Burton Fish Sizing Question

[grock5]

For all the folks out there who ride/rode a Burton Fish: a question on sizing.

I'm currently contemplating between 156cm or 160cm for a 07 Burton Fish.

I'm 5'10", 185 lbs, size 10.5 feet, and leaning toward the 160 for the extra waist width & the stiffness built for a heavier rider, but after doing some research and reading, people around my size seem equally happy with the 156, being able to whip it around. My other freeriding boards are 164 & 166, so 160 would be a size down for me.

Any suggestions on which size that you would recommend? I'm really not looking for suggestions on alternatives to the Fish at this time.

Thanks!

Goro

[Snowman]

I am the same size and weight and ride a 156 with fantastic results.

Think Snow!

[Dave Winters]

I'm old and fat, and love my 160.

[grock5]

Thanks for the replies!

I was just wondering, if at my size, what kind of difference the extra 4cm would make. General instinct is to go longer in most instances & my first instinct was to go longer to the 160cm, but many Fish owners seem equally happier going shorter for this design.

Thoughts?

[Buell]

I am 145 pounds and rode the 06 and 07 156 Fish before moving to the 08 160. The 156 floats fine for me, but I preferred riding the 160 which also turns super quick.

[grock5]

Thanks Buell: from your experience, would you say that there is a significant difference in how the 156 & 160 rides in various conditions? Why did you prefer the 160 over the 156??

I'm not expecting the Fish to be one to carve like a champ and understand that there are better boards out there that can are much more versatile, but does having the extra 4 cm of running length & effective edge help in handling snow once it is tracked out, or riding groomers?

What do all you Fish owners feel about how it rides and handles out of ideal powder conditions?? Fish out of water??

[Buell]

Thanks Buell: from your experience, would you say that there is a significant difference in how the 156 & 160 rides in various conditions? Why did you prefer the 160 over the 156??

I'm not expecting the Fish to be one to carve like a champ and understand that there are better boards out there that can are much more versatile, but does having the extra 4 cm of running length & effective edge help in handling snow once it is tracked out, or riding groomers?

What do all you Fish owners feel about how it rides and handles out of ideal powder conditions?? Fish out of water??

As you would expect, the 160 turns a little bigger and floats a little better than the 156, but neither is very significant. I prefer it because when I ride powder I make boards turn tight, so the added size of the 160 was good for me as I could push harder on it without it turning too tight. Most anyone else my size would be on the 156.

Is this for east coast powder days or west coast? Of course you will get different opinions, but at your 185, I would do the 160. You will not have trouble turning it.

On softer groom, the Fish actually carves really well. Lots of quick turns. All that taper makes the initiation super fast.

I only rode the Fish on powder days and I only rarely ride anything but untracked. I do not like it in tracked snow because the nose really pushes me around. I also do not have it on groomers unless they happen to be there on a powder day (soft). I do see Fish all the time here at Powder Mountain on good powder days and even after the powder is tracked out, so others might disagree about how they work in chop (or that is the cheap board they bought for their annual week out west - not a bad option).

If cost is a factor and it will not get ridden a lot, I think the Fish is a great option. Otherwise, I prefer other powder boards. At the moment, I even relegated my Spearhead to third string. The top two are both rockered. Nothing I have ever ridden goes through the chopped up powder anything like a rockered board, not to mention how they ride in good powder. Some of the rocker designs even carve well on hero groom and they all seem to carve well on soft groom.

[grock5]

Buell & everyone else who replied: Thank you very much for your insight and input. I can always count on folks on Bomber to give me great information on all things carving, as well as input and feedback on equipment from a carvers perspective.

Is this for east coast powder days or west coast? Of course you will get different opinions, but at your 185, I would do the 160. You will not have trouble turning it.

On softer groom, the Fish actually carves really well. Lots of quick turns. All that taper makes the initiation super fast.

This Fish is for East Coast applications, for now. I do work for the airline that was discussed earlier in the week in the main forum, so I do need to start using my flight benefits to good use and I would love to get the Fish out west too! :)

I think what I needed to hear was that the Fish would still be fun to ride outside of perfect powder conditions, on soft groomers, etc.

If cost is a factor and it will not get ridden a lot, I think the Fish is a great option. Otherwise, I prefer other powder boards. At the moment, I even relegated my Spearhead to third string. The top two are both rockered. Nothing I have ever ridden goes through the chopped up powder anything like a rockered board, not to mention how they ride in good powder. Some of the rocker designs even carve well on hero groom and they all seem to carve well on soft groom.

The Fish really wasn't on my radar of boards that I wanted to try. But a forecast of a Nor-easter calling for 18-24+ inches this weekend, that my best option for a non-carving soft boot board is my Rad Air Reto Lamm LSD, and that I found one at a good price, I'm leaning towards picking one up to see how it rides.

