Merc or Mega or Forget it

2105 Views 16 Replies 7 Participants Last post by lccnw, 5 mo ago

El Cholo Rojo

Discussion Starter · 8 mo ago

Looking for new all mountain board. I ride challenging terrain, lots of moguls and everything. Hot laps riding Resolution at Copper, 23 at Mammoth, etc. Will cut through the park for a quick line every once in awhile, but usually don't bother. Like to go fast, ollie stuff, and grab tindy.

Merc or Mega or Something else?

Need it to be nimble though, hate a boat. Also looking for something with snap. Got a Kazu that boosts and it's always a good time, but the Merc doesn't have panda core anymore. I've also seen people here complain that the Merc's edge to edge is hooky, slow, and they hate it. But the other half seem to love it. Maybe a sizing issue? Whats the verdict for the 2023? I'm 185lbs and would get a 157.

Do the Merc and Mega ride similar just with different tech/weight, or is the Mega going to be super stiff? Is the Merc going to be more pleasant for cruising corduroy in the morning after a coffee and a bowl in the gondy? Will it be too soft for dropping hammers? Is the Mega a dentist board? Which will make for the steeziest back 1?

Note: I already Ebay'd some Nike boots and Supreme beanie. Still deciding on which white Unions.

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eleveneightnate

· #2 · 8 mo ago (Edited)

El Cholo Rojo said:
I've also seen people here complain that the Merc's edge to edge is hooky, slow, and they hate it. But the other half seem to love it. Maybe a sizing issue?

I'm 180 and rode the regular Merc 157 for a season (18/19). I felt the hookiness because I do a lot of buttering, spinning off sidehits, bonking fat skier kids, etc. You don't feel it at all at speed, but once you slow down and start doing flatland stuff, or don't land perfect, it does feel a little wonky. I'm guessing the people that don't experience this problem are always straightlining.

Angry says it's because of the effective edge length, which I would combine with the death grip (hate it) and maybe the base structure trying to pull you back into place. I hear detuning between the bindings helps.

El Cholo Rojo said:
Is the Mega a dentist board?

Yes, absolutely. I've yet to see anyone actually ripping a Mega here in CO. It's always guys on vacation with 30L backpacks, North Face jackets, and GoPro'ing themselves skidding turns on Schoolmarm. I have no doubt it's sick if you know how to rip, but more power to Capita for convincing so many kooks they need this board.

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TheHolyMountain

· #3 · 8 mo ago

"A dentist board" Bwahahahaha...I mean, that's funny BUT what makes it a dentist board? Because it is expensive?

Mike256

· #4 · 8 mo ago

eleveneightnate said:
It's always guys on vacation with 30L backpacks, North Face jackets, and GoPro'ing themselves skidding turns on Schoolmarm.

you’re describing a combination of rinnekangas with his north face jacket, fridge with his backpack, and trice always goproing humself, so this person on the mega sounds fricken awesome!

El Cholo Rojo

Discussion Starter · #5 · 8 mo ago

Mike256 said:
you’re describing a combination of rinnekangas with his north face jacket, fridge with his backpack, and trice always goproing humself, so this person on the mega sounds fricken awesome!

Awesome anywhere but on Schoolmarm. I dig how you look at the bright side of the person being described tho.

eleveneightnate said:
Angry says it's because of the effective edge length

Capita calls it a freeride board, so that makes sense. Also more up my alley than freestyle, but like a directional twin for switch etc.

eleveneightnate said:
flatland stuff, or don't land perfect, it does feel a little wonky.

I don't do as much buttering, but sounds like I'll be screwed since I always land sketchy af.

What led me to Merc is wishing my Revenant had more pop for daily driving. I have to put a lot into ollies with that thing, killed a lot of slow signs.

The Mega def seems garish, but if its worth it, then F it. I brush everyday for a reason. Once Val Surf gets Mercs in I'll go hem and haw over it IRL too.

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eleveneightnate

· #6 · 8 mo ago

El Cholo Rojo said:
What led me to Merc is wishing my Revenant had more pop for daily driving. I have to put a lot into ollies with that thing, killed a lot of slow signs.

Rome National

El Cholo Rojo

Discussion Starter · #7 · 8 mo ago

Good call, I forget about the National. Last Rome I had was a Mountain Division and loved it, even though totally diff board.

Size down to 156? what about a 2021?

eleveneightnate

· #8 · 8 mo ago

El Cholo Rojo said:
Good call, I forget about the National. Last Rome I had was a Mountain Division and loved it, even though totally diff board.

Size down to 156? what about a 2021?

The ‘20/21 is a better graphic than the current one IMO, and I don’t think they changed much in the construction. Overall, it sits a little between the Merc and Mega Merc flex-wise, has more camber, a better sidecut, no death grip bullshit, no weird catchiness, and pops to the moon. Think it’d be a great option for you.

The 156 and 158 have the same waist width but the 156 has a tighter sidecut. You’re right at the top end of the 156’s weight range, so it’ll be playful in that size or more charger in 158.

Elevation212

· #9 · 8 mo ago

For what your saying the BSOD seems like a better fit from capita, second nod to the yes uninc standard or Ride algorythm

Reactions: 1

AC93

· #10 · 8 mo ago

eleveneightnate said:
I'm 180 and rode the regular Merc 157 for a season (18/19). I felt the hookiness because I do a lot of buttering, spinning off sidehits, bonking fat skier kids, etc. You don't feel it at all at speed, but once you slow down and start doing flatland stuff, or don't land perfect, it does feel a little wonky. I'm guessing the people that don't experience this problem are always straightlining.

Angry says it's because of the effective edge length, which I would combine with the death grip (hate it) and maybe the base structure trying to pull you back into place. I hear detuning between the bindings helps.

