poutanen

Fixed!!! I screwed up, copied a previous post and put in new dollar amounts from my sheet...

Okay no worries either way, I'm trying to get enough here in the Calgary area that I can do it on my own, and if anyone in any other part of the world wants in shipping will be a separate issue.

I was looking at the price and contemplating the Kessler again, but $1350 plus shipping is way too much, I think the FLP AFT for $990 plus shipping makes way more sense for me.

TLN

BTW, where are another people here in topic?
It looks like poutanen and me still interesed in a sick sticks =)

poutanen

Yeah, anyone still listening on this thread? By the way TLN, I've got some people interested at work, and I've posted over on bomber online and getting some interest. So lets give it a few days but I think this is a go!

HELLO ALL YOU FREERIDERS! GET YOUR FREERIDE WEAPONS HERE!!!

bseracka

I'm going to say I'm out at this point. As much as I'd like to pick one up, this just isn't the time for me to drop a grand on a board. Poutanen thanks for putting this together. If there is enough interest for a later order date, I would be interested in that, or even putting together another GB.

poutanen

No problem, thanks for replying! I'm getting people responding through other forums and kijiji, so I'm 99% sure at this point that we have critical mass to make this a go.

Didn't you just win a board bseracka?!? Lucky bugger!

lonerider

I am mildly interested in the Freeride or FLP, but would be interested in reading a few reviews on how they ride. I'm sure they are speed demons and grip the icy slopes... more interested in their flex, whether they can carve tighter arcs, and whether they float in powder. I have ridden alpine boards before and I'm not sure that is the feel I'm looking for.

poutanen

Yeah I hear you, finding reviews for them is next to impossible.

Here's one from bomber online: Virus Avalanche FLP 162

"I just purchased the FLP from Ray out of Aspen. Without getting too much drool on my computer, all I can say is, if you can afford to buy one, do so--immediately. The board is not nearly as stiff as my Donek Incline 160, yet holds a carve far better, displays zero chatter in any condition, and goes so fast that I simply wear a diaper every time I ride it. I wait with baited breath for another soft boot carving board/BX board from Virus. Frank, if you're reading this--send a demo of the new UFC to Telluride for my enjoyment...please????.. Excellent construction and beautiful board. Cheers."

Here's some comments on the same forum about the UFC.

"A really good softer hardboot alternative for you that I really liked in deep powder is the Virus UFC. It comes in a wide width which would suit you. It is extremely forgiving.... and carves extremely well on hard pack... perhaps one of the most versatile boards I have ridden. The Original Madd 170 was really versatile...but no ones selling a original Madd 170 at any price....still not as good in deep powder as the UFC...which IMHO is mind blowing for powder in hardboots on a softer setting. The wide UFC was too wide for me so it might be a good choice for you. It has amazing grip on frozen granualr ...and few boards that grip on bullet proof frozen granular can also ride well in deep pow."

I found one in German I think... used google to translate and the reviewer seemed very impressed! (that was the FLP AFT) for the life of me I can't find it now.

Oh and here are some comments I had e-mailed to me from a hardbooter interested in the group buy...

"So as a carving fool, when I lay into a turn, my legs get compressed until I push them straight coming out of the turn. Very common technique. In choppy, or bumpy snow, this means my legs are acting like shock absorbers to all these imprections in the surface. And at high G turns, it puts a lot of stress on my legs and quads. On a normal race board, I can ride for about 3-4 hours then I am smoked. Enter the virus….I rode some of the worst riding late last season in Michigan. Slush to hardpack and bumps and crude. I was happily riding my virus along and very aggressively making my turns. I decided to go out and try one of my other boards in the car. After two more runs, my legs were burnt up and I was heading back to the car to get the virus again.

So things like that make me think, wow Frank D can really build some boards. I swear he has some magic dust he is putting between the layers of the boards. So, as most people tend to say, virus – get infected. I think I am going to probably only buy his boards from now on. I sold 5-6 boards last year because of my experience with the virus. The carbon/tital construction makes a board so easy to ride, and wow what great pop. I have never had a board that has so much life to it."

I realize $1000 is a lot to drop on a board (for the top model) but I'm going to give it a try. I haven't seen a negative word said about his boards yet... I'm also thinking of buying my GF the regular Avalanche model as her second board. They'll build it to suit her weight, so I'm assuming they can make it not so stiff as to throw her around...

lonerider

That's actually very helpful as I used to ride a Donek Incline 155 cm and that was a *stiff* board (seriously people on this forum don't understand how stiff some board can actually be), the Rad Air Tanker 172 cm I had was much easier to ride in comparison. It obviously was great for carving, ok in the park... but was terrible in powder.

I found that German review as well, but found it lacking in details I desired. This has bumped me up to a "maybe" pending further research.

poutanen

Sounds good, if I run into any more info I'll post it here. Unfortunately I think it's such a boutique brand that there's not much info out there. I thought my T7 was rare (never seen another one on the hill, seen a couple T6s) but I imagine there's less than 10 Avalanche FLPs on the slopes in North America right now.

Doesn't help that the US importer wants $1800 for one...

poutanen

Here's Ray from the hardbooter forum talking about the Avalanche FLP.

For sale: Virus Avalanche 162cm “FLP”

"I rode it in about 5” of pow and soft groomers. Very smooth and easy to control in the pow due to the lightweight, especially at high speeds.
Carving the groomers was totally effortless and fun, also at higher speeds! I like for all my freeride boards to be stable at high speeds and to also carve well on groomers, but unfortunately this FLP comes too close to my Virus "La Glisse" for what I use it, and, the fact that I am over packed for my flight back to Europe, I made the decision to let it go now."

This was a 162 that he owned, so it sounds like it doesn't need to be long to be comfortable in the powder. I'm looking at the 160 cm FLP AFT for my 165 lb fat ass... lol

Also interesting to note is the board he considered it closest to is the La Glisse which is a $1750 powder specific board.