# NeverSummer SL vs Heritage



## PNWboarder (Oct 30, 2010)

Looking to pick up a new board and have done alot of research and could end up with any number of good boards, but have narrowed it down to the SL or Heritage. Maybe subtle differences, but still looking for some feedback since it is a good chunk of change.

I'm 6'3", 185lbs without gear, size 10.5 boot. Intermediate rider who would rather progress with natural features than park (<5% of my riding) and enjoys from green to black to backcountry. My friends like to ride fast, but I want to play around with fun lines, jumps and tree runs. So I want a do it all board to progress on. I have a season pass at Steven's and will probably get some hiking runs in at Mt. Rainier.

Welcome all opinions on best fit for board and appreciate suggestions for sizing as well. 

Thanks in advance.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Go with the Heritage if you're riding Stevens Ass. You'll want that board in the backside if you hike like Rooster Cone, or go out Wenatchee Bowl.


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## PNWboarder (Oct 30, 2010)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Go with the Heritage if you're riding Stevens Ass. You'll want that board in the backside if you hike like Rooster Cone, or go out Wenatchee Bowl.


Was just introduced to Steven's at the end of last season and lucked out with so much end of the season new snow. Did hike up Rooster Cone and would love to float down that in powder every run, but realize I lucked out and the conditions aren't always that great. 

Size recommendation?


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## Paranormal (Nov 14, 2010)

i say heritage in 158. but i doubt you would regret a SL either.. esp once you get more confortable. To keep up with your frend on the steeps though the Heritage for sure


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

Nah go at least 160. I'm the same weight, my 158 sl is a bit of work in the deep powder and i wouldn't take it to the backcountry.


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## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

Def go 160, whichever one you choose. SL will be more playful, but Heritage will be better for pow and riding fast.


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## Paranormal (Nov 14, 2010)

Triple8Sol said:


> Def go 160, whichever one you choose. SL will be more playful, but Heritage will be better for pow and riding fast.




will the 160 be nimble enough in the pnw trees?


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## Mysticfalcon (Nov 27, 2007)

I ride a 162 campered board in the crazy tight VT trees. The NS RC tech turns way faster and floats way better.


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## Paranormal (Nov 14, 2010)

Mysticfalcon said:


> I ride a 162 campered board in the crazy tight VT trees. The NS RC tech turns way faster and floats way better.




fair enough.


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## PNWboarder (Oct 30, 2010)

Triple8Sol said:


> Def go 160, whichever one you choose. SL will be more playful, but Heritage will be better for pow and riding fast.


In the Heritage was leaning toward 162. If I go with the SL was thinking maybe 164 to balance the play with stability. Realize if typically want playful (SL) go shorter and pow (Heritage) go longer. Thoughts in this case.


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## Boat Shredder (Nov 2, 2010)

I'm 5 foot 10, 140 pounds and ride a 158 Heritage. 

With my small size, the 158 is still mad easy to turn on a dime. The RC technology allows you to swing the shit out of the board cuz of the rocker. The larger board rides a lot smaller than you'd think. If your riding mostly pow tho, Id suggest the SL. I'm from steamboat where the pow is as deep as deep can get and sometimes I wish my heritage was a bit softer. The SL kills it in the pow way better than the heritage but it won't hold an edge as well as the Heritage does.

My verdict is the SL. its squirrlier and more playful. If you go bigger you'l still be able to charge with it.


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## Bones (Feb 24, 2008)

Boat Shredder said:


> The RC technology allows you to swing the shit out of the board cuz of the rocker. The larger board rides a lot smaller than you'd think.


Can't speak about deep pow cuz I'm from the east, but +1 for the RC tech making the board feel a lot smaller. I downsized from a 164 camber to a 161 SL-R. For turning ability in trees and moguls, it feels like it a low 150's board, but for speed and edge hold on ice and hard pack, it feels like the 161 it is. I was considering a 158, but I'm glad I didn't.


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## PNWboarder (Oct 30, 2010)

Thanks for the feedback so far, but no overwhelming favorite yet. Maybe that is why it is hard to pick. If you have one or the other, what do you like about it and does it have any real weaknesses?


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Go with a 62 minimum since the NW has that heavier coastal snow. People are overlooking that fact plus this year you should get nuked on. Personally as stated I'd go Heritage due to the fact that Stevens Conditions are usually puking heavy wet snow, lots of rock drops, pow that turns to chopped out chunder on weekends from the Seattlites. If I still lived there that would be my pow/freeride stick for sure.


