Hard Charging Freeride board

I felt bad taking over Skips 2014 thread so figured I’d start one up.

Looking for addition to my quiver I got a good amount a all mtn boards, pow, park but one I don’t have is a stiff freeride charger looking for some insight here and if anyone has any favorites.  I normally lean towards a centered stance mid flex to keep it workable in all conditions this one I want a directional setback rocket with strong edge hold that can power though turns and hit man speed.

Thanx to Skip I got a few to start with and I’m leaning as of now towards the Neversummer Raptor seems like just what I’m looking for and I’m long over due on a never summer board but I don’t want to jump the gun here.

Few others I’m considering
Rissi Experience
Arbor A Frame
Black Snowboard of Death
Venture Storm

Also wondering what bindings to pair up with a stiff board like this looking at Flux DC or Union Factory trice love those canted bindings so definitely means towards trice

Thanx all

If ya want the Stiffest, Comfiest Binder from FLUX, go the DM (DMCC in earlier models)!!!!!

If ya wanna go a notch down in the $$$ list, then the SF (SF45 in earlier models), is the one to go for!!!!!

Some ideas for the bindings but I haven’t tried any of it just on top of my head:

- Union Factory (like you mentioned)
- Burton Diode
- NOW Drive (their new freeride bindings)
- Rome Targa (I’ve owned the 2011 version, but the current one is much more improved)
- Union Contact Pro (I’ve owned the 2012 version, but this year it’s different)
- Union Force (tried my friend’s, found it stiffer than the Burton Cartels)

Oh another board I forgot to mention is the Ride Berzerker, Jake Blauvelt’s pro model. I demoed it the first year it came out, really liked it. A little similar to YES PYL, but minor camber all the way to the tail and rocker past the front inserts. More aggressive sidecut than the PYL, medium stiff flex. I think you’ll like this one.

Mizu Kuma - 04 October 2013 04:03 PM

If ya want the Stiffest, Comfiest Binder from FLUX, go the DM (DMCC in earlier models)!!!!!

If ya wanna go a notch down in the $$$ list, then the SF (SF45 in earlier models), is the one to go for!!!!!

Any truth to the whole dead zone under the these flux bindings do to the size of the discs I’ve read something about that somewhere any thoughts ? that’s why people pick union over Flux because of the disc size

Beside that what’s the difference in those 2 DM and sf45? Well other then price?

skip11 - 04 October 2013 04:12 PM

Some ideas for the bindings but I haven’t tried any of it just on top of my head:

- Union Factory (like you mentioned)
- Burton Diode
- NOW Drive (their new freeride bindings)
- Rome Targa (I’ve owned the 2011 version, but the current one is much more improved)
- Union Contact Pro (I’ve owned the 2012 version, but this year it’s different)
- Union Force (tried my friend’s, found it stiffer than the Burton Cartels)

I’m slightly tempted to swap out the bottom bushings to the stiff ones on my NOW bindings see how that plays out but as for the others I owned the Targas they are impressive but the ankle strap on those sucks I ended up going with the 390 boss for messing around and park love those bindings but they too soft for this setup. If I’m gonna go with Union then the factory will be my bindings of choice the charger or mc are tempting but I’m not gonna over do it with super stiffness ask around plus I hear union run stiffer then most. Factory got can’t wish is amazing

I’ve seen the 2014 Now Drive bindings and they look sick!

What camber profile are you leaning towards for your board, Lester?

rider26 - 04 October 2013 04:29 PM

I’ve seen the 2014 Now Drive bindings and they look sick!

What camber profile are you leaning towards for your board, Lester?

Never summer RC but that’s because I think I’ve been mind warped to want that. But I do hear alot of good things.

And you ain’t kidding about NOW definite improvement from the first ones

Lester86 - 04 October 2013 04:20 PM

Mizu Kuma - 04 October 2013 04:03 PM

If ya want the Stiffest, Comfiest Binder from FLUX, go the DM (DMCC in earlier models)!!!!!

If ya wanna go a notch down in the $$$ list, then the SF (SF45 in earlier models), is the one to go for!!!!!

Any truth to the whole dead zone under the these flux bindings do to the size of the discs I’ve read something about that somewhere any thoughts ? that’s why people pick union over Flux because of the disc size

Beside that what’s the difference in those 2 DM and sf45? Well other then price?

Never heard anything about a “Dead Zone”????? Not sure what is even meant by it????? If you’re talking FLEX, then this has to do with what the Binding is made from more than the size of the Disc!!!!! And if you’re after a Big Mountain Charger with Bang on Response, then you really don’t want FLEX anyways!!!!!

The Main Difference between the DM and the SF is that the DM uses a Carbon Blend to make it not only Stiff but also Lightweight, whereas the SF uses a 45% Nylon Blend that is Still Super Stiff!!!!! Carbon also makes the DM a lot Stronger!!!!!

Also the DM uses Titanium Mountings!!!!! (Not a major thing, but all just to reduce weight and increase strength)

By all means the SF is a High End Binder, and a few of their Team Riders use them!!!!!

Ohhh, and just because the DC Devun Walsh Pro is a Centered Twin with Micro Camber, don’t underestimate it’s Big Mountain abilities!!!!!

It’s one of, if not THE, Stiffest Big Mountain Charger in their Whole Lineup!!!!!

If ya can get hold of one to Demo, I’d highly recommend that ya give one a go!!!!!

And if I can’t convince ya!!!!!

Mizu Kuma - 04 October 2013 06:25 PM

Ohhh, and just because the DC Devun Walsh Pro is a Centered Twin with Micro Camber, don’t underestimate it’s Big Mountain abilities!!!!!

It’s one of, if not THE, Stiffest Big Mountain Charger in their Whole Lineup!!!!!

If ya can get hold of one to Demo, I’d highly recommend that ya give one a go!!!!!

Your not making this easy, ill do some more research on it, I wish I can demo it but for that price I might as well just buy it but then again theres NS oh boy

How sure are you about that camber profile ?  im skeptical about how it will float in pow.

That video rocks!!

For pow personally I like, a directional board with a set back stance, cambered in middle or throughout the board with a rockered nose (like my PYL, which floats way better than my T.Rice). I found this I don’t have to lean back as much. With rocker in the middle (like my T.Rice) I found my back leg still tired because you still need to put more pressure at the back to lift the nose out of the pow (weigh the back half of the board, and the front half lifts more). Where as with board with rockered nose and set back stance it’s already out of the pow. But I guess Never Summer’s RC could be different since it has more rocker than Lib. But that’s just my opinion. I’m not a good enough rider to make any board work in deep pow.

Yeah I know what you mean no issues with PYL in pow just feel like I need something stiffer to power through stuff but we see…

I ended up snatching the sweet deal and getting that dc Devun Walsh pro model 157 what can I say I’m a sucker for that twin shape plus I looked at a bunch of forums, reviews and videos and I could not find one bad thing about it. That camber profile is a beast so hauling through turns should a breeze and the stiffness is exactly what I was aiming for so we see. Now all I need is a solid pair of bindings.

Leaning towards Union factory trice model love that canting.

Thanx everyone for the input I’ll be sure to post a review when I get some time on it. I’ll be sure to thank or blame the person that recommended it and I’m not t talking about Billy Maze haha

If ya don’t like it, blame Skip for not bein convincing enough!!!!!