@Craig51 Can you remind me what your boot size is? Didn't see it in the review (which I've read several times before)

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@Craig51 This is from last season yeah?

 

It was from 12 to 18 months ago. I noticed there was not an EA Snowboard Review thread in this section. It's just in the boards section which is pretty massive.

I sort of like the Snowboard Review section as you can fast track to a write up pretty quickly when you are looking at a new board.

Spewing as I've gone through a fair few of my HDD and I don't think I have any Japan pics of the EA. Some days it's just so good to be free of the Go-Pro.

 

Yep I really like the EA. I'm probably going to sell mine this year however. I'm going to swear now...., I've just got too many boards and can't ride them enough. They are like $Au999.99 rrp now.

 

How tall are you? Probably just be a weird angle, but it looks tiny.

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How tall are you? Probably just be a weird angle, but it looks tiny.

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6'4" (192cm). I use a smatree S2C carbon fibre pole. It's 1030mm which I need to get my size in without cutoffs.

 

Agree with this review 100% It’s kind of hard to believe that this board isn’t the ultimate pow deck based off its looks.

 

100 % spot on review.

I have Archetype 160W 2020 at 84-85 kg 9,5 US so definitely not too small for me and it’s still behind my Yes Optimistic 154 and Korua Cafe Racer 159 (and a couple of other powder oriented boards I’ve ridden like Rossi Sashimi or Amplid Surfari) when it comes to float (and I’ve ridden the Archetype in a waist deep powder, with the bindings 2 cm back from the reference).

I mean just look at that full camber (not really an S rocker) and a very slight upkick in a quite short nose. A powder shape but a full camber profile. That’s why it carves so well but it’s susceptible to nose diving like a typical full camber board. If you buy it as a playful freeride board you will be super stoked. I take it out when I want to carve and jump between groomers and powder stashes. The Archetype also does very well in trees but wide deep open powder is not its forte.

A great board but not a powder stick.
A couple of photos (unweighted, if you load the camber the difference in the nose is even more substantial):

 

Kinda weird how I bought the archetype for my pow day weapon and it ended up becoming my DD. Now I still need a pow deck 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

It’s mismarketed and overhyped in the powder performance in some reviews. The hype is real but on the groomers and jumping.
But that way I can have both Archetype and Korua without the dillema if I should ditch one of these for actually being not a quiver but a collection board 😁

 

Korua Dart 152 is next on my list

 

So is the archetype a poser board then? Why does it look like a hardcore powder board, but by all accounts it performs like an all mountain board? So weird, very interested to get a lap on mine. If my Overboard or Simple pleasures is better in powder im gonna laugh my ass off

 

It does float well but you have to be careful about the nose. A freeride board’s float, more powder-focused sticks float better. I’m pretty sure they will outperform it. SP looks like a less tapered, softer flexing Korua CR 159.

About a ‚poser’ board. Depends how you look at it. I’ve made some new friends because of the Archetype actually. I wasn’t planning to ditch my buddies for some random crew that day but some powder hounds in the Alps approached me when I was strapping in and they started a conversation about the board. Cool guys, a rad dad and a son. The dad started snowboarding in his 50s and got so stoked that they’ve built a kicker in their garden covered with this green plastic to train in the summer.

Turns heads like no other board for sure but a ‚poser board’ sounds like something that has only the cool looks. This one offers a great performance overall but it’s not a top-end floater.

 

If you fitted Re-Flex to it rather than EST you'd be able to get a lot more setback on the front foot (and consequently to the rear) which would assist it better in powder.

 

That’s the setup I have...

 

I saw this board in Japan this year and was instantly drawn to it, watched the guy a few times on some runs and looked very impressive. the guy knew it also. Was sweet to watch with a good rider.

 

@Craig51 is that a 0 binding angle rear binding and have you tried it +/+

I'm going to try the Surfari +/+ and just wondering if you've played around with the EA?

 

Yep, I'm going to run with +20/+5 on back foot this year.

 

If I have to slam the bindings back, is it really a good powder board? I hit that crazy storm in Breck in December and they got like 3-4 feet and I didn't have to change anything on the SP from my normal carving setup and I was one of the few people that could float on the really flat stuff. Like any board will be better if you slam the binding back, a good powder board shouldn't require that, IMO, that fucker better carve decent at least 😆

 

Just ride it back. It's really an all mountain/freeride board. It Just looks like it would go better in powder than it actually does.

 

❄ The Endeavor Archetype 162 Review.