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## PNWboarder (Oct 30, 2010)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Go with a 62 minimum since the NW has that heavier coastal snow. People are overlooking that fact plus this year you should get nuked on. Personally as stated I'd go Heritage due to the fact that Stevens Conditions are usually puking heavy wet snow, lots of rock drops, pow that turns to chopped out chunder on weekends from the Seattlites. If I still lived there that would be my pow/freeride stick for sure.


hey thanks for the local perspective. Cascade concrete and chunder can definitely describe these conditions more often than not. When getting the new fluff in town yesterday its hard not to want to skip out on work and head up. Still need to build up some more base though.


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## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

A 158 will be perfect for your size, although the 160 isn't really 2cm longer so it's also a good option. The effective edge on the 158 is longer than other 159/160 boards out there.


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## walove (May 1, 2009)

size up are size down?? same float more maneuverability?, same maneuverability extra float? At 165lbs I spent a lot of time on a 165 btx board and found it very nimble, due to the fact that it pivots about the center of the rocker. In the poo fest that is la nina in the cascades i'd be on the 164. (poo is the washington version of pow, after living in montana, what comes down in washington is not "powder") I remember a couple days specifically four years ago where my 161 was not big enough.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Snowolf said:


> I don`t know about going up to a 164...I think 164 is getting a bit long for having fun with in tight trees especially. I am 190 pounds and am on a 161 split for 100% back country and it has a rocker tip and tail and floats better in powder than my traditional camber board of 169


How much setback do you have on that board? I'm about the same weight as you, and riding a 159 last year with virtually no setback I _really_ had to work to avoid burying it on a pow day.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

walove said:


> poo is the washington version of pow, after living in montana, what comes down in washington is not "powder")


bwaaa-hhaaaa! That's good. I'm in the Vancouver area, and I knew _immediately_ what you meant! If that's not part of the snowboarding jargon, it should be.


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## Mysticfalcon (Nov 27, 2007)

Rocker can really work wonders. I have a nitro subpop which is rockered in the middle and cambered under the bindings like a NS board. It is a 155 and a noodle and it has no trouble keeping 190lbs worth of me afloat. The stance on it is centered so you need to lean back just a tiny bit. The rocker makes it so that it needs only the tiniest bit of lean to keep the nose up. That rocker between the feet really makes it so even a twin can float like a champ with no real effort though. 
Its not as good as my Euphoria that is flat between the bindings and rocker tip & tail though. That one you can lean keep most of your weight on the front foot and it wont sink but it has about 2.75" of setback and a pintail.


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## PNWboarder (Oct 30, 2010)

Snowolf said:


> Going to chime in with the others and recommend the Heritage for your riding preference and locale. The Heritage is truly an All Mountain ripper...:thumbsup:


Thanks. From other posts, you always seem to have good advice. So length recommendations have been from 158, 160, 162 or bigger (165 max in Heritage). What is your opinion?
Guessing if your are riding a 161 100% backcountry and are about the same wt then you wouldn't say bigger, so 160?
Can still kill the powder but be nimble enough for trees?


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## Boat Shredder (Nov 2, 2010)

I'm tellin ya, ANY Neversummer board will hold up ANY mountain condition.

Get the SL. It will still hold an edge but will be poppy and fun at the same time. 

The Heritage is really an expert's board thats going to push the rider to the limit every time they go riding. If you have that aggressive style and attitude, the Heritage is for you but remember.... you are going to have to keep up with the Heritage if you get it. I personally own the 11 Heritage. Lots of work, but the more work you put in, the more fun you get out of it.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Boat Shredder said:


> I'm tellin ya, ANY Neversummer board will hold up ANY mountain condition.
> 
> Get the SL. It will still hold an edge but will be poppy and fun at the same time.
> 
> The Heritage is really an expert's board thats going to push the rider to the limit every time they go riding. If you have that aggressive style and attitude, the Heritage is for you but remember.... you are going to have to keep up with the Heritage if you get it. I personally own the 11 Heritage. Lots of work, but the more work you put in, the more fun you get out of it.


Damn, I loved reading that. Got that 'new' Heritage 160 from Justin, and opening day is TODAY.

open, open, open, open...


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## Triple8Sol (Nov 24, 2008)

Boat Shredder said:


> I'm tellin ya, ANY Neversummer board will hold up ANY mountain condition.
> 
> Get the SL. It will still hold an edge but will be poppy and fun at the same time.
> 
> The Heritage is really an expert's board thats going to push the rider to the limit every time they go riding. If you have that aggressive style and attitude, the Heritage is for you but remember.... you are going to have to keep up with the Heritage if you get it. I personally own the 11 Heritage. Lots of work, but the more work you put in, the more fun you get out of it.


