felix

Max speed on GPS is usually a bit too high in my experience (of course I know it has to be reset before and GPS has had to be turned on at least 1 hour so all the almanach data is in). However one can nicely analyze speed with software like GPSAR Pro (that's what is used in the speedsurfing/kiting world for contests). I usually clean out the inbetween points and then look at a distance of at least 300-400m straight line. Onpiste with my tanker 200 swallowtailed I once bombed down a 40° hill with 130kph. Offpiste on my 3part Swallowtail split I once managed 153kph straightlining a 60° face of 600m vert (dropped in, noted I had too much snow coming down with me, so I didn't dare to do any turn and just hoped to get the hell out straightline without falling). Carving feels fast, but is much slower. Usually around 40-50kph when using boards with 15m radius for me.

For people understanding German... Here is another nice thread how Frank Dietzel (User snowstorm 13) treats his own customers if they tell their opinion about how a Virus broke. http://www.frozen-backside.de/thread.php?threadid=1665&threadview=0&hilight=&hilightuser=0&page=1

Duh, I love great metal boards - been trying out Kesslers and SGs since years and allways really liked those boards. Dunno however when I have the conditions and few people on a hill to ride down an 185cm, 20m radius SG board a black slope. Needs lotta space (or drifting to reduce speed) and few people to really use it. If it weren't for the price I'ld be riding them (or one of the newer Goltes raceboards which I really do love). However as a student and interested in skiing, freeriding and racing I simply can't afford those boards. I board in hardboots bought used for 10€ (Raichle SB 325s), softboots bought for a similar price (softboots don't take much more than 30-40days anyhow until they are so broke you can bin them) and with 50-60days on the mountain kill at least 2 of my used boards every winter (and for the freeride stuff a board is only done if the cost of epoxy goes higher than getting another used longboard/swallowtail). New metal shapes excell if conditions are really bad or on a rutted racecourse - but on hero snow I feel as happy on some older boards. Most I ever spent for a board was 400CHF for a Swoard because I loved it so much - even if the edges were quite thin already. I paid 250€ for a nice 3 piece splitboard in pristine condition, other than that I bought tons of boards for 10-150€ cause they will still serve me plenty good. New boards are really nice but you can do without too. Buying a board for 1 grand would mean much less satisfaction too me, cause every little stone would **** up my day thinking about how much money I just burned. Freeriding I don't worry much about stones or rocks but instead enjoy untracked runs that others dare because of too few snow. Cutting a big Swallowtail into a 2m tanker gives you a great freerideboard, cutting a swallowtail into a cheapish 175cm average freerider gives you the same pleasure as a 3x more expensive pintail/extreme taper board. And if conditions are very icey and crowded instead boarding I just use some 2nd hand SL or GS race stock skis to shred. Reserves alpine boarding to days with great conditions when older boards work as good as newer boards.

I too had AF600s and have several SB325, The Asymetrics are waaaayyyy wider and higher overall than the symetric boots. Wide forefoot - get a good bootfitter to get you into the 325 (will need some dremeling) or take a asymetric one without probs. However with low arch asymetric boots might not be for you (I maxed out on the 2. ratchet) so I have to go for symetric line and blow out the toebox to get nicely fitting Raichles. Asymetric boots = heellift for my low arch, snug heel, but wide forefoot feet.

For carving I don't mind. My tanker 200cm 02/03 is by now missing more than 40cm of edges that have popped out because of contact with rocks, trees, etc.. (also due to my in my opinion completely unsatisfactory build quality by Voekl in Germany - my other freeride boards have much better base material (I want a freeride board to have an extruded base, I don't care for seconds, but I do care if I have to spend hours fixing up the board cause stones cause much more damage because of the supersoft base material and bigger and more durable edges; can't speak for other production year models though). I ride it softies only. I have installed additional inserts at 4 and 8cm back (on the back inserts) and 4cm back on the front inserts, and keep using mostly the 8cm back from standard most backward insert. This gives me the flotation I expect from the board. Carving with those settings becomes pretty impossible though because the tail will skid out (o.k. might also be due to edges missing). I tried it with hardboots but as with any other powder board, hardboots in powder is not for me - I rather use very stiff softboots (Deeluxe Spark, binned those ****ty DriverX) with very stiff binders because I want to have the ability to flex sidewards a lot (which simply does not work with hardboots). I weight about 65-75kg (depending on my training). What I do love about the tanker is high-speed stability. Hammer it fullspeed into a mogul field and simply go straight through it. Could do very well with a more powder specific nose though.

