Aggressive freeride board

9699 Views 46 Replies 19 Participants Last post by cc898, Nov 10, 2013

neni

Discussion Starter · Jul 12, 2013 (Edited)

Looking for an aggressive tapered CamRock freeride board for the husband that carves as hell and is stable like a freight train no matter what speed, in the appropriate size to also handle deep pow at home AND the AK stuff for a 6ft, 190lbs, boot size 9, expert level rider.

Did some research on options with narrow waist width. These are the ones I found.

- Nidecker Legend (from 2012) in 168/25.6 or 174/25.4
- Rossignol Experience/XV 167/25.5
- Jones Flagship 168W/26.3.. (hmmm... wide... the wooden or carbon one?)

We know the wooden Flagship and the Custom X. Any hints how these boards compare to each other are highly appreciated.

1 - 20 of 47 Posts

TLN

· #2 · Jul 12, 2013

I got Donek Incline and I definately can recommend it. You can do whatever specs you want, and this will suit you best. Typically Doneks are on a stiffer side, but this won't be a problem for expert rider.
I've also have alpine boards, and can say that Icline carves pretty well. For a freeride better have a bit longer nose, bc you want to stay in middle of sc, to cave it well.

bseracka

· #3 · Jul 12, 2013

Don't bother with the carbon flag. It's lighter, but is so much harsher of a ride then the std flag. It feels like there is zero dampening. Then there's the increased price of it.

neni

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 12, 2013 (Edited)

bseracka said:
Don't bother with the carbon flag. It's lighter, but is so much harsher of a ride then the std flag. It feels like there is zero dampening. Then there's the increased price of it.

So you've riden both of them? I'm surprised to hear that cause was told that the carbon one is a bit more mellow than the wooden one :icon_scratch: that's why we considered it.

poutanen

· #5 · Jul 12, 2013

Neni!!! I'm telling ya you gotta try the Virus Avalanche! If you make it to Alberta/BC this winter we can swap boards for a day.

The thing CARVES LIKE HELL, and floats well in powder. I think it's safe to say I'm an aggressive freerider and I love this board. Not super stiff either. Really rewarding to ride...

Amplid:::

· #6 · Jul 12, 2013

neni said:
So you've riden both of them? I'm surprised to hear that cause was told that the carbon one is a bit more mellow than the wooden one :icon_scratch: that's why we considered it.

There's hardly any elasticity in Carbon so it's terrible at absorbing bumps. It's good for splitboards because it's lightweight, strong and torsionally very stiff which is what you want for ride mode when the board is split in two but for freeriding in anything other than pow, pure carbon is a nightmare.

neni

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 12, 2013

Amplid::: said:
There's hardly any elasticity in Carbon so it's terrible at absorbing bumps. It's good for splitboards because it's lightweight, strong and torsionally very stiff which is what you want for ride mode when the board is split in two but for freeriding in anything other than pow, pure carbon is a nightmare.

Sounds logical. Thanks for explaining! Ok then, maybe not the carbon. The wooden Flag is harsh enough on crud :blink:

poutanen said:
Neni!!! I'm telling ya you gotta try the Virus Avalanche! If you make it to Alberta/BC this winter we can swap boards for a day.

The thing CARVES LIKE HELL, and floats well in powder. I think it's safe to say I'm an aggressive freerider and I love this board. Not super stiff either. Really rewarding to ride...

Pout, you missed my Alaska thread..? Plans have changed

It's set, going farther up north to the Chugach mountains in April :yahoo: since I couldn't take days off earlier. I'll safe BC for a year I can come earlier.
Oh yes, to SWAP boards (I'm getting very careful now with the word "switch" :blink::laugh

would have been great. I'm sure, you would like the Flagship as well.

bseracka

· #8 · Jul 12, 2013 (Edited)

Personally I think you'll be better off with 2 boards rather than trying to find a board that excells at both floating bottomless pow and high speed carving and stability. It's really a matter of compromise, as 1 board can't excell at both. 2 boards one pair of bindings isn't any more difficult to travel with than 1 board and set of bindings. Since you were considering the carbon flag, the cost of 2 decks shouldn't really be to much of an issue either.

