# Hovercraft-size...powder boards longer or shorter?



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

it floats but it doesn't ride like anything that long - how much do you weigh and where do you ride?


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## JVee (Sep 8, 2009)

ShredLife said:


> it floats but it doesn't ride like anything that long - how much do you weigh and where do you ride?


92kgs (200lbs), 5'11, Japan:laugh:


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

i'd say you're kind of on the line and could ride either. 

if you were riding lots of steep stuff i'd say just get the 156 but most of the japan stuff i've seen looks on the flatter side, so you might want the 160 for some more speed/float on the low angle stuff... the hovercraft is a bit on the slow side. 

if i were you i'd probably go for the 156, because i personally like to ride shorter boards as long as they stay up. i'm 150# and could probably ride this board in a 152 if they made it (155 Heritage is my all-around)


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## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

I am 175-180 and 6 ft tall. The 156 is perfect for me. Just cannot comment on the Japan issue. Oh yeah, I was riding some deep pow today and decided to ditch the Hovercraft for my new Yes Pick Your Line. The Yes board was very good in the Pow, but it was no Hovercraft. My back leg fatiqued and it never does with the Hovercraft. Great board choice.


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## Angler (Nov 28, 2010)

ShredLife said:


> i'd say you're kind of on the line and could ride either.
> 
> if you were riding lots of steep stuff i'd say just get the 156 but most of the japan stuff i've seen looks on the flatter side, so you might want the 160 for some more speed/float on the low angle stuff... the hovercraft is a bit on the slow side.
> 
> if i were you i'd probably go for the 156, because i personally like to ride shorter boards as long as they stay up. i'm 150# and could probably ride this board in a 152 if they made it (155 Heritage is my all-around)


They do make the hover in a 152 I own one and it rocks.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

Angler said:


> They do make the hover in a 152 I own one and it rocks.


i didn't know that... mine is a splitboard tho, those don't come that short.

edit: nevermind - i am wrong, the split comes in a 152 too (at least this year it does) - i got mine on clearance last year and it was just 156/160.


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## tekniq33 (Mar 18, 2009)

From what I have seen in Japan there is a lot of riding to be done in the trees. A 156 would be great for that. 

Biggest question should be what do you normally ride? If you are typically on a 160, the 156 Hover will have a ton more float than a regular 160 board. if you are riding decks that are 165ish youll probably want a 160.


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## Angler (Nov 28, 2010)

ShredLife said:


> i didn't know that... mine is a splitboard tho, those don't come that short.
> 
> edit: nevermind - i am wrong, the split comes in a 152 too (at least this year it does) - i got mine on clearance last year and it was just 156/160.


I demo the 156 last year liked it but live in the east and wanted a smaller board for the right trees around here. Since I weigh 150lb the 152 workes great in this environment. It still blows me away how a pow board can be so great on hard pack as well.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Watch those hovercrafts, the inserts are forward of the centre of sidecut radius. Unless you would set up a twin forward of centre Im not sure why anybody would want that on a powder board. Its a design flaw in my opinion.

As for riding like a bigger board, they dont have the effective edge of a longer board and the only way you can increase the surface area of the board is by width. So when you cut through all the hype its just a wide board.

You have to consider if you want something that will hold a good edge on the hardpack, a board with full rocker forward of the bindings is never going to be as good as one with camber out in front like mine does, then add the long powder nose and the board is getting long, theres nothing you can do about it.
If you value the performance on hardpack as much as you do in the powder you find yourself needing a longer board. If you are prepared to have a rocker board from the front foot forward you can basically start the rocker nose profile a lot earlier and end up with a shorter board like the hovercraft. But I still dont know why the inserts are forward of centre? Id love someone to explain that one.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

FWIW I recently bought a 180 birdman and it applies the same theory as I did with my board. Its a normal board with an extended nose, you dont lose out on normal riding performance to have the powder nose. Its the best of both worlds if you can handle the length, for me its no problem at all.


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## JVee (Sep 8, 2009)

ETM said:


> FWIW I recently bought a 180 birdman and it applies the same theory as I did with my board. Its a normal board with an extended nose, you dont lose out on normal riding performance to have the powder nose. Its the best of both worlds if you can handle the length, for me its no problem at all.


