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NE1 on this forum own only one board?


1xsculler

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During the past sixty years of skiing I generally owned one pair of skis for several years and then bought a new pair never to go back to the old ones.  It seems like every hard boot carver, including me, owns at least a half dozen boards.  Why do most of us own so many boards?

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I owned many boards:  All mountain, BX, GS, SL, Powder, short/long/stiff/soft/different sidecut

Been doing it wrong for many years:

Optimization was my excuse:  Right tool for the right job is what I tell other who doesn't get it.
In reality due to lack of skill; need all the help I can get to squeeze every last ounces of enjoyment out of time on mountain.

Lately I have been changing my tune:

I know a few rider that only ride one board and killing it on all condition.  Skill in the rider not in board...
I typically usually only ride one board now; back to where how almost all of us started with.  Simplicity.
Working to get the proper fundamental technique first then I can truly appreciated the different characteristics that the different board bring.

Guess it's one of the reason I am really into running lately.  It's just pair sneaker and the road(I do have 3 pair of the same shoes for rotation lol).

Plus gear hoarding is part of the fun being a "gear head".

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I have owned and ridden a lot of different carve boards.  I love trying gear.  In the past, I had several at a time.  They are all different and you learn something new with just about every board you try.

I would probably still have multiple carve decks if I wasn't riding so much backcountry, but at the moment I have settled on just one board, a custom 162 Kessler SL.  It perfectly meets my carving needs of a playful board that rides well on on any groomer.

 

 

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Quote

 

Why do most of us own so many boards?


 

 

Hello

 

Anyone who has surfed concrete, water or snow understands the magic feeling of simply carving a turn.  

 

Each board gives the rider a different and unique feeling when carving.  Each board gives a unique feeling in a variety of conditions on concrete, water or snow.  Each rider and shaper are often compelled to search for an improved or magic feeling when carving, a feeling that they dream about.

 

I love this quote from the Korua builders:

 

Happiness should lie in the process of finding your matching shape. 

In this process there is no right or wrong nor a goal, since every character has different forms and every form has different characters. 

May you never find your perfect shape.

 

Enjoy the Search, enjoy your quiver!

Rob

 

Carver.jpg

Edited by RCrobar
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Only one that I use although my old PJ63 is still rideable it hasn't seen snow in a decade or more. Bruce made me a very stout 180 Racecarve in 2002 or so and although it's wearing a lowrider plate and a desanctis tune it's pretty much the same board as when it arrived - still good camber, still carves a very tight, predictable turn even with about 150 days of use. Bruce built it for an athletic, aggressive 210lb rider and now I'm a much more passive 230 but it averages out OK. If I were able to spend more days on snow I'd replace it with the amazing Proteus 180 and if I were younger and more nimble perhaps a MK but for how little I ride now it makes no sense...

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On this forum I think it highly unlikely to have just one snowboard.  A good carver is terrible in the powder and for 99.57% of us, I still think the dream is to ride in the pow.  I think it more reasonable to ask if anyone has just two boards - 1) a good carver and 2) either an all mountain or a powder deck (or freestyle deck).  The frequency with which I ride doesn't justify me owning what I do.  But snowboards for me are sort of like shoes for women.

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For resorts, I have one board for everything, from powder to piste: a Kessler 156SL. That's a compromise, but I like where it is.

For back country, every board is different, so I use whatever I can find. They're all different, not always better or worse, if you see what I mean. I could easily ride one board, it doesn't matter much which it is, but that seems less interesting.

I posses every board I ever bought as the resale value isn't high and there's no one around me who could ride them anyway. That is a different thing though. I never carry more than one piste and one powder board with me, and I never go back to old gear.

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I'm very guilty. I like the idea of owning one board, but I also like shiny new things. It's fascinating to hop from one board to a different one, as the basics are the same and the fine details are different. 

I never owned one bike either. Always at least two. 

If I could own 6 cars as easily/cheaply as I can own 6 boards, I totally would.  ;) 

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1 hour ago, corey_dyck said:

I'm very guilty. I like the idea of owning one board, but I also like shiny new things. It's fascinating to hop from one board to a different one, as the basics are the same and the fine details are different. 

I never owned one bike either. Always at least two. 

If I could own 6 cars as easily/cheaply as I can own 6 boards, I totally would.  ;) 

Please don't bring bicycle into this.......... You guys would sh*t......

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if I had to have just one board in my quiver it would be my Virus 183 GS, because it is a magic board on ice and pretty great in most other conditions. It was the first board I demoed at my first SES and I've had it since 2009. I actually broke it once and had to ship it back to Frank and he rebuilt it for me. It used to be white with a black stripe before I broke it, and when frank fixed it he redid the topsheet to be black with a white stripe.

