SIA Daily Report -Rocker's are In

[RJ-PS]

I'll admit that I have a vested interest in seeing how the boarder either does or does not acclimate to this new rage, but here is the SIA take on the new tech:

"Top Trends – Rocker Hits #1 On the Ski and Snowboard Charts

Bigger than Elvis, more revolutionary than the Beatles or Punk Rock, ‘Rocker’ or ‘reverse camber’ technology has electrified the ski and snowboard markets. By working with varying degrees of ‘early rise’ in the tips and tails of skis and snowboards – picture the rise in the bow of a ship – manufacturers can create better float in powder, easier turn initiation in any condition, and more fun for everyone on the slopes."

Anyone rocking the rocker besides the Rad-Air team?

[Jack M]

Anyone rocking the rocker besides the Rad-Air team?

Prior, Donek, Coiler, Kessler, SG, Black Pearl, the list goes on.

Decambered/rockered/early rise noses (and tails) are the state of the art now. Boards are still positively cambered in the middle though.

Keep us up to date on the SIA happenings, thanks!

[Pat Donnelly]

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=ski+industry+association

[John E]

So, as a long time skier, there was a "must have" new thing nearly every year. Most of this was marketing hype. The one possible exception was shaped skis. The last pair of skis I bought was an early generation of shaped skis. While these seemed to make turning easier, they were not the revolution touted by the industry. A good skier was still good regardless of the equipment. This may have made it easier for a beginner.

So, is this "rocker revolution" for skis & boards really something or just more marketing hype to sell new equipment? Probably only time will tell. I suspect that it may make it easier for a beginner to pick up the sport but it won't be a revolution for the accomplished skier/rider.

[Jack M]

So, is this "rocker revolution" for skis & boards really something or just more marketing hype to sell new equipment? Probably only time will tell. I suspect that it may make it easier for a beginner to pick up the sport but it won't be a revolution for the accomplished skier/rider.

Nope, the decambered nose is a real game changer.

[Loc]

I haven't tried any of the bananas or rocker & camber from Never Summer yet but the nose on my Coiler VSR definitely feels different and better than the nose on my Prior ATV and Madd 170. I don't think I'd buy another board without the new school nose.

[inkaholic]

Here is a link to an article just out about NeverSummer. The company is doing very well.

http://www.westword.com/2010-01-28/news/the-economy-s-on-ice-and-snow-sports-have-skidded-off-the-rails-but-never-summer-is-riding-high/

Ink

[Mike T]

I'm not gonna say "I'll never buy anything without a rockered nose again" but this should be telling: The only hardboot board in my quiver *without* it is an original Madd 158, a board that for many is timeless.

[zoltan]

What does rocker give you? What difference am I going to feel on the snow?

[Jack M]

What does rocker give you? What difference am I going to feel on the snow?

http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=25520&highlight=decambered+nose

[MUD]

So are we calling rocker and decambering the same thing now???

I think we need to define the two.

I am not going to do it though. I'll let Jack deal with it.

[Jack M]

I agree, just saying "that board has rocker" to me implies the whole board, IMO.

[crote123]

But what kind of rocker is "in" @ SIA?

Below has rockered nose and tail and center area is cambered (coiler)

while this one has rockered center area and cambered tail and nose (never summer)

I know the boards don't have the same purpose but the design is still different

[Gtanner]

Side topic,

My new VSR just arrived with the same Canada topsheet (thanks Steve) and I get to ride it tonight for the first time...sorry, I'm just excited!

-Gord

[Buell]

Rocker is real and it is amazing. Decambered noses on our carve decks are one version and that may be the extent that will be seen in alpine and race boards. Maybe Phil Fell or Bordy could say something about this.

I have tried several several new rockered designs on soft groom, hero groom, and powder. They are all different. I will post more later, but fully rockered boards can carve just fine. It depends on the design. I was just testing the rockered 172 Tanker today on plates on hero groom and it is not my new Coiler SL, but it definitely holds its own.

In Powder and crud they are going to blow the mind of most of the people who try them. They are unbelievably smooth and will make a turn in powder that is as close to a carve on the groom that I have ever experienced. The difference in the feel of the powder turn when the snow is not fighting the camber is very significant. Likewise, going through chopped up powder or, I expect, carving on a slushy groomer, the lack of camber bouncing off the bumps makes for such a smooth ride.

Buell

[RJ-PS]

Prior, Donek, Coiler, Kessler, SG, Black Pearl, the list goes on.

Decambered/rockered/early rise noses (and tails) are the state of the art now. Boards are still positively cambered in the middle though.

