Remember when you Thought you needed a Stiff board

[Bobby Buggs]

I still like what a stiffer board has to offer my riding. . . especially when conditions are good!

I told both Sean and Bruce at ECES this past year, that based on how good the conditions were, I found all the new metal boards to be a bore and not too much fun to ride. I stepped back a generation to a board that was metal, with less rubber and more stiffness and had a BLAST of a day, all day long.

I pulled out a glass board that was even stiffer and had more fun.

I think both have a place. there have been some poor condition days where the stiffer boards have been no good and the new metals were great. but on an epic groomed day, gimme a stiff board and let me loose!

just my 2 cents.

Todd, Everything you said here is valid and I agree about the potential "boring" part but I think thats really tied to rider ability. What I want to add here for the people that dont know you, is you honed your skills on stiffer glass boards, ie early Doneks and the like. My statement here is more for the intermediate riders or people trying to build up to the next level.

If you notice, its usually the top tier level of riders that are able to manage the stiffer boards efficiently. Next Alex will chime in and tell you he wants ZERO flex:)

[Corey]

As I learn I'm more able to manipulate stiffer boards, but put me on boilerplate ice and I'll take a soft board any day! I find it's hard to generate enough edge grip to decamber a stiff board on hard ice. Pushing harder just skids out the center of the board before the nose and the tail even bend. No decamber = big radius turns. Which is about the last thing I want on a boilerplate day...

Put me in some mashed-potato snow and I much prefer a stiffer board that won't fold up so easily.

[valsam]

I still like what a stiffer board has to offer my riding. . . especially when conditions are good!

I told both Sean and Bruce at ECES this past year, that based on how good the conditions were, I found all the new metal boards to be a bore and not too much fun to ride. I stepped back a generation to a board that was metal, with less rubber and more stiffness and had a BLAST of a day, all day long.

I pulled out a glass board that was even stiffer and had more fun.

I think both have a place. there have been some poor condition days where the stiffer boards have been no good and the new metals were great. but on an epic groomed day, gimme a stiff board and let me loose!

just my 2 cents.

And how many days are the conditions good on a mountain and how many epic groomed days do you find?

For me not as many as icy and not at all groomed days and very crowded days that's why i prefer a softer and smaller radius board(10,5-11,5)which is pure joy in these conditions!

[~tb]

And how many days are the conditions good on a mountain and how many epic groomed days do you find?

For me not as many as icy and not at all groomed days and very crowded days that's why i prefer a softer and smaller radius board(10,5-11,5)which is pure joy in these conditions!

Last season, 25 days on snow.

2 Fridays

5 Saturdays

5 Sundays

2 mondays

6 days at ECES

5 days in Utah

Of these, I would have preferred to be on a softer metal . . . 3 of the days in Utah, 0 of the days at ECES, and maybe 3 of the remaining 14 days.

6 out of 25 days.

I NEED both in my quiver, don't get me wrong. But I saw enough good snow last year that I will NOT be selling of my older boards.

[snowboardfast]

Of course years ago in this sport most of the boards were fairly stiff and that was all you could buy. I did not know that you could buy a board built for your weight and riding style. I never knew much about board stiffness other than I would buy a board and ride it because most shops only had 1 or 2 in stock for you to buy. I mostly rode shorter boards then. You didn't think you needed a stiff board because that was all there was. I guess being heavier helps because you can bend a stiffer board better due to extra weight. Of course now the newer boards are better designed and work better. Now is a good time to be involved with this sport with all the choices of gear.