtech-t-rice-pro-hp-157-a.html
Irahi, 160, ?, heavy, T.Rice 157, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/81074-lib-tech-t-rice-157-161-a.html
wrathfuldeity, 180, ?, ?, Goat 159, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/53346-pow-billy-goat-trs.html
Lstarrasl, 170, ?, ?, Dark 161, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/24747-lib-tech-dark-series-c2-btx-7.html
schmitty34, 210, ?, ?, T.Rice 161.5, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/24747-lib-tech-dark-series-c2-btx-7.html

Tough but doable if you have legs of steel

Willy, 175, 300+, light (12"), 11-12 Highlife 155
03SVTCobra, 180, ?, ?, 08-09 T.Rice 153, http://www.snowboardingforum.com/boards/49282-lib-tech-board-sizing.html
I dont get what your saying, but deep pow? Maybe Billy goat or the new speedodeeps? If it was me id go with a directional tapered swallow tail.
 
#12 ·
Appreciate all the various opinions but lets not reduce this thread to a flame war :D

Actually, I was hoping for some concrete info of boards used in deep pow. hktrdr, have u used any of your recommended boards in deep pow before? which board? what length?
 
#14 ·
this thread is full-retard.

OP rides 300+ days a year and needs advice on a snowboard? how the fuck do you ride 300+ days in a year?

you want a twin that is 'on par' with a pow board - it doesn't exist. twins are far from ideal for pow. you want one that is dialed in for pow - don't get a twin. they'll all suck similarly.

blunted nose: you are absolutely THE LAST person on the planet qualified to recommend a board to anyone you spaz.... like you know how to ride powder anyways - you blame everything on your board. learn to ride.

concrete info on boards used in deep pow: they aren't twins.
 
#16 · (Edited)
HKTRDR:

I found the OP a bit convoluted and couldn't tell they were interested in ONLY Mervin but if that's the case...I just don't see why u put Protos in there and then act like their place in your list is some point of reference, so much so that you have to disagree with me. In fact the order of your list IS completely arbitrary. Having you call into question my real world suggestion of a board I have ridden in the deep stuff is as laughable as it always is when keyboard jockeys want to get in snowboard wars on the internet. Sorry if you thought you were gonna incorrectly quote me as "incorrect" and think I was just gonna lie down. Don't say shit if you don't wanna hear shit, no big deal.

I removed the Arbor suggestion when I realized the thread was Mervin oriented, although I could not tell if that was from the OP or not.

To the OP in that case, there are tons of boards to consider, and yes I ride a '54 Proto, this year took it tits deep several times, waist deep many, I weigh 180lbs (admittedly not ideal for meadowskipping, but I ride the steeps).

Arbor Blacklist/Westmark, Yes the Greats would be in my top consideration beside the Proto. TBH there are so many great boards right now, there are alot of flat cambers with rocker tips that look fun from K2, most hybrids will float significantly better than classic camber. The Smokin' boards I always like the look of too....

You wanna stick with things in the middle of the road flex-wise(or stiffer), softer rocker boards tend to fold up in the deep stuff and slow you down alot.

Keep in mind snow weight and human weight on a twin are gonna have a big effect on how these boards ride for people compared to some pow stick made to float your fat ass through ice jello.
 
#19 · (Edited)
HKTRDR:

I found the OP a bit convoluted and couldn't tell they were interested in ONLY Mervin but if that's the case...I just don't see why u put Protos in there and then act like their place in your list is some point of reference, so much so that you have to disagree with me.
Because the Proto is the one NS board that was specifically mentioned as potentially available to the OP.

In fact the order of your list IS completely arbitrary.
No, it is my personal opinion, but it is not arbitrary, at all. It it is my opinion on which decks best meet the specific criteria listed by the OP - based on my real life experience of riding all of these boards (except for the HD and the Pillow) in exactly the same location and conditions as the OP rides.

To the OP in that case, there are tons of boards to consider, and yes I ride a '54 Proto, this year took it tits deep several times, waist deep many, I weigh 180lbs (admittedly not ideal for meadowskipping, but I ride the steeps).

Arbor Blacklist/Westmark, Yes the Greats would be in my top consideration beside the Proto. TBH there are so many great boards right now, there are alot of flat cambers with rocker tips that look fun from K2, most hybrids will float significantly better than classic camber. The Smokin' boards I always like the look of too....

You wanna stick with things in the middle of the road flex-wise(or stiffer), softer rocker boards tend to fold up in the deep stuff and slow you down alot.
Clearly you have never ridden in Hokkaido and have absolutely no idea what kind of board works in the conditions there...
 
#26 ·
what this guy says ^^^^^^

One of my boards is a 153 Gnu Carbon Credit (center rocker/flat from insert to tips). I weigh about 145lbs so I'm in about the middle of the weight range. I ride mostly in Hokkaido and in the deeper stuff it does not give sufficient float. I feel like I'm doing a manual most of the time and it's a real rear-leg killer. If you're set on going the Mervyn route, definitely oversize.

The board I use most for Hokkaido is a Nidecker Ultralight 158. It's directional, tapered, slight center-camber with rockered tips. Works great in the pow.
 
