Boarder_Ted Posted July 23, 2008 Report Share Posted July 23, 2008 OK folks, time to do what you do best: give opinions! I got a board from Prior (see my rant about foreign transaction fees) and it showed up yesterday. It's a beautiful WCR Metal 183 with the new nylon topsheet. Problem is, I ordered the 177. It seems this particular board was mislabeled. It was in their demo section so it's not like I ordered a 177 and they built a 183. Chris has offered to trade it for a 177 "in his quiver". I have a question out to Prior now as to what that exactly means. Has it been ridden? It also has the metal going all the way to the edge rather than being inset. So first, how much difference do you think I'll notice between the 177 and the 183? I weigh in at a whopping 150lbs but I've been riding 17 years. I also have an Oxygen Proton 178 that has a longer effective edge than the Prior. I was hoping for something a bit shorter and thought the 177 would fit the bill nicely. And part two, what do you think about the metal going all the way to the edge? I've posed these questions to the folks at Prior but wanted to get as many opinions as I could. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algunderfoot Posted July 23, 2008 Report Share Posted July 23, 2008 Hey Ted, Which top sheet did you go with? I am waiting on a new metal with the "Clear / white" I am hoping to see some titanal show through. In any case I was surprised and how short a turn I was able to thow on my '08 WCR metal, even though I'm on a 187 cm. Much more so than on my '05 186 cm WCR which was very stiff in comparison. The metals are nimble, exact, forgiving, and damp, with exceptional edge hold, one of the easiest boards to ride I ever rode. Literally had it dialed before the end of the first run. I go just under 6' @ 175 lbs. For a WCR, I would bet you will appreciate the extra few cm for the hold and stability you can get at speed, without noticing any shortcomings in the turns. My 2 cents.... Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted July 23, 2008 Report Share Posted July 23, 2008 177/183, difference in radius is quite small 11.9/13m so only one meter, and as Al wrote metal ones turn easier and tighter than oldfashioned ones. I have both models and i can confirm that there is not very big difference on turning those ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boarder_Ted Posted July 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2008 I got the white/clear topsheet as well. It's pretty darn opaque. I don't see any metal through it. I'll check again when I get home tonight. Best part is the fluorescent green base. lol Thanks for the input so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBrad Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 Ted, I probably can't help you too much with this decision since I tend to like shorter boards, and to me a 183 sounds huge for someone 150 lbs. When I was 150 lbs I was riding 156's. Now that I'm 170 lbs I have gone to longer boards and just ordered a WCR metal 173, but was strongly considering the 169. Does the florescent green base mean that it isn't graphite? As far as the metal going to the edge, it could possibly affect durability, but probably not that big a deal. If Prior will warranty the board then I'd go for it. Otherwise the decision gets tougher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boarder_Ted Posted July 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 As far as board length goes, the 183 would normally not be an issue but there are now other factors in the mix. The board looks to have longer effective edge than standard- by quite a bit, more like the 187. The nose looks really low to me but I've never seen another WCR so I don't know for sure. It also has significant taper and inserts set back at least 2 1/2 inches. I have yet another email out to Prior to find out what the deal is with this board. Right now, it looks like a Chris Prior experiment. I'm sure it's a fine board but I don't know if it's one for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boarder_Ted Posted July 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 OK so I just heard back from Chris himself. Seems all he did was widen the stance on the board. He explained that the board does look different, and it does. It just isn't what I'm used to. The nose is low and the rise is subtle (Chris' words) giving it the appearance of having a longer effective edge. It also makes the inserts appear to be set back further than they are. So no weirdness here. I apologize to Chris if there was ever anything accusatory in my tone. Email can be a tricky thing sometimes and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Right now, I'm leaning toward keeping this one. It just look so nice here in the living room. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 you will blow a load when you ride it I am betting. maybe you'll get lucky and you'll be able to hit obsession with it at mach speed that fall line is challenging to carve cleanly at speed but when you do it's the shizzle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boarder_Ted Posted July 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 Obsession is a hoot if you ride regular. On a toeside turn the snow is right under your nose. lol Actually, the trail of choice this past season was Right Stuff. The pitch just seemed right. Man, I can't wait for snow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 I'd want to know a couple things - what is the sidecut radius of your Oxygen, and, are you looking to replace it or compliment it? Also, what other boards do you have in your quiver? At 150lbs, a 1.1m difference in radius might be more significant for you than for me at 175lbs, so I'm hesitant to say which board will be better for you. My "all around" board is my Coiler Safari - 170cm, 14m. When I had my Prior 177, I sometimes felt like the metal said yes and the 11.9m radius said no. When they leave moguls on both sides of White Heat, or if that, Top Gun, and Right Stuff are icy, the shorter board will be a bit better on those. But for better snow, Obsession and wider cruisers, or if they groom WH wide, the 183 will be better. But then there's something to be said for shine-ola and having something new. So if the idea of a "previously carved" 177 isn't that appealing, and the 183 in your hands is pretty, maybe just keep it and don't look back...