# Lib Tech Skate Banana size?



## MMSlasher (Mar 18, 2016)

Rob K said:


> Hi folks,
> I'm looking for an all-mountain board, I'll be mainly carving groomed runs, with some powder too when conditions allow.


If this is what you are truly after, I don't think you will be as happy with the Skate Banana as your board. I personally would go with a board with camber than this rocker dominant board. There are plenty of better boards for what you are looking for. I'll let others give you suggestions on different boards, maybe scroll through this site a little more and see if anyone has a similar question as yours.

Good luck and have fun.


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## SeattlePNW (Aug 14, 2017)

Rob K said:


> Hi folks,
> 
> I was wondering if anyone could please offer some advice. I've pretty much decided on the Lib Tech Skate Banana as my first snowboard to purchase, but what I can't decide is what size to go with. I'm 6'0, 158lbs, shoe size 10.5. I have one season of snowboarding under my belt so far and I was using a pretty small board (154ish I think) the whole time. I'd like to think that I've picked the it up pretty well and am very much an intermediate rider.
> 
> ...



Let me do you a favor.. I am also 6'0" and 165lbs.. I bought the Skate Banana as a local shop told me it was a beginner board last year, I outgrowned it pretty fast and was amazed how much it was holding me back when I was trying other friend's boards. I want a more stiffer/damper board but my abilities as a rider may have a lot to do that. If you tried it before and love it, then why not but if I were you, try to talk to various local retailers to see if they have a demo program. 

I bought the small Ride War Pig, and plan to demo the Jones Mountain Twin (tried it briefly for a couple runs and loved it but want to ride it more), GNU Riders Choice, Yes The Greats, Bataleon Goliath and the Capita Mercury etc, as a twin driver. The Jones Mind Expander for powder days. Try to check out camber, directional, twin, hybrids etc, as an intermediate rider you want to progress further and explore as much you can to find your "girlfriend". I would be glad to sell you my 156 10 year Anniversary with GNU Flow bindings with a board bag, I will throw in stomp spikes if you want it but same time think if someone who likes a skate banana will benefit more.


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## BearJoo (Sep 24, 2017)

The skate banana is basically straight rocker. That's why it's called a banana. It's a park board from everyone I know who's ridden it. If you have one season in you're probably still exploring a lot as the others said. I'd recommend sticking with some kind of twin or asym twin. Good luck!


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

SeattlePNW said:


> Let me do you a favor.. I am also 6'0" and 165lbs.. I bought the Skate Banana as a beginner board last year by no means it is an intermediate board, I outgrowned it pretty fast and was amazed how much it was holding me back when I was trying other friend's boards. The skate banana is a noodle and it sucks balls. If you really liked it and tried it before then why not but if I were you, try to talk to various local retailers to see if they have a demo program. I bought the small Ride War Pig, and plan to demo the GNU Riders Choice, Capita Mercury, Jones Mountain Twin, Yes The Greats, Bataleon Goliath as a twin driver. The Jones Mind Expander for powder days. Try to check out camber, directional, twin, hybrids etc, as an intermediate rider you want to progress further and explore as much you can to find your "girlfriend". I would be glad to sell you my 156 10 year Anniversary with GNU Flow bindings with a board bag, I will throw in stomp spikes if you want it but same time think a beginner or someone who likes a skate banana will benefit more.


I completely disagree with this. Skate Banana is a perfectly capable advanced board - any limitation is from the rider not the board. 
Skate Banana is not a great carving board as MMSlasher pointed out but it is an awesome all-mountain freestyle deck. It has a firm place in my quiver as one of the top 3 or so boards that I will never get rid of (together with my Carbon Flagship, Fish).


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## BearJoo (Sep 24, 2017)

I completely disagree with this. Skate Banana is a perfectly capable advanced board - any limitation is from the rider not the board. 
Skate Banana is not a great carving board as MMSlasher pointed out but it is an awesome all-mountain freestyle deck. It has a firm place in my quiver as one of the top 3 or so boards that I will never get rid of (together with my Carbon Flagship, Fish).[/QUOTE]

>D I don't know why but that made me laugh. I agree with you tho. The rider's limits and abilities and riding style can make any board great or awful


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## Fiddsy (Jul 12, 2015)

Heh, i have the rare ability to make every board look like crap =)


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## Snow Hound (Jul 21, 2012)

SGboarder said:


> I completely disagree with this. Skate Banana is a perfectly capable advanced board - any limitation is from the rider not the board.
> Skate Banana is not a great carving board as MMSlasher pointed out but it is an awesome all-mountain freestyle deck. It has a firm place in my quiver as one of the top 3 or so boards that I will never get rid of (together with my Carbon Flagship, Fish).


So the OP asked about one board for mostly carving with some powder ability and very little park and you get all defensive over your beloved SB? If you could only have one board we all know that it wouldn't be the SB. It's like a set of snowboard training wheels - but good for you that you like it - some people like to eat human excrement but that shit's not for everybody.

Sent from my ONE E1001 using Tapatalk


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## Simon Birch (Mar 11, 2014)

You don't need a wide board with a size 10.5 boot. Maybe take a look at the Yes Typo for the style of riding you mentioned. For your weight I'd get a 155 or the 158 for more speed and float.


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

Snow Hound said:


> So the OP asked about one board for mostly carving with some powder ability and very little park and you get all defensive over your beloved SB? *If you could only have one board we all know that it wouldn't be the SB.* It's like a set of snowboard training wheels - but good for you that you like it - some people like to eat human excrement but that shit's not for everybody.
> 
> Sent from my ONE E1001 using Tapatalk




Wrong. It actually very will might be, the board is that good. It just is not fashionable/flavor of the moment right now and after being over-promoted/heavily pushed for a many years, it is now the 'cool' thing to do to talk the board down. It was never the best board for everything (no board is) or the best board for everybody (again, no such thing) but it remains an absolute top tier and seminal board many years after its introduction.


