OES board reviews - SG, Tanker, Diablo, etc.

[zoom]

A number of OESers had the privilege of trying some rare and groovy boards, courtesy of RJ at Exoticboards.com, Abel and Eric of Diablo Composites, and other miscellaneous OESers. Post your impressions - good, bad and indifferent - here and help spread the word.

Me first! I'm 5'4", 135 lbs

The SG Cult 169 is one fun board! With my small feet (23.5 mondo in softies), it's a great softboot carver, but it could be lots of fun for a light, larger footed person on hardboots. Its long effective edge (134 cm), narrowness (23 cm) and flex pattern made it the closest thing I've found to a hard carver on softies. It holds an edge well and the stiffish tail gives it a really fun release in transitions. Rode it in a few inches of PNW "pow" and it performed like a champ - probably due to the long, soft nose and 10 mm of taper.

On the other side of the spectrum, Randy T (big guy, hard charger) tried it on hardboots and found it too soft and small for his taste. Hope he'll post his impressions here.

I've tried a half jillion boards in my short snowboarding career, and if I could only have one board, this would be it... hands down.

Conclusion: bought it!

08 Tanker 172 - I didn't ride this one for long, because it's too wide for me to carve on without a lot of work (258 cm) - again, I have tiny feet. However, it busted through chop, carved tighter arcs than I expected and rode like a Cadillac. Damp, stable and smooooooth.

Conclusion: as advertised, the little longboard

Photo below, SGs L-R:

Race Full Pro Team 185 Titanal (08-09 prototype)

Race 185 Titanal

Race Pro Team 178 Titanal

Speed 173

Cult/All Mountain 169 - MINE!

SBX Pro Team 169 (08-09 prototype)

Speed 162

[Mike T]

I tried the Tanker 200, I'm assuming it's the 07/08, from RJ's fleet. I was priveleged to take it out on the freshie morning, 4" that was somewhere between fluffy and heavy over soft groom. I rode it in hard boots.

I currently own an 02/03 Tanker 192. 5'10", 186 pounds. Experienced but not fantastic rider.

I have been skeptical in the past that a 4% increase in board length can yield a profound difference in feel. I did not test the two back to back but I do have some clear memories of how the 192 performs in similar conditions and the 200 is certainly different. It floated better in the wind-loaded spots, and kept a good deal more speed on the flats. I have some flat spots that I like to play in on powder boards, and a few of them leave me walking/swimming on the OSin 178 and Tanker 192, but I made it on the 200.

The older 192 seems to be a bit snappier than the new 200 but the new 200 tracks better when carving through crud-over-groomed. I was able to rail turns through those 4", totally cut up and bumpy over the groomed with ease. I switched to my Coiler AM 172/12 (glass version) right afterward and was still able to carve but I had to absorb the bumps where the Tanker did it for me.

It is wide though - too wide for me to feel fully comfortable on it with hard boots at angles of about 45/40, which is about the lowest I have been able to comfortably ride. My with size 25 boots, lower angles would be better. I would certainly try it again in softies with some of the nice, new ergonomic Burton bindings.

Flotation - check!

Stability - check!

Fun - check!

[snowboardmommy]

Zoom, you are far too honest. Me, I am a 5'11", 105 pound, size 0 Brazilian super model. :rolleyes: Oh, did I mention I can carve too???

... I guess I forgot to demo anything at OES b/c I am still waiting for my own version of the beat up, hand me down Coiler metal "slalom" from Jasey Jay, Bruce, Bruce's wife, MikeT, noschool .... (anyone else??) that I am totally digging and haven't let anyone else get ahold of since I first got my hands on it in February. :) Which, I suppose is why Zoom was forced to demo anything she could get her hands on. Sorry, Zoom ;)

PS: Jeana says:

[Buell]

One more huge thanks to RJ for bringing all those beautiful Sigi's and Tankers still in their wrappers for us to play on. I figure about half the boards that went out never made it back to RJ, the riders bought them!

I demoed the:

SG Race 185 Titanal: I rode this board for a few runs. It has an 18.5 meter sidecut, a 156 effective edge, and is 20cm wide. For the sidecut, the board would turn super tight once you had some speed. At slow speeds it just would not turn. Very stable and smooth with a fair amount of rebound for a titanal board. This board is one model down from their full race board.

