Board Recomendations

[spil]

I've been hardbooting for 2 seasons, and I want to start adding to my "quiver". Currently all I have is a Madd 170 for carving, but I also want a board for riding all around the mountain. I'm not really sure if I want a traditional "all mountain" board like a axxess/4wd/coiler AM, or if I want to go more powder-oriented with a swallowtail board. I was thinking a Tanker sounds like a good choice, but I don't think I want (or can handle) a 190 or even 200cm board. I will be riding only in hardboots, because I don't want to have to worry about traveling with all the extra hassle of bringing along a second pair of boots. Also, if I want to carve in the morning and ride the rest of the hill in the afternoon, I don't want to have to change boots.

Basically, I want a board that will perform well on moguls, powder, chop, whatever happens when I'm not riding groomed blues, and maybe even some trees. I'm about 140lbs. and 5ft. 11in.

Help me BOL!!!

[b0ardski]

I've always loved the older k2 eldos for AM on plates. used the 159 though a little short, till a rock took the edge, still use the 164 eldo for a rock board

Haven't been on it yet but the Atomic flexes with nice spring in the living room, the dreamraider is stiffer but slightly wider than the radon. I'm waiting on a 178 oxygen summit for a longer all mt ride, hope it aint used up. under $100:biggthump gems can be found on ebay

[BlueB]

All 4 boards bellow are very all-round capable (carving, chop, bumps, trees, pow). I'll highlight 2 forttes of each one:

Tanker 192 - carving, chop

4807 178 - pow, carving

3800 169/163 - trees, bumps

ATV 171 - carving, trees

Honorary mention: Volkl Cross 167 and Burton Speed 168W

[big mario]

is my all mountain board.

It is a bit slow edge to edge, but it carves reallllly nice on softer chopped up days. I have had my 177 axxes in 10" of powder, and it did fine with my big butt. If you are under 200 lbs I would go with a 182 axxes for all mountain carving and pow, and if you are bigger I would go with the tanker

mario

[SEJ]

Prior 4WD is the one I turn to when there's no groom. Basically just a WCR shaped differently. There are better powder boards, but if I could only own one, this would be it.

[Enzo]

The Coiler 172AM is The One. I've had a glass for a few years and a metal is currently in-transit from BV. The board is fantastic for carving in chop, pow, & soft packed powder. The thing is so stable & a steamroller in inconsistent conditions. It can handle trees and bumps as well. The glass board can carve fairly well on hardpack & ice, but it definitely prefers softer snow whereas the metal AM won't flinch. I've been on many trips to Jackson Hole with just my AM and it's performed extremely well in all sorts of snow conditions and terrain--from the wide open groomers to DEEP snowfields.

[spil]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I noticed that most of the boards here are longer than my Madd. Last season, I took my madd in the bumps a little and it was hard to swing the board around. I thought it was the length giving me trouble, but it also could have been the square tail, stiff flex, and/or the high binding angles (around 69* on both feet) that made it so hard. Judging from this, would it be worth it to try a longer board, or should I go with a shorter board?

I also might consider selling my Madd and buying a AM board, but what I have read on the forum about them ranges from "they carve good and are ok in a some powder" to "THESE MAKE ME SELL MY VIRUS AND KESSLER AND 2 METER SWALLOW TAIL THEY'RE SO GOOD". I haven't ever seen a video of anyone floating over 12+ inches of pow effortlessly, so I remain skeptical (anyone have a video of that?).

Also if I decide to sell my madd and get an AM board, I could probably buy new, while if I kept my madd and got a more powder oriented board, I would have to go used.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, keep 'em coming!

[AK in PA]

Jim, I'm curious as to what kind of styles you find the Prior and Madd's prefer?

[spil]

Jim, I'm curious as to what kind of styles you find the Prior and Madd's prefer?

I've read that priors like a lot of pressure on the tail to pop out of turns, while madds like a lot of pressure on the nose to initiate turns. I ride with my madd on the front inserts, but I've never ridden a prior.

[Enzo]

I also might consider selling my Madd and buying a AM board, but what I have read on the forum about them ranges from "they carve good and are ok in a some powder" to "THESE MAKE ME SELL MY VIRUS AND KESSLER AND 2 METER SWALLOW TAIL THEY'RE SO GOOD". I haven't ever seen a video of anyone floating over 12+ inches of pow effortlessly, so I remain skeptical (anyone have a video of that?).

I've had my AM in 2ft of pow. no vid. in my avatar & profile pic I'm on a burton 173 superboard, but I've been on similar terrain/snow with my AM. I shift my bindings way back and soften up the flex of my boots with a yellow bts spring. With these adjustments, the AM rides well and floats just fine in pow & chop. Stiff boots and bindings too far forward can toss you and submarine the board. The AM is certainly not the *best* board for pow, but it's a great compromise for a board that can terrorize groomers & still float well in deep snow.

[b0ardski]

well put

[NateW]

+1 for moving bindings back on pow days.

