D.Roe

Hi, Has anyone tried the Donek or Bomber plate on a 200 Tanker? More importantly (for me)... has anyone tried one of these plates with softboot bindings? If so, what was your impression? There seems to be two aspects to converting these plate systems for use with a softboot setup: 1) PLATE WIDTH. Should be wide enough to support the entire binding footprint. Sean seems to have taken care of this with his wider version ("about 24 cm wide [...] looks like that is wider than necessary though, so it is likely to get a little narrower"). My Nidecker 900s are less than 24 even at a 0° angle. Also, Bomber's BX version that Shaun Palmer mounted his bindings on looks wide enough. (Threads: "Soft Boot Carving on a Donek Plate" and "Shaun Palmer takes out the Boiler Plate BX version".) 2) STANCE WIDTH. As a softboot carver, I have (prefer) a wider stance than hardbooters. With my 182 Tanker I ride with a 59cm stance, with my 200 a 60cm stance. Judging by the Bomber installation PDF schematic, it looks like the maxium stance is 55cm. I haven't found an image that indicates the maximum stance for the Donek. Sean and Fin, what is -- or can be made -- the maximum stance width for your softboot plates? Thanks, and kind regards, David D.Roe Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

Hi TLN, I just picked up the same model here in Germany -- for 300 euros: http://www.snowshop.de/de/Snowboards/Snowboards-nach-Boardlaenge/ab-166-cm/Rad-Air-Tanker-200-2007 They also do not ship to Kazachstan. However, if you plan a trip to the Austrian Alps, you could probably arrange to have it shipped to your hotel. Cheers, Dave

Hi Zanci, I got the cambered 182 Tanker, and I just :1luvu: it! So, they're both lovable boards. Has anyone ridden both? (Or both a cambered 200 and a newer rocker 200)? I'm interested in how the rockers perform on the slope as I'm probably 70% of the time there. After trying the 08/09 cambered model, I was thinking Wow, gotta get another one while they're still available -- to ride after I wear this one out... But maybe the rockers perform just as well (better?) on the slopes? Thanks a lot! Dave

I agree. It's questionable to ship something across the Atlantic that can be made on the same side as where it will be used. That said, I did import one of Sean's Doneks to Germany, and I don't think it will be the last. :) Regarding Silberpfeil prices... Blue Tomato: At Blue Tomato it costs 700 euros or about $920. Substract 16% VAT and that's about $793. (VAT... I asked Blue Tomato about this today because I know that Austrian VAT is 20%. They responded that this earlier-valid VAT rate is still calculated because the "to-USA" shipping really costs them more than the blanket DHL shipping price of only 30 euros -- see below for German readers.) OK, add $30 shipping by DHL (German UPS-similar shipper) = $823. Plus U.S. customs $_?? (you receive a customs bill with your board). So with Blue Tomato it's about $823 + customs. Others who've imported boards might tell you what the customs rate is on boards. http://www.blue-tomato.com/de/Alpin-Boards/F2-FTWO-Silberpfeil-Carbon-Edition-168-10-11/product.bto?product=300286743 Cheers, Dave Blue Tomato comment on VAT-related 16% reduction of listed prices: --- Hallo David, weil früher in Deutschland die Mehrwertsteuer bei 16 % lag wurde diese so eingestellt. Haben diese aber so beibehalten weil bei Auslandslieferungen für uns Mehrkosten anfallen und es nicht bei den angegebenen Pauschalpreisen von DHL bleibt. Mit freundlichen Grüssen / Kind Regards Customer Service Patrick Gruber Hochstrasse 628 A-8970 Schladming patrick.gruber@blue-tomato.com Tel: +43 (0)3687 24223-31 Fax: +43 (0)3687 24223-55 ---

Hi all, I saw a great deal on 2009 (last cambered year model) Rad Air 182 Tankers -- 300 euros here in Germany. I’m considering it for “powder days” – which for me (without avalanche gear or backcountry experience) mostly means riding close to slopes and spending 60-70% of the day on the groomer. Or, for days like last Friday in Saas Fee where there was 6-8 inches of fresh on top of the groom and my Eliminator kept trying to bore into the snow… Question for anyone who has tried both these boards… The 141 Tanker effective edge vs. my Eliminator’s 131 won’t be a problem. Unless the Tanker is as stiff or stiffer than the Eliminator. (My Eliminator is a 2007 model, rated a 9 for flex by F2 – subsequent years were rated 8.) Anyone know how the flex in these two boards compares? Thanks a lot! (Hope this wasn’t off topic, but I really do carve with softboots on these boards – unless I’m having a bad day… ;-) David Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany 162 F2 Eliminator LTD 2007 161 Donek Wide Salomon Malamute boot Nidecker Carbon 900 binding, +27/-3 stance