6' 255lbs mellow rider what board do I need?

1375 Views 18 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Snow Hound, Dec 24, 2019

cep81montana

Discussion Starter · Dec 10, 2019

I am pushing 40 years old a little over 6' and about 255lbs size 11 foot. I rode a lot in my late teens and 20's on my burton supermodel 168 when I was closer to 210lbs and probably have been 80-100 times but was never amazing and was not into the trick riding and loved the powder and backcountry rides. I moved to Hawaii and stopped snowboarding for 12 years and got old and fat. I recently moved to Whitefish, MT so I got a pass last year brushed the dust off my vintage supermodel and went about 15 times. I am needing a new board now. I am a casual boarder not into crazy stuff and quite reserved, I hate getting hurt (yes Im a but of a puss) I will do blacks but mostly just like to ride good powder and blues most the day. I would like a decent board for my size and skill level. The guys at the store don't seem to know what I need or just suggest a board based off regular calculations. If I am going to have a board for the next 10 years of my life I want to get one that I will like and don't want to pay over 4 or $500. The Lib Tech Skunkape for $600 seems to be suggested but is there other options out there I should look at?

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

cjweaver13

· #2 · Dec 10, 2019

If I were in your shoes and knowing what I do, I'd be looking at a board at a minimum of 160cm and also a wide. I am a Never Summer fan, and there are options that will get you under $600 for sure, especially previous year models below $500.

But rather than give specific models, here's some features to look for in a board that will make it last 10 years as well as match your needs

P-Tex sidewalls (no ABS)
Sintered p-tex base
I like full wrap around edges so no exposed tip and tails
Reverse camber or hybrid camber
Some sort of magna-traction technology is nice. Most brands have their own version at this point
Wood core with possibly carbon stringers for stability

If you have any specific questions fire away and I'll try and help

Reactions: 1

drblast

· #3 · Dec 10, 2019 (Edited)

Skunkape is a good choice but you don't really need a board that wide with size 11 boots.

For under $500 if you're buying new, check out the K2 Overboard, Rome Ravine, Ride Warpig, Lago Open Road, Salomon Super 8. There are plenty more that will fit what you want but those are what come to mind for someone with your foot size and weight that aren't too pricey.

Hybrid rocker boards like the Skunk Ape are more forgiving but take some getting used to if you're coming off of a traditional camber board. But that might be the right call if you're falling because you're catching edges accidentally. In that case I'd take a look at the Terrain Wrecker from Lib, or the Gnu T2B for a budget friendly option.

Flavor_James86

· #4 · Dec 10, 2019

I'm about your weight and a little taller but boards don't really care about that. I demoed some boards at the end of last season. Check out my write up here.
https://www.snowboardingforum.com/threads/mervin-demo-days.261493/

One of the boards I tried was a Skunk Ape and I really really really liked it. It has been on my short list for a while and getting some time on it really just bumped it up higher on my list.

I would also suggest the Warpig for what you want to do. I ended up getting one after this post fizzled out. I weighed 260lbs last season and got the XL. I really enjoy it. It's my favorite board in my quiver and I feel like it would be a good fit for what you described as your style. It's not overly aggressive but it can definitely handle its own on steeps.

Another board that I have been itching to try is the Bataleon Stallion. It's one of those boards that is designed for XL riders. But it's one of those boards that doesn't have a lot of real world reviews on it. Only what the manufacturer puts out.

See less See more

cep81montana

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 10, 2019

cjweaver13 said:
If I were in your shoes and knowing what I do, I'd be looking at a board at a minimum of 160cm and also a wide. I am a Never Summer fan, and there are options that will get you under $600 for sure, especially previous year models below $500.

But rather than give specific models, here's some features to look for in a board that will make it last 10 years as well as match your needs

P-Tex sidewalls (no ABS)

Sintered p-tex base

I like full wrap around edges so no exposed tip and tails

Reverse camber or hybrid camber

Some sort of magna-traction technology is nice. Most brands have their own version at this point

Wood core with possibly carbon stringers for stability

If you have any specific questions fire away and I'll try and help

The Supermodel was a soft board, I seemed to catch an edge on it a lot if I was not paying attention on the cat tracks and flatter slopes. I ride a lot with my wife who is a beginner so we do a lot of cat tracks and am always catching an edge if Im going slow. Is that more the camber or stiffness of the board? being able to carve back and forth and not catch an edge is my biggest thing.

cjweaver13

· #6 · Dec 10, 2019

cep81montana said:
The Supermodel was a soft board, I seemed to catch an edge on it a lot if I was not paying attention on the cat tracks and flatter slopes. I ride a lot with my wife who is a beginner so we do a lot of cat tracks and am always catching an edge if Im going slow. Is that more the camber or stiffness of the board? being able to carve back and forth and not catch an edge is my biggest thing.

