Alpine boarding at Whistler

[Guest astan100]

Hey,

Have any of you guys been to Whistler or another really powdery mountain with your alpine board? I've never been out west and don't know which boards to bring. I have a freestyle board and an all mountain board, but I feel like I need something between.

Do you think I should pick up a big mountain board (or some other stiff freestyle type board) and just bring that with my all mountain? I was considering the purchase anyway becaus eI think my freestyle board is just flexible.

I feel like I'm just going to sink in the powder with my all mountain board. It's a Donek Axis if that helps.

-Allen

[Mr.E]

Depends on how big you are, how big your board is, and what the weather gives you in Whistler. Demo a Prio Pow Stick while your are there, and buy it if you need it. Otherwise, the Donek should be fine for most days out there if its sized well.

[Guest astan100]

It's a 172 and I'm like 6 foot 180ish pounds...give or take 5 depending on season.

So even if I'm not carving groomers, you think I should stick with the Axis?

Depends on how big you are, how big your board is, and what the weather gives you in Whistler. Demo a Prio Pow Stick while your are there, and buy it if you need it. Otherwise, the Donek should be fine for most days out there if its sized well.

[lonerider]

It's a 172 and I'm like 6 foot 180ish pounds...give or take 5 depending on season.

So even if I'm not carving groomers, you think I should stick with the Axis?

I demo'd a 4WD 174 there and it was fine for most of the conditions. Whistler itself doesn't have that many wide groomer trails. I like Panorama on Blackcomb and the groomers/tree over there. You definitely don't *need* a big mountain board, but as you and tell by most people here... there is nothing *wrong* with having a board for everyone single occasion, turning radius, mountain, month, time of the day ... :)

[~tb]

You already own One of the three boards I would reccomend for whistler.

1) The Donek axis in the biggest size you feel comfortable. The 172 will be phenominal both in the Powder and on the groomers down towards the base.

2) Rad Air tanker 2000. Just a cool board, and will do all that you ask it on a big mountain trip with both groomers and pow-pow.

3) Annnnnnnnnndddddddddddd. . . the old faithful Prior 4wd. I borrowed one of these to go out west a couple years back and loved it. Nice float in the nose with a decent amount of taper I believe.

Other honorable mentions:

4) Donek Freeride (Delrossi 180) great board, race core, freeride shape.

5) a complete custom jobber from any of the top shops (Donek, Coiler, Prior)

Seeing as you already own number one on my list, I would say you are all set. . . But you did say whistler, which is Prior's backyard. Contact Chris and see if you can line up a demo of their powder board. Try everything you can!

[timinor]

What are the waist widths of those 3?

[~tb]

What are the waist widths of those 3?

Waist widths:

Donek Axis: 21.5cm

Rad Air Tanker: 24.8

Prior 4WD: 21.4

Donek Delrossi: 23.5

You pick. Obviously, the Tanker and "Delrossi" board will be better in the powder. Personally I think the Axis and 4WD are better for "all around use." There are some good groomers at whistler, and I would be pissed if I dropped out of a bowl, onto a nice groomer and couldnt lay the board over.

[lonerider]

What are the waist widths of those 3?

It's like 21.5, 24.5, and 21.5

www.donek.com

www.rad-air.com

www.priorsnowboards.com

[skategoat]

If you don't like the conditions at Whistler, just move up or down a couple of thousand feet. I have been there when it was pouring rain at the base and white-out blizzard at the top. Even the reverse can happen when you get one of those weird inversions.

So there is no perfect board for Whistler. Bring your favourite board and if it's just the wrong one for the conditions you find, rent or demo a board from Chris Prior.

This winter should be good at Whistler because last season was the absolute pits and it just can't happen two years in a row.

[Neil Gendzwill]

There are some good groomers at whistler, and I would be pissed if I dropped out of a bowl, onto a nice groomer and couldnt lay the board over.

You'd be surprised how hard you can lay the Tanker over. And it's a 24.5 waist in the proper (2m) length.

