[olidonog]

Hi All,

Having just hit a recent Demo Day I have decided against sticking with Burton for my new board (despite purchasing new Malavita ESTs this season, after my roofrack came off and broke my cartels!). Having spent a couple of hours trying out Hybrid cambers my Custom 09 Camber felt brutal and not as much fun. However the edge hold on the Burtons was terrible (loved the sherlock for a short fun-run on the day but I have to be honest in that I tend to be on hardpack).

Also Demoed a couple of Bataleons, amazing fun but on anything steep they just washed out on me.

Basically I'm now staring down the barre of Mervin boards. The last board I demoed was an Attack Banana. My stance was far too wide though so didn't massively enjoy it. But I'm going to bite the bullet and go Mervin. HOWEVER I just cannot decide between the following 3:

159 TRS
157 or 161.5 Travis Rice Pro HP (its either 157 or 161.5 - large jump)
157.5 or 161.5GNU Rides Choice

Im 6 ft .5 inch (184cm).
About 86 kgs without gear
Size 11 US. UK 10 Nike Kaiju boots (2012)

The sizing of the boards confuses me somewhat.

I'm looking for a board that is a bit of quiver killer for me on the mountain. but can take me to the next level with riding more switch, some kickers, a bit of playing in the trees and hopefully some Powder when I get down to Austria. I want to spinand play around, but bombing and carving are important (I board with Skiers mainly). I woudl ike something that goes from edge to edge nicely and is pretty catch-free.

Any thoughts about comparisons between the three. Money isn't a problem thankfully. No more chances to Demo either, and these boards seem to be selling out pretty quick here in Europe!

Any thoughts?
Please do follow-up with any other necessary questions!

~cheers.

 

[Lstarrasl]

I am about the same H&W as you and I ride the 161 Dark series for speed, powder, ect and the 154 skatebanana when I go have a fun day in the local park mountains of So Cal, BUT if I only had one board it would be the TRS 157.

Size is your personal preference.

 

[24WERD]

I would take the trs out b/c :

1) it has the softest flex out of the 3 at 6 flex (compare to 7 on the trice and rc 161.5)

2) and tnt base(variation of extruded base).


If you want one ride switch and play around then take out Trice and the 161.5 length on both the Trice and GNU RC.

Both have the same flex rating of 7. ( rc 161.5 at 7 and Trice 157.5 and 161.5 at 7)

That leaves the Gnu RC at 157.5. Soft enough to play and big enough to float (blunt tip more surface) and better base.

 

[Lstarrasl]

I would take the trs out b/c :

1) it has the softest flex out of the 3 at 6 flex (compare to 7 on the trice and rc 161.5)

2) and tnt base(variation of extruded base).


If you want one ride switch and play around then take out Trice and the 161.5 length on both the Trice and GNU RC.

Both have the same flex rating of 7. ( rc 161.5 at 7 and Trice 157.5 and 161.5 at 7)

That leaves the Gnu RC at 157.5. Soft enough to play and big enough to float (blunt tip more surface) and better base.

:dizzy:

Have you been reading the internet too much? TRS is too soft? you can't ride switch and play around on a T.Rice? What Libs do you have?

The base is fine and fast. It works for all their pros. I have it on my Skatebanana and it's plenty fast. Unless you are a racer you probably won't notice a difference. You can play around and ride switch on the Rice, it's just a little stiffer.

 

[olidonog]

I would take the trs out b/c :

1) it has the softest flex out of the 3 at 6 flex (compare to 7 on the trice and rc 161.5)

2) and tnt base(variation of extruded base).


If you want one ride switch and play around then take out Trice and the 161.5 length on both the Trice and GNU RC.

Both have the same flex rating of 7. ( rc 161.5 at 7 and Trice 157.5 and 161.5 at 7)

That leaves the Gnu RC at 157.5. Soft enough to play and big enough to float (blunt tip more surface) and better base.

Nicely done! And I think you are correct. However, this is more my 'learn to do more and keep the speed from the custom. I think next year I will get a second board, smaller and softer such as a flyin-v or Sherlock. Basically because I will have spare 2013 malavitas. Was a stupid purchase basically as I had planned to upgrade to the antler this year but really put off by all the edge hold problems. Can't sell as I live in the Czech Republic and barely speak the language!

If you think that the 157.5 will give me the piste ability that an older custom offers then maybe. Interesting to note you think the 157 will perform better in powder? I though the 161.5 was actually for more of a powder loving rider?

Useful replies, thank you.

 

[24WERD]

:dizzy:

Have you been reading the internet too much? TRS is too soft? you can't ride switch and play around on a T.Rice? What Libs do you have?

The base is fine and fast. It works for all their pros. I have it on my Skatebanana and it's plenty fast. Unless you are a racer you probably won't notice a difference. You can play around and ride switch on the Rice, it's just a little stiffer.

The TRS is the softest of the 3 per size.

The user wants to learn to ride switch more a less stiff board would be more helpful as would asymmetrical board (but thats a bonus).

I had the skate banana 10-11 and GNU rc 10-11, have the gnu dk 11-12, gnu bg 11-12. (i included lib's siblings)

Unless the skatebanana you have is current yr it had a sintered based in prev. years. For the same amount of money you are paying might as well get the better base.

 

[Lstarrasl]

The TRS is the softest of the 3 per size.

The user wants to learn to ride switch more a less stiff board would be more helpful as would asymmetrical board (but thats a bonus).

I had the skate banana 10-11 and GNU rc 10-11, have the gnu dk 11-12, gnu bg 11-12. (i included lib's siblings)

Unless the skatebanana you have is current yr it had a sintered based in prev. years. For the same amount of money you are paying might as well get the better base.

Well if you have had that many Mervin boards, you're okay in my book.

Still the TRS would be fine, it's as stiff as the RC. And the base, is he really gonna tell? Doubt it.

 

[redlude97]

FWIW I ride a 157.5 GNU RCs at 180lbs and its the perfect size. Still good float in the pow, rides switch well, and I can still take laps through the park

 

[walove]

i rode a 159 skatebanana, 160 lando, and a 157.5 RC back to back last year. The RC was not much stiffer than the banana, (larger bananas are stiffer). The lando was noticeably stiffer than the other two. The RC was the best all around out of the three. The Lando has a longer side cut, 8.65 like the rice, i really like this for higher speed riding. The shorter side cut of the RC and the TRS are fine for most terrain though, more fun while going slower.

 

[Triple8Sol]

Get the T.Rice 157.5

 

[olidonog]

i rode a 159 skatebanana, 160 lando, and a 157.5 RC back to back last year. The RC was not much stiffer than the banana, (larger bananas are stiffer). The lando was noticeably stiffer than the other two. The RC was the best all around out of the three. The Lando has a longer side cut, 8.65 like the rice, i really like this for higher speed riding. The shorter side cut of the RC and the TRS are fine for most terrain though, more fun while going slower.

Just an update. Got the RC 161.5 Went out Sunday and had an epic time. 3 inches of powder qucikly got choppy and the RC just cuts straight through anything when bombing but handled some tree action beautifully.The edge to edge transition is a dream, although much more skate like than my custom. Infact all-in-all the difference between the two was HUGE, much more than I believed it would be. Really pleased with it and considering going for a 156 park pickle to mess around on instead of my 155 camber UnInc.

Cheers for the help!

 

[SinkHole]

Yeah I was thinking, "why not a 158 Wide Riders Choice?"

Riders Choice is real similar to the TRS. Psyched you like it though and off of the Big B. Enjoy the ride man.