It's a little of both, but the camber has a lot to do with it. Some beginner boards are even beveled a little extra around the edges to help with this. But a mid to mid-stiff flex should be plenty for you and the reverse camber tip and tail will lift the contact points up a little and reduce catchiness. Hybrid cambers will be traditional camber usually under the feet and that helps with carving, where the reverse camber tip, tail, and center board help transition speed and forgiveness.

cep81montana

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 10, 2019

Flavor_James86 said:
I'm about your weight and a little taller but boards don't really care about that. I demoed some boards at the end of last season. Check out my write up here.
https://www.snowboardingforum.com/threads/mervin-demo-days.261493/

One of the boards I tried was a Skunk Ape and I really really really liked it. It has been on my short list for a while and getting some time on it really just bumped it up higher on my list.

I would also suggest the Warpig for what you want to do. I ended up getting one after this post fizzled out. I weighed 260lbs last season and got the XL. I really enjoy it. It's my favorite board in my quiver and I feel like it would be a good fit for what you described as your style. It's not overly aggressive but it can definitely handle its own on steeps.

Another board that I have been itching to try is the Bataleon Stallion. It's one of those boards that is designed for XL riders. But it's one of those boards that doesn't have a lot of real world reviews on it. Only what the manufacturer puts out.

How was the skunkape for carving on cat tracks and low slope stuff? I found a guy that is selling a 2016 165 HP used model for $250. Is the added stiffness and neg camber make it harder to carve on the cat tracks and easier to catch an edge?

drblast

· #8 · Dec 10, 2019

cep81montana said:
The Supermodel was a soft board, I seemed to catch an edge on it a lot if I was not paying attention on the cat tracks and flatter slopes. I ride a lot with my wife who is a beginner so we do a lot of cat tracks and am always catching an edge if Im going slow. Is that more the camber or stiffness of the board? being able to carve back and forth and not catch an edge is my biggest thing.

It's the camber profile. You probably want a rockered board if this is what's happening. Arbor makes some excellent rocker boards like the Element and Westmark that aren't too expensive. Lib, Gnu, and Never Summer also make really good hybrid rocker boards, but they're a bit pricier other than the intermediate models, which are also fine boards.

drblast

· #9 · Dec 10, 2019

cep81montana said:
How was the skunkape for carving on cat tracks and low slope stuff? I found a guy that is selling a 2016 165 HP used model for $250. Is the added stiffness and neg camber make it harder to carve on the cat tracks and easier to catch an edge?

That's a good deal, get that. The rocker makes it much harder to catch an edge. Where you would catch an edge before, the board will do a little spin instead and self-correct. On flat cat tracks the board will feel a little squirrely because you don't have those tip/tail contact points digging in keeping you going straight, but if you're risk averse and not riding hard all the time that's exactly what you want.

cep81montana

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 10, 2019

Thanks for all the help, great advice, I might try renting a rocker board before going for it. I always thought it would be too unstable for me being big and not great balance but never know until I try it.

Flavor_James86

· #11 · Dec 10, 2019

cep81montana said:
How was the skunkape for carving on cat tracks and low slope stuff? I found a guy that is selling a 2016 165 HP used model for $250. Is the added stiffness and neg camber make it harder to carve on the cat tracks and easier to catch an edge?

drblast said:
That's a good deal, get that. The rocker makes it much harder to catch an edge. Where you would catch an edge before, the board will do a little spin instead and self-correct. On flat cat tracks the board will feel a little squirrely because you don't have those tip/tail contact points digging in keeping you going straight, but if you're risk averse and not riding hard all the time that's exactly what you want.

Agree, scoop that bad boy.

It's on the stiffer side but at 255lbs it shouldn't affect you too much. Plus when you do go down those blacks you will be happy for the extra reinforcement.

drblast

· #12 · Dec 10, 2019

cep81montana said:
Thanks for all the help, great advice, I might try renting a rocker board before going for it. I always thought it would be too unstable for me being big and not great balance but never know until I try it.

Good idea. But keep in mind, C2 is different than full rocker. There's camber under your feet, which makes it more stable than a full rocker board. So if you demo something try to find something with a similar profile. OR if all you can do is demo a full rocker board then know that's the most extreme rocker and C2 will feel less loose than that.

wrathfuldeity

· #13 · Dec 11, 2019

OP, also consider a S profile board, with some mild rocker in the nose and moderate traditional (mid flex) camber under foot and in the tail. The S profile will give you float for that stuff in Whitefish and give you easy going and predictable camber for your freeriding aspects. Ime experience with an Amplid Creamer, it has the capicity to charge or just mellow relaxed cruising. Its a fun, forgiving and a bit more relaxing than a C2 where you got to pay more attention to your body position/movement and being dynamic. Ime C2 is more for hotrodding around the hill, tradition camber for cruise missle blasting and straight up rocker is for squirrels.

r79th

· #14 · Dec 11, 2019

I’m 6’5” 260 with big feet and 40 years old. Similar situation although I still like to haul ass and jump off stuff.

