HELP - Need advice on new board...

[maxlean]

Well this is sure to start a war. Now that I've unloaded a bunch of my quiver (many thanks to you guys) I'm ready to get a new board. I don't need one, but, hell it's still cheaper than a crack habit. I have some diverse requirements so I may end up having to get two boards; it's ok, I'm willing to make the sacrifice.

I've been carving for 5 years and weigh 160 lbs. I really want to try a metal board - I've heard so much about them.

My current favorite board is a Silberpfiel 172. I really like this board. It has so much better damp, edge hold, and power than all of my Doneks. So, since I don't know how to spell Silberpfiel I go out and look at the board. In reading the specs I see the following "v30 quadrax titanal." Holy s**t, I've been riding a metal board for a year and didn't even know it! Talk about your blind taste test. I'm sold on metal.

Back to my requirements:

- I really want to try some EC carving (but I don't necessarily want wider stance angles - just like being in line).

- To facilitate EC, a big sidecut would be nice.

- I like fast edge transitions

But, also:

- I'm dating this rad chick who is an extreme skiier who wants to do some big mountain steep (40-50 degree) pow terrain. (But, I refuse to do the ski-to-base-jump with her).

- She likes my long stick, but I don't think my long snowboard is going to work here.

Suggestions?

PS How do you pronounce titanal? I personally like tit anal; kinda reminds me of that Jessica Simpson comercial where she say's "I don't know what that is, but I want it..."

Robert

[Sinecure]

An Axxess 172 or 177 with titanal build would be pretty amazing as an off-piste weapon in all but the deepest pow. If you ask, you should be able to get Sean to add a set of inserts behind the standard ones to give you an option for a big setback - this will keep the nose up on pow days. I can do steep jump turns down a tight chute on a 171 Freecarve and on my 179 4WD. My recollection of trying the first gen Axis was that the 172 rode longer than its stated length.

[snowboardfast]

How about the Virus Scalpel? It is designed for ec but can go fast in powder. I think if you want a good board for powder and a good board for ec you would have to buy 2 boards and use them for each thing . I have a Donek blade and have no intention of riding it in powder. I ride my Dupraz in powder and I do'nt use hard boots in powder as well after having done the hardboot thing in powder for many years.

[BlueB]

That Silber 172 is a great little board! I was lucky enough to ride it back to back with Virus Vampire 175 and Prior WCR metal 183 custom. Conditions were very cold, very hard packed but not ice.

Silber didn't lack in the edge hold department at all. It was the stiffest and liveliest of the 3 boards and careved tightest. Virus have that ability to change the radius of the turn at will, is very easy to ride and really smooth, but still has pop when you want it. Prior rode the biggest of the 3, as it had some "kessleresque" progressive sidecut. It was the most effortless ride of the 3 and probably the most damp one.

You still can EC on Silber. It would look and feel slightly different then "by the book" EC, but still fun.

If you wanted slightly wider metal board, more suited for EC, look into Prior BlackJacks (wider WCR). I'm sure that some of the Coiler Schtubbies would fit the bill too. That Virus Scalpel surely looks sweet!

As for the steep tight pow, everyone raves about Dupraz nowadays... If you wanted something cheaper but still great, look into Dynastar 3800 169 or 163. A shorty 4807 would do too.

[Mike Kildevaeld]

just get in line and say moooo like a cow and get a Kessler, if you go see a world cup alpine race the best part of the show is watching everyone come outside from lunch looking for their board pretty funny they all and I do mean all have the exact same board.

[maxlean]

Thanks guys.

Snowboardfast, that's interesting that you use softies in the pow. I've actually tried to go back a couple times and, frankly, just hated it. I'm sure it would be great in pow, but when I tried to go back on a groomer, my Solomon Malmuts (very stiff soft boot) just folded like a cheap tent and my feet got very tired - it just seemed like so much work after being able to "stack the bones" on hard boots. So, why did you give up hardboots in the pow?

[maxlean]

Has anyone ridden a Prior Swallowtail splitboard? That seems like it could solve lots of problems....

[mackDan]

I get on here (BO) once in awhile, so I'm not sure what boards you just sold off. So my advice might be throwing you back to something you just sold off. Its also my opinion, and there are plenty of those floating around here.

I ride all over the mountain, chasing or leading my soft boot buddies. They ride a lot of off piste, steep and really steep, powder and packed powder (Alpine meadows, Squaw Valley, Sugar Bowl). I'm also 170# and 5'8", use hardboots exclusively (and Teleski), and release my cant locks in the powder/steeps.

I tend to prefer Slalom boards for that kind of riding, around 162-164 length, which are the longer ones. They have some good flex which I think gives a better more control-able ride in the powder. Also a tad bit wider for float. Good for about 6-10" of powder. Deeper than that and I switch to a freestyle board with plate bindings, which isn't as good carving, but has more float. But its about 162-165 long also.

I've always found that when you start going to a longer thinner board, it has a more difficult turn initiation cause by the nose up more than normal. Length also becomes a real problem the steeper the terrain, forcing you to do a jump turn. If your board gets too long, you'll catch the tail (up hill side) on the start of the jump turn and it will toss you down hill on your head. I think that also happens more, the stiffer the board. Shorter boards allow you to lead with the shoulder and actually do a short carve through the turn.

Similar problem with mounting your bindings to the rear, screws up the initiation and turn responses. I do not change my stance position on my boards to ride powder or piste. My SL boards ride good in the powder and carve excellent with no change in stance. i think that's a result of the width of the board which I think is a better way to go than length.

Here's a test to try, take your long board out in the afternoon. Go find and intermediate/advanced slope with a lot of pushed snow. Your looking for those 1-2' deep snow pile fall line ridges that form at the end of the day. Ride one of those ridges, try not to go more than about 3-8' to either side, turning fast and crossing quick. This requires a lot of upper body, leading with the shoulder, and fast top transitions (lifting the tail, but not jumping). If you can stay within the ~6-10' total width AND do a fast carve turn, I'd say you have a good steeps board. If you skid the turn, or have to jump to turn, or turn outside the ~10' total width, get a shorter board.

What ever you decide on, you'll have to figure out how to ride it, and the only way your going to do that is try it on the steeps. Good luck.

[Riceball]

I bought a Virus Scalpel from Frank last year at SES and am able to run slacker angles with the wider board for an EC style stance. It has proved to be very versatile, even in the chop and powder. Although I also favor my Coiler AM for the crud.