JJA C4 Reviews!

@danielgrow Yeah...  Fusion straps have less drag for sure.  I think they make a conversion kit.  Try reversing the buckle on the back foot so it doesn't catch the snow with so much friction.  These bindings have boot crushingly good buckles and they don't need to be tightened all the way like most bindings.

Also, that board will break in and get a bit softer every day for 6-10 days before stabilizing.  The first day can be a bit intense, day two is easier as you adjust and the board breaks in a bit.

If you're on the Canted Risers try the forward lean around 75% forward to start.  That's about where I ended up.

And make sure each binding is centered between the edges.  Put the board on a carpet with the boots in the bindings buckled down and use a carpenter's square or a cereal box to measure the distance between the boots and the edges, then make that distance the same on both sides.  You may have to rotate the disks to make that happen but it's important.  

Pay attention too to which way the little triangles on the disks are pointing too.  These bindings cannot be mounted centered on the inserts.  They're either .5cm forward or back, or to one side if rotated 90 degrees..

Upon first unboxing the C4, I was immediately impressed. At first glance, I fell in love with the aesthetics of the board. The matte black topsheet with red logos and the recessed C4 166 text looks killer. I received so many compliments on the board in the lift line. The website pictures don't do justice. But who cares about the looks anyway? 

I had the chance to experience the first runs on the board here in northern Michigan, with cold temperatures and excellent snow conditions. After the first turn, I felt right at home—it actually felt like a snowboard. The first thing I noticed was how playful the board felt under my feet. This surprised me because this is the biggest and widest board I’ve ever ridden, yet it didn’t feel that way. On the contrary, as soon as I put the edge into the snow, it locked right in and performed exactly as a carving board should. You know the feeling, except it was different. The amount of effort I was putting into my turns was minimal. I could link each turn without even thinking, just letting the board do the work, and it gripped the snow perfectly. I felt very confident with each turn. I loved it!

Compared to my previous board (Kessler X Carve 164), the C4 is hands down a better board. The width of the C4 allows me to run +30 and +9 with no boot-out issues. This is a much more natural stance for me, allowing me to ride more comfortably and smoothly. It also enabled me to ride with better form and lift away from the snow without worrying about boot-out. On the Kessler, I would experience boot-out with a +42 +27 stance, which I believe was a significant factor holding me back. The titanal construction on the C4 is incredibly damp and smooth. While the Kessler had a bit more pop, it also had titanal. But also softer than the C4. When I put the Kessler into a carve, it really locked in and wanted to stay there. It was either locked in or out, with no in-between. In contrast, the C4 locks in when you need it to but lets you out for a quick slarve or slash if needed.

Will update the review at the end of the season. 

Summary: Damp, smooth, playful, no boot-out with standard angles, very good edge grip without being too "knifey," very forgiving, and effortless to ride.

Cons: The topsheet doesn’t seem very durable against scuffs and scratches.

@lake-m-carver This was bar none the most confidence building report on the C4. I admit having doubts about the board  being to rigid and difficult to ride for an intermediate rider such as myself but this report makes me want to sign up right away. By the way... Those Asym curves look very sexy. Cheers!

Posted by: @flyguy

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@lake-m-carver This was bar none the most confidence building report on the C4. I admit having doubts about the board  being to rigid and difficult to ride for an intermediate rider such as myself but this report makes me want to sign up right away. By the way... Those Asym curves look very sexy. Cheers!

 

You should have no issues. James also has the smaller variant of the board if you haven't seen it. Here are some clips from the first day on the C4. I was a little skeptical about the C4 at first not being able to ride it before purchase, but it didn't disappoint. 

@ronaldb Did you end up getting your board?  If so, what specs did you get please?
I ask as I am 6,3" (187cm) and about 190lbs (85kg) and have size 13US/31Mondo softboots.  Looking for a good carving board, been snowboarding 15+ years, and got into carving a few seasons ago and am ready to get something more advanced/custom.

Thxs.

Posted by: @lake-m-carver

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While the Kessler had a bit more pop, it also had titanal. But also softer than the C4. When I put the Kessler into a carve, it really locked in and wanted to stay there. It was either locked in or out, with no in-between. In contrast, the C4 locks in when you need it to but lets you out for a quick slarve or slash if needed.

@lake-m-carver Great review and comparison with the Kessler! The C4 is definitely better than my Virus X-Carve and SG Soul.

With the C4, my other boards are just collecting dust.

I was thinking about buying the same Kessler you mentioned...

If possible, could you please compare the edge hold, transfer speed, and overall feel between the two?

Thanks for your input!

@lake-m-carver Very nice lines. Congrads!

@damir

The Kessler x carve had slightly better hold on ice. On good snow, they felt similar. I would get a lot of chatter on the X carve but not so much on the C4. The Kessler felt more locked in and grabby. It seemed like more work to transition edges because it was so locked in on a carve. The C4 is a lot more gradual when it locks in a carve, making it easier to transition. After watching some videos of myself on the two boards, I noticed that my transitions are much faster on the C4 compared to the X carve. I'm also getting a higher edge angle much earlier on the C4. There is a big factor here where it's hard to compare the two. I'm running much steeper angles on the X carve. This might be the reason for the overall feel of the X carve. The X carve might be a completely different feel with less angle, but I'd never know unless I could shrink my feet down to size 7 so I could ride it properly. 

The overall feel of the C4 was much more pleasant and enjoyable to ride. It felt looser and playful but would obviously lock into a carve.

Overall feel of the Kessler was more like a hardboot setup, more locked in and aggressive feeling. I never felt the urge to pop a spin or slarve. It wanted to be on edge only. 

Posted by: @ronaldb

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Would the 166-MID fit an intermediate, 6'6"/ 202cm, 225 lbs/ 102kg, with US13 / EU47, goofy +24 +36 (due to small width boards)
Don't want to lose my spot on the waitinglist, but don't want a board that doesn't suit me either..
@ James, no problem for me to wait if something else is on the horizon from JJA for next season
I truly appreciate any feedback.

Yes, I would recommend the mid flex C4 166 for you.  With your mass you could definitely handle the stiff flex but with the softer mid flex you'll suffer less from boot out with those flipper feet because you won't have angulate as far for the same size turns.  Plus, you self assessed as an intermediate not an expert, and the stiff flex is a lot of board for real.

In an ideal world I could offer you something with a 320mm waist or larger but we're not building anything like that yet and I can't say when or if we will.  

The C4 166 is one of the widest models ever built but there are companies who will make you a wider board.  I can say with confidence that the performance won't be equal to the C4, but there will be less boot drag so...  Tradeoffs.

 @bigwasabi Same, same.  The C4s 292mm width is about the maximum Jasey can build comfortably.  He'll do an occasional super extra wide like the ASYMs in the video but they take longer and cost more.  For now at least that's more of a custom thing.