# Powder-Gun, Freeride, Big-Mountain, Hypersonic Piste-Weapon Selection



## Cloudminder (Aug 23, 2011)

So in late July, after waiting through the second consecutive predominantly gray Pacific NW summer (what happened?), some synapse in my brain suddenly snapped and now all I can think about is boosting off a cliff in Squaw Valley with Motorhead playing at maximum volume and charging champagne powder for a couple hundred yards at Mach 7…… [sigh] A few more months

For some perspective, I ride a stiff binding/boot setup (Ride Double Agent at +15/+6 and Burton Driver X with inserts) on a 157cm 2004 Burton Omen currently. I am 5’10” (178cm), 165lb (75kg) plus a 10-15lb pack on occasion, 10.5 US boot (42-43 EUR), and a fairly advanced rider. I spend no time in the park, and thoroughly enjoy steeps, bowls, chutes, drops, open trees, and high-speed carving. I like a responsive and stable ride. The Omen has a smaller side-cut and is torsionally mellow, thus it becomes unstable at very high speed. Also, the camber and shorter length becomes a float issue in deep powder, even with a larger binding setback. I intend to continue riding the Omen for smaller resorts and poor conditions (unfortunately, a majority of the riding I do in the local Seattle area), though the new board would be my go-to for powder conditions, backcountry hiking, side-country, and larger resort riding (Whistler, Revelstoke, Squaw Valley, Mt. Baker, etc). The board would likely see a majority of powder and off-piste riding, though I want something that I can confidently push at maximum speed on very steep groomed and hardpacked trails with the same setup. If I go on a week-long trip, I only want to fly with one board, and I want that one board to levitate powder and obliterate groomers if the weather is indecisive.

The Omen is tons of fun for casual riding (extra surfy for leaning into turns for looser carving) and has treated me superbly. However, over the past few seasons, last winter in particular, I’ve increasingly arrived to a point where I’ve found myself on multiple occasions needing something longer, faster, stiffer, more stable, and more aggressive to keep up with my riding (and make my skier friends look bad . I need an animal of a board. I want to back off on the reins only when the terrain and fear of imminent mortality tells me to, not when my board gets jittery a third of the way through a gnarly line.

I am interested in a ~161-164cm length (towards the longer end of things for my frame, but still need to thread the occasional mogul field or dense glade) and a directional camrock profile. I like full cambered boards for their craving response, but I want to go with something different this time around (rockered boards that I’ve borrowed have been a blast). Full-magnetraction (even detuned) feels too digitally-grippy for me, but I do want something extra that will dig-in when I push it on mixed conditions and wind-blown traverses. I don’t want much profile taper as to where trail-runs become squirrelly.

Basically, I want a board that will allow me to continue advancing my riding and negotiate bigger and more-technical terrain (including cat and heli access in future seasons), though is versatile enough to thoroughly enjoy for basic resort riding also. I would rather be punished for my riding mistakes and learn than not having enough headroom to ride harder. Going with my newfound self-improvement mantra of ‘commit, go faster and turn less’ when things get scary, a big-mountain board design philosophy is right up my alley. I need a powder-gun quiver board that isn’t a quiver board, but is much more specialized than an ‘all-mountain’ board, if that makes sense.


Here are the prospects, in likely order of acquisition probability:

1) Jones Flagship 164 (maybe 161 or 163W?). GOOD: Camrock, mellow-mag, stiff nose, fast, ‘Nidecker’ deck. BAD?: heavy (true?), low dampening = brutal time for exclusive groomer days?, unknown changes from 2011 to 2012?

2) Nidecker Ultralight 163. GOOD: Carbon topsheet, camrock (supposedly stellar profile), serrated edges, stiff, damp, light, fast, probably a better overall board than the Flagship. BAD?: Prohibitively pricey (potentially worth it?), where do I get one? 