Did anyone note too that the search function doesn't seem to work: to try out search for watersplash I get 0 results. Looking into this thread gives me plenty of occurences however: http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=20080

Pale shut down end of 2008 (they were not bankrupt though). Sporten and other tried to buy the equipment but Pale didn't want to sell it to them. You left out some of the very big Austrian ones though - "Keil". Keil - based in Uttendorf/Mittersill, Salzburg Land produces about 100.000 boards per year AFAIK they have about 150 empleyees - mainly produce for Burton (they only do OEM). GST (Austria) must be counted to the biggest snowboard producers worldwide too, as well as B&M. BTW Palmer is produced in Austria by Allaction - Some of the development and the real deal for worldcuppers is made by Kessler as we all know. I think about 10 years ago, 80%, if not more, of worldwide snowboard production was done in Austria, now more and more is moving away. 985.000 boards were produced in Europe in 2004, but I think by now worldwide production is no more than 500.000-600.000 (however that's a wild guess). I wanted to attach a PDF by Boardsports Consulting - Rémi FORSANS that is the source of my figures, but it's filesize is too large. Don't assume that because a company builds skis, they do build boards too. For Head AFAIK that's not the case. According to that document Market shares Europe 05/06: Burton 27% K2 group 12% Quicksilver/Rossi: 11% Salomon: 10% Nitro: 10% Others: 27% And here are the Producers Figures (mind they are for season 04/05): Austria: Oldenburg. for Burton (20.000) - now called Ybbsski or similar, were bankrupt 2 yars ago. Much smaller now. Now produces for Artec/Arbor and others. They were the exclusive producer for all Burton alpine boards AFAIK. Atomic: Atomic, Quecha; 25.000 Allaction: Palmer; 30.000 Elan: Elan, Nitro, Option, Sims, Salomon, Scott, Head 180.000 (AFAIK skis are produced in Slovenia, but all snowboards in Austria). Company is Slovenian. KEIL: Burton; 110.000 GST: Santa Cruz, F2, Forum, Jeenyus, Flow, OEM, 115.000 Pale: Nidecker, Head, Crazy Creek, OEM, 180.000 (stopped production end of 2008 - once they were with GST, Elan, Klein and Rossignol one of the biggest producers worldwide) Spain: Rossignol: Rossignol Hammer, Dynastar, Roxy, Hot; 180.000 Germany: Voelkl: K2, Voelkl, Rad-air, 40.000 (now moved to China - only raceroom skis still produced in Germany) Small factories: Virus: <1000 (just added for completeness): Virus, Alpinepunk - Some of the freeride boards were made by LTB for Virus and were even completely designed by LTB - since a few years LTB does not produce for Frank anymore however, I have heard rumors that Choc also produced/produces for Virus. So if you buy Virus watch out not to pay big money for boards that are available elsewhere for half price..... Pogo: <1000??? (just added for completeness) Jester/Powderequipment: <1000 (just added for completeness) Poland: Nodile: Burton, Fanatic 30.000 Bulgaria: Pamporovo: OEM 25.000 France: Salomon: Salomon - 25.000 Plus some very renowned Shapers for Swallowtails like Kafi. So those French Swallowtail brands are mostly produced in-house. Switzerland: Nidecker: Nidecker - 20.000 Kessler: <1000 (just added for completeness) Radical: <1000 (just added for completeness) - Most of Radical production is outsourced to Choc in Chzeck Republic. Czech Republic: Sporten - ???? Choc: Radical, Choc, Trans, Virus (still outsourced or not anymore?), OEM - ???? LTB: LTB, Virus (not anymore), OEM - a bit below 1000. (just added for completeness) Lusti - OEM <1000. (just added for completeness) Olda - < 1000 (just added for completeness)

Are you sure????? At the last worldcup in Gastein I could see mainly Kessler (okay custom), SG (production), Oxxess (production), Black Pearl (not sure), and not many other boards. Some Palmers (okay those are branded Kessler), some Apex, ..... Basically boards from the same makers as the GS/SL boards used in the worldcup. I have to say I've only seen the races starting from the quaterfinals, other heats (men only) and qualifiers were not broadcasted in Austria. I would find it strange to see people on average boards when speacialised boardercross boards are available easily.

