# Looking for a hard charging freeystyle board.



## kingkoajmr (Nov 12, 2008)

For hard charging I prefer my Yes Big City to my T.Rice. For me camber under the feet just feels better when I really want to push. Out of your list I'd say go for the BSOD. You may want to look at the Big City though. Doesn't have as much camber as the bsod (1mm vs 3mm). I found it to be a very capable stable board. It is a directional twin. I ride my centered and don't notice a difference between regular and switch.


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## redlude97 (Jan 9, 2008)

Ride Machete or DH2 would be my choices.


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## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

machete or highlife if you really want to charge


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

Highlife, thats what I ride and it charges, oh yes it charges. Would be a good compliment to your softer more playful custom V IMO.


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## Riley212 (Nov 9, 2011)

I second the ride boards. But probly a Arcade if you want a true twin. Definetly go with something that has mostly regular camber


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## L3mnhead (Mar 24, 2010)

If you're not ruling out regular camber, I suggest the Flow Quantum. I snagged one for super cheap at the end of last season and I'm glad I did. It charges hard, grips like crazy and great on jumps.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Flow Quantum, Signal Omni, Ride Buckwild, Nitro Rook.


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions peeps! I'm going to take a look into the Ride boards, I don't know their line at all. I've never even been on one. Way back (10+ years ago) I remember hear about their boards lacking quality, but perhaps it's worth checking out their new stuff.

kingkoajmr, you have me very interested in the YES Big City. Anybody else with experience on that stick?

I'm surprised no one is recommending the T.Rice, I've heard lots of good about it. I'm also surprised no NS boards have been recommended yet. Surprise is a good thing I think, I came here to get some education on the newest hard charging Freestyle boards.

I'm open to any type of camber profile, as long as it lets me ride fast and aggressive, but still capable of a park run. True twin would be nice, because I do ride switch a lot, and like charge just as hard and fast as I do in reg, but isn't necessary, as long as the board behaves well switch.


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## Extremo (Nov 6, 2008)

The Rook? Really?

Look at more aggressive boards in the line like the Nitro Blacklight or the Nitro Team, unfortunately they did away with The Misfit. The Capita BSOD. Yes Pick Your Line or The Great Beauties. Rome Anthem.


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## CornedBeef (Nov 30, 2009)

What did you like about the custom V-rock over the banana magic?

I have a custom V-rocker as well and my hard charger is an '09 uninc. The Uninc offers a nice balance....soft enough to have fun, but stiff enough to charge. Also matches well with the custom V. I usually bring both to the mountain.

Out of your choices, I'd go with the bsod. Or maybe a burton barracuda or something like a Jones Flagship if you're considering those Yes boards. I assume you're set on some type of combo rocker.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

The Rook works for me as a hard charging freestyle stick. Though I guess to most people the Team is a better fit, good call I guess.


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

To the guys recomending the Ride Highlife, how do you find it riding swtich? Is the board park/jib friendly at all?

CornedBeef, I found the Custom V-Rocker and Banana Magic were very similar, but the Custom seemed to do everything just a little bit better. I found I could charge harder with it, and at the same time butter and jib easier. Carving was more solid on the Custom too.

I've been reading Snowolf's review of the Heritage and it has me very interested I have to say. Probably my leading contender at the moment. The Yes Big City still in the running too. Sort of waiting for something to come along and push me one way or another here. Are there other in depth reviews of these boards like the one Snowolf did on the Heritage?


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

Highlife is not a jib or super park friendly board. Its more freeride but its great for all mountain freestyle IMO.

Its fine riding switch but by no means a twin so you have to adjust a little. 

I hit kickers on it once in a while and did my first board slides no problem on my Highlife.

Having said that its not really ideal for those things. The Buck wild (ride) is a twin free style deck that is pretty hard charging. At least thats what they say I have not ridden it.

Heritage looks good too but that is not a twin either and is closer to the Highlife in that its more freeride oriented.
You can still freestyle on a freeride board but if you want to hit the park regularly better getting a true twin IMO.


