The shape before freestyle and the future shape backcountry

buell · **Posted:** Mon Apr 16, 2012 8:45 pm

barrows wrote:

Specifically, as a specialized board for super tight terrain backcountry riding (think Vermont backcountry around Stowe/Mt Mansfield) I would prefer the shorter overall length, and deeper sidecut of a Khyber/Hovercraft/Unicorn Chaser type design, as in these conditions one is rarely riding truly deep snow, and then the nose up attitude promoted by this type of board, and the deeper sidecut, is a good thing. The furberg approach is better for bigger terrain, and backcountry snow which truly has some depth, where the board is allowed to actually plane (relatively level attitude with respect to snow surface) rather than plow (nose up attitude). But note when I say bigger terrain, I am not referring to open bowls, etc and maching only, but to any terrain one might encounter in the west, including trees, steeps, cliffs, etc. Anyone who has ever ridden the Vermont woods will understand what I am saying, there the terrain is interesting, tight, and micro golf, littered with bushes, rocks, waterfalls and small cliffs, and the snow is rarely really deep: usually a powder day means riding 6" of fresh on top of a firm (if not icy) base.

I had been thinking about this too. The backfoot twitch turn these boards make is pretty amazing for tight spaces. Their top speed is certainly lower because of it but it doesn't matter if you are in tight terrain or trees. I have also been really impressed with the K2 Gryrator (heavily rockered twin intended for powder) as a tight tree board. It is ridden differently than the Fish type boards but is very quick handling. It also has a low top end. I expect you could decrease the rocker a bit and add a little taper to get a quick handling, more all around performer.

stomppow · **Posted:** Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:06 pm

I'm in a different boat, I've been riding directional boards in the backcountry since I started, through deep pow in BC and Chic Chocs, and now in big tree-less mountains in Alaska, and I definitely want to move to a true-twin. Unfortunately most of the true twins are those resort inspired noodles with an 8m sidecut though. I want something stiff, wide, true twin in flex and shape, maybe a 10-12m sidecut but not 16m that's too big and limiting I think (but I haven't tried it), and definitely rocker and early rise nose/tail, with some camber under the bindings. Chimera looks right about on the money for pow with the Orb, but I don't know about in the Alaska range or similar big-mountain, not very deep conditions. I was looking at the Venture Helix and Neversummer SL Split but I think the noses could be a little more gradual in rise, with a blunted end, and I agree, the sidecuts could be substantially larger. .

Spencer · **Posted:** Thu Apr 19, 2012 7:36 pm

The East Coast Version: http://powderjets.corecommerce.com/Powd ... A-p22.html

powslash · **Posted:** Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:04 pm

Spencer wrote:

The East Coast Version: http://powderjets.corecommerce.com/Powd ... A-p22.html

Cool. Thanks for that.

Spencer · **Posted:** Sat Apr 21, 2012 6:38 pm

Did you notice the splitty at 2:01?

I wonder how they'd go in corn. Hmmm......

whistlermaverick · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2013 12:35 am

Thread bump

Seems like lots of good ideas coming, figured this thread would be a good place to group some of these ideas.....

First Light's first board design,

Which looks a lot like this.......

http://www.snowboardmuseum.de/board/show/id/463

or this

http://www.snowboardmuseum.de/board/show/id/158

I think a few of us would like to get our hands on a new board with a shape like this from 25yrs ago.......

http://www.snowboardmuseum.de/board/show/id/514

Looks like a a slightly more exaggerated Furberg shape no?

Some of these had rocker, and some even had convexity in the base.
If you want a look at the future, revert to the past when boards were made to preform in pow with no prejudices or concern for fashion.

Snurfer · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2013 8:32 am

Although clearly not as refined, it's hard not to notice the similarity between the DPS ski and Adam's design with that of the last Snurfer's sold by Poppen. Not that it matters, just find it refreshing and interesting some of the 'old is new' stuff going on with design. Squared off tails and noses, convexity, huge shovels, asymetry, big, reverse and nul sidecut, no high backs, no binders, no edges, wood bases, sorels!

Fun stuff :headbang:

powderjunkie · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2013 12:32 pm

those old gnu's were a beast to ride

i'm just diggin all the new/revived shapes out there

agree on the first light shape and DPS skis

the fawcett boards and venture euphoria are board i really want to ride.

bc boards really need to have less sidecut

i'm sure barrows has lots of good things to say in this thread, but i didnt read 'em

Taylor · **Joined:** Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:16 am **Posts:** 301

Off-piste designs for off-piste riding: Given the choice, I'd take (and split) one of these old bad boys over most production splits currently made.

firstlight · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2013 1:39 pm

Snurfer wrote:

Although clearly not as refined, it's hard not to notice the similarity between the DPS ski and Adam's design with that of the last Snurfer's sold by Poppen. Not that it matters, just find it refreshing and interesting some of the 'old is new' stuff going on with design. Squared off tails and noses, convexity, huge shovels, asymetry, big, reverse and nul sidecut, no high backs, no binders, no edges, wood bases, sorels!

Fun stuff :headbang:

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