Keenan Posted December 1, 2020 Report Share Posted December 1, 2020 I got to ride it today, first day of the season for me and there was enough coverage to warrant riding a new board. So here's the story. I've always wanted a Tanker 201 but they were a little wider than what I prefer to ride. I also heard that their build quality suffered when they moved production to China. So I hassled Mark for over a year to build a board like the Tanker but narrower and Thirstier. He did, it rocks. It snowed a couple of inches yesterday so the groomers were pretty soft today. A carving board would have been fine if you didn't try to tip it on edge too much. The TS was perfect. I took it through 2" of fresh, down some steeps, through chopped up groomers, I did fairly short radius turns on a cat track, and cranked some big deep carves as well. This is the longest board that I've ever ridden and is surprisingly forgiving. Mark built in a generous amount of flex in the board, and a fair amount of rise in the tip and tail. As I drove home I was thinking, if I was to go on a trip where I didn't know what the weather would be and I could only take one of my boards, which one would I take? The TS. I will update this when I get to ride on some hard pack. I'm pretty sure it will rip. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan Posted February 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2021 I just took it out in 7-10" of new. I even did some tree runs, which was a little scary until I realized that you can maneuver it like a much shorter board. Not only does it float, it's pretty easy to turn. I was able to get fresh stuff in some flat sections that nobody else dared, It never got stuck, just floated on through. Then I railed some pretty tight turns on the groomers. Someone needs to buy the one that Mark has in stock, you wont be sorry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted February 25, 2021 Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 You got a link to this board? Couldn't find it on his site. Love to see a picture. Any specs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch Posted February 25, 2021 Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 (edited) 7 minutes ago, lonbordin said: You got a link to this board? Couldn't find it on his site. Love to see a picture. Any specs? Edited February 25, 2021 by Lurch Page 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted February 25, 2021 Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 (edited) We have a photo, thanks @Lurch. about those specs... I was hoping for a link to a hidden Thirst page I couldn't find... Edited February 25, 2021 by lonbordin Hot link my man... Heat up that linking game...;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch Posted February 25, 2021 Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 (edited) specs same page, 3 posts up brother @lonbordin Edited February 25, 2021 by Lurch linkin like a boss 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted February 25, 2021 Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 (edited) I drove right past that, thanks man! [Facepalm emoji] Thirst TS 202: 202 cm 169.5 effective edge 22 cm waist A slightly wide Thirst... My interest is peaked. What kinda angles can you get on it @Keenan Edited February 25, 2021 by lonbordin Luv ya' mang... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan Posted February 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 55-50 with 28 mondo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted February 25, 2021 Report Share Posted February 25, 2021 I've since found out the available twin measures 201.5cm, waist is 20.8cm, and has black sidewalls. Inserts are 4-position set at 20" (min 17.5" to 22..25" max 2x4). Sidecut CA-SCR is about 11.8m. Since I'm a 57cm stance that's too tight for me. I'll have to save my $ and go custom. Sweet whip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heenalu Kahiko Posted April 4, 2021 Report Share Posted April 4, 2021 After driving Mark Miller absolutely crazy trying to figure out which of his many designs would work best for me, i connected accidentally with the board that satisfies a life long Thirst for a carving board that is forgiving, stable, rails turns and rides all over the mountain. The connection came while i was on a call with Mark during which he shared the fact that he had the sister ship of Keenan’s TS in inventory. He explained that he was dying to mount it and take it for a test drive but didn’t want to do so because it would reduce the board to used and take from the sale price. I asked for a picture and was intrigued by the sight of it. I got Mark back on the line, and he detailed the boards specs. I want to say the flex index is 157 which is on the lightest end on the spectrum for Mark’s boards. The effective edge is likewise very short relative to boards 15cm shorter. After corresponding with Keenan, I decided to take a chance on it. My only regret is that i didn’t let Mark mount it up so he could experience the absolute perfection of this masterpiece. When i first climbed on, i felt the edges at slow speed and was like uh oh. With some speed everything became fluid. Conditions were perfect, wide open groomed run and i laid the board on edge, looked to the right, and there it went. Suddenly i was railing long smooth turns like i never have before. The board initiates effortlessly. I decided to give it more pressure, it tightened up, i sunk into the center and my hand was on the ground. Shoulders forward, the length carried my large frame (250#/6’1”) so predictably and before i knew it was carving beautiful linked C shaped turns into the 11.8m sidecut. I had my bindings set at pretty high angles for my initial ride and sent a picture to Mark explaining how much i enjoyed the board. I commented “i wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of her” because the transitions were a little sticky. Mark wrote back suggesting i decrease the angles to their minimum to create more leverage to balance the boards width. No more sticky transitions. The board suddenly became super nimble. I honestly couldn’t believe it. Who am i anyway? I’m just an old surfer looking for a sweet bottom turn. This board feels like dropping into a head high super glassy wave on a favorite longboard. For the record, Mark Miller is an artist. His workmanship is impeccable, the graphics are just beautiful and how he took 202cm and turned it into an all mountain board that is forgiving, stable, quick/tight turning and super easy to ride is beyond my comprehension. Maybe a little help from a friend...Thanks Keenan! