snowboardfast

I think a wider board is more stable because you can run much mellower angles which gives you more leverage for turning and the wider platform requires less effort to maintain balance.Also the mellower stance angles make it eaiser to stay balanced. I am only running angles of 45 front and 40 rear on my Donek 180 blade and it is easier to ride than a narrow race board. This board won't turn as quick as a super narrow race board but I don't care as I am not racing and I can turn quick enough. The waist on this board is 23.5 cm. Even though it is a 180 it doesn't feel that long becuase it is softer in flex although it is not a noodle but it is softer than a lot of race boards which makes it eaiser to turn and less effort to maintain balance when riding. The race board would be more stable at higher speeds due to the stiffer flex but I do'nt ride super fast anymore anyway. I think the wider waist width on a race deck would be more stable in a rutted race course when you are being thrown around and trying to maitain your line. I think 23.5 would be too wide for racing - that is why the wider decks are 19.5-21cm. Of course if you want super narrow you could buy a Virus with a 14 cm waist which is almost like a skwal. For general free carving on groomed snow I think waist width is a matter of personal preference just like the other factors in board specs. It is nice today to be able to choose what you want. Part of the reason I went to a wider board again was because I ride soft boots also and I wanted to not have such a huge variance between my 2 sets of gear. I have ridden both narrow and wide boards and I am also considering riding soft boots only as I can carve almost as good on them and like them better for all around use. I can't afford to keep funding all this gear. We will see what happens in a year or 2.

I own a Dupraz d1 and have ridden it a lot with both hard and soft boots in all kinds of conditions from powder to hard pack and soft slush. I have decided to ride it only with soft boots as I have tried it with catek olympic plates with intec and Bomber td2 with intec -yellow rings and Nidecker free carve bail bindings which have way more flex. I like the way it rides with soft boots way better and don't see the need to use hard boots on it at all. This is after numerous days on a lot of these set ups. The thing to remember with a Dupraz is that you must ride it very centered and not load the nose too much. Go read the advice on the Dupraz site-If the tail feels too stiff while riding you are too far back if the nose feels too soft you are too far foward. I almost never feel like the nose is too soft and I weigh 185 and am 5' 10". I like the way you can really ride it like a surf board in powder and do hard turns and not sink. It is a great board and excells in powder and soft snow conditions.But it also carves pretty well on the groomers also. It is a little weird to ride in bumps but it can be done. I like the soft boots better becuase of the lighter weight and smoother ride in variable snow conditions. Bola likes to call this board The "Quiver Killer". I was surprised that no one tried one last January at loveland when we had the board demo day. The Dupraz is one of the best boards I have ridden and I will always own one. Sorry to rave about it so much but I really like this board. I have other boards that I ride as well but when the conditions are right the Dupraz kills it.

I demoed this board and did not like it as I thought the ride was very harsh in the bumps. This was with soft boots. I thought it was too stiff for bump riding and I weigh 185. Maybe it would be okay in perfect untracked powder but I was looking for a good all mountain board at the time. Stiffening up more in bumps is not good.

PointBreak-I can see why you are getting hardboots as being on the east coast your snow conditions are probably hard most of the time. Good luck with your alpine gear! Did you have any problems with the balls of your feet hurting when carving toeside turns in the Driver x boots? I am thinking that the stiffer sole would help solve some of that problem. I use custom insoles as well and I still have that problem. Not a problem with hard boots. Don't get rid of your soft boot set up as you may want to ride it on certain days.

Yeah I know what you are saying Boardski as I used to ride the Lemans hard boot all mountain. I also have ridden the Suzuka with bts and a soft bail binding-Nidecker freecarve. I like the lighter weight and smoother ride of a soft boot system in variable snow conditions. I have been riding hardboots in lots of different combinations for 20 years.

Is the Burton Driver x the stiffest soft boot available right now? I am wanting to replace my soft boots this year as the ones I have now are too big and I am wanting something stiffer. Right now I am using the Deluxe Spark boot with the stiffeners. I am interested in the Burton boot because of the vibram sole and maybe it is stiffer than the Deluxe? Everyone I have talked to at a couple of shops has said the Driver x is a great boot. I was told that the Driver X is stiffer than the Soloman Malumute. I am considering going back to riding soft boots exclusively as I like to free ride all over the mountain and I really can't afford to continue to buy 2 sets of snowboard gear and I can carve good enough in soft boots on groomed snow.