Now you have me thinking ETM! I'm headed to Myoko Feb 15. You are likely to still be testing your designs at that time. Im currently riding an Arbor Roundhouse 162 but very keen to get on a pow deck for my trip. Gentem's are just too expensive. Beautiful boards; hats off to Taro Tamai, but I can't shell $1500 at this stage.

Bloody snowboarding...gets us all too involved!
Cheers


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

If you dont mind a big board the 180 birdman is sick, also comes in a 170, and 160 but the 160 would be too much of a compromise IMO but probably better than a hovercraft I guess.
Other than that look at prior spearhead, fissile and khyber or burton cheetah (only 159 though)


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## Supra (Jan 11, 2012)

short boards are awesome jvee!

I ride a 152 con artist and it's great. Hovercrafts are good too. They ride hardpack and gnar just like a regular board. It's got a sick profile.

I've even used a 150 nug in the deep stuff no problem. 

Whether to get a 56 or a 60 hover, for your weight, I'd be leaning towards the 60. It will handle like your arbor but give you crazy float.

oh, I've got a 160 fish that's just lying around if you're interested.


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## TorpedoVegas (Dec 25, 2011)

It's pretty obvious ETM has never ridden a Hovercraft because his theories about them are completely wrong. I have one and it feels like a full camber board on the hardpack, it holds an edge on ice and floats great in the powder, it's also very fast on the groomers. I'd rather have a 156 in a steep chute or in the trees than a 180 any day. Don't get me wrong, I'm also a fan of the LibTech Birdman, but the Hovercraft is a little more versatile in my books. I've ridden it on a groomer/hard pack day and I've ridden it in waist deep powder and it's great for both.


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## Tackle (Nov 18, 2012)

Sorry for the Ot; I ride a 164 arbor abacus and I'm 6'4 and 260 lbs; i want to try some powder rocker I was looking for a 166 epic signal but doesn't existe or a flagship 168 or 163 W. do you have suggestion for powder rocker board under 170???? The hovercraft 160 is to short for me??


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## blunted_nose (Apr 26, 2012)

Supra said:


> short boards are awesome jvee!
> 
> I ride a 152 con artist and it's great. Hovercrafts are good too. They ride hardpack and gnar just like a regular board. It's got a sick profile.
> 
> ...


What would you want for the 160 fish? i got a lobster.... freestyle.... in 157.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

TorpedoVegas said:


> It's pretty obvious ETM has never ridden a Hovercraft because his theories about them are completely wrong. .


Nobody is right or wrong, its what you prefer. For me a board with no camber in front of my foot will never hold an edge as much as I like. 
You got any theories on the inserts being forward of centre?


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## TorpedoVegas (Dec 25, 2011)

If you look at a Hovercraft you'll see that there is camber about 6 inches past your front foot, and the inserts are pretty much dead center on the camber portion which really is your effective edge. I don't understand how you think the inserts are forward of center. Ride one and you'll see it's basically a camber board with a big rockered nose. I like how much camber is past your feet because it actually makes the board feel like a camber deck and not a hybrid profile.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

TorpedoVegas said:


> I don't understand how you think the inserts are forward of center.


A picture tells a thousand words I guess.


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## Supra (Jan 11, 2012)

i know for a fact that the hovercraft can rip the hardpack like a cambered board...because it is one. Check out jeremy jones on Kaerazu at the beginning of Further.

In fact, the hovercraft has an interesting shape. It's totally what I expected the flagship to be (which was in fact flatter).


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Its definately an interesting shape, I love it to be honest. Ive said before if they made it in a size that suited me I would definately own one, but I would be drilling new inserts into it to get me to at least centre of sidecut radius. Then the board would suit me a lot more.
I dont know why people take this personally, Im sure if you get out your tape measure you will see that its forward of centre.


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## Supra (Jan 11, 2012)

you mean forward of the center of the cambered section?


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## TorpedoVegas (Dec 25, 2011)

That would be great if that photo actually showed what a Hovercraft looks like. This is how the inserts are spaced on my board. I think you're a victim of someones photoshop edit for a catalog or something. Once again... it's obvious you've never ridden one


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## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

TorpedoVegas said:


> That would be great if that photo actually showed what a Hovercraft looks like. This is how the inserts are spaced on my board. I think you're a victim of someones photoshop edit for a catalog or something. Once again... it's obvious you've never ridden one
> 
> FOR GOD SAKES TORPEDO, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HIM TAKING A DRILLBIT TO HIS NEW HOVERCRAFT


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

ARSENALFAN said:


> FOR GOD SAKES TORPEDO, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HIM TAKING A DRILLBIT TO HIS NEW HOVERCRAFT


LOL it wouldnt bother me a bit, I drill holes, cut bits off I dont care as long as I end up with the board how I like it.