[Guest]

I'm with Neil, the tankers rip it up on the groomers as well.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Tanker 200

[lonerider]

This winter should be good at Whistler because last season was the absolute pits and it just can't happen two years in a row.

Is that based on reading forecasting data (which I never bother with) or just wishful thinking? :)

[Guest astan100]

Thanks for all the replys guys.

I guess I'll go with my Donek in hand and a freestyle board (just in case). If it's not good enough, I can always find something out there.

I've never ridden in tons of powder on the board, so this is all new to me.

-Allen

[adrian barr]

whistler is my home mountain. i ride a prior 4 x 4 for the majority and a pow stick for the big days. the donek will do you just fine. Prior also does day rentals on boards if you want to try something different

[C5 Golfer]

I'll second the 4X4 - I ride mine up there sometimes but more often you'll find me riding my 178 Volkl RT - 19.5 waist width and my son is on his 173 Volkl RT. Whistler/Blackcomb is my most often rode mountain.

[lonerider]

There are some good groomers at whistler, and I would be pissed if I dropped out of a bowl, onto a nice groomer and couldnt lay the board over.

You'd be surprised how hard you can lay the Tanker over. And it's a 24.5 waist in the proper (2m) length.

I agree, if you are having trouble carving hard with any of those boards, it's not the board... it's you - as shown by Mr, Delrossi himself! We bow to your hard carvage

[Guest jschal01]

You don't say when you're going to WHhistler I believe? You may or may not have a lot of deep powder to worry about. From the way you pose your question, I am assuming that you are not looking to spend a lot of time in the steeps or hiking, orl ikely trees, and so will be taking advantage primarily of the great open bowls that the area has to offer as well as the extensive grooming. (Apologies if I'm incorrect here.) So, the Axis should do you just fine, even in the fresh snow. It would do fine in more-challenging aspects of the resort, too, but may not be your board of choice for some of the steeps there, say.

What do you mean by a "freestyle" board? A lot of the people here will say freestyle or "jib stick" to refer to anything under 172 intended for softboots -- it's kind of like saying a fish and a thruster are basically the same type of surfboard. Not to knock the longboard snowboards, but 1) 172 is now really long for most North American steeps/big mountain purposes, even for people who are big guys and ride really fast, and more importantly 2) with the Axis already with you, you should ask why you'd go to a different board. For an aggesive intermediate rider, which it sounds like you are, one answer would be for either truly deep snow, or to take advantage of the tighter trees to avoid crowds. The Burton Fish or Prior Kyhber or similar fish shape would be your board in that siuation, check their website/call but I believe Prior rents the Khyber on a demo basis along with the rest of their line? Then you could travel with only one board, a big difference. Something like a shorter Burton Custom reltive to your weight would also be a good stick but not nearly as good as a fish shape for tigher spaces in soft snow.

[philw]

This winter should be good at Whistler because last season was the absolute pits and it just can't happen two years in a row.

:-) sounds like the gamblers' fallacy to me. I hope it's good anyway.

I don't find whistler much different from anywhere else. It's rather wetter generally than most places in that part of the world, but the terrain and stuff is as varied as you like to make it. It's a busy place so most of the fresh stuff goes pretty fast, unless you know precisely where to go. The snow's not IMHO like the utah stuff where you might feel like you need a board specifically for the big days.

I take a piste board and a Fish, which covers all the bases including the snow cat (assuming we get some snow this year). The Prior Khyber is a good alternative, a bit less extreme than the Fish perhaps. Ya don't need any of that for lift accessed terrain IMHO though: you can generally feel the bottom of resort powder on all but really big days.

Check out Fanatic [they have funky spelling I can't recall..] for Prior boards and hard boot toys.

[Guest astan100]

I like the idea of bringing just one board. My freestyle board is true freestyle. Flexy and a 159.

I think I'm going to bring just the axis and just demo a prior board if I get dumped on.

I'm getting psyched for the season!

