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On Monday, Feb. 4th, I had the good fortune to ride a new Winterstick Swallowtail in 11" overnight (many feet in the past week) at Telluride, a resort I had never been to before.
I was nervous walking through mountain village with the beast, worrying that it's 180cm length would be too much for me, that it would suck on the groomed snow and my girlfriend would be too sick to bring me my regular snowboard.
I hit the slopes at 9am. By 3pm, I wanted to continue riding but my legs wouldn't allow it. I didn't stop riding all day, I was so stoked on the thing!
First off, despite the taller-than-me-by-a-head length, the board was easy to ride in all conditions, except maybe the packed-out steep bumps, where the long nose was a little difficult to drive into the troughs. But who loves steep, packed bumps?
On the groomers I was able to lay trenches like crazy, although the narrow waist allowed toe-drag when I layed it way over. Easily avoided issue. It was very stable at high speeds-in fact I rode faster than I usually do, and have been riding faster ever since.
In the powder, well, everything is true. More agile than any shorter board, floated like a surfboard. I was able to ride low angle powder lines that would sink a regular board.
Two points on the downside:
1. It does not want to go backwards, of course.
2. I don't own one.

LBR, great input. I have never ridden a swallow tail, but have longed to demo or buy one based on the powder reviews I have read. Thanks for the post.

Nice. I'd love to have one of those. I heard the new models are narrower in the nose to be a better all around pow board (did ya get the email from WS?). I heard the older models were pretty hard to ride on groomers or corn/ice.

Got a 181 Nitro Saber swallowtail you can demo, if you like. Just sittin' all alone in the rafters, the 192 Tanker has seen all the on snow days this season(so far).

Jon D, that would be great. If the snow conditions ever stabilize and we can get together I still have that carving board collecting dust for you.

[quote="powderjunkie"] I heard the new models are narrower in the nose to be a better all around pow board [quote]
They are a bit narrower, but still very wide. I wear size 9 boots, and the edges underfoot were an inch or so out from the toes and heel, with the bindings set all the way back.
The board seems to pivot on the front foot-not old school counter-rotate pivoting, but a responsive turn-initiation.
You know how after a long powder day on a regular board gives you the back-leg thigh burn? My FRONT thigh burned afetr the day on the swallowtail. Weird. It evened me out from the day before!