i have both and they are not similar at all
evo is way stiffer and can use as all mountain in a jiffy
draft is pretty soft and i wouldn't take it to a big mountain

 

Cheers for response Merv!

Hehe, I thought the Evo was well noodly compared to my Skate Banana. Is the Arbor Draft a good board then? I know that the Evo can be ridden all over. But i loved it for buttering and pressing. Is the arbor better for ground tricks and that? Do you ride both? Sorry about all the questions I just want to see if it would be worth owning both. Cause if i got the Draft now I would probably still get the evo and I don't have a lot of money to be blowing on boards!! Basically should I get both or just the Evo??

 

Oh MEEEEERRRRRRVVVVIIIINNNNN?? Quick as you like - I got a shop holding a 153 Draft for me. Any more input would be awesome mate. Cheers.

 

WHat exactly are you looking to do with this board

 

The Draft is a good job board. But thats about all its good at. If you want a capable park board for cheap look for a 2011 Salomon Drift rocker or a Flow Verve or Era.

 

The exact thing I want to do with this board is

THIS - ‪SNOW BOARD GROUND TRICK (?????MOVIE 09--10 TRUST6MEDIA (MASTER OF GROUND#02)(MAGIC BOARD)‬‏ - YouTube

That's not to say I will be able to do even a 20th of what they can but at least start learning to do it. I have a Skate Banana and a Proto CT - I love both boards I guess if i had to categorise - Proto -Jumping and carving SB - jibbing jumping and icy days and then the draft/evo for super buttering and pressing. ..... sound about right??

 

If you've already got a Proto and Nanner get the Draft. Its a super fun board.

 

If i get the Draft - will it stop me wanting the Evo when considering my other boards too?

 

Probably not. I always want new boards. Like always.

 

Hahaha, I think I must be the same as that!

Oh well probably just get both then! I might just wait for the 2012 Evo and get the Draft now! Fuck it. Yeah!

 

Oh no!!!! I just found a Westmark '11for 20 quid more than the Draft! Do I want that more Nivek or is it too similar to the Proto CT? Is it the Blacklist which is more similar to the Evo??

 

Honestly the Proto is probably closer to the Coda. Get the Westmark. Top 6 favorite boards ever

what size?

 

So the westmark is the flexy playful one then yeah? Like the Evo????? I just want it to be as pressable as that Evo 151 I tried. It's 156 (same as my skate banana and same as Proto 154 with it's blunted tips. But maybe I'd want something a little smaller?? I'm like 180 lbs. The draft is damn sexy but 158.5. Although there is one for a bit more at 153 which I thought might be more suitable.

Cheers Nivek, any more advice is greatly appreciated!

 

The westmark is stiffer then the blacklist. I say go with the draft. Even though the evo would be a could option. Same with the blacklist. And westmark. Damn im no help!

 

Its bairly stiffer. A lot of people might not even feel it.

180lbs you will have fun on the 156 Westmark. I say buy.

 

Basically what you are all saying is.

Buy the Draft and the Westmark. If a Blacklist turns up - buy that too, then make sure I have enough money for an Evo when it comes out and try to forget that I already spent £400 on a Proto CT already this year.

Is this the gist of our discussion?

Sheesh!

Really REALLY think hard and try to narrow my decision down for me! Surely it's either the Westmark OR the Blacklist - so which? Would I make use of the Draft? I reckon if it is has terrible edge hold it would bother me! At the Snowdomes it does get pretty icy pretty quick and it's not an all mountain board and we don't get much snow in England for street type riding... but I love the look of it and dow want something really pressable, will the Blacklist or Westmark do everything that the Draft does but better or will I not be able to to press the absolute shit out of them?

I reckon I am going to get an Evo whatever happens - so

Skate Banana + Proto CT + Evo leaves room for which Arbor board (2 at an absolute MEGA push!)