3) Nidecker Megalight 163. GOOD: See previous, less expensive than the Ultra (might actually be Candidate #1 if the $200 gap from the Jones is well-spent???). BAD?: See previous, comparative ride to Ultra (besides slightly heavier)?

4) Never Summer Raptor 159 or 164 (maybe 161W?). GOOD: Damp, fast, excellent edge-to-edge, easy to ride. BAD?: Can’t think of much….. limited comparative mixed reviews from crotchety powder snobs used to longboard Priors and Tankers?? [haha absolutely no offense intended to anyone riding one], comparative ride to Premier F1 or Summit?

5) Nidecker Legend 164. GOOD: See previous Nideckers. BAD?: Too stiff?, no camrock??, where do I get one?

6) ????


Close calls, but not under consideration:

Rossignol Experience (full-mag, Flagship has stiffer nose with similar shape), Arbor A-Frame (dig the design, but wanna shy away from full camber for a change), Salomon Burner (ditto), Bataleon Undisputed (ditto), Lib/Gnu boards (full-mag, though my friends swear by their TRS and T.Rice), Rome Notch (fairly tapered, more geared towards straight pow), Capita Charlie Slasher (ditto), Burton Malalo (ditto, no EST binding plates), Ride Slackcountry (want some level of camber, price is spendy; but in the same breath, I’m considering Nidecker), YES Optimistic (very likely an excellent all-around board, though looking for something more specialized so that I don’t retire the Omen), Capita BSOD (ditto), Nidecker Platinum (more BX than freeride), Elan Vertigo (ditto), Venture (flat profile between bindings, definitely looking for the pop of camber in a hybrid profile with rocker for float), Bataleon Enemy +++ (just like Nidecker, is the pricetag justified? Isn’t it more of a ‘do everything awesome’ board than a purpose-built big-mountain gun? is TBT an advantage or hindrance for aggressive hardpack carving?)


Any rationale based on first-hand riding experience or similar boards is most helpful. I am most interested in detailed comparative perspectives and factors that I am overlooking above all else. I want the total ride that will be the heavy munitions of my arsenal for years (unless I miraculously start dropping remote heli runs in AK or upper BC regularly). Graphics and gimmicks be damned.


I need the board that Lemmy would ride if he wasn’t preoccupied making people’s heads explode with a Rickenbacker.


Thanks for your help!


----------



## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

I'd probably for for a Raptor of you choices so far. The Other two I have any experience with are the Ride Highlife UL and the Salomon Mans board. Both very burly boards.


----------



## walove (May 1, 2009)

Smokin kt22, modified mag directional freeride
Gnu billygoat mellowest mag from mervin

From your list, I would say flagship then raptor


----------



## skip11 (Jan 28, 2010)

How bout the Ride Berzerker? Jake Blauvelt's shred stick


----------



## Cloudminder (Aug 23, 2011)

Hey Nivek,

The more and more I look around, the better the Highlife UL is looking. How would you suppose the Raptor will ride in comparison? Man's Board looks solid too. How's the ride compare to the Highlife?

Between the Berzerker and Highlife, I'm leaning towards the Highlife due to the deeper sidecut on the Berzerker. The Omen is already extra surfy/slashy, so I'm after more of a straight-line monster that I can push the throttle to eleven on. Moreover, I want to have a ride different enough from my all-mountain board that there's no selection ambiguity based on what conditions I'm riding; camrock/s-rocker being one aspect and length/sidecut being the other mainly.

KT-22 i'll definitely be checking demo tents for. As a side-note, I had some of the best deep powder runs of my life off that lift last winter. Like, beyond-stellar-enough-to-justify-buying-a-badassed-freeride-setup-this-season good 


Any Nidecker riders out there?


----------



## Hellude (Nov 12, 2010)

I ride a Jones Flagship and you would not be dissapointed with it. This board is superfast and stable, both on and off piste. The rockered nose is awesome, a lot of times i have felt certain that my nose dug down too deep and that i will fall just to se that the moment after my nose pops up from the snow and i am flying down the slope again. 