No not that bland. It was a former Austrian Team A member (the training group in OESV for the "best") who told me that he by that time (3 1/2 years ago) went for Tomahawk instead of Kessler because he felt that he didn't get the same boards as the Schoch brothers from Kessler.

SGs come in 3 flexes if I am not wrong. Maybe the newer models with flat nose only come in pro team (stiff) and full race (medium)? I'ld rather think it's difficult to get a 185cm board if your 60kg only, because that's more the weight of women racers. But then maybe you'ld better choose the women version after all anyhow. I don't think there is a minimum GS length restriction in FIS races for snowboarders of 185cm for men, or is there? After all were not skiers who need restrictions for everything starting from boot height, ski height, binding height over to minimum radius/length..... Send Sigi a mail (either he or Elisabeth should answer your questions) about flexes.

The performance of SG is definitley top-notch. Triple-Podium at the last worldcup race in Arosa mens' should speak for the speed of the boards (even though Benjamin Karl, last year worldcup winner on SGSnowboards, is injured for the moment - hopes to get back on track for the world championships). Build Quality is top notch anyway. So it's probabely mostly up to your personal preferences. If you can't testride, you will have to buy cold..... I personally would go for SG, because of Sigis engagement for young local racers, and actually developping kids raceboards in really good quality too. Also with SG you know tat you get the full deal, I heard rumors about Kessler giving better boards to Swiss racers, but don't know whether that was ever true, or is still true.

Dudes, nobody of you ever freeriding Duotone boards in the dayz? Out of business sadly (got aquired by F2, went out of business in 2002/2003 (for the date I'm not really sure, might have been +-1 year). LTB and Alpinepunk are of course still in business. Killer Loop was only a brand produced by several companies (amongst others Radical with the Killer Loop 222cm shaped by Mark Farner). I think boards sold under Killer Loop label were allways available in other flavours too (think of identical board produced with different topsheet). Northwave (yeah they had boards too, at least boards branded with their name) What about Miura are they still producing powder sticks?

Well it's pretty clear rockered boards didn't work out great 15-20 years ago, but now materials have changed, previously unsuccessful technologies might simply work now. If on my skis I only tune the middle 50cm of my ski edge below the Vist worldcup race plate, they still stick to ice very good, the only problem is to tighten up the turn by loading the nose, because the nose will slip away while the section under the plate still holds up. Of course I prefer having the ski fully tuned, but it works with tuning only under your feet too. That's a bit how I expect Pokkis' board to carve. It should still hold up nicely on ice, but moving weight back and front won't change very much. As for drifting I think it's clear that rockered shapes simply do this more pleasantly (maybe not faster in a race but with fewer power). And of course the board will feel much shorter than it is, which is nice too. I would have gone straight for 190cm or 200cm though (adding about 20cm to normal construction for same purpose). I actually do like Pontoons on piste too. Off piste they are not wike enough for my taste though. Gogo Duret Monstre Fats in 1m of pow....

Nope Kryptons are a new mold. Original Raichle molds are too used by a pretty new Italian company run by a former well known italian racer, can't remember the name right now. Overall there are 4 companies producing skiboots with Raichle Overlap principe at the moment if I got it right. Wouldn't buy any new ones however, in Austria you can get old Flexon Comps in pristine condition for 20-30€ if you look around. They hold up so well, that if they are not broken they are still good.

Schtubbys have much more running length compared to a normal board tip while not being much longer in the gates. That's the main reason for me why there are so widely used in the worldcup and then trickled down. For the same turnability they offer more stability. If you don't want to go backwards you better design a powder board that has only one tip (like a Swallowtail). Same reason why raceboards are squared. The faster you go, other parameters non changed, the longer the board should be. The tighter you have to turn, the shorter. As in a forest you need to float and turn easily, boards with lots of taper perform great. That's the reason I'ld never get a burton fish, not enough taper at all compared to a Never Summer Summit or a LTB Ultrataper that has 4cm and the inserts even more to the back than old Fishs. However you could go longer on any tapered board, as long as the swing weight to the front stays the same without loosing much manouverability. Those factors taken into account, I love the handmade boards by Powderequipment. They weight one kg less for the same length compared with the lightest other boards. Not that great on harder snow, but if the snow is soft or you have powder there is nothing as stable while still being very easy to turn, even if it gets tight. Off course with the board being superlightweight - you have to take care of it much more.

