Speedster as a learnin board???

[kmagvette]

Is an F2 Speedster Slalom (163) board a good board to continue learning to carve on? I am in the east where trails are narrow and crowded. Current board is a 151 FP, kinda small for me 5'9", 185, but I like how the thing carves at slow sppeds. I do overpower it when I go faster.

Thoughts?

[Bobby Buggs]

get it tuned and you should like it. It might take a bit more to get a tight turn on it than what you are used to but watch your personal speed limit go through the roof.

Now if you can find some snow to ride on

[crucible]

At your weight and height, it might be a bit too small- I think your ideal board length would be between a 166 and 168 cm.

But a 163 F2 Speedster will be a VAST improvement on your 151 skateboard.

[slinkygnu]

Having learnt on hardboots, but spending years in softs, I went back to a speedster 172 as my hard-boot board. I took the opinion that I would "grow into it".

A few years on I'm still growing into it, but haven't regretted the decision.

[Pow]

151??? woah, that's gatta be terrifying at high speeds! my 162 is a little hard to work at higher speeds... but for the narrower runs here on the east and the slower speeds i prefer to go at this point in my progression it suits me fine. I think the 163 speedster would be a good choice, but youd have to ask somebody who's ridden it or who has more experience.

[kmagvette]

151??? woah, that's gatta be terrifying at high speeds! ...

Yup, I gotta be awake when the nose starts to load or i will get ejected. I just stay slower with the board.

Turns out that I was looking at a mis-advertised F2 Speedster GTS. I was told that these have the same geometry as the SL, just in a slightly softer flex profile. Since I don't know squat about boards in general, feel free to chime in on the GTS as well as alternatives.

I am looking for used boards in the $175-225 range; so far my short list is: Renntiger SL, Factory Prime, Speedster SL all in the 163->166 range. I don't know enough to be picky, so when a deal on one of these boards presents itself I'll go for it.

I need to maintain a short turning radius for the narrow trails back east. My primary concern is not buying a board that is way above my head and unwieldy on crowded trails - assuming it ever gets cold enough to make snow .

[wavechaser]

Hot Blast 160 is a killer production non-titanal slalom board...find a 2003-2004 or 2004-2005 if you can. Stiff and snappy though, so only if you like that and like to power up the board in turns and shoot out of them.