looking for a second board

Currently, I do most of my riding on the Donek Phoenix 163w. I love the
board and it treats me really
well, but I know it is intended as a park board, and I use it
exclusively for freeride. I was considering getting a something like
the Donek Sasquatch (undecided about the length) in hopes of getting a
different wriding experience, really hoping for something that will
hold a turn even better, and possibly float a little more in powder.
I'm a bit a big guy, 6'3" 215lb, any recommendations on length?

I was also considering getting a second set of bindings, and was
wondering what people might recommend to compliment this sasquatch.

Finally, will the ride be significantly enough different or am I just
wasting money building out this
second deck.

--Matt is looking for a bit of freeride variety.

Matt wrote:
Currently, I do most of my riding on the Donek Phoenix 163w. I love the
board and it treats me really
well, but I know it is intended as a park board, and I use it
exclusively for freeride. I was considering getting a something like
the Donek Sasquatch (undecided about the length) in hopes of getting a
different wriding experience, really hoping for something that will
hold a turn even better, and possibly float a little more in powder.
I'm a bit a big guy, 6'3" 215lb, any recommendations on length?

I was also considering getting a second set of bindings, and was
wondering what people might recommend to compliment this sasquatch.

Finally, will the ride be significantly enough different or am I just
wasting money building out this
second deck.

--Matt is looking for a bit of freeride variety.

I've owned both the Donek Phoenix and the Incline, which is the narrow
version of the Sasquatch. I would recommend going with a board that
isn't Donek to get truly different ride. One brand that I have recently
riddened and enjoyed is boards by Rad-Air, which is a Swiss company.
They boards feel totally different from the Doneks - they are more damp
and blast through choppy, cruddy snow much more easily. If you want a
freeride/bx boards, the Reto Lamm LSD 164 is very good. If you want a
longer freeride/powder board, perhaps a Rad Air Tanker 182 or even a
200? Here are some comments about them

===
http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulleti...ad.php?t=10300
http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulleti...ad.php?t=10145
www.freecarve.com (search for reto or tanker)
===

If you are in the US, you can get them at www.exoticboards.com and
www.hardbooter.com. If you are looking for something fun to ride and
different, I think these are the ticket.

Yeah, I had been looking at the rad-air, but didn't know where I could
get one.
I have pretty big feet, and a fair amount of weight. I noticed that I
can get
either the tanker 182 or 177w. I wonder how they shorter length rides?
I imagine
it will still be a champ on the groomers. How is the stiffness of the
tanker relative
to the doneks?

--Matt

Matt wrote:
or I can get the 187w. Now that looks like a total beast. I wonder how
it will compare to the Phoenix? I imagine completely different ride
doesn't even capture it.

You can also get Rad-Air at http://www.exoticboards.com/thevault.html -
a few more options for you there.

At your height and weight, you'd have absolutely no trouble with the
182. I ride the 200 at 6' and 190 lbs and it is absolutely great,
actually an easier-turning more relaxed ride than my Coiler AM 172.

Neil

Well, I'm going to take out a 04-05 Rad Air 172 in the next week or
two, I'll let you know how it rides. While the "flagship" is the Rad
Air 200 cm, I just can imagine riding such a big board. However you
could definitely to do it. Without any knowledge, I would probably go
with either the 177w or the 182w you can email the guys to ask for
suggestions (I know RJ at exoticboards.com is like 215 and rides a
182).

So again I haven't ridden the Tanker week, but I believe that at the
same length, a Donek is much more "rigid" than the Tanker. The Rad Airs
are still pretty stiff, but they are more damp... Donek lets you "feel"
changing the snow condition... where as the older Rad Airs (prior to
05-06) will let you plow through virtually anything with lots of speed.

Again... I've been only on the Reto for 4 days now and have yet to take
out the
Tanker so don't take my word as law yet - that's what I gave you links
to other people's opinions about the Rad Airs (especially the Tankers).

