[DexterMichigan]

:dunno:

What do you guys think?

So, I read every review, asked on this forum and elsewhere, and last year bought my wife a Neversummer Lotus 151 to replace her well-aged 1995 Burton Custom 151. She rode it on one trip last year out to Whistler (which had lots of powder), and road it in our local downhill ski race slalom league (more of a beer league). We just got back from Jackson Hole. She road the Lotus for about 3 hours, decided she couldn't find an edge on the hybrid rocker board, so we went to the local shop and she rented a demo board for the rest of the trip (no fresh snow, all packed powder and groomer corduroy). She rented a Lamar Holy Moly II 155 (it was the shorted woman's camber board they had). She really liked it and rode the heck out of it on all sorts of blues/double-blues/blacks around JH on it.

She mostly rides groomers, and is 5'7", 115 lbs, size 10 womens boot. We get maybe one good week of skiing out west per year, so that limits the number of days to adapt.

I don't know what to make of it. She hated this super duper board. I think if she had given it more time she could have got used to the reverse camber, but she didn't want to. She thought it got squirrly at high speeds when trying to hold edges or carving. This sounds like a fairly common reaction.

So, should I sell this board and get her something else, or convince her to try it again?

 

[binarypie]

:dunno:

What do you guys think?

So, I read every review, asked on this forum and elsewhere, and last year bought my wife a Neversummer Lotus 151 to replace her well-aged 1995 Burton Custom 151. She rode it on one trip last year out to Whistler (which had lots of powder), and road it in our local downhill ski race slalom league (more of a beer league). We just got back from Jackson Hole. She road the Lotus for about 3 hours, decided she couldn't find an edge on the hybrid rocker board, so we went to the local shop and she rented a demo board for the rest of the trip (no fresh snow, all packed powder and groomer corduroy). She rented a Lamar Holy Moly II 155 (it was the shorted woman's camber board they had). She really liked it and rode the heck out of it on all sorts of blues/double-blues/blacks around JH on it.

She mostly rides groomers, and is 5'7", 115 lbs, size 10 womens boot. We get maybe one good week of skiing out west per year, so that limits the number of days to adapt.

I don't know what to make of it. She hated this super duper board. I think if she had given it more time she could have got used to the reverse camber, but she didn't want to. She thought it got squirrly at high speeds when trying to hold edges or carving. This sounds like a fairly common reaction.

So, should I sell this board and get her something else, or convince her to try it again?

For the sake of saving money ask her to give it a little more time while she adjusts to the new flex pattern.

That being said.

If you do end up replacing it you should buy from a store that has a no questions asked return policy so next time you can just exchange. Backcountry.com and REI both have this type of policy. Although, it does mean in some cases you will pay more up front.

 

[killclimbz]

That is funny. Hybrid boards do ride different than cambered decks. What you said at speed is true. It takes a little more effort. I find that the RC boards carve fine, but they are different no doubt. Generally speaking the hybrid boards are easier to turn and of course much better in powder. So maybe you want to have her give it a try on a powder day. Also, maybe she won't care for the hybrid profile. Some people just don't like to adjust from what they've learned. That is fine too.

Bummer if she doesn't like or want the board. At least Neversummer's hold decent value and you should be able to sell it for a decent price.

I also think this also goes to prove there is no one board for everyone.

 

[P.Swayze]

If you do end up replacing it you should buy from a store that has a no questions asked return policy so next time you can just exchange. Backcountry.com and REI both have this type of policy. Although, it does mean in some cases you will pay more up front.

This.

Go to your local snowboard shop and check out some boards in person. You can get some expert advise from professionals as well as hand flex the boards and get a better feel for what you are purchasing in person.

