# Skate banana all mountain?



## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

Hey!

I have Bern looking for a new snowboard, i asked on another forum for good all mountain boards. One guy suggested the lib tech skate banana, but i have been looking and not everyone seem to think its all mountain. What do you guys think? Feel free to link me some awesome all mountain snowboards!


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## Globesnail (Nov 17, 2013)

*Good all arounder!*

Hey man!
Can recommend the lib tech skate b, been using it for a couple of seasons, and it works good in the park and pipe, as well as in powder. 
If you want, you can watch this edit to see how it works in powder (big mountain riding). We are all using it. 

Be aware that the edge is a little sharp (saw technology), that was a bit tricky in the begining, but after I got used to it, it's awesome, especially in an icy pipe. 
I would say go for it:thumbsup:

Cheers!


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## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

Thank you for the reply and sick video! The next is to find out what size it should be, im 168cm and 55kg. I think im going to get the 151narrow or the 152 normal. What do you think? I have not bought boots yet, but i would guess i will use 7.5.


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## Globesnail (Nov 17, 2013)

Thanks! 
Since the skate banana is a rocker (bent up on both sides), I think you should go for a slightly shorter board than what's recommended with a usual board. 
Here's why:
- Short boards are easier to handle in the park.
- longer boards float better in fresh/powder snow.

Since the board is a rocker, it will naturally float better on deep snow, because the nose is heading upwards. Therefore 
you can buy a shorter board without loosing the freeride aspect. 
This is only my own experience and thoughts, others might disagree...


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## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

Okay! And how much difference will a narrow make? The narrow is 245mm wide and the normal is 252mm.


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## Globesnail (Nov 17, 2013)

The difference is just your shoe size, so your shoe won't stick out and touch the snow when turning. Don't know what size 7.5 is (beeing a norwegian) but I guess narrow would be enough (if your feet are small/normal)


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## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

I see, will go and get my boots before deciding what size i should get.


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## Globesnail (Nov 17, 2013)

Yeah, good luck with the board!


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## 24WERD (May 9, 2012)

The banana would not be considered a mt boards.

If you are looking for a mt board get something stiffer or the ride will be bumpy. Only good on groomed runs or powder days not when is bumpy terrain.

I had a skate banana 156, a gnu RC 157.5, Danny kass 155, billy goat 159. btx, rest c2btx. so i have a gauge of flex patterns and bumpiness.

Everything ride better the skate banana in mt.

For the Park its and groomed runs anything else get stiffer more enjoyable.


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## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

What all mountain board would you recommend? I still want it to be poppy.


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

If pop is your goal, go with any of the other boards already mentioned because the skate banana is not poppy.

It's soft, loose and highly overrated. It sucks compared to a true all-mountain board and you'll rarely, if ever, see experienced snowboarders recommending a skate banana as a good all mountain board.


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## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

Woow this is so hard  one guy saying its good for all mountain, and another saying its so overrated and is useless all mountain. Cant decide if i should buy it or not.


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

Oggeman said:


> Woow this is so hard  one guy saying its good for all mountain, and another saying its so overrated and is useless all mountain. Cant decide if i should buy it or not.


The fact is you can find people recommending every single board out there. If it's been made, it's been recommended by someone.

The difference is who is recommending them.

There's a reason every beginner says their snowboard is awesome, because it is awesome to them when they don't have as much experience to know the difference and don't have as much riding time to compare it to other boards or they don't have the riding ability to really use the snowboard to the best of it's ability.

I'm not holding it against them, but you have to be aware that a lot of the snowboard advice you read online comes from people who have no idea what they're talking about and make recommendations based on very little experience.

Trust me, the Lib Tech Skate Banana isn't a good all-mountain board.

You want a good all-mountain board? Try this year's K2 Happy Hour.


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## cozmo (Dec 12, 2012)

I was looking into a skatebanana but in the end went with the Jones Mountain Twin. All mountain RCR profile, playfull, not catchy and for intermediate and advanced. I went for the 164W cuz im a small giant. If u check the smaller sizes they are more freestyle oriented, the bigger ones more freeride (all depending on ur size and weight offcourse)
Seemed when i was researching that alot of riders were choosing between the banana and the mountain twin, thats why im informing you.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

skate banana is crap for all mtn. Along with what Jed says...is that you also have to take in to account the person who is making the recommendation...mainly their skill level and the hill they are riding it at...because snow conditions and terrain literallty sets the parameters....you are what/where you ride. 

