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Why do people say pow board is bad on hardpack?

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Andy Aitken - 11 November 2013 09:09 PM

Really?
Andy doesn’t have a quiver. Like I said it’s against my religion… or something. I believe 90% of board ability is in the rider, so basically I just want a board that I know inside and out and does the same thing every time.
Also when did we start talking in 3rd person?

The other reason is that I have to (begrudgingly) travel with skis and a board and ski boots and board boots etc, because I teach both. So if I bought a nice powder board, I would have to sell it that same season which would be sad.

I’m not against powder boards, they just don’t suit my needs.

It wasn’t really a serious comment. I know you like riding pow. A powder board (or a board that excels in pow, i.e. full rocker) is just heaps of fun in the pow.

Actually, now that I typed that out… you mentioned you ride a full rocker, yeah? Maybe that’s why you don’t feel you need to even consider a pow board. Your board would handle the pow pretty well I’d imagine? Do you still ride a Westmark?

In which case, do you have more of a desire to ride something a bit stiffer, maybe a different size or with a different camber profile? Just curious.

Maybe you are just a one-board man. I can see the appeal in that too, especially if you’re travelling.

 
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I was going to use a surfing analogy; having a quiver will help improve your ability as every style of board will help train different aspects of your sport.

Riding a pow board on groomers will help improve techniques you wouldn’t get a chance to experience otherwise.
Riding a carve board will help your park riding. What I mean by this is after riding the “wrong board” and you get on the right board for conditions things will seem better.

Variety being the spice of life and all.
I find when my boarding starts to feel stale; getting on another board (good or bad) makes riding my everyday board fresh.

 
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Andy Aitken - 11 November 2013 09:09 PM

Andy doesn’t have a quiver. Like I said it’s against my religion… or something.

Hmmm I was looking at the dream garage thread and found it amusing that everyone had a list of cars, they couldn’t just choose one. I was trying to come up with just one car and the car I wanted to list as a dream car really wasn’t all the special.

I then started to think i was strange cause I realised that in most of my life I only have one thing… I could never understand people owning multiple pairs of jeans!

So Andy - to bring this back on topic. Are you the same in all aspects of your life or just snowboards?

And as an instructor do you really only use one board?

I have no desire to have a quiver besides on set of ski’s and one board. But I do want to get a new pair of ski’s and have dedicate “work” ski’s so I don’t have my good ski’s trashed by punters!

 
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ozgirl - 12 November 2013 12:07 PM

I then started to think i was strange cause i realized that in most of my life I only have one thing… I could never understand people owning multiple pairs of jeans!

Really???? I have probably 4-6 pairs. All either different colours or cuts. Makes normal sense to me

 
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Yep i know most people do - thats why i used that as an example!

I am the same in most aspects of my life.

ie i have multiple suits for work but i only have one black one grey etc etc…

I currently have 3 pairs of jeans - casual day/weekend ones.

Dark going out ones and recently bought a pair of even more casual skinny crop jeans

But there is no way I would have multiple of the same. And not a fan of coloured jeans!

 
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Ok, that makes sense. Thats not the way you said it before

 
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Really?

How did you interpret it?

Sorry didn’t mean to confuse you!

 
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I’ve got 2 pairs of the same Jean!!!!!

Same colour (Tan), same cut, same size, same brand!!!!!

They were $15!!!!!

I loved the first pair so much, I got a backup pair for when the other ones get a stain on them!!!!! Cause I reckon that the colour will mark easier than my Black or Indigo Denim!!!!!

 
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Yeah see I could never do that! LOL

 
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If I like somethin that much, and I know that I’ll use/wear/eat/drink it again, then I will double up gladly!!!!!

Too many times I’ve gone back to get another, only to find that it is no longer available!!!!! Doubling up solves that problem!!!!!

 
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I get it Mizu - just not for me.

And I was wondering if Andy was the same!

 
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From pow board to jeans ahaha

 
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Mizu Kuma - 11 November 2013 09:32 PM

* Mizu knows that Andy has 2 Surfboards!!!!!

I do, and I have 2 skateboards too!
The reason for this is that I actually know what I’m doing on a snowboard. Surfing and skating I’m still learning what I like and what works best for me.

 
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rider26 - 11 November 2013 11:56 PM

Actually, now that I typed that out… you mentioned you ride a full rocker, yeah? Maybe that’s why you don’t feel you need to even consider a pow board. Your board would handle the pow pretty well I’d imagine? Do you still ride a Westmark?

NOOOOOOOooooooooooooo no no. Nah, I stopped riding rockers about 3 years ago.
I do often recommend people to buy full rockers, but that’s because I think they are great for everyone up until they are an advanced level. They make more styles of riding easier than any other profile. But I out grew them quite a while ago.

I switched to Bataleon TBT, hated it.
Switched to CamRock, liked most things about it. A few things didn’t work.
Switched back to pure Camber, loved it and stayed with pure camber. I saw many pros and high level instructors / trainers using full camber and had to go back to it to find out why. And they were right, CAMBER all day, everyday.

I rode a short full cambered park board my entire season in Japan. I can tell you that rocker definitely gives extra float but it’s not necessarily the ultimate powder weapon. For easy powder turns, yes. But there’s a lot to be said for ability to land drops in powder.
There are things that the pros know, that the industry hasn’t caught up with yet. I try to follow their lead and figure it out for myself.

Basically I think about my riding level matched with a type of board. NOT what the manufacturer says the board can do, but what I PERSONALLY will be able to do with that board. The boards that score the highest in all styles of snowboarding will make it to my top list. Then from those board, I will think of the types of riding I do the most (or are most important to me) and I choose the board that does the best at those.

Powder is great… but it’s easy anyway, and no one is judging me on it. “Extra float” is WAY down the bottom of my list of what I need a board to do. I would much prefer to have a board that slays everything.

 
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Which board are you riding currently?