[Seth_theY]

Howdy y’all!

Long time lurker, first time poster here. I had some boards that I’d like to get, but can’t afford more than one new board atm. For background I’m about 5 foot 9, 140lbs and I wear a size 9 boot. Currently I’m rocking an older signal Omni, and a pair of Now Pilots. I am looking for a powder freeride board. I mainly shred at Whistler and I’d put myself at the intermediate to advanced level. Mainly I go off piste, steep tree runs, big open bowls, small cliff drops, mogul fields and the like. I’m currently working on taking my double blacks faster and harder and I’ve come to the realization that my current board doesn’t really cut it anymore.

I am looking for a stable freeride board with lots of agility for steep and low angle trees, and that is stable and damp enough to pile through mogul fields and chopped up PNW snow. Some things I’ve thought about and looked at are the Bataleon Camel Two, PW+, Nitro Squash, Yes Hybrid, Ride Superpig and Lib Tech Orca. I plan to demo the top 3, once I decide what they are. So I am currently looking for people who have experience with these boards and recommendations, or other awesome boards to look at. (I’m having trouble finding much on the Party Wave +, so if you have ridden that please let me know!)

Cheers!
Seth

 

[Nivek]

Camel 2 is a solid choice, or the original CamelToe. I would also add the Arbor Annex, Niche Story, Nidecker Mellow, and Weston 10th.

The Orca is a great low angle or otherwise pow deck, but for freeride there are better options. The Superpig is a great do everything board, but again for what you're after I think there are better options.

Party Wave + is a beefed up Party Wave. Still a party board, not what you're looking for.

 

[Seth_theY]

Camel 2 is a solid choice, or the original CamelToe. I would also add the Arbor Annex, Niche Story, Nidecker Mellow, and Weston 10th.

The Orca is a great low angle or otherwise pow deck, but for freeride there are better options. The Superpig is a great do everything board, but again for what you're after I think there are better options.

Party Wave + is a beefed up Party Wave. Still a party board, not what you're looking for.

Awesome, thanks so much for the info. I will look into those other boards for sure!

 

[Pablo$]

I'm loving my flight attendant for the attributes you listed, but I know others might disagree.

 

[BXNoob]

Check out the Straight Chuter from Burton. I got it this year and loved it so much I traded my Solution Split for it. Maybe a touch too agressive for your needs but worth a look imo.

 

[Seth_theY]

I'm loving my flight attendant for the attributes you listed, but I know others might disagree.

My friend has a flight attendant that I tried last season, and although it was a pretty good ride it’s just not different enough from my current deck for me to shell out the money. I’m probably looking for something not twin as I currently have my twin setup. Thank you for the input though, it’s appreciated

 

[Seth_theY]

Check out the Straight Chuter from Burton. I got it this year and loved it so much I traded my Solution Split for it. Maybe a touch too agressive for your needs but worth a look imo.

From most reviews I’m reading it seems to struggle in the trees and terrain that requires tight turns. Did you find this to be true?

 

[Snow Hound]

What's the priority? Agility in trees or blasting through moguls? If its bang between the two then your back looking at boring do everything boards like your Omni. I rode my Simple Pleasures for a week last season and it's great for everything you describe, except straight lining moguls. I still had a lot of fun in mogul fields but I was picking my way through and popping over them. For gunning bumps I'd be better off on my PYL, but then that's not as much fun in low angle powder or trees (still love that board though).

 

[snow & pow adventures]

Check Korua Cafe Racer or Dart (worse for drops, better for agilit in pow, a bit harder for carving than CR). Nitro Dropout will do the job. Orca too.

 

[BXNoob]

From most reviews I’m reading it seems to struggle in the trees and terrain that requires tight turns. Did you find this to be true?

Yes. But I don’t think a board can be good for steeps/big lines while also being nimble for tight turns between trees. Depends what you prioritize !

 

[snow & pow adventures]

Yes. But I don’t think a board can be good for steeps/big lines while also being nimble for tight turns between trees. Depends what you prioritize !

Of course, it can be good in those two areas. I've got 3 boards like that.
Fanatic Royal Fish is my best board for treeriding, it's from 2009 and it's better than Dart in terms of safety/stability and it's awesome in open areas., but not as enjoyable while riding as Dart/Pace.
Dart is a bit worse in open, and a bit worse in trees in terms of stability and agility than Fanatic. But gives so much fun and it's more dynamic/gives turns back harder then Fanatic, which gives that nice feeling of floating on water.
Pace is awesome everywhere, and very reliable at high speeds.

 

[BXNoob]

Of course, it can be good in those two areas. I've got 3 boards like that.
Fanatic Royal Fish is my best board for treeriding, it's from 2009 and it's better than Dart in terms of safety/stability and it's awesome in open areas., but not as enjoyable while riding as Dart/Pace.
Dart is a bit worse in open, and a bit worse in trees in terms of stability and agility than Fanatic. But gives so much fun and it's more dynamic/gives turns back harder then Fanatic, which gives that nice feeling of floating on water.
Pace is awesome everywhere, and very reliable at high speeds.

Yah, maybe I didn’t word it the right way. I meant: If you want the best of the best for steeps for example, it probably won’t be the best for the trees. But you’re right theres a lot of decks that can do the 3 really well !

 

[robotfood99]

The Orca is still kinda the halo board so try it if you can. Do some research on the sizing with volume shifted boards. Especially the Orca now that it comes in many sizes. I found I much prefer the 150 to the 153, for example. 150 lbs. size 8 boots, btw. You might start with 150 and try a size up or down.

Also, local to your neck of the woods, Endeavor Archetype, but really any one of the powder quiver series.

