# is a Burton Custom X too advanced for me?



## spacemanspiff (Jan 12, 2012)

Guys, real quick, I have been looking at getting a Burton Custom as I wanted to expand my quiver to include a camber board. I have found a great deal on a Custom X in my size which is almost the same prices as a good deal on custom.
Should i get it or will it kick my ass?

Background:
Been boarding for 2 years, skied for ages before that. Have been all over the Alps about 30 days a year for the 2 past years from beginner to a solid intermediate now. I mostly do all mountain but sometimes mess with the park. I have a GNU carbon credit rocker board that struggles with icy conditions but luckily most of the time I am running around in some powder or groomed conditions with powder.

I say I am a solid intermediate as I can link turns well and can handle most blacks except moguls and really steep conditions as my board seems to not like that stuff and my technique is maybe not good enough.

One of my friends rants about how awesome his custom is, and i found this deal on the custom x. should i pull the trigger? 

thanks gods :bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:


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## duh (Sep 7, 2011)

Pull the trigger, it won't be "too advanced" at all. The X is one of my favorite cambered boards. Sounds like you are ready to make that next step in your riding and the X would be a good fit.


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## walove (May 1, 2009)

Stiff boards like to be rode hard. The more effort, energy you put in the more you get out. Coming from the carbon credit which is a board that let's you be lazy, you Will want to ride more agressivly


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## spacemanspiff (Jan 12, 2012)

does aggressive mean going fast basically?
I usually dont push it on my GNU because it feels unstable at higher speeds to me. Not sure if its because of my technique or something else.

Secondly, should i get some EST bindings? I have some regular cartels I can use. I might just stick with those for now.


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

It's time to come play with the big dogs:yahoo::bowdown::eusa_clap:


TT


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## spacemanspiff (Jan 12, 2012)

Again my main issue with my GNU Carbon credit is it sucks at really steep slopes(cant carve well enough), icy conditions (slides and cant carve well), and on flat runs (starts acting squirelly). Otherwise I am usually pretty happy with it. And that is when I am in powder usually 
Would a camber be my best option to solve this?

Otherwise I would actually prefer a better all mountain hybrid board then limiting myself to a straight camber Custom X (unless that is the best option)
the Custom X is one option, I found some other cheaper deals on ride boards (about 100 bucks cheaper):

If I am sticking with camber I can also get a Ride DH for 100 bucks less.
Or a Ride Bezerker for a 100 less too. The Bezerker is all mountain hybrid,rocker outside and camber in the middle... would that be a good upgrade from the GNU? Its a bit less stiffer than the DH.

my concern is i have never ridden a really stiff board before, nor a camber do i think. I have ridden that GNU and a couple of crap rental boards before that. I wish i could try it out before i buy it.... Any ideas?

thanks guys


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

spacemanspiff said:


> does aggressive mean going fast basically?


No, not necessarily. You can ride fast without being aggressive and vice versa. But it goes hands in hands where the fun begins  Aggressive equals more work with the legs, deeper in the knees, push the board hard on the edges. One aggressive run is more exhaustive than an entire day cruising cause you'll demand a lot from your thighs.



spacemanspiff said:


> I usually dont push it on my GNU because it feels unstable at higher speeds to me. Not sure if its because of my technique or something else.


I don't know the GNU but the Custom X will love to be pushed. Great board for carving and very stable at high speeds.


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

It's just a board.
It's not like you're gonna get out there & forget how to snowboard

I have Carbon Credit 56 & a couple Palmer Titanium Channel 64's, I think the Palmers are @ least 3 times stiffer, in every direction than the Custom X:icon_scratch::dunno:
But probably more similar than a lot of other boards

I bring em both & switch em throughout the day. They're _only __different_ to ride. Meaning one performs better @ somethings than the other.

Doesn't mean one is harder to ride than the other, as long as you ride it in its intended conditions & do the things it's designed to do.

All in all, it's a pretty good combo to have:thumbsup: I like em, they cover a wide spectrum.

If you have big, steep, wide open groomers, that are picture perfect corduroy?
The first time you take it out...
You're gonna shit your pants, from going so fast:eusa_clap:

Riding the Palmer is like driving this. So the Custom X might be close.:dunno: James May's Bugatti Veyron Top Speed Test - Top Gear - BBC autos - YouTube

The Carbon Credit is like driving this. DC SHOES: KEN BLOCK GYMKHANA TWO THE INFOMERCIAL - YouTube

Both are fuckin' awesome, when used properly:thumbsup:


TT


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## walove (May 1, 2009)

As menu said, not faster just more effort. Your carbon credit would probably carve better on steeped if you rode it harder too. Btx boards are kind of on or off, if you don't roll the over far enough you don't engage the whole edge. I love how mt skatebanana carves other people say its squirrely. Ride hard you will be rewarded.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Yeah, you'll probably find it quite good. Stiff and cambered are only negative terms if "weak" and "flaky" are frequently used as descriptions for you...

They are more effort than some of the hybrid options (my camber board with a rockered nose carves HARD and is much more fun in powder than my heavily cambered Burton T7) but they are very precise.