Superfast on groomers and really stable even when it gets tracked out.


----------



## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

get the raptor! look at the technology and the blood sweat and tears. these boards are handmade in the usa! look at all the features of the raptor on their website! you are gettting to the point where you are splitting hairs between peoples opinions between a bunch of similar boards. on the one hand, every one of these boards would probably make you happy. on the other, whoose opinion REALLY matters? you have done alot of research already, i noticed in your original post you had nothing bad to say about it(the raptor).

disclaimer: been riding for a long time but started only seriously last year... since then it turns out i have alot of friends and connections through work who are involved with never summer and icelantic (a SICK ski company that presses their products at the NS factory) from ownership to team riders. got the wrong gear last year but needless to say i'm gonna rectify that this season with the proto ct. just puttin it out there for the local boys...nobody stopping you buying from taiwan but just LOOK at the product!


----------



## Cloudminder (Aug 23, 2011)

Okay. More decision clarity has struck me. The Raptor has rocker between the bindings like Lib’s C2BTX or Burton’s V-Rocker. I like riding more setback and using my back leg to power out of turns, thus having the board’s pivot-point more centered isn’t ideal unless I’m looking for a 100% dedicated pow board (which I’m not; even then I’d probably still go rocker/flat or S and tapered). Consequently, S-rocker or ‘mustache’ rocker it is.

Thus it’s now a shoot-out between the Flagship and the Highlife UL. FIGHT!

Unless someone can convince me otherwise, I am leaning towards the Flagship slightly based on the ability to push it harder, my riding preferences, and given the fact that I have a fun/playful all-mountain board already. My only concern is whether it will behave if I’m not charging (which I think the HL will) if I’m riding with folks who end up being less adventurous. I’m assuming the HL is damper and softer than the Flagship, which could either be a good thing or a bad thing dependent on how you look at it.

Moreover, I’m torn between a 161 or 164. I know I can handle a 161, though I’m wondering if the 164 will eat me alive in anything except powder. I’m in the upper end of the weight bracket with all my gear for a 161, but on the lower end for a 164. The fact that a S-rocker board should ride shorter than reality is making me lean towards the 164, but…………


----------



## ckang008 (May 18, 2009)

I thought raptor has a setback


----------



## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

look at the Never Summer Premier F1. just a suggestion


----------



## chupacabraman (Jul 30, 2009)

Do you have an extra pair of inserts you can sell me?


----------



## tuckerchef (Aug 26, 2011)

Get your self a Winterstick Tom Burt Pro. It only comes in one size so the decision is that much easier. Check it out!


----------



## sidewall (Nov 6, 2009)

I'd advise against a jones Flagship. Zero dampening, very harsh. It will wear you out in anything but powder.


----------



## Cloudminder (Aug 23, 2011)

sidewall, are you speaking from personal experience on the Flagship?


----------



## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Cloudminder said:


> sidewall, are you speaking from personal experience on the Flagship?


He is not the only one that feels this. I know a good chunk of people that find the Jones line surprisingly damplessness.

Honestly you will be able to push into the tail of the Highlife more than the Flagship.


----------



## sidewall (Nov 6, 2009)

Cloudminder said:


> sidewall, are you speaking from personal experience on the Flagship?


Yes, speaking from experience. Have a 163W that I rode all last season. It's a very harsh snowboard. It's lots of fun in powder with they way the nose stays up but on mixed up snow or choppy conditions, it's brutal.


----------



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Out of everything mentioned here I'd look at the Smokin' KT22 and the Raptor, which does have a set back btw. The rocker camber profile is great. Rocker when you want it, camber when you need it. The Flagship is also pretty nice. It is a little light on the dampening but I didn't find it to be a deal breaker.


----------



## skip11 (Jan 28, 2010)

Maybe you should just go for the Rossi Experience if you want the Flagship. Really similar board but I heard the Rossi's much more damp but has a full mtx instead of mellow mtx.


