Which Donek?

Well I think it's time that I bought my first new board. I'm pretty sure
that it will be a Donek so thought I'd ask here for your opinions.
I've been using an old F2 glide 156 that I picked up on Ebay a few years ago
and it's time for it to go to the snowboard graveyard.

My vital statistics :

Weight : 11.5stone (160lbs)
Height : 5'7"
Feet : UK 7 (US 8)
Abbility :
Can ride all pistes comfortably but only carve on blues and shallow reds
(French).
Learning powder and very keen but regularly come a cropper.
Very little interest in Park/Pipe but do NEED to learn to jump.

Which would you suggest out of the Incline or the Phoenix?
I'm leaning heavily toward the Incline but I'm a bit concerned that they
don't have a middle size between 155 & 160.
I think I'd like a longer board than my existing but what with the Incline
being much stiffer would you suggest the 155?

Thank you for any replies. )

--
David Brown )

I had a similar dilema a few months ago. I was doing to go for the
Incline or Wide but the Donek guy convinced me to go for the Pheonix.
This was mainly because I wanted a board that would be good on powder
through trees and still able to jump well.

I think I've made the right choice. Although I have a perfectly good
freestyle board I haven't used it once since getting the Pheonix.

Luke

David Brown wrote:
Well I think it's time that I bought my first new board. I'm pretty sure
that it will be a Donek so thought I'd ask here for your opinions.
I've been using an old F2 glide 156 that I picked up on Ebay a few years ago
and it's time for it to go to the snowboard graveyard.

My vital statistics :

Weight : 11.5stone (160lbs)
Height : 5'7"
Feet : UK 7 (US 8)
Abbility :
Can ride all pistes comfortably but only carve on blues and shallow reds
(French).
Learning powder and very keen but regularly come a cropper.
Very little interest in Park/Pipe but do NEED to learn to jump.

Which would you suggest out of the Incline or the Phoenix?
I'm leaning heavily toward the Incline but I'm a bit concerned that they
don't have a middle size between 155 & 160.
I think I'd like a longer board than my existing but what with the Incline
being much stiffer would you suggest the 155?

Thank you for any replies. )

David Brown wrote:
My vital statistics :

Weight : 11.5stone (160lbs)
Height : 5'7"
Feet : UK 7 (US 8)
Abbility :
Can ride all pistes comfortably but only carve on blues and shallow reds
Learning powder and very keen but regularly come a cropper.
Very little interest in Park/Pipe but do NEED to learn to jump.

Which would you suggest out of the Incline or the Phoenix?
I'm leaning heavily toward the Incline but I'm a bit concerned that they
don't have a middle size between 155 & 160.
I think I'd like a longer board than my existing but what with the Incline
being much stiffer would you suggest the 155?

Hi, I would suggest the Wide 156 or the Phoenix 160. I've owned both
the Incline 155 and the Phoenix 155. The Incline was an awesome carver,
but even with my narrow feet I ended up getting a lot of boot drag
issues in the soft snow we get in my area. I ended up having to ride
36/33 angles, which can be fun, but wasn't what I wanted to do all the
time. (usually I ride like 24/12 and 18/3). Also because the Incline is
so narrow (24cm) waist and stiff, it is a DOG to ride in tree powder as
it doesn't float very well and doesn't like to make short skidded
turns. The Wide 156 is much wider and I'm told it has much better
float, and that's why I recommend it since I have smaller feet and
weigh less than you and already had these problems (I wish I had gotten
the Wide). With the Phoenix I found no boot drag issues and it floats
in the powder well (especially if you move the bindings to the back
inserts) it is noticeably more forgiving in flex and lighter in weight.
The one problem I had with the Phoenix 155 was that the softer flex and
shorter sidecut radius made it turn tighter and was less stable at
speed that I would have liked for a board that length and so if I had
to do it again, I would go with the Phoenix 160 so it's slightly
stiffer and slightler longer sidecut (remember that's only a 2"
difference in actually length).

For your reference, I'm 150 lbs (er... 10.8 stone). 5'9" with US 7.5
feet and an advanced freerider (not expert or pro as I only do like
5-10 foot drops off cornices/rock/cliff) and an intermediate freestyler
(can get 3-4 feet out of the pipe on a good day and spin a 360).

"lonerider" wrote in message
Hi, I would suggest the Wide 156 or the Phoenix 160.snip

Mmmmm, thank you, this is what I was affraid of.
The phoenix is 50quid more than the incline (515euro-440euro)and I really
had my heart set on the incline. I'd not even considered the Wide as I have
such small feet, but it could be an option. Well I'm off to italy tonight
for my last week this season so I've got a while to think it over. I'll
have a word with Sean and see if he thinks I'd be better off with the
phoenix and if he'll put the Donek base graffix on instead of the phoenix
graphix.

--
David Brown )

Hi, I would suggest the Wide 156 or the Phoenix 160.snip

Mmmmm, thank you, this is what I was affraid of.
The phoenix is 50quid more than the incline (515euro-440euro)and I really
had my heart set on the incline. I'd not even considered the Wide as I
have such small feet, but it could be an option.