Great points. I'd venture a guess that alot of the bandwagoners that picked up a Heritage this year are in over their heads. I'd be alot of those lemmings would be better off on an SL, because the Heritage is not very forgiving, not meant to be pressed or playful. It's a heavy-ish bomber that slices through chop.


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## PNWboarder (Oct 30, 2010)

Triple8Sol said:


> Great points. I'd venture a guess that alot of the bandwagoners that picked up a Heritage this year are in over their heads. I'd be alot of those lemmings would be better off on an SL, because the Heritage is not very forgiving, not meant to be pressed or playful. It's a heavy-ish bomber that slices through chop.


Why is the Heritage considered an "expert" board or that many people would be getting in over their heads? 

I do consider myself an intermediate rider who rides everything on the mountain with the help of athletic carry-over and good friends to follow. I'm coming from a 163 traditional cambered board which I don't feel like has alot of forgiveness. The Heritage has rocker-camber, will be slightly narrower at the waist and a NS flex rating of 5.5, which I can only guess is slightly softer than what I have been riding. Doesn't that add up to an easier riding board in my case as opposed to a less forgiving ride? 

Comparing that to say a Billy Goat - 162, 25.2 waist and considered the stiffest board in the GNU line. I would think that would be considered more of an expert board that can ride you if you don't have the skill to back it up.


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## songa (Oct 8, 2010)

dont mean to complicate things....but with all the talk about a good NS board to blow thru chop like the heritage, why hasnt the premier f1 been in discussion? is that board a little too extreme freeride for this style of riding we're tlaking about?


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## PNWboarder (Oct 30, 2010)

songa said:


> dont mean to complicate things....but with all the talk about a good NS board to blow thru chop like the heritage, why hasnt the premier f1 been in discussion? is that board a little too extreme freeride for this style of riding we're tlaking about?


I would consider the Premier F1 more of a powder board and less of the all mountain board that I am looking for. I hear good things about the F1 including that it would be great blowing through chop, but I can't count on there being powder all the time.

Atleast you didn't ask about the park pickle


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## cjs2002 (Nov 15, 2010)

between the SL and Heritage, which is better for east coast hard groomers/icy conditions? i'm a pretty agressive rider, love big carves, but also like to be playful and find freestyle lines away from the park.


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## Boat Shredder (Nov 2, 2010)

songa said:


> dont mean to complicate things....but with all the talk about a good NS board to blow thru chop like the heritage, why hasnt the premier f1 been in discussion? is that board a little too extreme freeride for this style of riding we're tlaking about?


The Premier is a strict mountain slayer with no freestyle advantages whatsoever. Extremely stiff and extremely damp. Will haul ass and hold an edge quite well without compromising stability. The Heritage on the other hand is more snappy and crisp with it. It will ollie those rollers, get you spinning in the air and keep you content at high speeds. 



cjs2002 said:


> between the SL and Heritage, which is better for east coast hard groomers/icy conditions? i'm a pretty agressive rider, love big carves, but also like to be playful and find freestyle lines away from the park.


if you are legitimately serious about BIG carves, I say heritage. SL will give you everything you want except for those big carves. its almost a bit too chatterey for a big carver. The SL is still a more fun choice. If you can handle a heritage however, I recommend getting it.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Triple8Sol said:


> Great points. I'd venture a guess that alot of the bandwagoners that picked up a Heritage this year are in over their heads. I'd be alot of those lemmings would be better off on an SL, because the Heritage is not very forgiving, not meant to be pressed or playful. It's a heavy-ish bomber that slices through chop.


Whether or not you were specifically aiming that at me, I'm certainly in the target group. We'll see in just a day or so. Hopefully I'm honest enough to objectively report on my experience with the Heritage.

As to the second part of the statement, I'll PM you my address and you send me an SL so I can comparison test, OK?


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## vrecksler (Apr 18, 2010)

Thanks to everyone who posted in this thread. As another West Coast rider (Mt Baker and local North Vancouver hills) I've been trying to find a great 'new' technology board to replace my aging Burton FL 162. I bought the Lib Dark Series last year but wasn't super happy, and with all the positive feedback on NS boards I figured I might try them.

From their website, I had figured that for our snow (or poo if that's what we're calling it these days  ) and my riding, the Heritage was a good choice. And after reading this thread, and a few others on this site, I'm going to go for it and see how it works out.


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