O.T. a) WRONG: Skis in general if long and wide enough are quicker than any snowboard, just look at races where both skiers and boarders participate. Once going above 100km/h two independant sticks just allow to eat up more shocks than one stick, look at the speed of professional Big Mountain skiers, it's way above that from snowboarders. At la Grave at the derby de la Meije even Monoskiers are quicker than boarders year after year - however I would say that this is due to the very best monoskiers (like Xavier Duret - known for Duret Monoskis) participating while no really quick boarders like Castelberg or others participate. As long as its steep enough and tight in trees I'm much quicker on Raxskis compared to riding a Pintail snowboard shape, not depending on snow conditions - and that's with a fraction of experience on Raxskis compared to snowboards. For Raxskis the speed limit is different. I'ld say above 90km/h the principle doesn't work anymore. However on moguls, beat up powder, or tight runs due to the manouverability (we timed that it's possible to change direction about 3 times per second) its much quicker than any other snowsport tool - because of stability. You can straightline nearly everything (seen many people speculating how it's possible that on spring snow there is a long straightline down a 60° field, debating what tool was used to walk up straight there - noone even thinking that this was possible on downhill), as by moving the weight backwards you directly brake. This principle has been used for very early snowboards too, and off course for the predecessor of Raxskis the Figln too. The main difference is that the fins are used for turning too. Raxskis are fun and easy to use in powder, but off course slower (the pictured ones would run about same speed as a slalom ski in powder when pointing straight). They really shine whenever conditions get bad or you're going down somewhere too tight to turn. Hucking cliffs also doesn't work too well on raxskis. I jumped down a 4-5m high windlip 10-15m far, but that was about the maximum I still felt in controll, much easier on skis or snowboards. b) on Raxkis you have really independant leg action, one skis is basically enough, as it uses much less power than skis or snowboards I have done quite long descents on one Raxski only getting down 300-400m vert without stopping or arriving tired. Good video material will follow up later this year. Old handycam style videos simply don't cut it. c) On Raxskis you have to skis, just like on skis. Otherwise we would have called it Raxboards..... The principle relies nearly only on fore-aft movement and weightshift from on leg to the other. To turn you just load the weight onto the foot in the direction you want to go. Learning to Raxski takes about 10-30 minutes for a snowboarder (meaning after 30min every snowboarder who tried it got down any descent upto 40° steep, onpiste or offpiste). Even people who have never skied or snowboarded before learn it in two to three hours. You can find some more pictures here: http://picasaweb.google.com/FelHartmann/SkitripDachsteinUndHintertuxImMai# Here you have a one-footed video: http://picasaweb.google.com/FelHartmann/SkitripDachsteinUndHintertuxImMai#5210018938338261618 (the snow was really heavy, due to 1m of fresh snow 2 days before and then being the first day with above 0° C. temperatures (actually 20° at 2700m on Dachstein Glacier). This was end of May. On this shot you see the difference from an average snowboard track (Tanker 200) to a straightline Raxski track, about 35-40° steep: http://picasaweb.google.com/FelHartmann/SkitripDachsteinUndHintertuxImMai#5210021162352081138 This is a rather old video, with old-type Raxskis which required much power (because you had to lean back/toiletseat) and weren't nearly as efficient as the newer prototypes: If you want to know more about Raxskis I'ld ask you to open up a new topic by pasting in the old inforation however, this is becoming way off topic.

you can google about it, homepage hasn't been updated for a long time - however most information on the net isn't that up to date. that's how for example how my cutted through snowboard Raxski looks like. It's held in the air by Tom, the inventor.

