JoelP

From Vail Beaver Creek: 10/15 minutes (huge area, better carving than Vail) Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Butermilk, Snowmass (Dynasty of carve, 1.5 hours) Copper: 30 minutes +/- A Basin: 1 hour +/- Loveland: 1 hour +/- Breckenridge: 50 minutes +/- little known Ski Cooper: 45 minutes +/- Whatever you do, do not spend to much time trying out all the mtns. Pick maybe 2 or 3 if you do want to try out something different. But the places are so large that you'll not find the goods unless you stay at one place for a few days. My suggestion is pending on where you stay in Vail (you could actually be closer to Beaver than you think) is, if it dumps stay in Vail, if it's purely blue sky days and carving madness make it 2 or 3 days at Beaver. Then if you want a change of pace my thought would be to head to Aspen, it's close and you can get in a little of each of 3 mtns in one day, at least enough to see the area. It's my home hill so I am partial to it. I love Beaver too but the crowds put me off since I am very spoiled over at Highlands and Buttermilk. Another thing.....Multi day tickets are very much discounted. You start hitting different mtns and the day tickets are totally expensive. Joel

I think there are enough of us that have Asym's laying around that a day or at least a 1/2 day this year at SES it may be fun to pull out the old gilrs and give them a ride. I bet we can still all lay out some awesome carves on the old girls. Any takers????? Joel

Here is a photo of the top sheet on mine. It's a F2 Beamer 160 Carbon Limited Edition. It may be obsolete is some minds but it's still a Classic all the same. If I can find a great 1948 Pick up truck you bet I'll buy it....It too may be obsolete but it's a classic. Ride that board just to see what you think. I ride mine just a few times a year to mix it up and everytime I do I still have fun. Mine has the full Carbon top sheet and it packs a wallop. Sometimes I lay it over and wind up enough energy in it that it pops a good couple of feet off the ground at the end of the turn. I am sure many other boards can do that but something about this board just makes it really fun to toy around with. Anyway.....It's a fun board and yes you do ride it differently but so don't we all when we jump on our freeride boards. mix it up and your talents will expand. Joel

Go here for anything ski related. There is so much info there it may boggle your mind. http://www.epicski.com/ How tall are you, weight, skier level and what type of terrain are you going for? The Volkl's that Pat put up above are mine and I used them strictly on the groomers. they are carving machines and for my size I can turn them as tight as my carving boards. Ski's have come a long way. I can do full body drags now just like my board. I changed skis for this coming season because my girlfriend likes bumps. Neither my carving boards or the Volks liked that to much so I picked up a new pair of Atomic allmtn carvers, B5's, awesome skis but not cheap!!!!. I am 160#, expert skier/boarder, 5'10" and the 155 Volks carve awesome. If your bigger than me then start looking in the 160 to 170 range. Look at waist widths too. To narrow a waist with these new skis and you are always turning. The new skis don't like to run flat much these days but wider waists do make them more stable at speed. Go to epicski and get everything you might want for info. It's all fun...Joel

I hit the 600 to 800 range. I've been riding a long time and I have a fair quiver going and another being built and I do not think I can mentally create or have a board built for 1,000 + that does it all and to spend that much it would have to be a one board does everything kind of board. I personally rather buy 2 boards in the 600+ range that are more specialty boards so I can have a choice pending conditions. There is just to much going on out there with snow conditions that I haven't seen or felt there is a do it all board. I rather have a quiver of selection. And so far I've been able to build my dream boards through Bruce for 600+ a board. Fun topic though!!! thanks, Joel

To many boards in the closet so these ones need to find new homes. I'll consider fair offers too and I can send photos via email. Shipping will be extra pending zip code. Nitro Powder Gun 188, Swallowtail, $175.00....SOLD O-Sin 4807, 168cm, never used still in plastic, $150.00....SOLD Oxygen F-67, 167cm, 21.5 waist, 10.5 sidecut, $80.00.... SOLD Also if anyone is interested in some great carving ski's for u crossover guys I am unloading 2 pair. Volkl P50 Slalom Carvers, 156 cm with Salomon bindings and a Volkl plate, $175. Volkl P50 World Cup (Race Stock) SLC, 155 with Marker 1400 bindings, $200 I can send e-mails with better photos than I can post here so if you want a photo of anything please reply to jparker@sopris.net thanks, Joel