I also have a softie setup for pow/trees, and a berserker which is actually my go-to board when carving conditions are not icy. The 183 GS doesn't see a ton of action but it is a magic board so if I had to keep one: that would be the one.

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I like riding different boards in different conditions. When its a powder day I'm on a powder board. When its a little less deep I'm on something that I can get around on the groomers on easier, but which is still pretty off-piste focused. If we don't get more snow I might gravitate toward a soft carving deck that I can also use off of the groom. If we the groomed runs get to be where its at, I'm on a carving board. Its fun to ride different set ups and keeps things interesting and fresh. I can also see the joy in riding one board for all conditions all the time - simplifying everything and really making for some strong skills. If I had to pick one board though, it would be hard for me.

 

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I have only one board, which I ride in all conditions: a Pure Boarding Bastard 168. If deep powder (more than 50-60 cm) was a regular occurrence round here, I would probably invest in a powder board. As it is, I am happy with the Bastard. Making it to the mountain causes enough logistics as it is. I feel have neither the thoughts nor the funds for more boards to spare. I just want to go out and ride, and the board lets me do that.

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I have a bunch of boards... 

I now only ride one board:

Coiler 178 Nirvana Balance
23cm wide
SCR12-14m 
Flex 6.5 + 5

I think I could live with this board and my LibTech Grocer (180) for powder and be all set.

I might get something similar with a smaller SCR...  oh, man... there we go again.

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Hello

 

Surfing gave snowboarding the Expression Session, maybe surfing can now give us the Shed Sessions.  Check out this recent video where surfers can go and 'sign out' a board to try.  Snowboardings Shed Sessions could be like surfings 'Fish Fry' events.

 

Maybe Oldsnowboads could help us out with this project:)  I imagine riders could try a different board everyday for the rest of their life until they find the perfect single board that they want to ride:)  

 

So may boards, so little time!

 

Cheers

Rob

 

 

 

 

Edited by RCrobar
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25 minutes ago, RCrobar said:

Hello

 

Surfing gave snowboarding the Expression Session, maybe surfing can now give us the Shed Sessions.  Check out this recent video where surfers can go and 'sign out' a board to try.  Snowboardings Shed Sessions could be like surfings 'Fish Fry' events.

 

Maybe Oldsnowboads could help us out with this project:)  I imagine riders could try a different board everyday for the rest of their life until they find the perfect single board that they want to ride:)  

 

So may boards, so little time!

 

Cheers

Rob

It's called the Aspen (or Tahoe) Trenchin' Convention: http://www.trenchinconvention.com/ 

All the goods from numerous manufacturers, and some will even let you try their personal boards if everything aligns.  

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27 minutes ago, corey_dyck said:

It's called the Aspen (or Tahoe) Trenchin' Convention: http://www.trenchinconvention.com/ 

All the goods from numerous manufacturers, and some will even let you try their personal boards if everything aligns.  

Corey- While the trenching convention is fantastic.  It's not really comparable to Bird's Surf Shed.  

Imagine if a single shop located near a mountain had stacks of boards from all generations that one could rent.  

...just imagine...

Bird's URL-> http://birdssurfshed.com/

Edited by lonbordin
moar... always moar...
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Late to the party.... 

Whaaat, one board only?!? Why? Even most hardcore park rats would be better of with another board for pow days. 

My minimum would be: 

Teaching board, which could double as rock board. A longish twin tip or a freeride would do. 

Freeride board, that can double as freestyle and shallow pow board. A very wide and soft HB AM, or a very narrow freeride or BX board can do. 

Deep pow board. Self explanatory. 

Smaller, tighter carver. An SL or a new school AM. 

Bigger, longer radius carver. A big AM, smaller GS, or a new school free carver. 

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I could never ride just one.  Most of the time (especially here in NH) I want to be on hardboots.  There are times (Steamboat trip, powder, trees and family time) when I want to relax and ride my softies on my Flux.  So, two is my minimum.  However, if I had to choose one deck as my hardboot/carve specific ride I'm not sure I could pick between my MK (quick, nimble and wicked edge hold) and my 180 Proteus (fast, damp, super stable cruiser).

 

......I need three!

 

But, then again, there's my older FC2.......

Edited by workshop7
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For me, owning only one snowboard ended about 25 years ago and never looked back. No regret. Absolutely no desire to go back to only one board. Nasty taste in my mouth just thinking about it. 

If I could only KEEP one board, Rad Air Tanker. Carves, slices, machs, plows, floats, drives, et cetera...

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