# Deciding on a BC board



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

You are planning on buying a splitboard right?


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

first let me say that you probably can't go wrong with any of these boards.... splitboards have come soooo far in the last 5-8 years. whichever board you get you should get Spark R&D bindings for it, and they will cost you $400 - and could be hard to get ahold of if you don't try and aggressively seek them out and preorder them. 

i think the NS has the best rocker/camber design. i have an SL-r and it rides and holds an edge just like a cambered board until you decide to use the rocker. not wishy washy. stomps 20+ foot drops like a cambered board, and is just an all around destroyer. the only thing i'd be maybe a little worried about would be weight, as NS boards are heavier than some others out there. i'm just bummed all their splits are so huge.

Prior has a really good looking rocker/camber combo as well. id like to ride one first, but i am seriously considering the 154 as my next split (i ride a 157 cambered BurtonS right now). the addition of rocker while still retaining camber thru the feet should allow for lots of added float while still keeping decent edge hold and pop, although with the raised tip and tail its probably not as stable as the NS rocker/camber.

i know that venture makes sick boards, heard lots of great things about them - never rode one. their website shows their rocker deign as being flat-to-rockered-tips. i have a DC BDR that has this same camber profile, and it is a great pow board, insane rail/jib board, but not an all around, all mountain, or backcountry board. too wishy washy, not enough edgehold in icy/hard conditions.

pretty sure the venture and the prior you can get in traditional cambered versions as well, but i don't think so for the NS. 

if it was me, if they made the NS smaller (155ish) i'd get it, otherwise i'd go prior, and that is strictly based on their rocker/camber profile. for me.


----------



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

The Neversummer splits are actually some of the lighter splits out there these days. Maybe only the Voile boards are lighter because they use cap construction. The top sheet wrap that NS is using allows them to lighten up the board by using less materials. They use this on the Summit R Split and on the Raptor.

Prior, though they make nice looking boards has a lot of problems with quality control. About 75% of the people I know with Priors have had problems with delamming. Kind of lame.

Venture is making rock solid looking decks and I've been out a few times with a guy who is rocking the Storm Split. He loves it. 

I still think overall NS is making the best splits but like a Mac they come at a price. Stay away from Sentury as they just seem to be ripping people off these days. 

The Jones splitty coming out next season should be a sick option too.


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

killclimbz said:


> The Neversummer splits are actually some of the lighter splits out there these days.
> this is good to know. man i wish they made em shorter...
> 
> Prior, though they make nice looking boards has a lot of problems with quality control. About 75% of the people I know with Priors have had problems with delamming. Kind of lame.
> ...


..................


----------



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Last I talked to the Neversummer guys was that they would be offering the Raptor and the Summit as their splitboards. I believe it's going to be on online order thing again, like this season. Unless they change their mind, Neversummer splits won't be in stores.

As far as lengths go, I think the Raptor's shortest length is 159. So not really what you are looking for. Venture defintely makes boards in the range you want. Also keep in mind, you generall want to go 4-6cm bigger than your resort board for bc riding. You are going to be riding wild snow, not resort pow. It's pretty much gauranteed to be deeper and a lot more variability. The extra float is a good thing.


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

i agree for most people, size it up.

i've got more than a few years in the BC now, and the advent of safe, hard-charging rocker boards is super exciting for a lil guy like me (5'9" 145#). i get on a 159 (especially with a backpack on) and its like trying to steer a log. a 157 and im hopping and popping all over the place :dunno: lightweight and less spin weight is the way to go for me.

this year i've been able to drop down to a 155 RC board and have been riding it in pow with a 1" setback. can actually pump the nose of the board in deep pow and gain speed rather than sink it. rocker/camber fucking rules.

edit: it also depends how you ride. i'm trying to spin off of drops, build kickers, and ride freestyle influenced in the freeride environment. if you're just straight airing, or just carving and charging, bigger boards for sure.