 

[Seth_theY]

What's the priority? Agility in trees or blasting through moguls? If its bang between the two then your back looking at boring do everything boards like your Omni. I rode my Simple Pleasures for a week last season and it's great for everything you describe, except straight lining moguls. I still had a lot of fun in mogul fields but I was picking my way through and popping over them. For gunning bumps I'd be better off on my PYL, but then that's not as much fun in low angle powder or trees (still love that board though).

The priority for me is probably slightly edging tree maneuvering over the ability to straight line moguls. Most of the time when I’m straight lining the snow is just chopped up and not moguls yet. Normally I take my time a little more on moguls. I’d just really like something that doesn’t buck me around too badly when in rough terrain, floats well in pow, and is agile in the trees. I don’t have to blast through moguls, but I would like my tip to not be flapping like a pair of underwear someone strung up a flagpole. Does that help a bit more?

 

[Seth_theY]

The Orca is still kinda the halo board so try it if you can. Do some research on the sizing with volume shifted boards. Especially the Orca now that it comes in many sizes. I found I much prefer the 150 to the 153, for example. 150 lbs. size 8 boots, btw. You might start with 150 and try a size up or down.

Also, local to your neck of the woods, Endeavor Archetype, but really any one of the powder quiver series.

I’ve heard a lot about the orca so I may as well check it out, it seems a bit of a mixed bag of reviews for what I want it to do. I’ve also heard about the archetype so I will do some more research in that as well. Thanks!

 

[WigMar]

I’d just really like something that doesn’t buck me around too badly when in rough terrain

The word for this is Damp. Lively boards can buck you more. Generally, North American made boards are a little heavier and ride a little damper. Sometimes volume shifted boards are more damp because of how wide they are.

I'd personally look at the Gnu Gremlin over the Orca. Here's some volume shifted resort ripper suggestions from Angry Snowboarder. Volume shifted boards have been great in the trees for me. I've been riding a 144, 151, 154, 161 and a 166 in the trees depending on conditions or my mood. So, over half of my tree boards are volume shifted. The big deck comes out for the big dumps, but the volume shifted boards can hang there too. Even the 144 Cool Bean will float my #220.

 

[Seth_theY]

The word for this is Damp. Lively boards can buck you more. Generally, North American made boards are a little heavier and ride a little damper. Sometimes volume shifted boards are more damp because of how wide they are.

I'd personally look at the Gnu Gremlin over the Orca. Here's some volume shifted resort ripper suggestions from Angry Snowboarder. Volume shifted boards have been great in the trees for me. I've been riding a 144, 151, 154, 161 and a 166 in the trees depending on conditions or my mood. So, over half of my tree boards are volume shifted. The big deck comes out for the big dumps, but the volume shifted boards can hang there too. Even the 144 Cool Bean will float my #220.

I realize the word is damp I just wanted to express my displeasure a little more vividly, I’ve been watching plenty of angry which is where I got the idea for some of them. I forgot about the gremlin tho so I will check that out hopefully

 

[Nivek]

Camel 2 is a solid choice, or the original CamelToe. I would also add the Arbor Annex, Niche Story, Nidecker Mellow, and Weston 10th.

The Orca is a great low angle or otherwise pow deck, but for freeride there are better options.

Still sticking by this list. If we’re also now talking more specifically damp and nimble I’ll add a Lib Lost Round Nose if they’re still making it, or look into Snofisk

 

[Seth_theY]

Still sticking by this list. If we’re also now talking more specifically damp and nimble I’ll add a Lib Lost Round Nose if they’re still making it, or look into Snofisk

Sounds good, I really like the looks of the nidecker mellow but can’t find anyone selling it or demoing it near me which sucks. Same with the niche story . Guess I’ll just have to look harder

 

[snow & pow adventures]

The priority for me is probably slightly edging tree maneuvering over the ability to straight line moguls. Most of the time when I’m straight lining the snow is just chopped up and not moguls yet. Normally I take my time a little more on moguls. I’d just really like something that doesn’t buck me around too badly when in rough terrain, floats well in pow, and is agile in the trees. I don’t have to blast through moguls, but I would like my tip to not be flapping like a pair of underwear someone strung up a flagpole. Does that help a bit more?

Well, Korua Shapes seems like an obvious option.
Dart if you want a super responsive board in any type of powder (imho it's even to agile sometimes, and you have to be gentle with it), or Cafe Racer if you want more stability and a less nimble board. Didn't try Pencil but due to swallowtail, it should be good in trees too)

Here you have some examples.

High speed treeriding (middle part)

Denser forest and much worse snow conditions (uneven terrain, a lot of tracks already and bumpy as hell)

Imho most boards with volume shifted and swallowtail will give you what you're looking for. I'll be testing Nitro Dropout in the next few days in trees.

The word for this is Damp. Lively boards can buck you more. Generally, North American made boards are a little heavier and ride a little damper. Sometimes volume shifted boards are more damp because of how wide they are.

I'd personally look at the Gnu Gremlin over the Orca. Here's some volume shifted resort ripper suggestions from Angry Snowboarder. Volume shifted boards have been great in the trees for me. I've been riding a 144, 151, 154, 161 and a 166 in the trees depending on conditions or my mood. So, over half of my tree boards are volume shifted. The big deck comes out for the big dumps, but the volume shifted boards can hang there too. Even the 144 Cool Bean will float my #220.

Volume shifted doesn't mean it's obligatory good in trees. Nitro Squash isn't the best option, slow, like a tank, works ok, but it's way slower in turns than Dart i.e. My buddy had Squash and he couldn't keep up with me in trees. I rode Superpig a few times on piste, and tbh I wouldn't use it in trees riding high speeds, not enough control/agility to make quick corrections.