I think everyone should own a stiff camber board at some point. It really points out flaws and gives you solid info on what's happening beneath your feet! :yahoo:


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

poutanen said:


> I think everyone should own a stiff camber board at some point. It really points out flaws and gives you solid info on what's happening beneath your feet!


Haha, time to catch some edges 




spacemanspiff said:


> Or a Ride Bezerker for a 100 less too. The Bezerker is all mountain hybrid,rocker outside and camber in the middle... would that be a good upgrade from the GNU?


The hybrid camber would be a good option. The rocker nose would help to get a better float in pow (the Custom X does pow but not very good in deep). Other thing: there's this point in camber boards when you push them too hard in a carve with too much pressure on the nose and the snow is a bit too soft, the nose can dig into the snow and you're gonna make a nice catapult fall. Never reached this point with my hybrid camber Flagship cause the rocker in the nose doesn't dig, it floats.



spacemanspiff said:


> my concern is i have never ridden a really stiff board before, nor a camber do i think. I have ridden that GNU and a couple of crap rental boards before that. I wish i could try it out before i buy it.... Any ideas?


I rode the Ride Highlife, the stiffer Ride board and I would have brought it if I didn't own the Flagship already. Fun with such stiff boards is that you can push them as hard as you can and they won't moan. But some of those stiff boards are a harsh ride on the other side e.g. in moguls or in chopped up groomers, especially if the are not very well dampened. So if you want a stiff board, look into one with nice dampening, that will make life easier to get used to them. I also have the Ride Farah, read that it's kind of the woman's equivalent of the Berzerker. It's my soft forgiving second option board for days when I want to take it a bit more easy. You CAN push this board IF you want but you dont need to. If tired, take some lazy laps, if recovered, push it again. Its not overly stiff and it's well dampened. Maybe it would be a good first step to go from your rocker to a hybrid camber and not directly to a full camber.


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## spacemanspiff (Jan 12, 2012)

ah damn, waited too long and the custom x is sold out.
oh well, i think the Berzerker is a better option for me, Its more stiff and cambered than my current GNU so i think i can still use it as my all mountain board as i progress to advanced. i guess a one board quiver most of the time. Ill leave my GNU for the park.

Any thoughts on sizing? I am 6'1" and about 180 pounds with size 11.5 feet
The GNU Carbon Credit is a 159 W with a 267cm waist. 
I sometimes feel its hard to go edge to edge on this board.

I am going to go with a bezerker wide since it is a pretty narrow board.
Remember i am going to be using this for mostly free ride and pow days. and need to be stable on ice and flats.
would i be better off with:
159W with 259cm waist.
162W with 261cm waist.

I may stick with a 159 so i dont have to whip around so much board. I am still an intermediate


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

spacemanspiff said:


> I am going to go with a bezerker wide since it is a pretty narrow board.
> Remember i am going to be using this for mostly free ride and pow days. and need to be stable on ice and flats.
> would i be better off with:
> 159W with 259cm waist.
> ...


Yeah, 159 should be fine, I'm 175 lb and fairly "advanced" I suppose, and usually ride a 159-160 or so. Also with 11.5 feet your right on the border of needing a wide board, so having a slightly more narrow waist won't be an issue.


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## Some Guy (Mar 13, 2013)

spacemanspiff said:


> Any thoughts on sizing? I am 6'1" and about 180 pounds with size 11.5 feet
> The GNU Carbon Credit is a 159 W with a 267cm waist.
> *I sometimes feel its hard to go edge to edge on this board.*


Make sure your feet are size 11 1/2 in snowboard boots and your boots fit properly before buying a wide. I made that mistake and recently found out my boots are significantly too large. (still need new ones though) There is probably a sticky that addresses boot fit in the boots section. Somewhere wiredsport also said something about how your feet should fit over the board.


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## spacemanspiff (Jan 12, 2012)

Guys wanted to ask some more advice. I am now debating on the ride bezerker vs the never summer SL. (Actually the legacy since I need a wide). I can get the ride bezerkerr about 50 bucks cheaper.

Again I am a intermediate boarder that sticks 90% of the time to the mountain. I am in all kinds of conditions but need a board that can handle ice and powder.

Any idea which is a better board overall? I'd like a good mix of hard charging and easy riding, I am slightly concerned the ride might be allot of board for me.


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## hktrdr (Apr 3, 2012)

spacemanspiff said:


> Guys wanted to ask some more advice. I am now debating on the ride bezerker vs the never summer SL. (Actually the legacy since I need a wide). I can get the ride bezerkerr about 50 bucks cheaper.
> 
> Again I am a intermediate boarder that sticks 90% of the time to the mountain. I am in all kinds of conditions but need a board that can handle ice and powder.
> 
> Any idea which is a better board overall? I'd like a good mix of hard charging and easy riding, I am slightly concerned the ride might be allot of board for me.


The Berzerker is the better charging and pow board, so it should fit your needs better. But you might indeed need the wide (161 might just work, but 158 could be a touch narrow).

The SL not quite as good a fit for your style, but you will be fine with the regular width 158 and do not need the Legacy...


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