b0ardski Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 Got one of arbor's Klassen boards showing up today, I'm hoping it'll carve harder than the aframe and still be nimble in the trees. like my old Identity w/carbon stringers. Any carvers here been on one yet? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 (edited) Have you got Arbor Steepwater, or Klassen's original Steepwater? I can vouch only for the later, I had both 170 and 164. 170 was a better, quieter board. Both railed insane, like alpine boards. They were not very nimble in trees/bumps. Edited October 18, 2016 by BlueB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 Post up a photo please! I think the new Steepwaters are softer flex. I still have some of the early "Steeps" and "Plows" for sale cheap. 171cm They are sandwich construction and burly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted October 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 It's a '15 167narrow (oxymoron) at 25.1 wide 134? effective I think. hasn't shown up to the door yet but will post pics when it shows. being on the short side for me id should be a great replacement for my beloved, overdue for retirement 173 Identity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted October 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 (edited) It's a '15 167narrow (oxymoron) at 25.1 wide 11scr, 132.3 effective and 0.6 taper so it should be nimble enough for my keg (no 6pack here) it hasn't shown up to the door yet but will post pics when it shows. being on the short side for me it should be a great replacement for my beloved, overdue for retirement 173 Identity. ps killer score $250 on closeout deal Edited October 18, 2016 by b0ardski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted October 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 (edited) 2 hours ago, BlueB said: Both railed insane, like alpine boards. I'm hoping. are the originals less than 25 wide? Edited October 18, 2016 by b0ardski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted October 18, 2016 Report Share Posted October 18, 2016 That is a very good price. Yes, I believe the originals are narrower, depends on "S" or "P" model too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted October 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 (edited) I think the old steep is narrower at 24? would love to compare the ride. just looked at the board and hand flexed against 173Identity, 176 eldo, 165 coil,166 & 174 nidecker esscape 168 venture odin split and a 150 arbor mystic old skule pipe board. yea i'm old the nidecker escapes blow them all away except for the mystic( the mystic rides like the nidekers); the supposedly stiff odin's a freekin noodle. and so is the arbor steepwater made in dubai eau. disappointed. The non-carbon 173 Identity, coil & eldo all felt the same; powder boards; 1 step softer than the middle eastern made arbor. I guess it'll beat the typical board shop fare. the saving grace is the full wrap sidewall, 11m scr and nice eucalipytus topsheet. pics later Edited October 19, 2016 by b0ardski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted October 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 (edited) will be no prob flicking it around in the trees maybe if it was a 174 Edited October 19, 2016 by b0ardski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 Old Steep is about 24.5 or 24.8 and is stiffer then Tankers, Prior MFR, Volkl Cross, A Frame, or just about any free ride board I tried. However, it's a very damp ride too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breeseomatic Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 I took a few PureBoarding seminars on my Klassen Steepwater 164 Steep. It worked very well but I needed a lot more speed to bend the board like they do to theirs. I think the nose profile is not so great for laid over turns as it tends to want to grab and then it releases, so the nose chatters a lot and eventually you wash out, however it is a VERY capable board for carving at less than armpit dragging angles. I had a 171 Steep that I rode with hard boots and it's pretty amazing what it did to groomers, crud, and wind buff. I was a bit too light for it at 150 lbs, and I needed to charge HARD to get it to carve a tight turn. I tried the 171 with soft boots and it just wasn't wide enough to prevent boot out at sensible angles and sliding that board through turns was not where I thought it was happiest. For powder and trees, I think a softer board with a tighter side cut radius would be better than a Steepwater. These things were made for 40' drops down 50 degree slopes, Verbier Extreme terrain. Keep us posted on your impressions of the Arbor version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 10 hours ago, BlueB said: Old Steep is about 24.5 or 24.8 and is stiffer then Tankers, Prior MFR, Volkl Cross, A Frame, or just about any free ride board I tried. However, it's a very damp ride too... Definitely burly boards. The one that surprised me is the Steepwater "Kite 179cm" , it was softer than I expected but road the heavy fresh snow well. It was an early kite board and is really very similar to the better big mountain boards I have ridden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted October 19, 2016 Report Share Posted October 19, 2016 1 minute ago, breeseomatic said: I took a few PureBoarding seminars on my Klassen Steepwater 164 Steep. It worked very well but I needed a lot more speed to bend the board like they do to theirs. I think the nose profile is not so great for laid over turns as it tends to want to grab and then it releases, so the nose chatters a lot and eventually you wash out, however it is a VERY capable board for carving at less than armpit dragging angles. I had a 171 Steep that I rode with hard boots and it's pretty amazing what it did to groomers, crud, and wind buff. I was a bit too light for it at 150 lbs, and I needed to charge HARD to get it to carve a tight turn. I tried the 171 with soft boots and it just wasn't wide enough to prevent boot out at sensible angles and sliding that board through turns was not where I thought it was happiest. For powder and trees, I think a softer board with a tighter side cut radius would be better than a Steepwater. These things were made for 40' drops down 50 degree slopes, Verbier Extreme terrain. Keep us posted on your impressions of the Arbor version. Great feedback. At 150lbs I can see it would be work to bend these bad boys!