SG Race Pro Team 178 Titanal: This board has a 14 meter sidecut, a 149? effective edge and is 19.1cm wide. If you have found that the Prior Metals lack rebound and feel dead, you might really like this board. It is much more lively. It was a little much for me at my weight (145 pounds) and skill level, but Don (noschoolrider) who is a far superior rider, just loved it. Hopefully he will chime in here.

'08 182 Tanker: Nice, smooth, damp. Its reputation precedes it. This is probably what the 200 Tankers feel like to the big guys. I rode it in 4 to 6" of heavy powder so float was not an issue, but I would assume this board floats really well. It rips mid sized carves on soft groomers or in the powder and is a great all around Tanker size.

[zoom]

Zoom, you are far too honest. Me, I am a 5'11", 105 pound, size 0 Brazilian super model. :rolleyes: Oh, did I mention I can carve too???

PS: Jeana says:

Shhhhh! Just don't let on that I'm actually 3'9", 236 lbs and can't buy a skid. ;)

Welcome to BOL!

Hey Jeana - :flamethro:flamethro:flamethro:flamethro

[shane groshong]

I rode the stiff 188 Diablo BX. I am a 6'1" 225-230lb beer drinker. I rode the board in the afternoon after 4in of morning powder, and pretty roughed up conditions. The board is super stiff and it seemed to be too much board for the conditions, however I left my bindings on and rode it the next morning on some pretty firm snow.

Here is my conclusion: It carved and held an edge equal to many of my stiffer carving boards while having a bx shape. It also turned surprisingly sharp for a board that is super stiff and has a 14.5m sidecut. After one run I felt comfortable on the board, and rode it with much confidence my run after. The board was super solid and had great edge hold with absolutely no vibration.

I am very excited to ride Diablo race boards. They seem very solid and super positive. I hope to ride the other 188 in the softer flex.

Shane

[Hagen]

I was hoping to demo boards to replace my good old Burton Speed (168 with the 21.5 waist). I planned on giving the Cult.69 and the Speed.73 a try.

After I heard that the cult was on the soft side, I decided to not try. So I only demoed the speed.73.

...and what a nice board that is! After a run or two to get used to it (I don't switch boards much) I really started to like it. It feels more stable than the Burton and was holding a carve really well.

It's a little bit narrower than the Burton (19.4 vs. 21.5 waist) and has a bigger side cut as well (13m vs 10.25m). The SG is also a little bit stiffer than the Burton.

I thought I had found the perfect board for myself in the Burton. But the SG works much better for me.

...so it drove home with me.

I'm just glad that I didn't try any of the metal boards. Buying one of those probably would have put me into the dog house...

Hagen.

[dshack]

That cult sounds like *exactly* the board I've been looking for- 4wd meets a dupraz.

[Steve Prokopiw]

the Texallium topsheet was the easiest and most powerful board to ride in chop that I have tried.It held an edge no matter what and dampened vibration extremely well.It rode backwards very easily too.Even though I would have one made slightly narrower for my small feet, it felt and rode much smaller than it's huge size.I would have been able to carve the elusive clean circles with that board if Quentin had not hogged it the rest of the session:)

[Randy T.]

Okay I'll start with the SG Cult 169. This is a great AM board and the shape also reminds me of a dupraz. I mounted plates on it and gave it a try but unfortunately at 6'2" and 225 lbs. I was just too big and heavy for this board. The board is damp and has a goof flex to it but on a moderate pitched blue run I was skidding the tail due to my weight and trying to drive too hard. When I got near the bottom on flatter ground I could get it to hold the edge but all in all too soft for someone my size. As soon as I handed it off to Rebecca she had the thing railing turns and looked amazing carving it up in soft boots as you can see from the picture. The pic in plastic doesn't do the board justice so I've added a better one.

Now for the 07-08 Tanker 200 I took this board out with soft boots in 4" of new snow a couple of hours into the morning so the main runs were already getting chopped up. First run I stayed in the chop and I was amazed at how smooth the board rode and just as Mike said it tracked great while carving through the crud. Now I'm on the chairlift thinking wow I really like this board but how will it do in the trees so it was off the test. The board was amazingly easy to maneuver and rode like a smaller board. I had no problems riding it through the trees and although it was only 4" it floated great. This IS the Cadillac of big boards and I liked it so much that I bought it.

