November 1, 1999

Airwalk A-1

Known to testers simply as "number thirteen," Airwalk's top-of-the-line A-1 is full of mystery. Sales and Marketing Coordinator Brian Stephanson describes this board as "very James Bond," but all we know is it's impressive. Built for, but not limited to, advanced riders, the A-1's list of standard ingredients reads like aftermarket erotica: sintered P-Tex 4000 base, tip-to-tail torsion box, and get this-no wood. The board employs a patented, completely composite core. "High energy" describes the A-1 and its snappy feel. Kurt complimented the board's flex, saying it had "the right amount in the right place, and always at the right time." Robyn and Kevin expanded, claiming respectively, "Effortless turns," and, "a light feel for the park and pipe." Amy and Wendy found the board's stiffness, both torsionally and longitudinally, made it difficult to bend into a carve, but noticed strong edge hold once turning. The A-1 is the call for technical ninjas or apprentices.

Atlantis IBT

A solid ride wherever you go, this board ranked high in the overall performance category. Plus, its narrow waist width received praise from the testers with small feet. This is no surprise because Ingemar Backman, the rider behind this design, has little kicks. "Great board!" exclaimed Randy. "Anything I asked for, this board gave me." Though all the testers stated they'd use this to ride all over the mountain, its strengths shone in the halfpipe and the park. "Super snappy in the park. Great in the powder and good for jumps, too!" Wendy wrote. Keeping in mind that Ingemar is most famous for his freestyle skills, it's a testament to Atlantis' manufacturing that this board was built for versatile riding.

Burton Custom

The Custom is everything you'd expect from a tri-holer. It even had J2 throwin' down compliments. It'd be hard to go wrong recommending this ride to any snowboard artisan. The Custom was redesigned for 2000 with help from Burton riders like Dave Downing, Marcus Egge, and Leslee Olson, which lends a clue to the board's versatile traits. Its purpose? A board with both a freestyle feel and freeride capabilities. The Custom was appreciated across the board and appealed to a surprising variety of test riders. Robyn and Randy pegged it as the one that could, quite possibly, end up going home with them "by mistake" at the end of the week, labeling the board "a smooth and lively ride." Hard-nosed Delaney hailed the Custom's balls-out carving and light feeling underfoot, claiming that it's the ticket to surviving anything the mountain can throw at ya.

Burton Fluid

"Leather-upholstered, high-powered luxury snowboard for controlled cruising and freestyle finesse," is how Burton describes this model. Our testers agree. "Just buttery," says Kevin. "Whip it or walk it through turns, stomp on the pedal and let it run." Randy adds, "Good in bumps, nice in crud, fast on the groomers." Pro-rider Jason Borgstede had a hand in the design, and as an Alaska/Tahoe ripper he needs a board he can throw technical tricks, go big off kickers, and surf steep pow with. What could be more Fluid? If you like effortless turning and a forgiving ride for all-around fun, this is your best bet. Also good for people with a slightly larger boot size.

Burton Supermodel

You can't do much better than "Burton's best freeriding board." That's how the company's Scott Rivers labels the Supermodel. One notch stiffer than the Fluid, a couple clicks softer than the Custom, and benefitting from a do-it-all shape, the Supermodel lives up to its name by being unbelievably well-proportioned. This year's board is beefier than its waif-like predecessor; it's Burton's first ride to combine the Carbon I-Beam and cap construction. Still, the Super retains the easy-to-ride-and especially carve-versatility it's become known and loved for. Kurt pinned the tail on this one saying, "The length adds stability without the feeling of a big board." Others wrote comments like "responsive," "quick," "great small turns," and "lively but not jittery." Is there an equation for the best of both worlds? If so, it's probably in the head of designers/refiners Craig Kelly and Shannon Dunn, who had a hand in this beaut of a board. A true freerider. Good choice for those with slightly smaller feet.

Elan Vertigo

There are no free rides here. Our testers agree, this board takes work, but once you've committed, the reward is worth it. With a deep sidecut, the Vertigo offers carvability for a rider who likes to rail. Wendy says, "Once you get it on edge, it's awesome-but it takes a bit of thigh to get it going." Trick technology adds to the Vertigo's unique riding experience. Special polyethylene plates integrated with the Vert core create a three-millimeter shock-absorbing pad at each binding location. For all you jibbers, this adds more boost going into the jump, and a smooth, solid landing. Take it from J2, "This was a good one."