----------



## Derekd43 (Sep 27, 2011)

Cloudminder said:


> Hey Nivek,
> 
> The more and more I look around, the better the Highlife UL is looking. How would you suppose the Raptor will ride in comparison? Man's Board looks solid too. How's the ride compare to the Highlife?
> 
> Between the Berzerker and Highlife, I'm leaning towards the Highlife due to the deeper sidecut on the Berzerker. The Omen is already extra surfy/slashy, so I'm after more of a straight-line monster that I can push the throttle to eleven on. Moreover, I want to have a ride different enough from my all-mountain board that there's no selection ambiguity based on what conditions I'm riding; camrock/s-rocker being one aspect and length/sidecut being the other mainly.


Just curious...you mention that you favor the Highlife over the Berzerker because of the deeper sidecut on the Berzerker; why is that actually? Trying to understand impact of that sidecut.


----------



## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Very similar setup...A-Frame, Driver X. But if you want to stay away from camber...My arbor is amazingly stable at speed. And rides pow well. Doesn't exactly levitate... ( camber) but if you set it all back you'll have a surf-snowboard. No way to sink that nose.
Generally by the end of the day I re-advance the bindings to ride groomers or slashed pow.

If you like a stiff precise board that carves well and still performs very well in pow...give the A-Frame a look. I got the previous year model with a huuuge discount.





Cloudminder said:


> So in late July, after waiting through the second consecutive predominantly gray Pacific NW summer (what happened?), some synapse in my brain suddenly snapped and now all I can think about is boosting off a cliff in Squaw Valley with Motorhead playing at maximum volume and charging champagne powder for a couple hundred yards at Mach 7…… [sigh] A few more months
> 
> For some perspective, I ride a stiff binding/boot setup (Ride Double Agent at +15/+6 and Burton Driver X with inserts) on a 157cm 2004 Burton Omen currently. I am 5’10” (178cm), 165lb (75kg) plus a 10-15lb pack on occasion, 10.5 US boot (42-43 EUR), and a fairly advanced rider. I spend no time in the park, and thoroughly enjoy steeps, bowls, chutes, drops, open trees, and high-speed carving. I like a responsive and stable ride. The Omen has a smaller side-cut and is torsionally mellow, thus it becomes unstable at very high speed. Also, the camber and shorter length becomes a float issue in deep powder, even with a larger binding setback. I intend to continue riding the Omen for smaller resorts and poor conditions (unfortunately, a majority of the riding I do in the local Seattle area), though the new board would be my go-to for powder conditions, backcountry hiking, side-country, and larger resort riding (Whistler, Revelstoke, Squaw Valley, Mt. Baker, etc). The board would likely see a majority of powder and off-piste riding, though I want something that I can confidently push at maximum speed on very steep groomed and hardpacked trails with the same setup. If I go on a week-long trip, I only want to fly with one board, and I want that one board to levitate powder and obliterate groomers if the weather is indecisive.
> 
> ...


----------



## Cloudminder (Aug 23, 2011)

Thanks for all the replies. It funny, because half the people I’ve talked to who have rode the 2011 Flagship said it’s fine for extended groomer riding, and half have absolutely hated it. Powder is unanimously ace. I wonder how much boots/bindings figure into the equation. Since I upgraded from my first set of bindings and boots (Ride EX and Salomon F20) to the considerably stiffer DA/DriverX, it feels like I’m riding standing on marshmallows, and I don’t consider the Omen to be a particularly damp board. Only time it gets rough is when I change the ankle strap flex to full-forward and *CRANK* my bindings and laces for 5min of bombing; and in that case, I’ll definitely take the pain and increased response in favor of a dislocated shoulder. I’m more concerned with stability than overall comfort, but obviously I’m gonna ride less if I’m getting beatup continuously. Guess I can’t know until I demo.