If you do not have a local Shop nearby, I would recommend the CAPiTA Saturnia 152 - Its a softer cambered twin that is very easy and fun to ride for ladies-

My Girlfriend has also ridden the Outdoor Living 152 which is a zero camber twin and LOVES it- It is a men's board but has a soft flex and a waist width that will accomidate her size 10 boot-

 

[HeroForADay]

I'd probably have her give it another shot, and maybe on better or just different snow. My wife learned on a very similar, and fairly archaic Burton that was stiff as hell, and fully cambered, so that's all she knew. More recently I got her into using a mixed RC profile, and she ended up going with something pretty soft, and full rocker (Burton Feather), and now she loves it for her riding.

Her and I ride quite differently, so once she got a board that was more for cruising the hill at slower speeds, and typically a much less grade, she found that it was difficult to adjust to the float and playfulness of something that wasn't made out of a 2x4.

 

[BigmountainVMD]

Backcountry.com/dogfunk.com are the way to go.

It is certainly different than camber, but those boards still hold an edge quite well.

She probably would have liked it more in the powder.

On the other hand, I have a friend that just bought his wife the Lotus and she is not a fan. She comes from riding Rome camber boards only. But yeah, she won a women's national BX and slopestyle comp (for the 40+ age group) out at Copper Mtn., and kept on saying how the Lotus felt weird even though she got it specifically for BX.

 

[mixie]

:dunno:
What do you guys think?

I demoed a Lotus last season and rode it on a pretty deep pow day at June Mountain. Probably 2 feet? One of the few days it actually dumped last season!! I did not really review it. While I liked it I wasn't in love and didn't buy it (I bought a Roxy Envi)

While it handled phenomenally in the powder I found it lacking in a few other ares. First one being that I thought it was a touch too soft.

She road the Lotus for about 3 hours, decided she couldn't find an edge on the hybrid rocker board

I didn't find that to be a problem, but I spent very little time with it on groomers and was mostly in thigh deep pow on moderatly steep tree runs. West coast single blacks I guess you could say? Non rated off piste runs I guess you could call them? I dunno...Fun is what I call them it did very well in those conditions as well as handling chopped up tracked out pow. Rode over crud like a dream. However that dampness made it less fun to ride in non pow conditions. It had Z E R O 'pop' and just felt lifeless over all.

She thought it got squirrly at high speeds when trying to hold edges or carving. This sounds like a fairly common reaction.

Yup. Me too. I did not feel super confident with it in speeds excess of 30mph. I was riding with gps as I often do. My upper limit comfort zone is about 45mph and I regularly cruise around at 30-35mph. Im hoping to get over that and hit 50mph this year...anyway

My Roxy feels rock solid at high speed. Its the fear that holds me back when I start hitting 45+mph not the board. On the Lotus anything over 30 and felt kinda sketchy and I had a very bad crash on a groomer going about 35ish. Board just dumped me and I don't even know what happened. I was riding along down a single black groomed run. I never flat base, I always maintain at least a shallow edge, at least at those speeds! So I was crusing along almost back to the chair and I got that "oh shit I think the tail is comin' round" feeling and BAM next thing I knew I was face down in the snow. Thankfully the mountain was totally empty and NO ONE saw me so my ego remained unharmed.... I mean...I didn't cause anyone else to crash :laugh: Well the lifty saw

The board does like to pick up speed for sure which coupled with the squirllyness is a problem. I was speed checking all over the place and had another bad crash when I hit a lip of pow where a cat track was. I was going W A Y to fast for my ability for hitting jumps and I failed to stick the landing on the groomer...It was low light and I didn't even see the cat track had been cut into the pow until it was way to late to speed check. Had I know there was a big kicker coming up, no WAY Id have been going so fast and man I got launched :dizzy: ....of course that crash was right under the lift line. Ego took a beating on that one for sho....as did the helmet. That could happen on any board, and I can't blame the Lotus..

So, should I sell this board and get her something else, or convince her to try it again

I dunno...what does she think?

Personally I'd keep it as a pow deck and buy another board. But i am all for buying gear and you probably won't make much on selling it anyway.

You might want to pick up a second set of bindings for her too. Then you don't have to move them back and forth. Valentines day is coming up you know! :laugh:

 

[DexterMichigan]

Thanks for the input. I'll try to convince her to give it another shot. I agree completely about the powder. Last year she enjoyed it at Whistler, but we were getting dumped on.

