Justin A. Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 I'm officially a victim of Olympic marketing. After watching the men's halfpipe competition, I decided that I need to get back on some softboots and go hit the park. I hadn't seen freestyle snowboarding look that awesome since I was 9 years old - and even then, everything impressed me at that age. I'm so ashamed. I rode the "mini"park at Gunstock last sunday on my teles and ate **** countless times trying to hit rails on skis lol. I'm renting a noodleboard this sunday and I'm going to take a lesson to get back into the swing of softies and cruise the park some more. Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 I'm officially a victim of Olympic marketing. After watching the men's halfpipe competition, I decided that I need to get back on some softboots and go hit the park. I hadn't seen freestyle snowboarding look that awesome since I was 9 years old - and even then, everything impressed me at that age. I'm so ashamed. I rode the "mini"park at Gunstock last sunday on my teles and ate **** countless times trying to hit rails on skis lol. I'm renting a noodleboard this sunday and I'm going to take a lesson to get back into the swing of softies and cruise the park some more. Any advice? you got some big feet no? get something wide. most of the boards labeled as wide right now are 26 to 265 width. if you can, shoot for 27. this of course is me remembering that you wear a bigger boot than I do. if I remember correctly you had a 29 or 295 or something. I have a board here that is not a good board really but has only a few runs on it if you're interested. you'd have something to beat in the park for way less than $200. as for boots and bindings, there's a ton of not so expensive options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinecure Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Rockered board. You can butter without even yanking on the off-snow leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin A. Posted March 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Rockered board. You can butter without even yanking on the off-snow leg. Never. Bob, I wear a 10.5 street shoe, and the guys at the StartinGate stuffed my feet into size 26 Stratos pros. My Old Vans softies are size 10.5, and if I molded the liners they would fit perfectly, so I guess my feet aren't all that big. I'm wearing size 29 Tele boots, but that's because I got a screaming deal on them from Steep and Cheap (65% off IIRC) - that's probably what you remember. Would you be interested in trading your park board for a Burton Amp 153? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Never.Bob, I wear a 10.5 street shoe, and the guys at the StartinGate stuffed my feet into size 26 Stratos pros. My Old Vans softies are size 10.5, and if I molded the liners they would fit perfectly, so I guess my feet aren't all that big. I'm wearing size 29 Tele boots, but that's because I got a screaming deal on them from Steep and Cheap (65% off IIRC) - that's probably what you remember. Would you be interested in trading your park board for a Burton Amp 153? no, just have no use for something like that and on top of that I have no 3 hole bindings right now. I wear a 11 or 11.5 softboot. if you're in a 10.5 this board may or may not feel like a door to you but most wide boards on the market would be idea. would be a cheap way to get some float in the NH trees though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveInOregon Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 ( as if its worth squat ) A new Park Pickle or Banana and take Ibuprophen "before" booting up ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatha Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 ( as if its worth squat )A new Park Pickle or Banana and take ganja "before" booting up ;) Isn't that really what you meant????:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveInOregon Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 Isn't that really what you meant????:D ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey how did you edit my quote from Ibuprofen to ganja ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin A. Posted March 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 Just got back... Hot damn that was a good time! Modern softie gear holds an edge much better than it used to. I couldn't really drop it over because of boot-out, but it did a reasonable job of carving it up. I'm somewhat ashamed that I brought my coiler today and left it at the ski/board check all day :o but I had a damn good time anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin A. Posted March 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Hey how did you edit my quote from Ibuprofen to wacky weed ? Same way I did that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 so you gonna take the plunge? I see a tanker wide in your future or perhaps a lib tech skunk ape........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin A. Posted March 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 I'm definitely going to take the plunge. Eyeballing an Arbor Coda at the moment. I want to say that I refuse to ride a rocker board, but the Lib Techs sound somewhat reasonable... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ESPI Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Arbor take a beating on the ice-coast. The wood tends to peal up around the tips and chip far too easily. Good boards if you are "nice to them"... K2, NEVERSUMMER, GNU, and ROZZI make some boards that take the abuse in the park. Go for a true twin tip, and set up a ballanced stance and duck it out. Parks become playgrounds :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Justin, please tell me how it goes (ie, how many times you eat s**t:)). I've been dying to get into the park, but haven't had the nads - plus, all my hardboot crew here laugh at me. I need someone to give me a few pointers. I bought a softy setup but it's for pow - I'd need to buy a beater board to take into the park, and I'm holding off as I think our season is rapidly coming to a close. I'll go to the Uni ski sale next season and pick something up there. I'll be interested in your experiences! