Best All Mountain Carving Board

[Sailnboard]

I am new to forum and looking to update my ancient equipment and I am looking for suggestions on equipment. Tom Palka has been very helpful and suggested I get on BOL. Here are my stats/preferences;

6'4"

210lbs

10.5 boot size

48 degree front/39 rear

Burton Ibex-like plates

Burton MGX boots

Craig Kelly Screaming Tree, 168cm/24cm waist

been riding for 25 years of which last 15 years in hard boots

Like flexible boards, bindings and boot set up (i just demoed Burton Vapor and did not like)

All mountain rider on east coast so need a board for groomers, ice, crud, small bumps, riding fakie, short fast runs but also slow riding with kids

Very interested in Prior 4WD and Donek Axxess so would appreciate any color on differences in these two boards. Also trying to digest metal vs. fiberglass. Also would enterain other board suggestions.

Trying to decide between Cateks, TD3, Sidewinders...looking for pros and cons and flexibility comparisons

Boots - probably leaning towards Head or Deeluxe but open

Very intersted in buying used all mountain board with born on date in last few years.

Thanks

[BlueB]

The best AM carver I've tried so far is Kessler BX 168, narrow version. It is in league of it's own. It carves (ice included) better then many "freecarve" boards, slides the turns like no man's business, bumps are easy on it, floats in pow almost like a real pow board, wiggles through trees, slices through chop and surfs the slush.

4WD was one of my favorite boards for quite some time. Bomber visdom says that compared to Axxess, 4WD is better AM, while Axxess is better carver.

Better AM (not carver) then both of those are F2 Speedcross/ElDIablo/Vantage, Prior ATV and Steepwater Steep.

Keep on your mind that new Prior WCRM and FLC are available in wider waist widths. They would outcarve all of the above, except maybe Kessler, while still being very AM capable.

I didn't try the latest metal offerings from Coiler, but it sounds that AM, Monster and Schtubby are all very good for AM application.

Tanker 192 is a great AM board too. Does everything well except ice and tight trees. Ok, maybe not the steep bumps either.

Last but not least, Burton Speed Wide is really good AM carver. The only downside is the square tail that catches a bit in moguls.

Any of the above I could have as my only board if for some strange reason I couldn't have a quiver ;)

[newcarver]

So far, I've been pretty happy with my Sigi Grabner Cult 169. Fun, go anywhere, do anything type board. It doesn't carve as well as my Burner 167 but it's not bad considering the varsitility of it. Has a 23.5 cm waist, big nose to float over powder, tapered shape with small upturned tail. Will allow you to ride switch pretty easy. Very well built too. It is the board I turn to to ride when I ride with my son who likes to ride all terrain and not just groomers. Allows me to ride anything from pow, moggles, and still be able to carve.

[Loc]

I can vouch for the Prior ATV's all-mountain capability. It's my most scratched up board because I've taken it everywhere. The smaller 10m scr makes it easy to skid and make tight turns around trees. I think it has the widest waist of all alpine boards at 23.5cm so it really performs in powder. I can easily rail turns on it but I'm only 160lbs so someone larger may overpower the board.

[pokkis]

Best AM what i've been on was 23cm wide 177 metal WCR.

Carves like animal but goes like dream on off piste.

I liked that even more than same wide 187 metal WCR :rolleyes:

[Galen]

+1 on the Cult. Great in powder, big nose, narrow tail and still carves fairly well.

[Bobby Buggs]

The Coiler All Mtn metal 177 21.5 wide I have has been the most versatile carving board I have been on. Totally rails on pack and does great on loose snow and bumps. Also rode it in the spring corn and loved it. I have not been in a foot plus of fresh on it but was in 8 my first day out this season and it was a blast.

[Sailnboard]

Thanks to all.

On paper and reading the reviews i was torn between 4WD and wide WCRM but i am not sure of metal board since i am so used to a flexible fiberglass stick. What r the +/- of the newer metal and non-metal?

BlueB, do you know if the Axxess is much like a WCR?

Anyone want to sell an AM board?

thx

[bobdea]

Thanks to all.

On paper and reading the reviews i was torn between 4WD and wide WCRM but i am not sure of metal board since i am so used to a flexible fiberglass stick. What r the +/- of the newer metal and non-metal?

BlueB, do you know if the Axxess is much like a WCR?

Anyone want to sell an AM board?

thx

metal is better in most conditions

[chippermon]

I'm with Bobby Buggs on this one. I have only ridden a handfull of alpine boards but my metal Coiler AM rocks. I'm a superstar on it.

[Pokolikrat]

I posted picture some time ago, it does everything.

[bobdea]

I'm with Bobby Buggs on this one. I have only ridden a handfull of alpine boards but my metal Coiler AM rocks. I'm a superstar on it.

my glass AM was AWESOME and my stubby is better. yeah, coiler fan here.

[C5 Golfer]

You'd be hard pressed to find any better than Prior's 4WD.. I have a 174 and a 179 and of all my 11 snowboards --- I think they have the highest mileage on the odometer. I am around 215 lbs BTW

The 174 is so friendly I think you could ride it blindfolded and just let it tell you what is going on under your feet as it smoothly glides you down the wonderful powder thru the hard crap into the ice and onto the slush. It does not care what snow you are on. My 3 cents from rainy Seattle.

[D.T.]

I found my 177cm Coiler AM to be more versatile in all conditions than my old 169cm Prior 4x4 (4x4 was the previous version of the 4wd). I demoed a 179cm Prior 4wd prior to ordering my Coiler. I liked the 4wd, but still purchased and prefered the Coiler AM.

[BlueB]

Just to clarify, I was refering to this years model with the decambered nose, especially in wide waist version.

The older model with classic nose can work as AM in wider width, but not as great as the new nose shape. I wouldn't use the one with standard waist width as the AM board.

[shawndoggy]

Just to clarify, I was refering to this years model with the decambered nose, especially in wide waist version.

The older model with classic nose can work as AM in wider width, but not as great as the new nose shape. I wouldn't use the one with standard waist width as the AM board.

Yeah, I have one of these and it REALLY chews through everything. afternoon chop just explodes under the rail... like it's fresh groom. I have the 177, but with the decambered nose it's still skiddable in the bumps. I really like mine.

Coiler AM-T is also good. The prior seems livelier than the coiler, but that could just be how Bruce built my AM-T (which is also a fantastic board). AM-T is loads of fun in the pow (haven't had the prior on a dump day yet).

Have a monster on the rack waiting for enough snow to break out. If this weeks' storms go as planned, could have a review on that for next weekend (but I don't expect it to be an off-piste board).