Jonny

Mine came in yesterday and look great. A little rigid as far as flex, but the XL fit my XXL hands reasonably well. I have some plasti-dip in the shop, but it's red - might want to pick up some black just so I don't look like Macbeth coming down the hill.

The best commonly available product for this is called JB Weld (not Qwik-Weld). It's a two-part space-filling epoxy which is sandable once it cures, very temperature-tolerant and slightly flexible. Cures gray so that's probably going to fit in nicely. If you happen to find it somewhere the 3M DP810 is fantastic but you'd need some shafting beads or something to thicken it up just a bit.

The rules are different over 200 lb - go bigger. I'm 215 and ride a 180 Coiler which under all that weight turns inside most anything if it needs to, but gives me much more stability than a shorter board. When I lend it to lighter-weight buddies they mostly find it too stout and too cumbersome.

I'll take the Raichle shells! Ideally with some kind of springs in but if they're already sold... LMK your paypal address and total cost to 01240. Thanks! Jony

Oh, I'm Intec-ed already. I think we had a sole length issue - my shells are 27 Mondo.

The world is different for big boys. A lot of boards which would be stout for a 175 pound guy will be very turny for someone over 200 - sometimes too much so, in fact. I'm 210 or more, and my 180 Coiler Racecarve, which was built for me in '02 with a 12.5 radius is terrific for tight linked turns but now that it's had me pounding on it for 9 years and has softened up a bit I often wish it were LESS turn-oriented when at speed (the current VSR designs probably take care of this, so would a newer board). I wouldn't go below 12, and I'd plan to steepen the angles, too - totally different sensation especially on heelside once you get above 50°.

Just received confirmation email saying my gloves will ship in the next two days. Cool.

Email sent with dumb questions. Gotta get this board out of my dreams:rolleyes:

I keep trying to order but wind up staring at LV for a while, until my eyes glaze over. Then when I get past that, I can't figure out where to specify size on the paypal form. I generally wear XXL - does anyone know if the XL run big?

Send me your email and I'll take some pix in the AM and send them direct, so we don't clog up Crumble's thread any more. $150 plus shipping is about right I think.

Yes, I'd guess at 10m scr or so. I know that at my 215lb weight it'll carve inside anything else on the hill on moderate snow, but isn't really raceable on anything tougher than Nastar (fine for that, though if you ride it smoothly). If you push-pull under the lift you'll see some incomprehensibly tight tracks. I'd imagine that at lighter rider weight it would have wider range. Even for me it's fun to cruise on at decent speeds, you just can't get too much angulation or you're turning right NOW. No board will work perfectly for both SL and GS without giving up something. Not sure who here has seen me on this board to corroborate -Bobby Buggs has I know - not sure who else.

Here is what it looks like (the one on the left) - Nose 23.2/Waist 18.4/Tail 23.4 - the sort of X pattern is metallic (I assume an Aluminum alloy) the body is a Carbon/Kevlar weave. The one on the right in the lefthand pic is my kick-around-on-the-Steeps board and it sets up fine with my 27 shells at 60/55 or so. Nose looks sort of bulbous in these pics, actually it's a very symmetrical board

Yes, this is the LE, not the Proton. I'll take a pic and figure out how to post it:smashfrea Waist is 18.4cm. I haven't smashed this one, haven't even ridden it in fact. I picked them both up from a guy who'd had to give up hardboots due to knee issues. Bought the first, rode it half a day, fell in love and went back for the second as backup, but so far haven't needed it.

I have a spare, lightly ridden Oxygen 160 Limited Edition - Kevlar/Metal but probably 10 years old. I have two - identical except for the LE number - and use its twin for kicking around on steeps and narrow trails, since at my weight it's too soft too race, but it might work well for what you need - damp, easy to crank tight turns but very stable for its length, waist around 19. If you're near Western MA you can try the one which has bindings once we have snow, or just take a chance on it - very sweet board and not expensive. Send email if you want pix.

I appreciate it - sounds like you have a buyer anyway, and my 215 would probably not be a perfect match. I hope to get on one of these at ECES and then I'll understand what the excitement is really about. GLWTS

OK, I'll be first - what kind of weight range is the green sidewall 170 suitable for, would you think?

Get on the snow ONE FREAKIN DAY! Then I'll think about what to do when I'm there. Then try for two days... I'd like to try a VSR metal board. My 2002 coiler 180 is turning tighter and tighter, and I think it's not me hammering it harder but the board finally getting too soft. "You been a good old wagon, daddy, but you done broke down..." Last year was the first season since 1960 I didn't get on snow once.

Yes, so much so that I never even bought a pair. I could tell right away that for my ankles the hinging action was in the wrong place and that no amount of grinding or shimming was really going to fix it. Not sure what to do this winter - my 325s have far too many miles on them, but I haven't found anything else that works as well...

These are fantastic, and actually fit an XL body. Usually there's some kind of added discount available too - my current coupon has them at $147 or so. After ten years of riding/skiing/cutting up downed trees my last pair of Karbon finally died, and these are even nicer. Not a crinkly hardshell but waterproof and very very solid: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/karbon-zeus-ski-pants-waterproof-insulated-for-men~p~2739g/?filterString=mens-snowsport-clothing~d~2271%2FKarbon~b~1684%2F&colorFamily=01&merch=-2739G

Sickest thing I've ever seen on the water. Looks like what the sport what supposed to be.

Certainly seems length and design dependent, but FWIW my '02 180 Racecarve is 7.2 and after 10 years is now just barely stout enough for my 215 pounds. It was built for me, and has softened at the same rate as I've become less athletic, so it has fit me nearly perfectly at all times. Probably just a little too turny by now, but for a board with 200+ days on it that's fair enough.

I'm a size 11.5 but wear size 27 shells and ride at around 57/55. I think 52/52 would work just fine, or even 50/50 if you slide the rear boot toward the heelside and the front boot toward the toe-side a little to take advantage of the sidecut, but not much lower than that without risking some toe or heel drag

Well, I weigh 220 so I'd say yes, with qualifications. It's NOT stout enough to race on in a serious race for anyone at that weight but fine for Nastar-style events. Terrific board for throwing around because it will carve an unbelievably tight arc, and suprisingly stable at speed. Handles soft packed snow very well, very very good on crust, not suitable for really fluffy deep stuff. Can't remeber if anyone else on the board has ridden it, but Bobby Buggs definitely has at least seen me on it, and can give you the word.

Oxygen 160 LE SL? Carbon/Kevlar construction, will snap turns INSIDE that Alp but much more stable at speed. If you're interested I'll measure max stance. Narrower than the Alp at around 19 cm. Used but not abused - a really fun board for the Ice Coast. I have another identical to it, this is a backup. $200

So he wasn't even 40 when he built my 180 RC??? How good must his current boards be? That board is still alive and lively, and the best all-arounder in my quiver.