NW Slushbuster specs/suggestions?

[Dan]

Hey all, just noodling about the perfect quiver-killer for Pac NW spring conditions, and wanted to get some input.

Today I went up and rode six inches of heavy, wet fresh snow on top of anything from ice, bumps, or slush. (It was a lot of fun on the runs with consistent consistency.)

Tomorrow I'm expecting another inch or two on top of today's tracked-out crud.

Pretty normal spring conditions for here, and I don't really have anything that seems quite right for it. My Arbor Munoz 162 (freeride shape, not alpine shape) is the closest thing, but it doesn't float powder as well as I'd like, and the sidecut feels tight for groomers - I think it's around 10 meters or so.

So, I'm thinking that my perfect spring board for Mt. Hood would be a custom Incline shape in a 170 or 172 length and about a 12 meter sidecut. (I'm not married to Donek, it's just the maker that seems to have the closest stock board to what I have in mind.)

Thoughts, comments, rants?

[Dan]

Thanks Ralann. I should clarify that a spring day with fresh snow for me includes a fair amount of off-piste riding, some of it fairly steep (Jack's Woods in particular for those of you who know Meadows). For that reason, I don't think a pure alpine board is the right direction for me. Don't get me wrong: I dig riding alpine on trail even when it gets a little soft, but muscling a longish alpine board through the trees is a little daunting.

[Skwalleur]

For conditions like that, I go with the F2 Lancelot. Soft fat nose that'll eat up anything, stiff swallowtail to go off piste, and riding characteristics from the F2 Eliminator BX freecarver.

[Mike T]

I'll continue to recommend something similar to mine which I nicknamed "Slushbuster" long ago - a Coiler AM / Donek Axxess / Prior 4x4 type board with a bigger sidecut. PNW spring slush makes for overturning, the biggest sidecut radius balances out the effect, I still turn it pretty darn tight in slush. My 182 Coiler AM 12.7 is fantastic for carving slush-over-groomed and riding off-piste above the trees. It's a bit much to turn in the trees. Going to a 172 with a similar sidecut would probably do the trick - I'll find out next season :) If you go with the ~21.5 waists they do fine in most PNW powder IMHO.

Dan, if we can hook up this season either here or there you are welcome to try my Axis 172 and Incline 168. Both are pretty beat up but it will give you the idea... just imgaine a bigger scr.

[Jack M]

Sounds good. Longer sidecuts are good for *not* carving as well as carving. Less sidecut *depth* makes the board more maneuverable - it doesn't always want to hook into a turn.

[Dan]

I'll continue to recommend something similar to mine which I nicknamed "Slushbuster" long ago - a Coiler AM / Donek Axxess / Prior 4x4 type board with a bigger sidecut. PNW spring slush makes for overturning, the biggest sidecut radius balances out the effect, I still turn it pretty darn tight in slush. My 182 Coiler AM 12.7 is fantastic for carving slush-over-groomed and riding off-piste above the trees. It's a bit much to turn in the trees. Going to a 172 with a similar sidecut would probably do the trick - I'll find out next season :) If you go with the ~21.5 waists they do fine in most PNW powder IMHO.

Dan, if we can hook up this season either here or there you are welcome to try my Axis 172 and Incline 168. Both are pretty beat up but it will give you the idea... just imgaine a bigger scr.

Thanks Mike, I know you've talked about your Slushbuster before...what are the specs like? Is it the same width as an Axxess? I'm actually imagining something even wider - from your experience with the Slushbuster, what do you think about that?

In fact, come to think of it, the Prior ATV looks pretty close to what I'm imagining - does anyone have experience with that board in the longer lengths?

[Mike T]

Thanks Mike, I know you've talked about your Slushbuster before...what are the specs like? Is it the same width as an Axxess? I'm actually imagining something even wider - from your experience with the Slushbuster, what do you think about that?

In fact, come to think of it, the Prior ATV looks pretty close to what I'm imagining - does anyone have experience with that board in the longer lengths?

My current one:

Coiler

182 cm length

157 cm effective edge

12.7 sidecut

19.5 waist

This one was designed for two things: carving fresh-over-groomed, and carving slush-over-groomed. It also excels at off-psite windpack and mashed potatoes. It's not good in "deep and light" and it's not good in trees; too long and stiff for both.