I know that the Fish won't be one for most east coast conditions, it sounds like it will still be fun to ride from time to time when we do have some fresh snow, even here in the Mid Atlantic.

Thanks again!!

Goro

[Buell]

The Fish really wasn't on my radar of boards that I wanted to try. But a forecast of a Nor-easter calling for 18-24+ inches this weekend, that my best option for a non-carving soft boot board is my Rad Air Reto Lamm LSD, and that I found one at a good price, I'm leaning towards picking one up to see how it rides.

I know that the Fish won't be one for most east coast conditions, it sounds like it will still be fun to ride from time to time when we do have some fresh snow, even here in the Mid Atlantic.

It will blow away the stiff nosed Reto Lamm and, I expect, for the price work out really well for you when the conditions are right.

Enjoy!

Buell

[skategoat]

As you would expect, the 160 turns a little bigger and floats a little better than the 156, but neither is very significant. I prefer it because when I ride powder I make boards turn tight, so the added size of the 160 was good for me as I could push harder on it without it turning too tight. Most anyone else my size would be on the 156.

Is this for east coast powder days or west coast? Of course you will get different opinions, but at your 185, I would do the 160. You will not have trouble turning it.

On softer groom, the Fish actually carves really well. Lots of quick turns. All that taper makes the initiation super fast.

I only rode the Fish on powder days and I only rarely ride anything but untracked. I do not like it in tracked snow because the nose really pushes me around. I also do not have it on groomers unless they happen to be there on a powder day (soft). I do see Fish all the time here at Powder Mountain on good powder days and even after the powder is tracked out, so others might disagree about how they work in chop (or that is the cheap board they bought for their annual week out west - not a bad option).

If cost is a factor and it will not get ridden a lot, I think the Fish is a great option. Otherwise, I prefer other powder boards. At the moment, I even relegated my Spearhead to third string. The top two are both rockered. Nothing I have ever ridden goes through the chopped up powder anything like a rockered board, not to mention how they ride in good powder. Some of the rocker designs even carve well on hero groom and they all seem to carve well on soft groom.

Don't keep us hanging. Which are your top two?

[Buell]

Don't keep us hanging. Which are your top two?

The rockered 172 Tanker is my top powder board and if I want a tighter turning, less aggressive board, I ride the 168 K2 Gyrator. They are quite different. I can elaborate if you want.

I rode a 162 Venture Storm split (rockered with flat between the bindings) yesterday for the first time. That was back to back with my Spearhead 166 split. I liked it a lot. It is not going to replace my Tanker, but a 166 split version will likely replace my Spearhead split next season (I need to look closer at the new Jones split though).

The Spearhead is a great powder board, these are just better.

If you have a long attention span, I put my impressions of the Tanker here.

How did the powder riding go grock? Could you make it up to the mountains with all the snow?

[skategoat]

I just read your review on the Tanker. Makes me want one but at $749, I need to demo it before laying down that kind of cash. I posted in the BC forum that I need a Whistler board. Something I can leave at my relative's home there.

[grock5]

Unfortunately, none of our vehicles could handle the 26-30 inches that fell over Friday night into Saturday afternoon here in Baltimore, including some Thunder snow overnight.

Baltimore is a city that averages 20 inches per year, and as of Sunday, they have gotten the main streets cleared, but none of the side streets have been plowed yet.

Snow removal is still very much a work in progress here, but I did just find out that I have a snow day on Monday, so I'll try to get out to the local hill for a day of great carving. Snow conditions should be great!

Thanks again for the insightful input on the Fish, and I'm still thinking about getting either a Fish or a shorter Tanker at some point this season.

Cheers!

Goro

[Buell]

I was afraid of that grock. Too much snow can really clog up the transportation system.

As you can tell, I think the 172 Tanker is just an amazing board. I doubt many riders who carve hardboots on groomers would be disappointed in it how it rides powder. Heavier riders or people who ride lots of tight trees excepted. It is relatively expensive.

The cheapest good powder board option will likely be the Fish. For a slightly more expensive option, keep an eye on the K2 Gyrator. New ones will go on sale pretty soon and be relatively cheap. Rebecca and I love ours (162 and 168 respectively).

They are lightweight, insanely nimble (great at trees), and carve an amazing powder turn (tighter than the Tankers). They are designed specifically for powder, like the Fish, where as the Tanker design makes it a much better all around board (that happens to ride powder better than any board I have ridden). They are not as aggressive as the Tankers nor do they have as high of a top speed but they will go pretty fast. Due to having so much rocker, they are only able to carve on soft, powder day groomers. I much prefer them to the Fish and they are a lot more fun in the crud and chopped up powder.

[Jim]

Rode a big ravine last week on my 172 Rockered Tanker plus a 164 Santa Cruz Allmountain and a 165 Prior Khyber. The Tanker ruled.