Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Powder Boards

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
My friend is looking for a new powder board for when we hit Japan in Jan.

He demo'd one on our last trip there and loved it in the bowls, open terrain in the deep powder but found it a bit long for getting around the tight trees you get in Japan.

He has some other boards to pull on for other conditions so is looking for a pure deep powder board that will get him through the trees alive.

Any recommendations???
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Normally 'short' and 'powder' don't go together so well. Don't know how long the board your friend tried before was, so don't know how short he wants to go... For my money, if he's looking for a pure powder stick, then to keep the length down he'd probably be best off looking for a shorter swallowtail, like the Rome Notch at 164, or something with a big directional bias like a Prior Spearhead which'll go down to 161, as long as his feet aren't too big...
ski holidays
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Most rockers tend to float better on powder than trad boards plus, if Lib's advice is anything to go by you can downsize relative to a trad board, which seems to fit what you're looking for.

I've a 159 Lib Banana and that floats real well (with about 84kgs on it), and you don't have to use that much rear weight bias to keep the nose from digging in.
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
smclean0, have a look at the Dupraz boards, they're quite long but very turny when you need them to be. The massive nose gives a lot of float but due to the design they manage to turn on a really tight radius. I tried one last season and it was a lot of fun including in tight trees despite me being sceptical that it would come round quick enough.
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
You can go shorter with rocker.

I've got an Arbor Abacus, regular camber, love it on the right day. It's like surfing.
snow conditions
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
i'm going to go for a prior khyber, directional, tapered cam-rock type profile for this year - i think.

short powder board - what about a Burton Fish, or a Jones Hovercraft (only made in 156)?
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The fish is in 164cm this year,for ease of purchase, as its a great tree board in 160cm.
They also have a new trendy little swallow tail in limited numbers on the internet sites for 700euro.

If anyone has a lead.
I am looking for a Prior Spearhead to try, if anyone knows of one for sale in uk, in any condition or length considered,think you can send a pm on here.
snow report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I ride a Prior Amf 156 hybrid with 80kg on it . Loves the powder and the piste actually everthing
latest report
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
The new Jeremy Jones boards are supposed to have a lot of float for their size, the flat nose is supposed to give more lift so you don't need such a long board. Everyone I know who tried one last year loved it.
snow report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I am recommending the Jeremy Jones Boards. You will feel comfort using that I think. Let us know which one you prefer at last.
snow conditions
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
A dedicated powder board has more lift in deep snow over a dedicated big mountain board!!

Its apples and oranges both are improving with varying versions of each companys rocker and design for there intented use.
I believe the rocker gives a bigger % improvement with the Big mountain board, so its now more versitile than before.
The powder setback tapered boards rocker % improvement is bit less but the powder twins, which are very new for switch riding in pow, rocker is everything,long noses coming too .

But certain variations of 3 forms of rocker seem to be dominant,its hard to quantify and still a moving target, as sidecuts will be adapted too rocker, In time, as they are in racing at pres.

Both types board ie powder and hellmans big mountain sticks are designed for different speeds and terrain ie termed technical sometimes.
The really great news is, more versatility, in more conds. Then a rider can just adapt a bit with only one board choosing is fav terrain that day.

The rider has too decide which size/lenght/width and "type of board or class of board" is the most versitile for his riding area and depth snow though.This is the go to stick.
Japan is deep I heard and continually, but will the lack of visability (besides the stick trees), enhance your big mountain Jones brd image?

The mistake is when you confuse the many types/ or class of board etc in making a choice. Which is alot of choice today including switch riding and spinning in powder.
If its your first powder board or say a newer more versitile Jones flagship Bigmountain brd, its always going to be a great day in powder, if you can float and keep up.Getting in and out easily is often important.

But the fish certainly is a proven board for a rider of any level/ability, in any depth snow, at the moment,ask a heli company.
Ask them which boards are not so popular after one day riding at heli prices?I think the hype/bull stops here.

Which jones model board offers that at the moment in 160 and 164? givern a equal effective edge lenght and float.

The hoovercraft in 156 perhaps?

Possibly its around/like a 161 with its longer edge and running length but they are not advertising EE Lenght?Why cause it may be contra too the 178 spiel or at least confusing.

The flagship is surely a big mountain board of what degree versatility in deep japan powder terrain?
Also low angle terrain?.Buying wider than you need is so 2000.

The Hoovercraft is in one lenght which will no doubt be offered longer,no matter what the 178 spiel is at pres.

I would hope to own one or two later and max my fun now,the image thing is much less so, as I used too buy into it, often screwing up on the best deeper day of riding .


Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sun 5-09-10 12:19; edited 1 time in total
latest report
 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I'm riding a 159 Vapor and am thinking of a PTS with a JJ Flagship for the seriously deep off piste stuff.

These boards look so right.
snow report
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
i done a day cat skiing on a 155 never summer cambered board
latest report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I surfed overhead storm surf on a blow up lilo at Takapuna beach once too,no rocker but heavily channeled blow up sections and a pillow,dig that lilo day.
ski holidays
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
i have a burton custom 166 that looooves the pow pow. but also my 159 skate banana rides it well to and copes better with icy pistes but means if you spot a powder stash you can escape onto it for some fun
latest report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
My powder board at the moment is a Malolo 158. Check out swellpanik.com for some crackers though.
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
According to Ed - Ski Sunday - probably the most exhilarating ride ever - and it just happens to be for sale Blush

But are you good enough?

http://www.goneboarding.co.uk/Classifieds/rossignol-undertaker-198-swallow-tail--ski-sunday-s-ed-s--best-exhilarating-powder-board/ClassifiedID/2048/ShowClassified.aspx
latest report
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
For me, you really need two powder boards.

For days when it's dumping and you're riding the trees or short runs near the pistes in poor vis, then a Fish (or similar) is great. You're riding slower and making tighter turns, so that combination of float and fast turns is just what you need.

2 days later when the sun comes out and you want to go and hike up to ride a big, open steep face then you want a big board. For me, the Fish just doesn't cut it in that situation. I think the best feeling in powder is driving the back end of the board in deep snow to make big turns at high speed. Do that on a Fish and the tail just sinks and you pivot on the spot. I like the tail of my board to push back at me.
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
I think thats the best practical description or you have to pick one or the other losing out at one end or the other.

The rocker designs will change the terrain overlap point of the two boards as they develop it more in conjuction with sidecut and flex .
Though I believe more in the open terrain direction in a bit shorter lenght.
Some even better boards will come out of all this new stuff but in a season or two I think.

A directional twin is not a powder board though but some are riding powder even better via rocker.
One very interesting one,even unique, is the 159cm Experience from Rossi its nose heights are more than a fish and it is a bit softer they say than its brothers, which are not the same .
Rossi,s tech is looking good, one too watch or best test in france .
ski holidays



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy