Algunderfoot Posted November 6, 2019 Report Share Posted November 6, 2019 (edited) Just took delivery on this new thirst Powder Carver 181 and this board is simply gorgeous. While all six of my thirst boards show exceptional build quality, unique graphics with the 3-D textured nylon topsheet, this PC, in Candy Apple, is truly a work of art. The keyhole tail is fully fabbed, not saw cut, with fully wrapped edge around and inside the tails, properly sidewalled. The "hook" should throw a rooster tail when in deep, and the tail is carbon fiber reinforced against breakage. The idea for the PC was to be a "Bucket List" board, the one board to bring when you can only bring one board. While every thirst model, (With the exception of the 9 SW) does well in powder, this model has powder in mind, obviously the tail provides the sink to allow the rider to stay in a normal stance/ position in bottomless freshies. Mark took his 40 some years of build experience to create a true groomer carver, incorporating his quasi-isotropic core, proprietary WARP sidecut and functional tip shape. While it may be awhile before I stretch her legs, I will be thinking much about just that. Edited November 7, 2019 by Algunderfoot 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dredman Posted November 6, 2019 Report Share Posted November 6, 2019 Great looking board! Well done Mark at Thirst! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted November 7, 2019 Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 Nice @Algunderfoot ! ...and I could see that the lake-effect snow machine was cranked up today. Found this pic of you & the Thirstman with the prototype at MCC last winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algunderfoot Posted November 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2019 I can really see how crooked I am there....Tons of manipulating this Summer to eliminate T4 Syndrome and straighten me up, actually an inch taller lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algunderfoot Posted December 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 (edited) Well day #3 inda UP was a exceptional powder day, too bad more of the hill wasn't open. Needless to say, I had to get "Candy" out for 1st chair and see just how she'd respond to her soft side (powder) in 12"-14" of freshies. With many folks snowed in, I had the hill almost to myself for the better part of the morning. She didn't disappoint, an easy graceful ride right from the start, from the first turn I knew she was a thirst pedigree, a relaxed / neutral stance, seemed to respond simply to my will, making long, (two planker hated) sweeping turns to much tighter, giggle inducing, slalom style turns. The nose floated without any second thought, a true powder surfer. One thing I couldn't help but notice though is her glide coefficient and sheer speed, easily the fastest gear on the hill that day, even seeming to defy gravity in an "uphill" traverse were everyone else was skating or kicking their way to the headwall, we were gliding along on chair lift exit momentum alone. In speaking with Mark, he's heard this from others and feels a true harmonious relationship is achieved between the high end, high carbon sintered base material and the Quasi-Isotropic core design which has the riders weight more purposely distributed. All I know is that Ruby and I have a date for the next opportunity to ride, hopefully her "hard side", to see just what kind of havoc we can cause on Indianhead's groomers! Then we can see if indeed I finally have a "bucket list board" Edited December 11, 2019 by Algunderfoot Getting my board names straight...ugh! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 Looks like major league setback in that stance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 7 minutes ago, Algunderfoot said: Well day #3 inda UP was a exceptional powder day, too bad more of the hill wasn't open. Needless to say, I had to get "Ruby" .... What happened to "Candy"?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algunderfoot Posted December 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 3 hours ago, bigwavedave said: 3 hours ago, bigwavedave said: What happened to "Candy"?? Senior Moment ..Ruby is my Virus Undertaker (as in Rubella), thanks for looking after me Dave, LOL! 3 hours ago, Neil Gendzwill said: Looks like major league setback in that stance. I'm in the "center" mounting holes, some of that is the photo angle..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 27, 2020 Report Share Posted December 27, 2020 Moved to its own separate review. The 169 PCjv is a different board. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 1, 2021 Report Share Posted February 1, 2021 I have to say Al's review above really sums it up quite well. This board might be the one board to bring that will put a smile on your face carving groomers and surfcarving powder. I just spent my first day riding this new 181 PC swallowtail, not in deep powder, but soft groom with an inch of fresh on top. Think soft 1st day groom with 3+ inch deep trenches. While waiting for this board to come up in his build schedule, I actually picked up a pre-built smaller version, the 169 PCjv. So, I already had a sense how the 181 might ride. I asked Mark to make it softer than my all-out carving sticks and wider with a 22.5 cm waist for extra float in soft snow and powder. It's an asym for reg (LFF). What I can add to Al's comments above is that this thing carves as well as any of my carving boards! The sidecut feels somewhere around 12-13m. Something between the Super and the 8rw, for those familiar with Thirsts. Big surfy carves across the hill, happy doing quick rhythmic turns down the fall line and one of my favorite things, doing lazy upright turns by just leaning into them. You wouldn't know it's a powder swallowtail while carving groomers. I might try it sometime on really hard or icy conditions just to see, but I suspect I'd rather be on a more aggressive carving stick. That said, I think this might end up being my favorite soft groomer carving board. It feels less likely to borough into soft snow. I now have 6 Thirst boards. After the first demo ride a few years ago I was hooked. It was the ride I was looking for, and more. After having owned several "stock" custom builds, I had a couple of custom titanal boards made with experimental sidecuts that came close, and I still like them. But... After riding my Thirsts for a few years I have noticed that they still have that snappy new board feel, whereas my titanal boards seem to mellow out and lose that liveliness after the first year or so. I was thinking maybe it had something to do with metal fatigue, but after Mark sent me photos of my board's build progress, I'm starting to think that it has more to do with the way he builds his cores. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want me to share details. I think the term Al used above was quasi-isotropic. While it may be easy enough to copy his sidecut design, his core build is incredibly detailed and complex (at least to me), and I'm pretty sure it's unique. It led me to wonder how he can make any money with the meticulous detail that goes into his boards. Anyway, thank you Mark for another great board with its own unique personality. ...a few days later... I rode the PC on much firmer groomed snow today (think 1" deep trenches) after riding my carving sticks all day and I have to say I would be happy riding the PC all day on firm groom. It's a really great carving board. It has a gentle, soft finish to turns and seems to tighten them up a little if you keep it pressured all the way through to the end. Can't wait to ride it in some real powder. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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