Thirst Setup Suggestions

[barryj]

Finally acquired a beauty of a board from Mark - an SF162 with a 19.5 waist

Looking for tips and suggestions from you Thirst riders that have already worked this out.

I'll set it up with TD3 SW SI's  and on my K168 for comparisons my splay is 21 inches and stance is 65/60...but that's on a BP V2 plate

Any advice or suggestions appreciated

Edited December 29, 2020 by barryj

[Kneel]

SW's, 60F/62R, 19.5", right smack dab in the middle.   If you look at your K as a reference, you'll notice Mark already sets the inserts back.  Maybe that's intentional, maybe not, but that's how it appears(and feels) to me.  I don't have my K168 handy, but here is an SG B.L.A.C.K 169 for a comparison.  Sorry. Aussies always photobomb AND they always choose the Thirst...

 

 

[bigwavedave]

Use whatever stance width you normally find comfortable and start with equidistant from the middle, same way as you would with any board. Set your angles based on having no heel & toe overhang, starting with the rear binding, then set the front binding with your 5° splay. I don't like to have any heel or toe bias from the edge, equidistant, no overhang.

@lonbordin's Fuego Box wine method is an easy and accurate way to visualize this...

From my experience, any wine will work, but some swear by Fuego.  Just don't drink it first.

Once set that way, it's good to carpet surf to check for comfort. I often find after riding on snow that I want to move everything forward or back a notch. I'd say this is my process with any board, but with Thirsts there is a sweet spot where you really feel one with the board.

And, to paraphrase @Carvin' Marvin , don't curb-stomp the nose of the board like it owes you money. 

Don't even think of using the Boilerplate on there. 

[barryj]

Thanks for that input guys   I shouldn't have any toe overhang at my 65/60 angles ....so more concerned about binding placement as I'm used to setting my front bindings forward to load the nose and adjusting everything from there.

I thought I read/saw that with Thirst you should set front binding in last set of front inserts and adjust everything back from that.....??

[Kneel]

34 minutes ago, bigwavedave said:

...

Don't even think of using the Boilerplate on there. 

 

 

Oops.   It wasn't bad on the XC.  Actually kinda nice.  DIFFERENT. Very different. No longer "Thirstlike" if that was a word.  It's better without.  I even ditched the geckos on SF.

 

[Kneel]

23 minutes ago, barryj said:

Thanks for that input guys   I shouldn't have any toe overhang at my 65/60 angles ....so more concerned about binding placement as I'm used to setting my front bindings forward to load the nose and adjusting everything from there.

I thought I read/saw that with Thirst you should set front binding in last set of front inserts and adjust everything back from that.....??

 

That MAY have been a discussion and I was probably party to it.  That most likely had been an overcompensation, at least speaking for myself, of me trying to force my will over the board through a transformation of just riding the board.  Knowing a little about how Mark chooses cores and in watching him ride lead me to stop overthinking things. Now I drop it in the center of the insert packs and slightly modify my stance width depending on conditions.

[BLOODTYPEZX10R]

barryj Start where I recommended please.  Don't think about it too much for now, the more you try to undo it the more knotted up you'll get.

[Lurch]

Like you stole it Barry. SoFun. Stay centered and angulate; voodoo does the rest. 

Edited December 29, 2020 by Lurch
You just did it :)

[bigwavedave]

4 hours ago, barryj said:

Thanks for that input guys   I shouldn't have any toe overhang at my 65/60 angles ....so more concerned about binding placement as I'm used to setting my front bindings forward to load the nose and adjusting everything from there.

I thought I read/saw that with Thirst you should set front binding in last set of front inserts and adjust everything back from that.....??

That's where I got into trouble, by simply switching bindings from similar width boards without changing anything. Check that there's no toe & heel bias to one side or the other. A difference in sidecut shape between otherwise similar boards may account for this. It's one reason I have gradually collected bindings for each board over the years. 

Regarding Mark's post above, I do usually start at his recommended binding placement, it's usually near the center. After taking a few runs, I often end up shifting fore or aft a notch to suit my peculiar* taste. I do this on all boards, not just Thirsts. Gotta find that sweet spot for groovey turns.

I guess I have always prefered riding neutral & balanced, maybe to save energy. I used to ride from 1st chair to last. I didn't know when to stop. It may be why I loved the Thirst ride from the get go. 

Anyway, if I find I have to drastically shift my weight forward to get a nice turn initiation, I try moving the bindings forward a notch to make it easier; if it feels like the tail is washing out, I try shifting my bindings back a notch. This isn't just a Thirst thing, I do this on all new boards.

*My 67½ yr old joints (yes, those fractions of years seem to matter as much now as it does to a toddler) are less tolerant of minor stance irregularities that didn't bother me before.

 

[barryj]

Yeah....I'll go with Mark's  suggested binding placement.....he marked  the front set of inserts and see what happens.

Thanks for all the info and support!

I won't be able to get it out on the hill until next week because of all the Covid Crazies up here for holiday week....so lots of time to overthink this!!!!

[Jcar]

5 hours ago, barryj said:

Thanks for that input guys   I shouldn't have any toe overhang at my 65/60 angles ....so more concerned about binding placement as I'm used to setting my front bindings forward to load the nose and adjusting everything from there.

I thought I read/saw that with Thirst you should set front binding in last set of front inserts and adjust everything back from that.....??

Not sure if you’ve ridden a Thirst yet.... but DO NOT load the nose!  She’ll boomerang out from underneath you and send you over the bars faster than you can imagine.  Stay centered and find the boards working sweet spot.  Being a nose loader myself it took some time to quite down my weight shifting   Once I did this my Superconductor has quickly become my go to board.  Mark’s boards are amazing and a joy to ride!  ENJOY 

[*Ace*]

1. Grip it

2. Rip it

Repeat as necessary.