----------



## Guest (Mar 18, 2010)

Thanks for the quick replies. I am indeed looking for a split board. 

Reading what you have said about the Priors Killclimbz I have heard that before and it is unfortunate because I like the look of their board the best. As for the premium on Neversummer boards ($1299) it isnt a huge difference from say the Prior ($1175) but a bit of an increase from the Venture ($895). 

I would be hesitant to purchase a board from a manufacturer on the first year of production but maybe it doesnt matter. I wonder what the price will be on a Jones board. 

I suppose what I need to consider is whether or not it is worth paying the premium for a NS board. Considering the total cost of a setup the $400 is not that huge an increase.

-C


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

Nostromos said:


> I would be hesitant to purchase a board from a manufacturer on the first year of production but maybe it doesnt matter. I wonder what the price will be on a Jones board.
> 
> -C


just offhand, i'd say with a rider like Jeremy you're probably good. from the looks of his blog the conditions they have been demoing those boards in are no joke.

i'm gonna guess somewhere from $900-$1200 :laugh:


----------



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Keep in mind that the purchase price for the Venture boards is without the Voile hardware and skins. That is another $300-$400 right there if you need to buy them. The Neversummer's come complete with everything. So the Venture price may not be so great once you factor into what you need to buy. 

Jones is evidently doing the same thing as Venture, so you'll be faced with the same cost issues. I wouldn't have any worries about getting that board either. It seems that it has been extensively tested and Jones is definitely layin down the gnarly lines on it. It's going to be a quality board for sure.


----------



## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

Th Jones board will be $799US without any hardware, so you will need to buy skins and the voile kit.

I had a Prior MFR that I put 25-30 days on, and it was a very unimpressive and low quality board. I also had delam issues that started in the middle of the board, Prior wouldn't warranty, luckily a local store fixed it for a few bucks. The base on a Prior is the weakest of any baord I have ever been on. My buddies Prior Skis have ~30-40 days on them and are coming apart. One of the tail guides on a cat trip a couple of years ago was riding a Prior Split that was less than a year old and it was completely delaminated. They wouldn't warranty it so if he wanted to ride, he had to ride a broken board. A buddy has a Prior carving board that he blew the edge out on the first time out, atleast this one they fixed though. I really wish they made better boards being a Canadian company, but there is just no sense of pride in their boards.


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

well, i think it's settled then...... fuck Prior....


----------



## CaptT (Sep 23, 2009)

Hrmmm......Kill, should I go bigger then a 156?? I was gonna split my Infinity this summer but if I should go up a size or two.....that's gonna suck....


----------



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

It's a rule of thumb, not a hard rule. Your Infinity will work just fine for you.


----------



## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

ShredLife said:


> well, i think it's settled then...... fuck Prior....


I'm just relaying what I have personally seen end experienced. I'm sure a lot of people have had a Prior board that lasted them years without a problem, you hear about it on the forums all the time.


----------



## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

its really more the apparent lack of customer service for me.... i guess you could just buy one from REI and just keep returning it when it delams


----------



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Sadly Zee, it seems to be a reoccuring problem with them. I've personally known 4 people that have had the same problems with their Priors. Actually if I think about it, it's 100% of the people I know with them that have had issues. Add in their horrible warranty service, and I can't really recommend Prior. I really want to like them, but they are just coming up short.


----------



## Mysticfalcon (Nov 27, 2007)

My venture has taken it very hard since I got it. Ive only had it half a season but it has tagged a lot of rocks and trees and the construction is top notch. I thought the topsheet looked a little weak when I got it but its held up extremely well even when I did a superman into a pile of brush and was stopped by all the branches hitting the board. I thought it was going to rip my feet off but its only got 1 noticeable scratch and that is barely noticeable unless you are looking for it. I have a Euphoria that is actually shorter than my resort board. It floats like a champ but for big lines and hard charging bigger would be better. Around here backcountry means the trees are TIGHT so I like the smaller.


----------

