Steve Prokopiw Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 (edited) It's been some time since I posted on Bomber. i thought I would take a minute to review a board that I rode a couple of weeks ago at Schweitzer in North Idaho during a visit to see family and friends. The Thirst BX 174 was one of two boards I rode the two days I was NICE 2017. the board I rode the first day was my custom Donek Two Headed Dragon 172 twin tip and the two boards are very different. I haven't been riding much since the 13/14 season putting in just 10 days a season(though I carve in my dreams a lot ). The Donek was designed with high performance, short turn playfulness in mind and has served me well, but I just did not feel dialed on it while riding the big, steep slopes of Schweitzer. The Thirst BX, on the other hand took to those slopes like it was born there-and it literally was born just a few miles away in Bayview. From the first warmup on a green run to the next on a blue and the next on a black it performed like a high performance metal board even though it is not metal. It has the snap and aggressive pop of a glass board and the smoothness of metal. Mark really nailed it with this board. While it is unlikely this model will see BX racing under the boots of actual racer, I would happily choose this board to negotiate whatever feature I had to clear or maneuver on or around. It begs to be ridden hard yet rewards finesse and can be bent into whatever turn shape the rider chooses-even when changing shape mid turn.If I had one built for me I might order it about half a centimeter narrower than its 22.4 waist width, as I like to stuff my funky feet into a 25.5 boot. But then, I'm not positive it would be any better because the one I rode was so much balls to the wall fun, even on the steepest slope I was willing to ride(Schweitzer has steeps that will make you wish you had brought extra underwear.), It reminds me of the solid, smooth, and super performing Diablo Composites BX that Able built, only the Thirst is much shorter.The fact that I felt like the board was almost made just for me when I rode it on just my fourth day of the season, without being in the kind of riding shape I am usually in by this point, makes me think I will not be the only one that loves to ride it. Edited February 19, 2017 by Steve Prokopiw 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted February 20, 2017 Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 nothing but glowing reports on this board from those that got to ride it. I didn't have a chance to demo it the day I was at NICE but maybe I can get a day in with Mark before the season ends. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOODTYPEZX10R Posted February 22, 2017 Report Share Posted February 22, 2017 You bet Boardski. We will have a great time riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) ok a year later I finally get to ride this thing, holy effective edge batman!!!! I could not push on it hard enough to break lose the edge(152 ee 172over all) on yesterdays hero snow black diamond groomers at schwietzer. I've only had a few runs so far so I am still dialing in the sweet spot stance, will post pics and give a more thorough review when I get more time on it tomorrow, for now lets say STABLE and playful even on the wind buffed bumps on the face. big bombproof full C carves on quicksilver riding with Dane was realllllly good; it's hard to giggle while panting. Edited February 24, 2018 by b0ardski 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted February 24, 2018 Report Share Posted February 24, 2018 (edited) update; turns out laughing is a good way to catch your breath. starting to get the hang of the way this likes to be ridden, the long EE that felt so big at 1st is easy to manipulate by driving the knees in or out, now I don't feel just along for the ride but can tighten (especially in soft offpiste) or lengthen the radius independently at tip or tail. This makes me very happy as I was leery of the soft snow performance of this blunt carver shape that loves gs carves despite the tight radius and seemingly soft longitudinal flex, thanks to Mark's magic mix of math and materials. more powder testing in 8" of fresh this morning, wooohooo should be lot's of laughs. Edited February 24, 2018 by b0ardski 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted February 26, 2018 Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 the 8" of powder at 49*N sat. was more like12-16 blown in of light poof with refrozen chop under it. The day called for a surfboard(arbor D70) to stay afloat to avoid the buried ice heads, so the BX only got a couple runs. It barely noticed the blower snow and wanted the carve the crust underneath, made for a rough ride off piste. Today warmed up, and the wind filled/packed soft bumps left from the powfest Sat. gave the BX something to push on and it tracked big C turns through the black diamond chop bisecting any bumps that got in the wayand scaring small squirrels back into the trees This board likes to be driven and rewards active input with quick response and refukendiculous edge hold. tired legs after 3 days, and sideways snow in the face cut the day short but it's a happy tired. more testing on tue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MK@whiteface Posted February 27, 2018 Report Share Posted February 27, 2018 I'm assuming you are riding this, on hard boots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted February 28, 2018 Report Share Posted February 28, 2018 (edited) yep, I ride the same boots (softer 4 buckle raichles) with plates on everything even the old D70 and Grocer, 45* f/30*r on anything 21-25cm wide. The BX is 23 wide which is just right for size 9/27m boots to avoid toe drag on the back. will get a pic of the setup tomorrow. today in chalky cord, ribbon candy pencil lines were testament to laughter causing G's. Big C turns in wind packed offpiste bumps that would have buckled my legs in softies. The dense snow let me bend it into any turn I wanted and it pulled the best extreme carves of my life did I mention refukendiculous edge hold. I've named it the Bisector. ps it blows the butterfly off the madd bx especially switch Edited February 28, 2018 by b0ardski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted March 8, 2018 Report Share Posted March 8, 2018 (edited) another good softish groomer day only the 4th full day on bisector, still learning the nuances, didn't bisect many bumps, it did lay out a lot of full c carves on a fav black (queens run at 49*North). Usually groomed half way across 4-5 cats wide; right side fresh and smooth, left was day old groom with light scrapes and piles. Thirst BX barely noticed the difference, lay out toeside, air the tiller ridge in the middle, lay out heelside, 180 the ridge, repeat switch Edited March 8, 2018 by b0ardski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 (edited) Demoed a Thirst BX 171? with about a 22cm waist and guessing about 11m scr. Rented it from BSO in Bessemer, MI and rode at Indianhead. Rode hardboots with sidewinders on firm groom with scattered icy patches. I don't have a lot to say, as I only took 3 runs and could tell I was gonna have more fun on one of my carving sticks (or the Superconductor). Still, the BX carves really well. Felt very similar to one of my Inclines. Mark (from Thirst) said the one I rode, was meant to be a "crossover" board for soft booter to hard. My impression is it would be a great all-Mt carver for any hardbooter, and suspect it would be a good choice for riding on several inches of fresh on groom (and the leftover crud), soft 1st day groom, spring slush, or whenever it's too soft to drive an all-out carving stick as hard as you like without burying it. Edited March 14, 2018 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted March 21, 2018 Report Share Posted March 21, 2018 I concur; yesterday at schwietzer the groom was soft, especially at the sides, the other carvers were burying the nose a lot while the BX sucked it up and kept tracking kicks ass in soft bumps too and does great switch 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted March 27, 2018 Report Share Posted March 27, 2018 I get a sense of pride when I tell peeps who ask about the board that it's built locally by an experienced hardbooter 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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