# Review: Never Summer SL-R 158 in the deep stuff



## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Good review, it's funny though because I have the exact same issue and was also wondering if it was my bindings.

This board is killer in deep, deep pow for a non pow board. 

I am not sure I am in love with it for groomers though, I could be a bit heavy for the 158 which could also be the prob. I find it harder to butter but that could be because I am not used to a longer board.

It kind of rides like a snowboard tank which could be good or bad depending on what you're doing.


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## zakk (Apr 21, 2008)

i'm 270 and have a 158 for my screw around board, albeit not this board. Takes a bit more but very doable.


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2009)

Nice review. I just got a 155 SL-R but still waiting on Rome Targa bindings to get shipped. I'll have to keep in mind what TS said about washing out. I'm 180 so hopefully the 155 will be easier to butter since I want to learn some flat ground tricks. No new snow right now in the Sierra's though.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

Jenzo said:


> Good review, it's funny though because I have the exact same issue and was also wondering if it was my bindings.


I wonder if it's a common problem with the SL-R... or do we just suck ? What bindings do you have?


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## baldy (Nov 14, 2007)

haha i have this feeling too, im riding the 155 and im 190 lbs. =X im from the east coast so all i see is hard pack and ice. i think the rocker makes it harder to keep the entire edge from gripping the hard pack snow, sometimes i try to flex the board to keep the tips down, it kinda helps. i got some gnarly gouges in my board already too, i was so upset because of never summer's burly reputation. maybe i was just unlucky though. i have yet to see deep powder with this board...


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Seedy J said:


> I wonder if it's a common problem with the SL-R... or do we just suck ? What bindings do you have?


Not sure, I am riding 2009 K2 Auto bindings on it


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

Seedy J,

It's funny.. I am having the same problem on my 155 SL: "The only negative thing I'd say is probably actually a positive - this board wouldn't let me get away with some bad habits that would fly on the Dominant. The big one being that if I didn't lean downhill properly, the board would wash out whenever I changed edges on groomers and hard pack."

I had no problem with the groomers on my NS Premier. It seems like if I don't slow it down a bit, the board sends me flying. What do you mean by "lean downhill properly?" I'm trying to figure this out, so any advice would help.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

Russteed said:


> Seedy J,
> 
> It's funny.. I am having the same problem on my 155 SL: "The only negative thing I'd say is probably actually a positive - this board wouldn't let me get away with some bad habits that would fly on the Dominant. The big one being that if I didn't lean downhill properly, the board would wash out whenever I changed edges on groomers and hard pack."
> 
> I had no problem with the groomers on my NS Premier. It seems like if I don't slow it down a bit, the board sends me flying. What do you mean by "lean downhill properly?" I'm trying to figure this out, so any advice would help.


Could this come from the "Rocker Camber" design of the board. It does seem like you would need to adjust your stance to be as centered as possible over the board. I can imagine if you leaned back, the nose would lift up and cause some instability, especially with the RC technology.

How many days have you guys been riding with the board? I heard it takes a few days to get use to the board.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

By leaning downhill, I mean keeping your body perpendicular to the board. (Correct me if I'm wrong) Your board and body should make an upside down "T" shape. I think I was leaning back (uphill) too much. When I made a conscious effort to lean forward (downhill), the problem wasn't nearly as bad.

As I suspected, my heelside carving technique was bad too. These posts in the current carving thread cover it nicely - Your butt and where it should not be and "Sitting on the toilet" - right and wrong. On heelside turns, I was doing exactly what cifex drew for the "wrong" picture. I'm going riding again this weekend, so I'll try these techniques and let you know how they work out.

Man, I really need a lesson!


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

Luckyboyee777 said:


> It does seem like you would need to adjust your stance to be as centered as possible over the board.


Where is the centered stance on this board? I mounted my front and rear bindings on the third pair of holes from the top. Maybe I should move them both forward a bit?

I've got a night, two full days, and a morning on this board so far. It handles differently than any other board I've ridden and does take some getting used to. I was doing much better with it on my last day than I was at first.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

Seedy J said:


> Where is the centered stance on this board? I mounted my front and rear bindings on the third pair of holes from the top. Maybe I should move them both forward a bit?
> 
> I've got a night, two full days, and a morning on this board so far. It handles differently than any other board I've ridden and does take some getting used to. I was doing much better with it on my last day than I was at first.