I started using Intec's when they were first introduced into the US market some 10 years ago. Back then they had even a smaller diameter pin in the heels. I now ride 40 + days a season (use to get near 100 days) and have never had a problem. I'm on my 3rd set of heels in 10 seasons. I just need to be sure that the snow is not stuck to the heel or toe but other than that no heel issues. I had base plates break back in the old days when F2 had a plastic problem, changed to Titanals and now Bombers and no more breakages. I ride my boots in walk mode...maybe not being overly stiff helps take up some stress from the system. I've been happy and will continue to use them. Joel

Mark, I am not that good a skater to compare against a regular deck. Kids on other decks blow me away but the Stik works good for me because i just like to cruise around the bowls and get a quick workout with a surf feeling. Overall I think the Stik is better for that. Most of the kids think I am on a longboard and think it's a pretty cool deck. For kick turning and goofing around the Stik may be the ticket....it's very stable. If you want to start getting bigger air then the Stik may be a bit to big/heavy. The CarveBoard is the weapon for long stretches of asphalt. it handles the steeps much better by carving harder into turns. I would compare them by saying the CarveBoard is comparable to our Carving/Freecarve boards and the Stik is the AllMtn board. That isn't much but I hope that helps. Joel

An 8 ply CarveBoard. I haven't used it much, maybe a total of 2 miles on it. It does have some minor scratches from my learning curve but no major damage anywhere. It's ready to go. I have a Stik also and use that in the skate park so that is why I don't get to use this one much. $200.00 + shipping thanks, Joel

Dave, Can you get the serial number from Bruce or do you have it? If so then post it here so we can match it up if we see one. My guess is it says 184 PRII 05DS1, that should stand for 184 PureRace II 05 is the year made and DS are your initials and 1 is your first board. that's my guess and that's what I'll look for until I hear diferently. Joel

I've got a brand new set still in the sealed packaging. My order with BOL got doubled by mistake so I ended up with an extra set. $22.50 total and that covers the shipping. That's what they cost me. Send me your address and I"ll end them out asap if you are interested and then you can send me a check. Thanks joel best contact: jparker@sopris.net

Thanks for the bump, just gotten an e-mail and sold them. those were the original tongues that came with them, the race tongue. I am assuming that was what was suppose to be there because the spoilers too are red. they were new when I got them so go figure!!!!! either way they are good boots, I just now have accumulted to many pair and want someone to actually use these. thanks again, Joel

Randy has it right and here are some more things. Pull out the liner and in the lower shell above the heel there is a piece of plastic that inhibits the forward flex. What it does is bend as the upper shell pushes against it. You can cut that down as much as you want to allow the upper shell to flex easier and more. Also, is this a 3 buckle boot or 4 buckle boot? I can't remember on the 123 but either way below the buckle/strap that is the lowest on the upper shell you can dremel/cut the plastic so that it isn't below that strap. That plastic also inhibits the upper shells flex down onto the lower shell. I did that on my 323's to help get more flex and it worked wonders for me. If you need photos e-mail me and I'll shoot some and then send them of these areas. have fun playing, Joel

These are size 26.5 (8 1/2). they are used but in great shape. I'll leave the Intec heels on. Sell for $125.00 and that includes shipping to lower 48. email me at jparker@sopris.net if interested, thanks, Joel

We are a small community and therefore my belief is that any information put here errounously will degrade the REVIEW section. If we were a community of 100's of thousands then the argument about a few posts being watered would be valid. But that is not who we are or what this site is about. I'll stand corrected if as a group we wish to have false reviews posted and then I'll just not visit here anymore or else I can go with the flow and post multiple posts myself.....Let's as a group not go there....please. We take the information we all gather here to heart since we are a tight bunch and wish to promote our sport. So yes we should censor whether someone gets on the board and rants and raves that we are idiots or whether someone gets on the reviews and stacks a bias against or for any product and is probably be doing it malicously. Otherwise why come here at all and expect truth and honesty. At least we are being honest with each other that the posts in question, with a 99.99 % accuracy, came from one person who wished to not even declare who he/she was. that's just plain bogus and deserves our attention to change. Are we to look out for each others welfare or for the right of one person to throw us all into turmoil??? If we have trust, which I do and asked for at the beginning here, in our moderator to look into a situation and correct it ONLY if it is in their opinion to be bogus then that is why I have trust in that decision. thanks for listening to my rant. The season is winding down and I am beginning to go into the withdrawal stages....Oh I wish for a few more good storms to hit here....this freeze/thaw cycle is killing me. Joel

Jeff, e-mail Joerg or Eric and they'll definetly respond with their schedule. Really good guys to hang with. I'll try to hook with them one day during their stay. I seemed to not fit into their schedule in the past...maybe this time. Joel joerg@pureboarding.com

