[CBBoarder]

Have had the same board (Gnu Factory Choice 163) since about 2002 and looking to upgrade. Head is spinning so looking for a little guidance.

42 yrs old, 5'10", 200#, size 11 boot

Usually in glades, bowls looking for powder, moguls, dipping in and out of the trees, etc. Don't make really big turns once down on the groomers.....usually just bombing down as fast as I can and tapping the brakes here or there as needed.

The Lib Tech Orca has caught my eye, as well as the Gnu Mullair, but open to input on boards and lenghts

Thanks for any feedback

 

[Donutz]

Check out the Libtech Ejack. I bought one last year and it's far and away the most dependable, maneuverable board I've ever ridden. Good on icy conditions as well, with the magnetraction.

 

[MrDavey2Shoes]

I don’t think I’d go Orca for something to bomb down groomers. Probably handle the rest of your needs though.

 

[edi414]

I don’t think I’d go Orca for something to bomb down groomers. Probably handle the rest of your needs though.

I love the Mullair but it’s also not a board to bomb down groomers on although arguably depends on your definition of bombing 😉. Does the rest well though!

Also, GNU don’t have the mullair in their 20/21 line anymore after stoping to sponsor Nicholas Muller but seemingly the same board is now sold under the name Essential Service

 

[bschmitty34]

I ride similar to you, about your size (a few inches taller and a few more pounds) and I'm a similar age. I'm also looking to replace my current every-day board I've been riding since 2008 and my head is spinning as well.

I think one big thing you should think about is the camber profile you want, or want to try. If you've been riding the same GNU since 2002 my guess is that you've only ever ridden on a standard camber board, and many of the boards are WAY different now. Back in 2008 I made the switch from a GNU 11up which was a fill camber board to a Lib Tech Trice and it was life changing. Most of the Lib Tech boards have a similar camber profile with banana traction (BTX) or C2 BTX which is what the Orca has and is similar to the Trice I have now. It's very versatile, and was a great switch for me, but its much different than the camber you're currently riding.

All the other brands have some variation of hybrid camber, full rocker or full camber. I'm currently looking at Jones boards that have Cam Rock which would feel a little more like the camber you're riding but with rocker on the tip and tail that provide more float and playfulness.

So, although I can't really recommend a board for you because I haven't been on the market for a board in a while and my head is spinning like yours, I can give one piece of advice which is to try and answer what camber profile sounds like what you want (how do you want it to feel and react while riding) and then go from there. I highly recommend some type of hybrid camber/rocker profile but determining how different you want it to feel from your full camber will be a good starting point.

 

[drblast]

I loved the Mullair for bombing down groomers. It's stiff and damp and if that board has a speed limit it's over 65mph. It's also got a fairly nimble sidecut. (I'm 6'3", 200lbs, owned the 159W Mullair)

But unless you're riding a ton of switch it sounds like you want a Lib x Lost Rocket, probably one of the most under-hyped boards out there despite being one of the best Lib Tech makes.

Or a Yes Optimistic.

 

[CBBoarder]

I ride similar to you, about your size (a few inches taller and a few more pounds) and I'm a similar age. I'm also looking to replace my current every-day board I've been riding since 2008 and my head is spinning as well.

I think one big thing you should think about is the camber profile you want, or want to try. If you've been riding the same GNU since 2002 my guess is that you've only ever ridden on a standard camber board, and many of the boards are WAY different now. Back in 2008 I made the switch from a GNU 11up which was a fill camber board to a Lib Tech Trice and it was life changing. Most of the Lib Tech boards have a similar camber profile with banana traction (BTX) or C2 BTX which is what the Orca has and is similar to the Trice I have now. It's very versatile, and was a great switch for me, but its much different than the camber you're currently riding.

All the other brands have some variation of hybrid camber, full rocker or full camber. I'm currently looking at Jones boards that have Cam Rock which would feel a little more like the camber you're riding but with rocker on the tip and tail that provide more float and playfulness.

So, although I can't really recommend a board for you because I haven't been on the market for a board in a while and my head is spinning like yours, I can give one piece of advice which is to try and answer what camber profile sounds like what you want (how do you want it to feel and react while riding) and then go from there. I highly recommend some type of hybrid camber/rocker profile but determining how different you want it to feel from your full camber will be a good starting point.

Yes, great point...that is one thing that has definitely caught my attention.