That pic looks a lot better, sadly the ones Ive seen have had the inserts forward and the owners have complained of not being able to get back far enough.
Im thinking they must have changed where the inserts are looking at that second pic.

FWIW im not too proud to be proven wrong.


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## Supra (Jan 11, 2012)

well, Jones' quality can be downright horrible so I have no doubt you actually saw those misplaced inserts


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## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

Supra said:


> well, Jones' quality can be downright horrible so I have no doubt you actually saw those misplaced inserts


The boards are not made in Africa anymore. They are made in Austria. I don't believe quality is a problem anymore.:dunno:


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## Supra (Jan 11, 2012)

you can't say that until the season is over and there were less warranty claims. and at this point there have already been lots of issues with 2013 stuff. It's mostly the splits though. but didn't the tail fall off yours or torpedo's?


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## TorpedoVegas (Dec 25, 2011)

Yeah the metal piece on the tail basically came off mine, but they gave me a brand new board so that was alright. The new board seems to be holding together so far. I heard a lot of stories about inserts in the wrong place last year, and other manufacturing issues. This year I haven't heard much other than my own warranty story, and it wouldn't stop me from buying another Jones board.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

One guy bought a new board and the inserts didnt have any thread in them :laugh:


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## RichnNorcal (Dec 5, 2011)

FWIW, I've been riding a HC for 2 year now & loving it! Since, pretty much thats I all ride now. I'm a few years shy of 50. I'm 5'7" 150lbs, I've ridden pow boards that are 164cm long, they're great in pow but suck in the trees. That is where the HC kills it! I have the 156 and it can float like styrafoam in 3-4ft of pow and turn on a dime in trees. I ordered mine from Salty Peaks board shop in Utah, they're an awesome small shop with a great selection of pow boards. Give'em a call, they have an 800 toll free number, very knowlegeable and friendly!


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## walove (May 1, 2009)

Etm you should do a birdman review after a couple of days on it. Its a skatebanana with a extra foot of nose. The nose doesn't touch the snow so it should ride groomers like a fun freestyle board. Switch too. I am very interested. I have a 165 snowmullet which is the best board I've every rode. With rocker between the feet it pivots from the middle in pow making it more nimble than shorter cambered boards. Switch pow butters for days. Then cranks turns and pops ollies on the firm. Its funny that tapered boards get a bad for groomer rap, where I think they rip groomers. I'm sure that the hover keeps the nose out of the snow, but in 3D snow that tail helps out when you lean back coming out of the turn, a longer pow board gives a more surfy feel, short board is more slashy.


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## Supra (Jan 11, 2012)

My nug has a surfy feel in deep pow


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

ETM said:


> Watch those hovercrafts, the inserts are forward of the centre of sidecut radius. Unless you would set up a twin forward of centre Im not sure why anybody would want that on a powder board. Its a design flaw in my opinion.
> 
> As for riding like a bigger board, they dont have the effective edge of a longer board and the only way you can increase the surface area of the board is by width. So when you cut through all the hype its just a wide board.
> 
> ...



No. I don't agree with you.

HC holds a carve almost as well as my cambered Arbor A-Frame. And that thing can carve ice if you want to. Besides you will need it just to cut the groomer to your next pow stash or lift. You ride a pow board on powder days right?

The nose floats on flat, I can't manage to get stuck with that board, and when all is done and slashed the bigger flexy nose smashes the slashed snow like an icebreaker. you don't even notice it even with tired legs.

I don't know why they placed the inserts where they did..ask Jeremy? I'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing..All I know is that rides like a dream.

Absolutely love the HC. Got it used from this forum... best deal ever.


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## RockSteady (Jan 14, 2013)

I'd personally roll with the 160 for your size, your a lot bigger than Jeremy so it would make sense that you ride a bigger board. A 160 in pow is so easy to throw around still and you won't have to worry about float with the bigger size.


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