prior bx / hardboot bx board ramblings

[xy9ine]

anybody ride one? as a powder & crap cutter, i've been using my old palmer ti w/ plates with great success, though i think a slightly narrower & modern iteration w/ a bit more edge would be rad. been pondering a narrowed (~23cm) bx - kinda like a fat flc w/ similar tech (metal, decambered, blunt nose).

positive rants on here re: narrow / hardboot specific bx decks (blueb's kessler & shred's oxess) are inspiring. sounds like a killer fun & versatile format.

granted, perhaps a stock atv or 4wd might do the trick for less coin...

random ruminations?

[kieran]

sounds like you want bruce to build you a short wide monster.

[crucible]

I figure that an ATV would make a passable BX board, but I don't know enough about the BX specific features of BX boards to make an informed comparison.

I have used my 167 ATV on the BX courses at Whistler (the smaller sized courses, not the really big ones), and it carved well through the banked turns, and was stable and solid on jumps and landings. Bear in mind that at 47, I don't go for big amplitude in my jumps, and am very conservative.

I ride my ATV with Catek OS2's and softish Raichle 121's.

Geo

[xy9ine]

i don't have any bx requirements per se, just like the general design / capabilities - ie, phat / versatile w/ decent edge contact for a shorter length.

shred's original monster in a shorter length would be badass, methinks. still have a credit from prior, so i'll inevitably be buying something from them for next season.

[DiveBomber]

well FWIW I have an ATV 171, and was slightly underwhelmed by its carving abilities, which is to say it feels pretty much like a freeride board.

I have a madd BX and it carves way better.

I too was considering having Prior build me a narrow BX, but I think im going to have someone else build it.

[Bora20]

You should take my 4wd off my hands and try it:eplus2:

I am sure Bruce could build you exactly what you want though.

[Shred Gruumer]

You should take my 4wd off my hands and try it:eplus2:

I am sure Bruce could build you exactly what you want though.

Its what u want!! Search it on the site for fotos. Sweet board.

[Guest]

Why would you ride a bx board as a pow stick? No nose, stiff flex, too centered of a stance, not enough taper, and the list goes on.

Get one or the other. You live in BC, get specialized equipment.

[xy9ine]

yeah; resort powder is short lived here (too many pow hungry bodies = fast track out), so i've never figured i could justify a dedicated pow stick, and the palmer bx i've got seems to work just fine in the soft stuff, so i figured a more modern iteration, with a more hardboot oriented build might be more better-er. granted i've never been on a powder board.

[Budge]

I have a 160 Volkl Cross that I found to be too stiff in the nose for powder. I got a Tanker 172, with the intention of using it for soft snow days, saving the Cross for hardpack days. In reality, I virtually never use the Volkl now, as it is less versatile than the Tanker, and is not too much better on the hardpack.

[Guest]

If you want a do it all board get one of Sean's new Hazelwoods. I should be demoing the newer models soon, but the initial one was the ultimate chop-buster. Heck, he may even ship you a deno, who knows?

[J0hn]

I don't see the Hazelwood listed on Donek's website. But I stopped by the shop a couple of weeks ago and he showed me a 200cm board he calls the "Tanker Killer". Is that what you're talking about?

[Donek]

I don't see the Hazelwood listed on Donek's website. But I stopped by the shop a couple of weeks ago and he showed me a 200cm board he calls the "Tanker Killer". Is that what you're talking about?

That was the hazelwood.

[Guest]

CCaptqin Hazelwood was the captain of the Exxon Valdez, hence the name.

[xy9ine]

sounds like a neat board. not committed to any specific genre, just interested in a versatile pow pillaging / crap cutting / spring splooge shredding deck that's hb specific / carve capable. does such a beast exist?

again, my bx board is pretty decent, just a bit wide (25cm) & short on edge.

the kesslers have made me a fan of big tip & tail decambers; so, that, ~23cm, w/ a bit longer (pow friendly) nose. probably don't need metal (save some $$), and you've got it.

[inkaholic]

sounds like a neat board. not committed to any specific genre, just interested in a versatile pow pillaging / crap cutting / spring splooge shredding deck that's hb specific / carve capable. does such a beast exist?

again, my bx board is pretty decent, just a bit wide (25cm) & short on edge.

the kesslers have made me a fan of big tip & tail decambers; so, that, ~23cm, w/ a bit longer (pow friendly) nose. probably don't need metal (save some $$), and you've got it.

You just described the Hazelwood prototype #2 except it is a 24.5 waist with a 12/14 vsr. First test I had was on HB but I usually ride pow in softies, 8" new when I tested it then it slayed the wet spring glop of the afternoon like it was on a groomer. When on groomers it carved really well.

Don't forget, Sean can change any of the dimensions to make it exactly what you want.

Ink

[Sasquatch_Surfer]

I just got a Prior BX in 168 and love it. Never had a metal board before (except an old Aggression cap thing) and the feel is great. I also happen to have a Prior ATV 171 which I really like, however I only ride softies now with low angles and the ATV was a little narrow. The BX works pretty good in powder, the first full day I rode it was in about a foot of fresh and nearly every time since has been in soft conditions. Definitely made for the big turns and going fast, seems to go through the chop pretty good too. I still have a mild amount of heel drag sometimes, but if I wanted to lay it over more, I would probably go with some stiffer bindings as the Cartels get a little soft when the angles go up.