Also depending on where you are looking at in AK you'll likely get a wet heavy pow costal , opposed to the light fluffy pow inland. Wet and heavy pow will magnify any compromise in floatability.

Nivek

· #9 · Jul 12, 2013

XV pretty much nails it. Get after it.

poutanen

· #10 · Jul 12, 2013

2

neni said:
Pout, you missed my Alaska thread..? Plans have changed It's set, going farther up north to the Chugach mountains in April :yahoo: since I couldn't take days off earlier. I'll safe BC for a year I can come earlier.
Oh yes, to SWAP boards (I'm getting very careful now with the word "switch" :blink::laugh would have been great. I'm sure, you would like the Flagship as well.

Hmmm I thought you were still coming here first... Best time for AB/BC is Feb-March. April can be good but it can be getting warmer too.

I still think the Avalanche is the board for you, and may get a larger discount living beside the country it's built in!

The profile is like a boardercross board, so as far as carving goes the thing HOOKS. For off-piste riding it's got a lot of taper, set back, and the big shovel of a nose really helps it float.

I think it's the closest you can come to a carving/powder board...

It's happy on this stuff:

And equally happy on this...

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neni

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 13, 2013

bseracka said:
Also depending on where you are looking at in AK you'll likely get a wet heavy pow costal , opposed to the light fluffy pow inland. Wet and heavy pow will magnify any compromise in floatability.

Cordova. Suppose it's rather heavy (whatever that means

). Would upsizing help? e.g. like the 174 Legend or 167 XV?

neni

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 15, 2013 (Edited)

poutanen said:
Hmmm I thought you were still coming here first... Best time for AB/BC is Feb-March. April can be good but it can be getting warmer too.

I still think the Avalanche is the board for you, and may get a larger discount living beside the country it's built in!

Na... too clumsy to rob a bank and had too many statistics lessons to play the lottery

one after the other. BC is next on the list (and then Kasachstan raised my interest

)

The Avalanche could be a board the husband would like. Which one of the three versions (FR, FLP, AFT) do you have? Is it the AFT? Did you ride the other ones? What size? Weight? In how deep was it still comfortable to ride?

JVee

· #13 · Jul 15, 2013

Hey Neni,

Check Venture's Zephyr in a 168. Thats their do it all board but marketed as having solid carving ability. A few of the guides in Haines AK are riding them, and riding them for good reason

bseracka

· #14 · Jul 15, 2013

neni said:
Na... too clumsy to rob a bank and had too many statistics lessons to play the lottery one after the other. BC is next on the list (and then Kasachstan raised my interest )

The Avalanche could be a board the husband would like. Which one of the three versions (FR, FLP, AFT) do you have? Is it the AFT? Did you ride the other ones? What size? Weight? In how deep was it still comfortable to ride?

Since it's swiss I'd add the Kessler ride, similar but different from the virus. Unbelievable on the groomers in a carve, but it submarines in heavy pow with its blunted nose.

Lamps

· #15 · Jul 15, 2013

bseracka said:
Personally I think you'll be better off with 2 boards rather than trying to find a board that excells at both floating bottomless pow and high speed carving and stability. It's really a matter of compromise, as 1 board can't excell at both. 2 boards one pair of bindings isn't any more difficult to travel with than 1 board and set of bindings. Since you were considering the carbon flag, the cost of 2 decks shouldn't really be to much of an issue either.

Also depending on where you are looking at in AK you'll likely get a wet heavy pow costal , opposed to the light fluffy pow inland. Wet and heavy pow will magnify any compromise in floatability.

Quoted for truth.

Deep pow and hard charging carving lead to very different shapes.

poutanen

· #16 · Jul 15, 2013

neni said:
The Avalanche could be a board the husband would like. Which one of the three versions (FR, FLP, AFT) do you have? Is it the AFT? Did you ride the other ones? What size? Weight? In how deep was it still comfortable to ride?

I've got the FLP-AFT in 160 cm. I'm 175 lb or so (75 kg?) and 5'7" and it works really well for me.