Good luck,
--Arvin

Matt wrote:
Yeah, I had been looking at the rad-air, but didn't know where I could
get one.
I have pretty big feet, and a fair amount of weight. I noticed that I
can get
either the tanker 182 or 177w. I wonder how they shorter length rides?
I imagine
it will still be a champ on the groomers. How is the stiffness of the
tanker relative
to the doneks?

or I can get the 187w. Now that looks like a total beast. I wonder how
it will compare to the Phoenix? I imagine completely different ride
doesn't even capture it.


--Matt

Here's a link to a video of a guy riding a 182 in plates. He's like 185
lbs I believe.

http://derf.dyndns.org/~derf/pivot/e...=8&w=snowboard
(it's a long, big file though... and his riding is somewhere in the
middle of it).


Matt wrote:
or I can get the 187w. Now that looks like a total beast. I wonder how
it will compare to the Phoenix? I imagine completely different ride
doesn't even capture it.

--Matt

lonerider wrote:
While the "flagship" is the Rad
Air 200 cm, I just can imagine riding such a big board.

I expect you meant to write "can't imagine" there. The 200 rides much
smaller than it is. For one thing, the sidecut is only 11 m (you'd
normally expect a 200 to have a 15 m or longer sidecut). As usual with
a long board, you can bend it more than a shorter one so it's pretty
easy to tighten up the turns. I'd rate the flex as medium-stiff - I can
easily flex the board at 190 lbs. Also it's very light for it's length,
same weight as my Coiler AM 172. My Tanker is 5 years old, I'm told the
new ones are much lighter.

The experienced Tanker guys usually recommend the 182 as a good
all-rounder for bigger guys, if you already have a short board. If it's
to be your only board, 1 or 2 sizes down. If you want a powder gun or
(like me) just really like the idea of a really long board, go for the 200.

Caveat - I ride plates, so obviously I've got more leverage on a long
board than a softy rider. If you're going to use softies, I'd recommend
a stiff freeride setup, I don't think a set of freestyle boots and
lowbacks is going to cut it.

Neil

which leads to this question. I currently have the salomon spx7s from
last year to go along with my malamutes. I was considering getting the
Catek FR Pros, but I saw they were planning a number of improvements
for next year with the FR2s. Should I wait or just grab the FRs from
somewhere?

I assume the FRs are a good set of bindings for me since I don't see
myself doing any jumps other than those that result from hitting
natural kickers ( I definitely don't fit the park rat bill).

--Matt

Matt wrote:
which leads to this question. I currently have the salomon spx7s from
last year to go along with my malamutes. I was considering getting the
Catek FR Pros, but I saw they were planning a number of improvements
for next year with the FR2s. Should I wait or just grab the FRs from
somewhere?

Just from reading the posts on BOL and elsewhere, opinion is really
divided on the Cateks. The short of it is that if you don't need all
the cant/lift adjustability they offer, you might be better off with
something like the Nidecker 900s. The Catek Pros are already borrowing
the Nidecker straps.

Suggest you search bomberonline.com for comments on the Cateks and see
if they really are for you before spending the big $$$.

Neil

Matt wrote:
which leads to this question. I currently have the salomon spx7s from
last year to go along with my malamutes. I was considering getting the
Catek FR Pros, but I saw they were planning a number of improvements
for next year with the FR2s. Should I wait or just grab the FRs from
somewhere?

I assume the FRs are a good set of bindings for me since I don't see
myself doing any jumps other than those that result from hitting
natural kickers ( I definitely don't fit the park rat bill).

--Matt

Actually, I think the Malamutes and the Salomon bindings are a very
good combinations and don't think you really need to change them unless
you want to ride angles above 35 degrees or really want to fiddle with
lift/cant.

As you've noticed, I've been on a whirlwind gear demo'ing spree the
last two years. So I had a pair of Freerides (not pros) and they are
extremely powerful bindings... however I felt they lacked a little bit
of ergonomics and dampening in my opinion (of course I didn't have the
Pros). I like my Nideckers a lot more, they still extremely responsive,
but have a nice EVA foam dampening pad underneath. I'm currently using
a cant-plate from kickerfoot.com on my back binding (I found I didn't
really need the "unlimited" lift/cant options). There are a few diehard
Catek Freeride riders, but from what I've seen... most people rave
about the Freerides, then quietly sell them a few months later.