The pic with the Tanker was on my way up for the first run, if I had an after pic it would have been all smiles.

[Allmyt1]

I ended up buying the Tanker 192 and I must say, it is one of the funest boards I have ever ridden. I am 5'9" and way 160 and I was able to take this board everywhere on the Mountain. I did all my video shooting of day 2 and 3 with this board and you can really tell the difference in the smoothness of the camera (not bouncing around like my Arbor). I ran it on the pack, in the 4' pow, through the trees, and on the ICE on the top of Cow's Face and it performed great in all areas. If you like big boards, then call up RJ and get one of these. You will not be disappointed

[Furi]

Diablo Composites 188 BX

I want to thank Abel and Eric for allowing me the opportunity to test-ride this prototype board. I took it out on the last day through some nasty chopped up conditions and this board blasted through it. It was very smooth, a good combination of enough shock absorption to dampen out the ride without completely loosing the feeling of the snow.

The 188 rode alot smaller then its actual length and was surprisingly easy to turn even with the 23cm waist width. The board went right into SL like turns as long as you got it up to the correct cruising speed. After hitting the right speed you could set an edge and let the board rail a huge arch across the hill then rip it into tighter turns.

Another thing I enjoyed about the board was the tail pop. Due to the carbon materials the board dampened alot of the rough stuff but still managed to give you alot of energy return at the end of your carve.

Diablo Composites is certainly a board company to keep on the radar. With the prototype boards riding like they are now I can't wait to see the first production runs. I've already put in an order for a smaller alpine shaped board and I can't wait to get it out on the snow.

If you have any questions the builders: Abel and Eric, are more then happy to answer them. I'll ask them if they are ok with posting their contact info here to bomber but in the meantime just PM me and I can provide it to you.

Rad-Air Tanker

Ahh the Tanker...what a board! RJ did not disappoint and brought various length Tankers from the 2007/08 model lineup. The white pearl topsheets look amazing in the bright sun!

I already had the luck of owning a 05/06 172 Tanker (red topsheet) so I decided to demo some of the last available 04/05 Rad-Air Tanker 192's. If you haven't seen a Tanker yet you should do everything possible to at least see one in person. These boards are SUPER light. You look at these huge 182, 187, 192 and 200 boards and think how heavy they must be....but due to the great materials Rad-Air uses they are feather weights. The 192 tanker I demo'ed was probably lighter then most 160ish length freeride boards. And the newer 07/08 models are even lighter! I have no idea how they do it but its awesome!

I took it out on our "powder" day at OES. 4+ inches of freshies with hardboots and F2 plates. Our little group managed to catch first chair off the rainbow lift. The Tanker performed wonderfully - I was able to go from the wind-blown crusty side to the nice fluffy pow in the middle and around the trees. It floated my skinny 160 frame wonderfully and no need to pump the nose or any other silliness. Just point the board down the fall line and hang on!

After that I hooked up with MikeT and we went off to summit to Cows Face in search of more freshies. Local knowledge did not disappointment and we were rewarded with this run. The Tanker again did very well here, I was able to carry a ton of speed down this mini-bowl with full confidence. It floated effortlessly and when we reached the cat-track it was great to glide past everybody with a big smile on my face :)

I ended up buying one of the 192's to add to the growing Tanker collection!

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[Allee]

Wow, did RJ have anything left to take home? That's the only problem with demos - if you try it, you want it. I have to have a Coiler AMT next season after SES ...

The Diablo boards sound really interesting. Additions to the product base are always welcome and after the great reviews posted here, I'm sure there will be a lot of interest in their offerings. Nice to see!!

[noschoolrider]

I demoed the SG Race Pro Team 178 Titanal.

About me:

Weight: 137

Height: 5’ 7”

Different binding angles used for this test: front foot 54-60, back foot 48-57

SG Race Pro Team 178 Titanal specs and construction info:

Overall length: 1780

Running length: 1490

Waist: 191

Sidecut radius: 14

The quality of construction was excellent:

The titanal is protected by a top sheet which provides binding/dent/chip protection and long-lasting durability. The nose/front of the board has reverse camber/rocker (like a Kessler and Coiler schtubby) so it glides into the turn even if you throw-down really hard on the nose, and it easily releases/disengages the edge for fluid or radical edge changes. In my opinion, the amount of camber was perfect, it was just right for making the board snappy/lively with useful rebound that can be used for extra acceleration and/or for fast edge changes. However, this board still has the dampening qualities and edge hold that make the metal boards desirable. The board was obviously designed for people that are heavier than me but I found it to have the correct flex for my alpine riding technique. I usually like to ride boards that are designed for people in the 150-180 pound range, and this board felt like it had medium/moderate stiffness with no hard or dead spots, which is what I like.