Dupraz D1 179 Best board for me so far in powder but is fun for general riding as well. Works best with soft boots. I have spent a lot of days on it in both hard and soft boots and have decided it is best with soft boots. I have tried softer plate binding on it and still like it better with soft boots.I will always own one as I really like it! I am surprised that John G said he struggled with it as I feel it is easy to ride. You must ride it without loading the nose too much as it is designed to be ridden mostly with equal weight on both feet. I ride it with the recommended width marked on the board and my stance is not set back on the tail. I have not ridden it in trees much as I just don't spend much time there. I think this board is a great design and is fun! This will be season 31 this year and I will have fun with this board.

Jen you should go to Larry if you can't fix the fitting problem yourself. I would agree that the thermoflex liner packs out quickly and I ended up replacing mine after 1 season. I went to Larry and it was worth the money. I will be going in this year to have my new liner refit as it has packed out after 1 season. If you have over 60 days on that original liner I would imagine that it is packed out and very thin as they compress a lot after a while. Mine was starting to give me shin bang because it was too compressed and thin. It is difficult to remold them after they are packed out too much. If your old liner is still good I would think you could get some fitting done for not too much money. I am using a Intution liner now and like it. Let us know when and where you will be riding in CO this year so we can do some turns! Good luck with your boot fitting.

I have used both Larry and Lee with excellent results. I had Lee make me a pair of insoles and they are good. I was going to use him again to install new liners in my hardboots but I couldn't get him to return my calls to set up an appointment to do so so I called Larry and got a live person on the phone to set up an appointment and had Larry do the liners. I used the insole that Lee made as Larry said it was good. I will use Larry again as he is cheaper and easy to set up an apointment with. The insole that Lee made me cost 200.00 and Larry said he could do it for 95.00. I don't know if they would be the same quality or not? I will be going back to Larry soon to remold / refit my liners as they have packed out some.

Just wondering if intec heels are going to be produced again? I know that there are none available at this time and I have been riding bail bindings for now. I could get by just fine if they will not be produced again as I have used bails for years. Any more new info on the status of F2 and or intec?

Will be up Sunday. Get there early as parking can be a problem.

Will try to come up Sunday Mothers day. Will be riding the Donek blade if it is groomed but might ride the Dupraz if there is any powder left! It will be a good way to finish off my vacation week.

thanks for the reply! You just saved me 132 miles in the car for nothing. I might go up Friday but Sunday looks very promising. After that I will be going up on Sundays only for the rest of the season. Keep me posted as to when you will be going up again and if you think the weather will be good. Cheers Matt

Just wondering how the conditions are at abasin since Monday? Just wondering if the snow stayed frozen and hard due to lack of sun and cold temps? Conditions were good on Monday due to sun and warm temps. I would think it wouldn't be good again until sunday when it is supposed to be sunny again. I might go up thurs or fri if I get a positive report.

I can ride ice on any board but I was saying that I can't carve as well or leave a trench on ice. Maybe some of the people on this forum can but I can't. It has nothing to do with this board. I had a Renn tiger 173 and wasn't able to carve real well on ice with it either but again it ai'nt the board. I rode the Blade at Abasin today and had a blast. I would agree that the Blade is not suited to be used as an all mountain board. I only ride it on groomed snow. if I want to ride all mountain I ride my Dupraz or Prior atv. There are 3 reasons why it is not good for all mountain. 1. side cut radius is too large 14m and is hard to manuever in bumps. 2. nose profile is too low and won't rise when riding in powder. 3. too long in lenght 180 cm. I bought it only to be used on groomed snow and have no motivation to use it for anything else. Like I said it is real fun to ride on groomed runs and is easy to handle on those conditions. I think of it as a wide freecarve board rather than an EC board as the ec turn is only 1 type of turn that dosn't have to be done. I weigh 185 lbs and like the flex of this board-it is medium flex. If you have the chance to demo one try it to see if it works for you.

Band Instrument repair is my way of making a living. I mostly work on Woodwinds but can work on brass. I also play in a big band once a month and once in a great while get paid to play. I play saxophone as my main instrument but can play all of the woodwinds well enough to see if they play. I think I am the only repair tech in Colorado that snowboards especially in hard boots or at all. Of course ther aren't that many people that do this probably less than 100 in the state of Colorado.