❄ Brand: Endeavor,
❄ Model: Archetype,
❄ Year: 2019,
❄ Size: @162 (319/263/289),
❄ Shape: Freeride/Powder,
❄ Taper: 30mm,
❄ Core: Poplar + Paulownia with Birch channel reinforcement,
❄ Base: Dura Surf 4001 Sintered,
❄ Fiberglass Structure: Triaxial fiberglass with Carbon Tail Beams ,
❄ Sidecut Radius (m): 8.8,
❄ Profile: Hover Camber (set back),
❄ Flex: 7/10 (moderately stiff),
❄ Effective Edge: 1200mm,
❄ Running Length: 995,
❄ Stance Location: 0,
❄ Price: $Au879.99 RRP ($US629.95) @2022,
❄ Weight Range @162: 150-200 lbs.+ / 68-90kg+,
❄ Riding Level: Intermediate/Advanced/Expert,
❄ Bindings: Genesis X/Genesis EST™ (large),
❄ Wax: Hertal FC739,
❄ Rider: 192cm/96kg (kitted up),
❄ Rider Outerwear: Giro Range helmet/OT Chips 2.0, Quiksilver TR Hubble goggles, Quiksilver Black Alder 2L GORE-TEX Jacket / TR Premium 2L GORE-TEX pants, [ak] Powergrid base layer, [ak] Guide gloves, [ak] Endurance socks, Burton SLX boots, Quiksilver TR Platinum 24L riders backpack,
❄ Wax: Hertal FC739,
❄ Rider: 192cm/95kg (kitted up),
❄ Location: Thredbo, NSW.
❄ Camera: GoPro Hero 7 Black / Smatree S2C carbon pole / Samsung Galaxy S8,


(I just put this review of the Endeavor Archetype 162 together in the Snowboard Review Section from a mixture of my posts in other threads).

So I was looking for a truly powder focused board to add to my quiver as a good option for handling soft deep Japan. I've read a lot of reviews and the Endeavor Archetype gets a lot of wraps from riders who have experienced its unique performance. I ended up grabbing a 2019 Endeavor Archetype 162 few months ago and I thought I'd give it a review.

View attachment 159258


Now just looking at the Archetype it's definitely a board that instantly draws your attention. It's unique deep swallow tailed directional shape with 30mm of taper sort of has take me to the powder written all over it.
So lets have a closer look at the Endeavor Archetype.


View attachment 159259


Endeavor has installed in the Archetype what their call their "Hover Camber" which is basically just set back camber. There is not a lot of aggressive camber under foot at only 7mm between the bindings which then flattens and rises to rocker forward of the front binding channel. There is also not a lot of nose forward of the front effective edge at just 230mm which gives the Archetype a bit of a stubby nosed appearance. With the tail, it's another story with an aggressive tapering in from 195mm behind the rear effective edge. This gives the Archetype a lot of tail that is really doing nothing other than adding float and stability in powder. The Binding length in the Endeavor Archetype are a lot longer than mostly all Burton channel boards which will give you the ability of a greater stance width option. However the rear extremity of the front channel does sit pretty forward towards the nose for a powder orientated board.


View attachment 154011


So I Just returned from a few days from Thredbo in the Australian Alpine where I rode a few days each on my new '19 Custom 166W and '19 Endeavor Archetype 162. So this is a 1st impression ride from a solid day of riding with the Archetype. It's been 6 months since I've been riding after coming out of the heavenly Hokkaido Alpine so jumping back on the slopes of Australia is a bit of a downgrade but I'll take this any day just to get back on the mountain. Well I had the Endeavor Archetype 162 waxed up with Hertal FC739 and boy oh boy she's a quick little beast. Conditions on the day left me on groomed to later slightly mucked up slushy +2C overcast conditions to ride on. On a plus no real crowd problems.


View attachment 154015


So this is my 1st time in riding a swallow tail and the Archetype is a pretty extreme example of this. The Archetype 162 looks a little out there but boy it absolutely rips. It feels like a very competent carver....., turns edge to edge with so much ease.
This is the shortest board I've ridden for quite a while (being in the 95kg kitted up range) and you can feel this slight size difference with the Archetype in hand. I had the bindings dialed back to -20mm behind reference front and rear. I'm tending to always set up like this lately as I'm now more into directional freeriding in my older age.


View attachment 154013


This felt okay but underfoot I was feeling an unusual tiny bit wider in stance than on my 2019 Custom 166W. I later ripped out the tape measure finding the Archetype was 38mm wider than the Customs 560mm with both their indicated reference points. So I'll definitely be taking this into consideration the next time I set up.