When I do wanna just chill and cruise around I ride a marhar lumberjack. Wide board, twin, flat camber, and has something called sideways rocker which is kinda like concave on a skateboard — the edges are slightly lifted up around the whole board. It’s rad for just messing around, really playful and forgiving, floats great. But also stable going faster if you want it to due to the extra width.

Might wanna look into it.

wrathfuldeity

· #15 · Dec 11, 2019

cep81montana said:
The Supermodel was a soft board, I seemed to catch an edge on it a lot if I was not paying attention on the cat tracks and flatter slopes. I ride a lot with my wife who is a beginner so we do a lot of cat tracks and am always catching an edge if Im going slow. Is that more the camber or stiffness of the board? being able to carve back and forth and not catch an edge is my biggest thing.

Its not a board profile issue. It is a technique/skills issue. So you are on a traditional cambered board. All you have to do is have a netural body stacking and alignment...AND SLIGHTLY WEIGHT THE NOSE...this works for the squirrlies, for riding flat cat tracks and flat-basing. On a CRC or C2 board, it is easier to keep your weight on the front half of the board. Or you can ride the back half of the board...BUT you need to have your body position closed. With CRC/C2, if you try to ride the flats with your weight equally distributed on the cambered parts...you can, BUT again you have to have your stacking and alignment game together. The point is...get your netural stacking and alignment sorted and then just weight the nose...irregardless of the board profile. The other thing is to be able to keep your feet/ankles and knees loose so that the board just rides over any little inperfections or ruts. That is with looseness, it absorbs these imperfections. Btw...going slower means that you just have to pay more attention to the neutral body position and weight the nose.

See less See more

Thrash-Tompa

· #16 · Dec 20, 2019

cep81montana said:
Thanks for all the help, great advice, I might try renting a rocker board before going for it. I always thought it would be too unstable for me being big and not great balance but never know until I try it.

I can't say enough good things about the Yes Optimistic!

I love mine, and I'm sure it will put a big smile on your face for many years.

Besides riding fakie a lot, you can do it but obviously not like a twin, the Optimistic is a blast all over the mountain with ease (including jumps and pipe).

// TT

fazy

· #17 · Dec 24, 2019

I have a skunk ape and similar size 6'4 225. It's the 161W I believe and I mostly don't ride it anymore cuz I think it's just Melo and likes to cruise. It's very forgiving which is great if your just taking easy laps. It doesn't just fine all well when u want to take it up a notch too. I think the deal on the 165 doesn't work out and u really want a skunk pm. I'm on the fence about letting mine go.

Argo

· #18 · Dec 24, 2019

What are you calling a cat track? A very Flat traverse getting you from one side of a mountain to another is what most of us call a cat track, that is what the snow cats use to get from one slope to the other slope and they are usually forest service roads in the summer. Some people call a mellow sloped beginner run that is groomed a cat track...…

I am your size, get a stiffer board. 165 range is good. IF you are just tooling around I find it easier to use a Neversummer type of base profile(predominant rocker in the middle with camber on the ends) as it is more forgiving. It is also a good board for a catch all position in your line up of boards. It does everything good but doesn't excel at anything in particular except for having fun on a tool around day. In your weight and height I would look at a board like the heritage 163x for tooling around If you have a big shoe size get the DF version as it is wider.

PS I do not own a never summer, I have a sister company board of the same design and ride it quite often on days that I am not sure when the conditions will bring.....

See less See more

Snow Hound

· #19 · Dec 24, 2019

wrathfuldeity said:
Its not a board profile issue. It is a technique/skills issue. So you are on a traditional cambered board. All you have to do is have a netural body stacking and alignment...AND SLIGHTLY WEIGHT THE NOSE...this works for the squirrlies, for riding flat cat tracks and flat-basing. On a CRC or C2 board, it is easier to keep your weight on the front half of the board. Or you can ride the back half of the board...BUT you need to have your body position closed. With CRC/C2, if you try to ride the flats with your weight equally distributed on the cambered parts...you can, BUT again you have to have your stacking and alignment game together. The point is...get your netural stacking and alignment sorted and then just weight the nose...irregardless of the board profile. The other thing is to be able to keep your feet/ankles and knees loose so that the board just rides over any little inperfections or ruts. That is with looseness, it absorbs these imperfections. Btw...going slower means that you just have to pay more attention to the neutral body position and weight the nose.

Reading the thread and was intending to say pretty much this. Body alignment and edge awareness are the answer to edge catches. The absolute worst edge catch I ever had was riding my NS SL, rang my bell and cracked my lid pretty much in half.

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.