Nah off course I love riding real powder and not just the odd 15cm from last night, but mostly conditions aren't perfect (I get maybe 5-10 perfect powder days with 60cm+ fresh per season - and that's with travelling to the places where the fluff arrives). And by riding long long boards that float well as well as going fast I can stay on top of those 15cm barely touching the hard old snow underneath - while other people just moan about bad conditions and call them unrideable. Those conditions weren't changeable, so I had to adapt. If its perfect conditions most powder specific boards excell, some like Swallowtails even the better. I like to load the front foot on turn initiation, be it on the slope or off-piste. To do that I need flooooaaat. If you're riding like 95% offpiste on your back-foot - well than you better check out some boards that offer real pleasure off-piste. I don't think there many people who put extra inserts into their tanker to provide more float - but I don't wanna adapt my technique but take the board that suits my technique. I rode the Powderequipment Type B later that year after about a 1m dump (during the Longboard Classics at Stuben this year) and it was even better. Tried a Dupraz afterwards and just didn't understand how it came that a board I usually like doesn't perform at all like the board before. I often freeride corn snow, and for that the longer the more secure. I rarely use hardboots for freeriding anymore. With hardboots I'ld rather use Swallowtails all the time, or at least very long and rather narrow freeridesticks. My favourite afternoon and bad weather tool is however more and more my custom Raxski (cut out of a snowboard). The first batch of Raxskis is just being produced. There's not much resemblance anymore with the early Raxski prototypes. I will setup some fat Raxskis with softboot binders for this season wile others I use with my snowboard hardboots. Riding forest no other snowsporttool is as quick and turny like Raxskis. We might setup a model with dynafits if the sales go well.

I rode a lotta powder boards last season, from Dupraz D1+, Apo, Never Summer Summit, various longboards (for me a longboard is rather a universal but a powder specific board) from LTB and Tanker, some STs, Jester Element, Rossi Undertaker 185, Pogo Swallows,....... The board that stands out for me is the Powderequipment Type B in 190cm. I wrote a resume off some of the boards in this thread here: http://www.extremecarving.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4013&highlight=powderequipment After testing several other freeride boards during that season , i rode the Type B again at the Longboard Classics and again it exelled against everything. It's not the best board on hard slopes (2.8kg if you opt for the clear topsheet in 190cm just means being way lighter than any other board in this length) but once you get it on the slightest bit of powder it just excells. Due to the shape it rides open bowls just like a Swallow, however in forest due to the low weight it turns with only a bit more power than a true pintail like Never Summer Summit or LTB Ultratapers. Once my 2m 2003 tanker breaks down (I hope it holds up for one more season, just installed 8 extra t-nut inserts for real powder days to have either 12cm or 16cm of setback because it doesn't float enough...) I'll go for the "Type B".