View attachment 154014

I tried to lay down a few high speed euro's and could slightly feel the nose wanting to bite in a couple of times. Maybe need to try this out earlier in the day before it gets slightly chewed up. I normally have no problems with this on the longer Custom/Custom X but this could be me just taking on too much for a 1st day ride. The effective edges might be playing into this a little bit here at 1200mm for the Archetype 162 to 1295mm Custom 166W. Just need to be a little less aggressive with this smaller ride.


View attachment 154012


So from a 1st day ride on the Archetype it feels fairly solid. It's definitely a good board. Going back down for a week in 3 weeks time and I'll be taking the Custom X, Custom and Archetype. Hoping for a bit of powder to break the Archetype out on. This is where I feel the Archetype will really come to life.


View attachment 154018


So returned for a further few days on the '19 Archetype and another 2 days on '19 Custom 166W. Conditions were the usually groomed to mucked up Australian Alpine piste. Plenty of snow just not that much fresh stuff. Both boards absolutely ripped.


View attachment 154019


Had the Archetype fitted with Genesis X EST and dialed fully back to the rear on front (-10mm) and around -20 on the rear at my usual 560mm stance. Found a couple of untouched fresh patches and slashed around on the Archetype. I could feel the Archetype coming into its own here and really lapping these areas up. This ride also carves very hard for a semi S rocker type (hover camber) set up with it never losing an edge when I was laying it over and cranking the Archetype hard.

I notice the nose just had the slightest bit of chatter when riding through rougher areas of terrain. The Archetype has 2 carbon strips running in a V pattern from each swallow tail to around half way up the board for stiffness but to me this board feels a tiny less stiffer than say a Custom.


View attachment 154021


So I'm hanging to get this board over to Hokkaido to give it a real workout. Will see how I go with luggage weight but are planing with taking my Dump Truck 163, Archetype 162 and maybe if I can squeeze it in, the Custom 166W for those bluebird days.

So all in all from my short few days of riding....., the Archetype feels a pretty sweet board.

February, 2019 Hokkaido, Japan.

In Furano presently, last day before heading to Niseko for a week. Been an epic amount of snow, 10 to 15cm a day. I brought 3 boards over with me, Dump Truck 163, Archetype 162 and Fish 161. Yesterday I had a full day on the Archetype in the powder. It was super cold at windchill -35C and managed a little frostbite on nose as I was hammering it home. Well this board went pretty good. Very surfy when you're in the powder. So easy to slash the tail around and change direction on the float. My only one gripe about the Archetype is I wish it was slightly longer for me being around 96kg/192cm kitted up. I have Genesis EST™ fully to the rear on front foot which is only about -10 and -20 on the rear foot. You notice when driving through untracked the nose sitting a bit low in front even though I'm leaning back slightly. I think I've been a little spoiled with how great the fish has performed. Back out off the powder onto the piste the Archetype feels soooo good here as a solid carver.

1st bluebird day outside today at -23C. I wonder what board I will take out today??? Just looked out window again heavy cloud coming over......., shit more snow again.


Last day in Niseko today so I thought I'd end the holiday with a big day on the Archetype. Had around 10 to 15cm in the last 24 hours so plenty of fresh powder available. Been riding my 161 Fish most of the time here and god I really love this board.

Did a number of decent drops into some uncharted zones. The Archetype worked well here so I ventured down for a few runs under the chairs where the untracked powder lay.

So look, I'll put this out there..., the Archetype is truly deceptive with its looks. To me, it feels way more comfortable as an All Mountain to Freeride board than what Endeavor markets it as, a true Powder slayer. This kind of left me a little disappointed as I was expecting far more from the Endeavor Archetype in the soft stuff. It can do powder areas pretty comfortably but just doesn't fill me with what I've experienced with the Fish. In my mind the Endeavor Archetype is very similar to my Dump Truck 163. I'd say the Archetype probably carves slightly a bit better where as the DT enjoys the powder a bit more. However, they're both really pretty close to each other. I find I get the most joy from the Archetype out on the groomers.

In my mind the Archetype's main flaw is that the front channel is positioned way too far forward and with EST™. You just can not get enough set back on the front bindings and the "Hover Camber" just doesn't give the Archetype enough lift for it to excel in powder. You stand it next to any of my other Boards I own and you can clearly see how far the front channel sits up on the board. A Re-flex/standard binding setup may/would probably slightly address this issue.

