[Snownanigans]

Hi all,

I always struggle when it comes to boards because of waist width.
Now I'm looking for a board that can handle pow but on the same run can cut through to a jump line. I weigh 56kg and have a size 7 boot.

Things I'm keeping in mind while looking....
A mid flexing board tends to be on the stiffer side to me
I don't generally enjoy a large effective edge....but i'm usually on ice

Having said this, some of the never summer boards have a small waist width for their size (while having quite a large effective edge). Usually ride a 148-50

I'm looking at...
- Arbor Coda 153...despite a 25cm waist
- NS Cobra 153....Pro: small waist width Con: large effective edge
- NS SL 151 &153....Pro: small waist width Con: large effective edge
- NS Proto CT 152....Pro: small waist width Con: large effective edge
- NS EVO 152....Pro: small waist width Con: large effective edge
- GNU Riders choice 151.5....not sure about the pickle
- LIB Tech Jamie Lynn Pheonix...maybe too agressive?
- LIB Tech TRS 151N...is this enough board for pow?


I have never ridden a lot of powder so not sure if my effective edge anxiety will be warranted in pow???

Cheers!

 

[areveruz]

I'd personally go with the Proto. I own an Evo, but it doesn't have as much as pop as the Proto. And, the Proto is a bit more stable and slays powder.

 

[redlude97]

151 SL. Better in pow than a proto and still jumps well

 

[BurtonAvenger]

You looked at this? Salomon Snowboards & Bonfire Snowboarding Powder Snake-147 - salomon-gear

 

[blunted_nose]

Wait till next year and get the flow Darwin. OR just buy the burton fish, then watch a video called "Mu and his fish"....

 

[BigmountainVMD]

You looked at this? Salomon Snowboards & Bonfire Snowboarding Powder Snake-147 - salomon-gear

That DOES look like a fun ride.

 

[RickB]

i thought more peoples would say Cobra

 

[Jules Winnfield]

151 SL. Better in pow than a proto and still jumps well

Just got home from Mt Hood. Over a foot of new snow in last 24 hours so finally got to ride my Proto in powder. In all honesty I could not be happier. Nose never dove on me. Had it centered at +15/-15, 23" wide stance and just effortless riding. I'm so impressed with this board. Went back and forth between this and SL and glad I went Proto. I'm 5'9" @ 200 pounds and ride a 160. Just sold my 157 to get the 160 and definitely noticed a difference in stability. 157 chattered through choppy conditions. And at speed felt a bit sketchy. 160 today felt nothing but inspiring. Might have lost a bit in park but now I feel i can take this all over the mountain. If I still had my Premier it would have stayed in the car today....

 

[redlude97]

Just got home from Mt Hood. Over a foot of new snow in last 24 hours so finally got to ride my Proto in powder. In all honesty I could not be happier. Nose never dove on me. Had it centered at +15/-15, 23" wide stance and just effortless riding. I'm so impressed with this board. Went back and forth between this and SL and glad I went Proto. I'm 5'9" @ 200 pounds and ride a 160. Just sold my 157 to get the 160 and definitely noticed a difference in stability. 157 chattered through choppy conditions. And at speed felt a bit sketchy. 160 today felt nothing but inspiring. Might have lost a bit in park but now I feel i can take this all over the mountain. If I still had my Premier it would have stayed in the car today....

I have a 158 SL and rode a 157 proto HD last weekend in 5-10". Going to take the proto HD out again today in 10-20". The proto is more fun overall, but without a doubt the SL floats better even with the shorter effective edge in those sizes. Both are great boards though.

 

[Snownanigans]

Ok. Seems the Proto and the SL are hard to split. Should i be concerned about the large effective edge being catchy?
Another thing that could make my decision easier is the fact that the SL comes in 151. I'm guessing the standard response to this comment will be that the 53 is better in pow and the 51 will do more things for me, question is how well will the 51 go in pow?

Avenger, I'm seriously intrigued by this powder snake thing. The 53's specs look pretty damn good to me. Have you ridden it? I can only assume it'll float well, how about groomers?

 

[ETM]

I own an SL and its shit in powder, Im not joking it is a very very ordinary powder board.
Im not going to argue with those who say its awesome because they clearly have not experienced something that really does work in powder. Never summer boards have short stumpy noses and that is what makes them ordinary powder boards. A board with a longer, more gradually up turning nose will work a lot better. Fact.