The test ride:

I rode it for about 2 hours early Sunday morning on the last day of OES. The conditions ranged from firm groomed, 4-6” of untracked powder in the trees, and choppy/bumpy cut-up snow. From the very first turn I felt totally comfortable on this board. So, I took it through the trees to make some powder turns and the board floated and turned with ease. I also tested it in the chop and bumpy stuff and it went through it like I was on groomed snow. On the groomed snow it was absolutely the best metal (and non-metal) board I have been on, it easily completed every turn radius imaginable and it felt like it would be competitive in a slalom course even though it is a GS board. The edge hold was amazing and when I wanted to, I could use the camber to power out of a race turn and make the board feel like it had a turbo booster. I even enjoyed carving it switch (yea, I do stupid things like that on alpine boards), however the first attempt was not successful – oops, I forgot the edges were not beveled or detuned.

Board comparison:

In my opinion, when compared to the Prior WCR Metal the SG Race Pro Team Titanal is more fun, more versatile, and more durable because of its camber and construction method. When compared to the Madd Metal 158 ( Shred has an excellent review of the Madd that I agree with here http://bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=189129 ) the SG Race Pro Team Titanal is more versatile, and has the correct/beneficial amount of camber (the Madd’s camber is a lot of fun but it is a bit excessive). When compared to a metal Coiler, in my opinion, the Coilers also utilize an impressive and durable construction method but the SG Race Pro Team Titanal seems to be a little snappier because of its camber. However, I have not tested the newer Coiler designs so please take that into consideration (I think Coilers are excellent boards).

Ready to Race:

This board is ready to race right out of the wrapper. In fact, a lot of men’s and women’s World Cup races have been won this year on the SG Race Pro Team Titanal boards, which is probably making the Kessler crew a little worried. On a personal note, I was excited to hear that the board I rode was being shipped to Mike Kildevaeld (Kildy) who is coming out of retirement to qualify for the Olympics (go Kildy)!

Additional comments:

I could not find anything negative about the construction or performance of this board, but it would be nice if it also came in a wider width for people with larger feet. However, my boots are size 27.5 and I tested this board with angles as low as 54 front and 48 back, which made my toes overhang a bit, but even when I was way up on edge my toes never dragged on the snow.

This board is fun, fast, lively, easy to control, and it was amazingly versatile!

Is this a board I want in my quiver and would ride on a regular basis? Yes, this would be my primary alpine board!

Would I recommend this board to others? Yes, unless we’re going to end up racing each other, then you need to get one of those slower boards.

If this review sounds like I am bragging then I’m sorry because that is not my intention or part of my personality, I’m just totally stoked about this board.

If this review sounds too good to be true, or if you think this sounds like a bunch of B.S. then all I can say is, there were a lot of people who witnessed me ride this board.

Obviously, I don’t have a lot of posts on this forum and some people relate post count to creditability and skill/knowledge level, but I have been reluctant to talk about myself or post my resume because I don’t want to sound like I am trying to impress people. However, I also understand that most of you do not know anything about me so here are a few facts:

I have been snowboarding for 22 years (most of it as a professional). I have worked with Burton, PSIA/AASI, several ski resorts and ski/snowboard schools. I have worked as an equipment tester, technical representative, rider/competitor, coach, examiner, divisional clinic leader, level 3 instructor, and ski resort snowboard supervisor.

I hope that my review of this board has been helpful.

Don Richter

[zoom]

Thanks for the reviews, everyone! It's great to get the word out.

O.k., now Don....

Holy verbage, Batman! I think we have a winner for "most detailed, in depth review!"

On the groomed snow it was absolutely the best metal (and non-metal) board I have been on

Seriously? I never thought I'd hear you say this.

Would I recommend this board to others? Yes, unless we’re going to end up racing each other, then you need to get one of those slower boards.

:lol::lol::lol: Just had to quote that. Classic Don!

