# Looking for Off-Piste Dream machine



## huckfin (Dec 9, 2010)

if you can handle a directional board the lib la nina is a hoot to ride.. the hybrid camber/rocker allows you to run a very short length and still be able to float it in the powder.. look into it, sick board. it's basically a skate banana with a super stiff tail. makes switch riding interesting, but i'd say it's a great resort terrain ripper.


----------



## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

I like that you specify "Avoiding trees" that's a smart decision.  Camber or Rocker?


----------



## MikeN (Nov 14, 2011)

I seem to have always found myself on a hybrid but i prefer the floaty feel of a rocker.

I'm open to either suggestions really.


----------



## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

Ride Berzerker Wide
Ride Highlife Wide
Arbor Roundhouse RX
Never Summer Heritage X
Lib Tech Skunk Ape
Lib Tech T.Rice

I've been looking for the same thing recently, and after way too much research this is was I narrowed down too.


----------



## MikeN (Nov 14, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestions

I was able to borrow my friends T.Rice Pro HP earlier this month but I found it too stiff and unresponsive maybe i'm not heavy/strong enough to have some fun with it through the trees. Either way I feel its a board for T.Rice ie designed to take off one slope and land on the next and it just dosn't suit my playfulness in powder.

I have been trying to find out some personal opinions on the lib tech la nina, if anyone owns/has ridden it I would love some comments.


----------



## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

La Nina reviews are hard to come by - someone posted one in the gear thread so maybe you can PM them. But the deal breaker for me was the width and the extruded base. 

I would also take the Ride Highlife out if you thought the t.rice was too stiff. It seems as the Berzerker is right up your alley along with the heritage.


----------



## MikeN (Nov 14, 2011)

Thanks for the points. I didn't realise that it was an extruded base nor the lack of a wide version. 
The search continues!


----------



## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

You could look into the Nitro slash gullwing as well, also the Lib tech bird man, never summer raptor. and damn your skinny, I'm 6'11 and weigh 120kgs, and I'm by no means chubby at all.

and some jones boards


----------



## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

Those boards aren't going to be very playful in powder - espically the birdman. Too bad the Salomon sick stick/Powder snake don't come in a wide, nothing more fun and playful in the pow than that..

Would you say you're looking for more of a playful pow stick, than a damp hard charging cliff dropping mid-day chunder plowing freeride pow stick?


----------



## eek5 (Jan 5, 2011)

How about a Venture Storm?
162 26cm waist


----------



## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

The nitro slash gulling is powder specific so i think it would be perfect for that, and i believe the bird man is also made specifically for powder. I don't know a lot about jones boards but i do know there is a powder specific one also.

Of course those boards are all for off piste, i haven't included them because i think they would be good on groomers


----------



## eek5 (Jan 5, 2011)

cjcameron11 said:


> I don't know a lot about jones boards but i do know there is a powder specific one also.


156 Jones Hovercraft has a 26cm waist and I've read it turns like a much smaller board. Not sure how easy it would be to get one now though; I preordered my 52 in summer and only got it last week.


----------



## donek (Nov 4, 2010)

I'd take a look at our Nomad and Hazelwood lines. We can custom shape them to fit you. A 27cm waist is likely what you want for your 13 foot and if you want it softened for your weight, that's no problem. The Hazelwood is more of a big mountain gun and the Nomad is setup to stay a bit shorter, provide huge amounts of float and maneuverability in the trees.


----------



## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

cjcameron11 said:


> The nitro slash gulling is powder specific so i think it would be perfect for that, and i believe the bird man is also made specifically for powder. I don't know a lot about jones boards but i do know there is a powder specific one also.
> 
> Of course those boards are all for off piste, i haven't included them because i think they would be good on groomers


Yeah but just because a board is powder specific doesn't mean it's fun and playful.

The birdman is 180cm, that's not going to be fun in the trees...


----------



## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

Does come in 170 as I'm sure you know, but anyway I was recommending powder specific boards as OP asked even if they aren't playful enough for you I know some guys who own them both and love them that's why I suggested them.


----------



## MikeN (Nov 14, 2011)

Thanks for the ideas. I am looking for something to have fun with so I 'd like a playful board. I don't think a 170 is for me.
I'll take a look at the other boards suggested so far. If anyone has any other suggestions please, I'd love to hear them.


----------



## marcdeo (Aug 8, 2011)

have a look at the Arbor Coda....


----------



## calvabon (Jan 8, 2012)

*Element RX*

This Xmas I got myself an Arbor Element RX 155 (boot size 11 1/2) and it's simply out of this world! pow, tree lines, cliffs, pow, more pow, bring me the pow!!!... it's just perfection!!! Roundhouse RX should be similar but wider....


