[korer]

Hi all,

My measurements are 180 lbs / 80 kg, 5'6 / 170 cm, size 8,5 foot. Stance angles 18 / -6.

I have been riding for more that 10 years and dislocated my shoulder like 8 years ago. I just started riding last year back again and now focusing mostly on all-mountain, freeriding and trying to chase powder as much as I can. No park, doing small jumps on side hits, almost eurocarving and ollie 180s.

Last year I bought a Jones Frontier 159 with 25,4 waist width as an all mountain deck and I have been very happy with it this year on groomers and in powder.

Now I am really looking for a mid-wide / wide volume shifted resort ripper on the shorter end with good powder riding capability.

So far my shortlist in order of inclination as below, also based on the discounts I could find in Europe after the end of season. Prices are between 350 to 450 EUR.

• Jones Hovercraft 156 with 26 WW => not much shorter and not too wide compared to the Frontier, still very directional, a great carver and very good in powder
• Korua Stealth 156 with 26,9 WW => maybe too wide for my smaller feet but love the shape, only hearing great things about Korua shapes. A bit curious about long term usage of Korua boards.
• United Shapes Orbit 154 with 26,1 WW => good size for me, read and watched great reviews, maybe too stiff, curious about the brand and the long term reliability similar to Korua.
• Korua Dart 156 with 26,9 WW => same comments as Stealth + is it too directional?
• Rome Stalefish 153 with 26,5 WW => shorter and wider compared to other boards on this list, I guess also softer.
• GNU Gremlin 155 with 26,4 WW => a bit on the longer and wider side, but still looks like a great board. A bit curious about full magne-traction and not complete metal edge?
• Yes the Y 153 with 26,2 WW => I lean a bit more to above boards as I am curious about newer shapes with a directional tail, also read some worse reviews.
• Yes hybrid 154 with 26 WW => Same as above + it is softer than the Y. But have been reading better reviews on this board.
• Nitro Slash 156 with 26,5 WW => on the longer and wider side for my feet maybe.

I do not really have a chance to demo any of these boards, therefore looking to hear your comments and experiences on these boards for my 2nd weapon of quiver purchase.

thanks.

 

[korer]

forgot to add, specifically looking for full camber. camrock or s camber.

 

[Jan]

I also own a Frontier and just last spring complemented it with a 151 K2 Simple Pleasures, largely based on all the positive feedback I'd read here.

The SP is great for directional resort riding, carving and powder, and has fully relegated the Frontier and become my daily driver.

I haven't ridden any of the boards on your list, but the SP should be more forgiving than the Koruas or the Orbit, without being by any means 'soft' (6-7/10).

Ah, and it's also well within the price range above (or even below, at least in the EU)...

 

[unsuspected]

Can only speak for the Orbit that I own. It's a stiff charger that rides like a bigger board due to the long edge, my 157 feels more like a 164ish. It just wanna go and kill shit. Not a playful board at all but free carving master. Great on groomers and in pow.
@kimchijajonshim owns both a Stealth 163 and a Orbit 157.
@Yeahti87 has some info on Korua and Yes boards.

 

[Yeahti87]

How much important to you is switch and ollies 180s? Asking cos not sure if you’d like to keep you riding style (obviously not optimal but ‚doable’) on your new board or you go fully directional?

Have you tried other boards (e.g. friends’ boards) than the Frontier? If so, what did you like/didn’t like in them?

 

[korer]

Hi guys, thanks for all the replies.

For this board switch and 180s are not super important, going more directional is fine. I am planning to use this board for carving, powder and trees when I find. I am especially curious about Dart's and Hovercraft's directional-ness.

I have not really considered Ride and K2 brand wise; and their sizes are either too small or too wide for me.

I am open to new suggestions of course, but still curious about these boards. Could have also considered Amplid Surfari but it is considerably more expensive

Really I don't have a chance to try other boards. In the past I had softer freestyle boards. I love the feeling of Frontier's directional all mountain attitude compared to Never Summer Evo or Burton Jeremy Jones I had. But now I live in the Netherlands and plan to visit Alps couple of times a year with my wife and couple of friends only which do not have any of these boards.

