# input on best board for bombing runs



## Death (Oct 21, 2010)

This should be moved to the 'boards' section.

I would recommend the 2011 Capita Black Snowboard of Death, a great charging board that is not only limited to bombing, would be good off jumps and in the pipe. It won't be the overall fastest board or the stiffest but you need a bit of versatility, it's also a little bit pricey.


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## TLN (Sep 7, 2010)

w0318 said:


> hi there, i have a buddy who is toying with the idea to change his board. he is looking for the *lightest stiffest, and fastest* board so he can bomb his runs even faster.
> 
> He has research thoroughly but I am just see if you guys have some first hand experience.
> 
> ...


may be kessler board with catek fr2? or even with td2 and 4x4 plates? That'd be ultimate setup. 

If choose from what you listed, i'd go with Raptor (X for me). 
BTW. Look at Elan Vertigo. It got 1 titanal layer,(kessler BX board got two) and it it's stiff and light. and it feel very very solid. I gonna get this one, if local shop bring it here for a reasonable price.


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## w0318 (Jan 21, 2010)

thanks guys, i realized it was in the wrong section but i reported myself to get it moved.

Hopefully the mods will move it in the right section.

yes my buddy has Caitek bindings currently. will check out the suggestions. 
those bordercross boards are serious stuff and not as versatile.


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## TLN (Sep 7, 2010)

w0318 said:


> thanks guys, i realized it was in the wrong section but i reported myself to get it moved.
> 
> Hopefully the mods will move it in the right section.
> 
> ...


well, if he got catek, i think he knows better what to get =) 
i'd stay on pure BX board. of freeride model from kessler. (or oxess)
imho: raptor X < vertigo < kessler


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## w0318 (Jan 21, 2010)

thanks TLN. naturally the BX board is the best fit but i guess hes curious if freeride boards offer similiar performance.

wow Raptor is having great feedback on its initial release year! i am a fellow EVO owner


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Sorry to bring this back from the dead. I'm seriously considering getting a Kessler Ride to replace my Burton T7. Has anybody had actual experience on a Kessler? Obviously I want to think it through before dropping $1300 on the plank alone (and my C60 EST bindings would be useless unless I made a plate to attach them to the standard holes...).

Thanks in advance,
Aaron


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Arbor A-Frame?


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## lonerider (Apr 10, 2009)

poutanen said:


> Sorry to bring this back from the dead. I'm seriously considering getting a Kessler Ride to replace my Burton T7. Has anybody had actual experience on a Kessler? Obviously I want to think it through before dropping $1300 on the plank alone (and my C60 EST bindings would be useless unless I made a plate to attach them to the standard holes...).
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Aaron


I've ridden a Kessler alpine board with plate binding... that thing is a serious speed machine, it is FAST, it is DAMP, it has ridiculous edgehold - try asking on BOL as a bunch of people there have them. The last three Olympic gold and silver medalists were on Kesslers. 

Does Kessler even make boards for softbooters? oh I guess the BX model (I would definitely call them up and talk to them before making any purchases). Sorry Kirkrider, the A-Frame is a fine board... but it is steak knife compared to the katana-like Kesslers. I hope that analogy make sense... steak knives are useful and used by a lot of people... where as a katana is an zenith of craftsmanship... but not very useful if all you want to do is eat steak


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

lonerider said:


> I've ridden a Kessler alpine board with plate binding... that thing is a serious speed machine, it is FAST, it is DAMP, it has ridiculous edgehold - try asking on BOL as a bunch of people there have them. The last three Olympic gold and silver medalists were on Kesslers.
> 
> Does Kessler even make boards for softbooters? oh I guess the BX model (I would definitely call them up and talk to them before making any purchases). Sorry Kirkrider, the A-Frame is a fine board... but it is steak knife compared to the katana-like Kesslers. I hope that analogy make sense... steak knives are useful and used by a lot of people... where as a katana is an zenith of craftsmanship... but not very useful if all you want to do is eat steak


Yeah they started making something called The Ride this year. Designed to be a free-ride board with the same tech as the BX and alpine boards. They're not cheap, at $1300, but I get a lot of use out of my boards and can justify the money.

Kessler Ride: Although not listed on that page because they're sold out, they do also have 163s that should work for me. Almost identical waist width to the T7 159 I'm riding now.

The only trouble is the Canadian distributor is in Ontario and I'm out in Alberta. I could have my buddy go check it out, but I'd rather at least have my hands on one before purchasing, and I still haven't read any rider reviews of them. The few online magazine reviews of them are glowing, but I'd rather hear it out of a fellow average riders mouth.

