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Choosing a snowboard...

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi guys. Hoping for some advice.

I'm currently riding a Burton Custom; it's been a good board but I've put a couple of gouges in it so I'm looking for a new board but I'm overwhelmed by the choice. I'm currently a Burton fanboy, but open to persuasion.

I love powder and being playful; I'm intending on practising buttering and ollies this year. Though I enjoy jumps, fast turns and groomers too. Bit of an all-rounder I guess. Heavy guy at 205 lbs, 5'11". Size 11 feet. Probably looking at a 161-163. I'd like decent stability; my board slid out from underneath me on ice a few years back and I buggered up my shoulder as a result.

Been tempted by the Burton Custom Flying V, but reviews are saying it chatters a little bit too much at speed which concerns me.

Any suggestions?!

Cheers,

Ryan
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I'm afraid I can't help too much as I don't know Burton products that well, however a mate of mine has an Antler (moved from a Rome Anthem) and he is very happy with it. The graphics are a bit marmite, but then I've also bought boards for their performance rather than graphics, but that's a personal thing

It wasn't cheap (£600 I think but could be wrong) - he does mainly groomers but likes to show off at the side of the pistes and do a few little jumps and the odd 180.

Where are you based? I've always found the guys at TSA really helpful in identifying the right board and if you go to the one in Milton Keynes (Ellis Brigham) then they often have test boards you can take out in the fridge.

Let us know how you get on
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Rydude, im a 'heavy guy' as you put it, 6'4, with size 11 boots, and a Free rider and ive been riding RIDE boards for a number of years now. I started like many people on a cheap Burton Clash i believe it was, and also had a Custom a number of years ago, but then picked up a RIDE Decade under the recomendation of a freind and never looked back.
Ive had 3 RIDE boards now and never had any issues, strong and sturdy with enough flex to support you when needed. I currently ride a 165 Bezerker on the monutain and love it. But still have a 164 Decade from abut 5 years ago that i use at scape and on dry slope.

Over the years i have tried many boards (Palmer Supermodel, Burton Clash,Dominont,Custom, Bullet, Option Supercharger (172 absolute beast)), and all though ive never really had any isses with any of them, i can happily recomend ride as a reliable brand/product.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
With size 11 boats, you should probably be looking at a Wide board. If you've got history on icy stuff, you might want to look at boards with Magne-traction. Gnu, Lib-Tec or Rossignol spring to mind.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:

my board slid out from underneath me on ice a few years back


That wasn't the boards fault... wink

If you want a board which is very stable at speed, then ideally you want something with a traditional camber. For playing around with butters and stuff, a rockered board is better (although you can still butter on a cambered board, no worries).

Ideally for an all rounder I'd want camber between the feet for grip and stability and a rockered tip/tail for float and presses.

I was a big Burton fan (still am) but I'm not very familiar with the line-up these days. Custom was always a little soft, hence maybe some of the comments regarding chatter, but to be honest, chatter at speed is 90% rider, 10% board.

For something similar, you could also look at the Amplid Paradigma - http://www.amplid.com/snowboards/paradigma

Similar camber concept to the flying V (a bit less rocker in the centre) and maybe a little stiffer than a Custom. My wife has this board and I have the UNW8 (identical shape, different camber & stiffness). I switched to the Paradigma for the last of 4 weeks of instructor exams at the end of last season (it was a teaching exam after 3 weeks of personal performance and I was looking to chill out a bit) and I was really impressed. A great all-rounder.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I've been on a Capita board since this time last year and can heartily recommend it. Given I'm a girl and it's a bird board the specifics aren't much use but FWIW it's a '14 Birds of a Feather, which they class as an all terrain freestyle - guess the guys equivalent is the BSOD or something. It honestly does everything - you can play around on it in the fridge and on the mountain but it's solid as anything at speed and only squirrels around cause I ride mountains with cowardice.

Their mens board grapics are a bit teenage boy 2000s crappy desktop but it's worth a looksee.
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Right as the gloves are off regarding Burton, I'll add my bit..........

Bataloen 'The Jam' is what you need - stiff enough to go fast and keep traction on ice (and TBT) but with enough pop to do an Ollie with some weight behind you (which it sounds like you have)

I have a Jam 161W, I'm 6ft 1, 230 lbs (yes fat Fitzwilliam) and size 11

Richard_Sideways wrote:
With size 11 boats, you should probably be looking at a Wide board.