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## SeattlePNW (Aug 14, 2017)

SGboarder said:


> I completely disagree with this. Skate Banana is a perfectly capable advanced board - any limitation is from the rider not the board.
> Skate Banana is not a great carving board as MMSlasher pointed out but it is an awesome all-mountain freestyle deck. It has a firm place in my quiver as one of the top 3 or so boards that I will never get rid of (together with my Carbon Flagship, Fish).


It is all good, and it is ok if one likes the board as I suggested in my post. For those defending it, SGboarder and someone else did not sling any insults but put forth their opinion and a good discussion is healthy. It is not for everyone, it could very well be in part to my abilities and what I am looking for in the PNW snow. The OP will find plenty of love or hate discussions out there on the SB but really encourage he try it out before buying it. This was my lesson as the shop dealer told me it was a beginner board and Lib Tech marketed it as such a board. And, yes as SG snowboarder said, there are advanced riders that love it which LIB Tech also marketed it on their website too. I am a converted long time skiier, own a pass and was able to ride a lot of days this past winter. If you can afford to buy a board and then sell it great but if you have a limited budget and not tried it yet, then maybe demo as many as possible?

Personally I enjoyed the mellower Magnetraction in the Jones Mountain Twin when I tried a few runs which led me to want to demo it on a longer stretch and as many other boards as possible like the Capita Mercury and so on. The small War Pig, holy crap, it built my confidence and same time a lot of fun. I want add a different twin instead of the SB to my quiver so I am stoked about the upcoming season and other powder oriented boards.

For example, Angry Snowboarder hates the Machete GT, but one older intermediate rider (I think in his 60's) did not like the War Pig and loved the Machete GT due to its carving ability and dampening qualities that soaked up the micro vibrations and chatter (this was on YouTube). https://youtu.be/QOsJZJ9Zknc


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## tonymontana (Dec 10, 2016)

As far as which board to buy that is totally up to you.

You don't need a wide board at a 10.5 shoe size. Do realize that different style boards have different waist widths and can accommodate different shoe sizes, but you don't typically need a wide board unless you wear 11 and up. 
It is also common to buy boots that are too big your first or 2nd time around. In the future you may find your boot size decreasing as you learn more about boots and get used to the way they feel. In which case you DEF don't need a wide.

I am 5'11 180 and ride a 157. I would say 157 would be good for your size but it can vary from board to board and brand to brand. 

I have never ridden a SB but have ridden all rocker boards before. Personally I went for something more stiff with some camber as I progressed as a rider. Just my 2 cents.

Looks like you need to do some research!


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## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

Sounds like you live in the lower mainland, get a hold of timmytard he has dozens of boards. Here I'll page him for you @timmytard


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

freshy said:


> Sounds like you live in the lower mainland, get a hold of timmytard he has dozens of boards. Here I'll page him for you @timmytard


^this...imho there are better boards for pnw progession, e.g., crc or rcr profile....not saying the SB was bad....but I hated the skatiness...but then again I'm not a skater


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## Jon Moore (Jan 17, 2017)

Demo some boards. My first board was a 159 SB at 6' 190 lbs and 10.5 boot. I still take it out today to play around with. If you feel you have got carving and maneuvering the board down then you could go to a more mid flex board for all mountain; turn initiation is easier on the SB than a stiffer flex board so keep that in mind. 

IMO the SB is still a great board; Don't get caught up on the new hotness of today and ride what you like; the SB will allow you to get in the park but does sacrifice some when carving steep runs at high speeds if that's what your trying to do. I ended up buying a 156 Space Case 2 seasons ago and love it for everything. I can ride the entire mountain without any issues except for heavy pow conditions (east coast blizzard); where I have to lean a good bit and pray I don't go slipping out on my ass. But again; this board isn't made for that. So that's me picking my poison.

Lastly; you do not need a wide board; I run 10.5 DC Lynx which is a bulkier boot on 25.5 just fine. If you are really trying to get more into euro carving and speed; then the wife will just slow your edge to edge; which is the opposite of what you want from the sounds of it.


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

https://youtu.be/T0HLAKm1_1Q


You ride the same mtns as I do.

Don't get a Banana.
Gnu Carbon Credit, is the exact same board, but with a faster base.
If that's the route you want to take.


There's way better sticks for the kinda porridge we ride.

As Feshy mentioned, I probably got a deck or 9 that will suit your needs.

One of which I just picked up the other day.
It sounds like a really deadly board.

It's a ROME Anthem.
From the reviews I've read, it's a high end, charger.
Similar to the Burton Custom X.

Except the year this Anthem came out, they switched it up a bit & threw some rocker in the tips.

So it's Custom X-ish, but with better float than the custom X, the normal custom & even the normal Anthem.

It's a 157 & it looks fuckin' sharp.

But hey if you're not feeling the Anthem?:surprise:

I'm pretty sure I have @ least a dozen other decks that you will dig.


TT


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## Snow Hound (Jul 21, 2012)

Whoa that's a heavy metal man board. I really hope Rob comes back - I bet he had no idea the kerfuffle dropping the SB bomb would cause.

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## Rob K (Sep 26, 2017)

Hi everyone, just wanted to say thanks to all of you that replied, I was away for the past week so I am only getting around to reading the replies now. It's very much appreciated. 

You have certainly given me food for thought!! I am really liking the sound of a some of the boards that you've mentioned.. thanks again.


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