Help Me pick a new Ride (experienced rider, with no recent purchasing experience)

[queequeg]

Hi, this is my first post. I think it's time for me to pick out a whole new rig ... boots, bindings, board. I have lots of experience riding but I don't think I know enough about buying boards.

About me:

I have been snowboarding for 18 years, the vast majority of which have been spent riding plates, hard boots, and stiff, skinny board. I started out riding on the east-coast ice in NH, CONN and VT, and just returned to the east coast after spending about 8 years in Oregon. People generally describe my riding style as very aggressive, I ride relatively fast, and I like laying down hard, aggressive turns. I don't race, I do it purely for the pleasure of it. I prefer steep wide slopes.

You're going to laugh when I tell you what I am riding right now:

Boots: burton Megaflex boots. Obviously they have to go. Ancient. Sloppy. What is the general consensus on boots? What boots are good if you want something that is STIFF and (somewhat) comfortable for all day riding.

I have two boards, a Ride Kildy 159, and a Burton alp 169. I bought the alp for powder days in Oregon on Mt.Hood when there was too much soft snow to ride the Kildy. Riding the Alp is like riding a garage door and I avoid it. The Kildy is stiff and snappy, with plenty of cut (I don't know the numbers) but it will whip around a turn pretty violently if you want it to, That is a plus in my mind. What I don't like about is it's short, and at higher speeds, when I want to hold down my turns for longer it is ready to exit earlier than I really want it to. The Kildy is a keeper in my book, but I'd like to add another longer board to the quiver that will hold out turns a bit longer, be stable at high speed but still be snappy, responsive, quick edge-to-edge and capable of digging trenches at a tight radius. I weight 175 lbs. I am guessing that a very stiff 170 - 175 with a moderately deep sidecut is what I want. Brands? In the past I have ridden Burton PJ's and such (I know, also ancient).

If it matters, I ride very steep angles, with my rear foot pointing slightly further forward than the front. Can't remember the numbers but they're in the low seventies if I remember correctly.

I'm probably going to be looking at used equipment because I'm impoverished. What boards/boots/bindings do you think I should look into? Keep in mind I am on a budget.

[bobdea]

those boards were ahead of their time in a few ways.

volkl RTs can be had on the cheap and are decent boards, doneks, priors and coilers are seen on ebay and the classifieds here and they all are good

from the type of riding you like to do I would say a GS stick might be your prefered weapon or a freecarve deck on the long side.

a Donek freecarve comes to mind for what you are looking for.

From my experience avoid volant and rosignol, volants delam very easily and the rosi stuff tends turn into noodles very fast.

Boots, there are many threads about boots on here but one thing I always say is that the old SB series raichle(now called deeluxe le mans) boots have terrible cants that break if you get raichle or deeluxe boots make sure they are AF 600/700 now called the indy and suzuka.

The burton fire is a heck of a boot, too bad they don't make them anymore, the liners are cold and cheap but the boot rides well, also the burton wind is the same boot just a bit softer.

these can be found on ebay and in the classifieds here pretty often.

[Jack M]

here's an article about bying an alpine board...

http://www.bomberonline.com/articles/how_to_buy_snowboard.cfm

Boots - check out the Deeluxe Indy. (Deeluxe was formerly Raichle)

Boards - Donek, Prior, Coiler, Madd, F2, Volkl (in no particular order)

Bindings - Bomber, Catek. F2s are decent if you find a used pair.

[queequeg]

I would love to get my hands on a pair of used Bomber Bindings. Those look to be quality hardware.

I think I am going to try and get a pair of Fire Boots, if I can find a pair in my size.

People have suggested that I would really like a Donek or a Madd or a Volkl.

What are your impressions of the Oxygen 170 LTD. It's a 170, it has plenty of sidecut, and seems relatively inexpensive - so if it's nice and stiff I think it would probably work for me without breaking the bank. Then maybe I could pick up a set of used bomber bindings. That would be pretty sweet I think.

... thoughts on the Oxygen 170 LTD?

here's an article about bying an alpine board...

http://www.bomberonline.com/articles/how_to_buy_snowboard.cfm

Boots - check out the Deeluxe Indy. (Deeluxe was formerly Raichle)

Boards - Donek, Prior, Coiler, Madd, F2, Volkl (in no particular order)

Bindings - Bomber TD2, Catek OS2. F2s are decent if you find a used pair.

[queequeg]

Email Sent. Thanks for your advice.

What do you think of the Oxygen 170 LTD (mentioned above) It seems to have some desirable characteristics 170, plenty of cut. I like it's elegant appearance (I'll admit, this is important to me). Is it stiff and snappy?

I'd probably prefer a GS board over a freecarve board. I'm kind of a purist that way. I hate the alp. I like skinny waists.

those boards were ahead of their time in a few ways.

volkl RTs can be had on the cheap and are decent boards, doneks, priors and coilers are seen on ebay and the classifieds here and they all are good

from the type of riding you like to do I would say a GS stick might be your prefered weapon or a freecarve deck on the long side.

a Donek freecarve comes to mind for what you are looking for.

From my experience avoid volant and rosignol, volants delam very easily and the rosi stuff tends turn into noodles very fast.

Boots, there are many threads about boots on here but one thing I always say is that the old SB series raichle(now called deeluxe le mans) boots have terrible cants that break if you get raichle or deeluxe boots make sure they are AF 600/700 now called the indy and suzuka.