The SL-R looks like a directional or directional twin board but not a true twin, since the measurement from the tip/nose to center of respective inserts are not equal, but close. On my 155, it's about 18.75in from the tail and 20in from nose.

What I meant by centered stance was during riding. I think it is just a matter of getting use to the characteristic of this board and adjusting.

So, when you're riding it, what were the differences between this board and a regular camber board?


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

Luckyboyee777 said:


> I think it is just a matter of getting use to the characteristic of this board and adjusting.
> 
> So, when you're riding it, what were the differences between this board and a regular camber board?


Exactly. Once I figured out what I was doing wrong and adjusted my technique, the board worked fine.

Differences I noticed would be 1) The sidecut (and possibly the rocker shape?) make it want to turn more sharply 2) Takes more effort to carve 3) Works nearly as well as a powder specific board in deep powder (at least on the ~25-40 degree terrain I can ride... couldn't tell you how it would handle on big Alaskan mountains :laugh


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

Seedy J said:


> Exactly. Once I figured out what I was doing wrong and adjusted my technique, the board worked fine.
> 
> Differences I noticed would be 1) The sidecut (and possibly the rocker shape?) make it want to turn more sharply 2) Takes more effort to carve 3) Works nearly as well as a powder specific board in deep powder (at least on the ~25-40 degree terrain I can ride... couldn't tell you how it would handle on big Alaskan mountains :laugh


So, were you able to adjust to make the board carve by the end of your 3rd day? When you say "carve", you mean smooth turn to turn transitions right? Some people I talk to have different definitions of carving.haha


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

Seedy,

Thanks for posting the "carving tips." I've been riding for 16 years and never really stopped to read about what I was doing... and the bad habits I had developed. Always learning something.

Lucky,
I would have to second Seedy's thoughts on the cambered vs. normal board. I'm using Ride SPI's with K2 (outside BOA) size 8's, +3/+6 centered stance. I have 7 days on the SL, with 2 days of 20'+ powder. 1. This board floats very well. I have never rode switch on powder, but this board makes it a piece of cake. 2. Edge to edge is unbelievably quick. 3. Tons of "pop." The board wants to launch over everything on the mountain (sometimes too much.) 4. Spins quickly. 

I expected this to be my "all everything" board, and I think it comes close. I still see myself pulling out the 157 Premier for those days when I'm hitting hard pack and bombing it with my skiing buddies. Otherwise, this board is perfect for pow days, working on tricks and burning a day on the mountain with a newbie. I am going to work on my body english on my next trip up, so I'll let you guys know how it works out.


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2009)

Russteed said:


> Seedy,
> 
> Thanks for posting the "carving tips." I've been riding for 16 years and never really stopped to read about what I was doing... and the bad habits I had developed. Always learning something.
> 
> ...


I noticed you said that edge to edge is really quick, so is there an issue with carving? Or is this the issue? So far, the board sounds like what I want. I plan on doing more park riding but still be able to get down the steeps.


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2009)

Luckyboyee777 said:


> So, were you able to adjust to make the board carve by the end of your 3rd day? When you say "carve", you mean smooth turn to turn transitions right? Some people I talk to have different definitions of carving.haha


When I say carving, I don't just mean linking turns. I mean actual carving - high edge angle, riding only on the metal edge, pencil-thin line in the snow, all that good stuff. By the end of my trip, yes, I was able to do carved turns. Toeside was easy from the start, but heelside took a bit of getting used to. I can't imagine quick edge changes being a bad thing :thumbsup:.


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2009)

I'm really looking hard at this board. I'm about 5'10 and 195 pounds, is the 161 a good fit? I currently ride a Never Summer Premier T5 163 and I'm looking for something more versatile.


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2009)

I'm not positive if edge to edge is the right way to describe it... What I mean by "edge to edge" is how quickly this board turns. When your going down moguls, making quick turns in the trees and generally smaller turns, this board just whips around very quickly (no brainer 180's.) When I'm talking about carving, I'm talking about putting most of my weight back/uphill and turning with the back edges of the board, usually on groomers, and usually moving fast. 

I have a feeling that when I'm carving, I'm putting too much weight on the tail (which is softer on the SL) and this has lead to some of my issues. I bought this board with the intention of taking into the park more often, and I'm confident that it's the right board for the park. Don't know if I answered your question, but I hope this helps.

Nordstrom,
I was told you could size down a bit, as I was torn between the 155 & 158. Depending on what you mean by "versatile" I would say you could go with the 161 or maybe even the 158 if your looking for something to make spinning tricks easier.