The Endeavor Archetype 162 is a really solid board and performs brilliantly more so as an All Mountain to Freeride snowboard. The Archetype carves pretty damn solid on the piste and can really hold it's head up high when bouncing into the powder pockets.
To be honest though, I was probably expecting the Endeavor Archetype to perform a bit better in the powder than what it did for me. I suppose being a bigger rider at 95kg may have stretched it a bit too far?...., and in Hokkaido laying it up against my Burton Fish 161 is really not that fair of a fight at all.

A credible 4 1/2 stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

I grabbed a 160w archetype last year and couldn’t agree with your assessment more, to me its a fantastic compromise board, super fun on groomers, trees and for dramatic slashes and very competent for powder less then 2 foot. If I was in japow all the time Id say its not extreme enough of a powder deck to really thrive, that said in most my northeast and Colorado experience its the perfect powder deck given most powder days I’ve seen are in the 8-16 inch range with a high probability that firmer conditions will need to be grappled with by day end, I also like that it’s not only cornered into pow days, I had a blast on it in spring conditions and think it’s the deck I have that reminds me the most of thrashing a short board.

im not sure what the marketing should be but bucketing it as a “powder” deck does a pretty amazing board a disservice imo

 

I keep kinda forgetting about this board. Looking at the specs again... I feel like it might be a solid yup replacement if I'm looking for something with a bit more WW in the same/similar size (154 for the EA).

 

it’s also really dope if you want old dude skiers and snowboarders to hit on you in the lift line. I have more folks asking me the purpose of the swallow then I ever expected. Gonna get me a sugah daddy

 

It’s definitely a conversation starter.


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I don't need any more of those tbh

Don't be so suburban boobie, we all need love

 

If only it had a clip for the tail like the old ride boards used to. Even more of a convo starter!

Did you guys see the new EA? Interesting construction that's for sure, but dang 650!

 

If only it had a clip for the tail like the old ride boards used to. Even more of a convo starter!

Did you guys see the new EA? Interesting construction that's for sure, but dang 650!

I don't like the new rock look on the topsheet

 

If they were to add a bit more rocker to the nose or something to improve the deep powder characteristics I would totally upgrade to a new one. Until then I’ll keep the one I have for all mountain use and moderate powder days. I’m curious to see how the Niseko pleasures compares and whether they feel similar or not.


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I think the k2 instrument seemed similar from angrys review. Compared to the yup I mean.

 

What is the difference in this new legacy model? Is it just the carbon going tip to tail?

 

I asked about this before, but if anyone's familiar with the Ride Alter Ego... do you think there would be any utility for a tail clip like that on the EA? I feel like it would be really awesome for groomers and add some more stiffness to the tail. Could be really awesome especially if they add more rocker to the nose for float.

Regardless, it might not be a japow board, but I don't think one needs that kind of board for the vast majority of pow days in the US. From what everyone's saying the EA can handle 1.5-2ft of snow.



Yeah, that. Looks like the construction is significantly 'upgraded' which will likely make for a stiffer board.

 

I wish I had seen this review a couple weeks ago! I ride 90% pow days out in BC, so everything I own floats. It's to the point where I yearn for fresh courd.

Been looking to change up my Nitro Pow to something with a bit more tail but still wicked in deep tight trees, picked this up in 157W and found the float...disappointing. It goes, but the nose lets it down and it is totally sinkable. I figured at 175lbs an it would be a total weapon. It's decent on groomers and in the air, but the tail can't be relied on when you're laid out, so it's not really an AM board to me. I've only got a couple days on it, so fingers crossed I change my mind. Might just have to slam back all the way and see how it goes.

I've got a 160 Wired Vantage and realized that they're basically the same board minus the cut (designed by the same guy I guess it makes sense), and the vantage has more float and stability with 99% of the slashability.

I guess it'll look good on the wall if all else fails!

 

I think a lot of us can relate with your experience. At least now you have a reason to buy another powder board.


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Mate..., good footage from TJ of EA in Niseko. Notice he's leaning back a little but he is working it pretty well in the powder.

 

Mate..., good footage from TJ

Here's his review on a 154, not set back:

 

Nice footage, god I want to go this season. Are you going @Craig64

 

My kids are all tied up at work so it's getting the whole crews time frames sorted together. The kids want to bring their boyfriends/girlfriends. Son is about to start in NSW Ambo's in Jan' whilst daughter is working in NT. We are aiming for Jan '25 and will book early '24...., cross our fingers. I've booked in for 3 weeks Winter at Perisher with wife next year.

 

I saw that video this morning. Snow looks great already and it's only November!