# Should I buy Skate banana? I don't ride any park



## Inlay (Oct 29, 2011)

cb1021 said:


> I like the "idea" of loose feel (coming from a surf background), but I want to lay down some smooth fast carves too.
> 
> Can somebody comment on freeride, downhill, carving (blacks) ability of this board??


I have a skate banana. It's the worst board I have ever ridden. It's not as flexible as people say it is, it's almost an all mountain board, which is annoying since I bought it purely for park.


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## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

SB is a fun board, pretty decent in powder, ok all mountain, fun in the park. there are just better boards out there. everyone here will tell you it's awful, which is not entirely true. 

you need to demo before you buy man. see how it feels.


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## djsaad1 (Nov 7, 2008)

Why not get a trs? It has the same skate feeling as a banana but will be more stable on the mountain.


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Don't get a Banana. Arbor Coda. Surfy all mountain = Coda. You'll love it.


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## Inlay (Oct 29, 2011)

Nivek said:


> Don't get a Banana. Arbor Coda. Surfy all mountain = Coda. You'll love it.


If anything, don't listen to this guy.


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## djsaad1 (Nov 7, 2008)

Inlay said:


> If anything, don't listen to this guy.


Why not? The coda will have the most skate feel out of everything mentioned.


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## Inlay (Oct 29, 2011)

djsaad1 said:


> Why not? The coda will have the most skate feel out of everything mentioned.


Because he has biased opinions that he doesn't back up with facts. And here's some choices instead of making you pick ONE board. Go ahead and look these up, and see what you'd like best out of them.

Custom Flying V Snowboard | Burton Snowboards
Process Flying V Snowboard | Burton Snowboards
Lib Tech Snowboards Banana Magic
Turbo Dream Snowboard | K2 Snowboarding 2011-12
The Green Machine | CAPiTA Super Corporation
http://neversummer.com/snow/snowboards/heritage/


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## cb1021 (Nov 21, 2010)

thanks EVERYBODY for the info. yea i knew the skate banana wasn't the best board for me, it's just really the price that attracted me. $400 bucks for almost new banana + good bindings on craigslist. Other less popular boards, I will have to buy new and will cost $$$$$$.


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## Mr. Polonia (Apr 5, 2009)

Custom x is my fave carving board...i also have the custom flying v which is alright for fast cruises but unless ur more intermediate and know how to control your board i wouldnt recommend the flying v

i just bought the new banana magic which is supposed to be equivalent somewhat to the custom x ( more intermediate board, suited more for all mountain ) so i cant give my feedback there....but im eager to try it out already. also, both the custom x and magic are really expensive boards....you can also try the never summer line ups for what youre looking for


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## Hodgepodge (Dec 9, 2010)

Nivek said:


> Don't get a Banana. Arbor Coda. Surfy all mountain = Coda. You'll love it.





Inlay said:


> If anything, don't listen to this guy.



Well I like the coda too, but i know you dont like mervin so it's okay that you say not to get a banana

if anything, inlay, you should listen to nivek. he's one of the best/most informed and most rational people on this forum. 

anyways i like the coda too, but i loved the skate banana as well. i rode the skate banana as an all mountain board the past 2 years and really didnt go in the park a whole lot and loved it. i have a t.rice and a yes great beauties now but that's a different story. I pick the Skate Banana and the Coda as my choices. You'll love either of them for sure :thumbsup:


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Inlay said:


> Because he has biased opinions that he doesn't back up with facts. And here's some choices instead of making you pick ONE board. Go ahead and look these up, and see what you'd like best out of them.
> 
> Custom Flying V Snowboard | Burton Snowboards
> Process Flying V Snowboard | Burton Snowboards
> ...


When haven't I backed myself up? You're just butt hurt that I bombed Mervin and you're apparently either on their payroll or just have the general hard on for their hype.

Also, you still put faith in Goodwood so noone should be paying you any attention at all.