GNU Carbon High Beam

The fact that the Carbon High Beams are a favorite among GNU's amateur team is a good indication of this board's fun-riding way. Torsionally the most forgiving (flexible) of GNU's line, the Carbon High Beam was easy to ride, but still hung on through a turn. Wendy, who almost needed more paper to finish scoring the High Beam, was the most surprised. "I thought it would be heavy and too wide, but it rode great. Powder, halfpipe-everything." She also noted the board's potential for ollies, a benefit of what GNU terms the Correct Cap-a combination of cap and sandwich (at the tip and tail) construction. The Carbon High Beam is a dual-directional (twin-tip) board with a centered sidecut-in theory, this makes it lean heavily toward being a freestyle-specific sled. On the contrary, the High Beam is a testament to the manufacturer's belief: "All boards can be ridden in all situations." Best for intermediate or finesse-type riders. K2 A-Star Named after a helicopter, this board slices like a blade. Kurt described it as, "The go-fast, land-anything board. Once it's in a turn, it stays in." K2 suggests this board for aggressive freeriders with smaller to average feet. The number-one choice among team riders, the A-Star features narrow, full-wrap edges making for a lighter board with less drag and more speed. High scores in the overall-performance category. "For my weight, height, and attitude I'd look for a board that rides and feels like this," Kevin says. Amy adds, "Stiff enough for stability, snappy enough for ollies, perfect length for me. Maybe a little wide for my feet, but comfy in all terrain."

K2 Futura

When the Futura's number came up, the test team was sent scrambling for a new scoring system, adding plus signs and decimal points where they could squeeze 'em in. K2's premier board, the Futura boasts recent technology like the electronically damping "piezo chips," first introduced in 1998, and the best of the tried-and-true: electra base (stoneground and structured out of the wrapper), cap construction, and narrower edges for less friction and weight. Testers more or less united in response to the future, I mean, the Futura, as if they'd taken time out between runs for some sort of harmonic, hand-holding drum circle. Kevin weighed in with a Zorro analogy: "My mind and my reflexes must mold with my weapon. Here is where they come together to overcome the elements and fortify the land with new hope." And Kurt, at the end of his babbling, finally put it together with a prophetic, "Trust in the 16B." Somebody up there at K2 is doing their homework. As Wendy noticed, the Futura is particularly suited for riders with slightly smaller feet.

Lib Tech Hard-Carving Freestyle Series

(Acme, Rice Rocket, Tear Yea!, Emma P.) The "Quiver Killer," as Lib Tech's Pete Saari says, this series is "where the focus of snowboarding should be." Speedy boards with deep sidecut. "Awesome!" exclaims Wendy, describing the turning initiation of this ride. Kevin has a little more to say: "This board was fun whether I rode like John Travolta or Jabba the Hut." And J2, a man of few words says, "Maybe it's because this board is the size I [usually] ride, but I like it the most so far." The Hard-Carving Freestyle Series features Lib's unique Teflon base and aircore. This combination makes for a speedy, lightweight, torsionally stiff, and damp, chatter-free ride. Morrow Blaze Powerful on edge, with the versatility to freeride and freestyle, Morrow's Blaze shines under pressure. This big-mountain badass comes alive at speed, holds on when the going gets rough, and then begs for more. High scores in stability are often countered by a frigid, dead-in-the-water feeling. Not the case with the Blaze. This board has loads of life, it just requires a little more leg, weight, or juice (like a syringe full of adrenaline) to tap into it. The responsiveness and raw potential energy stored in the Blaze are a result of Morrow's creative use of torque-rods-repositioned in this model to focus stiffness near the edges and add rebound to the board without adding weight. Stronger testers powered up the Blaze and were aptly rewarded. Randy cited the stability of this "big mountain/freestyle" (if there can be such a thing) sled, and Wendy enjoyed a pleasant surprise in the powder. If you're smaller, or a novice rider, the Blaze might throw you around a bit.

Morrow Dimension

This model's popular with the ladies. "Floats through the powder, helped me keep it together in the crud, fast carving," says Wendy. "A good one." Structural embossing and 3-D carbon-fiber torque rods lock a spring in this board's step you can unload at will. "Soft, snappy flex, made me feel comfortable everywhere," Amy adds. "Narrow enough to make quick turns, light enough for short turns and airs. Yummy like chocolate, stable like a lounge chair." But not to leave the men out of the mix, J2 adds, "Rides good all around, especially for its size.

