Jack M Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Rode my new WCR-Metal 177 yesterday at Mt. Sunapee. So far, I can tell you this is a great board! There weren't any available steeps for more rigorous testing, but I thoroughly enjoyed my new ride all over the mountain. One of the remarkable things about this board is how light it is. We had about a dozen carvers there yesterday and anyone who picked up the board was amazed by the lack of weight. There is no fiberglass in the construction - the board is made from two layers of titanium/aluminum alloy, unidirectional carbon fiber, and a wood core. The result is a thinner, lighter board that delivers on performance but with the added benefit of lightweight flickability. The board seems to disappear under your feet and gives a feeling of nimbleness that inspires you to be more "playful" while carving and not carving. Combine the light weight with the extra maneuverability provided by the round tail, and you've got a 177 that feels like a 170. The 11.9m radius felt "just right" for a wide range of carve sizes. I could tighten it up on narrow trails, and let it run bigger when it was time to go wider and faster. The alloy seemed to be doing its job when letting the board run, keeping things quiet and the edge in the snow where other boards of this size/radius might begin to oscillate. That's not to say the board doesn't have a speed limit - it does, but I it was higher than I expected. Wish I could sample the 183 and 187. Chris Prior told me he feels like the board becomes an extension of his body. Now I see what he meant, and I agree. I don't think I've ever ridden a carving board that was simultaneously this light and this stable - I felt a new sense of "freedom" I haven't before. The board is confidence inspiring and feels like it is hardwired to your synapses. I just can't wait to get it home to Sugarloaf where I can test it on the uber-steeps of Sluice headwall, Gondi-line and the others. I anticipate greatness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedzilla Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Keep the updates coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDY_2_Carve Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Keep the updates coming! Yeah and let us know when you have another "Garage Sale" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.E Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 I'd love to hear how it holds up after stuffing the nose, lift line collisions, etc. First Prior I've even considered in years, but I'm not going to really think about it till I know they hold up. I usually keep my "keepers" for a long time. Thanks for the review Jack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marz Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Sounds amazing! But it would be very sad to stuff the nose on a 2 titanal layer board. The stuff is great for torsional rigidity/dampness, love it in my Volkl skis & boards, but one mishap & it's all over. :( I still remember years ago, guys coming into the shop with bent Volkl or Blizzard GS skis: I was just sking, no moguls, it just bent! Riiiiight!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdifan_2003 Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 Funny, I was just browsing old threads. This Prior is still doing the same thing Jack was describing . Millen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radial Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 I have had my 177 for about three weeks and would probably sleep with it if I was not afraid of dire consequenses. I had been riding my old faithfull Doneck 179 FC I for the last couple of years. I was rattled on the first couple of days which happened to be at Cypress in Vancouver in miserable conditions dodging the Nazi snow patrol... Anyway, I got it home changed the edge angles a little, moved my stance a little wider and WOW. I have been on it the last ten days in pretty soft conditions, been steped on in the lift line and dropped it in the parking lot and it still looks fine. I was worried about the larger radius but this has not been a factor. Small turns are fine and big turns and crud are great. We have not had much ice so I don't know about that but with my new confidence I am sure it will good. I liked my expirence with the Prior guys. The board was done on time and is beautiful. I wish I had made the change earlier in the season but I am really looking forward to Timberline this spring.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave29 Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 Thanks for the review Jack, good info. Keep it coming. I am up in the air between a WCR 173 and a NSR around the same dimensions. So this definately helped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 Thanks for the review Jack, good info. Keep it coming. I am up in the air between a WCR 173 and a NSR around the same dimensions. So this definately helped. two year old post I'd ask him directly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastskiguy Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 I love inserting this picture. What are we talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted April 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 two year old post Actually 3+, and in board vintages, 4. This was a 2006 model year board. The new Prior metals have been much improved from what I've heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Glynn Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 I got a Prior WCR Metal 183 mid winter and find it to be an awesome board in all respects. Could not be more happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdifan_2003 Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 Actually 3+, and in board vintages, 4. This was a 2006 model year board. The new Prior metals have been much improved from what I've heard. Thank you Jack . I could only imagine (for now ;)) how much better the new Priors are. Also, I could not even imagine :D how much the Kesslers/Sigis are better than the rest of the field . Anyway, for all my purposes, this is a great and very easy board to ride. Millen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 running TD2s without lexan plates underneath, I delamed / cracked the topsheets of two "old school" prior metals this year... a 173 and a 183. These boards (at least in my hamfisted hands) are very fragile. Just got a 2010 177W WCRM that I'm excited to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdifan_2003 Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 running TD2s without lexan plates underneath, I delamed / cracked the topsheets of two "old school" prior metals this year... a 173 and a 183. You are not surprised, I hope :D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 If nothing changed in nose profile / decamber, the "old" plain metal Priors are supposed to be better then "new" ones, performance-wise. They were brought to the bare functional minimum to get max performance, just like real race stock board. That info even appeared on Prior's web site at the time of change to top sheeted version. Some very prominent BOL members confirmed so. too. This year I rode the 173 plain metal quite hard with TD3 bases without lexan plates. So far so god. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 You are not surprised, I hope :D. Quite a bit actually, as the prior owner of one had done the same without incident, and the prior owner of the other rode burton bindings flat to the board without incident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawndoggy Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 If nothing changed in nose profile / decamber, the "old" plain metal Priors are supposed to be better then "new" ones, performance-wise. They were brought to the bare functional minimum to get max performance, just like real race stock board. That info even appeared on Prior's web site at the time of change to top sheeted version. Some very prominent BOL members confirmed so. too. This year I rode the 173 plain metal quite hard with TD3 bases without lexan plates. So far so god. My "new" one is the new 2010 shape (more like a stubby, 21.5 waist), so I expect it will ride a lot differently. It easily weighs 2x the "bare metal" version. Should the td3 gaskets make that much of a difference? Like I said, TD2s on both (just like prior owner did with one of 'em) and broke both with a total of about 5 days between them. Maybe the lexan plates would make a difference, but for me it was such an expensive experiment that it's one I don't want to repeat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBrad Posted April 7, 2009 Report Share Posted April 7, 2009 If nothing changed in nose profile / decamber, the "old" plain metal Priors are supposed to be better then "new" ones, performance-wise. They were brought to the bare functional minimum to get max performance, just like real race stock board. That info even appeared on Prior's web site at the time of change to top sheeted version. That was not my experience. I demo'd a metal-top WCR 173 at SES08, and to me it felt rather dead and unresponsive. I now own a 2009 WCR metal 173 with the topsheet, and to me it feels livelier. Not as snappy as a Madd or 'glass Donek, but a good balance between dampness and responsiveness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discojuggernaut Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 Can someone explain the 'lexan plates' thing to me? (I just got a metal topsheet 2007 WCR and mounted my TD2's with the gasket. Haven't ridden it yet) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 Can someone explain the 'lexan plates' thing to me? <object width="660" height="525"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/SzvqE9ual-Q&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/SzvqE9ual-Q&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="660" height="525"></embed></object> or: http://catek.com/snowboard-binding-spacers.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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