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted April 5, 2021 Report Share Posted April 5, 2021 Glad you got to ride it before the season ended and thanks for posting a review. I was talking to Mark around the same time as Keenan over a year ago about getting something similar. I thought 202cm sounded too big, so went with something shorter. After seeing how it turned out and reading Keenan's impressions, as well as having a recent personal revelation that maybe bigger is better, I contacted Mark last week about buying board #2 only to hear it just went out the door to you. No worries though, as I am now in line for a custom built TS. Maybe he'll also make one for himself while the jig is set up for it. Good review, thanks. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heenalu Kahiko Posted April 5, 2021 Report Share Posted April 5, 2021 Cool! I’m sure you are going to enjoy it. I had the same experience with his old 8RW that he offered me. I waited a couple of days and it was gone by the time i asked him to ship it. Any interest in a Thirst X. It’s a bit short for me and stiffer then i like. I’ll post it if not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted April 7, 2021 Report Share Posted April 7, 2021 On 4/5/2021 at 5:33 PM, Heenalu Kahiko said: Cool! I’m sure you are going to enjoy it. I had the same experience with his old 8RW that he offered me. I waited a couple of days and it was gone by the time i asked him to ship it. Any interest in a Thirst X. It’s a bit short for me and stiffer then i like. I’ll post it if not. I already have a few Thirsts that overlap the range of the X, but thanks anyway. Looks like Mark might be building a few of these big "stimulus" boards in the near future. I never skied at Okemo when I lived in VT in the early 70's, but I'll never forget visiting a couple, who were friends of friends, and lived in a log cabin atop Okemo and manned the fire tower. Thought it seemed like the coolest gig ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan Posted April 15, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2021 On 4/5/2021 at 9:17 AM, bigwavedave said: Glad you got to ride it before the season ended and thanks for posting a review. I was talking to Mark around the same time as Keenan over a year ago about getting something similar. I thought 202cm sounded too big, so went with something shorter. After seeing how it turned out and reading Keenan's impressions, as well as having a recent personal revelation that maybe bigger is better, I contacted Mark last week about buying board #2 only to hear it just went out the door to you. No worries though, as I'm now I'm in line for a custom built TS. Maybe he'll also make one for himself while the jig is set up for it. Good review, thanks. After today it's a confirmed slush slayer. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted January 9, 2023 Report Share Posted January 9, 2023 I've had a chance to get out on mine a few times now. First in 4-8" of powder on top of a soft groom that, once tracked out, was tossing me around quite a bit. I started out on the 181 swallowtail PC which was doing fine, but I wanted to compare. These were conditions I had hoped the TS would do well in and it did not disappoint. It really smoothed out the ruts while making big radius turns across the hill as if it was fresh groom. This came to mind.... On 4/4/2021 at 6:43 PM, Heenalu Kahiko said: This board feels like dropping into a head high super glassy wave on a favorite longboard. There were still some 6-8+ inch windblown piles of powder in some flat spots where others came to a stop (there was a headwind too) and this board just floated and glided though. It really floats, more than I expected, just like Keenan said... On 2/24/2021 at 5:46 PM, Keenan said: Not only does it float, it's pretty easy to turn. I was able to get fresh stuff in some flat sections that nobody else dared, It never got stuck, just floated on through. The next day was a first day groom where, if you carved hard, you broke through a soft top layer and sunk down several inches. It was challenging. Even skiers were complaining. This was another set of conditions that I had hoped the TSm² might smooth things over, and it did. It had enough float and weight distribution so as not to sink in so much while carving hard. This is definitely a useful (and fun) addition to the quiver. I am a bit surprised that only one snowboarder has asked me, "how long is that board?". Thanks to @Keenan for bugging Mark to design and build the TSm². And, of course, thanks to Mark for actually doing it. Looking forward to riding it in spring slush, hopefully not for a couple of months or so. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 23, 2023 Report Share Posted February 23, 2023 Holy Crap! I had so much fun on this board today. It's been a while since a board actually had me hollering on the ride down. 6+" of dry, fluffy fresh over a very soft & surfy groom. Rode 3 different boards and this one railed delicious turns so deep that it surprised me when the snow came up to meet my hand. The board felt alive and I became weightless in the transitions. And smooth through chop like it wasn't there. Length & width = float & suspension. Truly a surf-carver. P.S. Completely blown away by this board today. Any carving board I've ever ridden in similar soft conditions I would have to take my foot off the accelerator in turns to keep from burying the board. This board just grabbed onto a turn once on edge and whipped around. I could actually step on the accelerator and push into turns. It was so fast, it turned a wide open green run into a black diamond. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keenan Posted April 18, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2023 I just had my 4th week in a row of mid week powder, riding this TSM2 magic carpet thing. I was so impressed that I came home and did math. The board is 30 cm taller than me and I can turn it with ease, the tracks that I could see from the chair looked like I was riding a 165. Courvoisier and velvet smooth turns. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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