If this review sounds too good to be true, or if you think this sounds like a bunch of B.S. then all I can say is, there were a lot of people who witnessed me ride this board.

Very true. Don is a great rider, but his performance on this board had to be seen to be believed.

Thanks for the review!

[noschoolrider]

"Quote: Originally Posted by noschoolrider

On the groomed snow it was absolutely the best metal (and non-metal) board I have been on"

Seriously? I never thought I'd hear you say this.

That’s what I thought until I got on this board, I have been waiting for a durable and lively metal board that has the right amount of camber and this board has it all.

"Quote: Originally Posted by noschoolrider

Would I recommend this board to others? Yes, unless we’re going to end up racing each other, then you need to get one of those slower boards."

:lol::lol::lol: Just had to quote that. Classic Don!

It was meant to be funny, but I’m also getting older so I need every advantage I can get.

"Quote: Originally Posted by noschoolrider

If this review sounds too good to be true, or if you think this sounds like a bunch of B.S. then all I can say is, there were a lot of people who witnessed me ride this board."

Very true. Don is a great rider, but his performance on this board had to be seen to be believed.

Thanks!

[RussellC]

I rode the SBX Pro Team 169 (08-09 prototype) in less than perfect conditions with hardboots; some powder, but mostly chopped up runs. First off, out of the plastic this is a beautifully finished board, definately first rate build quality. Once in the chop, the relatively large girth and damp flex made the ride super stable and confidence inspiring. This board is very nimble, and yet it isn't phased by rough conditions.

Next up, I was fortunate enough to meet a great guy named Baptiste at OES who was so generous and kind that he let me take out his new Coiler AMT for a few runs. I have been a soft-booter for 20 years, and have been struggling to make things come together on hard boots for the last 4. I own a Prior WCR 167 and a Donek Blade 170, but neither of these nor any other alpine boards I have ridden ever felt right for me until this Saturday. I have heard people raving about Bruce's boards before, but there are those that swear by Donek and Prior's also. I now understand. Baptiest's board was so much better than anything else I have ever ridden I was absolutely overwhelmed by its ride. I was able to make quick small turns and larger sweeping carves in fairly rough conditions with much less effort than with either of my boards. Everything about this board just felt so right. The 12m AMT was so much more responsive than my 11.25m Donek; I was really surprised that it had a larger radius, however I believe the flex of the Coiler is the factor that really gave me so much control and versatility. Luckily, Bruce will be able to build me an AMT soon. Now I just have to sit back and wait.

Thanks RJ for the ride on your SG, and a big thanks to Baptiste for loaning me his baby, and thanks to Bruce for building such awesome boards and supporting our sport.

Russell

[trikerdad]

This was the only board I demoed at OES. After breaking my newly acquired Prior 187 WCR Metal after only a couple hours of riding, I didn't want to risk damaging any of the "lighter" boards. The Full Race Pro 185 is a beast! A very stable and grippy beast but, even at my weight (220 plus gear), I couldn't jink it around at all. It takes some speed to get it working and then it's big locked in turns. I loved the way it felt like it was on rails but, just as if it really was on rails, you go where they go. I like a board that I feel I can make quick corrections with to avoid any unpleasant encounters. I can see it doing well on the GS race circuit but, I would end up taking someone out with it at my local mountain. Think of the car commercials that give the warning "Professional driver on a closed course" or, "Don't try this at home". Thanks RJ for the chance to ride a "real" race board.

[groovastic]

so you say it's because it's SG, and not because it's titanal?

I tried only one titanal board so I wouldn't know...

http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=18550

I demoed the SG Race Pro Team 178 Titanal.

About me:

Weight: 137

Height: 5’ 7”

Different binding angles used for this test: front foot 54-60, back foot 48-57

SG Race Pro Team 178 Titanal specs and construction info:

Overall length: 1780

Running length: 1490

Waist: 191

Sidecut radius: 14

The quality of construction was excellent:

The titanal is protected by a top sheet which provides binding/dent/chip protection and long-lasting durability. The nose/front of the board has reverse camber/rocker (like a Kessler and Coiler schtubby) so it glides into the turn even if you throw-down really hard on the nose, and it easily releases/disengages the edge for fluid or radical edge changes. In my opinion, the amount of camber was perfect, it was just right for making the board snappy/lively with useful rebound that can be used for extra acceleration and/or for fast edge changes. However, this board still has the dampening qualities and edge hold that make the metal boards desirable. The board was obviously designed for people that are heavier than me but I found it to have the correct flex for my alpine riding technique. I usually like to ride boards that are designed for people in the 150-180 pound range, and this board felt like it had medium/moderate stiffness with no hard or dead spots, which is what I like.