My next one:

Coiler

172 cm length

148 effective edge

12 sidecut

21.5 waist

plus one other 'secret' mod (Hint: Joel P has the original, Bruce suggested it for me as well)

This is a replacement for my Axis (Axxess) 172 which is as I stated before pretty beat up due to lots of use. It's my rock board now.

On this project I chose to go Coiler instead of Donek for two reasons:

-Shape mods are cheaper that way

-The softer-waisted Coiler flex pattern has a more surfy feel than the Axxess which I wanted for this particular board

No slight at all on the Axxess... just wanted something different this time.

I plan to keep both decks in my quiver. The 182 is used for "sloppy snow carving" (<= 4" fresh, lost of afternoons) and the 172 will come out when it dumps.

As far as width goes... I find 21.5 is plenty wide. YMMV of course.

[Dr D]

garage 173 with an extra layer of carbon for stiffness.

Its got one of those geometrically complex sidecuts. Its not a straight radius more like an elipse maybe but it would handle like a 12-13 scr board. waist is 24

it carves like a demon and cuts through all the crap. If you have the legs it'll do it. I have had mine laid out on the downhill run at Bigmountain and then dropped into hellroaring basin on the same day. It handles like an alpine board but has a full tail and good maneuverability in the trees. Its wide so float and big feet are not a problem. Its a big man's board but the build comes with options so you can customize. I can put you in touch with John if you want one. there is a little wait but the price is very reasonable currently. I am not sure what his pricing is now but last year when I bought mine it was half of some of the customs out there.

[RJ-PS]

I'd go with a stock Rad-Air Tanker. Sounds like the 172 is the way to go.

[slopetool]

Hi Dan, I recommend you find a silver saucer and spray it with Clark Griswold's cooking spray. Its a fast ride, man!

Get the Tanker. Longer the better. Widen your stance and lower the angles just a bit.

One of my best boards for slush (back in the day) was a K2 gyrator 166.

Okay, too much info there. sorry.

Ed

[Dave*]

I am having a ton of fun this spring on three different prior decks

The old 25 cm wide bx with squarish taill

the stock 179 4x4

the new custom stiffened 171 ATV, it simply rocked today

Dave*

[svr]

I agree with RJ and Ed (slopetool). The Tanker is a great board for crud busting. Attached pics are me and my friend Eric riding great spring snow in Austria and Switzerland two weeks ago on 06-07 Tankers.

[BlueB]

I rode on real spring slush today, which turned really bumpy after lunch.

Got 3 boards out there, just to compare the performance: Cocoon 158, Generics 170 and Hooger Booger 168.

Cocoon is narrow (19.3 waist) and somewhat soft, and turny with about 11m (but progressive) scr. Flexes nicely over everything and its fun in the bumps. Can stall due to flex/narrownes and abrupt nose curve.

Generics is 19.7 at the waist, stiff and 12.2m scr. Way faster than other 2 boards and powers trough anything. Ok on less steep bumps, terible on steep ones. Floats ok as it has decent nose. Doesn't stall. Sometimes washes out in very soft stuff - too stif I guess.

And the winner is: Hooger Booger!

20.8 waist, 11.2 scr, soft flex, quite a bit of taper and cool pointy nose. Not too stiff torsionaly, either. Not quite as fast as Generics, but floatier. Flexes nicely over everything. Doesn't stall (good nose). Good on bumps, ok on steep ones. Carves trough slush without wash out! It just requires a bit surfier technique (but that's generally good in slush). It's even fun to catch some air on it - forgiving enough on landing. One draw-back: do not overload the nose on this one, even balanced stance is required! Doesn't like mah speeds, either.

Boris

[Mike T]

Yesterday was a true Slushbuster day at Bachelor. Summit was already corned up when it opened at about 8:20. I did several runs off the steepest part of The Cirque. I did find that my 182 needed to be jump-turned in places where a shorter stick (e.g., Axis 172) would not require it, if I wanted to control my speed; and the slush was bottomless so I didn't want to auger in going too fast

Although I would probably still prefer my 182 on something like Twilight, Memorial, Pluto, or Moon bowl on Lower Heather.

If I were to go Tanker I suspect I'd go longer, especially if my impression sof their flex based on hand-flexing them (softer than all-mtn alpine) are accurate.