Board Exam: 2009 Lib Tech Skate Banana

The folks at Lib Tech are nice enough to support the Greasebus, which means free Banana demos for all Greasebus riders! I finally got a powder day at Meadows and it was bluebird. Let me break it down for a second: I rode a bus powered by vegetable oil up to the mountain for $10, I got to demo a hot board for free and it was a bluebird day at a notoriously cloudy spot, with 8 inches of fresh pow. I thought I fell asleep on the bus and was dreaming...

Then I found a trash bag full of gold and ice cream sandwiches on the runout...

No, really, it was real! (except for that trash bag) Let me tell you about this board. Now, you might say, "Graham, a million other people have reviewed this board already." You're probably close, give or take a few hundred thousand. But, I ask you, how many of them were riding at Mt. Hood Meadows during a freak occurence of both powder and sunshine? And how many of them were 6'1" and 170# with size 10.5 boots (DC Super Parks) and Technine MFM Pro bindings? And how many of them consumed exactly three mini Clif Bars (Oatmeal Raisin) and contemplated the writings of the Dalai Lama whilst riding? That's what I thought. Every review is a unique flower, so don't, um, de-flower me by writing off my review before it gets started. Hear me out.

My first impression with the board was that of it's average weight dangling from my foot on the lift. Upon strapping in, I immediately set off to test the flex and ollie pop power of this reverse camber shred stick. As expected, it was buttery like a French pastry with all the pop of a five-year-old in a bubble wrap factory. After a couple runs, I was reacquainted with the BTX. Going back and forth between BTX and a standard-sidecut, cambered board takes some getting used to. Most notably, the turn inputs are slightly different. Once that's accounted for, you have the longitudinally loose feel of the reverse camber. Couple that with the torsional softness of the Skate Banana and you have a board that is super-fun to play around with. I really put it to the test in a couple icy, chunky patches and it wasn't much fun there. No board would be. It was a little too soft to stand up to the chunks and a premeditated ice carve was more than it could handle. In reality, I'd never try that if I wasn't testing a board. I'd just avoid it. The test, then, is for those times when you just can't avoid it. To be fair, it's hard to lose an edge on a Magne-Traction board. They do help on ice, but they don't turn it to powder. Speaking of powder, did I mention I got to ride that, too?

After a short break, I headed to Meadows' powder haven, Heather Canyon. Freshies were still available even later in the day on a Saturday. The banana didn't make a drastic difference in pow, but I never submarined nor did my back leg go on strike due to overwork. The skate felt a little soft and unstable on some of the steeper sections where the powder gave way to more packed snow. I'd like something a little stiffer and damper for spots like that. In the trees it went edge to edge like it was in a slalom race and got me out alive when the fluff turned frozen-over.

Overall, the Skate Banana is a fun board and isn't that what it's all about? Oddly, I didn't ride it on anything manmade, but if pressing, popping and powder are your game, try it out. I can't speak to pipe or rails as I usually avoid those (my guess is that it would be better suited to the metal than the U-tube). Also, high-speed corduroy carving isn't this one's forte, so beware. Other than that, this is a board I'd be happy to own and despite the name it's well prepared for a range of terrain outside the park.

Check out Lib's site for all the tech specs

Board Exam: 2010 Never Summer Premier F1-R

Another day at Baker's Legendary Banked Slalom and I chose to inspect another new board. This one is Never Summer's 2010 Premier F1-R. My initial impression of the board was that it was heavier than average hanging from my foot on the chairlift. That's easy enough to make up for, depending on how it rides... Also, the nose and tail shapes were different, supposedly to enhance float in powder. Too bad I wouldn't get a chance to test that today.

Dangling from my boot

The ride on this beast was stiff and damp. And beast is an apt title. Everything I'd heard about Never Summer boards charging was true on this ride. That was the most noticeable characteristic of this board. Hardpack, chunder, tree bark, no match for the Premier F1-R. That said, this is not a board for pressing and jibbing. Maybe if a tree jib is in your way the F1-R might attack it for sport.

