Phiokka Snowboards

Post by **István** » Thursday 9 December 2004, 13:17

Hey,

Anyone has experience with Phiokka snowboards (Alpine and Replica models)?

I have read many threads on their bindings but none on their boards.

Cheers,

István

ps.: Next weekend (Dec 17-20) I'll be riding in Gerlitzen, Annenheim, let me know if anyone will be around that date. Small place, but very nice neighbourhood.

Post by **nils** » Thursday 9 December 2004, 13:39

I have seen them in real, and the finish was ok, but the weight was huge and the flex like an iron bar... after discussing the matter with the CEO of Phiokka, he admited that they were just OEM done for Phiokka without real developpement and that they needed further work on them to become good stuff...

I'd recommend to wait until they have a real line made by riders for riders, not by marketing envies!

Nils

Post by **István** » Thursday 9 December 2004, 16:17

Good to see a posting from you, my old friend Nils!

Hmm, flex like an iron bar.... that sounds interesting..... once it bends and then it stays like that?

BTW what is OEM?

Cheers,

István

Post by **nils** » Thursday 9 December 2004, 22:27

wrong choice of word sorry

OEM
(pronounced as separate letters) Short for original equipment manufacturer, which is a misleading term for a company that has a special relationship with computer producers. OEMs buy computers in bulk and customize them for a particular application. They then sell the customized computer under their own name. The term is really a misnomer because OEMs are not the original manufacturers -- they are the customizers.

I meant boards made for phiokka by a third party, basically in the phiokka case its just like make me two race boards and the factory can even use its own mold and puts a phiokka sticker on the board....In this case, Phiokka is the customizer of topsheet

..
The Volkl binding is a disguised OEM but its 100% made by Phiokka for example.

Nils

Post by **István** » Friday 10 December 2004, 6:26

Now I see.

Thx,

Istvan

Post by **Lee** » Sunday 12 December 2004, 22:00

I recently tested with Arjan 3 Phiokka boards. a Replica 160SL, replica 173GS and a replica 170 Heavyduty prototype with vertical sidewalls...
I personally did not ride the 160... due to heavy crash and painfull ankle from a previous crash i quit before i could test the 160.... i'll ask Arjan to add a review of the 160SL.
The 173 Replica was very easy to ride. Very good edge holding. When you manually flex the board ist feels as week as a wet newspaper... but due to its torsional stiffness it never lost grip.
The 170 replica prototype was more stiff the my 2" hardwood front door.
I ended up with a bloody nose and a swolen upperlip....

Post by **Arjan** » Monday 13 December 2004, 8:14

I rode the three Phiokka's also and here is my review:

Phiokka Replica 162
The board is quite light and easy to put on its side. Switching from edge to edge is done very easily without any hard work. The board behaves like a Hot: when you cruise, the board is very quietly, but when you start riding dynamically, the board comes to live and jump turns are done easily. Very good edge hold during the turn. Overall a nice board to add to your quiver. The board is a bit small at the waist, but with my mondo seize 24 no problem to ride.

Phiokka Replia 173
Like Lee said, when you flex it manually, it feels like a gumball, but because of enough torision flex you won't notice the lack of stiffness during the turns. Very easy to ride and good edge grip during the turns. The board has a radius of around 12 meters, but can be influenced with ease. Nice color on the topsheet btw...

Phiokka Replica 170 protoype
Man...like flexing a castle door! My first turn was like sh**, but once i started to ride the board more dynamically, it came to life. Not very easy to influence the radius because the board is very, very stiff. Not my type of board.

Post by **Hans** » Monday 13 December 2004, 9:33

Arjan wrote:I rode the three Phiokka's also and here is my review:
Phiokka Replica 170 protoype
Man...like flexing a castle door! My first turn was like sh**, but once i started to ride the board more dynamically, it came to life. Not very easy to influence the radius because the board is very, very stiff. Not my type of board.

Hi Arjen and Lee,
Interesting new boards. Hope they will be available in the Netherlands.
I think stiffness of a board is in most of the cases relative to your own bodyweight. I don't know how much you guys weigh? Sounds like a competition GSboard for heavy racers to me. Where did you guys demo those boards? (in Zoetermeer?).

Greets, Hans.

Post by **Arjan** » Monday 13 December 2004, 9:36

hi Hans,

We tested the boards in Landgraaf. Lee and i both weigh around 70kg.

All Phiokka boards and bindings are available in Holland. Just send an e-mail to Michel@phiokka.nl. He's a good friend of Lee and myself and just got the exclusive distribution for Benelux.

De Replica 170 Prototype is not part of the collection and, like the word says, a prototype of Phiokka. It has a nose like a Swoard and vertical sidewalls and is extremely stiff.

Post by **Hans** » Monday 13 December 2004, 9:50

Thanks Arjan, for the quick info.
Just emailed Michel.

Greets, Hans.

Post by **tommaso2k** » Monday 13 December 2004, 10:18

@Hans

if you buy more equipment you need a big truck to come to zinal

Cheers

Thomas

Post by **Hans** » Monday 13 December 2004, 10:40

tommaso2k wrote:@Hans

if you buy more equipment you need a big truck to come to zinal

I know, just having fun, life is short. By the way you own yourself some nice boards too. But I am not coming to Zinal again this year. Just bought us a new house and gonna move in the Zinalweekend

(some mixed feelings). But after that I will be in Schladming for a week, just a holiday with my kids, my wife and some other family. It's good that we have bought us a big familycar and roofbox to take all the gear with us. Hope you will enjoy the ZINALsession. I have planned to go to Zinal in March if there is some money left. I am just enjoying the Zinal/StokedDVD at my television now.

Greets, Hans.

Post by **harald** » Monday 13 December 2004, 18:37

Hans and other "flatlanders" (excuse),
One question I have wondered about. How come that so many of you from places far from snow and mountains have taken up activities like snowboard and skiing? And why do you have so many boards? How many times during the season do you have a possibility to use your equipment? I compare with myself and my friends living close to the slopes having found out that one or two boards and one or two pair of skis are enough for the most conditions. More equipment than that is a hassle to carry around. Therefore it is collecting dust in the basement. (we are out in the slopes 50-100 times in the season so we really use what we have). As I said, I am asking just for curiosity

Post by **Arjan** » Monday 13 December 2004, 18:40

Hi Harald,

Since a few years we have many indoor slopes in Holland where we can practice our sport. I snowboard at least 2-4 hours per week and during the winter i go to the mountains 2-3 times. Why so many boards? Because i like alpine boards and it's a tick i have...get more boards...try as many boards so you experience about boards will improve...that's about it i guess...

Post by **pokkis** » Monday 13 December 2004, 18:54

I have heard that there are people hitting small white ball on grass with stick. And ball is allways same size but according rumors some people have several sticks to hit that ball. That is something i dont get

man with many boards

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