Yes I have seen one because I own one and enjoy riding it. It is eaiser to ride than a narrow alpine board and it is softer than a stiff race board. It can be ridden in spring conditions quite well. I doubt that I will be going back to narrow boards again as I don't race and enjoy the melower angles allowed by this board-45 degrees front foot and 40degrees rear. Am using Nidecker free carve bindings with both feet flat on the board. These bindings are standard bail not step in. You do not have to ec carve to enjoy this board. It does not feel like a 180 to me probably due to the width and the softer flex pattern. I am riding the medium flex. this is my 2nd season on it. My other 2 boards are a Prior atv 171 and Dupraz D1 179. Nothing that I ride for now is narrow. Donek also makes this board in a 170. try one if you can as they are a lot of fun. If you do try one I would reccomend not using step in bindings as I feel they are too stiff. I will be riding tomorow at Abasin and a few more times before they close in June. this board has good edgehold on everthing except ice but I am not good on ice anyway. Hope this helps

Talk to Bola at all boards sports 303 415-1600 as he has some Kessler boards in stock and I think can get vist or Hangl plates.

Purl Wax -Orange is good for spring conditions. This wax is very good and is designed to work with high humidity. I used it last year and will be trying it again . It is made in Colorado . you can order online. I think you can get to the site by typing Purl wax and it will take you there.

I will be riding at Abasin April 23 ,27 30 and will be off work the week of May 5-10 and will be riding then as well. Don't know if I will be going up every day the week of My 5-10 but might. Also might be riding every Sunday in May to finish the season. Might be going up on Memorial Day weekend Sunday and Monday. Hope to see some hardbooters up there. I don't see hardly any hardbooters there much which is a shame because the terrain is good especially if you like riding all mountain. Post if you are going up. I will be riding a Donek blade or a Prior atv or a Dupraz d1 as I like wide boards. the season isn't over yet!

I tried to submit a product review and wasn;t able to. I submitted a request and the page said that my request will be considered and I will be notified soon. Has anyone else had this happen? Will I be emailed and given clearance to submit a review? I would like to write a review on the Donek 180 Blade and the Dupraz d1 as I have ridden both of these boards a lot and would like to talk about them. Also no one else has submitted a review of these boards yet.

All good advice here. I am seconding on softer plate bindings for all around use. I just switched to Nidecker free carve plates and am loving it. I was riding Bomber td1 and 2 and catek step ins and like the Nideckers much better as they smooth out the ride in less than ideal snow conditions. The Nideckers are standard bail. I doubt I will be riding step ins anymore. I also like wider boards because I can ride mellower angles and it is more fun. Everthing I am riding now is wide. Current quiver is Donek 180 Blade, Dupraz D1 and Prior 171 ATV. Can ride all day with hardboots any condition. I am riding the bindings flat on both feet-no lift or cant and my feet are close to the board. I even rode soft boots again this year but have problems with sore feet no matter what I do. I am also using BTS on my boots and it makes for even more suspension and adjustment in the system. don't be afraid to try different bindings on a board to improve the performance of the set up for your needs. Racers ride on rough choppy snow and most are using bail bindings to avoid getting beat to death in the ruts.

Has anyone been riding these for a while? I rode a pair today on my Dupraz and they worked great! Rode them flat on both feet with Susuka boots and bts with blue springs on top and red on bottom. Much nicer than a Catek or Bomber for all mountain riding and lighter too. Much cheaper as well. I liked having everthing flat and close to the board. Any problems with bails breaking? They seem like they are going to hold up well. No problem going to this from riding a Bomber or Catek binding with 3 and 6 degree disks. i don't feel the need for cant and or lift- I merely changed the foward lean in my boots to make it feel right. I felt like I had better feel for my edges and a better stance on the board.

I would check closing dates for telluride as I think they are required to close on a certain date due to their Forest service permit requirements. they might be closed by then even if they have a big base. A-Basin will still be open. Also most of the resorts will be closed by those dates for the same reason. I know that Vail is under the same rules regardless of how much snow is left.It would be a shame to drive out here and not be able to snowboard! Loveland and Abasin will still be open. Loveland closes the first weekend in May and Abasin usually will stay open until end of May unless it gets real warm and all the snow melts.

I would get invovled with a racing program at your local mountain if you can. You could probably start racing with just about any decent alpine board and a good pair of hardboots that fit right. If you can attend a race as a spectator do that and talk to the racers as they can help you with equipment choices. They also might have some used gear avaiable for you to buy. If you are going to race both gs and slalom you would have to have a board for both as you woudn't be able to negotiate a tight course on a longer board. I can't really tell you exactly what to buy for racing as I haven't done much of it and everyone has a preference for equipment as well. You might contact Billy Bordy at Hardbooter.com as he has done a lot of racing and could help you with selecting gear. You might start off with a slalom board and learn to ride it well and then get a longer board for gs as your skills improve. I hope this helps and you might also post on the racing section of this forum .