I was also looking at the Skunk Ape, but believe I should get a Sintered Base for maximum speed. So that eliminates the Skunk Ape. At this point I would say my top 3 in no particular order are the Lib T/Lost Rocket 157.5, Lib T Quiver Killer 159, and Gnu Billy Goat 159. Looks like they all have the C3. Only hesitation on the Rocket is that a couple of reviewers said it would not do well with moguls.....maybe they just don't like moguls in general, as most boarders don't prefer them, but I often find myself in moguls just navigating from point A to point B on the mountain, and don't mind doing it some. It's a good workout and I also sometimes ride with skiers, so I enjoy showing them I can hang with them in the moguls.

 

[CauseNAffect]

I have the jones flag 162W and if you're serious about bombing, it's for you. The board is work but I love it.

There are better speciality boards for bombing, carving, or powder as their focus, but the flag does it all really well. Check out angrysnowboarder's reviews to get some good hands on experience and comparison depending on what you're looking for.

 

[stinger96]

Have had the same board (Gnu Factory Choice 163) since about 2002 and looking to upgrade. Head is spinning so looking for a little guidance.

42 yrs old, 5'10", 200#, size 11 boot

Usually in glades, bowls looking for powder, moguls, dipping in and out of the trees, etc. Don't make really big turns once down on the groomers.....usually just bombing down as fast as I can and tapping the brakes here or there as needed.

The Lib Tech Orca has caught my eye, as well as the Gnu Mullair, but open to input on boards and lenghts

Thanks for any feedback
View attachment 156023

A few additional options that work very well powder and carve great are the Never Summer Swift 162 (used it for a heli-board trip last year in the 157 size and was blown away how well it worked in both the tight trees and big open bowls above treeline), the Amplid Surfari 161, and the Rossignol Sashimi 160. I have the last two boards in a 157 and 156 respectively, but I weigh 175lbs and size 9 boot. For carving and more open powder I have a Nitro Banker 159. I plan on adding a Swift to the mix again later this year or next year in a 162 most likely. Good luck.

 

[Yeahti87]

Sounds like a Flagship to me. You don’t seem to be interested in scalpel-precision carves and the new Flag does all the things you mentioned very well. 3D shaping helps on moguls (I’ve run it through a mogul field) and should be a benefit in glades as well. A forgiving floaty charger.

 

[Michael Rivera]

Check out the Rome Ravine Select.

 

[CBBoarder]

Thanks for all the recommendations and input. I have watched about 50 youtube videos....several of them 4 or 5 times. It was a close call and a tough decision, but I have always wanted a Lib Tech, and just pulled the trigger on a 161.5 Rocket.

 

[drblast]

I think you'll love it. Let us know how it goes.

 

[BoarderHack89]

Looks like a sick deck!! Can someone weigh in on the c3 profile ? Seems to be their most aggressive . What’s the point of the rocker in the middle? Does it feel like camber, washier?

 

[drblast]

Looks like a sick deck!! Can someone weigh in on the c3 profile ? Seems to be their most aggressive . What’s the point of the rocker in the middle? Does it feel like camber, washier?

Mostly feels like camber, and depending on the board, when you carve on it you feel the middle of the board hit the snow a little sooner than it normally would. That gives you about even pressure between three contact points, which can be exaggerated by magnetraction. A regular camber board you'd have to push harder to get the edge between your feet to engage which means you don't have that contact point as much, but also you'll have more spring out of turns.

And C3 is a blanket term. Between board models it can be really different.

 

[MrDavey2Shoes]

@BoarderHack89
I have a Gnu SPAM which is C3. Basically rides like camber with early rise but it’s a little easier to bend/manipulate between the feet. As Mentioned above it varies from board to board. On the SPAM it results in turny board with lots of pop. Pretty much camrock or camber 2.0.

 

[BoarderHack89]

I rode an E Jack knife today, rode it first hand. Really liked it with magna traction

 

[snow & pow adventures]

Mostly feels like camber, and depending on the board, when you carve on it you feel the middle of the board hit the snow a little sooner than it normally would. That gives you about even pressure between three contact points, which can be exaggerated by magnetraction. A regular camber board you'd have to push harder to get the edge between your feet to engage which means you don't have that contact point as much, but also you'll have more spring out of turns.

And C3 is a blanket term. Between board models it can be really different.

What other board has c3 profile besides Mervin boards?

 

[WigMar]

What other board has c3 profile besides Mervin boards?

No one. C3 is a proprietary marketing term coined by mervin. It doesn't seem to be a super consistent profile, cause it's tweaked for each board.

 

[Nivek]

I doubt they actually have that many different camber plates for c3. More than likely their “tweaking” is just press temp inconsistency. It happens. And while no brands outside of Mervin use “C3” per se, it is effectively what we call camber 2.0 and there are a lot of brands doing that. Salomon, Nitro, and DC come to mind right away. Anything with low camber or full camber that’s flatter between the feet. The idea is to make the center part of the sidecut take less pressure to engage.