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Soft Boots
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Topic starter 14/03/2024 7:53 am
Hi James,
I just finished watching your rant video (the whole thing). I really enjoyed it and understand the frustration.
I am just now re-entering the snowboarding world (after having stopped for the last 15 years) and for the past month have been scouring the internet to find out where the industrie stood at this time. Looking for what equipment would suit my needs now. I thought I had found the perfect set up for myself but your rant now put me into serious doubt. I would really like some input or suggestions.
First a bit about where I'm coming from: I used to be an intermediate hardboot carver and my last board was a Pure Carve Maverick 175. Now that dates me. I will turn 70 this summer. We will be moving just below a small hill back east. You might know it since I believe you spent your youth near the Montreal area. Our cottage is located at Mt Habitant witch is smaller and just beside Mt-St-Sauver in the lower Laurentians.
The hill is very small and has mostly green and blue runs. I need a board that can turn/carve at slower speeds as the runs are not that wide and might not handle large radius turns. Because of my age I don't want to run at 40km to make it work. It would be nice if it would be able to handle very hard pack.
with the limited information and company hype, I had figure the freecarve 6000 was the weapon of choice.
I am 5' 9'' (175cm) weight 170 lbs. Given this and the above information, what kind of board you think might be a good choice for an old fart such as myself.
Thanks,
Laurent
14/03/2024 9:44 am
Hi @flyguy
Yeah, well if you heard the rant then you know that I don't think anyone is making half decent wide soft boot carving boards besides Jasey-Jay and Coiler. Coilers are pretty much unobtainable now so JJA is the only option for a high performance carving board. And the "Working Title" is his only model aimed at the intermediate rider so... Order one in the softest flex.
@board-doctor has a Freecarver 6000. Maybe he can advise but he did suggest it's a lot of work to make so many short turns. Without having ridden it I can't imagine a 6m sidecut radius being appropriate for laying out carves or finishing turns with closed turn shapes. I had a Prior Fissile with a 6m sidecut and sold it almost immediately. It didn't even make the kind of turns I liked in powder.
Especially because you're riding ice, the JJA will absolutely be your best option for carving. Nothing else will come close.
This post was modified 8 months ago by Wild Cherry
I'm just slaying...
14/03/2024 10:45 am
Honestly for ice, my weapon of choice is currently a 157 Niche Maelstrom, with 1190mm effective edge which is decent for an all mountain freeride-ish board. It has traction bumps at the inserts for more stability underfoot. It's like Subaru AWD... when one contact slips, another grips. It has a 7.4m sidecut, but while it can carve, it's really not a 'carving' board. It's not perfect (the nose is a bit soft and the camber is a little too backseat), but it's actually the board that I ride the most. I'm confident that it'll handle anything. Mine's an older model from the Kiel factory though and I hear the newer Tunisia ones are a bit different.
I've never been in hardboots though, so you might be looking for something different.
I just don't like wide boards on ice. They're not as quick edge-to-edge and when you do get them on edge you need a lot of angle to properly stack your weight. I consider myself an advanced rider, but I wouldn't say that I'm an expert though.
On a good day on the freecarver, I averaged 30kph... which might have been a bit fast for it. It will do C shaped carves.
James, if we're able to meet up next week I can certainly bring my 6000 for shits & giggles. It looks like the snow could be pretty soft... which is perfect for a 'party board' that can turn!
This post was modified 8 months ago by Board Doctor
Big White, BC, Canada
14/03/2024 11:34 am
What is you mondo/boot size?
Big White, BC, Canada
14/03/2024 11:58 am
I just don't like wide boards on ice. They're not as quick edge-to-edge and when you do get them on edge you need a lot of angle to properly stack your weight.
Good point. Wide boards are kind of balancey on ice and we don't need as much width to stave off boot out on harder surfaces because it's hard and because we don't angulate the board as high. But I still wouldn't want any boot overhang.
Ice is kind of my weakness, actually. I can't do it anymore, it scares me.
bring my 6000 for shits & giggles
Absolutely. I should really ride that thing before I say anything else about it...
This post was modified 8 months ago by Wild Cherry
I'm just slaying...
Board Doctor reacted
Topic starter 14/03/2024 7:24 pm
@board-doctor thanks for reply (both of you) . I was a hardbooter but I will be going softboot this time. My boot size is 8.5 (actual foot length is 266 mm).
Since all of this will be happening for me next winter I can't wait to get James's review if he tries your board shortly. In the interim I will check out the other board your suggested.
Many thanks,
Larry
Topic starter 14/03/2024 7:38 pm
@wild-cherry Thanks James. I really hear what you are saying. If I was younger I would absolutely order one of your boards.
Maybe I'm just kidding myself about carving again in the first place. I hope I can get a few more seasons (fingers crossed).
I am actually looking forward to get your impressions of the 6000 if you go riding with the board doctor. As mentioned before, I'll be riding on a very small hill.
Cheers!
25/03/2024 2:00 am
impressions of the 6000
Much better than I expected, actually. Still, not in the range of my metal boards with regard to grip or surface penetration. It was interesting, and maybe I owe Jeremy Jones an apology, but I'm not buying one. We're all sold out of the JJAs, but I would advise you to try to get one anyway if you really want to carve. You'll be very limited on the Freecarver but JJA can make you something small, slow and soft for your specific needs, skills and age. Email me at [email protected] and I'll see what I can do.
I'm just slaying...
