[Recommend a tree board]

On 2/4/2019 at 7:31 PM, JRAZZ said:

Just curious as to what works.

 

I am a fan of the Prior Fissile. The board truly amazes me. I ride on a 178 with hard boots. I can assure you that it is a ninja. It will do moguls, tree's, deep powder, couloirs, anything you want. Except for groomers, hard pack and moonscape. I honestly haven't ridden another board that fits my style as good as this one.

On 2/6/2019 at 8:10 AM, BlueB said:

I assume you arecsctually talking about ATV (as opposed to 4WD), since that one was 23.5 wide and 171 long. Interestingly, that was exactely what I was thinking to talk the late Chris Prior into doing. Basically throw the ATV outline onto Spearhead or hybrid MFR camber mold and slightly modify the laminate... 

Which way do you point that thing?

[Bomber split sidewinders]

Thanks so much for the reply's.

Well I am going to buy a pair of Phantoms and see how they go. I have some F2's for solid boards and I love those badboys as well.

By the way- I don't use my splitboards for carving - I got better boards for that. But I sometimes love riding in that off piste packed powder. We have a small ski area around here and its always good to get some free turns when I can mostly on powder days - while I wait for the BC to cinch up. I spend most of my time earning my turns. So the Phantoms do make since. I just needed some good feedback before I commit to buying.

Went riding today in the backcountry and the powder is amazing over here in this direction. I am glad that I found this forum. I feel like I am being connected to riders who have a style similar to mine.

 

There is a company out there and I can't remember where I seen them - but Ill look it up after I am done here. A binding that you can swap out easily with your quiver. I have SO many freak'n boards! Problem is I think they only make them for soft booters. I am a hard booter through and through man! ..... the struggle is real.

 

By the way - Check out Wallowa Alpine Huts. You won't be disappointed. Let me know if you're ever out this way. 

Later

[Bomber split sidewinders]

You’re from Or? Check out the Eagle Caps! Thats where I’m from.

Ok, how do I push splits to the limit? I ride a 178 Prior -Fissile. That board is amazing in every way. I also have some gs ripper boards and a BX for groomers and packed mogul riding.

The fissile is the go to board- I’ve ridden in chutes, tight couloir’s, tree’s etc.

But where I really push them to the limits are riding moguls, packed powder and hitting kickers and such.

Some will say that splitboards are exclusively made for the backcountry but I disagree. Splitboards are what I ride on 90% of the time. Unless it’s absolutely terrible off piste or in the backcountry then you’ll find me on a BX ripping some groomers.

The boards have been tried and tested. The bindings are important to me as I don’t want a failure while I’m hitting some moguls in techical area’s. I like the idea of knowing that I won’t blow out my knees by ejection of 1 foot. That is why I like the bombers. Those suckers are failproof I also wear Dynafit AT boots. I don’t like a lot of flex as I like to have positive initiation into turns driving the board without the give.

[Growth in our sport?]

On 2/26/2019 at 8:46 PM, David Kirk said:

I think one of the core issues is that it doesn't matter what gear you are riding (boards or skis) spending time on groomers isn't the cool thing to do. Sure if you are a ski racer running gates you rail turns on groomers but most people on the hill aspire to move away from the groomers and onto the steeps and bumps or park. The "good/cool guys" on the hill only use a groomer to get back to the lift.

Couple this with the fact that most snowboarders get into snowboarding for the freestyle/freeride aspects of the sport.....and these activities do not take place on groomed snow. Groomers aren't cool.

So....IMO.....the way to get more people on alpine boards is to appeal to those people who are predisposed to wanting to spend time on groomers and to find a more fun way to do it. In my mind this means skiers. They are comfortable with the boots and the forward stance and they appreciate a perfectly carved turn on groomed snow.

I was level III AASI instructor years ago and rode hard boots full time. I taught a good number of fellow instructors how to carve on alpine gear but 9 times out of 10 it was ski instructors, and not snowboard, that wanted to learn how to do it.

Target people who like spending time carving turns and put them on one ski instead of two and they'll have a ball.....trying to take a 22 year old kid who uses soft boots set at 5° out of the park and steeps and putting them on a groomer will seldom work.

My 2 cents.

dave

You can rip moguls, powder jumps etc. with a splitboard and hardboots as well. If you ask me splitboarding with hardboots is the answer.

[Growth in our sport?]

I am a lone wolf!! 

My thoughts are that we need to convince these snowboard instructors that there are alpine riders and freestyle riders. If you wanna rip teach the kids to point the toes forward.

I ride with poles with my splitboard and its interesting to watch kids try and replicate riding with poles while in a duck foot stance. So I do my part and try and get them to point the toes forward.

 

[Bomber split sidewinders]

Alright,

I'll give those Phantoms a go. I have a friend that has a pair and Ill borrow them to see if they'll hold up and how I like them before I commit. I still have those Bomber SW's as those things are indestructible but am continuously looking for a way to squeak 30* plus.

I push those splitboards to the limit. Do you think that those phantoms will hold up? Are they comparable to the SW's as far as reliability?

 

Thanks for the reply man!  

[Bomber split sidewinders]

Is Bomber ever going to make those sidewinders for splitboarders again? I know that this is a niche market - but those bad boys are indestructible and gives me the security I need to know that they won't fail in the backcountry. I also ride with an aggressive forward stance which I have to be creative as the toe pieces usually don't allow me to point them too far forward. I like those bomber bindings as I can mount them on the Voile slider plates so that they can slide on from either direction (forward or backwards). Please bring them back! There's a few of us that shred with hard boots and pushing splitboards to their maximum limits.