scrapster Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) Anyone heard of Gentem Snowsurf snowboards out of Japan? Just ran into this on EBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gemtem-Mantaray-159-snowboard-Swallowtail-powder-Jones-fish-/161232378300?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item258a32d9bc Of course, it looks like a Jones Hovercraft. Still, I like their simple graphics, and some of their other shapes look sweet. Love the specs on the MaxForce freeride board. http://gentemstick.com/stick/ Edited February 23, 2014 by scrapster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svr Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Anyone heard of Gentem Snowsurf snowboards out of Japan? Just ran into this on EBay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gemtem-Mantaray-159-snowboard-Swallowtail-powder-Jones-fish-/161232378300?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item258a32d9bc Of course, it looks like a Jones Hovercraft. Still, I like their simple graphics, and some of their other shapes look sweet. Love the specs on the MaxForce freeride board. http://gentemstick.com/stick/ Gentem has been around for a while and the Manta Ray was developed before the hovercraft. Taro Tamai (Gentem's founder) used to ride for Moss back in the day. The boards are usually of excellent quality, crazy high prices (the Impossible 186 is $1,700) and are generally a little soft as they were developed for Japanese riders to surf the pow in Hokkaido in and around Niseko where the company used to be and I believe still is based as Taro and most of the crew all live there. There is a lot of info out there on them and Taro has a very surf inspired approach to his riding and design theories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpalka Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Taro is still around Niseko, Mats and I visited his shop a few years ago. The boards ride great. If you haven't seen the movie "Signatures," check it out: http://www.sweetgrass-productions.com/films/signatures/. Related/unrelated, I have a Moss board for sale, the shape is very similar to the Gentem swallow. tom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nils Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Taro is a true legend...He rides with Mick Mackie and they both got swallowtails in their genes..Mick makes the most advanced swallowtail surfboard available, and Taro refines swallowtails on the snow... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mackie-Surfboards/422426141171341 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLN Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Taro=Gentemstick right? BTW, Nils, I know you had website swallowtail org back in the days, wonder what are your top-3 or top 5 of swallowtails? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nils Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 (edited) Taro=Gentemstick right? BTW, Nils, I know you had website swallowtail org back in the days, wonder what are your top-3 or top 5 of swallowtails? Taro=Gemstick yes Had to get rid of the ST website...no time to maintain with Swoard going on + architecture practice + family!... Never tried the japanese ST, they are too short to my tastes ( am 6.3 and they are around 160cm..) but they seem great! Haven't tried all the boards on the market, but Swellpanik remains my fav, followed by Pogo/ Phenix/Boheme I also love Miura but they are out of the market for now...but shaper Olivier Chaussende told me he is working on it...( tekila model 214cm !) Fascinating with Swellpanik is the thinness of the core and the board..the nose is so thin but still works as a real bumper acting like the suspension of a Baja racing car. Pogo have a more surfy feeling which is amazing in the soft powder, and phenix are powerfull ( lots of carbon) but tiring. It depends on what you want: I prefer the biggest versatility, because 100% powder is rare, and as soon as it gets tracked, the pow only boards get shaky...You also need to be able to hold edges in steep icy parts ( firmness under the feet required)...The Rossi Big Gun 198 was also a great board, the Nitro also. I heard the big Priors work well too ( but they lack the wood/custom work the smaller brands have ). Pintail is important, but I remember I had a excel sheet comparing specs, and it showed that it shouldn't exceed 1.5cm unless you are looking for a pow only board ( loosing versatility ). ( the Winterstick model for example is oversteering as soon as it hits hard parts...but it seems incredible in 50cm deep pow). Edited March 4, 2014 by nils Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLN Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 Well, I'm in same boat as you: I'm 6ft3 (or better say 193cm, I'm not from US too). As pictured above, there's Gentemstick Impossible and Speed master which can work for you and me, but that pricing... I've already got two boards you mentioned(Thanks BOL): Rossi Undertaker 198 and Winterstick. Not that I NEED another one to my quiver, but who knows, it's never enough. There's more info about Swellpanik and Pogo, but tiny bits of info on Phenix and Boheme. Compared to how rare swallowtails are your input very valuable. Thanks! I will keep an eye on that Miura snowboards, after a couple of days Rossi doesn't seem to be very long. I can confirm, that winterstick have some oversteering, even under friend, who is 70 kilos. I've just moved my front and rear binding forward and it is fine to me. Both binders in second to most forward position, yep, that's quite weird, especially when you're 95-100 kilos. But it's a pure fun, and I really enjoy it. And also I've found that winterstick base is quite easy to damage, even with some trees. I can even feel with hand - it feels kinda sticky and softer. Mine is from 2007-2009 I believe. Rossi is totally different, and I find a nose a bit soft to me. Binders are in middle position, and I've had it bending too much(So I'm screwing into the snow) when I push it hard in heavier snow. Can you comment about winterstick base and rossi nose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nils Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Can you comment about winterstick base and rossi nose? Winterstick base..the model i've tried and seen, around 2005 had a graphic on the base, clearer color. I'd say it was PTex 2000, but maybe some guy at the factory thought hey powder people don't care, lets stick to Ptex 1000 and save 50 cts.. Basically if its not black, its not good! Ptex comes as high as 4500 grade now with almost 20% graphite in it: yes its stronger, lasts longer, but its a pain to repair..Swellpaniks use Ptex2000 ( in 2002 like mine, maybe kafi has upgraded to 4000... I shall ask him..But I did not see any damage yet. Rossi nose: haven't notice but i'm only 82 kilos ( and 6.2 sorry not a giant like you). I guess at around 100kilos you could get a custom flex board..Phenix have a stiffer feeling, and Seb Perret can build almost anything, with out without carbon. Not sure Boheme has a custom order solution..leaves you with Kafi / swellpanik ( one season wait) and Phenix...there is also a newer player near chamonix..can't recall the name but they build custom. as well as Clone Ind, a small producer near where I live ( Lyon) Just found this btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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