Custom was Meh. Sherlock is much better.
Process was way softer than advertised.
Banana Magic is NOT worth $700
Turbo Dream is a decent choice.
Green Machine is a great soft park board, not a fast carve board.
Heritage is a good option.

Still though, the Coda being full rocker is why I suggested that over anything else. Full rocker is the loosest of the camber profiles. But with the Griptech sidecut you maintain stability. Same sidecut on the Westmark and in a 150 at 145lbs I could point it down Winter Parks death groomers. The 157 Coda I rode was that much more stable and snappy in turns. The grip actually saved my ass a couple times in the chunder slop at Loveland.

Inlay, leave. You annoy me.


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

The only boards out of his list is the NS and Lib Tech.
Try these for a stiffer board: 
Rome Mod Snowboard | Rome Snowboard Design Syndicate 2012
Raptor / Raptor X | Never Summer Industries - Snowboards, Longboards, Clothing and Accessories
Premier F1 | Never Summer Industries - Snowboards, Longboards, Clothing and Accessories
FLOW Snowboarding | Quantum Snowboard Flow Snowboards Men?s Snowboarding Gear Equipment
And this for a softer:
Rome Artifact Snowboard | Rome Snowboard Design Syndicate 2012


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## armybpc1985 (Oct 29, 2011)

Damn, it always seems like all over these forums it's a battle between Mervin and Never Summer. With all the hype that people are giving NS I'm going to have to try out one of their boards sometime.


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## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

i just dont get why people always have to bomb on other people opinions, if we all liked the same shit there would be no need for a forum. I too dont understand the hate for mervin, or burton for that matter, i have a gnu and love it, ive also looked into burton, ride, rome, NS for my next deck so im not inclined to one brand more than another. I guess people will love and hate brands for whatever reason and thats cool but i think the best way to form an opinion is to demo the board your looking at, if thats NOT possible then of course ask for as much info as you can but make sure you understand peoples opinions are not always based around the same criteria as what you form an opinion on.

This is not a stab at anyone imparticular nor is it an effort to start a riot, i just think you have to take opinions with caution. and i also would listen to Nivek over some of the other people on here (even if he does hate mervin ha)


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

Yah, people are going nuts for the Hybrid camber. Don't forget about the other good companies like Rome, DC, Salomon, Ride and Forum.


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

cjcameron11 said:


> i just dont get why people always have to bomb on other people opinions, if we all liked the same shit there would be no need for a forum. I too dont understand the hate for mervin, or burton for that matter, i have a gnu and love it, ive also looked into burton, ride, rome, NS for my next deck so im not inclined to one brand more than another. I guess people will love and hate brands for whatever reason and thats cool but i think the best way to form an opinion is to demo the board your looking at, if thats NOT possible then of course ask for as much info as you can but make sure you understand peoples opinions are not always based around the same criteria as what you form an opinion on.
> 
> This is not a stab at anyone imparticular nor is it an effort to start a riot, i just think you have to take opinions with caution. and i also would listen to Nivek over some of the other people on here (even if he does hate mervin ha)


Smart man right here ^ :thumbsup:


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

I try not to "hate" a company as a whole, just their products. I tend to have to clarify here once in a while that I don't really HATE Mervin. I just can't stand the fanboys and Mervins efforts on hype is off putting. Fanboys is the reason NS puts a bad taste in my brain. When you grow up riding in CO you end up hating or loving them since they are so prevelant there. My thing for Mervin is I can find something for cheaper that rides as well or better nearly 100% of the time. Combine that with my frustration with the Fanboys and hype vaccuums and I get a little hatey.


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## Unowned (Feb 5, 2011)

Inlay said:


> Because he has biased opinions that he doesn't back up with facts. And here's some choices instead of making you pick ONE board. Go ahead and look these up, and see what you'd like best out of them.
> 
> Custom Flying V Snowboard | Burton Snowboards
> Process Flying V Snowboard | Burton Snowboards
> ...


wtf...you're the guy who made a million different threads posting the same damn question about the same damn board that you have had a boner for the last month...changed your alias on the forum, and now youre bitching about a board you probably haven't even taken to the mountain yet?! Give me a break...troll.