Nitro Shadow

This one rips the short turns," Kurt says. "Feels balanced and light. Ride it with a stance of about twenty inches and be stoked because you'll have more nose." Not ideal for a tentative rider with small feet. Testers also note the Shadow tends to ride short-a good freestyle board with freeriding abilities. This series replaces the Seth Neary pro model and was designed in conjunction with Seth, Mark Reilly, and Jonathan Smallwood. The Shadow features a high-performance freestyle shape with a new tri-progressive sidecut: tight in front, mellower in the middle, and very tight toward the tail. The result, according to Nitro, is a board that's forgiving in the most demanding freestyle and freeriding situations, and delivers forward and switch turning power. Nolimitz Creation Northwest underground? Not any longer. The small, dedicated crew at Nolimitz fine-tuned their Creation line for broad, performance-rider appeal, etching a spot for themselves alongside the big guns in the Top Two-Five. The Creation incorporates a pair of carbon-fiber stringers that fan into what is termed a "Power V" in the tail. Use of composites like carbon fiber in addition to the board's full-length woodcore enhance what Sales and Marketing Manager Scott Ghering calls "recoil," giving the board a snappy, responsive feel. He adds, "If you load the board up, it will respond in kind." Along those lines, though, the Creation is a high-end board requiring a certain amount of riding ability to fully appreciate. Randy and Kevin (who have completely different riding styles and physical makeups) both dug into the Creation, jotting down things like "solid," "floaty," "quick but stable." Some of the smaller/lighter riders, however, found the performance characteristics demanded more than they could muster. Oxygen Vibe Can you feel the Vibe? "Able to ride pow, spin, and arc a carve in a single run," says Kurt about this board's superhero traits. Pro-rider Jason Onley helped with this design. Ceramic stringers reduce the weight, making for a snappy, responsive board with all-terrain freeride and freestyle versatility. "Felt really light under my feet-almost forgot it was there!" Robyn exclaimed. The Vibe's narrow waist width allows for quick response edge-to-edge, adding to the popularity of this board among the smaller riders. But the bigfoots liked it, too. "Light swing weight and easy turns makes it fun to whip around," says Kevin.

Ride Control

What Randy deemed "the best board I've ridden in a long time," Ride calls "a confidence-inspiring board for riders of any ability." Either way, the directionally designed Control can do a hell of a lot more than what its affordability implies. Most of the testers said this board was easy to turn and lauded its ability in short, quick turns. No surprise, as the Control is loaded with sidecut-an 8.3-meter radius on the 158. They also used words like "springy" and "snappy" to define this fun-to-ride board. While designed with the everyday rider in mind, the Control is far from being a board limited to recreationalists. In fact, in response to the test question, "What would you use this board for?" four of seven testers wrote, "Everything." The Control is exceptionally stable for its length and liveliness, but was overpowered by the strongest riders: ideal for sophomore-level rippers. Ride Profile Testers agree, this board is good for quick turns and hauling ass. Ride board-designer John O'Conner says the Profile is built for the more technically savvy rider. "This board is agile with deep sidecut, has a narrow waist, and is a little stiffer in the tail," he explains. Kevin notes the Profile, "was fun to ride due to ease of quick turns, ollies, spins, etc. Lightweights will love it. [Also good for] a one-board freestyler all-mountain slave." With its "progressive angle cap," the Profile offers smoothness in less-than-perfect backcountry conditions, as Ride states. And a 30-percent lighter core gives life and confidence to the rider. Ride Timeless Ride's freeriding mainstay, the Timeless proved itself for the power rider. This year's board (it's the model's third year in production) is refined to be lighter and more damp-shock absorbing-than earlier versions. The Timeless has a longer-board feel to it, which, when combined with the carbon-fiber and Kevlar stringers (strips) running the length of the board, makes for a stable, predictable ride. Meant for "experienced" riders, the Timeless is not for pussyfootin' around the slopes. "Stiffness," in fact, was on the tip of lighter testers' tongues and probably hurt the board's score in versatility, while strongmen like Kevin found it to be the perfect combination for anything from jumping (especially helpful in landing) to carving in all conditions. A functional, fun ride with no top-end limits, but not for the timid or weak of quadriceps.

Rossignol Pro

The Pro is listed in Rossignol's Air group, a category the company says is designed for "fearless freestyle riders." "Not for the faint-hearted," says Amy. "The shorter length is easy to maneuver in the bumps. Sometimes the board was ahead of me and I was just holding on for the ride." Rossignol's Mark Bujold says, "J.F. Pelchat, Ron Chiodi, Alexi Litovaara, and Pavo Tikkenen worked in a 'rider pool' to help design the Pro." Each size of this model was created for certain riders' specific needs (e.g., the Pro 149 was designed by Rossi's women riders, while Litovaara created the 154 for aggressive freestyle riding). The Pro's THC core (not a drug reference, it's short for triple hybrid construction) is unique to Rossi. Riders get the benefit from a combination of three materials-wood, Isocore, and Microcell-making a snappy, lightweight, and stable board. For all you tech-heads there's a window through the topsheet to view the core. An aggressive board for power riders.