Finn, thank you, the honesty of the reviews is so important to us. thanks again, Joel

Finn, Are these guys even members using real names? It's a historical first that any Coiler got such a rating. I would bet that either these are people either are mad because they can't get a board for 2 years or they don't want anyone else on the waiting list. Personally I would petition to remove those reviews because I believe they are fakes and then can we make members only write views and have their membership name show on the review? If this is to start happening it will be ashame to the review section if it becomes unreliable. Thanks, Joel

Sorry Ken I didn't know that was you asking. You feel better?? We missed you on that last day. Anyway after you left Sat. we hit the trees and Wally was still on my Fish. I had a hard time staying with him in the really tight stuff. That was where I think the Fish ruled. So with that said here are some things to think about. Where exactly would this board go at any time or most of the time. I've had and still have Swallowtails and although I have not ridden the Rad-Air Tanker, the boards have been in my house and used by others. Same goes for the O-Sin. Actually one friend does have both the O-sin and the Fish. All of these are great powder boards and will work for anyone. It comes down to what and where they'll be used and by who. If I was powder riding only on the open runs or big bowls and then riding the groomed I would probably get the Rad-Air as it can really scream in the open and carve real hard too. But there is no way I could go where Wally was taking me on West Buttermilk and keep up with the length of the Rad-Airs. He was able to throttle that 156 Fish through some super tight stuff and find these unbelievable stashes. My 164 F2 even set back all the way was a bit to handle in those really tight spots. The O-Sin from my visuals, again I have not been on one, but it too rips powder as does my F2 Swallow and others. My friend from Beaver Creek found the O-Sin to rip the Vail Bowls but he now prefers the Fish because it rips too but he has an easier time in the really tight trees at Beaver Creek. I have no knowledge of the Prior board other than I hear it is a bit stiffer than a Fish. All that crap said I believe you can not go wrong with any of these boards some work better in the wide open and I believe the Fish works better in the trees BUT they all work in any of those situations. If I was to travel anyplace at anytime I would grab the Fish over my F2 Swallow because I know it works in the wide open and I know if I have to get in tight trees it works there too. Good luck with your choice as you really can't go wrong with any of the advice in this thread..it's all good!!!!! I'm getting a second Fish because it seems that when people visit me they will not give me back my Fish :-(((((. See you next year??????? Joel

I am assuming you are talking about Joey. Well he has tried everything under the sun since he basically rides every day of the damn season and he happens to be up in Canada on his yearly trek heli-boarding right now on his Fish. He talked me into getting one and then I've let 2 friends use mine who then immediately went out and got one for themselves. If you are a friend of his then you know he speaks what he knows and what he knows is usually pretty darn right. yes it sucks that it is a Burton, that it has a 3 hole pattern and all but they are on e-bay for $225 and they do the job very very well Joel FYI, I had a Rossi Undertaker (Swallowtail), Nitro PowderGun (Swallowtail), F2 Swallowtail. Now I ride just the Fish on powder days.

Yes.... but to shed off the flaming, I ride where it is a crowded day only when SES comes to town. Otherwise I may see on a busy day one or two other people on the whole run. So riding with music keeps me company!!! Buttermilk is kind of that way :-)) Joel

Thanks Scott for the Most Excellent" news. Dude you are an official "Hardbooter" now!!. Sounds like you made the transition much easier than most!! Congratulations. Keep of the good work. Love to hear how you progress. If you have some avid alpine riders in the area try to get near them to watch and learn. They can save you allot of time and expedite your learning. Really happy to hear you are on your way!! Cudos!! Bryan PS. I love the Dakine "Spike" pad. Serious grip and cleans the snow off well. Simple and functional. About 10$ at snowboard stores or online.

Forgot to cover my a$% by saying "this is Colorado and I reserve the right to change the forcast while being dumped on....." Joel

Ray, others there is a strange weather pattern going on. I am predicting that we will not get major dumps but that yes it will snow tomorrow, maybe 4 to 10 inches. that may be the biggest dump of the SES. I'll be riding my 4WD up to 12 inches and then pull out the powder gun (Fish) after that. The safest call for everyone would be the all mtn board. Joel

Dave, Very highly interested. How do you think it will ride in Regular mode instead of goofy mode? Are you coming down for SES? If you would please e-mail me at jparker@sopris.net, I check that mail all the time and not this web site as much. It's the right flex for me and all now to figure out this Asym layup. thanks, Joel