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted November 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 (edited) finally got a pic uploaded couldn't get down to my preferred 19 in stance, that's 20" and still feels wide on such a short board(no nose) the reviews I find online think it.s a big bad scary beast, after carpet surfing a bit, my skiboot wearing fat ass will have no trouble making the beast turn anywhen/where I want including tight trees. Arbor steep is way softer than the 166 nidedecker beside it which makes a great tree board because it has much tighter scr, but no float Looks like a nice thick core but still lighter than the Identity it replaces. Fit & finish is top notch. I should pick up an older steep to compare. Edited November 2, 2016 by b0ardski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted December 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2016 (edited) So I love this board for charging the fall line, the 12m sidecut feels big so it needs some real estate and speed to lay over ec but the edge hold goes on forever. The 8m scr on my nideckers is way more playful for narrow groomers and rocking the bumps. The steepwater at 167 feels short when getting on the nose and long when on the tail, 20in. is the tightest I can get the stance which on a 175 would be fine, alonger version would be awesome. I started with the scarpa and flexy binders but went to raichle 324 and stiff stepins and got way better surfyness for off piste and soft bumps. Edited December 25, 2016 by b0ardski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted December 25, 2016 Report Share Posted December 25, 2016 I have sold through some of the best condition boards but I still have a few left. 171s and 171p ptex top sheets etc. Most have some damages but are still quite ride-able IMHO. I am keeping the cleanest and will sell the remaining to those interested in giving these a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted December 25, 2016 Report Share Posted December 25, 2016 33 minutes ago, b0ardski said: So I love this board for charging the fall line, the 12m sidecut feels big so it needs some real estate and speed to lay over ec but the edge hold goes on forever. The 8m scr on my nideckers is way more playful for narrow groomers and rocking the bumps. The steepwater at 167 feels short when getting on the nose and long when on the tail, 20in. is the tightest I can get the stance which on a 175 would be fine, alonger version would be awesome. I have a very special deal for you Boardski!! Email me sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRAZZ Posted December 25, 2016 Report Share Posted December 25, 2016 (edited) My (not so) quick review: I have had 2 Steepwater Plows now. One crappy one I got from a consignment shop for cheap and a much much nicer one I got from Bryan. The cheap one has been sent to a friend and the nice one is definitely a keeper! I ride it with Flow bindings and Burton Imperial boots. The bindings are a perfect match and the boots are slightly too soft but still fun. I did try to ride it with hard boots and while certainly a good candidate I didn't enjoy it as much. Compared to the Arbor board the Plow is bigger, damper, and stiffer. The difference is not huge, the Arbor board is still plenty big and stiff but the Plow is just that much more board. I'm 6'2" and 200lbs so a stiffer board is a plus. How does it ride? Fast, straight, damp. The Plow as it's name suggests can plow through about anything. Just point it down and let go. Choppy snow is dealt with easily. The board has a lot of taper so it disengages a carve easily. Edge hold is also very good. If you happen to find yourself on a powder day do yourself a favor and set the bindings back as far as you can. Even with the big nose it can and will submarine. However, because of the stiffness and dampness it does not chatter. For an extruded base it glides surprisingly well. That might be because of the large surface area. The board comes alive at speed. It does not feel jumpy or skittish, just smooth. I often find myself going too fast without knowing how I got there. Does give me a huge grin :) The flip side is that it does not like slow speed. It feels heavy and unwilling to turn. Moguls tire you out quickly and tight trees are a real chore. You can do catwalks but you have to go fast. Do so only if you know the place and won't find yourself going over the edge into trees. Do use this board for: Big lines, steeps, hard snow, choppy conditions, powder (with the bindings set back) and for going fast!! Do not use this board for: Tight trees, moguls, tight catwalks. Compared to other boards: Arbor Steepwater - The Plow is bigger, stiffer, and damper. Not by a huge margin but it is noticeable. The sidecut and taper is the same so they ride very similar. Arbor A-Frame - The A-Frame (now discontinued, shame) has less taper and a smaller sidecut. It turns quicker and is easier to hold a carve in. Makes you feel like a hero but isn't as gnarly or as fast as the Steepwater. The A-Frame could be a one board quiver for me but I like the Plow better because it just is more capable. Never Summer Chairman - NS's freeride board pales in comparison. It feels like a flexy park board compared to the Plow. It's much more forgiving, less edge hold and more chattery at speed. It's actually a great board but after riding the Plow you feel like you're riding a toy. So what about the op's question: railing like an EC