Keep us up to date on the SIA happenings, thanks!

As far as I know/as far as I've seen, everything coming out of other companies still has camber somewhere. Rad-Air is the only company with a completely rockered board. In this scenario it means the board has a true banana shape from tip to tail with no camber whatsoever.

The feedback has been overwhelming so far on them, Rad-Air is no longer producing a cambered Tanker.

[bumpyride]

Read the whole article on Never Summer (hope that covers my required reading for the year).

Some of the things I gleaned:

Made in Colorado, not in China

One of first orders came from Japan that financed their factory upgrade.

Keeping production in States because they can change board technology and have it on the slope in a week.

Sold out every year.

3 year warranty for guys that beat the snot out of their boards.

Developing new technology for sidecut.

All this and they're selling boards for under $500.

Hmmmm!.

[Jon Dahl]

As far as I know/as far as I've seen, everything coming out of other companies still has camber somewhere. Rad-Air is the only company with a completely rockered board.

I believe that Lib is still making the Banana Hammock, flat base and tip/tail rocker, and negative sidecut. Like a big ol' wakeboard for pow.

[Michael Pukas]

Never Summer boards rock, plain and simple. Some of, if not the, best off-the-shelf free ride & powder boards. Haven't had a chance to try out one of their rocker&camber boards though. Love to see how it compares to what has become the norm in our world w/ a rockered nose and tail and camber under foot.

Which brings me around to the definition debate... to me camber implies an upward curve, and rocker implies a downward curve. Convex vs concave. Decamber to me means flexing the board against it's curve - or camber. To say a board has a decambered nose seems incorrect. Decamber is an action, not a description of board shape/geometry.

Saying it has rocker is also slightly inaccurate. How much and where the rocker is has to described. For our world, saying a board has a rockered nose and/or tail fits the bill. Having traditional camber underfoot in usually the norm, and implicitly understood. If a board has full rocker, like that Tanker what-ever, Lib Tech Banana, etc. then that's how it should be described. "Decamber" doesn't work to describe board shape/geometry. mpp

[Michael Pukas]

I believe that Lib is still making the Banana Hammock, flat base and tip/tail rocker, and negative sidecut. Like a big ol' wakeboard for pow.

Lib Tech has a couple different versions of camber and rocker boards. Some are shaped like the NS with Banana + Camber, and some are Banana. They also have a funky wave-like edge they call Mange-Traction. Everyone who has ridden it swears by it. Wonder if it will ever trickle into our world...

[BigBump]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned Palmer's FLF design that was developed with input from Kessler. I'm currently riding the Palmer Timeless(in soft boots set duck) which is a true twin with the FLF shape. Basically, it's similar to the NSR shape. It looks like normal cambered board until you decamber it and see the tip and tail lift up almost to the bindings. The board carves amazingly well, and not just for an all mountain freestyle board. It just plain rips. Also, because it focuses the pressure on the edge between your feet(at least that is what I feel) throwing 180's and 3's at speed is a breeze.

Also, for what it's worth, I was at an AASI steeps clinic last week at Stowe and the guy running it was on a burton custom with their V rocker shape(w/ softboots set duck). On friday the groomed trails were windblown hardpack and he was dragging his butt and front hand on all of his heelside carves. With a few tips from him I was able to do just about the same. So it doesn't seem full rocker hurts the carving experience...

[carvin29]

That's good to hear big bump. Rocker intrigues me but I worry what it will do as far as high speed freeriding, etc. People have said the Lib Banana boards are squirrely and have poor stability.

[Sinecure]

I sure hope Palmer names that FLF tech "Fluffer". I'd like to ride with a fluffer all the time. Definitely some good "hard rider" puns in there.

[newcarver]

Venture Snowboards made in Silverton, CO are making rockered boards. They have eliminated cambered ones. Looks like their FR/powder boards have rocker in the nose and tail with the middle section being flat. I like the shape of the Storm. Has a pointy nose kind of like the 3800. Would like to demo one of these rocker boards sometime.

[Buell]

That's good to hear big bump. Rocker intrigues me but I worry what it will do as far as high speed freeriding, etc. People have said the Lib Banana boards are squirrely and have poor stability.

The Lib SnowMullet I rode last season was squirrelly in the powder. It actually carved soft groom very well for what ever reason (never tried it on good groom). It was really soft in the middle and that did not work for me. I sold it quick.

The four rockered boards I have tried and the 5th that Rebecca has ridden are all different. You need to find one with the right combination of rocker, rocker pattern, and flex.