I don't disagree (see above), however be careful - wide means different things to different brands. I have a K2 Union 163 (from memory) wide and it was like turning an oil tanker - would never buy another one. It now sits on my wall as the one I couldn't tame.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Sounds like a custom x is what you're looking for.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
My main board has been Burton Custom for years. I have tried the hybrid boards, such as Burton Process flying V, but they do not feel stable at high speeds so I stick mostly to conventional camber boards. The Burton Custom X is like the Custom but better. However, neither the Custom and Custom X are good in powder. A super all around Burton board that's also great in powder is the Burton Skeleton Key. I use the following reference table to compare boards:
https://thegoodride.com/snowboard-reviews/burton-skeleton-key-2017-2019-snowboard-review/

Good luck selecting your next board!!!
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
For stability, carving and and pop (Ollie's) a stiff camber board. For playfulness something flexible and reverse camber/rocker makes more sense. For powder asymmetric and rockered nose.

The problem is no board "does it all", hence the reason people like a quiver. I'd look at getting one board now that meets some of your needs well, then another board in the future (or cheap eBay board) to fill in the gaps

Unless you are going to Japan I would probably not worry about powder too much. The majority of your days are not going to be powder days. For those huge powder days maybe rent a specific powder board. Otherwise just move the bindings back and weight your back foot a little more.

I'm sure the people that have replied so we'll are completely honest and well meaning. But unless they've road 20+ boards they don't really know how good/bad the board they have is. There are certainly boards I like, but I can't recommend them in good faith as I simply haven't tried all the similar boards available on the market. Best bet is to demo before buying to see if the board suits you.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Rossi XV
But this thread is 4yrs old
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@johngs, Welcome to Snowheads! It's a good idea to check the date at the right hand side of a post before accidentally resurrecting old ones. Although I actually found it informative. Smile
I'd quite like to give boarding a go this season which is why I picked up on this thread. Although it seems to be for intermediates rather than a total virgin.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@HotDogger, you should learn. I used to ski and then boarded for almost 30 years. I'm now skiing and boarding pretty much 50/50 and it gives the best of all options.

If it's an icy morning, I want two edges and will go piste hooning. If it's soft and fluffy, I'm off the sides or further afield and will be on a board.

With regard to board choice, no one board will do everything, just the same as no one ski design does it all. Anything that claims to do everything, normally will do it all, but do everything badly.

I have two boards (both Burton ICS), a 159 Vapor and a 161 Barracuda. The Vapor is heavily cambered, as stiff as a kitchen table (like a Custom X) and seems to have no speed limit on fast pistes. I've clocked over 100kmh on it many times. It carves like kitchen knife, grips well on icy piste stretches (but really, just point down and sort things out once you pass the ice) but is pants in powder. The Barracuda is the opposite. It's a mildly rockered board, is harder to carve and gets nervous when pressing on. But, on powder, it feels like a SUP... big, floaty and fun.

I've got powder skis (Volkls) but every time I've used them, I've wished I was on my Barracuda. Although my Vapor is a work of art and very rare, I find myself using it less on piste days and my piste skis (Salomon XCool more.

If you think you can't stretch to two boards, have a look on eBay for the second board.
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Mr.Egg wrote:
Rossi XV
But this thread is 4yrs old


Just bought one. A bit too hard to pass up on with a 50% discount end of season sale on the 2019 model. Got the 168W. Won't get to use it until I go to Europe in January, but looking forward to it.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@bar shaker,
Thanks for the info. I actually have an old, old board and boots someone gave me - K2 Dart. Gonna give it a whirl over at our local field in Allenheads, Northumberland this winter. There's usually a couple of boarders on hand to give tips and a "season" pass is pennies. Witnessed a guy do it last year, he got the basics in a day. It looked pretty torturous to start with but he was soon having a laugh.
I've always been put off learning on holiday cos I know I how much I spent just to get there. I'm off to the BB in Feb so I could a lesson there. Smile
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
[quote="hang11"]
Mr.Egg wrote:
Rossi XV

Just bought one. A bit too hard to pass up on with a 50% discount end of season sale on the 2019 model. Got the 168W. Won't get to use it until I go to Europe in January, but looking forward to it.


If you love powder and charging hard, you'll love the Rossi XV. Cuts through crud and chopped up stuff as well like no board I've ridden before because, lets face it, it's not all wide open, untouched faces and bowls. Enjoy it, you definitely spent that money on a good choice.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Nice to hear - mine just got delivered by the courier.

Last day of the season here in NZ on Sunday, but it's due to snow heavily for the next couple of days, so should get to try it out in some fresh on Saturday.
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