:-) sounds like the gamblers' fallacy to me. I hope it's good anyway.

I don't find whistler much different from anywhere else. It's rather wetter generally than most places in that part of the world, but the terrain and stuff is as varied as you like to make it. It's a busy place so most of the fresh stuff goes pretty fast, unless you know precisely where to go. The snow's not IMHO like the utah stuff where you might feel like you need a board specifically for the big days.

I take a piste board and a Fish, which covers all the bases including the snow cat (assuming we get some snow this year). The Prior Khyber is a good alternative, a bit less extreme than the Fish perhaps. Ya don't need any of that for lift accessed terrain IMHO though: you can generally feel the bottom of resort powder on all but really big days.

Check out Fanatic [they have funky spelling I can't recall..] for Prior boards and hard boot toys.

[mackDan]

The Donek Axis is the board for where your going, but maybe a bit long. It also depends on where you plan to ride at Whistler. For 80-90% of the mountain (the whole mtn) that board should be fine, and it will be great in the powder, plenty of float and the slight tail will keep the nose up a bit more, so you don't have to work at it so much. BUT, if Double blacks, steep off piste, and trees, are your game, that length may be hard to ride, with the tail catching (uphill side) at the beginning of your turn (preventing you from turning, and thus falling). But like you said, if your having problems you can go rent a slightly smaller board.

Leave the freestyle board at home unless you want to ride the pipe and park, its small for powder riding, and your size.

FYI, I'm 5'8", 160-170# and for powder/steeps/trees, I've ridden a 162 Oxygen Apex (22-24cm wide?), a 158 Wintestick all mtn, a 164 Oxygen Proton(a submarine in powder, tail catcher on the steeps), a 162 Hot Shine (great all around board), and now use a Oxygen Super X 64.

[Guest astan100]

I've never really done glades...what do you guys run for those?

With more skill, I might be able to do it with my axis...but I feel like I'm missing a crucial board here. Just in general, not in respect to whistler only.

[Guest jschal01]

Given your questions, it sounds like you're at an intermediate riding level and may seriously want to spend the $$ another board would cost on lessons instead. Pro-Ride offers some well-regarded weeklong programs at Whistler among others you might find. That's not a knock on your riding ability, I mean only that a week or two of boosting you riding level will make the glades on you Axis easier and more fun than they would be now on a specialized board.

That said, for really tight glades with fresh or preserved snow, as said above a fish shape is probably the best bet.

[Guest astan100]

I think I'm going to find some places that specifically teach alpine boarding in VT this year. I see your point about getting lessons instead of a new board. I'm going to be on the forums a lot more asking you guys questions...I'm sure of that

It's kind of like car racing. I always yell at members of my forum who drop like 400 bucks to get another 10 hp when they could get some track time with an instructor and actually learn something.

In summary- point taken. :)

Given your questions, it sounds like you're at an intermediate riding level and may seriously want to spend the $$ another board would cost on lessons instead. Pro-Ride offers some well-regarded weeklong programs at Whistler among others you might find. That's not a knock on your riding ability, I mean only that a week or two of boosting you riding level will make the glades on you Axis easier and more fun than they would be now on a specialized board.

That said, for really tight glades with fresh or preserved snow, as said above a fish shape is probably the best bet.

[lonerider]

Given your questions, it sounds like you're at an intermediate riding level and may seriously want to spend the $$ another board would cost on lessons instead. Pro-Ride offers some well-regarded weeklong programs at Whistler among others you might find. That's not a knock on your riding ability, I mean only that a week or two of boosting you riding level will make the glades on you Axis easier and more fun than they would be now on a specialized board.

That said, for really tight glades with fresh or preserved snow, as said above a fish shape is probably the best bet.

I agree with getting lessons, that's really going to help you whatever board you get. I think all of use would probably be better off taking a weeks worth of lessons instead of that fourth custom board... :) The conditions at Whistler are *hugely* variable and you are much better off just bringing one board and renting/demoing other boards as needed.