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 I'm definitely going to take the plunge.Eyeballing an Arbor Coda at the moment. I want to say that I refuse to ride a rocker board, but the Lib Techs sound somewhat reasonable... neither are rockered if you buy something prior to this year. why would you get the coda though? just curious. what size softboot are you in? I'd start there and get the board based on not having to ride retarded angles, maybe choose the boot you need first? I have not been on a rockered tanker but I do have to say I have a kessler that's decambered in both the nose and tail. I'm not entirely sure full rocker would be THAT negative. might not be beneficial for carving either but it's a park deck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin A. Posted March 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 neither are rockered if you buy something prior to this year. why would you get the coda though? just curious. I'm interested in the Coda because of Arbor's boardmapping concept. They advertise the Coda as being best in the park and damn good on the rest of the mountain, which is exactly what I'm looking for. The width seems good at 25.4 on the 161. I'm still pretty open to ideas on what to get at this point, I'd like to get an Arbor because of the company, but it all comes down to the almighty doll-hair. what size softboot are you in? I'd start there and get the board based on not having to ride retarded angles, maybe choose the boot you need first? I rented a size 11 yesterday, but there's no doubt that with a good fitting I could be in a 10.5 or even a 10. It's too bad that the Startingate doesn't sell softies. I have not been on a rockered tanker but I do have to say I have a kessler that's decambered in both the nose and tail. I'm not entirely sure full rocker would be THAT negative. might not be beneficial for carving either but it's a park deck. I'm still weary of rocker - it just seems too jibber-ish...I'm going to have to ride a board with rocker before I can make a judgement for myself, but I absolutely will not buy a rocker board before riding one. I'm used to going for big camber, so completely reversing that is unsettling to me. As for it being a park deck, I'm really looking for something as a one-plank alternative to my Teles. I don't want a park-specific deck, which is why the likes of the Coda, A-Frame, Burton Supermodel, et. al. are on my list to check out. Right now, I'm going to be buying boots first - I still have my old bindings so that's not high-priority, I just really need boots like you said. I'll probably buy the first mid-flex boot that pops up in my size on Brociety.com...I missed a good pair this morning because it popped up as I was leaving for class . It was the Celsius cls9 - for $110... It didn't sell out, so it'll be back soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 I'm interested in the Coda because of Arbor's boardmapping concept. They advertise the Coda as being best in the park and damn good on the rest of the mountain, which is exactly what I'm looking for. The width seems good at 25.4 on the 161.I'm still pretty open to ideas on what to get at this point, I'd like to get an Arbor because of the company, but it all comes down to the almighty doll-hair. I rented a size 11 yesterday, but there's no doubt that with a good fitting I could be in a 10.5 or even a 10. It's too bad that the Startingate doesn't sell softies. I'm still weary of rocker - it just seems too jibber-ish...I'm going to have to ride a board with rocker before I can make a judgement for myself, but I absolutely will not buy a rocker board before riding one. I'm used to going for big camber, so completely reversing that is unsettling to me. As for it being a park deck, I'm really looking for something as a one-plank alternative to my Teles. I don't want a park-specific deck, which is why the likes of the Coda, A-Frame, Burton Supermodel, et. al. are on my list to check out. Right now, I'm going to be buying boots first - I still have my old bindings so that's not high-priority, I just really need boots like you said. I'll probably buy the first mid-flex boot that pops up in my size on Brociety.com...I missed a good pair this morning because it popped up as I was leaving for class . It was the Celsius cls9 - for $110... It didn't sell out, so it'll be back soon. in a 10 or 10.5 boot if I were you I'd go for a board around 265 waist if I could. could ride low angles without much drag that way. I've not ridden a arbor in a very long time but they were no better than anything burton, never summer and a few of the other usual suspects were making. the Ride yukon comes to mind this is a link to the 164 http://shop.surftheearthsnowboards.com/browse.cfm/4,3783.html?AFF=ggl I had one, was a great board. the only thing that made it easy to part with was a tanker 177 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan Rover Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 If you're looking for a decent board for the park, but wanna do other stuff than just pure freestyle, I would suggest a board like Option Supercharger. It has plenty of pop for nailing a kicker and for all-mountain, has loads of flex for boxes and what-not in the park...is light enough to do good pipe-work...and has good flexibility and flotation for powder. It is very hard to find an all-mountain board that is good for all three endeavors, powder, freeride and freestyle, but I have found if there is one board that does, Option Supercharger is a good one! I think they come in up to 167...but 158 to 163 is a real good size for them. For softboots, I would actually recommend what I ride, for the same above reasons...it is a topline all-mountain boot made by Vans called "Jamie Lynn"...a well-made boot that lasts for a LONG time. But the new ones aren't as well-made as the old ones! There's plenty of good used soft equipment out there, especially in the spring-time...plus GREAT end-of-season prices on new gear, too. P.S.- I like your saying about Schrodinger's Cat and waveform theory...you don't see much about schrodinger in a boarder forum. Good luck!! Gravity IS Life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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