# Ride Machete or Banana Skate?



## strawbender (Sep 2, 2010)

So heres the deal guys. Ive been riding an old Forum board for about 4 years now with some Burton mission bindings (cheap i know). Anyways im looking into getting a new board this year. Ive been shredding for about 6 years and get a seasons pass every year. I need a board that can do ANYTHING I ride lots of groomed lots of powder and i hit the park a fair amount too. Im fairly interested in the banana with the whole technology behind it. If you have any comments about tell me. Ive heard you either love it or you hate it. At the moment im actually leaning towards the machete just because it seems like a good overall board that I can take anywhere anytime. I probably wouldn't get this years model on any board.... im pretty low on cash so i would try and find a sale on last years. If anyone knows of another board that would fit my needs feel free to let me know. Other than that im looking into new bindings. Are the contrabands any good? or am i better off with a standard set of bindings. 

Thanks for all your help guys, its greatly appreciated


----------



## chupacabraman (Jul 30, 2009)

The Skate Banana is a bit softer. It's also more stable; the Machette is like a Krazy-Karpet. 
(that being said, the Skate Banana is not really a stable board, just more so than the Machette)


----------



## Zapatista (Jul 24, 2008)

I was pretty torn between these two as well. Chup, how can you say the machete is less stable when its a lil stiffer than the skate? From other reviews it appears the machete holds up very well, it's actually more all mountain than freestyle.


----------



## chupacabraman (Jul 30, 2009)

Zapatista said:


> I was pretty torn between these two as well. Chup, how can you say the machete is less stable when its a lil stiffer than the skate? From other reviews it appears the machete holds up very well, it's actually more all mountain than freestyle.


Just because a board is stiffer doesn't necessarily mean it's more stable (although usually that will help)
The Machete has pure camber, has no variable edge, and is narrow. Therefore less stable. It's mainly the BTX that helps the Banana in stability a bit.
I'm not trying to come off sounding like it's not a good board - it is a good board.
Most reviews may say it 'holds up well' in stability, but what are they comparing that to?
Have you ever actually rode one? It's a good board but definitely far from being stable.
Neither are stable.

I think the Machete would make a sick twin powder board - if only it were a little wider for my 10.5 ft.


----------



## sizzle (Aug 27, 2008)

chupacabraman said:


> The Machete has pure camber, has no variable edge, and is narrow. .



i could be wrong but im pretty sure the machete is mostly flat with a small amount of rocker at the tip and tail


----------



## chupacabraman (Jul 30, 2009)

sizzle said:


> i could be wrong but im pretty sure the machete is mostly flat with a small amount of rocker at the tip and tail


Yeah I think you are right, I guess I wasn't clear enough.


----------



## strawbender (Sep 2, 2010)

you could also get the wide version?


----------



## myschims (Jan 11, 2010)

I've ridden a skate banana and a ride kink (i was told there similar?)
I actually ended up getting the banana haha
i love the banana rocker and magna traction, rides amazing id definately recommend it


----------



## Brew&Shred (Feb 3, 2010)

snowboarder mag rated the machete best of the test. Best of Test 2011: #1 Ride Machete | Snowboarder Magazine


----------



## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Banana is less stable than lowrize...

The Machete actually makes a better all mountain as my park board than everything including the park board.

For that I would look more at the Parkstar, DH2, Rook, or an Evo.


----------



## strawbender (Sep 2, 2010)

I'm still really looking into the machete unless somone could tell me the advantages of it. I've never had a rocker board in my life so I'm a little hesitant on the banana


----------



## skip11 (Jan 28, 2010)

I think the rocker on the machete is around 4mm after the bindings and flat between the bindings. I owned a 2010 Machete and it doesn't seem too different than a regular cambered board.


----------



## sjaak (Sep 21, 2010)

I tested the machete 155 and the k2 parkstar 152 TODAY. I’m 5’9 / 148 / shoe 7.5. Before this I’ve only done cambered rentals.

The machete had something remarkable; when going slow it felt like rocker between the feet; I spinned it around effortlesly, keeping it flat on the ground. Jumps were good and very forgiving at landings (I only do small jumps though). Turning/carving was very nice although bit sketchy on icy patches, and I found it a bit slow edge to edge (maybe because of my small shoesize). The parkstar turned more agressively, but I did ride that one 3 cm’s shorter.

The speed was excellent and I did some boxes, hell the thing felt like an eal in a bucket of mucus! I wondered if they gave it a good wax just before I got it, but the guy who gave it to me said it came right out of the factory (he claimed that rides are already well waxed in the factory…)

I did no rails (haven’t begun learing that) and no highspeed, because I did this indoors.

@skip11: the differences with the many rented cambered boards I’ve ridden were:
-the lack of catching edges. That was great! So much more relaxed and confident.
-the weight. Wow, I could cary this board between thumb and index. And of course that makes jumps and tricks easier. Don’t know about the weight of nowadays quality cambered boards.
-turn initiation: needed to put less effort in it than with a cambered one.

I Hope all this is of any help…


----------