What else? Well, I'm amazed at the differences in companies' reverse camber applications. Never Summer runs what they call R.C. Technology: rocker and camber. Basically, it has a camber point under each insert and rocker between the inserts. On the snow, this translates to less catchy turns with plenty of power out of turns. I would rate the pop as moderate. Nothing surprising either way.

Accompanying R.C. Tech is NS's Vario Power Grip sidecut. Instead of having one radius throughout the sidecut, NS uses three. A deeper one toward the tip and tail, a shallower one near the inserts and a straight line at the waist of the board. This creates six contact points during turns instead of the standard two. This really translates to stable turns, even on the Baker boilerplate.

This board excels at hauling ass in any condition. It can handle anything you can up to a 60° ice skating rink through trees (OK, that might be a little extreeme). It is a freeride ruler, though not a board I'd want to ride everyday, due to it's stiffness. Those racers in the LBS could shave some seconds ripping with a stick like this one. Though it won't be out 'til next year, here's Never Summer's site to check the dirty when it goes live next fall.

Board Exam: 2009 Gnu Altered Genetics BTX

Most people right now are previewing next years boards that aren't even on shop shelves yet. Not me. I'm still hopelessly mired in the present. These are boards you can actually go out and buy. Not only that, but you can probably find them on sale right about now. Which, in the case of this board, is the only time I could possibly afford it. I give you Gnu's Altered Genetics:Dope topsheet, but how does it shred?

While cousin Lib Tech has the super-freaky Cygnus X-1, Gnu has to settle for the slightly less freaky Altered Genetics. I use the term 'settle' in full sarcasm, the AG is a high-tech board with a high-tech price to match. The rep blabbed about a bunch of stuff that I don't really understand: weird polymers and mutant woods and what not. When you run your fingernail across the topsheet, it sounds like you're zipping up a zipper. Like one of those pictures that has a different image when you look at it from the side. The topsheet only has one graphic, though, bummer. Has anyone done that yet? It's made out of beans, says the rep. I can dig it. Cut the shit, Yak, HOW DOES IT RIDE ALREADY!? Oh, I'm glad you asked...

This is the board I've been waiting for. As I've said in the past, the banana tech makes boards feel longitudinally looser for easy pressability. Feeling soft on butters is something of an illusion caused by the banana shape. You see, the board's natural shape, with no external pressure, holds it up at the nose and tail, where with a cambered board you work against the shape to do a nosepress. What's the point? A board like the AG can simultaneously butter like a park board and rail like a race board (even through a storm of sticks and ice balls, in this case) without the extreme sacrifices of either. The best of both worlds!

This board was a lot of fun to ride and I was just cruising hardpacked groomers at Baker. It held a carve on ice as well as anything could and when it came time to leave the snow, it popped like a champagne cork atop a podium. The board responded great and felt light and lively underfoot. A great ride for the trees. I didn't get to ride it in pow, so I can only speculate there. If it's as good there as it is everywhere else, it might, might be worth that $600 price tag. For explanations of all those things I don't understand just check out Gnu's website.

Board Exam: 2009 Burton Supermodel X

While I was at the Baker Banked Slalom, I got a chance to demo some boards. The first one was this pretty little thing from Burton. I had it set up with Burton Triad EST Bindings. This was my first real try with the EST system. I took a lap on my friend's board with it once, but it wasn't set up for me, so it wasn't exactly a fair shake. This time I had the stance width and angles dialed in, so everything was comfy. Without turning this into a binding review, the system was good, but not amazing. I thought the straps were the best part. They seem to have gotten that part just right. I'd like to try it baseless or with the thinner Shredbeds. Preferably in powder.

Moving on to the board, my demo was a 164. Combine that length with a 10mm taper and that's a whole lotta board. Nevertheless my first impression with the thing dangling from my left foot on the lift was that it was quite light. Then I remembered what the rep said, " The 'X' means more stiff, more damp and more expensive." The price I can't change ($700), but I'll put the rest to the test. The runs at Baker that day were groomed and anywhere from soft to icy depending on the light. I was hoping for powder, which I think this board would excel at, but it wasn't happening in bounds that day.