My best pack yet for carrying my snowboard and allround has been a Scott Discover Lite III 35l, which isn't produced anymore (Ascent 35 got Aluminium frame so it's useless, and is a toploader). I used it everyday for first high school then university and it held up 7 years with no sign of wear until it got stolen 3 month ago. Was way better than any Duotone, Ortovox, Mammut or Dakine pack I've ever used or saw (while Burton backpacks are not even a competition to any of the beforementioned brands, even if priced double). Carrying my 2m Tanker, even when on a racing bike or city bike to meet up people to pick me up was perfect, can't say that for my replacement K2 Pilchuck (which holds by no means the advertised 38l, rather 25 only, is good as a city daypack but not as a serious backcountry/snowboard backpack as advertised) at all. Main problem for carrying longboards/raceboards is that the backpack needs to be long/high but neither wide nor deep/fat, if no advanced carrying system is used it should consist of three straps not two like most backpacks with the top and down strap at the most outward (top/bottom) positions and a center strap (maybe height adjustable to better fix the snowboard between the binders. Or best use a carrying system like Duotone used to (I think Mammut bought that system of Duotone (or maybe was the OEM for Duotone backpacks 15 years ago) years ago and now uses it under the name Tilt and Raise, way better than everything else) The Scott was the closest backpack in board carry comfort compared to Duotone/Mammut - but the current Mammuts don't fit my needs. Some point I would like based on the Scott backpack: Solid carbon inner backplate (well the Scott plate was out of ABS plastics but Carbon would be nicer wouldn't it?), that is easily removable to serve various functions (sled, plate to sit on in snow, take out to lean against a tree or take out to sleep on in a survivaval bag........). This serves as a nice protector for carrying around your laptop too. Hydration system. Nuff said about this. Carrying system for skis (on the sides) and snowboard so that I can carry both at the same time (so I can take my girlfriends skis on top while climbing or walking up steep spring snowfields where she might not feel to secure). Build the carrying like on the old Duotone with top and bottom cap so you can change the angle and height of the snowboard attached to the backpack and so that it doesn't move around or get in your way, the snowboard should be removable including the carrying system from the backpack (click on), which makes it easier to attach. Design the carrying system/zipps in such a way that even with skis and snowboard attached one can access all pockets/compartments. The carrying system should work with the backpack fully stuffed or nearly empty, without the sowboard getting in the way of my legs or head. If no Raise and Tilt system, than definitely prepare for both horizontal and vertical boardcarry. Raise and Tilt is wonderfull in a second way, as it limits your wind exposure during wind/storm gusts. Straps, straps, straps to fix everything: Need to fix helmet (no straps but a net that sits ON TOP of the Snowboard carrier (basically only with removable raise and tilt sytem achievable) so that I can fix the helmet without having it swing around on the way up), ice axe, poles, and then the usual stuff..... As well all oter carrying system outerior straps should be designed in such a way that if not in use they don't hang around loosely) Make it light, no more than say 1700g, 35-40 liters (in reality - not compared to what other companies consider as 35-40 liters but is mostly at least 10l missing) so you can take it either as a daypack, or as a 2daypack (if you pack carefully) and so that it also holds all my shoppings as I have no car and use that backpack to carry all my groceries inludings beers :) Oh yes it should be bombproof too. Say 800D cordura nylon and rainproof (for light rain) (watch out for very high quality zipps though, it's the first thing to break down in many backpacks - the bigger the teeth the better zipps hold up in general). Sell it in Europe or have an online shop that shipps over the pond for reasanable price (max 35-40$, not 70-80$ as some shops want). If it fullfils all that criteria I'm well willing to spend 200-300$ (150-220€) on it. Otherwise I will have to carry on my search for a Scott Discoverer III 35 liters (25 is too small) as the Mammuts don't satisfy me at all except for the carrying system. Oh - no toploader please, or topload with frontload access!

Well if you wanna stick with Swix, you take HF10B in Yellow for old wet snow or HF10BDB (Black Devil) for fresh wet snow or wet machine snow - both race waxes with high-fluor concentration for very wet snow - but better not order before looking at the price (list price around €150/€170 for 180g). (For Swix HF = High Fluor, LF = Low Fluor and cheaper, but still better than No Fluor.....) Brands really tell nothing, nearly any brand has from cheap waxes over training waxes to race waxes everything on offer. Exceptions are maybe small companies such as Zipps (fluid waxes) or Solda who focus mainly on racing supply and from which the average crowd would already ask how training waxes can come so expensive. Big brands like Holmenkol, Toko or Swix are (at least in Austria) genrally lower value for price from what I have experienced. Very good value are often the snowboard wax offsprings from the big names. Often, especially at the end of season, you can get low-fluor waxes identical to their flagship brands at way lower prices. Otherwise if you buy assortements of 1kg blocks, prices are much lower too but I prefer not storing waxes for too long so about 100g of each graphite/hydrocarbon/low fluor wax gets me easily through one season (including waxing my families skis/boards).

On wet snow good structure and low-fluor (trying to stay with reasonable price range) is for me THE way to go. Oh longer board like a tanker 200 helps a lot too. The softer the snow the longer the board for fun! For colder snow conditions I'm allright on cheaper wax, but once it gets wet I really prefer good waxes from ski racing supply stores (nice to live in Austria where ski-racing is so huge that there are some really nice shops that sell nothing but racing supplies (meaning they don't sell any skiboots/skis that would be of use for tourists) and even on the phone provide great service. If it is for racing on whet snow I'ld put on some of that really expensive stuff, be it fluor powder, high-fluor paste etc... Will not last longer than 3-4 runs, but if it makes you faster by half a second, that can be a big deal. I try not to use fluor-pastes out of races as they seem to make your base get "fatty" in the long run. Oh not scraping is no good, at least if you know what to do.