I think she just didn't want to fight to get confident on it when we only had 4 days to ski. Unfortunately, we are flatlanders, so we don't get much time to ski and check out new equipment. Also, there is a complete shortage of knowledgeable local ski shops.

I bought the board from Evo.com. They had a decent return policy, but I don't think 14 months later will make it.

Any thoughts on a more cambered or flatter board to check out that is good for groomers for her?

 

[ippy]

If she doesnt like it, she doesnt like it. She tried it on two different occasions and its not working for her. Shes happier on a camber board. So it goes. Whats this idea she cant make up her mind on it? I havent loved every board ive bought either. Its just the way it goes sometimes. Check out a tech, dont like it, sell it, pick up something else. I really have a feeling (as i often do here) that this is more about neversummer fanboyism than trying to help someone get the right board for them. Some people will like (or LOVE) R+C (i demod the premier the other week and absolutely LOVED it, though honestly the hype turns me off the brand) some people wont. Some people will love their lotus, some people would rather rip it on a lamar. Why on earth would you try and convince her to ride a board she doesnt like when theres boards out there she clearly DOES like. Its clearly the camber profile thats annoying her. This doesnt mean the board is shit or that its poorly designed, it just means for this person she aint enjoying it. I really do feel if it was ANY OTHER BRAND the answer would be "well she enjoys the lamar more, so you know, obviously she should be on the board shes having teh most fun on!"

 

[Nivek]

Did you mean Forum Holy Moly 2?
Ask her if she wants something else?? Just a thought.

If so, Ride Farrah, Signal Vita, Nitro Fate, YES TDF, Burton Feelgood Camber, Arbor Push, or see if you can find a 2012 K2 Wolfpack.

 

[BigmountainVMD]

It's worth mentioning that something as simple as shifting your weight further forward or back can do a lot for edge hold with the hybrid boards. When you get a new ride, especially something a decade more new than what you are used to, troubleshooting is a needed process to get the riding dynamics down.

 

[Treegreen]

There's a lot of great advice in this thread, but it ultimately comes down to her riding style and the conditions you're normally riding. If she likes to carve and really dig the edges in on icy east coast snow she probably will want a traditional camber deck.

On the other hand, she might find a different brand's hybrid/rocker shape perfectly acceptable. It's totally possible that she might find Magnatraction (or whatever) fixes the edge complaints she had with the Vario sidecut. For example, you might have her demo a Gnu B-Pro and see if she still has the same complaints (Warning: it looks absurd).

If you can swing it I actually second Mixie. If she liked the Lotus in pow keep it for trips and the occasional pow day. Then pick up another camber deck for her everyday cruising/carving/riding. If you can't, sell the Lotus and let her pick out something else she'll be happy on for the majority of your riding.

 

[cocolulu]

Yeah, I went from a camber board to an NS hybrid and felt something similar in the beginning. Mostly it was just that if I threw in a really aggressive carve, the NS wouldn't hold the edge as well and it was easier to sideslip.

I've never had problems with squirreliness though, but my board is a bit oversized for me.

After awhile though, I got used to it.

 

[DexterMichigan]

All very helpful thoughts. Thanks very much to everyone. I think I'll see if she wants a new board and recommend keeping the Lotus for good powdery days. I don't mind spending the money (I was piggybanking to get myself a modern board, but I too am scared of these modern new-fangled rocker and hybrid boards, so I'll just buy her another one).

I did mean Holy Moly II by Forum, not Lamar (brainfart). Thanks. I'm sure she can get around to riding the Lotus well, but we didn't have a long ski trip and the conditions were all packed powder/corduroy from a lack of snow at Jackson Hole. She just didn't feel like learning the hard way on a short trip.

 

[fatbob]

:dunno:

What do you guys think?