Salomon FRA

"If you want a board that will save you, this is it," says Amy. All the makings of a good freecarver: quick turn initiation, strong edge hold, and stability. "Good in small and long turns if you work it," says Wendy. "Super stiff, good for a strong woman or man who loves to carve." Salomon's Chuck White says FRA doesn't stand for France, it's short for freeride adventure. "Great freerider length," says Kurt. "Good for powder and going fast every day on big mountains. Length helps with stability, float, and railing big turns. Also easy to whip around." The FRA uses the HTC (hidden torque control) fiberglass "X" design in the tip and tail that increases torsional and longitudinal rigidity, adds snap, and increases the power of this backcountry board.

Salomon 550

Designed to deliver the performance of a pro model without the pro, the 550 is Salomon's high-end directional board for riders who know no boundaries. There's plenty of snap built into the 550, which incorporates Salomon's Unibody-a method of enveloping the woodcore, fibers, and dampening materials-as well as a pair of fiberglass "X"s at the tip and tail. Robyn confirmed the trademark lively feeling, calling the 550 "really light and responsive. Snappy." Kevin and J2 commented on the turns, branding them as "easy," "quick," and "as sharp as you want." For skids, carves, airs, powder, or junk, the 550 rides as if on autopilot; it almost starts your next turn for you. At speed in the hard chop, some testers noted a slight chatter-which is par for boards that use composites and provide powerful edging. The 550 suits light, technical, finesse riders. Salomon extras like a full-wrap seamless edge and a structured 4000 sintered base also come standard on this board.

Sims Daytona

Forward-thinking in more ways than one, the Daytona bears the features of a race-bred freerider. Design innovations applied from Sims' ground-breaking Alpine boards-like a stiffer nose and medium-flex tail-make this model the choice for all-mountain ass-kickin'. The High Pressure Diagram (HPD) of the Daytona is Sims' most aggressive flex pattern, built with "accomplished" riders in mind. Although it's a directionally shaped board, the Daytona is meant to be ridden farther forward-with the bindings set more toward the nose-than other directionals. This allows the rider to load up the front of the board at the start of a turn and maintain a centered position during the turn's finish. Kevin called the tracking "great," saying that the Daytona "felt solid under the feet and ruled open all-mountain terrain." Kurt pointed out that the board shines on firm snow-"Go fast," he says. This board is "damp and stiff. Smoothly predictable." Like most stiffer boards, the Daytona doesn't have to weigh in wet. Testers agreed that it's not the board for freestyle, park, and pipe, but reserved for hard-charging. For riders whose nicknames include the word "speed," or who race boardercross. Set the bindings back when the snow gets deep.

Sims Descender

No other name suits this board. Designed for getting anyone down the mountain, through anything. The Descender is a true off- road vehicle or, as described by Robyn, "Quick edge-to-edge, fast and stable going straight, and can motor over anything." Sims Marketing Manager Dave Wray describes the Descender as a "progressive freestyle/freeride board designed with a mix of backcountry and freestyle characteristics. The board is built with a crosscut woodcore for strength and snap." Kurt says, "I rode fast through the pow, felt my way through the unseen, and always knew what the board would do. One of my favorites. Felt right at home from the first turn."

Volkl Aircore

Bow to Bavaria. Volkl steps up and stands out with this year's tip-top-of-the-line Aircore model. The board's name does in fact refer to its core. The Aircore, made from wood pulp, is an exclusive technology that offers dynamic snap yet retains the dampening qualities of wood. There is more, however, to this board than the core. The Aircore utilizes Volkl's 3-D sidecut to maintain edge contact over the length of the board while it's in a turn, and halfcap contruction-a blend of cap and sandwich. The Aircore won the praise of testers looking for stability. J2 touted it, saying, "Does everything well. Felt comfy at speed." Kurt nailed it as a "stable cruiser. Flex lends itself to versatility and fun riding." Wendy joined in, noting the board's solid appeal for high-speed and big-mountain freeriding: "Too stiff for the pipe, though." A pair of riders mentioned that the Aircore felt long or big. Better suited to strong riders who can take advantage of the technology.