Snow and ski - best construction materials?

Here's a serious question:

As I've mentioned here recently, I am formulating a large, detailed plan
to build some snowboards. I have a company name, but don't really expect
to make money or even sell any boards. I'll make at least one prototype
board for myself, maybe a few for friends in the area. This will be
happening over the next few years, because I have to continue with my
regular freealnce work to keep food on th etable. I have graphics, board
dimensions, and know construction -- both from some close business
association with a couple of ex-Burton people (not trying to sell Burton
either, just have ridden their boards, and others, since around 1994),
and from my own study and riding, as well as ski racing in college
(captain fo the team, senior year! ;)).

So, what do you think is the most innovative design material and
construction technique that has appeared over the past five years? What
is the worst?

If I were to build a prototype to the dimensions and intended riding
style that I like, this is something like how it would turn out:

Rise Snowboards Inc.
Vermont, USA

Rise Arise 162 (waist width, sidecut radius, etc. to be determined)

Directional -- binding center 2cm back(?)
Wood core
Kevlar strips/sheets...other plastics (?)
Maybe a Titanium sheet (???)
Torsion bar type materials (?)
Cap topsheet (like Santa Cruz's "Step Cap")
Wrap around edges
Steel (aluminum?) tip inserts
P-Tex 5000 sintered base (whatever the fastest is)
Other???

This is all off the top of my head, and have more details in my
business/technology plan. I know some of this is very fuzzy, and
probably not accurate or necessary, just throwing out some parameters. I
mostly freeride, hard pack and powder, a little park for the tabletops
and gaps, no halfpipe. Need fast, stable board, quick edge to edge, and
durable to last for years of hard riding. I'm sort of combinning the
best of what I like in my boards, mostly Burton and Santa Cruz, and some
from Rossignol racing skis.

Not looking for company secrets...just opinions. Helpful or flames, I
don't care about the latter. This is the only snowbaord newsgroup on
Usenet, I don't go to the Web based forums, and I have been contributor
here since 1995 (not in past five years or so, due to work, not as much
snowboarding -- more winter surfing lately the past ten years, here in
New England). If I use any of your ideas, you'll get a free board, when
I finally build some in three years...haha.

Again, seriously, I'm not really selling anything....it's just a fun,
creative side project. My brother is design director at a large firm in
VT, whose clients include Burton, Ben & Jerry's, Canondale, Timberland,
Pepsi, etc. I'm making t-shirts and stickers, and I am getting in touch
with the Hayes Bros. people -- girlfriend has connection -- to discuss a
few logistics.

Thanks for any input! If not, no problem, I got it all underr control.
Watch stop signs around New England for stickers! haha. And for the
board (hopefully more than one) on the hills of Vermont, New Hampshire
amd Maine!

Gracias,

-jw
--
rise snowboards inc.
vermont usa
t-shirts and stickers - 2008
prototype - 2009
production - 2010
take the high road!