 

[JDA]

Another vote for the K2 simple pleasures, I'm 84kg, 171cm and ride the 151. I have a Dart 156 too but the SP is a much more versatile board, you can enjoy riding it in any conditions. I have 7 boards in my quiver and the SP is easily in the top 3 of what I ride the most.

 

[NT.Thunder]

Is the SP available anymore? I thought they did away with it and just ran the Niseko Pleasures now which is slightly different no?

Probably going to be hard to find.

Looking at the specs, the NP is listed a touchh softer as a 6 Flex and SP a 7 and bases look different 5500/4000 so maybe just stiffness

 

[JDA]

Is the SP available anymore? I thought they did away with it and just ran the Niseko Pleasures now which is slightly different no?

Probably going to be hard to find.

Looking at the specs, the NP is listed a touchh softer as a 6 Flex and SP a 7 and bases look different 5500/4000 so maybe just stiffness

Still plenty of them in shops just no new ones coming for 2022 unless you want the softer Niseko version.

https://www.snowcountry.eu/k2-snowboards-simple-plesures.html?country=US&curr=EUR

 

[Jan]

This year's SP can still be found in Europe, currently at a very good price and in both sizes:

https://www.snowcountry.eu/k2-snowboards-simple-plesures.html?country=CH&curr=CHF&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsLWDBhCmARIsAPSL3_2BWmWLpHbqXsqzG67dEeuk6GNUSo8YBIOP7TB0jdg3tBkRXgwVmhEaAplxEALw_wcB

Yes, the SP will be discontinued as of next season – taken over by the Niseko Pleasures, same shape but slightly softer (and currently pricier).

Recently read some posts from @16gkid where he said that he preferred the NP over the SP.

 

[Yeahti87]

From that list I’ve owned/ridden some Koruas in different sizes (CR, Pencil, Dart, Otto), K2 SP 156, Yes Optimistic 154.

I’m ~~ 85 kg and 10 US nominal size (downsized to 9,5) and since people say NP is softer I’d pick the SP. I wouldn’t like the SP 156 to be any softer for my weight (though NP has sick graphics).

As far as Koruas are concerned, if you gonna ride good snow only, you’ll handle 269 heavily tapered waist but that will be a downside on hard snow (CR 64 is less fun as a daily driver for me than CR 59 was but I intentionally sized it up for a quiver board since I don’t see myself owning less than 6-7 boards any time soon). For an all condition ride the CR 59 was better at my size. K2 SP is an easier ride, not as chargy but it would stll deliver in all the aspects you mentioned very well.

The Y is a downgraded Optimistic and volume shifted tight sidecut boards have a very different feel. As many short carves as possible without charging hard. Like riding a go kart. Not that much directional (still floats great). Easy to ride switch actually.

None of these boards have any reliability/construction issues, don’t worry about that.

 

[foe]

@korer @Jan I'm really curious to know what you think of the Frontier e.g. where do you find it lacking vs the volume shifted boards? Is it the case of good all-rounder vs great carver?
Sorry to go off-topic but I'm looking to upgrade from a medium-soft twin (yes basic) to a directional all-mountain/freeride board. I was originally just looking at traditional sized boards (and the Frontier is high on this list) but I'm getting more and more interested in volume shifted boards such as the Korua TF and the K2 Simple Pleasures.
Sounds like you have both taken this path already!

 

[korer]

Thanks guys for all the answers. I really am not very enthusiastic about K2/Ride brands. I am sure the SP is a great board but I am now mostly focused on the newer brands like Korua, United Shapes and relatively older Jones.

So now narrowed down the list to

• Jones Hovercraft 156: still looking for a comparison between Korua and United Shapes
• Korua Stealth 156 => mainly still curious about 26,9 WW being too wide vs my feet, on Sunday I will go to a dealer to measure against my feet and boots. Apparently Korua team riders with smaller feet and ladies are riding the 26.9 WW but of course I am no team rider.
• United Shapes Orbit 154 => I think this board has the best measurements for me but it is more focused for carving and stiffer than rest.
• Korua TF 154 or 157 instead of Dart => same mid profile as the Stealth with better switch rideability. Well if I go with 157, 269 WW Tranny, I am not downsizing from my 159 frontier that much and not sure if 154 has too small of a surface area.

Also what is your experience about the high taper on Korua boards?

I want to keep the long effective edge and bigger radius for carving. The rest of the initial options have rounder sides.

