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Looking for powder focused resort board

3.3K views 27 replies 17 participants last post by  jsil  
#1 ·
Hey all!

I've been riding for a long time but i just moved west and looking for a better board that can handle pow, i dont necessarily need it to be a 1 board quiver, I will still rock a rossignol sushi for tight tree powder, but i need a good daily driver/pow day board. typical riding style is playful/surfy, with tree riding, powder hunting, occaisonal ledge hits and small jumps off groomers which are typically blues and blacks. I would like something stable in chunder that can handle the occasional bombers down groomers keeping up with friends. Directional is preferred, i dont really ride switch too often

Stats: 6'3" 210 lbs, size 11.5 boot.

Boards I'm considering:
-Endeavor Archetype
-Amplid Souly Grail
-Amplid Surfari
-Weston Backwoods
-Jones hovercraft
-Jones Mind expander
-Burton Gril Master
-cardiff powgoda

questionables - Rossi XV/Jones Flagship?

Any others?

i have research stimulus overload, HELP! LOL
 
#4 ·
Surfari is an awesome board for everything you want bar the low-angle deep powder like dwd stated. I sold it and picked up the Cardiff Powgoda for pretty much what you’re looking for except bombing and chunder which doesn’t interest me and I think this is where it might be challenged.

I think the Powgoda changed shape this season also and maybe a slight tweak to the flex and I’ve read some preferred the earlier version. I’ll ride it in a few weeks which I’m looking forward to.

I looked at all those boards also before taking the Powgoda, can’t go wrong with any of them. The other ones I looked at was the Rome Ravine Select, Capita Navigator and Korua Pin Tonic.
 
#8 ·
I don’t think there’s ever been a board I want to demo more! For whatever reason the archetype confuses the hell outta me. It gets a ton of love, so I think it’s a safe bet. It sure looks like someone cut an aggressive swallow into a twinnish deck. Guess I don’t much care for twinnish shapes in powder or for swallow tails either really. Still I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything bad about it besides it doesn’t float that well.

I’ve got a personal preference for pin tails. That Weston back woods looks sweet. If you can find a deal on a signal tailgunner, they’re pretty dope.
 
#6 ·
Alternator, dingy, bsod, pyl, kazu
I agree your boots are probably too big for the amplids if you want to lay over carves.
From your list the archetype will work for sure, I’d size up if you want it for deep days (costal pow is heavy). The hover 2.0 could also be really interesting In just not sure how great it is once things get tracked out. The grill master is another one that looks interesting if you want to go channel (the archetype comes in both channel and std inserts)
 
#12 ·
I would not consider rossi xv or flagship playful/surfy. Amplids won’t fit your boot size very well as someone already pointed out. Also you may find the Souly grail a bit too soft.

K2 excavator 158 or 162 could be worth looking at. Great in powder and stiff and burly enough to handle uneven snow and charge groomers. Volume shifted so it can fit 11,5 boots.
 
#14 ·
Side note: I don’t know why people are saying the SG is soft… not sure if there was a difference in the first 2 years versus the current iteration in terms of construction, but while it’s not a plank it does have a great flex and it’s perfectly stiff enough from my standpoint and I really charge a lot of stuff with it. The way it rides versus hand flexes is different as it rides way more stable. I took down a lot of sidewall that was way proud of the edge and tuned it a lot to get it right, as with all the amplids in this collection that I’ve dealt with, and it holds everything very well. I ride some stiffer and aggressive boards, and I don’t think the SG is in any way too soft. I like the flex a lot.
Did you ride the first iteration or the current?
Nonetheless, just curious because I’ve seen where others have said something similar but I’m not sure why…
 
#17 ·
IMHO if you want a daily driver, you shouldn't get a straight up pow board. My Hovercraft is awesome on deep days but kind of sucks on hard pack. The Flagship works pretty well on powder and is a great daily driver, can handle hard pack, ice, all of it. But won't be as good on powder as the other boards on your list.
 
#18 ·
Lots of good recs here. The Powgoda is pretty dang hard to beat for what you described and would probably be my top pick. I'd say don't do the Gril Master. It's fine but not surfy and not that impressive in pow. The Archetype is super fun but at your size, their biggest and widest to me is a touch undersized (my specs are similar to yours. I love it but wish they made a 162 wide.) Hovercraft 2.0, excavator, Tailgunner all get my vote too. Flagship is great but not very turny. Storm Chaser is rad but might be too close to your sushi.

A couple that haven't been mentioned that really surprised me last year for everything you described and good for a bigger rider: the 166 Rome Ravine Pro, Bataleon Cruiser, and Korua Pin Tonic.
 
#20 ·
I'm 6' 220lbs size 12 boots. I own/ride the following:

Rossi XV 168W (2015 model - $349)
Rossi XV 174W (2019 model - $370)
Weston Backwoods 163W (2024 model - $343)
Jones Hovercraft 1.0 164 (2022 model - $300)
Lib Tech Orca 159 (2021 model - $387)

I love all these boards, but my preference for riding them depends on the conditions, attitude, and energy/effort level. My XVs are my daily drivers. They haul ass, very stable at speed, great grip on groomer and can plow over anything because they have a reverse directional camber profile (stiffer in the nose than tail). I ride with skiers and can usually pass or catch them with the speed of the XVs. They are not my preferred pow decks but they do work well if needed.