#27 ·
I weigh 175 like the OP and mostly ride a 157 Proto in Nagano. I used to ride a 158 2011 Highlife among many others.

On Deep days I ride a more pow specific deck, but you seem to be looking for an all mountain, freestyle friendly pow capable deck quiver of 1.

Since the Hokkaido pow is deeper and the runs are flatter than where I ride I would say go with something in the 160 area plus or minus 1cm.

It could be twin or slightly directional IMO.

There are so many good boards to choose from and since you already have many recommendations I won't add to your decision making trauma.

I will say that in general I find C2BTX style profiles to float better than R-C-R at the same length. I also don't like stiff decks (T.Rice is stiff) for the Japanese powder and tree runs which are often tight so some flex really helps.

To sum up, for your needs my vote goes for something in the 160cm range (plus or minus 1) with a C2BTX profile and midish flex. Either a twin or a slightly setback directional twin.
 
#28 · (Edited)
I will say that in general I find C2BTX style profiles to float better than R-C-R at the same length.
Never rode a C-R-C b4 but was thinking the exact same thing; say in powder, full rocker might give a +5 cm bonus (i.e. 155 rocker rides like a 160 camber in powder), R-C-R a +2 bonus and C2BTX should be somewhere in between.

To sum up, for your needs my vote goes for something in the 160cm range (plus or minus 1) with a C2BTX profile and midish flex. Either a twin or a slightly setback directional twin.
I was still thinking whether I can make a 157 C2BTX work for me. But you are right, powder is amazing but the terrain is a bit flat. So glad I made the decision to post in the forum, will look at the 160 range instead. Thanks
 
#31 ·
I've ridden the 160 & 163 burton Sherlock in deep deep Japan pow and they float fine. Absolutely did not feel like I was missing out on a pow board (of which I have owned and ridden many: off the top of my head - 56&60 fish, 64 Charlie slasher, 66 gentem slasher, 62 malolo, 59 landlord, 59 cheetah, 52 con artist, barracuda, 62& 68 gyrator, 48 fishcuit, 63 juice wagon, fanatic royal fish & more).

You know what's a great twin for pow? The nug! I'm now on the Root and love it in all conditions
 
#32 · (Edited)
EDIT: While I appreciate all the recommendations, the original intention of this thread is to consolidate the effectiveness of actual boards in deep powder. Subjective I know but better than guessing

Name, weight, total riding days, powder condition, board,url?
Neni, 123, 450, 40cm, Jones Flagship 158 > super fun in 40cm (deepest I've been in), would handle deeper pow without problem
"Hubby", 190, 800+, 40cm, NS Raptor 164 > does well but he wants to get a longer one if we get into real deep (e.g. next March in Canada :yahoo:)
 
#35 ·
bro, you know shit about shit.

i don't need to see you ride - the fact that you don't know what kind of board you need says enough. so does the fact that you walk into a snowboard shop and ask the people working there for advice.

90% of all your posts on this site are about you blaming your snowboard for your riding ability. its a joke. you need less money and more heart. just go fucking ride you pussy - you MIGHT get better then.
 
#37 ·
Ah, I see I need to add stats: 160lbs, roughly 839 days riding

Seriously, the powder in Japan rides just like powder elsewhere. Yes, hokkers pow is crazy light, but it's still powder. It doesn't matter if you have a pointy nose or a blunt, snowboards all float. I'll say it again, if you're riding trees, the nug is the most amazing twin that floats like mad. I just got a 48 spliff and after 3 days on it, my k2 panoramic, which I rated as a good board, got relegated to the for sale block.
Fwiw, I have ridden the 61 ultra dream in pow & hardpack, and it's not bad. It didn't have more float than my 150 nug though. I find overall that I'm not a Big fan of k2's flat camber. It performs well but feels dead-ish to me
 
#40 ·
My buddy in Nagano who has been riding 120 days a year for 20+ years is on a Nug at the moment (amongst others). he loves it.

Do you rate the float as high as the other Burton decks like the Cheetah or 163 Sherlock?

Surely its not as good?

I just can't get my head round it but would love to demo.

Since I way a bit more than you (175) do you happen to know if they have a bigger size? 153 154?

must be crazy easy to 360

@ETM any 170s coming out of your press this year?
 
#43 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lamps View Post
Consider Burton Sherlock, it's a powder oriented twin.

Can I assume you brought it into deep pow b4? how long was it?


I weigh 190, ride the 163 Sherlock when conditions are good for it, mostly on trips out west.

I don't get to more than two feet of fresh snow very often, I can't speak to really deep powder.

Compared to experience I've had on a Burton Malolo in 166 it's close, but the taper in the malolo and extra length gives more float. The Malolo however is very powder specific and directional. I think that the Sherlock is quite a good compromise, very oriented to powder, but still has the advantages of a twin and is ok on groomers as long as its not too icy. It pairs nicely with a cambered board for riding here in Ontario, camber for icy crap and Sherlock for good conditions and trips. The Sherlock deserves to be on the OP's list of twins that are good in powder.

If I lived in the west I'd probably have a powder specific board in my quiver, but here in Ontario a tapered powder board might get 1 day of use in two years.
 
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