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2009)

Russteed: I don't really venture into the park. I'm more of a backcountry and all-mountain type guy. This late in the season all I'm finding is the 161, which I'm fine with. I don't spin too much except for the occasional 180.

I found a 158! I think I'm going to go with that. Some of the guys riding 158's make me think it won't be a big deal.


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2009)

Russteed, yes, I understand now what you guys are talking about. It doesn't sound like a big deal.

Just recieved my Rome Targa bindings. This setup is going to be sick. Will be posting up pics later. Update: Pics here:

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/eq...hotos-never-summer-sl-r-155-a.html#post111009


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## Guest (Jan 15, 2009)

That board is hot! Great photo's and I'd love to hear your thoughts once you've had it up on the hill for a few days.


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2009)

Russteed said:


> That board is hot! Great photo's and I'd love to hear your thoughts once you've had it up on the hill for a few days.


Will do. Can't wait. Snow now...now....now...now.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

Russteed said:


> That board is hot! Great photo's and I'd love to hear your thoughts once you've had it up on the hill for a few days.


It is indeed the hotness...

But there are already many many posts about how much the SL-R rocks...i doubt he will say otherwise


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2009)

arsenic0 said:


> It is indeed the hotness...
> 
> But there are already many many posts about how much the SL-R rocks...i doubt he will say otherwise


Haha true. Sorry Seedy, I didn't mean to hijack the thread. Back to the NS SL-R.:thumbsup:


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2009)

Thanks for the review.

So I was seriously considering the sl-r as my "all mountain freestyle" board, but now I'm having second thoughts after reading some of the comments. I'm trying to get more into the ground tricks such as spins, butters, and presses. So with this board I would be doing like 40% groomers, 30% ground tricks, 20% jumps, and 10% powder (0% park).

After reading some of the comments such as "more difficult to butter" and "takes more effort to carve" I'm wondering if this would suite my needs, if it'll really live up to all the hype.

Any comments on this? Thanks.


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2009)

cdude said:


> Thanks for the review.
> 
> So I was seriously considering the sl-r as my "all mountain freestyle" board, but now I'm having second thoughts after reading some of the comments. I'm trying to get more into the ground tricks such as spins, butters, and presses. So with this board I would be doing like 40% groomers, 30% ground tricks, 20% jumps, and 10% powder (0% park).
> 
> ...


I don't think there are enough reviews to determine the true attributes of this board. It will ultimately depend on what style of riding the reviewer has and as different people ride the board.

This board can still do ground tricks such as butters. The stiffness of the board is not like a Skate Banana because it needs to be able to get down the mountain. I would think you could do ground tricks on any board, it just depends on how easy you want it to be. Just realize that the softer the board, the more prone it is to chatter and instability.

I would take these initial reviews with a grain of salt since these reviewers are still getting use to the new board. Ultimately you will need to ride the board and determine if is right for you. Not every rider is the same.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

Sad? Maybe..but i had a dream last night my little sister broke my SL-R tip off..man was i pissed! ha ha..
She did offer me some wood glue though? Man i gotta stop drinking caffeine before i goto bed..


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2009)

arsenic0 said:


> Sad? Maybe..but i had a dream last night my little sister broke my SL-R tip off..man was i pissed! ha ha..
> She did offer me some wood glue though? Man i gotta stop drinking caffeine before i goto bed..


Man, you really love it huh?

Naw, I do that too. I've been researching snowboards, bindings and boots for a week straight and occasionally dream about floating on my new setup.:laugh:


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## Guest (Jan 17, 2009)

Luckyboyee777 said:


> It will ultimately depend on what style of riding the reviewer has and as different people ride the board.
> 
> I would take these initial reviews with a grain of salt since these reviewers are still getting use to the new board. Ultimately you will need to ride the board and determine if is right for you. Not every rider is the same.


Ya, your absolutely right. It'll all depend on the riding style of the reviewer. I only brought this up because almost every other post and review I've read talks about the sl-r as the "ultimate do everything board".



Luckyboyee777 said:


> This board can still do ground tricks such as butters. The stiffness of the board is not like a Skate Banana because it needs to be able to get down the mountain.


Good to know


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## Guest (Jan 17, 2009)

cdude said:


> After reading some of the comments such as "more difficult to butter" and "takes more effort to carve" I'm wondering if this would suite my needs, if it'll really live up to all the hype.