Look at
prior khyber or fissile
libtech birdman 160 (magnetraction good for ice)
burton cheetah or even fish
salomon powder snake
etc.


The NS will never be as good in powder as any of those boards and yes I have my flame suit on and its fucking thick.

 

[BurtonAvenger]

Ok. Seems the Proto and the SL are hard to split. Should i be concerned about the large effective edge being catchy?
Another thing that could make my decision easier is the fact that the SL comes in 151. I'm guessing the standard response to this comment will be that the 53 is better in pow and the 51 will do more things for me, question is how well will the 51 go in pow?

Avenger, I'm seriously intrigued by this powder snake thing. The 53's specs look pretty damn good to me. Have you ridden it? I can only assume it'll float well, how about groomers?

I've ripped it on varying conditions. Like ETM says you don't want a NS you want something with a different tip shape. Hell check out the K2 Happy Hour. 2012 Salomon Powder Snake Used and Reviewed «

 

[idshred]

I own an SL and its shit in powder, Im not joking it is a very very ordinary powder board.
Im not going to argue with those who say its awesome because they clearly have not experienced something that really does work in powder. Never summer boards have short stumpy noses and that is what makes them ordinary powder boards. A board with a longer, more gradually up turning nose will work a lot better. Fact.

The NS will never be as good in powder as any of those boards and yes I have my flame suit on and its fucking thick.

QFT

But anything with a more pow friendly shape/taper is a game changer in powder. People won't get this until they actually ride something that is a dedicated pow board.

OP- if you want a pow first, everything else second board don't get anything on your list....

 

[dreampow]

I have a 158 SL and rode a 157 proto HD last weekend in 5-10". Going to take the proto HD out again today in 10-20". The proto is more fun overall, but without a doubt the SL floats better even with the shorter effective edge in those sizes. Both are great boards though.

I have not ridden the SL, but the 157 proto HD will float at least as well, probably better IMO. The caveat is that you need to take 5 mins to set your bindings back (SL has a setback built in).

Why does it float better? Because as ETM said the stubby upturned tip on a normal board doesn't work well in pow. Thanks to the blunted tip I really don't see this as an issue for the proto.

I have riden mine through very deep (50cm plus) and sometimes heavy pow with a minimal setback and I find the float to be very very good (for a non pow specific deck). Obviously a more pow specific deck will always work better.

The flip side of the float from a pow specific deck is what you give up in other areas. With a cheetah, fish, prior or birdman you give up a lot IMO.

The OP clearly rides ice regularly. He is also talking about a VERSATILE pow deck that he can take through the jump line.

The proto is the best on the list for hitting the jump line and on ice.

We do not know how much pow he is talking about and my guess is that he doesn't need any of the boards ETM is suggesting for what he wants to do (apart from the powder snake which I like the look of).

The proto 152 is a very good option IMO, having said that the powder snake's smaller size (147) will probably work better for you with your small feet (depending on the terrain and depth of pow).

OP can you tell us more about where you want to ride, how deep the pow you ride is?

Is this board a 1 deck quiver for all occasions that also needs to do well in powder?

@ETM most people on here talking about pow will never see the depth you are riding nor the gentle terrain with long tree runs. You are also a very big guy and need much more board to keep you afloat.

I personally don't want a board that limits my ability to freestyle in the powder. I want to be able to spin 180s and land them, do powder butters, tweak out my grabs.

Big ass powder boards limit those options and I will happily give up a little float for some extra playfulness. I almost never get stuck and regularly blast past people on directional pow decks who don't know how to keep their momentum in the deeps. Not saying I could blast past your good self as you clearly know how to ride pow and ride a pow rocket monster thingy.

If its very deep I will go with a more directional board, but for me it needs to be at least 30cm or 40cm to warrant this. Lets be honest most people rarely see more than this and only a few days a year.

Different strokes.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

I have not ridden the SL, but the 157 proto HD will float at least as well, probably better IMO. The caveat is that you need to take 5 mins to set your bindings back (SL has a setback built in).

Why does it float better? Because as ETM said the stubby upturned tip on a normal board doesn't work well in pow. Thanks to the blunted tip I really don't see this as an issue for the proto.

I have riden mine through very deep (50cm plus) and sometimes heavy pow with a minimal setback and I find the float to be very very good (for a non pow specific deck). Obviously a more pow specific deck will always work better.

The flip side of the float from a pow specific deck is what you give up in other areas. With a cheetah, fish, prior or birdman you give up a lot IMO.