Also, I'm not 100% sure but I thought the T7 was supposed to be a fair bit stiffer than the A-Frame. I love the T7 at the moment, and the only reason I'm looking at replacing it is it was damaged when I moved. Cracked topsheet. I realize there's no wood core to worry about being damaged by water intrusion, but I don't think the aluminium honeycomb would take to kindly to it either. It's not open at the moment, only a hairline crack, but I'd like to have a succession plan for my board for when it does go! lol

Thanks for the comments lonerider, I haven't read a bad review of a Kessler product yet, and the podium results should speak for themselves, but I'm hoping their only non-competition aimed model actually got the same goodness as their other boards.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

lonerider said:


> I've ridden a Kessler alpine board with plate binding... that thing is a serious speed machine, it is FAST, it is DAMP, it has ridiculous edgehold - try asking on BOL as a bunch of people there have them. The last three Olympic gold and silver medalists were on Kesslers.
> 
> Does Kessler even make boards for softbooters? oh I guess the BX model (I would definitely call them up and talk to them before making any purchases). Sorry Kirkrider, the A-Frame is a fine board... but it is steak knife compared to the katana-like Kesslers. I hope that analogy make sense... steak knives are useful and used by a lot of people... where as a katana is an zenith of craftsmanship... but not very useful if all you want to do is eat steak


Didn't realize you wanted an alpine board. hot damn...$1.300?? cheers bro!


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

KIRKRIDER said:


> Didn't realize you wanted an alpine board. hot damn...$1.300?? cheers bro!


Not me!!! I just want a stiff free-ride board that I can bomb with. So far the T7's been great, I've used it in all kinds of conditions and it certainly lives up to the hype. It was weird for the first couple runs riding a board that stiff however.

The Kessler Ride has the same profile of pretty much any other freeride board. It is a soft boot board. Directional shape and flex I believe, which is again the same as my T7. I only ride about 10% of the time fakie so that's fine by me. I'm just wondering if it's as stiff or stiffer than the T7, how the Titanal & Wood core would stand up to years of abuse compared to the Burton Alumafly core (aluminium honeycomb, similar construction to helicopter rotors or so I hear).

I don't want to admit how many years I got out of my last board, because I'm sure people will make fun of the fact that I was riding a Kemper all the way to 2010.  Yes it was a late 90's Kemper FS, fairly stiff for it's day, lots of camber, and it actually made a great freeride board for all those years.

So if I get even 5 years out of a Kessler, at $1300 plus bindings (say $1800 all in), at 30+ days per season, that's just over $10 a day for board and bindings. Considering I got 15 years out of a Kemper and I don't take it easy on the hill (I do however watch for rocks), I should be able to get a long time out of a Kessler.

There's just no way in hell I'm spending $1300 without even touching and feeling the thing. The T7 wasn't cheap either, but I got everything end of season so I only paid $500 for the board, $275 for C60 EST bindings, and $200 for Driver X boots. Full setup for less than a grand.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback guys...

Aaron


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

If I drop $1300 on a snowboard, it better jerk me off as I ride.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

linvillegorge said:


> If I drop $1300 on a snowboard, it better jerk me off as I ride.


Lets see, my seasons pass this year was $900. I've already spent $120 on lift tickets for other destinations. I've spent $350 on lodging. Probably almost as much on meals. $120 on some new gear (body armour, don't laugh)... So over $1800 already and I'm only 1/3rd of the way into the season. It'd be way higher if I had to pay for gas! It's 220 km there and back to my closest mountain. Figure that costs about $20-25 in gas for one day.

I've got no problem paying the extra couple bucks a day if in fact that board is right for me! 

And nobody can call me a boutique board buyer or a burton fanboy, or I would have just gone with a Vapour which would make no sense for the riding I do.


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## lonerider (Apr 10, 2009)

poutanen said:


> Not me!!! I just want a stiff free-ride board that I can bomb with. So far the T7's been great, I've used it in all kinds of conditions and it certainly lives up to the hype. It was weird for the first couple runs riding a board that stiff however.
> 
> The Kessler Ride has the same profile of pretty much any other freeride board. It is a soft boot board. Directional shape and flex I believe, which is again the same as my T7. I only ride about 10% of the time fakie so that's fine by me. I'm just wondering if it's as stiff or stiffer than the T7, how the Titanal & Wood core would stand up to years of abuse compared to the Burton Alumafly core (aluminium honeycomb, similar construction to helicopter rotors or so I hear).
> 
> ...


They are probably a lot better now a day... but a couple of years ago Titanal (aluminum alloy) boards were noticeably less durable than standard wood/fiberglass construction because it was difficult to bond properly (hence more prone to delamination over). I haven't kept track on the last 4 years, so maybe they've solved that issue as at the time titanal was a new material being used... again I would try the BOL forums for more info. If they fixed the bonding... then the board should technically be more durable since it wouldn't gradually lose it's springiness like a wood/fiberglass board does over time.


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