Like Luckyboyee mentioned, most of us posting reviews of it are still getting used to the board. I found it harder to butter, but I'm used to a flexy old Burton Dominant 154 for that kind of stuff. I weigh between 160 and 170, so the 158 is on the big side for me. It seems like most guys who have the 158 weigh more around 200 or more. Another review I read here said that buttering on the SL-R is completely effortless.

I'm going riding on Sunday. I adjusted my bindings to fit a bit better and I've got a good idea of what I was doing wrong last time. I'll post an update when I get back.


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## Guest (Jan 17, 2009)

I wanted to jump in here... you definitely have to take all our reviews with a grain of salt. I would highly recommend demoing any board for at least a day ($40 mistake vs. a $400-500 mistake.) Most local shops will put the demo money spent toward the puchase of a new board. In my opinion, on the subject of "butter" this board is so much easier to do presses than anything I've ridden before. I weigh 150ish and am riding the 155... but trying to do presses on a 157 Premier for me was next to impossible. It's all relative based on what you've been riding in the past. Either way, I'm happy with it's performance.


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## Guest (Jan 17, 2009)

Regarding demoing... can't find the sl-r around here for demos, because I would definitely take it up.

So it seems like butters and presses will be okay on this board :thumbsup:. I'm just use to a really stiff freeride board and get annoyed when I see other riders around me butter and press effortlessly.

I'm also about 150lbs and I'm thinking about getting the 151 (as my current is a 152).


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2009)

UPDATE: Well, I'm a moron and my bindings were way out of whack the first time I took the board out. No forward lean on the front foot! I put the forward lean up to 3 for both feet and the board felt MUCH better and more responsive going heelside. Edge to edge was also much faster and felt really nice. It was a lot easier to do heelside carves, and I managed to do a few nice long butters. The small resort I went to didn't have any steeper runs (probably easy blues at most) like there were at Niseko, but I'm pretty sure the board would handle better on steeper terrain too. Like Jenzo said earlier, the board is a tank.

Unfortunately some idiot boarder ran into me and put a nice long (but not very deep) scratch in the base . Meh... I'm sure it can be fixed, and I didn't notice any difference in how it rode afterwards anyway.


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## scottland (Jan 8, 2008)

I just spent 3 days in Telluride, CO with my new 161 SL-R, so I can give a little review.

Snow: Packed, with some soft powder still hiding in the steep trees
Weight:200lb
Riding Style: All Mountain to the 'T' (steeps, chutes, trees, groomers, ground tricks, and small-mid park jumps.)

First off, skating on this board is harder. The board feels very loose and squirely with only one foot strapped in, and it's harder make turns one footed (My only complaint with the whole board).

Now with that out of the way, I love the way this board handled everything. It holds a great edge on steep high speed groomers, it cut through hard choppy snow very well. It's reasonably damp, but you'll definitely still feel the bumps. It floats exceptionally well in powder(we had ankle-ish deep pow in the trees). The board presses better than any other all-mountain board i've ever ridden. As far as butters and ground tricks, I really felt like I was cheating. I've noticed people tend to exaggerate about the way it presses, it's no Artifact or Kink, but it's close. I found this board had a top of pop, it's nothing earth shattering, but it had noticeably more pop than my old Never Summer or my Custom. Landings were comfortable and confident, which leads me to my next point: 

It's nearly impossible to catch an edge with this board. Even on a sketchy landing, when you think you're about to catch an edge and get ripped to the ground, this board just rides it out.

So for me, the type of rider that spends 60% of the day tackling the steepest, tightest terrain i can find, but still loves to hit rollers on groomers, and play with ground tricks at the bottom, this board absolutely rocks. Just keep in mind, I found one-footed skating took some time to get used to.


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## baldy (Nov 14, 2007)

i def. agree with scottland. everything he said was pretty spot on! esp the part that it feels like cheating at first


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## Guest (Feb 13, 2009)

I want a sl-r for next season


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2010)

i got a nice offer for a new neversummer sl-r 161!!!
the only problem - i am only 5.8 feet (177cm). on the other hand i weight 181 lbs (82kg)
and use to wear heavy protection stuff (another 10 lbs).

never had a board taller than 158cm. 
what would you say?


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## baldy (Nov 14, 2007)

hoshi, i think you will be fine with a 161 for a great all mountain board to ride pow and groomers, but it might be a little big to mess around in the park with


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