Even better, have two boards and set the bindings back on one. :)

IMO this makes more difference width (well, to a point...) or stiffness.

I've got a custom Axxess (172 x 19) that I'm very happy with... I ride mine with the bindings centered and I have a 2nd board with aft bindings that I ride when there's lots of new snow.

I think a similar board (Donek AX, Coiler AM, etc) with the regular 21cm waist would be a good complement for your Madd. Set the bindings back a bit for better pow float.

[Jack M]

Madd BX, Donek Incline, Prior ATV, Coiler All-Mtn.

[EnisiWaya]

I have ridden many boards and freely admit a slight partiality to Tankers.

Basically, I want a board that will perform well on moguls, powder, chop, whatever happens when I'm not riding groomed blues, and maybe even some trees. I'm about 140lbs. and 5ft. 11in.

You indicate a desire for hard carving in the AM and then whole mountain.

If your MT has a lot of wishfull "expert" skiers and snow boarders ( the kind that skid their tails for every turn and think carvers ruts are wrecking the snow) Then you are going to have afternoon "Harbor Chop"

The situation at many MT's is the majority of visitors are self declared experts, they must be they go down the blacks don't they, but in reality they are terminal low level intermediates with a good pub talk routine who can't carve or avoid running into any emergency on the hill at their regular cruising speeds.

So what to do???? Fresh New England heavy Pow at ten or more inches by the time those guys and the weekend race teams have been out all morning at 1:30 PM you get some Serious harbor chop that is packed denser than a snow ball.

Nothin absolutely nothin in my experience beats a Tanker in those conditions. I start my turns very aggressively so I mount at neutral plus one on the front and plus two on the rear. The 192 and the 182 will both power through harbor chop with monster 4+ ft high 12 ft diameter haystacks like in the white water raft ride. You can carve your lines and leave Guiness Book level trenches. I'm 100KG ((225#) 6'2" but my Ragged Mountain is tight and turny and not always the best groomed. and on a snow day they do not touch it till after the MT closes. For deep pow and bigger MTs I would go for the 192. You are much lighter and I will recommend the 182 tanker in your case. I miss my 182 demo (sold one to few tankers that season to get to keep it-----Dang)

When i first rode it in that extreme harbor Chop I felt like I was strapped on to a berserker paint mixer the whole way down. But my senior staff and snowboard director, all level 2 or more AASI, said it was nuts . THey could not keep up and told me I was hitting the haystacks and powering straight through them level no bouncing which exploded them giving my gang visibility fits.

By next week after a whole day on the "tank" I learned to stay real lose but precise in the chop and really got hooked.

It is a real trip at the end of the day when every one on the MT is running into the stacks and stalling and falling and you go through Like Steven Seagal just blowing up any that happen to get in your way.

It is addictive as all get out.

So at your weight and having crud, chop and haystack in the PM have a ball get the Tanker 182 which is still short enough for trees and moguls if you remember to drive the nose down the MT and Lift the tail on the tight turns.

I'm sure most if not all the Tanker geeks on here will agree with me.

GWS:biggthump

[EnisiWaya]

I noticed that most of the boards here are longer than my Madd. Last season, I took my madd in the bumps a little and it was hard to swing the board around. I thought it was the length giving me trouble, but it also could have been the square tail, stiff flex, and/or the high binding angles (around 69* on both feet) that made it so hard. Judging from this, would it be worth it to try a longer board, or should I go with a shorter board?

After many years of teaching Mogul clinics on skis and board It is my perception\\\

1st problem is most folks stiffen up this is when you really need to be loose (trees even more so)

2nd problem is faulty perspective. If the trail is a 25% slope what is the real slope angle of the backside of the mogul? You can not control your skis or board if you are behind it with respect to it's actual true slope, which has to be the mogul slope not the trail slope. You have to move you down the hill before the gear. Be in charge, not taken for a ride by the gear. So how do we stupid humans fake ourselves into this one? KICK UP YOUR TAILS AS YOU GO INTO EVERY TURN. It will move you both forward and down the hill. In the bumps and the trees you have to travel a line of miniature ravines, No room to swing the skis or the board. So you have to drive the nose into the new turn. the tail(s) WILL FOLLOW. They be in the same rut in the ravine you just made with your front half of he gear.

3rd problem even when taught the above in mogul clinic almost everyone Practices and goes to fast. To master the technique have a slow race in the bumps. No stopping all controlled turns no side slipping and last one out of the bump field wins.

When carving Push Pull turns we swoop like an eagle. In the bumps and trees it is hover and dart here and there like a humming bird.

Lastly whoop it up and you can keep your energy maxed and then it gets easier and easier.

Hope this helps. If it does not make sense then I need to get BlueB to elaborate as I believe we both teach the same thing.

GWS:ices_ange

[spil]

GWS- Thanks for your post. I have been reading your posts ever since I joined and have always appreciated your advice.

