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Topic starter
29/03/2025 1:00 pm
Hello fellow carvers!
I'm an old park rider, this was the first season I started learning clean s-carves. I got a 164 Jones Freecarver 9000 and learned with it. I'm 6'4" and my foot length is 290 mm. I mainly ride in a very tiny local hill in northern Europe.
I like the Freecarver. The thing is, I feel like 274 mm waist width is a bit too narrow for me. I would like to tip the edge in higher angles, but I don't feel safe enough. Also, I'm an athletic rider and weight around 195 lbs, I do feel like I could use some more effective edge.
I have my eyes on the Stranda Cheater, there are rumours of an ultra-wide version with 287 mm waist width for the next season. I'm a bit worried about the 8,5 m sidecut, considering that I do really like the feeling of Freecarvers 9,5 sidecut, it feels like a downgrade. Or maybe it's not that noticeable?
Kindred Procarve also caught my eye.
What else is there? JJA's and Exegis looks super interesting! The slight problem is that ordering from my country would include some extra local duties/taxes on top of the already high-end price tag.
29/03/2025 4:25 pm
With the tighter sidecut the Cheater would give you another 9mm of width at the tip & tail. Interestingly, the 6000 would give you that extra width as well! On a small hill they might be something to consider, but I really think you could go a lot wider.
Did you see that James still has one of the proto's for sale? What's your exchange rate like? Canadians pay 12% tax on those list prices, but generally wouldn't on a used board.
8. JJA TCX 164 Stiff Flex (P2): The other one of the C4 protos that I held onto from last season, also a favourite. This one is the fastest off all the boards listed here. 25 days or so on this one. $1800
The nose/waist/tail widths are around 344/293/327. I rode that board at 161 lbs; mondo 260 boots. It was a bit much for me, but still rideable. You could probably go even wider.
The Procarve caught my eye as well, but I don't think it's wide enough for you.
Here's a great pic of Lars (TheJustaRide) on the Cheater. Tail is 1mm narrower than the JJA, but at high edge angles the waist rises out of the trench more than a longer sidecut would.
You don't really need to angulate that board so much because it already turns reasonably tight... but it is fun... I still angulate my 6000 way more than I need to.
If they do make an even wider Cheater, that might be good for you. Or a Pipeliner?
This post was modified 3 weeks ago 2 times by Board Doctor
Big White, BC, Canada
Topic starter
29/03/2025 11:16 pm
When importing outside EU to my country, it is necessary to pay 25% VAT + some minor duty fees..
I think the 6000 has clearly less sidecut that what I'm looking for. Pipeliner sure looks interesting, but sadly the 275 mm waist with 10,5 sidecut is a bit risky... Sidecut would be perfect. And the 152 effective edge feels interesting. It is probably even more I actually need.
Currently it seems that I go with the (not yet officially announced) ultra wide Cheater for the next season. Unless I get ready to pay for those Canadian titanal boards.
30/03/2025 6:29 am
When importing outside EU to my country, it is necessary to pay 25% VAT + some minor duty fees..
The VAT is the real killer unfortunately, and for me (Sweden) it's calculated on the shipping too! So $2000 board plus $100 shipping ends up being $2700.
But! To @board-doctor's point, the CAD exchange rate has dropped significantly since the beginning of march, so for me that means that the board is about 300 CAD less expensive now than a month ago.
Topic starter
30/03/2025 8:42 am
Hello dear neighbor, I'm from Finland and do agree that the VAT is the killer here... Even though the exchange rate of CAD against EURO has dropped a lot. How do we get a batch of boards here without VAT? 😆
30/03/2025 2:23 pm
The Euro is 1.55 CAD, so even with the 25% VAT aren't you still 30% ahead? And if it's new I'd be paying 12% tax, so that's like 42% ahead?
They're expensive, but still a reasonably good value for what's basically a custom board. You're paying for materials, engineering and skilled labour.
Take the Burton Hometown Hero's for example:
Regular = 880 CAD (essentially the price point of a 'high end' board)
HH X NST = 1050 CAD (made at Craigs, USA)
Mystery = 2360 CAD (materials?)
Some other off-the-shelf boards:
Stranda Cheater = 1029 CAD (a good Chinese factory, GP87)
Capita Megadeath = 1300 CAD (no glass, all carbon)
Gentemstick Rocket Fish = 1820 CAD! (GP87, but very basic materials)
Jones Project X = 2200 CAD (this is like a sports sedan for real doctors)
Those are all list prices, without any tax. Everything is expensive.
This post was modified 3 weeks ago by Board Doctor
Big White, BC, Canada
31/03/2025 5:20 am
The Euro is 1.55 CAD, so even with the 25% VAT aren't you still 30% ahead? And if it's new I'd be paying 12% tax, so that's like 42% ahead?
I'm not quite sure what you mean by he'd be "30% ahead." One EUR in Finland doesn't have the same purchasing power as one CAD in Canada. I found something saying that a CAD has 15% more purchasing power than the Euro, but that doesn't account for a EUR having different purchasing power in Finland and France, same as I'm sure a CAD has different purchasing power in Yukon and Ontario.
They're expensive, but still a reasonably good value for what's basically a custom board. You're paying for materials, engineering and skilled labour.
This! The C4 is good value for money, especially when compared to high-end production boards (the Cheater is almost 1400 CAD here, 890 EUR, incl VAT), especially the used C4 mid-flex that's for sale is a great deal. The C4s are costly, but not expensive.
Everything is expensive.
Amen
31/03/2025 7:59 am
I'm not quite sure what you mean by he'd be "30% ahead." One EUR in Finland doesn't have the same purchasing power as one CAD in Canada. I found something saying that a CAD has 15% more purchasing power than the Euro, but that doesn't account for a EUR having different purchasing power in Finland and France, same as I'm sure a CAD has different purchasing power in Yukon and Ontario.
Yeah I'm not an economist, but it still seems like (on average) it's actually less expensive for those in Europe. If Trump continues to devalue the American dollar (and ours) it might become even more competitive.
It's crazy what some of the mass-produced stuff (not just boards) now costs.
Big White, BC, Canada
Topic starter
31/03/2025 8:00 am
Yes, as Felix said: the Cheater would cost 1400 CAD (including taxes) and the imported C4 would cost around 2400 CAD (including taxes and duties). I don't at all doubt the quality of the C4!! For me, the difference in price is just too significant currently.
But those Exegi DoubleWides look actually very interesting and the price point is much lower! Maybe I should think about ordering custom board from Exegi..