Sorry for the misunderstanding on the setback. I understand that all the boards I’m considering have a natural setback, but what I was referring to is that I like setting my bindings back even a little further and using my rear foot to press out of turns and lead the nose when hitting really steep stuff (actually reminds me a lot of surfing on a shortboard). I find that camber between the bindings is an advantage for me. I’m leaning against anything with rocker in the middle and camber at the bindings (i.e. the Raptor), as I’ve ridden Lib’s C2BTX and it didn’t suit my riding style. Nothing against it, just not my thing. Nose rocker is absolutely key for powder float though.

The Experience and (maybe) the KT22 are out due to full mangetraction. I’m not a fan even when it’s detuned, as you lose some speed and fluidity in carving.

Regarding the sidecut on the Berzerker, I’d probably opt for it over a Highlife if I was looking for a single ‘do-it-all’ board. As it stands however, I have the Omen with a deep sidecut, which is ridiculously slashy/surfy at slower speeds, but gets too sketchy when bombing. So for a dedicated go-fast hit-drops straightline-steeps freeride board, I want something that is gonna be stable as hell (a little chatter and excessive ‘feel’ doesn’t bother me as long as I don’t end up washing-out at speed). Big sidecut makes more sense for my 2-board quiver right now.

Kirkrider, if I was after a dedicated speed-board and a dedicated pow board (likely a Hovercraft), I’d definitely go A-Frame or Burner in a heartbeat. Recently, I’m hitting more powder and off-piste than groomers (which I want to progress in even more), thus I want something that’s geared slightly more towards powder, but won’t leave me high and dry cutting across the mountain or bombing hard stuff. Having ridden boards with rocker in the nose in deep powder and given the fact that my all-mountain board is cambered, s-rocker it is for this deck. With that said, I’m catching myself searching for 2011 A-Frames involuntarily from time to time……

Haha the Tom Burt Pro is a monster, but 172cm is a little much for me… This is definitely the board Lemmy would ride 


I’m still really curious to hear from someone who’s ridden the Flagship AND the Highlife (or a similar Ride board)……… ……Bueller? ……Bueller?


YES Pick Your Line?


----------



## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Cloudminder said:


> a majority of the riding I do in the local Seattle area), though the new board would be my go-to for powder conditions, backcountry hiking, side-country, and larger resort riding (Whistler, Revelstoke, Squaw Valley, Mt. Baker, etc). The board would likely see a majority of powder and off-piste riding, though I want something that I can confidently push at maximum speed on very steep groomed and hardpacked trails with the same setup. If I go on a week-long trip, I only want to fly with one board, and I want that one board to levitate powder and obliterate groomers if the weather is indecisive.


If you ride pnw, u should know better...there is not 1 board that does concrete/hardpack, groomed, poo, and heavy wet chop. And if you see that folks are not hitting a certain kind of terrain with certain conditions...there's a good frickin reason or ur a clueless noob. If ur going to fly with 1 board there will likely be compromises unless u get lucky...so have to quiver to match the terrain/conditions or find something to do with the stick u got....but being stuck with a twig on a poo day, a noodle in heavy wet chop, a poo stick on concrete SUCKS. Libs with cb2x were developed as compromise for the varied pnw terrain/conditions.


----------



## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

I have not ridden the flagship but I own a 10-11 highlife(158). From what you are saying I think if you get a larger size it will do exactly what you want. 

1) It carves up groomers at mach speeds, seriously fast.

2) It floats and turns sweet in the pow. 

I wanted to spin off natural features and turn on a dime so I stayed short. Because of my weight its limited to maybe 50cm of fresh but a longer stick could be a full BC weapon.

3) It absorbs chatter and carves through crud where other pow specific boards will bounce you around. 

They say the 11-12 board does all those things better but its very similar.


----------



## sidewall (Nov 6, 2009)

Cloudminder, the Flagship is fun on groomers for sure. It's really quick edge to edge, magne-traction works great. But as soon as you hit anything bumpy or choppy, game over. The impacts you take are substantial. I've ridden for over 20 years and literally a board I rode in 1992 was more comfortable than the flagship. I use Burton CO2 bindings and Burton driver boots.


