# Atomic Poacher Splitboard - Advice?



## HoboMaster

I'd really like to get into backcountry, and have recently been put in touch with a skier friend who does it all the time and can teach me a lot of the essentials. The trick is finding a setup that won't break the bank...

Anyways, I recently came across this and was looking for opinions from the more experienced as to whether this would be worth pulling the trigger on:

Splitboard Atomic "Poacher" mint cond. 

Basically a near full backcountry setup for $500

From the reviews that I've read, the board itself handles amazingly in powder. The biggest complaints have been the binding/transition system, which apparently has the potential to get snow/ice-packed rather easily. I was thinking that if it was that bad, I could always get a new interface system eventually.

I'm 5'7 145lbs without gear on as well, so I'm not sure if 164cm is a little too big for me.

Anyways, any opinions would be greatly appreciated!


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## linvillegorge

Be patient and scour CL and the splitboard.com forums and you'll find a better deal than that. I haven't heard anything good about that Atomic system.


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## ShredLife

do not buy that board. run away from the Atomic system... waste of money.

i'm almost 100% sure you'd have to drill it to fit voile/spark's system on there - you'd be better off making a DIY board.


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## killclimbz

Hobo, that would be $500 wasted. That board is a turd. Look around at Craigslist and such.

REI tends to heavily discount their splits starting in the next few weeks. They carry both Voile and Prior. The best deals are on the Voile models, and they usually are full kit. Skins, interface. All you need is bindings. Which I would recommend split specific binders, but you can mount bindings to the slider plates and it will work. Just don't stick with it that way for too long. I've seen the Voile's go for around $700 in the end of season sales.


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## HoboMaster

Super appreciate the opinions, I always know I can get set straight here :thumbsup:

For a sort of relatively inexpensive entry-into-backcountry beginner setup, is there anything you guys would specifically recommend? I'm just finding that looking at the whole scope of a board, bindings, skins, crampons etc... is going to be way out of my affordability range at the moment.


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## killclimbz

Craigslist is a great place to pick up used splits. A lot of the time with skins. Also look for used rental boards and demo fleets. They do exist out there. I believe NOLS blows out a bunch of splits every spring. At least they used to. They were a steal. Splitboard.com is another place to pick up great deals on splits. This goes for Splitboard bindings too.

Unless you have some serious alpine objectives, ski crampons are probably not needed to start with. You'll want them at some point, but since you are new to this you shouldn't be putting your self in those sort of spots. 

The tough thing is that yes, this is a fairly big investment. Seems to be around $1600 these days for a good splitboard kit new. Then if you need the avy gear, there goes another $300-$600. Don't buy a used beacon, unless you know the previous owner and are sure it is up to snuff. 

Snow shoes do work, especially if you have spots you can hit that are relatively easy to get to and lap. It'll also make you come up with the money for a split set up that much faster. It's amazing how that motivates people.


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## mhaas

> It'll also make you come up with the money for a split set up that much faster. It's amazing how that motivates people


lol your not kidding there. My split was nursing an injury so I did a tour on my snowshoes the other day. Yikes that sucked. I dont know how I used them for a couple seasons.

Have you considered DIY? If you have a board to split and use regular binding you can at least get out there for alot cheaper. Although after about 15-20tours on my DIY, I ready to fork over the money for a factory split and splitboard specific bindings. I think I bought my hardware, skins, and poles for under 300 bucks.


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## killclimbz

DIY is an excellent choice actually. I should have mentioned that.


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## HoboMaster

mhaas said:


> lol your not kidding there. My split was nursing an injury so I did a tour on my snowshoes the other day. Yikes that sucked. I dont know how I used them for a couple seasons.
> 
> Have you considered DIY? If you have a board to split and use regular binding you can at least get out there for alot cheaper. Although after about 15-20tours on my DIY, I ready to fork over the money for a factory split and splitboard specific bindings. I think I bought my hardware, skins, and poles for under 300 bucks.


Definitely have considered it and have the tools to do it right. How do you use regular bindings on a splitboard? Is there just hardware that makes the bindings hinge and swing or something?


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## killclimbz

Voile makes a slider plate adapter that you bolt you bindings too. It's quite simple actually. Four hole pattern only of course.


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## mhaas

If you have the tools and know how to use them its pretty easy. Sawing in half is the the hardest part IMO


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## linvillegorge

Another good thing about a DIY board is that once you buy the kit you can transfer it to other boards. Once you save up the cash, you can buy a factory split (Never Summer, Venture, Lib Tech, whatever) and use your kit from your DIY on it. Most brands other than Voile come with the board only, so you still need a kit and skins. You'll have that from your DIY if you decide to go that route.


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## ShredLife

maybe the best thing about a DIY board is they're lighter - no inside edge or sidewall

re: sawing it in half is the hardest part - look around locally for a machine shop with a waterjet that will do the cut for you. prices usually range from $20-60 and it should be a perfect cut.


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## HoboMaster

Awesome, I think I might be taking this route. My dad is a finish carpenter (among many other things) so we have essentially a full wood shop.

He also has an old Burton powder board that's been collecting dust, which I think has "cut in half" written all over it :laugh::thumbsup:


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## ShredLife

do it with a board that you know you like riding, and don't go killing the lighter weight factor by using some tank of a board... just sayin.


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## walove

skip the waterjet, not worth the money, if you build guide making a straight clean cut is easy. I've always used a skill saw with nice carbide blade. use a fostner bit instead of a paddle bit for drilling the holes in the base for the tnuts. 

make sure the board you pick has a solid wood core. (more common than not)
the first board i split was an high end board from option. They had milled out sections of the core to lighten it between the bindings. the tnuts holding the touring hardware didnt have much wood to bite into and the board ended up cracking in this area after three years of use.


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## mhaas

I might be speaking out of my ass here as I have only ridden cambered boards but a powder specific board might not be the best choice for your only splitboard. The reason being that you will encounter a whole bunch of different conditions in the BC, often on the same trip and you would want a board that can effectively handle them all. What are your thoughts guys? Id like to know as well since Im looking for a new board to split/buy.


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## killclimbz

mhaas, if you are not riding mostly powder, it had better be svelte corn or I am going to the bar most of the time. 

There is the mountaineering aspect. Which when I hear that just means to me that you are going to do crappy riding. So a powder specific shape is appropriate for splitting. On the last 10 splitboard outings I've done I've experienced, powder, powder, and oh yeah powder...


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## HoboMaster

killclimbz said:


> mhaas, if you are not riding mostly powder, it had better be svelte corn or I am going to the bar most of the time.
> 
> There is the mountaineering aspect. Which when I hear that just means to me that you are going to do crappy riding. So a powder specific shape is appropriate for splitting. On the last 10 splitboard outings I've done I've experienced, powder, powder, and oh yeah powder...


My thoughts exactly, there's no way I'm skinning up a mountain if I'm not riding powder... and I also live next to legit mountains.

The board I have in mind is actually surprisingly light for being a mack-daddy, it's probably circa 2005 ish so not too old.


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## killclimbz

Keep in mind a powder specific board will work fine on bob sled run type out trails too. The only place I might have reservations is an icy as shit couloir. Which if I was riding at a resort I might be worried about. If I find one in the BC, I am probably not going to do it. Risks are much higher out there.


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## mhaas

Well of course the main attraction is powder snow! But ya I was refering to the all the crap you go over somethimes getting there and getting out. Like I said, Ive really only ridden one type of board so I dont have first hand experience on how other types boards handle the crud and refroze stuff and whatnot. I guess I gotta branch out.


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