board? I don't EC so hard for me to tell. I feel that with the taper you might find it hard to do full EC but I'm not the person to ask. It does feel a whole lot like a free carve board. If you can EC on a FC board you should be able to do so on this board. p.s. Yes, the online reviews paint this (the Arbor version) as a big bad gnarly board that is for experts. While it's not as forgiving as modern camber/rocker hybrids it is in no way difficult to ride. Edited December 25, 2016 by erazz addendumundum 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted December 25, 2016 Report Share Posted December 25, 2016 Great review!! I just shipped off another SW last week, anxious to hear back on his feelings on it. I don't EC but I like the feel of the SW , the fact that it is burly and not a small sidecut fits in with my style / weight. I have one what I use for converts wanting to try alpine that are strong freestyle riders of considerable size and weight. So far they RIP the SW well. Then I put them on a narrow race board and see how they do!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted December 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2016 Thanks for the review erazz, loved the aframe I tried a few yrs ago ago, my 173 identitys are very similar to the aframe but have variable scr ahead of its time 1998. So I love this board for charging the fall line, the 12m sidecut feels big so it needs some real estate and speed to lay over ec but the edge hold is great. My ec skills are weak but the identitys and eldos did well for me. The 8m scr nideckers is way more playful for narrow groomers and rocking the bumps. The steepwater at 167 feels short when getting on the nose and long when on the tail, 20in. is the tightest I can get the stance, which on a 175 would be fine, just wish I could get back further without going to 21in. a longer version would be awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRAZZ Posted February 5, 2017 Report Share Posted February 5, 2017 Review update... After being told off by just about everybody that I'm stupid for riding Ski boots (even with BTS) I figured that they might be right. As a scientist I need to have data. To do that I needed to remount hard boots on the Steepwater and try again. This time I actually used hard boots (Raichle 124s) mounted 45/40 on Cateks. First impression? HOLY COW. Second Impression? HOLY $#@$#@ #@%^!!!!. (I might have been slightly excited) You get the idea. The board is the same board. Stiff, damp, actually forgiving but the control factor is more. I felt I could go lower and harder and the board just took it. Sweet! This is the first time I felt as comfortable on hard boots as I do in soft boots. But that's just me and my bone-headedness. The board is still rock solid! I stand by my assertion that it's tons of fun whether you use stiff soft boots or soft hard boots. So far I've tried these boots on 3 different boards (a Donek Rev, a Volkl and the SW) and the SW is by far the easiest to control. It was much easier to set an edge and the sidecut seemed perfect for the green slope I was experimenting on. Bryan I think you're right. This might be an excellent gateway board to HB. I just wish I had tried this sooner! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted February 5, 2017 Report Share Posted February 5, 2017 This is great feedback!! So glad it found a home and rider to put it to proper use!! Thanks again for the report!! Bryan PS, Great looking set up. The angles and width/boots looks perfect!!! Well done! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted February 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2017 Nice to hear you found the right boot for a burly freeride board erazz I wore out a pair of those 124s, great all mountain/off piste hardshell. Your very similar to how I'm set up on the arbor I'm 6" 200#, 45*f/30*r, the arbor sw, and I have found a sweet spot using nitro stepins and 314 boots. The soft but dense snow we're getting has been good for laid out turns even in choppy bumps, the trees were fun if the snow was fresh, if a bit exciting when they get tight. Pretty sure the originals will be less forgiving there, being longer and stiffer. Just got an original steep and plow to do some direct comparisons(BIG thanks for the hook up Bryan, and Dan for delivery); to be fair however I need to tune up the old boards closer to the minty fresh arbor, will try to get them mounted and on the snow next week and will report back here. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRAZZ Posted February 5, 2017 Report Share Posted February 5, 2017 Were pretty much the same weight and height! I think you'll like the original. They are very similar. I don't ride them in the trees but that may change seeing how much better I felt with the 124s. Can't wait to hear your take on it! BTW, I thought I would share this: I've been collecting data on different boards to see if I can come up with a more scientific way of comparing boards. I think that the taper to running length ratio is an important factor on how a board keeps an edge. My Rev for example has a ratio of 13.5 and a Proteus has a ratio of 2.5. The board that most closely resembles the SW (out of my DB) is the Donek FC. I've only ridden a FC once and badly at that but I can see the resemblance. Bomber is going to have a demo day later this month in Loveland. I'll try to get my hands on a FC and see if the comparison still holds :) Regardless, the SW is definitely a carving board that is cheap and strong even if it doesn't have a square tail 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted February 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2017 any benefits of square tails are over rated; switchability is waaaay more important. demoed a metal fc and loved it, but the width difference will make for a different animal and binding angles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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