----------



## Nolefan2011 (Mar 12, 2011)

You might be a Yes Pick Your Line or Yes Big City kind of guy. I have an Optimistic that splits the difference. Great board for that. Coming from a guy that owns a Rice( blunted '57).

Check out the GNU Billy Goat as well. Snow wolf has a really good review on it.


----------



## MikeN (Nov 14, 2011)

Unfortunately I don't think the billy goat is wide enough as a mid-wide. Also, I know it should never matter but I don't think I could ever live with that base. Earlier this season I got to try the YES pick your line but its really stiff and I had no fun with it. Am currently looking at the Arbor Roundhouse RX.


----------



## marcdeo (Aug 8, 2011)

another reason to consider the Arbor Coda is that the Grip Tech edges protrude out, thereby giving you a wider portion by the boots allowing for the board to support a larger foot, without being a true "Wide" board. I have a US 11 foot, and there is PLENTY of room on there for my boots....no concern about toe or heel drag anymore.


----------



## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

You realize that a non-wide board isn't really a deal breaker unless you run straight zero angle with a skinny ass stance. I have size 13 boots, DC Scout BOA to be precise, and I rode a 157 Signal Omni all last season. The waist width listed on any board is at it's skinniest point. They get wider as they go out. Anyway, There are some good suggestions up there. You may also want to look at a Jones Mountain Twin. I've heard good things about it as my buddy has one. I just haven't gotten a chance to ride it yet. You may also want to look at something like a Lib Jamie Lynn. Any way, remember, it's a Powder board, even with a little overhang, boot drag will be minimal no matter what if you're only riding it on deep day. Just my .02.


----------



## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

Shit I wear a 13/14 depending on brand and I ride a gnu riders choice and haven't yet had any problems with toe/heel drag. By the sounds of things it may be to stiff for you but at your height you should have some leverage to throw that thing around, I mean I know I weigh more than you but I finds height makes it easy to get some good leverage on the board!


----------



## MikeN (Nov 14, 2011)

Does anyone here have any knowledge/opinion of the lib tech banana magic? I can't seem to find any decent reviews.


----------



## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

I've heard that it it's a stiffer freeride board, but I haven't actually seen one or ridden one to be able to atest to that information. I beleive it's not a twin though, so a little less freestyle than maybe some of the others listed. There are people here who have seen and ridden one, and I'm sure they will chime in soon enough.


----------



## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

MikeN said:


> Unfortunately I don't think the billy goat is wide enough as a mid-wide. Also, I know it should never matter but I don't think I could ever live with that base. Earlier this season I got to try the YES pick your line but its really stiff and I had no fun with it. Am currently looking at the Arbor Roundhouse RX.


Yeah the billy goat is way too narrow. 

The arbor roundhouse rx is a really fun board in the right conditions, but is kind of a 'one trick pony' as angrysnowboarder says. It will shred powder and chopped up crud with ease. It's a beautiful board too. Also to give you an idea of width, I wear a size 11. But the beauty of arbor's grip tech, is it's location is aligned perfectly with your bindings, giving you a little more room on the board, to further combat overhang.







Close-up -> http://i.imgur.com/9Jbdj.jpg

The only thing stopping me from getting an Arbor is the brainwashing on this forum that it's not the most durable. But that is very subjective.



MikeN said:


> Does anyone here have any knowledge/opinion of the lib tech banana magic? I can't seem to find any decent reviews.


For $700+ it better come in two pieces. That's one hell of a bold price tag....


----------



## extra0 (Jan 16, 2010)

there's a brand new 2012 Bataleon Undisputed 163 cm on ebay for quite a bit of a discount off full retail price (I've already got one)


----------



## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

I have heard alot of great things about the banana magic, I hve a friend who is 6'4 285lbs size 13 boot and rides the 158w and loves it, he actually owns a snowboard shop here in aus, but he swears by it, I've never ridden one but as said I hear good things about it, and yeah it's pricey.


----------



## extra0 (Jan 16, 2010)

^^theyrelisted for even less (damn, I should have waited )


----------



## DrnknZag (Feb 7, 2010)

How about the Ride Berzerker wide? It's soft enough to be more playful in powder than a lot of other freeride boards. I'd definitely recommend the Sick Stick if you can fit your size 13 feet on it. Definitely a super fun, playful pow board.


----------



## easton714 (Dec 28, 2011)

If you want to save some money and get a pure powder board, Venture has dumped what I assume to be old demo boards on Ebay in the last 24 or so hours. 

Zephyr, Odin, Storm, Euphoria, Helix, etc. Some look pretty beat up but others don't look bad - and most start at $150 with no reserve!


----------