The burton fire is a heck of a boot, too bad they don't make them anymore, the liners are cold and cheap but the boot rides well, also the burton wind is the same boot just a bit softer.

these can be found on ebay and in the classifieds here pretty often.

[Jack M]

I've heard some good things and some not so good things. I've never ridden one. iirc, I think Oxy's are generally a bit softer than other boards.....?

I'd check out bobdea's used Donek before a used Oxygen. But if it's a brand new Oxygen for cheap, it could be worth it. Oxygen was made by Atomic, so the quality is there. But I'd go Volkl or F2 before Oxygen, both of which can sometimes be found cheap.

You say some conflicting things however. You say you like to go fast, you like steep wide runs, and GS turns. Then you say you like a deep sidecut. Those things are mutually exclusive. Longer radius (shallower sidecut depth) = more speed and stability for fast GS carves.

[queequeg]

I didn't say I like like GS turns ... I said I would like a board that can hold out a longer turn but can still push out a tight turn when I want it to. I guess I want something that is looser than my ride, but with a short enough radius that it can't make quick, violent turns when I push it hard. Does that make sense? I guess something that is stiff and long that is somewhere between slalom or GS. Given a choice between two GS boards, I would probably choose the one with the deeper cut. I know you can't have everything, but somewhere in the middle there must be a compromise.

Thanks for the info on the Oxygen. I weight 175 so I'd probably better avoid it.

I've heard some good things and some not so good things. I've never ridden one. iirc, I think Oxy's are generally a bit softer than other boards.....?

I'd check out bobdea's used Donek before a used Oxygen. But if it's a brand new Oxygen for cheap, it could be worth it. Oxygen was made by Atomic, so the quality is there. But I'd go Volkl or F2 before Oxygen, both of which can sometimes be found cheap.

You say some conflicting things however. You say you like to go fast, you like steep wide runs, and GS turns. Then you say you like a deep sidecut. Those things are mutually exclusive. Longer radius (shallower sidecut depth) = more speed and stability for fast GS carves.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Sounds like what you want is a longish sidecut but a relatively soft board, so that you can bend it into a tight turn when you want. If you get a stiff, long board with a big sidecut, it's going to tend to want to turn just the one way unless you really stand on it and have the weight/strength to bend it.

[bobdea]

they are not my favorite boards, they are not bad but I just don't like the feel of them.

many people do like them though.

my donek is not what you are looking for, unless you want a powder deck or something, I replied to your email.

lety me know if the burtons interest you.

[Jack M]

In that case, I'd look for a Donek 171FC-I (11.2m sidecut, 18cm waist), or a Volkl RT 173 (11.7m sidecut, 19cm waist)

[queequeg]

What you are saying makes sense, though I hadn't thought of it that way. To put things in perspective, I weigh 175 and have pretty ample lower-body strength, so I can push pretty hard. I ride pretty fast compared to a lot of people but not ludicrously fast.

On second thought. My alp 6.9 is a softer board with a longer sidecut - and I hate it - (other than it just being way too wide) It feels "mushy" to me - I know that's not an industry term but it's the only way I know how to describe it.

What do people think of this, should I be looking for a sofer board with a longer sidecut?

Sounds like what you want is a longish sidecut but a relatively soft board, so that you can bend it into a tight turn when you want. If you get a stiff, long board with a big sidecut, it's going to tend to want to turn just the one way unless you really stand on it and have the weight/strength to bend it.

[Mike T]

In that case, I'd look for a Donek 171FC-I (11.2m sidecut, 18cm waist), or a Volkl RT 173 (11.7m sidecut, 19cm waist)

Donek now has a FC 175 (11.75m sidecut) as well. I am hoping to have mine about a week from now.

[bobdea]

have a soft nose on them that can really send you for a ride in the wrong conditions

[Neil Gendzwill]

IIRC the Alp has a short-ish sidecut (11.5 m). When you say long sidecut, I tend to think more like 14 or 15 m.

I have a Coiler AM 172. It's only slightly longer than your Alp but way stiffer and has a shorter sidecut (10.5 m). Maybe I'm a wuss, but this board's plenty stable at any speed I'm comfortable with and any problems I've had with it have been pilot error.

[bobdea]

as hell too even with the 9.9 SCR, the stiff nose on the AMs makes a big difference I think.

just rode it monday, and I fell in love all over again.

[~tb]

I had this beautiful donek 195 (hey . . .I have a new one too that I forgot about). nice long and stable, great at GS carves. . . but ask most people I ride with, you can hook that thing up TIGHT by getting it way up on edge. My favorite board of ALL TIME. Think it might fit your needs perfectly.

(edit as this post was somewhat missleading. Im not offering to sell the board, but if you stumble across one. . . buy it)

[ar(angel]

I rode a Oxy LTD at the end of last season and agree with all said here, it's softer and a good board, but not my first choice, recently sold it to a friend. I currently have a RT173, but rode a 168 at the end of last season also and liked that board alot. I was looking forward to riding the 173 this season, but am now considering selling it because I'm thinking of ordering a Virus Stealth....decisions, decisions....Binding wise I agree with Jack, although I've never ridden Cateks, I rate F2's alittle higher (I've got 3 pair). Boots are subjective in the respect that some people want more flex in their boot than others. I had AF700's, but just purchased new Lemans boots and like them better already.

Good luck,

Paul