metric

After reading your review, I'm still not sure what size Proto CT to get for next winter. I'm only 5'9 165 but it seems like people much heavier than me are riding the 157 and enjoying it. 154 just seems a bit too short. I guess in the end 3cm isn't going to make or break the board for me.

Leo

Yea, it really won't. In terms of me personally, I'd get the 154 at your weight. Don't worry, it's going to handle closer to similar boards in 156/157.

Just think of it as a 156 with it's tips cut off.... coz it is.

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hhaidar

Metric, I think it really depends on your riding style. If you like to ride a healthy amount of park/freestyle etc, I'd go 154. If you like bigger mountain, faster, off piste, I'd go 157. To give you an idea...I'm 5'10 155 and going to get the 152. I have a good friend (another instructor) who is 200 lbs and loves the 157 cm.
For me, when I rode the 157 I loved it for fast carving, steeps, and jumps...but i couldn't press or butter it well at all. I think at your size either the 154 or 157 will work out great...you just have to be honest with yourself about what kind of riding you enjoy the most, and that will make your decision for you. hope it helps!

Leo

Well I'm basing my recommendation off the assumption that he will be doing some sort of freestyle. The Proto CT is a true twin after all.

If you're looking for big mountain carving goodness, there are better options for you in the NS line.

If you are heavily park focused, there is the Evo.

The Proto is going to be a great choice for all-mountain freestyle. The true twin shape gives it more bias towards the freestye aspect than the setback SL. But the flex of the Proto lends more to the all-mountain side than the Evo.

I haven't been on the SL, but all the specs point to that being the better all-mountain board.

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hhaidar

Leo I know you were basing it off some type of freestyle riding, perhaps I worded my response wrong. What I was getting at is that size wise if he's more interested in riding a lot of park..especially with a lot of presses, jibbing, butters he might enjoy the flex of the 154 more, its certainly still going to be plenty stable for him. If he is more interested in bigger jumps and charging harder, the 157 might be the call. I wasn't suggesting the Proto as a big mountain ride like a premier would be.
Size wise I'm pretty close to his weight, I'm 155lbs, and the 157cm was challenging to press and butter well. I enjoyed charging on it though. My everyday ride a 155 cm. evo but I will be downsizing to the 152cm proto for next season...just my $.02.
If you get a chance to ride an SL I think you'd be into it. Its a SUPER fun board. I would be all over it but I prefer riding twins.

Leo

Me too bro. I prefer true twins now. Mainly because I don't ride big mountains often. Even then, if there isn't powder, I want a true twin

I actually like the Evo more for jibs and butters. Also prefer it for the tight tree runs here.

Still, the quiver of one choice for me is hands down the proto.

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david_z

I'm much bigger (6', 210 lbs) and I rode the 57 without problems but if I buy one I will probably go to the 160. But like Leo said, 3cm isn't going to make a huge difference especially because it is blunted so it rides like a slightly longer board.

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metric

Thanks for all the good advice. I think if I were sticking around Switzerland, I would go with the 157 for the stability at high speeds. But since I will be headed back to Minneapolis this fall, it's going to be more all mountain freestyle with some park as well. That's why I'm leaning towards the 154. I'll likely get pretty bored of the pathetic vertical places we have around there so I'm looking to improve my (beginner) park skills on kind of a one size fits all board.

Really the only big mountain I'll be riding is one week a year at my uncle's place in Mammoth and probably another week in CO or UT.

dresum

I have kind of a strange question. I was just hired at REI which has opened the door to some amazing discounts from a few board brands. I was convinced that the Proto 155 CTX would be my next board but now it seems like I should at least investigate other choices and save some money.

I understand there are obvious features that NS boards (especially 20th anniversary) hold over other brands but I was wondering if anyone could pick an equivalent board to the Proto from any of the following brands: GNU, K2, Burton, Arbor, Ride, Salomon and Rossignol.

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

masoupistoocold

I'm looking at getting a new board next season too and the boards i have been considering are the Rossignal decoy, YES great dudes of history or typo, and Never summer evo or proto. They all have an alternative caber style but no fully rocker, are all true twins, and all seem geared towards all mountain freestyle (some more than others). If i can find a deal on a 2011 model on any of these boards I'm going to grab it, otherwise i might fork out money for the new proto.