 

[korer]

@korer @Jan I'm really curious to know what you think of the Frontier e.g. where do you find it lacking vs the volume shifted boards? Is it the case of good all-rounder vs great carver?
Sorry to go off-topic but I'm looking to upgrade from a medium-soft twin (yes basic) to a directional all-mountain/freeride board. I was originally just looking at traditional sized boards (and the Frontier is high on this list) but I'm getting more and more interested in volume shifted boards such as the Korua TF and the K2 Simple Pleasures.
Sounds like you have both taken this path already!

In the past I rode softer twin boards also and my last board was a hybrid rocker from 2012, never summer evo. When switching to a slightly directional and stiffer board with camrock, I loved the feeling of stability, power and versatility compared to my previous boards, even the frontier does not have the deepest camber nor is the stiffest board.

It is a great all rounder for groomers and shallow fresh snow/pow but in deep pow, you still need to weigh on the back leg quite a bit. I am looking for a volume shifted board not to replace my frontier but to compliment it as a more pow/freeride focused alternative. I plan to keep the frontier as daily driver.

To me, Frontier is a very good jack of all trades but master of none:

• not the most aggressive or responsive carver
• no taper, not the best float in powder
• not an all mountain twin for park

I am also not looking for a party board but more of a mid-wide variation also considering my feet are on the smaller side.

Well I do not have first hand experience but, I guess party boards would allow you to enjoy all-mountain/freeriding more like a softer freestyle board, while the options I mention above with bigger sidecuts act more like a dedicated freeride/powder board.

With a more traditional shape, you will have a narrower waist and longer effective edge, better for freeriding and quicker edge to edge. With a volume shifted board, you will have similar float on the shorter boards, hence better maneuverability and play factor.

 

[Yeahti87]

You will handle the 269 waist width Koruas, it’s not a big problem. Just wanted to emphasise that with that waist and stiffness you’ll find it less fun on icy hardpack/moguls. My 278 waist CR 64 with 278 mm longer foot is super fun snowsurf carver in soft snow/slush.

 

[foe]

Thanks @korer i appreciate your detailed response!
Have you considered the Jones Stratos? Not volume shifted but ticks a lot of the boxes you mention.

 

[korer]

Thanks @korer i appreciate your detailed response!
Have you considered the Jones Stratos? Not volume shifted but ticks a lot of the boxes you mention.

Stratos is actually very similar to Frontier, just with slight taper. On the other hand I really want to jump on the craze of volume shifted boards to experience for better float in shorter sizes and less chance of booting out while carving.

Otherwise Frontier is a really good all rounder as said, do not feel like I need a board like Stratos on top.

 

[Jan]

@korer @Jan I'm really curious to know what you think of the Frontier e.g. where do you find it lacking vs the volume shifted boards? Is it the case of good all-rounder vs great carver?
Sorry to go off-topic but I'm looking to upgrade from a medium-soft twin (yes basic) to a directional all-mountain/freeride board. I was originally just looking at traditional sized boards (and the Frontier is high on this list) but I'm getting more and more interested in volume shifted boards such as the Korua TF and the K2 Simple Pleasures.
Sounds like you have both taken this path already!

Similar to what @korer wrote.
I got the Frontier (2018 Explorer, actually) after years of riding an old, soft twin, and loved the bit of camber and extra stiffness it had wrt that old setup. It's a great do-it-all board, IMO.
My original plan for the SP was also to use it as a complementing board for powder days and improving my carving. Turns out it was so fun at these it ended up becoming all I rode in the 10 days I got this season.
I plan on keeping the Frontier for the mellower days with the family and hard/icy conditions, though.

 

[foe]

I really want to jump on the craze of volume shifted boards to experience for better float in shorter sizes and less chance of booting out while carving.

Got ya - makes sense. Look forward to seeing what you pick

@Jan thanks that's really useful

 

[Phedder]

If you want to maintain a longer effective edge and sidecut radius then the Korua TF 154 or US Orbit 154 are probably the best bets. Like you said 157+ isn't really downsizing at all, and most other options are tighter on the sidecuts and with less edge. A 154 Optimistic could work if you're okay with that sidecut, or Niche Pyre 150 if you want to really downsize and still have enough support and float.