determing what you can ride / stifness: alpine compared to FR/FS.

[FTA2R]

curious re: general thinking of "equivalent sizing" b/w an alpine board and FR/FS. IN other words, "if one rides an alpine board of this length / stiffness / style, up to what length FR / FS could one ride?"

any one of determining? seems easy, yet hard (b/c of different variables)

ex: I ride a Donek FC 1 163, 10 M SCR.

Looking at this Burton Board's specs, the SCR is clearly not as big, yet I do not weigh 160 and the overall length is longer. I know this is just a suggested rider weight, and experience and application must be considered, but what's the general consensus?

166

8.48

530

296.1

296.1

1295

160-210 lbs. /

73-95 kg.

Medium / Large

anyone want to formulate some "theorems" here? (ex: riders with Freecarve boards should feel free to ride a FS/FR board up to 10 cm longer than a FC board)

[Pow]

I think the "my other ride's an alpine" factor immediately invalidates most all of the "suggested setups". we tend to have very different standards (higher:biggthump ) for our freeride/freestyle boards, and disregard the length of board to size of rider ratio more. Ive found that alpine riders understand their gear on a level few freestyle boarders will ever comprehend. I also think that everybody has different needs/wants in thier boards, so two alpine riders of the same size could be happiest on two completely different board lengths/stiffnesses/widths/sidecuts. The only sure way for me is to try it, or at least ask around about a certain model.

[lonerider]

but what's the general consensus?

I'm pretty sure there is no consensus because they are too many factors (which you already realized).

I mean consider Rad Air Tankers - they are essentially an ultra-long freestyle/freeride board. My Tanker 172 is longer than my alpine board (Madd 170). That Tanker is easier to ride than a Donek Incline 160, perhaps even a 155. I think they aren't any easy generalizations or theorems that bored-snowboarders-with-no-snow (yes I am one of them) can make about this - you kind of have to do it on a board by board basis.

[bobdea]

I'm pretty sure there is no consensus because they are too many factors (which you already realized).

I mean consider Rad Air Tankers - they are essentially an ultra-long freestyle/freeride board. My Tanker 172 is longer than my alpine board (Madd 170). That Tanker is easier to ride than a Donek Incline 160, perhaps even a 155. I think they aren't any easy generalizations or theorems that bored-snowboarders-with-no-snow (yes I am one of them) can make about this - you kind of have to do it on a board by board basis.

damn skippy!

lonerider, you beat me to the tanker/donek comparison except I was going to use the donek wides and sasquatch as compared to some of the big tankers and a lib tech dough boy

I have a 177 tanker that I can't wait to ride, this one should be perfect for me and what I wanna do

[Blue Bird]

Pick a board that you think will challenge your riding abilities and keep things interesting

[JJFluff]

the two types of boards have little to do with each other. When I went out to get a freestyle board, I didn't think about my alpine/hardboot setup. The only thing I was looking for in my freestyle board was some stiffness to help with the carving aspect. But I didn't find myself thinking about length, sidecut, and overall running legnth.

The way I look at it. My freestyle board is my jeep. And the alpine board is the sports car you keep covered up in the garage until its time to drive it.

But I do understand the "need" to crunch numbers and technical this and that. After awhile, do you find yourself worried more about what you should be riding versus what you are riding? Sorry, I just can't figure out the constant reasoning that one needs to be a certain size to ride a certain length/stiffness. I don't buy it. Unless you are really large, than maybe a 160 or smaller may be pushing it. But just give a board a chance, and learn to rip it.

Moral of the story. - You can ride anything you want. Stop looking at the numbers.

[FTA2R]

that happens enough here, lol. i personally find it interesting to compare different SCRs and overall lengths, and occassionally waist width (esp. with an alpine board) and a stiffness rating (if there is one). Other #s I ignore.

Lonerider, this may be silly question, but why is your smaller Donek harder to ride than your Rad Air? Stiffness?

thx,

[lonerider]

Lonerider, this may be silly question, but why is your smaller Donek harder to ride than your Rad Air? Stiffness?

Yes, stiffness and dampening. The Tanker is much softer and more damp.