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Houghton Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 If you've convinced yourself that you want a 177, you'll never be happy with this board. But as many have already said, the difference is very small, and the added edge hold could be beneficial. I'd keep it - unless it wouldn't fit in my board bag, that would be a deal breaker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boarder_Ted Posted July 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 Ha! Yeah it fits in the board bag. The question is, will it fit in the house??? My back room is beginning to look like a board shop. To answer other questions, the Oxygen has a 14 meter scr- 1 meter longer than the Prior. I have no trouble with the board at all. When I got it, I thought it was the longest thing I'd ever seen and even the lifties were giving me crap about it. I was thoroughly convinced I was never going to be able to handle it and it was going to end up riding me! I mean, it was 10cm longer than anything I had ever ridden. But the fears proved totally unfounded. The board rides great and we've had a few wonderful seasons. Unfortunately, due to a design flaw with Snowpro bindings, I had an insert break off and start to come out of the board. So Jack, the board is meant to replace (but not exactly) the Oxygen. I know it's going to be a different animal but I look forward to it. And I know what you mean about the shorter scr's saying no when the rest of the board says yes. I find the 169 4wd is like that sometimes (much as you suggested this time last year) but overall it's a very fun ride. So while we're here, anyone know anything about Oxygen? I've seen boards on ebay that are being touted as '08's and they have the same titanium butterfly as my Palmer Crown. But I thought they left us a while ago. Are they back? Oh, and I've pretty much decided top keep the board.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yyzcanuck Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 So while we're here, anyone know anything about Oxygen? I've seen boards on ebay that are being touted as '08's and they have the same titanium butterfly as my Palmer Crown. But I thought they left us a while ago. Are they back? They never left. There has been no interruption of manufacturing / supply to Europe. We purchased a complete set of 2008 boards for testing and demo last season. The brand is owned by Atomic. Unconfirmed rumour is they are pressed in the same factory as F2 boards. Wouldn't surprise me as a couple of aspects of the board are identical. Yes the template design is the same as previous seasons but the 185 (that had been discontinued for several seasons) is back in the lineup. The Titanal 'butterfly' (aka V-qualizer, TCS in F2 terms) has been in use for a very long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted July 24, 2008 Report Share Posted July 24, 2008 the Oxygen has a 14 meter scr... I have no trouble with the board at all.... So Jack, the board is meant to replace (but not exactly) the Oxygen. based on that, Oh, and I've pretty much decided top keep the board (183).:D you've made the right choice. You'll love it. Would love to hook up at SR (or SL) to see how it rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted July 25, 2008 Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Ted-My first board ever was an Oxy Proton 178. I switched to the 181 Prior and will hopefully be picking up a 183 metal for this winter. Trust me, after a few runs, your Proton will be collecting dust, as you won't want to ride anything else. The prior is so much easier to ride, and turn for that matter; the proton likes to lock into turns way too much for my personal preference and is far stiffer than the prior. You will notice it also requires a very back seat riding technique, loading the tail like crazy is highly effective. Have fun man. tail load a O2 or prior? my metal prior does not like back seat or too forward riding do either and the board is not happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boarder_Ted Posted July 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2008 Hmm, interesting. I find the flex of the Prior to be slightly less than the Oxygen but not significantly so. It feels....different. Maybe a smoother flex? The O2 starts soft(ish) and stiffens fast. The Prior seems, well, smoother throughout. That's just a first impression and I'll have to see how it actually rides. I actually love the way the Proton handles. Just roll it onto an edge, hold on until you want to change directions and pop it onto the other edge. I was always confident that it would be there and not let me down. It wasn't much for shorted turns but that's not why I got it anyway. It's the early morning, before the crowds board. As for riding centered or loading the tail...whatever. I try to stay centered but as I get more tired, I find myself sitting on the tail a bit ore. If the board doesn't like it, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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