MountainSlope Posted January 21, 2021 Report Share Posted January 21, 2021 Please feel free to share why you prefer to ride with a plate system or without. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dredman Posted January 21, 2021 Report Share Posted January 21, 2021 No plate for me. With a well engineered board, I do not believe you need a plate. Especially when you are a recreational carver living in the Western US/CAD. I tried some of the first generation plates many years ago, and found them not to be hugely beneficial for my style of riding nor the conditions I typically ride in. We rarely have to sharpen our edges in Montana. I could see if I was racing or riding a lot of man-made snow / icy condition they could be very benificial. The latest generation of boards from the US / CAD board makers are some of the easiest riding, quietest, great handling on icy condition boards ever for recreational carvers. Recreational carvers in the US are very interested in a step-in MS boot however. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 21, 2021 Report Share Posted January 21, 2021 Here on the ice coast of NH a plate is a Great option! I usually ride one of my sans plate boards for the morning...Swoard, Moss, Thirst, Coiler and by mid day when it's chopped up scraped off man made crud I switch to my K168 with BP V2 4mm and I can continue for the rest of the day as it really takes alot of impact off my knees! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crote123 Posted January 21, 2021 Report Share Posted January 21, 2021 Always with a plate unless it's early (rocks) or late (slush) in the season. I may be plateless if there's some good fluff over the groom. Lots of man made snow @ my local hill. So when the morning groom is gone, lots of ice remains. Diamond filing every outing (200/400/800) 1 hour ago, dredman said: Recreational carvers in the US are very interested in a step-in MS boot however. +1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch Posted January 21, 2021 Report Share Posted January 21, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, dredman said: Recreational carvers in the US are very interested in a step-in MS boot +1 Edited January 21, 2021 by Lurch No idea how that ^ happened sorry @crote123 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 22, 2021 Report Share Posted January 22, 2021 I much prefer no plate, but I haven't tried an AllFlex so that's not fair to them. I do like the more direct feel. However, when it's bumpy and really firm, a plate can save what might otherwise be a crappy day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted January 22, 2021 Report Share Posted January 22, 2021 Generally ride a BBP V2 plate, but I have the plate mounted backwards, with the slider in the rear, which gives a slightly more direct feel somewhere in between plate and flat board. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted January 22, 2021 Report Share Posted January 22, 2021 I haven’t tried an allflex, but my brief experience with plates is that I can’t stand them. They do smooth things over a bit, but to me, that is not worth the tradeoff of the extra stack height, and reduced snow feel (which I realize is part of the point). What I really dislike about them for recreational riding is how they make the board less manageable at slow speeds on cat-tracks and such. I can see why racers like them but I don’t think the tradeoffs work for recreational carving. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted January 22, 2021 Report Share Posted January 22, 2021 20 hours ago, dredman said: Recreational carvers in the US are very interested in a step-in MS boot however. +1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted January 22, 2021 Report Share Posted January 22, 2021 I'm not certain if Apex Geckos qualify as a "plate" but I ride with them 100% of the time. I have to agree with some of the previous posters that this largely depends on where you ride. If I lived near a snowy high elevation resort in the west I wouldn't ride a plate. Why even deal with the extra weight and complexity?! If you ride a lower elevation resort with a strong relationship to the freeze thaw cycle, like I do, I don't take them off. I have owned and ridden the majority of plate systems available today. Good luck. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted January 18, 2022 Report Share Posted January 18, 2022 A plate is a tool. If conditions are less than ideal a plate is of great benefit if you want to ride all day . I realize that many lucky people have only ideal conditions where they ride and I resent them enormously () Again I would emphasize it is a tool. You should never suggest that using the right tool for the right conditions is not advisable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted January 18, 2022 Report Share Posted January 18, 2022 I very much prefer the sensation of riding without a plate on fresh groomed snow or fresh powder. But then, who doesn't? Depends on the typical conditions where one rides. I only need to use them occasionally when conditions bother my knees and I just have to ride. I prefer a minimal plate experience like Geckos or a Donek F-plate which is similar to the Vist or the old K-plate. Plates are a nice tool if you must ride rough conditions and they're a real knee saver for old or damaged knees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 19, 2022 Report Share Posted January 19, 2022 3 hours ago, bigwavedave said: they're a real knee saver for old or damaged knees. Hey!...... I resemble that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveo Posted January 19, 2022 Report Share Posted January 19, 2022 (edited) Plate 100% of the time for me. Edited January 19, 2022 by daveo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pew Posted December 28, 2022 Report Share Posted December 28, 2022 On 1/21/2021 at 5:31 PM, dredman said: No plate for me. With a well engineered board, I do not believe you need a plate. Especially when you are a recreational carver living in the Western US/CAD. I tried some of the first generation plates many years ago, and found them not to be hugely beneficial for my style of riding nor the conditions I typically ride in. We rarely have to sharpen our edges in Montana. I could see if I was racing or riding a lot of man-made snow / icy condition they could be very benificial. The latest generation of boards from the US / CAD board makers are some of the easiest riding, quietest, great handling on icy condition boards ever for recreational carvers. Recreational carvers in the US are very interested in a step-in MS boot however. East(ice) coast carver and entry racer here. We have 95% man made snow, mixed with icy, slushy, hardpacked, and sticky snow in uneven slopes. My isolation plate(apex v2) is doing great job. Not just for the edge grip but it is the best medical device for my knees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Job Posted January 28, 2023 Report Share Posted January 28, 2023 (edited) I don't notice anything. I still ride with one on my non-rock board however. Edited January 28, 2023 by Odd Job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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