Sorry to keep going on but you guys know your shit and I've never ridden any Arbor boards and can't demo them at any snowdome!

 

IF you're going to get an Evo regardless then if you just have to get another board get a Draft. The Blacklist and Westmark are too close to the Evo. You'll end up liking one more than the other, Westmark or Blacklist most likely, and then you'll never ride the other.

 

Nivek you've made me question my resolve about the Evo. This is hard old work! Which out of the Blacklist and Westmark is the funnest pressiest butteriest board? You said that the Westmark is a hair stiffer than the Blacklist - does that mean the Blacklist is more what I'm looking for? I am wondering if the draft is a one trick pony and need to be crossed off the list? The Evo, I thought was as flexible as I needed it (in the 151 -which is quite short for me and would have gone longer) and if you and Angry are swearing by Arbor I definitely believe you - just wish I could describe exactly what I want i think that's the problem..... I have the Proto - the next probably should be an Arbor!

 

If this is any help, Nivek likes the Westmark and Blacklist over the Evo, while BA likes the Blacklist over the Evo, but the Evo over the Westmark, at least that's what I get from his blog.

 

At 180lbs just get the 154 Blacklist. You probably wont even ride your Banana again with that board. It's lock into a press was remarkable. Even for me in a size bigger than I prefer I could just get in and hold it forever. But its not a "soft" board. It has plenty of meat to hit jumps. The day I rode it we started off hitting spring pow in the morning and hitting the park later. Fun the whole day.

 

OP, you are all over the place and need an intervention!

If you already have the SL, no need to get the EVO. Just get the Draft and you'll have plenty of fun. As for getting more boards down the line, it never ends. You can own the lineup for all of Arbor and still would want more - moving to NS, Lib...etc.

Just take it one step at a time man.

 

Hahaha, I know man!!! I've got all these ideas and no organisation!

I have the Proto CT not the SL - but I think twins are the thing I like. The draft looks lush but I hear that it is only good for jibs!? And coming off a Banana I like a board with good grip - bronze edges apparently don't give you that. And I have ridden an Evo and KNOW that I love it and it is a totally different stick to the banana or proto. It's just if the Blacklist or Westmark is going to make me smile constantly like the Evo did, I reckon I would get one to mix up the brands. Still could get a Draft just want people who have ridden it to be able to recommend it for more than just one thing!

 

I rode it. It's a jibstick. Soft as or softer than a Subzero or Signal Park Rocker.

 

Sorry, I guess I'm a bit of a noob to all different sorts of riding. I have never ridden anything softer than an Evo. No idea about the Signal or Subzero so no frame of reference for me. Does jib stick mean take it NOWHERE except to rails? Or can it butter and press like the crazy Japanese guys do in that kick ass ground tricks vid?

My banana is supposed to be a Jib Stick and it's a lot fuckin stiffer than the Evo!!!


(At the moment I am thinking get the Draft and the Westmark and hide them both from my lady!......good plan?)

 

Not a review. And don't take carpet test for anything other than pure shitboats. However, this actually gives a good idea of how soft the board is. The board is as soft on carpet not moving as it is on the snow.

‪Signal Park Rocker‬‏ - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzelX2vBO7Q&NR=1

At like 1:40 kid actually gets around to bending them. Again, I normally advise people to ignore this shit, but in this case it actually give you an idea of their softness. As far as he bends them with his knee takes all of maybe 70lbs of pressure. To do that even to your Banana is gonna take twice that.

 

Gotta say that looks like fun!! Would you say go bigger or smaller when choosing a Jibstick? I think I generally like shorter boards for my weight range i.e. 56 Banana and 54 Proto feel perfect for me for their jobs but that 51 Evo was silly amounts of fun. That made me think that 53 for the Draft would be good but would you say 55 or 58.5 or even smaller than 53??? I'm gonna start with the Draft! And that Westmark does seem very cheap at £239 to pass up on. Seriously thanks for all your help with this!!