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## legends6spd (Jan 18, 2010)

Inlay said:


> Because he has biased opinions that he doesn't back up with facts. And here's some choices instead of making you pick ONE board. Go ahead and look these up, and see what you'd like best out of them.
> 
> Custom Flying V Snowboard | Burton Snowboards
> Process Flying V Snowboard | Burton Snowboards
> ...


Is Nivek BIASED? yes... hell yes! 
but to say that he doesn't back it up with facts shows that you have no credit. his opinion may differ from you and me but he always has a reason for what he says. it's one thing to disagree but please don't slander


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

Nivek said:


> I try not to "hate" a company as a whole, just their products. I tend to have to clarify here once in a while that I don't really HATE Mervin. I just can't stand the fanboys and Mervins efforts on hype is off putting. Fanboys is the reason NS puts a bad taste in my brain. When you grow up riding in CO you end up hating or loving them since they are so prevelant there. My thing for Mervin is I can find something for cheaper that rides as well or better nearly 100% of the time. Combine that with my frustration with the Fanboys and hype vaccuums and I get a little hatey.


I now hate Arbor because you're an Arbor fanboy :cheeky4:

I'm kidding of course because I want to try a westmark (yes I sold mine before ever riding it, that's what summer does to me). Informed Fanboys like NS has on these forums don't bother me personally. Uninformed fanboys are a different matter.

I'll say this about Libtech. I still want to try a TRS slim, but for the price you get a fragile topsheet and they don't even reach around. By that I mean wrap the nose and tail what's up with that


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## notter123 (Nov 11, 2010)

i love how fast threads get off topic, chirpy newcomers need to realize who the knowledgable people are on this forum eh?

I am by no means one of those knowledgable people. haha heck I've only owned 2 boards and ridden 4. Go with somethine else though, the SB hasnt gottan great reviews, the westmark and coda both got awesome reviews, also look into the evo, sl from neversummer, the ride machete, dh 2.6 I believe? and the lib trs.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

SB was all the rage a few years ago when they came out.

To OP, got a SB 159, I'm old geezer and don't ride park; like Snowolf was saying its a tool with parameters. I like it for all mtn cruising...relaxed and playful on soft pack and for 6-8" pow where you can feel the bottom. Imo, its too soft, i.e., squirrly for agressive carving and too soft for deeper pow,...it kind of folds up.

For freeride downhill carving at mach on blacks...firm packed, there is much better and I prefer a stiff cambered board...and I really liked the old cambered magnetractions. If its deeper poo on blacks with a bottom, I rather ride my old option cambered northshore pintail. And for bottomless poo on blacks, my charlie slasher


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## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

I do agree I think people are definatly on edge right now, seems like fights starting everywhere


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

Inlay came in with a wild "factual" statement. There is a difference between saying "for me..." and stating what you believe is a fact. 

I agree, liking a board doesn't make you a fanboy. A fanboy is someone who defends them to their death and believes the company as a whole can do no wrong and everything they make is the best at that style. There is really only that for Mervin and NS. Sometimes CAPiTA, definitely Union... That's what peeves me. Am I an Arbor Fanboy? No. I rarely recommend anything in their freeride section, and when it comes to straight jib, the Draft is just not snappy enough out of presses for me. If i'm a fanboy for anyone it would have to be Flow. I have yet to really dislike a board I've been on or bindings I've been in. Though you'll never see me push anything lower than Quattro's for bindings. And if you're getting a pow setup I usually don't mention the bindings.

OP: Speaking of Flow, there is a great chance you'd also like the Drifter. Center reverse with micro camber in the tips. Like NS RC or Mervin C2 but less rocker and less camber, just mellowed out in general. Great sidecut and snappy. Great price on it too.


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

Never summer does wrong a lot. Have you seen their new Pandora topsheet? Dear god I don't get how that makes it out of the brainstorm phase.

Is the drifter exactly like the infinite I rock from last year? Still have my eye one from last year 2011 model.


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