I think the wide is out with a 260mm waste, so it's back to the
incline/phoenix decision........phoenix is looking good..........more money
may have to be spent (

--
David Brown )

In article , David Brown
writes
Hi, I would suggest the Wide 156 or the Phoenix 160.snip

Mmmmm, thank you, this is what I was affraid of.
The phoenix is 50quid more than the incline (515euro-440euro)and I really
had my heart set on the incline. I'd not even considered the Wide as I
have such small feet, but it could be an option.

I think the wide is out with a 260mm waste, so it's back to the
incline/phoenix decision........phoenix is looking good..........more money
may have to be spent (

I don't view the Incline as a freeride board, as another has said it is a great
carve board but I would not consider it right for tight turns among trees or in
powder. When I bought mine (Incline 160) I thought it would be a step up
but have gone back to using an old faithful Forum unidirectional which is a
great all round board and the Incline only comes out for the odd carve day.

Whatever you go for I would advise you not to buy a board you can't test
drive first, even if that means you not being able to take advantage of off
season bargains.

Looks like you are in the UK so if you're desperate for an Incline I can do
you a good deal on mine, give me a valid email address if interested.

Btw: The Incline (don't know about other Doneks) rides very 'long', my
Forum is a 159 but the Incline 160 has a 5cm longer sidecut/contact
length.

HTH
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

"fred" wrote in message ...
I don't view the Incline as a freeride board,

Ah, well I do want a freeride board. If it's no good at all in powder then
I don't think it's for me. I want to learn, not be hindered.

Whatever you go for I would advise you not to buy a board you can't test
drive first, even if that means you not being able to take advantage of
off
season bargains.

Not too worried about late season bargains but I don't think I'll be able to
tesy ride any of the Doneks. (

Looks like you are in the UK so if you're desperate for an Incline I can
do
you a good deal on mine, give me a valid email address if interested.
Btw: The Incline (don't know about other Doneks) rides very 'long', my
Forum is a 159 but the Incline 160 has a 5cm longer sidecut/contact
length.

Do you ride any of the domes or dry slopes? I would love to try it, even
though unlikely to buy from your recommendations.
Email : fredsdonekincline [at] kitemap dot co dot uk

--
David Brown )

In article , David Brown
writes
"fred" wrote in message ...
I don't view the Incline as a freeride board,

Ah, well I do want a freeride board. If it's no good at all in powder then
I don't think it's for me. I want to learn, not be hindered.

I found it hard work and, for a UK rider, I have done a lot of riding. Sean
(Donek boss) has (had?) a great 30day money back guarantee if you
weren't satisfied but I think it is better to have a go on a couple of boards
first to help you chose.

Whatever you go for I would advise you not to buy a board you can't test
drive first, even if that means you not being able to take advantage of
off
season bargains.

Not too worried about late season bargains but I don't think I'll be able to
tesy ride any of the Doneks. (

That may be a good reason to chose something else . . . but I'm afraid I
haven't a broad enough experience of other boards to advise. I got my
Forum on a visit to the states many years ago and bought after renting a
couple of similar boards from a high end rental shop, finding the profiles
and features I liked then buying the closest match.

Looks like you are in the UK so if you're desperate for an Incline I can
do
you a good deal on mine, give me a valid email address if interested.
Btw: The Incline (don't know about other Doneks) rides very 'long', my
Forum is a 159 but the Incline 160 has a 5cm longer sidecut/contact
length.

Do you ride any of the domes or dry slopes? I would love to try it, even
though unlikely to buy from your recommendations.
Email : fredsdonekincline [at] kitemap dot co dot uk

After playing in the real stuff, Canada, USA, France(ish) I can't look at a
dry slope or dome, it's just too depressing. If you're anywhere near
Glasgow you are welcome to have a look.
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla

"fred" wrote in message ...
After playing in the real stuff, Canada, USA, France(ish) I can't look at
a
dry slope or dome, it's just too depressing. If you're anywhere near
Glasgow you are welcome to have a look.

May pop up to Braehead Xscape when it opens.

Note to self - remember to wear a helmet just in case the ceiling falls on
my head.

--
David Brown )

David Brown wrote:
Hi, I would suggest the Wide 156 or the Phoenix 160.snip

Mmmmm, thank you, this is what I was affraid of.
The phoenix is 50quid more than the incline (515euro-440euro)and I really
had my heart set on the incline. I'd not even considered the Wide as I
have such small feet, but it could be an option.

I think the wide is out with a 260mm waste, so it's back to the
incline/phoenix decision........phoenix is looking good..........more money
may have to be spent (

Well it's money well spent either way. I think you might like the
Phoenix 160 more anyways because of it's more forgiving (softer) flex.
The Incline is a *stiff* board. That combined with the wider nose with
make the Phoenix much better in powder, especially in the trees. With
the Incline, I always went to switch to my powder board, not so with
the Phoenix.

On the other hand Mike T had a 160 Wide with the same size feet as you
and he liked it a lot. He's not into wide boards, just board wide
enough so you don't have too much boot overhang.