JRAZZ

Speaking of bindings... I have Flows (hybrid and normal), Burton Cartels and Salomon Quantum. Any idea which one of these is best at initiating toe side turns? I found that for my Saber with the Cartels it's really hard to roll it on to the toe edge. Would the Flow do better? I know I can move the binding forward but I don't want more overhang. I can also reduce the angle fo the front foot but that also feels wrong somehow. Any ideas?

This is actually harder to ride that @slopestar's 165 which is a beast. This might be down to a couple of things: More SCR per length. This is a shorter board. I think the 8-11 SCR is more like a 12 or 13 on a larger board. Stiffness per length - again, this is a "short" board and it's really stiff. It's surprisingly hard to bend. Poor choice of binding, boots or angles. I find that heel side is easier to initiate than toe side. This could be down to the stiffness of the boots, the stiffness of the bindings or just the angles. Don't know. I'll work on it. I will continue to experiment and report! Thanks! Please share how you like it! Not all Sabers are the same. I think that a different setup and/or length could make for a totally different board. That being said I have not ridden one that I didn't like.

This is the least friendly board I have ever ridden... and I love it! That was the short version, now for the details. 8-11 sidecut, 155cm long, 25.5 waist, really really stiff. Bindings are at 30/12 right now (could change) None of this tells you how this thing rides, it's super catchy, it's scary! It's almost as though it doesn't matter what you do, it will do what it wants. Want to turn there? Well too bad! Yeah, I'm working on being more aggressive and it's a good thing too because this thing doesn't take any crap. It really reminds me of the Steepwater plow 171 in the way it turns. Slooooo. So it's a catchy, slow turning board. What's to like? It absolutely rails! Tons of energy, super easy to hold a carve, FAST! If you got open groomers it absolutely rips! It might turn like the Plow but that's where the similarities end. This thing is energetic! It's not energetic like the Alloy DO. The DO explodes out of turns. This just takes in the energy and quietly turns it into speed. It's like magic. To me the Alloy DO is like a happy Border Collie, the Steepwater Plow is like a dense Great Dane and this is definitely a German Sheppard. Just strong, focused, willful, and will eviscerate you if you don't control it. Certainly not what I expected but not sorry at all!

On most bindings there is no "correct" way. you mount it in a way that allows you to get the correct stance. If you really want to dial in that 21.5" and your board gives you 21.75 you can use the slots running lengthwise. If you feel you have too much toe overhang you can use it widthwise. I say most because Burton ReFlex only let you set up the bindings with the slots running across the board. For some it's a problem for others it's not.

It's a 155 Saber... I think. I wanted a Saber ever since riding @slopestar's beast. However I've since dropped a lot of weight and have an awesome DO too. So when this shorter one popped up I literally grabbed it. Have not ridden it yet but it sure looks like fun! My "problem" right now is that I have too many things to ride! BTW, I've been slowly migrating away from Flow bindings. I find that they create a lot of pressure on the top of my foot which really hurts at times. Trying Salomon Quantums now (the Saber has Cartels on it).

Out of curiosity, has anyone tried reaching out to Atomic and just asking them if this market is interesting to them? Seems like they could make a killer boot with very little effort.... Just thinking.

2 Doneks... 2!!! This is the most Doneks I have ever owned... Well, maybe not but still

I found that the sno-seal treatment degrades the warmth of the gloves. For CO where we have not heard of moisture this is not needed and usually a detractor. All bets are off on the wet and ice coasts.

Nice!!!

Yup. Still available.

All of this is bunk. I tried following logical thought in my stance and failed miserably. In desperation I tried outward canting and heel lift on the back AND the front . Feels soooo wrong on the carpet but soooo right on the hill. Ultimately that's what it is. Personal trial and error until you find what works for you.

I take offense at that!

Rumor confirmed - they're opening Ptarmigan tomorrow That being said, they are expecting 60 mph winds as well so the lift won't be turning. https://skiloveland.com/snowmaking-operations/

So wow. My first hardboot day of the season and it was awesome! Warmer up on the mountain than it was in the city. Crazy but that’s Colorado. Mario, Ice, and I were the only HB representatives but there sure were a ton of other people! Where did they come from?!? The parking lot was only half full but the slope was really crowded. For me the day ended after I took a hard left after the park and was promptly hit from behind by a snowboarder. Caused me to faceplant and knocked the wind out of me. It wasn’t that bad but sure scared the crap out of me. Sucky way to end the day but I had a ton of fun! Happy Turkey Day! See all of you Sunday. (see how I’m avoiding the language police:))

BTW, there's a guy on the forums selling an A-Frame. The good vintage. Not exactly a tree board but nevertheless an awesome SB carver.

Haven't rode the Jones but the Cask has the same thing - uplifted edges. Honestly, if I'm not paying attention I don't notice it. Don't think you could go wrong with that board.

Definitely takes some getting used to but it is fun

No, seriously, I have more snow in my back yard than the mountain has... (They only have 9", I think I'm at 14")

It's too snowy to get to the mountain!!!

I don’t disagree. The orca is extremely overhyped. That being said, it is a fun board for pow and trees. Definitely worth a test ride IMHO. I eventually ended up with the Cask not because it’s better but because it was $300

Try looking at the "short fatty" types. They are surprisingly fun! I have an Arbor Cask (150cm, 6.5m SCR) which is super turny but is also surprisingly stable and damp. Other boards that might fit your need: Lib Tech Orca, Yes Pick Your line, Yes Optimistic

Not really. The BTS is for fore-aft flexibility. I actually run pretty stiff springs on those. The liners allow the boot to flex in all directions.

That's exactly what I did and it turned my 700s from a stiff brick into something much more rideable. More comfortable too! I think the liners (especially the wrap around type) add significantly to the stiffness. Using SB liners doesn't turn your boots to mush but you'll feel the difference. I say that if you feel your boots are too stiff and you have softboot liners give it a try!

I think if you're good you're good. Equipment matters less. Buuuuuut... Plastic does age. The plastic in boots gets old and brittle. I always cringe seeing boots older than 10 years being sold. Would they work? probably. Are they safe? Ummmm.... The same should hold true for the epoxy on boards but it seems they are a bit more skuukum. The fiberglass doesn't age so boards seem to last really long (unless you ride on the rocks)