AcousticBoarder Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 (edited) I am looking for recommendations for a good softie board for a newer carver (I have been in softies for years and started hard-booting last season). I do NOT intend to make this my carving setup, rather one to ride in less desirable conditions. I am in need of a board that can handle the after lunch conditions in a crowded Southern California resort, one that is fun to ride after a morning of hard booting and can withstand the slush, bumps, and crud on the runs, but still be fun to ride and work some curves in. I am looking for something below $250 preferably (used of coarse). I would prefer to not use plates, but let me know if it is necessary/ highly recommended. Also, from my understanding, I want something that is more damp and has more flex? some names I have heard: Prior ATV Donek Incline, Razor Volkl Dash Neversummer Premier Thanks for the help guys! Edited November 26, 2012 by AcousticBoarder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapster Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Any of those boards would work. Price will probably be your biggest issue. If you go for a Donek (I love Doneks--especially the Razor), make sure you ask what rider weight the board was made for. Too stiff is no fun. There's a Prior Khyber on Ebay right now for a decent price. Worth looking at. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeho730 Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Swoard Dual? If u can find it used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Tat Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 I liked my Donek "Saline" (163cm, 25cm, 10m) which was an Incline with the Saber rubber damping foil in it. It was a little soft for me to really lay into a carve but still carved reasonably well (for my weight), and absolutely rocked off trail (drops, moguls, and pow). I rode it with ATBs but it was designed as a softboot board. I liked it so much I sold it and bought a slightly longer stiffer version of the same board (171cm, 24.5cm, 10-12m VSR) which will give up a little bit of off trail performance for some on trail carving ability. I'm dying to get out and ride it. Great board. I sold it to Surlyguy who is much lighter than me and riding it in softies (Burton Driver X's and Nidecker Carbon 900's). He's had it out once but was quite impressed with how it carved for being a softboot board. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Prior ATV, only if you have very small feet and/or want to ride high angles. Otherwise, rather look into an MFR. Otherwise, there are tons of good boards to do what you want, just to list few more: Steepwater, Elan Vertigo, Arbor A-Frame, Nidecker high-end boards, Tankers, Palmer higher-end, Dynastar 3800, F2, etc, etc... On the other hand, why not get that ATV with some flimsy plate bindings and do the same thing without changing the boots in the afternoon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim W Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Prior ATV, only if you have very small feet and/or want to ride high angles. Otherwise, rather look into an MFR. I 2nd the MFR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtslalom Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Try a Status Uno, 163cm. Go here: http://statussnow.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gtanner Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 After enjoying my Arbor/Prior MFR bastard child this weekend, I may be considering selling my 172 Tanker... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dingbat Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Salomon FRS Pure Boarding Two Bennett Soul Fun (but it's not for sale) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grock5 Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Try a Status Uno, 163cm.Go here: http://statussnow.com/ jtslalom: I'm curious about Status, but there's not a lot of info out there aside from their website. What do you know about them, especially who presses their boards? The Rocker profile & sidecut tech looks a lot like Never Summer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtslalom Posted November 26, 2012 Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Well I'm not quite sure who presses them. I do know they incorporate the rocker technology in such a way that during longitudal flexion through a carve, the sidecut will create pinchpoints. These pinch points act sort of like magna traction in the sense that there are more than just one point of pressure created along a carve. On a regular board there is one point of pressure that is created. When that single pressure point loses pressure through a carve, the board skids off. If that happens with the Status board then one of the other pinch points takes over causing it to still stay in the carve. That is the theory behind its sidecut and rocker. What I can tell you from experience is that this will be my third season on them and I'm convinced it has a better edge hold than other similar boards. Status boards are softer than most hard/carving decks but they stick to hard pack like glue. I tend to ride icy conditions and I think the board out perfroms most others in those conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcousticBoarder Posted November 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2012 So the Prior MFR and Donek Incline seem to look the best for what I want, and the Never Summer Premier looks to be good too... I am curious about the tankers, I have heard they are a nice board but I haven't seen much in terms of specs on them. How do they preform? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drummr25 Posted November 28, 2012 Report Share Posted November 28, 2012 I got lucky and found a used Palmer Crown BX board... it's hands down the best i've ever ridden for me- this includes Burton T6's, Method's, Nideck's ,ect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darko714 Posted November 28, 2012 Report Share Posted November 28, 2012 AcousticBoarder: Great idea. For years I brought my softboot rig to the hill for exactly the same purpose. After lunch, when the groom has become a crapshow, and your legs are shot, it can be a relief to slip on those softies (which feel like bedroom slippers after a morning in hardboots) and grind the crud with the kids until dark. You get to use different muscles, too. My question is, why don't you just use your old softboot board? Mine was (and still is) a mid-nineties vintage Burton Supermodel 159. An old school freeride cruiser like that shouldn't cost you more than $250. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted November 28, 2012 Report Share Posted November 28, 2012 AcousticBoarder: Great idea. For years I brought my softboot rig to the hill for exactly the same purpose. After lunch, when the groom has become a crapshow, and your legs are shot, it can be a relief to slip on those softies (which feel like bedroom slippers after a morning in hardboots) and grind the crud with the kids until dark. You get to use different muscles, too. I don't know... My feet always used to hurt way more in softies. Plus, on HB you have the options of powering through crud or riding the terrain. I agree on the different muscle groups, but it doesn't need to be the case. You can ride a very all-mountain oriented setup on HB, where even the technique becomes hybrid towards softies. Hell, I can (and do sometimes for teaching) ride the HBs in duck stance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted November 28, 2012 Report Share Posted November 28, 2012 One of the shorter Tankers would probably do you swell if you can find one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darko714 Posted November 29, 2012 Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 I don't know... My feet always used to hurt way more in softies. Plus, on HB you have the options of powering through crud or riding the terrain. I agree on the different muscle groups, but it doesn't need to be the case. You can ride a very all-mountain oriented setup on HB, where even the technique becomes hybrid towards softies. Hell, I can (and do sometimes for teaching) ride the HBs in duck stance! ==== The duck stance! You must have a wide board. I salute you. I've ridden about 35/25 on an all-mountain board with the HBs and it does make for a more tractable, late-day scrapyard setup. My hardboots were murderous on my feet for the first season and a half. Then I saw a bootfitter-the kind that knows his art-and the HBs are way better, but still not quite as comfortable as the softies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapster Posted November 29, 2012 Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 Ha, and now I have a board available in your price range! :) http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?38354-Garage-173-Freeride-Board-225-shipped-or-Trade AND, a vid of the maker carving it up on one of his boards, same length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcousticBoarder Posted November 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 My question is, why don't you just use your old softboot board? Mine was (and still is) a mid-nineties vintage Burton Supermodel 159. An old school freeride cruiser like that shouldn't cost you more than $250. I am 21 now and got my old softie more than a couple years ago, so it is just a little small, and I don't exactly get to go up to the mountain every weekend, nor did I have a lot of money to spend on a board, we bought for practically nothing a used Burton Cruzer from a rental shop we are friends with. This was also before I was really introduced to hardbooting, so I was not looking for anything in specific, just something I could ride a few times a season. So I have grown a bit, have some more money (still a college student though >.>), and want something more geared towards carving now. Still going to keep my old one as a rock board though. Ha, and now I have a board available in your price range! :) Looks nice, BUT you are a little too late, I actually just purchased a Donek Incline earlier today :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeho730 Posted November 29, 2012 Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 You'll love Donek incline. I love mine. Carves well, slides well, lands well, pops well, floats well, slices well. It feels less playful than NS Titan, prior ATV, Swoard dual, though, and a bit heavy. Very, very durable. I recommend getting some very flexible binding such as burton race and add flex to your boots using BTS. You can then use forward stance to carve in the morning and change to duck stance to play in the afternoon. Don't have to bring any extra equipment on the mountain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSSage Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 (edited) I really like my Ride Crush snowboard its a lot of fun and carves great and you can take it anywhere on the mountain and you will have fun. I also rode a demo Donek Saber last year at Copper Mountain and that board was incredible it carves great! I highly recommend Donek snowboards and Ride snowboards they are very durable and tons of fun. Edited December 3, 2012 by NSSage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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