Lightweight hanging from my foot, lighter weight wallet and a lightweight on the mountain

The Supermodel X is nothing if not stiff. All the way around, it's the stiffest board I've ever ridden. Not that I've ridden that many boards to this point, but still. This lends to a responsive board, quick edge to edge, but not the most comfortable or forgiving on off-center landings. For all that stiffness, you might expect a lot of pop, but it was average at best.

Stability at speed is where this board shines. It tore through chop and bumps without hesitation. When it came time to turn, though, the edges weren't what I hoped for. Burton's edge technology is the pressure distribution edge. I gotta say, I didn't notice any benefit over a regular edge. It got into the turn quickly, but couldn't hold on. Granted, this was hardpack and ice, but the same conditions with Mervin's Magne-Traction or Never Summer's Vario Power Grip were far more manageable. Something to keep in mind.

In the end, I'll admit I rode the wrong size board. I would have like to ride the 156 in those conditions. Keep that in mind when I say this board just wasn't for me. I'm not sure where this board is supposed to fit in when Burton already has the Malolo and Fish that are tapered powder sticks. This board is less tapered and stiffer. It would probably do well in pow, but not as good as the other two. Maybe it's made for speedy, straight-line racing. Until I figure out where I would want to ride this 700-dollar board, I'm staying away. For all the gory details check out Burton's website.

Board Exam: 2009 Lib Tech Dark BTX 161

The big, early-season demo day at Mt. Hood Meadows got pushed back a week because, well, the resort wasn't even open when the demo was originally scheduled. What a difference that week made. Some crazy storm systems merged, stars aligned and Üllr's whiteout dropped 100" on the joint. Perfect day to demo some pow sleds, right? Try again. A quick pissing of rain turned 'waist-deep' into 'bulletproof' quicker than you can sing the chorus to "Umbrella." No matter, I made the trek with a couple friends and was determined to try out a new Lib Tech Banana Traction board that I'd heard so much about.

At the time of the demo I was around 6'1" and 170# with size 10.5 dogs. I wore new DC Ghost boots (also 'demo-ing' from Ben) and mounted the board with my Technine MFM bindings. This is a pretty soft/flexible boot and binding combo, for reference.

The first thing I noticed about the board was that... shit, they set it up goofy and I ride regular, so I took the first run backwards. My first time on a banana-ed out magne-tracion board and I'm backwards. How awkward. OK, got that fixed. Now for a real run...

I need to preface this one more time. The board I'm coming from is an Option Kevin Sansalone pro model circa 2001. That board is brick stiff. (Yeah, I'm demoing boards because I really need a new one, not just for shits) Keep that in mind when I say that the Dark was softer than I expected. Maybe it's the banana, maybe it's my supreme strength but probably it's just contrast to my most recent board. I didn't jib anything, but I bet the board would handle that arena just fine. Oh, and believe the hype. Banana = telepathic butter-ablility: you think about buttering and it's done. Simple.

Stability is also a strong point for the Dark. Both in straight lines and turns. I found the magne-traction to be subtle. It took a run to get used to, but it wasn't as radically different as I thought I might be. It did keep me in turns even through icy chop and I rode plenty of that throughout the day. When pointing it straight, the board soaked up the lumps and charged ahead like a fighter through the gauntlet. Definitely a reassuring ride.

For whatever reason, I wasn't expecting much pop from this board and I was pleasantly surprised in that regard. The thing really did "pop like a volcano," just like Lib says. The park wasn't up yet, but trail-side hits launched me farther than I was ready for before I got the board under control and knew what was up.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to ride any powder or trees with the board. That's what I enjoy the most and if/when I get a new board those performances will guide my choice. I'll have to wait 'til next time as, again, I've heard these are places where BTX excels.

Overall, the 08-09 Dark BTX handled everything I could throw at it. Too bad the weather didn't leave me with much chuck. I have a friend who swears by his older Dark model for everyday riding and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Dark to anyone. I'd be remiss to leave out intangibles like all of the environmentally friendly techniques and materials Lib uses in construction and their Washington state production. Things like that draw me to a brand more than any marketing hype or sponsorship could. Drawbacks? If you can afford a price tag over 600 bucks, come to the Dark side.

Go see Lib Tech for all the dirty specs.