----------



## kimchijajonshim (Aug 19, 2007)

Cloudminder, I would nix the Raptor for sure. I've not ridden it and I'm sure it's a fantastic board, but my SL rode funny when I went far back from reference set-back. I'm not sure if it's affecting how the front camber zone and the rocker flattens out or just being in a weird place with respect to the sidecut, but my SL is fantastic centered or with a slight set-back, but rode like a DOOR when I put it all the way back. This isn't really an issue if you're looking for just a pow board, but if you're looking for a do-it-all freeride dominator, probably something else.

Without having ridden most of these boards, I would probably go Berzerker or Highlife. Even though the Berzeker has a pretty aggressive sidecut in the middle, because it's quadratic the sidecut in the tips is significantly mellower.



Derekd43 said:


> Just curious...you mention that you favor the Highlife over the Berzerker because of the deeper sidecut on the Berzerker; why is that actually? Trying to understand impact of that sidecut.


In my experience tighter sidecut boards want to "turn" more when you get up to high speeds. I wouldn't call it "unstable" necessarily, more twitchy. Also on long radius carves, they're a bit tougher to hold and throw down those long, arcing turns.


----------



## Cloudminder (Aug 23, 2011)

Thanks all. Sounds like a 161 Highlife is what the doctor ordered (especially after hearing about the Flagship with a similar boot/binding setup).

As I stated in my original post, I'm not after a PNW board (except Baker). I need something for trips to Tahoe/CO/UT/BC/etc that will cover all bases as best as possible (except park/pipe). I understand that having a full quiver to tailor to daily conditions is ideal, but it's not in the cards right now. I cant afford more than one board this season and still hit the trips I'm planning. Might change in the next couple seasons, but for now I need one deck that will allow me to burn through whatever my crazy skiier friends drag me into and expect me to keep up.

kimchijajonshim, good description of the sidecut. Yeah, twitchy is the word I was after rather than unstable.


----------



## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

the never summer premier f1 if you dont ride much swith would also be a good choice.


----------



## sidewall (Nov 6, 2009)

Cloudminder, what about a Gnu Billy Goat?


----------



## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

> Kirkrider, if I was after a dedicated speed-board and a dedicated pow board (likely a Hovercraft), I’d definitely go A-Frame or Burner in a heartbeat. Recently, I’m hitting more powder and off-piste than groomers (which I want to progress in even more), thus I want something that’s geared slightly more towards powder, but won’t leave me high and dry cutting across the mountain or bombing hard stuff. Having ridden boards with rocker in the nose in deep powder and given the fact that my all-mountain board is cambered, s-rocker it is for this deck. With that said, I’m catching myself searching for 2011 A-Frames involuntarily from time to time……



Most of my days are pow days. BUT when you put that stick on a groomed run, or on compacted / icy-ish snow....or powder crust, turn those binding +21 +18 and really work those edges you are riding something pretty close to a hard / alpine board. Especially with Driver-X and inserts. 
Love the support you get on your ankles in those boots..and how the board gives you Gs every turn. That setback tail pushes you out of turns like it's a dream.


----------



## Cloudminder (Aug 23, 2011)

Premier F1 has the same R.C. profile as the Raptor with rocker between the bindings

Ditto for Billy Goat, along with full magnetraction

+1 on the Driver X. I used to trade-off riding with and without the inserts, and now they're there for good. I like the ability to crank the upper lace section and keep the bottom mellower too. Railing hard toeside feels phenomenal. Seriously thought about going with Malamutes, but the DX just fit my feet better for whatever reason. I loved my F20's to death and definitely got some serious mileage out of them until I needed something stiffer.


----------



## Lstarrasl (Mar 26, 2010)

MTX " I’m not a fan even when it’s detuned, as you lose some speed and fluidity in carving."

