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 Post subject: Banana or camber splits?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:38 am 
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Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:09 am
Posts: 8
From my experience split boarding (over 20 trips) with a camber split I can't understand why banana splits are so popular. I ride a banana as a normal powder board but it offers no edge hold on icy faces. Also when you have a split with the same edge sharpness as a normal board it is still hard to get edge grip on hard snow. Unfortunatly for you powder dreaming split boarders, its not always just riding powder.

Split boarding is not just about riding powder. You spend most of your time walking for a short run. I look at it as I would prefer a safe and easy walking board on my feet that offers as much grip than trying to walk on a banana without much edge sitting in the snow. When your confronted by a icy patch( it can be 30cm) your split just slides away. Crampons are great and there have been trips I wished I hadn't carried the extra 200grams!! But most trips I am so thankful as without crampons I would be turning back, as there is just no way to cross steep icy sections of a mountain on a split.

I haven't tried a banana and I am really interested to know peoples experiences with how good the edge hold is when your onhard packed snow also how easy are they for walking on hard pack?

I may be wrong but from a marketing point of view I can see how a banana will sell as a split board, as thats the reason why we all split, to ride powder and banana is amazing in powder. But rememeber that most of the time is spent walking up and I really cant see how banana can be as good as a camber for walking and edge hold.


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 Post subject: Re: Banana or camber splits?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:53 am 
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Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:52 pm
Posts: 92
I really like a hybrid rocker for a split board. the camber gives a little spring to your step and some nice edge to edge pop, but the rocker gives you the float without a lot of taper or a swallowtail. I picked up a jones solution, which has a subtle hybrid rocker, but the mini-magnetraction works way better in terms of edge hold than any camber split did when touring.

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 Post subject: Re: Banana or camber splits?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:10 am 
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Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:09 am
Posts: 8
I bet magna traction is good. The banana magna traction boards in general are fantastic. Lib Tech are making a split next season. Thanks to Travis Rice!!


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 Post subject: Re: Banana or camber splits?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 12:28 pm 
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Joined: Thu Nov 18, 2004 6:27 pm
Posts: 1377
Location: Denver
Well for one, it's easier to break trail with a rockered ski versus a cambered one. Your tips dive up instead of down.

As far as the down goes. If I am riding an icy face in the backcountry, I am doing something wrong. The reason I am out there is to ride pow. That is what I go for, and that is what I get. If you are riding icy faces a majority of the time, then why aren't you at the resort?

My board is a hybrid, Neversummer's rocker-camber. There is a difference ins riding style for sure. Still I have taken down a steep icy face to get to the goods. 45+ degrees for around 600 vert. It handled it fine.

Really it boils down to what you like. Rocker is not for everyone and that's fine. I am having a good time with it, so I'll play on it for now. Maybe in the future I'll want to go back to camber. I reserve the right to change my mind.


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 Post subject: Re: Banana or camber splits?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:06 pm 
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Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:09 am
Posts: 8
Killclimbz wrote:
Well for one, it's easier to break trail with a rockered ski versus a cambered one. Your tips dive up instead of down.

As far as the down goes. If I am riding an icy face in the backcountry, I am doing something wrong. The reason I am out there is to ride pow. That is what I go for, and that is what I get. If you are riding icy faces a majority of the time, then why aren't you at the resort?

My board is a hybrid, Neversummer's rocker-camber. There is a difference ins riding style for sure. Still I have taken down a steep icy face to get to the goods. 45+ degrees for around 600 vert. It handled it fine.

Really it boils down to what you like. Rocker is not for everyone and that's fine. I am having a good time with it, so I'll play on it for now. Maybe in the future I'll want to go back to camber. I reserve the right to change my mind.


Unfortunatly the safest way up the hill instead of crossing a powder face is a icy ridge line sometimes. We ride powder but I guarantee you the hike up is not just perfect fluffy snow. If you can ride and walk in fluffy powder all the time, half your luck. Its not like that in Austria!!


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 Post subject: Re: Banana or camber splits?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:38 pm 
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Joined: Thu Nov 18, 2004 6:27 pm
Posts: 1377
Location: Denver
I know that if I am crossing an icy ridge, camber or rocker is not going to make a the difference. It's my ski crampons that I have to throw on regardless.

Also, as you said, "sometimes". Personally I am going to worry a lot less about sometimes and worry about the performance I am going to get for what I like to ride. That's me though.


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 Post subject: Re: Banana or camber splits?
PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:08 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 6:27 pm
Posts: 536
Location: South Lake Tahoe
The rockered board wont hold you back, if you like powder get one. Ive ridden my diy NS Rocker camber split in all conditions and I love it. Camber still has its place and Im cuttin a 158 cambered board for the spring. But for a one board split quiver... ID go with a rockered NS or Venture and youll be ready to SHRED

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 Post subject: Re: Banana or camber splits?
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 2:44 am 
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Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 10:13 pm
Posts: 81
I know lately I have been having more fun riding flat or rocker b/n bindings - so the choice for me is clear. It is more versatile - powder, mashed potatoes, and corn: rocker handles great. I also find Magne (Lib Tech) or Vario grip (NS) gives great edge for iced-up sections on the down.

Much like Killclimbz, I reserve the right to change back to camber at some point. So far, I haven't seen the need for it. When (if) I start climbing more icy ridges and dropping 60 degree faces of the hard - I may reconsider.


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 Post subject: Re: Banana or camber splits?
PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:18 am 
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Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 1:24 pm
Posts: 163
Location: Salzburg / Austria
My Venture Zephyr R Split is the first rockered board I've bought up to now.
It has got tip and tail rocker and mild camber in between.

The edge hold both uphill and downhill is pretty good. I'm not afraid to ride steep icy chutes with it.

Nevertheless I can imagine that a board with "pivoting" full reverse camber could lack edge hold uphill.


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