I totally understand about what you mean when you talk about leaning into the "real slope" of the trail. I learned how to ski last season, and I had that problem a little bit then, but overcame it, so hopefully I will be able to transfer that to my mogul riding.

I just hope if I find a 182 tanker it will fit in my board bag!

[b0ardski]

"3rd problem even when taught the above in mogul clinic almost everyone Practices and goes to fast. To master the technique have a slow race in the bumps. No stopping all controlled turns no side slipping and last one out of the bump field wins."

This is my kind of edge control, the Eldo excells in this field:D

[EnisiWaya]

This is my kind of edge control, the Eldo excells in this field:D

Umm reminds me of my old Kemper Rampage with the adjust angle on the fly three strappers. It actually held real well on the steeps even when icy. Then i found a year old PJ Assym that weighed like one tenth of the Kemp. Destroyed the Kemper using it for three years after that as summer Sand/Gravel Pit cliff rider board. Used to use J&J acrylic one shot floor wax on the bottom each run.

I must be getting old "cuase it seems like just yesterday. Any one else into sand/rock summer riding?

GWS:ices_ange

[Sinecure]

If you are like me and you enjoy the Madd's quickness edge-to-edge, I think you'll find the Tanker to be well, too tank-like. Too slow edge to edge. You'll get used to it, but I'm not sure you'll enjoy it. I'd consider the Prior 4WD (4X4). If you ask them, they'll add an extra set of inserts mounted behind the normal pack. That gives you an additional stance option nearer the rear of the board. This makes for an excellent alternative on powder days. The added float of the nose, plus the shorter tail make it turn quickly in tight sections yet stay afloat in soft powder. And it will still rail on the groom. If I were going on a trip for a week and could only take one board, and knew I'd encounter a total mix of conditions, that would be the board.

[pokkis]

Last year my absolute favourite for "one board only" was Fatjack, 177cm/23cm Titanal setup manufactured by Prior, but this year i believe it will change to BigFatjack, 187cm23cm titanal version.

Added adrenalin and fun factor on slope with added floating kick on pow but short enough to survive on tighter places between trees.

Cant wait for 8 weeks to get it on proper snow/slope.

[Jon Dahl]

Basically, I want a board that will perform well on moguls, powder, chop, whatever happens when I'm not riding groomed blues, and maybe even some trees.

Moguls and powder are to some extent mutually exclusive of each other. You will have to make some compromises in board selection. If you are talking 12" resort pow, moguls,trees and chop, get a shorter am board, probably the best of the lot would be the ATV. If you are talking big deep unconsolidated pow, you need a big stick, and I have not had much luck with long boards and moguls, and I LOVE my 192 Tanker. Get what fits what you ride most, and start building a quiver.

[biggerwrangler]

Bomber has several demos that you can try out in order to see what makes you the happiest.

Donek is located on the outskirts of denver and also does demos.

Its who i will be going to when the snow finals starts sticking to the hills!

[BadBrad]

If you are like me and you enjoy the Madd's quickness edge-to-edge, I think you'll find the Tanker to be well, too tank-like. Too slow edge to edge. You'll get used to it, but I'm not sure you'll enjoy it. I'd consider the Prior 4WD (4X4). If you ask them, they'll add an extra set of inserts mounted behind the normal pack. That gives you an additional stance option nearer the rear of the board. This makes for an excellent alternative on powder days. The added float of the nose, plus the shorter tail make it turn quickly in tight sections yet stay afloat in soft powder. And it will still rail on the groom. If I were going on a trip for a week and could only take one board, and knew I'd encounter a total mix of conditions, that would be the board.

I agree. I brought a Madd 158 and a Prior 4WD 164 to SES last year. On the powder day the short 4WD did fine, probably not as good as a pure powder board, but still floated in the powder and was very fun. Plus, it carves great on the groom, has great edge hold, and isn't too big to throw around in the bumps. For me, anything wider than a 21.5cm feels too big and heavy and slow.

[Dan]

I have a Madd BX, and while it's a great board that can definitely go anywhere, I find that it's a lot more fun on hardpack or firm snow than in powder or soft stuff. (I'm 5' 11", 155 pounds.) You need to pay attention and be a little careful to keep the nose up in powder, and when you do need to smear a turn (say in soft stuff in the trees) it feels stiff/less agile than you might hope for. Don't get me wrong - it will do whatever you need, but it's not the funnest tool in some situations.

I may get a Bomber slap on the wrist for saying this, but a freeride board with plates could be just what you're looking for. You definitely give up some carveability, and it's slower edge-to-edge, but they are very versatile, tossable, and you can get 'em used for not very much money, especially in the longer lengths that we tend to like. I've been riding plates on my 162 Arbor for years and it's a great ride.

Mind you, most of what people have already recommended would also make you very happy. You'll just have to buy a couple of the suggested boards and let us know what worked best.

[xolufus]

Made some trades last season with Big Canuck and wound up with a Prior 4WD. Would have never ridden one otherwise...but it's the one board that I always take with me...it just seems to be better than good enough for any condition.