Before hybrids...everyone learned on a stiff cambered deck, then the banana was the rage (short lived)...then folks like the various hybrid... rcr, rfc, c2 and ect...but there is now an emerging trend back toward cambered and the c3. Why?...because of skill level and style and terrain/snow environment. About 1/2 season could not get rid of the banana fast enough...love all my rides... the billy goat, charlie slasher, a freeride camber and twin camber...and looking to maybe demo an rcr this year.


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## Beeb (Mar 13, 2012)

I've got a skate banana and don't use it any more. Will echo what's already been said - It was good to learn the basics on since it's a pretty easy ride, but it really isn't a all mountain board. It's a very soft forgiving rocker board. It's more for if you want to learn jibs and play in the park. 

It can be lots of fun at slower speeds messing about, but I'd swap my Skate Banana for a Slash - Happy Place in a heartbeat


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## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

Hmm okay, guess i have to look for a new board


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

For general all mountain cruising from Lib Tech I would be getting the TRS.


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## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

Okay, give Me suggestions for good all mountain boards. Under 500£


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## direride (Aug 6, 2013)

Ive never road a libtech, but am told theyre very close to the gnu line. 

And After 15 years of riding im yet to ride a better board than a gnu, either carbon credit which i rode for like 3 years and am now on a metal guru. Both straight SLAY the ice in Vermont and cats rides in the powder of Colorado. Hit every table, step-up and rail in sight. 

Cant say much for the phrase poppy, but i never hesitated to try and ollie over anything.

Will say both are a little sketchy haulin ass on fresh groomers, but shit, whatever. Nuttin wrong with a little wash to keep yuh butthole tight.

the c2 btx magne-traction combo is killer IMO

Hope it helps dude, best of luck...can also find these board a year later for cheap


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## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

Damn, the carbon credit is kinda like the skate banana but cheaper and more all mountain.. Looks really good so far  i figure i will buy the 150, im 168cm and 55kg and size 7.5 boots. Anyone disagree?


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## direride (Aug 6, 2013)

dont know my metric but im 5'8" 150LBS, size 10.5. rode a 153 carbon credit, went to a 155 metal guru due to ridin more pow than park


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## Oggeman (Nov 18, 2013)

okay, then i think it will fit me perfect. What about bindings? i have been looking at the union force, looks really good but it might be too stiff? it's 7/10. But i don't ride that much park so it might be good for me.


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## direride (Aug 6, 2013)

bindings a whole nutha battle


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## hktrdr (Apr 3, 2012)

Jed said:


> If pop is your goal, go with any of the other boards already mentioned because the skate banana is not poppy.
> 
> It's soft, loose and highly overrated. It sucks compared to a true all-mountain board and you'll rarely, if ever, see experienced snowboarders recommending a skate banana as a good all mountain board.





wrathfuldeity said:


> skate banana is crap for all mtn. Along with what Jed says...is that you also have to take in to account the person who is making the recommendation...mainly their skill level and the hill they are riding it at...because snow conditions and terrain literallty sets the parameters....you are what/where you ride.
> 
> Before hybrids...everyone learned on a stiff cambered deck, then the banana was the rage (short lived)...then folks like the various hybrid... rcr, rfc, c2 and ect...but there is now an emerging trend back toward cambered and the c3. Why?...because of skill level and style and terrain/snow environment. About 1/2 season could not get rid of the banana fast enough...love all my rides... the billy goat, charlie slasher, a freeride camber and twin camber...and looking to maybe demo an rcr this year.


I have to disagree. There currently is a lot of hate for the Skate Banana, but I suspect it is at least partially (may be mostly?) due to the hype and over-the-top marketing that it received for a while - and now there is a backlash. IMO it is a great all-mountain board (especially in the longer sizes, where it gets quite a bit stiffer).
Being a rocker board, it of course has certain limitations and makes certain compromises - but that is true for all camber profiles.

As for pop, supposedly Mervin boards are not particularly 'poppy'. However, I mostly attribute that to the fact that rocker boards *feel* less poppy, event though they pretty much store and release the same amount of energy as other camber profiles. Forest Bailey won and placed highly in ollie contest riding the Park Pickle which is pretty much identical with the Skate Banana.