[Guest]

I just got a Prior BX in 168 and love it. Never had a metal board before (except an old Aggression cap thing) and the feel is great. I also happen to have a Prior ATV 171 which I really like, however I only ride softies now with low angles and the ATV was a little narrow. The BX works pretty good in powder, the first full day I rode it was in about a foot of fresh and nearly every time since has been in soft conditions. Definitely made for the big turns and going fast, seems to go through the chop pretty good too. I still have a mild amount of heel drag sometimes, but if I wanted to lay it over more, I would probably go with some stiffer bindings as the Cartels get a little soft when the angles go up.

Again, you have a BX board: use it for bx. If you want to ride powder, get a powder board or something with a bigger nose. It works "pretty good" in pow. Why settle for "pretty good" when you can have awesome?

[Silver Bullet]

I just had Donek make me a modified 177 Metal Ax at 23cm wide that is my new go to board. It floats really well in powder due to the reverse camber, slight taper and binding setback. I've also ridden it through bump fields and off cornices too and it handles them quite well. The board carves extremely well is a lot more lively than I expected. As a matter of fact it consistently launches me in the air coming out of toe side turns---Yehaww! It has the pop of my F2s with much grippier edges.

The only thing I haven't figured out yet is how to keep the back end in when doing EC turns on hard snow, but this is surely operator error and I'll adapt my body position one of these days.

I had Sean put a PTex topsheet on it as well - I love this board:1luvu:

[xy9ine]

Again, you have a BX board: use it for bx. If you want to ride powder, get a powder board or something with a bigger nose. It works "pretty good" in pow. Why settle for "pretty good" when you can have awesome?

i think the idea is versatility; not all of us can justify a specialized board for every occasion, and the concept of a wider, carve friendly deck w/ good edge to length ratio (ie, stubby nose) and decamber is in the ballpark as a do all machine. whether coming at it from the direction of a narrowed bx board, or a wider freecarving deck (ie, something like a shorter version of the original coiler monster, or the virus ufc), there's a bit of convergence of design.

if i were doing cat / heli drops i'd be looking for a pow specific board for sure, but my typical riding day is comprised of such a diversity of conditions (often within one run) that i'd spend more time running back & forth to the car than riding if i had a specialized quiver.

also - i have a bit of a dream (or delusion perhaps), of growth in hb freecarving, and hardware specialization does nothing to aid accessibility. build a shortish, wider, stubby twintip with fat decamber at both ends, and you'll have an easy to ride, versatile machine that will dig trenches as well as rip pow, shred chunked up, jump, whatever - perhaps facilitate progression in how alpine hardware is used, and open people's eyes to the fact you can do more than extreme carve perfect groom on an alpine deck.

i can has a dream?

[Sasquatch_Surfer]

I have been fortunate enough to build up a little quiver (I know I am not the only one with this issue) of Priors over the last few seasons, so I also have a Khyber model which is awesome in powder. So now I have awesome for most conditions. bx=BX168, pow=Khyber, fs=AMF168. Sadly the ATV has seen too many rocks, so the BX will have to be "pretty good" for going fast and laying trenches until I win the lottery ;)

[Guest]

i think the idea is versatility; not all of us can justify a specialized board for every occasion, and the concept of a wider, carve friendly deck w/ good edge to length ratio (ie, stubby nose) and decamber is in the ballpark as a do all machine. whether coming at it from the direction of a narrowed bx board, or a wider freecarving deck (ie, something like a shorter version of the original coiler monster, or the virus ufc), there's a bit of convergence of design.

if i were doing cat / heli drops i'd be looking for a pow specific board for sure, but my typical riding day is comprised of such a diversity of conditions (often within one run) that i'd spend more time running back & forth to the car than riding if i had a specialized quiver.

also - i have a bit of a dream (or delusion perhaps), of growth in hb freecarving, and hardware specialization does nothing to aid accessibility. build a shortish, wider, stubby twintip with fat decamber at both ends, and you'll have an easy to ride, versatile machine that will dig trenches as well as rip pow, shred chunked up, jump, whatever - perhaps facilitate progression in how alpine hardware is used, and open people's eyes to the fact you can do more than extreme carve perfect groom on an alpine deck.

i can has a dream?

Why the stubby nose? And why so much emphasis on "edge to length ratio?" A stubby nose does nothing for performance in tracked up/choppy snow, and in fresh pow is the worst thing to have. You live in and area that gets a bunch of snow, so why get a nose shape that really isn't all that versatile for the conditions you ride?_

[xy9ine]

Why the stubby nose?

because they look rad, of course! I just like the idea of a stubbier thing you can toss around easily, yet still have enough edge to charge some hard carves. ie, my super stubby 156 Kessler has a good bit more edge than my 164 palmer, with ballpark similar scr, but much more edgehold (yeah, there's a pile of other factors at play).

interestingly, these square nosed, big decamber kesslers are better than the conventional camber, round nose alpine boards I've used on the soft and chundery. doesn't seem like the nose radius is that critical. reviews of the virus UFC seem to support this as well. hmmm...

[BlueB]

Would it hurt to have a bigger nose over and above what's already there? I do not think so, unless you are chasing miliseconds around the gates. I'd trade a bit of extra weight and added vibration for versatillity of bigger nose.

And... stubby nose looks rally ugly to me. Nicest shape is traditional Virus nose. It has "Alpine" written all over it. But, different people, different tastes...

[slopestar]

I think I will be searching for the holy grail of boards beginning this off season. I have done the hardboot thing and just don't commit enough to it however I love the carve...After riding with John Gilmour and having him recommend a custom deck, I will look to achieve the best of all boards very soon. I will let you know what that looks like. At least for me...