The Backwoods is an interesting board, as its not as set-back as any of the other decks and is the widest thing I own. I'd probably opt for a regular width if i had to do it over. Very surfy feel in the pow, very mellow and damp but still gets going plenty fast. I've not mastered hard carves this deck but i have fun on groomers with it - soft and powerful. Like I said, its not as set-back, I can traverse uphill with it and its got exceptional base glide.

Jones Hovercraft is my go-to powder board. If i were to enter a race, I might grab this as well. Its very fast on pow and groomers. Very easy to get the back end around and gives a lot of confidence all over the mountain. Its pretty good in chop but i'd take my backwoods or XV given the choice - they buck less than the HC.

The Orca is by go-to cruising board. As I get older, i can only ride those other decks for so long before fatigue sets in unless its a powder day. The Orca is loose, rockers, and short. It doesn't do anything exceptional but seems to do everything nice and easy. Carves are slashy and fun with the serrated edges (again kinda slow compared to the other decks), has enough base glide and speed, does pretty good in all powder depths. It doesn't require me to use as much muscle and the looseness of the rocker brings a different aspect than the rest of my quiver.

The effective edges, the camber profiles, stiffness all produce something different. Depending on the snow day, i usually rotate between an aggressive board in the AM when my legs are fresh, and either the Orca or Backwoods for when my legs aren't 100%. But then again, I've also had days when I brought out the stiff decks later in the day because I was anticipating a lot of chop after lunch. My suggestion is to shop for boards off-season for 50-60% off and try a few out. Don't be a sucker and pay near full-price during the season.

Good luck!
 
#21 ·
I'm 6' 220lbs size 12 boots. I own/ride the following:

Rossi XV 168W (2015 model - $349)
Rossi XV 174W (2019 model - $370)
Weston Backwoods 163W (2024 model - $343)
Jones Hovercraft 1.0 164 (2022 model - $300)
Lib Tech Orca 159 (2021 model - $387)

I love all these boards, but my preference for riding them depends on the conditions, attitude, and energy/effort level. My XVs are my daily drivers. They haul ass, very stable at speed, great grip on groomer and can plow over anything because they have a reverse directional camber profile (stiffer in the nose than tail). I ride with skiers and can usually pass or catch them with the speed of the XVs. They are not my preferred pow decks but they do work well if needed.

The Backwoods is an interesting board, as its not as set-back as any of the other decks and is the widest thing I own. I'd probably opt for a regular width if i had to do it over. Very surfy feel in the pow, very mellow and damp but still gets going plenty fast. I've not mastered hard carves this deck but i have fun on groomers with it - soft and powerful. Like I said, its not as set-back, I can traverse uphill with it and its got exceptional base glide.

Jones Hovercraft is my go-to powder board. If i were to enter a race, I might grab this as well. Its very fast on pow and groomers. Very easy to get the back end around and gives a lot of confidence all over the mountain. Its pretty good in chop but i'd take my backwoods or XV given the choice - they buck less than the HC.

The Orca is by go-to cruising board. As I get older, i can only ride those other decks for so long before fatigue sets in unless its a powder day. The Orca is loose, rockers, and short. It doesn't do anything exceptional but seems to do everything nice and easy. Carves are slashy and fun with the serrated edges (again kinda slow compared to the other decks), has enough base glide and speed, does pretty good in all powder depths. It doesn't require me to use as much muscle and the looseness of the rocker brings a different aspect than the rest of my quiver.

The effective edges, the camber profiles, stiffness all produce something different. Depending on the snow day, i usually rotate between an aggressive board in the AM when my legs are fresh, and either the Orca or Backwoods for when my legs aren't 100%. But then again, I've also had days when I brought out the stiff decks later in the day because I was anticipating a lot of chop after lunch. My suggestion is to shop for boards off-season for 50-60% off and try a few out. Don't be a sucker and pay near full-price during the season.

Good luck!
Thank you for that detailed information and its very helpful since I'm also not a spring chicken anymore and can my legs can get pretty burnt by mid-day!

I ended up going with suggestions by the guy that runs "the good ride" website/youtube channel since he's ridden so many boards. I went with United Shapes Cadet. Its hear and ready to roll - plan on getting out on it tomorrow for first impressions!

Thank you all for your suggestions! I'm sure I'll end up wanting to expand the quiver even further so i will definitely be referencing this thread for tips!
 
#27 ·
Ok, quick thoughts on a groomer day for the United shapes cadet.

Disclaimer: I am in no way a professional board reviewer and have limited experience on range of boards ridden so i will try my best!

  • Flex seems about accurate 6-7 firmness
  • Grip on edge was quite good! (especially coming from rocker with magnetraction to a more camber focused board).
  • flat riding was quite good, but not great, being a little wider in the front, i got edge bucking on very rare occasions riding cat tracks
  • just casual relaxed carving and edge to edge was still playful/surfy - i didnt feel like if i let my guard down id get rocked by catching an edge
  • speed from base was upper end of good, i am just rocking OEM wax.
  • Board stability in chop was very good, gets up to speed quick and stays stable (i do think i could have used a slight larger board but 162 is largest size)
  • pop was good but didnt get to really dig into this

No comments on tree riding, or powder just yet

Pic attached for good measure!
 

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