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## Riley212 (Nov 9, 2011)

to re iterate- ride arcade is the freestyle version of the highlife
Ride Arcade Review - 2012 Snowboard Reviews - Board Insiders - YouTube


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

Riley212, the Arcade is interesting to me too. Seems like it would be similar to the T.Rice HP, lightweight twin freestyle charger. Has anybody been lucky enough to ride both of those, that could compare them? Both these boards sound right up my alley, but I think I'll end up pushing it a little more in the freeride direction with the Heritage, Big City, or something similar in the end and just get used to the directional nature of them when in switch. It seems like there are just so many great choices this year.


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## danm (Jan 16, 2010)

OK, I'll be the first to recommend the T.Rice! At your weight you would be fine on the 153, I'm 5'5" 165 and ride a 157 for all mountain... I'm sure you could ride that size too!


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## Nolefan2011 (Mar 12, 2011)

I have both a Rice, and an Optimistic (basically the same thing as the Big City from the year before), and I agree that for bombing, the Yes Optimistic is my board of choice. Same for pow, and big mountain. I lean to the Rice as my all Mountain board.


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## sidewall (Nov 6, 2009)

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/equipment-reviews/44615-review-lib-tech-t-rice-161-a.html


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

*Now please help me out with size and bindings*

Well, I'm a hair away from pulling the trigger on the Yes Big City. I gave the Heritage and Highlife a ton of thought, but I think I'm settled on the Big City. The BSOD was in there too.

My big question now (unless you think the Big City is a mistake) is to decide on what size to get. I'm 5'8 155lbs. I'm at a complete loss as to weather I should go 154 or 156. Thoughts?

Also, I'd love to take a binding recommendation. Currently I'm looking at Union. I think I'll go with the MC if I can find it, if not the SL or the Contact Pro.

Thanks!


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## DaToast (Mar 1, 2010)

I am 6' tall wear a 9.5 boot with a weight of 145 and I have the Big City in a 158 but I like longer board since I free ride more. I would probably get the Big City in the 156 if you want more more all mountain freestyle/charger.

I love my Big City its really damp and stiff in between the binding and really soft in the tip and tail. I can press the board pretty well for how stiff the board is. Also the board is really really fast most people can not keep up with me on the mountain. The board feels really stable even when I am going 40-50ish mph. I have a blast every time I ride this board.

I have some Ride Nitranes bindings on it but I would probably go for something a tad bit stiffer and more a little bit more responsive.


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## Crimzn (Jan 8, 2012)

Everything I read pointed towards the Capita Black Snowboard of Death as being the go-to choice for aggressive riding. If you want something a little more pipe and big jump oriented, check out the 2011 Bataleon Riot on sale at evo.com


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## henry06x (Feb 16, 2011)

Ride makes good stuff. I've had many of there boards and love their bindings. 
The dh is supposed to be just what your looking for, tho may be a little stiff. It's rated a 9/10 by ride on flex (I believe it use to be a 6/7 on there) the dh is regular camber.
The dh2 is rated a little softer and has rides hybrid rocker. All and all I hear it's a good aggressive board ment to be rode as such. (dh 2.7 graphic is sick in my opinion) supposed to have great (maybe too much) pop as well.


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## Tycho (Nov 17, 2010)

Thanks for the first hand recommendation DaToast. You have officially solidified my decision to go with the Big City 156! Stoked!

Thank you to everybody that replied. I appreciate you helping me out.

I could still use some more help with bindings now to match up with this stick. I've started a new bindings thread here: http://www.snowboardingforum.com/bindings/45372-good-bindings-yes-big-city.html#post466612 


Peace!


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## huckfin (Dec 9, 2010)

if you go with the highlife, don't go too big.. i have a 164 and it feels very long... wish i had a 161 or even a 158.


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## FirstChair (Mar 24, 2010)

How about a Custom X?
Not sure if you would call it a freestyle stick, but great for high speed.


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