Well I only tried the Dupraz D1+ shortly, too short and though the snow was deep, it was very heavy too. I'm sure the Dupraz floats at least as good as the Tankers, however like the Tankers it needs to be ridden with centrail weight position (that's what Serge told me and he should know). Loading the front foot on Turn entry will be punished like on a tanker. While the tanker might dive in, the Dupraz would just not steer exactly anymore. Float is nowhere near to what you get on long Swallowtails or on a Powderequipment Type B, the Type B however being much better on traverses. I'm a big lover of boards like Tanker or the excellent European alternative LTB, liking them for being really allround. However they simply don't give me the feeling of surfing and floating completely relaxed when you need the float. Especially when going slower the Tanker doesn't float enough to my liking which means much more work to do and having 60cm from the middle of the last insert to the back of the board simply takes loads of work to turn it around on jumpturns. With the Type B I had around 40cm only, making the board 10cm longer to the front, and 20cm shorter to the back. Maybe putting in some additional inserts 10cm back on the Tanker would work, but I think in that case the sidecut wouldn't work anymore for carving. Just being in the backmost inserts on the Tanker 200 (mine has 1.2cm taper) I often have the nose below the snow, not necessarily getting stuck, but still under and not over the snow. After trying out a many boards at the Freeride Test Days in Davos I posted a thread over those boards over at the EC forum: http://www.extremecarving.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4013&highlight=powderequipment You might have a look into that one too. Since then I've tried some more freeride sticks, and again the Type B which is still my great favourite, if it just were not so expensive. I too had one ride on the Radical Surf 222 (more exactly the Killer Loop 222), but too short to judge. It for sure floated pretty nicely though too.

They go between 800-900€. Depending on what you want for layers. Like adding a an aditional carbon belt, or no topsheet, etc.. The basic shape has been evolved from the Jester Element (also loads of float, but only available up to 179cm - therfore only around 500€) however every Powderequipment is handmade and unique vs small production runs for the Jesters. You could give them a call in Konstanz. I'm sure they'll go touring with their boards as long as snow is left. They are pretty different from the Pogos, but then for me it's been about 3-4 years since I've last tried Pogo longboards. I think for trying them out this season might be a bit late. I tried them on the Freeride Test days and again at the Longboard Classic. For riding on piste, they were o.k. Rode more like shorter boards, but then effective edge is very short compared to overall length (remember the nose being 34cm looooong). On crust the performance was very good too, only moguls were a bit more work for me than on a tanker. Straightlining moguls isn't that easy on them. Longlivety I have no clue, but quality is really nice. Anyone I spoke with who tried the TypeB was very impressed for soft snow. You won't win any races on the Type B as on steep mogul sections I couldn't keep up to the speed I can go on the Tanker, but therefore in the forest the Type B turns much easier due to shorter radius and much more setback if you put the binders all the way to the back. With the low weight they are perfect boards for touring. 3-Splits are also available but I haven't tried them as I usually make my tours with others on snowshoes. I never had problems with breakage of Swallows on the other hand. Only problem like on every other long board with much setback folding the nose on riding error. Simply much longer so higher chance of being trapped into something inside the forest. They will attend all big freeride events next year again according to what they told me, probabely also the Swallowmania (they are not to keen on France as expensive boards are not easily sold there). They were also at the World Carving Session

If you really want loads of float, don't go for a tanker IMHO. I have a tanker 200 03/04 and ridden the newer 200s too. They're very nice allround boards and provide lots of float compared to most boards, however for entering turns with pressure on front foot just like on a raceboard. I've only ridden the 200 (various seasons) so can't coment on the 187. I'm probabely into buying a Powderequipment TypeB 190cm or 210cm next season as a supplement to the Tanker for big pow days when my tanker isn't enough anymore. Never had any board with so much float that wasn't a Swallowtail. Tried Dupraz and many other shapes, also many good pintails like Never Summer Summit which had very good float, but never had so much float and stability like on a Powderequipment Type B Custom. (They're manufactured at Jester - The first ever European snowboard builder - many should still know snowboard legend Werner Frueh who is still with Jester/Powderequipment). Also with 2.7-2.8kg at 190cm no other board comes even close in weight in this length. If you want loads of float, you'll need a powder specific board, not just a longboard.