So, I read every review, asked on this forum and elsewhere, and last year bought my wife a Neversummer Lotus 151 to replace her well-aged 1995 Burton Custom 151. She rode it on one trip last year out to Whistler (which had lots of powder), and road it in our local downhill ski race slalom league (more of a beer league). We just got back from Jackson Hole. She road the Lotus for about 3 hours, decided she couldn't find an edge on the hybrid rocker board, so we went to the local shop and she rented a demo board for the rest of the trip (no fresh snow, all packed powder and groomer corduroy). She rented a Lamar Holy Moly II 155 (it was the shorted woman's camber board they had). She really liked it and rode the heck out of it on all sorts of blues/double-blues/blacks around JH on it.

She mostly rides groomers, and is 5'7", 115 lbs, size 10 womens boot. We get maybe one good week of skiing out west per year, so that limits the number of days to adapt.

I don't know what to make of it. She hated this super duper board. I think if she had given it more time she could have got used to the reverse camber, but she didn't want to. She thought it got squirrly at high speeds when trying to hold edges or carving. This sounds like a fairly common reaction.

So, should I sell this board and get her something else, or convince her to try it again?

You say your wife has size 10US size boots? My opinion is that the board is too narrow at just 235mm waist width. Most women's boards have smaller waist widths as women tend to have smaller feet. Likely to feel unstable at speed and likely to loose edge grip through toe/heel drag.

Another reason your wife doesn't get on with the board maybe technique. If she doesn't move her weight along the length of the board she won't drive in and out of the turns. The Never Summer RC tech places camber at either end of the board so you need to move your weight to the nose of the board (fore movement) to drive the start of the turn and towards the tail (aft movement) once the board has crossed the fall line to drive the end of the turn. Get this right and the snap from the tail should set you up for the fore movement to start the next turn.

 

[DexterMichigan]

Hmm, I guess that board does seem a bit narrow. She isn't toe dragging, but she is close to it. She wears a women's US10 boot, which is a men's US9 boot. Not wide, but now narrow either. She said she thinks she would prefer another men's board, but I had figured that was silly with gender specific boards. She is only 115 lbs, so tall and light.

 

[fatbob]

Hmm, I guess that board does seem a bit narrow. She isn't toe dragging, but she is close to it. She wears a women's US10 boot, which is a men's US9 boot. Not wide, but now narrow either. She said she thinks she would prefer another men's board, but I had figured that was silly with gender specific boards. She is only 115 lbs, so tall and light.

I think due to foot size she'd be better off on a short men's board. Check waist width though before buying.

 

[Leo]

So she enjoyed the holy moly. It has a real funky camber profile. Size 10 boots, coming from camber, riding big mountains, all on a guys board and enjoying it. Ever thought about just buying her a smaller men's board and forgoing women's specific altogether?

If you stick with women's, look for something stiffer. I suggest taking a look at Ride's lineup. They have plenty of rocker and hybrid options. Any rocker they do have is also much more mellow than most other types out there. Slimewalls stiffen up the board while making it damper as well. All of this sounds up her alley.

The Ride Farrah sounds excellent for her. It's a rocker in the nose, but camber in the rest. She should experience a very similar ride to her old cambered board with the added benefit of a rockered nose for deeper situations.

 

[DexterMichigan]

Cool. Man, I guess I am a good husband, but I tried too hard. She justs wants to pull her old Burton Custom 151 out of the basement. She really liked the Holy Moly II, and that isn't a women's board and was long for her. She is just used to Camber and riding 2x4s. I'll check out that board too. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Nivek]

The Never Summer RC tech places camber at either end of the board so you need to move your weight to the nose of the board (fore movement) to drive the start of the turn and towards the tail (aft movement) once the board has crossed the fall line to drive the end of the turn. Get this right and the snap from the tail should set you up for the fore movement to start the next turn.

Right, yeah that's how you use camber to power through turns. Do that on RC and you'll wash out. Stay centered on RC and use the boards spring and sidecut to power through turns. At the most you can move your weight between your feet, but through it into the tip and you'll loose it.