The test ride:

I rode it for about 2 hours early Sunday morning on the last day of OES. The conditions ranged from firm groomed, 4-6” of untracked powder in the trees, and choppy/bumpy cut-up snow. From the very first turn I felt totally comfortable on this board. So, I took it through the trees to make some powder turns and the board floated and turned with ease. I also tested it in the chop and bumpy stuff and it went through it like I was on groomed snow. On the groomed snow it was absolutely the best metal (and non-metal) board I have been on, it easily completed every turn radius imaginable and it felt like it would be competitive in a slalom course even though it is a GS board. The edge hold was amazing and when I wanted to, I could use the camber to power out of a race turn and make the board feel like it had a turbo booster. I even enjoyed carving it switch (yea, I do stupid things like that on alpine boards), however the first attempt was not successful – oops, I forgot the edges were not beveled or detuned.

Board comparison:

In my opinion, when compared to the Prior WCR Metal the SG Race Pro Team Titanal is more fun, more versatile, and more durable because of its camber and construction method. When compared to the Madd Metal 158 ( Shred has an excellent review of the Madd that I agree with here http://bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=189129 ) the SG Race Pro Team Titanal is more versatile, and has the correct/beneficial amount of camber (the Madd’s camber is a lot of fun but it is a bit excessive). When compared to a metal Coiler, in my opinion, the Coilers also utilize an impressive and durable construction method but the SG Race Pro Team Titanal seems to be a little snappier because of its camber. However, I have not tested the newer Coiler designs so please take that into consideration (I think Coilers are excellent boards).

Ready to Race:

This board is ready to race right out of the wrapper. In fact, a lot of men’s and women’s World Cup races have been won this year on the SG Race Pro Team Titanal boards, which is probably making the Kessler crew a little worried. On a personal note, I was excited to hear that the board I rode was being shipped to Mike Kildevaeld (Kildy) who is coming out of retirement to qualify for the Olympics (go Kildy)!

Additional comments:

I could not find anything negative about the construction or performance of this board, but it would be nice if it also came in a wider width for people with larger feet. However, my boots are size 27.5 and I tested this board with angles as low as 54 front and 48 back, which made my toes overhang a bit, but even when I was way up on edge my toes never dragged on the snow.

This board is fun, fast, lively, easy to control, and it was amazingly versatile!

Is this a board I want in my quiver and would ride on a regular basis? Yes, this would be my primary alpine board!

Would I recommend this board to others? Yes, unless we’re going to end up racing each other, then you need to get one of those slower boards.

If this review sounds like I am bragging then I’m sorry because that is not my intention or part of my personality, I’m just totally stoked about this board.

If this review sounds too good to be true, or if you think this sounds like a bunch of B.S. then all I can say is, there were a lot of people who witnessed me ride this board.

Obviously, I don’t have a lot of posts on this forum and some people relate post count to creditability and skill/knowledge level, but I have been reluctant to talk about myself or post my resume because I don’t want to sound like I am trying to impress people. However, I also understand that most of you do not know anything about me so here are a few facts:

I have been snowboarding for 22 years (most of it as a professional). I have worked with Burton, PSIA/AASI, several ski resorts and ski/snowboard schools. I have worked as an equipment tester, technical representative, rider/competitor, coach, examiner, divisional clinic leader, level 3 instructor, and ski resort snowboard supervisor.

I hope that my review of this board has been helpful.

Don Richter

[Aracan]

I can't offer any reviews since I haven't been there. That's because for me, being Austrian, SG boards are the opposite of exotic.

Therefore I'd like to ask those of you that demo'ed the SG Cult/All Mountain: How does the board compare to AM boards that are exotic for me, such as the Donek Axxess, Coiler AM, Prior 4WD? Can any of you offer firsthand experience with both the SG and one of those boards? I'd much appreciate your help (oh, and since this seems mandatory on this thread, I'm about 6' and 152 :))

[zoom]

I can't offer any reviews since I haven't been there. That's because for me, being Austrian, SG boards are the opposite of exotic.