Yes, absolutely. I've yet to see anyone actually ripping a Mega here in CO. It's always guys on vacation with 30L backpacks, North Face jackets, and GoPro'ing themselves skidding turns on Schoolmarm. I have no doubt it's sick if you know how to rip, but more power to Capita for convincing so many kooks they need this board.

I think T.Rice and Lib did a better job of convincing all the kooks on the planet that they should buy the Orca as a daily driver, even though its a pow deck through and through.

eleveneightnate

· #11 · 8 mo ago

AC93 said:
I think T.Rice and Lib did a better job of convincing all the kooks on the planet that they should buy the Orca as a daily driver, even though its a pow deck through and through.

The Orca pods definitely dominate the streets of kookville.

Reactions: 1

El Cholo Rojo

Discussion Starter · #12 · 6 mo ago

2

Got the Merc. 157. Rode it this weekend for first time.

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AC93

· #13 · 6 mo ago

El Cholo Rojo said:
Got the Merc. 157. Rode it this weekend for first time.

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That's an easy fix. How did you like it though?

El Cholo Rojo

Discussion Starter · #14 · 6 mo ago

AC93 said:
That's an easy fix.

Tru. It's what they're made for, shortens the "precious" phase a lot this way.

I'm thinking it will serve gun purposes.

As everyone has said, it rides different and takes getting used to. You can tell it wants to kill you, but it doesn't. Like when your friend gets a rescue pit bull.

Feels bigger than 157. Guess long EE/ sidecut/ stiffness will do that. Its definitely stable and fast, wants to go fast. Edge to edge isn't super quick, but not clunky either. Tight turns take significantly more effort. A tight carve doesn't really happen, it won't go slow enough. Found myself just bombing and ollie-ing instead of weaving my way through stuff. Boosts great, literally said "oh damn" just first little warm up.

It seems to be more Lambo than daily. Or a PreRunner with long suspension in Baja 500.

All this is after only a couple hours, I could easily change my mind on all of this. Looking forward to getting it in some fresher snow with less Thanksgiving hungover to really see how it operates.

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AC93

· #15 · 6 mo ago

El Cholo Rojo said:
Tru. It's what they're made for, shortens the "precious" phase a lot this way.

I'm thinking it will serve gun purposes.

As everyone has said, it rides different and takes getting used to. You can tell it wants to kill you, but it doesn't. Like when your friend gets a rescue pit bull.

Feels bigger than 157. Guess long EE/ sidecut/ stiffness will do that. Its definitely stable and fast, wants to go fast. Edge to edge isn't super quick, but not clunky either. Tight turns take significantly more effort. A tight carve doesn't really happen, it won't go slow enough. Found myself just bombing and ollie-ing instead of weaving my way through stuff. Boosts great, literally said "oh damn" just first little warm up.

It seems to be more Lambo than daily. Or a PreRunner with long suspension in Baja 500.

All this is after only a couple hours, I could easily change my mind on all of this. Looking forward to getting it in some fresher snow with less Thanksgiving hungover to really see how it operates.

Great review man, i get what you're saying!

El Cholo Rojo

Discussion Starter · #16 · 5 mo ago

Just thought I'd update:

Merc has become the only board I really care to use. Now with so many boards wasting away in my garage, Boomerang is about to get a surge in inventory.

I didn't detune or anything. Once you don't expect it to be something different and it breaks in a little, its a great time.

Its that pitbull who you gave treats to, now just wants to curl up and love on you.

lccnw

· #17 · 5 mo ago

I'll echo the OP's opinion and drop my unsolicited take here. I picked up a 22/23 Mercury 156W this summer and then hurt my neck before I could take it up to Timberline to test it out. My neck is better now and early season in Idaho has been good, so I've gotten to take it up a few times now. I really, really like it.

For context this is my 24th season (with life gaps), and I owned what I think is the ancient ancestor to this deck, the 03/04 Capita Photography(?) series, which was kinda Tyler LePore's project IIRC. Just a mildly directional, medium aggressive AM deck. That morphed into the Totally Awesome, which became the Totally FKn Awesome, which got toned down into the Mercury (maybe the lasers coming out of topless skier ladies' chests wasn't a hit with parents).

I worked in the snow industry from 2008-2012 and got to demo a Totally FKn awesome in 2011 and loved it. It was aggressive but weirdly playful too. Absolutely has the teeth and the jaw muscles when holding a carve but will cuddle up when it's time to slow down and snipe some side hits.

Having taken the Mercury out a few times now, I can say for my tastes, it is my favorite board I've ever ridden or owned. But I can see how some people don't dig it, especially the Death Grip bumps. I personally love it and for me the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, particularly when encountering unexpected firm snow/ice or needing to drive a last second turn. But slowed down or cruising along cat tracks, you do have to pay a little extra attention to your edges as you can feel the Death Grip bumps try and engage, along with that deep base structure trying to straighten you out. It didn't bug me though. This is the first board I've ever done zero detuning on, and have no intention to do so at this point.

I don't go wild with butter tricks and of course a softer deck would be better for those, but there are worse boards than the Merc. Again with the Death Grip, I really like getting the edge to engage and stop the rotation when landing cutty little spins. I think it would be a significantly less worthy deck for mini-tricks if it weren't for the rockered nose/tail. At the same time, I've already landed shitty a few times and DID NOT get slammed like I probably deserved. The aggression/forgiveness I've experienced so far is a tasty combo.

Lastly, it's not too bad of a switch rider and the side hit back 1s on it seem pretty steezy.

TL;DR Cool new age all mountain ripper. I love it but would suggest trying it first.

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