# Using a freestyle snowboard as an All-Mountain board??



## Guest (Mar 25, 2008)

Hey guys,

I am looking to buy a snowboard soon. I would really like to get an All-mountain board, but they have a whole bunch of freestyle boards at my local store (many more than all-mountain)

My question is: Is it ok to use a freestyle board as an All-Mountain board? What are the downsides?

One board I am looking at is the SIMS Nexus..how is that one?


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## Minger (Jan 24, 2008)

They might be too soft/give out too early on you for all mountain. But I guess with everything, if you learn to ride it, they'll work. Just don't get anything too soft...

No idea on the nexus though.


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## sedition (Feb 8, 2007)

I've gone through three decks this season. I started with a proper all-mountain deck. But, I also wanted a freestyle deck, so I got one. It wasn't as soft as I was expecting, but it was so much fun I sold my proper all-mountain deck, and started using my new "freestyle" deck also as an all-mountain. The problem was, I still didn't have the soft, buttery freestyle deck that I had orgionally wanted. So then I bought a Rome Graft. It was *just* what I wanted. But there was a problem. It was *too much fun*. I started taking it out, not only as my park-ride, but also as my "all-mountain"deck. This started happening more and more, until it was all I was riding. Even on double-blacks. My friend has a Burton Custom. We traded decks for a few runs. He was HORRIFED at how soft my board was, couldn't handle at speed, and was like "How the hell do you bomb hills on that thing?"

Moral of the story: works for some people, not for others.


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2008)

i have an all mountain older k2 fuse i picked up as a budget deck. i'd prefer more of a twin, so i'm thinking about picking up the rome slash this off season. point is, different freestyle decks have different tendencies. the slash is a little more of a mountain board than the graft sedition is talking about. take a look at romes site just to get a feel for the different combinations you can find in a board. they have a pretty good visual set up.

Rome Boards | Rome Snowboard Design Syndicate 2008


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks for the replies guys.

Anyone have any opinions about that SIMS nexus, or about SIMS in general?


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2008)

i haven't heard too much. only experience with sims is a pair of binders i was looking at picking up. i was not impressed with the overall build and design quality. i don't have any experience with their boards though. check out the rome manual. it's a budget board, but rome makes amazing stuff (check out their board tech page). they have incredible customer support, and you might be able to pick one up on sale.


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## Dave Legacy (Mar 9, 2008)

I don't have experience with this topic, but I've noticed that some "Freestyle" boards are almost identical in dimensions as "All-Mountain" boards. However, as others have said, flexibility seems to be the biggest difference.


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2008)

I have a directional freestyle board that i use for everything. I personally like radial sidecut to.


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2008)

Snowolf said:


> A freestyle deck will handle all mountain riding just fine with just some limitaions. If it is a really soft street deck, it will chatter and become very unstable at high speeds if the runs are at all bumpy or tracked out. If you want a freestyle deck that also will handle decently all mountian, the key is the stiffness rating. A mis stiff deck is going to be the ticket. Something like the Atomic Hatcet or the Rome Agent are really ideal boards for this "multi tasking" a noodle like a Ride Kink or the Rome Machine will have more limitations to their all mountain capabilities. The key is stifness.


Thanks for the tips. What is a "mis stiff deck"? Where can I find the stiffness rating, what is a good one, and what is the range of the stiffness scale? Thanks. Have you had much experience with SIMS?


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## schmitty34 (Dec 28, 2007)

I have no experience with Sims, but from I gather, most of their products are budget type stuff you'd see at big sproting goods chains (i.e. Sport Authority). I could be wrong, but that's all I've seen. 

Unless you are getting a crazy deal at this shop, I'd look online for deals as well. You will have a wider selection and may get a better board for a similar price. Check sierrasnowboards.com and buysnow.com for starters.

As for freestyle boards, Snowolf hit it on the head...some freestyle boards are really soft (park boards) and some still have some decent stiffness. I ride a board labled as a freestyle board (GNU 11up) but it isn't too soft and handles freeride pretty well. You probably won't find a stiffness rating on many boards, you just have to feel them when at the shop, or find some reviews or forums that can help you get an idea. However, some discriptions of the boards on websites might help.


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## sedition (Feb 8, 2007)

Snowolf said:


> A freestyle deck will handle all mountain riding just fine with just some limitaions. If it is a really soft street deck, it will chatter and become very unstable at high speeds if the runs are at all bumpy or tracked out.


I concur. 

There is no question that my deck gets a little...well, shaky, under some conditions / speed. I've had a few nasty wrecks becuase of it. My proper all-mountain decks were much better at speed and in rough conditions. But, it's a compromise I am comfortable making and living with (for now). If you can, demo a number of different boards. Take them EVERYWHERE. Take park boards dow blacks. Take apline boards in the park, etc. By doing this you'll get to see how different things ride under different conditions. From there, you can start to figure out what *YOU* are comfotbale with, and what your having the most fun with.


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2008)

ahrenba said:


> Thanks for the tips. What is a "mis stiff deck"? Where can I find the stiffness rating, what is a good one, and what is the range of the stiffness scale? Thanks. Have you had much experience with SIMS?


i think he meant "*mid* stiff deck"


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## lorcar (Jan 31, 2010)

I found this old post. I made my mind for the Nitro Team 159 as my first board, an all-mountain/all terrain board.
Then I went for a last check on their website, and it says it is a FREESTYLE board "THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE TEAM SERIES WAS TO BUILD A LIGHTWEIGHT DO IT ALL FREESTYLE BOARD THAT CAN HANDLE ANY CONDITION YOU THROW AT IT"
So, should I change my choice or not?


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## Veccster (Dec 31, 2007)

lorcar said:


> I found this old post. I made my mind for the Nitro Team 159 as my first board, an all-mountain/all terrain board.
> Then I went for a last check on their website, and it says it is a FREESTYLE board "THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE TEAM SERIES WAS TO BUILD A LIGHTWEIGHT DO IT ALL FREESTYLE BOARD THAT CAN HANDLE ANY CONDITION YOU THROW AT IT"
> So, should I change my choice or not?


I am seeking the same as you...an all-mountain board that I can play with in the park. I read that line on the Team series and added it to my "research" list. It is freestyle but can still handle any other condition you "throw at it". I'm interested to hear other opinions on this board.

Any other decks make the finals in your research?


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## lorcar (Jan 31, 2010)

sure, as I wrote in another thread: I started with the Burton Custom in mind, then the more you read the farther you go from burton -) ), nitro team, k2 podium, ke turbodream, rossignol angus, ride machete. But you should make it clear if you want regular traditional camber or not (I said no, so Nitro Team Gullwing didnt make the list). At the same time, nitro team is much more easy to buy where I live, whereas the K2 is not.


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