Please explain yourself


----------



## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Lstarrasl said:


> MTX " I’m not a fan even when it’s detuned, as you lose some speed and fluidity in carving."
> 
> Please explain yourself


More contacts pts means more resistance when on edge. Can he feel it? Not likely, but it is there.


----------



## tuckerchef (Aug 26, 2011)

I ride Lake Louise and area. It sounds like we like to ride the same stuff. I have a Prior POW STICK. it's a large swallowtail with a larger side-cut radius. It's big, fast, stable at speed, it's one of the best soft boot carving boards I've ever ridden. It's not too big for the trees. If you ever get to Whistler go to the factory and demo one. It hunts POW all day long then leaves all of your friends behind on the groomer. I've even had the pow stick cat boarding and the burton fish can't even touch it. It's worth a look, it sounds like what you're looking for. I've had the board for three seasons and it's still in good shape. I use it for about 80% of my riding and I'm getting about 70 days a season. Hand built quality.


----------



## Cloudminder (Aug 23, 2011)

So here’s the synopsis:

By chance found a deal and ended up buying a 2010-2011 161cm Highlife with three days on it for cheap from someone cleaning out their quiver. Superficial scratches on the top sheet and a pristine base. The seller had more powder specific decks and was starting to prefer softer-flex flat/mild-rocker profiles for other types of riding, so the Highlife no longer had a distinct role for him.

Interestingly and conveniently enough, he also had a 2010-2011 Flagship, which he liked for pure powder, but preferred the HL for anything else. Reasoning being, the positioning of the nose rocker relative to the front binding (and thus shorter effective running length) lifted the nose prominently while under pressure, which was great for pow, but not so much for chop. HL was a much smoother ride and he felt like he could rip a greater variety of conditions more confidently. He also liked the power transfer from the tail of the Highlife better when carving.

I went back and forth between someone selling a 164 HL for the same price, but I think I definitely made the right choice. The length gap between my 157 won’t be as prominent, as the nose/tail rocker should ride a little shorter on hardpack, and it should ride a little longer in powder. It will definitely allow me to step up my riding several notches; and if I find myself eventually needing something meaner, I pretty much concluded that the board I was searching for in my original post doesn’t exist yet (which, short of going for a Prior, would be a damper Flagship after a few seasons of design iterations or a Nidecker Legend Camrock Ultimate Grip, which is new for 2012). I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.

Other option would be a pure powder board with taper, or a longer cambered rocketship like a Burner/A-Frame/Undisputed. For right now, the Omen and the Highlife are perfectly suited for my 2-board quiver.

I came dangerously close to buying a 2012 Highlife, but got cold feet last minute. In hindsight, the addition of a *very* mild amount of camber, a little less weight, and some added pop wasn’t worth an extra +$300 for me. Plus if the 2011 Highlife doesn’t do the trick after a few days of riding, I definitely wont feel guilty flipping it for something else mid-season.

Only thing I really compromised on was the flat/rocker profile versus true camrock, which is why I was shying away from Venture/K2 in the first place. Might feel a little more stable flat-basing and maybe arguably a little better float in powder (and if anything, give me more reason to keep riding the Omen). After seeing the minimal amount of camber on the 2012 HL and Flagship, I don’t know if it would even make a practical amount of difference most of the time. My only slight concern is the flat profile might ride too dead, though I’m not really worried after talking with its previous owner. Worst case, I’ll just have to go bigger/faster to keep things exciting . I’m a little bummed about no mellow-mag/UG, though I’m planning on being pretty diligent on edge tuning anyways.

YES PYL is still a mystery for now


----------



## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

2011 Highlife rides far from dead, its damp but not in a bad way. Once you get it dialed in you can really rip on this board, it rails and edge, short turns in the trees and sweet float in the pow. You'll have a blast:thumbsup::thumbsup:.


----------



## Cloudminder (Aug 23, 2011)

Yep. That seems to be the unanimous consensus. Already have a few trips lined up and should serve me very well this winter.

50+ at Baker already..... just counting days now


----------