The OP clearly rides ice regularly. He is also talking about a VERSATILE pow deck that he can take through the jump line.

The proto is the best on the list for hitting the jump line and on ice.

We do not know how much pow he is talking about and my guess is that he doesn't need any of the boards ETM is suggesting for what he wants to do (apart from the powder snake which I like the look of).

The proto 152 is a very good option IMO, having said that the powder snake's smaller size (147) will probably work better for you with your small feet (depending on the terrain and depth of pow).

OP can you tell us more about where you want to ride, how deep the pow you ride is?

Is this board a 1 deck quiver for all occasions that also needs to do well in powder?

@ETM most people on here talking about pow will never see the depth you are riding nor the gentle terrain with long tree runs. You are also a very big guy and need much more board to keep you afloat.

I personally don't want a board that limits my ability to freestyle in the powder. I want to be able to spin 180s and land them, do powder butters, tweak out my grabs.

Big ass powder boards limit those options and I will happily give up a little float for some extra playfulness. I almost never get stuck and regularly blast past people on directional pow decks who don't know how to keep their momentum in the deeps. Not saying I could blast past your good self as you clearly know how to ride pow and ride a pow rocket monster thingy.

If its very deep I will go with a more directional board, but for me it needs to be at least 30cm or 40cm to warrant this. Lets be honest most people rarely see more than this and only a few days a year.

Different strokes.

:bowdown:
Well said....

 

[ETM]

Dreampow although we have never met in person I consider you a friend so please dont take this as a personal attack but the fact that you think a few cm of nose length that does absolute wonders for a pow board will stop you from doing a 180 kills me. That you say a birdman 160 with magnetraction and a short effective edge does not suit this guy kills me. The fact that you recommend a neversummer, well that just kills me too mate.

To the OP please be aware that some people in this thread are given free boards by neversummer to promote the brand on this forum. It like walking into a ford dealer and asking if you should buy the ford or the chev.

 

[dreampow]

Dreampow although we have never met in person I consider you a friend so please dont take this as a personal attack but the fact that you think a few cm of nose length that does absolute wonders for a pow board will stop you from doing a 180 kills me. That you say a birdman 160 with magnetraction does not suit this guy kills me. The fact that you recommend a neversummer, well that just kills me too mate.

To the OP please be aware that some people in this thread are given free boards by neversummer to promote the brand on this forum. It like walking into a ford dealer and asking if you should buy the ford or the chev.

Chill out man, the birdman could suit him, I just don't think he is looking for a real powder deck like you are thinking. Lets hear more about what this guy needs. Don't be a directional Powder board Nazi.

I think my opinion is just as valid as it was 3 months ago when I rode NS that I purchased myself and genuinely liked it a lot, that's all before I was asked if I would test and review some boards.

I recommended NS then depending on the riders needs and I do now if I think it would fit what he needs.

Yes, I am now testing 2014 NS boards, big deal. So you would have it I can't say anything good about the brand or recommend them?

I like NS boards, not saying they are the best, but I genuinely think they are very good boards. I don't see why you have a problem with that.

Also when you hit a natural lip and land switch in powder of a 180 its just hard with a very directional board, a little setback is not an issue, but for me I tend to dig the nose in and tomohawk on a big setback board with taper going the wrong way. Maybe if I had more skills:dunno:.

When I get out of the powder and am riding groomed runs I want to play around, thats just my riding style. Which is why unless its very deep I prefer to stay close to twin in shape and setback.

You prefer your riding style I prefer mine, I don't see the issue?

 

[Supra]

I personally don't want a board that limits my ability to freestyle in the powder. I want to be able to spin 180s and land them, do powder butters, tweak out my grabs.

Big ass powder boards limit those options and I will happily give up a little float for some extra playfulness.

I'm the same. Just picked up a juice wagon!

Btw the cheetah should not be lumped in with powder boards like the fish etc. it's more a flagship-like board. It likes to go straight and is not ideal for trees, speeds lower than Mach chicken

 

[Jules Winnfield]

ETM: I have my flame suit on
What is a flamer suit and why is it thick?

 

[volcom21d]

I ride a salomon powdersnake 160 which is huge for me(5'6" 150lbs) but I love it and it is a sweet ride. no issues on groomers and floats thru pow perfectly. I push that sucker thru tree runs with no issues. you wont be disappointed if you go with it

took it out yesterday and had blast