Therefore I'd like to ask those of you that demo'ed the SG Cult/All Mountain: How does the board compare to AM boards that are exotic for me, such as the Donek Axxess, Coiler AM, Prior 4WD? Can any of you offer firsthand experience with both the SG and one of those boards? I'd much appreciate your help (oh, and since this seems mandatory on this thread, I'm about 6' and 152 :))

First of all, on this side of the pond, SG boards are totally new to us. If you can review any of them for us, here or on another thread, please do! The more points of reference, the better.

Now - comparison: I am the proud new owner of the SG Cult, I've ridden a Donek Axis (older version of Axxess) 172 and Prior 4WD 169. I also have a Coiler non-AM.

For starters, the Cult is the only one of the three I'd dream of riding in softies. The other two really need hardboots, IMO. The Cult is much softer than either of the other boards, has an additional 15 mm width and quite a bit more taper. The big surprise of the Cult for me was that it was the first board I really love on and off trail. It carves extremely well on groom, and can make quick, subtle adjustments in the powder, while keeping its nose up.

The Axis is the stiffest of the three and feels most like a traditional carve deck. It is very stable, predictable and holds a great edge on trail. For me, it was too stiff, especially in the nose, for powder (on trail - never tried it off trail). I have a 200+ lb friend who loves his Axis in the trees, however, so your experience may vary.

The 4WD is a compromise between the Cult and Axis in stiffness. This was a terrific learning board for me, although it was a bit wide for my little feet. I love Prior's boards - their flex suits my weight and riding style well. Lots of people love it off trail, although I never tried it there, b/c I prefer softies and a softer flex pattern for powder.

I've never ridden a Coiler AM, but I do have one of Bruce's boards (170T, 18 wide, 11.5 sidecut), and I love it. You can't beat having a board built by a master for your weight and riding style. My Coiler is my favorite hardboot carver.

The Cult is my favorite board of the AMs for its flex, versatility and being the best softie carver I've ever ridden. A bigger rider on hardboots might find one of the other boards preferable.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Wow! This is the best "Board Review" thread I think I have ever seen on BOL.

Well done folks!

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

This was the only board I demoed at OES. After breaking my newly acquired Prior 187 WCR Metal after only a couple hours of riding, I didn't want to risk damaging any of the "lighter" boards. The Full Race Pro 185 is a beast! A very stable and grippy beast but, even at my weight (220 plus gear), I couldn't jink it around at all. It takes some speed to get it working and then it's big locked in turns. I loved the way it felt like it was on rails but, just as if it really was on rails, you go where they go. I like a board that I feel I can make quick corrections with to avoid any unpleasant encounters. I can see it doing well on the GS race circuit but, I would end up taking someone out with it at my local mountain. Think of the car commercials that give the warning "Professional driver on a closed course" or, "Don't try this at home". Thanks RJ for the chance to ride a "real" race board.

Bill, better the board than you right? Glad to hear you survived "OES 08" without injury. Sorry about the new board. You sure can punish an alpine board.

[Hans]

Thanks for the full reviews here. nice to read and ride!

Other pic of the 08-09 line: Full race and full race pro team:

lengths 157,163,175,185

[Aracan]

First of all, on this side of the pond, SG boards are totally new to us. If you can review any of them for us, here or on another thread, please do! The more points of reference, the better.

I'd love to, but I'm afraid I can't. I have never ridden an SG myself - in fact, I haven't ridden anything but my trusted Scott Strike (similar to a Speedster SL, but different maker) in years.

I asked about your AM board experiences because my wife got the SG All Mountain this season (in fact, she got it last season, but we had hardly any snow then) and LOVES it - our local snowboard dealer had made a really solid recommendation there.

Which got me thinking about an AM stick as my next board when the time comes, which won't be before the 09/10 season (our daughter will probably want to try skiing next season, which is going to put me on skis).

As for my wife, I'm afraid she couldn't tell you much either, as she has only ridden her equally trusted Hot Spot ('97 model) before the SG. What I can tell you is: She has the SG AM 169, she rides it in hardboots, and she's about 6' and 150. From her first day on this board, you could see that she had suddenly reached a completely new level of riding, because this is a board that she can trust, on and off-piste.