I haven't tried the others, but had my hands on the FLP and it looked decent, but more of a traditional board shape. The AFT is a really weird combo of a blunted nose BX style board with an upturned nose and not much camber, and a medium flex compared to what I'm used to. Makes for a fun board for my riding style that's for sure! :yahoo:

Have fun in AK!

binarypie

· #17 · Jul 15, 2013

bseracka said:
Don't bother with the carbon flag. It's lighter, but is so much harsher of a ride then the std flag. It feels like there is zero dampening. Then there's the increased price of it.

neni said:
So you've riden both of them? I'm surprised to hear that cause was told that the carbon one is a bit more mellow than the wooden one :icon_scratch: that's why we considered it.

Amplid::: said:
There's hardly any elasticity in Carbon so it's terrible at absorbing bumps. It's good for splitboards because it's lightweight, strong and torsionally very stiff which is what you want for ride mode when the board is split in two but for freeriding in anything other than pow, pure carbon is a nightmare.

I actually own a carbon 161 and I love the board. If you are looking for an ultra aggressive board then it is perfect. If you are looking for something more mellow that you can relax on. Not the board.

ShredLife

· #18 · Jul 15, 2013

i'd probably go NS Raptor or Smokin KT22.

neni

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jul 15, 2013

List adjusted, thanks for the ideas - heavy pow comprehention question

Thanks for all the answers! Reading about all these boards helps to bridge the summer... I really can't wait for winter the to come :yahoo:

ShredLife said:
i'd probably go NS Raptor or Smokin KT22.

He owns a '13 Raptor... It's a cool all mountain board (forgiving enough that even I can ride a 164 with ease) but he wants a board some notches more aggressive, camrock oriented.

binarypie said:
I actually own a carbon 161 and I love the board. If you are looking for an ultra aggressive board then it is perfect. If you are looking for something more mellow that you can relax on. Not the board.

Ultra aggressive :thumbsup:. The purpose of this board will only be pow and charging/carving on morning groomers (spring afternoon crud will be the job of the Raptor).

Lamps said:
Deep pow and hard charging carving lead to very different shapes.

Yes, I’m aware of if you’re looking for a super specialized board on each of this purposes, you’ll end up with two different boards. But… I know that e.g. the Flagship is a good compromise that can do both very well. And if there’s one, there might be others. Only thing that makes him reluctant to get a Flagship as well is that the 164 is the biggest with a normal waist width; the 168 is wide, what wouldn’t be a problem in pow, but not best option for carving for someone with boot size 9. Thus looking here for other options.

JVee said:
Hey Neni,
Check Venture's Zephyr in a 168. Thats their do it all board but marketed as having solid carving ability. A few of the guides in Haines AK are riding them, and riding them for good reason

I've looked at the Zephyr but Venture boards (the same is true for Donek) are extremely hard to get here, not to speak of demoing (the only retailer in CH only sells the split).

bseracka said:
Since it's swiss I'd add the Kessler ride, similar but different from the virus. Unbelievable on the groomers in a carve, but it submarines in heavy pow with its blunted nose.

Thanks for the hint on Kessler. Shame on me, I forgot about them :blush: very nice guys, immediately offered to send a demo.
-> Kessler The Ride 168/25.8 is added to the list.
-> The Virus Avalanche in 168/25.3 will join the list as well.

Not sure, if I get your comment right: submarines in heavy pow=it won't float well in heavy pow? = look for something different for heavy pow? :icon_scratch:
We have "normal" pow here, not super fluffy, not super heavy, not super deep. Can get heavy in spring time though. I always had the impression, that the heavy wet spring stuff is less of a float problem than the "normal" stuff in the cold Jan/Feb. season...?

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bseracka

· #20 · Jul 15, 2013

neni said:
Not sure, if I get your comment right: submarines in heavy pow=it won't float well in heavy pow? = look for something different for heavy pow? :icon_scratch:
We have "normal" pow here, not super fluffy, not super heavy, not super deep. Can get heavy in spring time though. I always had the impression, that the heavy wet spring stuff is less of a float problem than the "normal" stuff in the cold Jan/Feb. season...?

You got it, submarine= the nose dives under the surface of wet heavy pow. It did fine in a few inches of pow, but it's not the board I would want for deep days. The only deep day I got to try it last year was heavy (wet) deep pow and it was not good. I did have a few days with a couple inches of pow both wet and dry and it did fine. It would probably be manageable in deep dry (light and fluffy) pow, but I don't think it will excel in those conditions. I picked up a pow deck rather than compromise.

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