Size recommendation for Axxess/ATV/4WD

[lexicon]

Hi folks, I'm looking to get into hardbooting via the used market.

I'm 6'0'' 160 lbs, mid-intermediate, currently a wannabe soft boot carver on a 10-yr old Burton Custom 160cm. Foot size is mondo 27 (9US) I'm no speed demon, and not looking to be. Prefer the groomers to the steeps and my board stays on the snow, no air for me. Small east coast hills mostly.

I'm guessing something along the lines of a Donek Axxess or Prior ATV or 4WD is what I'm keeping an eye out for, but I need guidance on sizing. Prior's weight charts indicate a 167cm ATV or a 164 (120-185lbs) or 169 (140-200lbs) for the 4WD. Thoughts?

Any thoughts on sizing the Axxess?

I see the Axxess and 4WD is 21.5cm, the ATV is 23.5cm. Here's a question: for the best balance of price and customization should I just bite the bullet and get a 23cm Axxess made? Of course I should - so could I soft boot that for a year on that and then get into the boots/bindings in next season's budget? Or vice-versa?

Thanks for weighing in!

[shane groshong]

I had a 182 axxess made, and I loved the board until I got into other things. I found the board carved well, and it worked well off the groomers, and even some 6 inch or less powder. The board is not that stiff.

If it were me based on your size and goals of the board I would get either the 182, or 177 axxess. Don't let the size scare you the sidecut is small and very managible. Also I would stick with the 21.5 waist. I also use a size 27 and you will find you can run your angles in the low 50's with or high 40's with no overhang.

Hope you find this helpful.

[shane groshong]

Sorry I missed that you might still want to softboot. The 21.5 might be a bit narrow for softboots, but as Sean at Donek. He will most likely be able to tell you the angles you might be riding.

[teach]

I'm new, so my two cents' worth is worth less than $0.02. A 23.5cm board might be nice for M27 soft boots with pretty high angles. But when you get hard boots, you'll be in 27 or 26 and with 55-60 degree angles you'll want < 19 waist, so the 23.5 will feel like a sheet of plywood. There are quite a few M27 boots for sale now on the forum. Get a pair, get some bindings (standard bail, F2/SnowPro etc, just to save $$ now) and pick up a nice $100 board around 18 or 19 cm wide, maybe 10m sidecut. That whole package will cost significantly less than the ATV would, and you've got the whole setup and no compromises. Maybe pick up a couple boards of different sizes, etc. Then get fancy stuff after you know what fits (I have gone from M30 to 29 and think maybe 28 should work) and what you like. (Maybe you'll want the ATV, but then you'll know what sidecut to ask for...). The stuff you don't want can be resold for maybe a small loss.

You'll find yourself spending $$ on stuff that you wouldn't expect: boot liners, BTS kits, step-in systems, etc.

[Bora20]

I have UPZ MP26 boots and I run 50/47 degree on my 179 4WD with zero overhang, but this is the lowest I can go. I use it on nicely groomed days or ice.

I also have a 25.5 BX board for use with soft boots, with 21/12 angles, but I still have overhang.

I would also like to get a 167 ATV for everyday riding to use with hard boots. If I get one of these, more than likely the 4WD will be sold, unless I can figured out how to ride it better.

I just need more time on the mountain...

[Mr.E]

A 170ish Axxess is a very versitle board, and with a wider waist would make a great intro-to-carving baord that would still have a place in the board quiver even if you do opt for a race type board down the road.

If I could only have one board it would be something in that size range.

[BlueB]

Pretty much what Teach said...

Or to ellaborate a bit more on "wannabe soft boot carver"... Well, are you, or are you not? Carver, I mean. If not, then learn to carve your softy setup first, edge to edge, no skidding, full C. Then invest in some used boots and cheap bindings. Throw that onto your Custom, for the first taste of the h/boot power. At the same time, that would be the birth of your (later) h/boot AM/powder setup. If you decided you liked it, get a dedicated carving board, used from classifieds. At that stage you'd be only 300-400$ in and still be able to resell it without loss. Once you got better and maybe tried few more used boards, get a brand new board, or acustom made one.

Have fun.

[teach]

It just occurred to me that you might consider posting a Wanted To Buy ad. There's a lot of stuff out there not posted in the classifieds. I have a board that might be good for your weight, for example, and even a set of bindings. I bet at least 75% of the members here have stuff they don't really use and would sell reasonably if they knew someone wanted it.

There are some really good 26 and 27 boots in the very recent classifieds. Raichle "numbered" boots are probably a good start (like 323, 325, etc.) unless you have wide feet. The differences between the models won't matter until you find a really good fit. I have AF700s (M29) and 324s (M30) and neither really fit right, so the fact that AF700s are stiffer and so more appropriate for my near-200 lbs weight is moot. So is the fact that the AF700s have the spring on the back, while the 324s have the five-position forward lean adjuster. When I get ones that fit right, I'll just buy the BTS and moldable liners.

If your feet are wide in the heel (like Salomon soft boots foot shape), then have a look at Head boots. Narrow heels are supposedly fit well by UPZ.

Hope you found something helpful here!

[scrutton]

+1 on Teaches input.

You are at a weight where you don't really need to go custom. You can buy 'off-the-shelf' boards, and you have lots of options in used gear.

Bite the bullet and buy a full setup, used. You can get it done pretty cheap if you look around, for way way less than the price of a custom board.

[lexicon]

Lots of great information here - thanks for all the responses everyone!

[xxguitarist]

At 5'11'', 165 Lbs, and mondo 27, I own a (used) axis 172. It's since been renamed the axxess. Angles of 50 F,45R will fit fine for my hardboots, though I've adjusted to ~ 60 F/52R this season.

I don't own any softboot gear, or I'd mock-mount it to see what kind of angles you'd be looking at to clear your toes & heels. If you wish to measure the softboot sole length I can break out a ruler and protractor

Used gear is a great deal. You should be able to get some lightly used boots (with thermo-mold liner!), used board (probably 'glass construction), and used bindings (I ride snow-pro race LTD) for around or less than the cost of a new donek etc. Classifieds here are a good resource for doing this.

[brian acker]

I'm guessing something along the lines of a Donek Axxess or Prior ATV or 4WD is what I'm keeping an eye out for, but I need guidance on sizing. Prior's weight charts indicate a 167cm ATV or a 164 (120-185lbs) or 169 (140-200lbs) for the 4WD. Thoughts?

I am similar height/weight as yourself (5'11"/155lb) and picked up a 169cm 4WD for my first season on hardboots. I soon discovered the board was a bit too stiff for me. Switching to a 159 4WD made a HUGE difference in that I could flex the board sufficiently at moderate speeds. I think choosing overly stiff boards is a common mistake for newbies. So if you go by the mfg's suggested weight range, you want to be well within the upper end of the range.

[lafcadio]

If not, then learn to carve your softy setup first, edge to edge, no skidding, full C. Then invest in some used boots and cheap bindings.

+1! Couldn't agree more. This is the path I choose when I started last season.

After being able to carve my existing freeride board in softies, I invested in some hardboots and bindings and used those on my existing board. Once I was used to the boots and bindings, I mounted them on a Donek Axxess and never looked back.

[energyrail]

Keep in mind extra width from donek won't cost you any extra.