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

hktrdr said:


> I have to disagree. There currently is a lot of hate for the Skate Banana, but I suspect it is at least partially (may be mostly?) due to the hype and over-the-top marketing that it received for a while - and now there is a backlash. IMO it is a great all-mountain board (especially in the longer sizes, where it gets quite a bit stiffer).
> Being a rocker board, it of course has certain limitations and makes certain compromises - but that is true for all camber profiles.
> 
> As for pop, supposedly Mervin boards are not particularly 'poppy'. However, I mostly attribute that to the fact that rocker boards *feel* less poppy, event though they pretty much store and release the same amount of energy as other camber profiles. Forest Bailey won and placed highly in ollie contest riding the Park Pickle which is pretty much identical with the Skate Banana.


The thing is I'm not saying it can't be ridden as an all-mountain deck. You can ride nearly every snowboard as an all-mountain board and a good rider will still be able to slay the whole mountain with any board.

Heck, we have a guy in Whistler who rides a tiny skate banana board on 70 foot jumps while the rest of us scratch our head and wonder why he doesn't pick a more suitable board.

However, it's not about what it can do, but rather how it holds up against the competition and at the end of the day the skate banana is not as good as many superior all-mountain boards.

How many skilled riders would ride a good all-mountain board, let's say a K2 Happy Hour or Lib Tech TRS and realistically say that the skate banana is a better all-mountain board.


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## hktrdr (Apr 3, 2012)

Jed said:


> How many skilled riders would ride a good all-mountain board, let's say a K2 Happy Hour or Lib Tech TRS and realistically say that the skate banana is a better all-mountain board.


Leaving the Happy Hour out of it (because I got a hard-on for this year's one LOL), I actually would say that the Skate Banana is as good an all-mountain deck for most riders as the TRS. Note: Not better, but just as good.

As enthusiasts/relatively hardcore riders on this forum we might sniff at the Skate Banana compared to the TRS, but fact is that for the vast majority of riders it works just as well. But then I also know a few guys similar to your buddy who take the Skate Banana down pretty gnarly backcountry terrain after snowshoeing or heli-ing up, so maybe the stick can really do more than it is given credit for :dunno:

Honestly, I think the Banana bashing is over done...


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## ttc (Jan 3, 2011)

hktrdr said:


> Leaving the Happy Hour out of it (because I got a hard-on for this year's one LOL), I actually would say that the Skate Banana is as good an all-mountain deck for most riders as the TRS. Note: Not better, but just as good.
> 
> As enthusiasts/relatively hardcore riders on this forum we might sniff at the Skate Banana compared to the TRS, but fact is that for the vast majority of riders it works just as well. But then I also know a few guys similar to your buddy who take the Skate Banana down pretty gnarly backcountry terrain after snowshoeing or heli-ing up, so maybe the stick can really do more than it is given credit for :dunno:
> 
> Honestly, I think the Banana bashing is over done...


I certainly won't proclaim to have the knowledge that some others on here do, but if the worry is that Skate Banana is too soft and a TRS may be too aggressive on the Magne-traction or too stiff (or whatever other excuse can be made up), why not try the Attack Banana? I ride approx 20x per year mostly in the midwest. I like all-mountain cruising with some jumps mixed in. I recently upgraded from an old K2 Anagram to the Lib Tech Attack Banana and I LOVE it. It's sturdy, enough pop for my liking, and I'm comfortable on the mountain, off the jumps, or anywhere else thus far.


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

hktrdr said:


> Honestly, I think the Banana bashing is over done...


\


Help me out with this - I've never ridden a skate banana, and for some reason I have it in mind that I hate them. 

It might be that I once met a guy riding one who was a dick. 

It might be that when I look at their sizing charts it bugs me that they won't list a reasonable range to help people figure out what size to buy. 

It might be that when I read their website rather than just saying it's an all mountain or all around do everything board they seem to go on and on about everything it can do. 

None of these should instill the sort of reaction I get to skate bananas but I seem to have this irrational hatred of them. 

Anybody else get this for that board or any other deck? 

Actually I've never ridden the lobster boards with the raunchy graphics but I don't like those either.


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## DToay34 (Oct 30, 2013)

I will have to agree that the skatebanana isn't all that "poppy." It doesn't have terrible pop. It just doesn't have as much pop as a camber board. However, it's a decent all mountain board.


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## Pigpen (Feb 3, 2013)

Look into the Forum Youngblood Doubledog, I love mine.

It's a park/all mountain board. Good pop and good for jibbing. And handles the whole mountain very well


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## SnowOwl (Jun 11, 2012)

check out the K2 Turbo Dream. If you wanna stick with a Mervin, check out the Attack Banana. I love them both.


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