Swoard Test from a narrow minded carver

[Ed]

Hi everybody

I read the "narrow versus wide board" posts in this forum. Everyone claimed that someone should post his/her experiences with a Swoard compared to a Virus. Not much was posted. Either because not many people have been riding both or people seem to be uninterested in publishing their experiences.

I did ride both boards and want to give a small review here. Let me mention that I do not work for any board manufacturer and am not sponsored (unfortunately). My opinion is purely subjective and lacks statistical or technical evidence. I might even be a shitty rider?!

I have been raceboarding for the past 15 years and am somehat addicted. I have been buying Virus boards for the past 10 years or so. All my attempts to ride other boards (Pogo, Hot, F2, Nidecker, Swoard) have failed. I have tested these boards for a ride, a morning or even an entire weekend. Most boards were boaring from the begining. Some boards fascinated me for a day, week or half a season (I bought a Hot Blast 182). But I kept coming back to Virus. So yes - I am biased towards narrow boards and might have developed a riding style which best suits them. For the past 5 years I have been hooked on Virus Cyborg boards.

Turing to my Swoard experience: In fall 06 I had the chance to ride / test a Swoard in Soelden. Motivated by the coolest boarding video which I have seen so till today (thanx Swoard boyz) I was really hot to grap this baby. It was red, it was wide and it was 168 cm long. I have no idea which generation it was, how old or whatever. It was what I really wanted to test and I was happy to get my chance. Ride what we talked about and maybe something cooler than my Virus. I went up the chair to the "Kuehlschrank" slope (a shadowy red t-bar on Rettenbach glacier). The first bit was loose snow and some light mogules (nothing big; driveable). The board was stiff, heavy and big and I was willing to torture the beast. Because the board being fairly stiff I was unable to carve through the first part of the slope and had to drift around which pissed me off bick time. My sevond attemt to carve the bumps ended in a mogule crash. Surely this boards needs to be pushed through the knees, I figured and stood up. Motivated again I took on the easier part of the slope (wider and less bumps) where I was able to carve the board. It felt pretty much like my Hot Blast but absorbed shocks better. On the other hand it felt less agile, slow and heavy. Working hard on the board it carved. OK. The second run down Kuehlschrank did not bring any new impressions. Surely I got used to this wide-boy and felt better. On the other hand I asked myself why I was wasting precious boarding time with this board. Off I went to the steep bit of Rettenbach (glaciers dont get to steep but this bit is fun). The Swoard felt the same. Yes, it does endless wide turns which are fun on a perfect day (not many bumps, enough speed and now people). But a 182 F2 Speedster would have done the same and felt better. A Pogo Blitz would be my choice if this is what I wanted. I took the gondula up and returned the board. The better part of the afternoon was to come....

Conclusion: I prefer narrow boards. Anyone know other manufacutrers beside Virus? If I ever needed a wider carver I would buy a Pogo or a Hot or simply a cheap F2. I am not an EC carver and/or I lack the skills. I like tricky slopes, icy slopes, mogules, some jumping around. And thats why I like the board I ride. So if anyone is looking for a board dont be blinded by cool posts of ass kicking videos. Rent a board and if you like it buy it. And if I ever make it to Zinal and see you guys riding I buy you a drink and say Hi.

Later

Ed

[fivat]

Thank you for giving your interesting experience, Ed.

For example, other reports can be found there:
viewtopic.php?t=1218
and there:
viewtopic.php?t=2969

The board was stiff, heavy and big

I'm a bit surprised. My Swoard is not stiff (longitudinally): I can feel it and everyone can see it in the movies. I hope that you had the good flex for your weight (not the H)... and not too much feet angles (toes and heels too far from the edges make the board not really fun).

Well other riders here could give their opinions, as I could be considered not objective (though I'm ).

Write us if you come to ECS. There will be a demo board of 3rd generation for you.

Patrice Fivat

[Pogokoenig]

Hi Eddie,

nice to read this review. I have ridden boards similar to the swoard and can feel what you mean. The construction is totally different of what you expect from a board. You are used to narrow, aggressive boards with a lot of so called "popp". This would not match with the EC-idea and cannot be considered as an indication of quality.

Do you remember me riding the Vampire in Silvretta Nova. Same feelings as you have described here. On my opinion you ( and me as well) would need more than 1 or 2 days for getting comfortable with these boards. And I know exactly waht you mean with stiff. It is not really stiff but the behaviour is totally different to the boards that you are used to. Even the Pogo Blitz is far away from that.

And yes, you are a shitty rider.

[Ed]

Pogo - yeah - you riding the Vampire looked like shit
I will not forget this. Hope to see you guys soon.

Swoard boyz - thanx fot your friendly reply. If my family allows a weekend off I hope to see you in Zinal in February. Thanx for your offer.

[rilliet]

Yes, half a day is a bit short to switch properly from one style to another (in both directions) because too many parameters are related together: board, settings, boots and bindings stiffness, riding technique/level/experience and individual preferences.

It's like switching from hard boots to soft boots for the first time.

Jacques

[skywalker]

Hi Ed,

nice review.
For me your post is first of all about riding styles and boards that fit to this style. For me a lvely narrow agile Virus is not a tool for smooth, long, laid down carves on Barthelmy. And for me a SWOARD is not the right board for jumping though the moguls in Silvretta Nova (even my WCR is ot the perfect board for that - might be softer, easier to turn).

I'm pretty much a fan of having one board for everything, which means, that my boards are somewehere in the middle between smooth EC and aggressive violent style . But there are of course days and slopes, which are perfect for extreme boards of one or the other side.

I think, I need some more boards...

skywalker

[Franck Lehmans]

I ask me a question about the reflexions of Ed.

Ed, should all your bad fellings by testing the Extreme Carver comes from the hardness of your boots ?

When I tried a Swoard last year, I had quite the same feeling as Ed after my test. Powerfull grip on the snow, and also a extraordinary strong torsion. I felt the Extreme Carver realy hard (compare to my Wild Duck). I couldn't ride like I normaly ride whit a standard board.

I'm quite a good snowboarder (i ride each years about 10-20 days since 1989) and I asked me why I had so much difiiculty to ride an Extreme Carver. My answer, and I am sure it is the most important reason of my difficulty, is the HARDNESS OF MY BOOTS ! It is realy hard to make the corrections I make normaly on my board whith that such strong torsion box of the Swoard. So your feeling, Ed, must be normal if you had the same hardness of my boots (I have Indy Deeluxe).

Since that day, I comand a Swoard, modified my RAB and went to a Fitness to prepare my legs for this winter...

[Ed]

@Franck: I use Deeluxe Indy boots. Most of the bolts had to be replaced by screws as the old ones fell out. I further exchanged the spring mechanism and put in some different springs. I think time and pressure compressed my springs. Not sure whether my boots are hard or soft?! To be honest: I dont care. In the past I wanted my boots to be hard as hell to be a real fast man. Than I found that soft boots are fine as well. So now what

Skywalker - is that you, Mäxle
I am married once and I ride one board. Thats my intention. Regarding boards I own 2 Cyborgs - one in reserve, just in case the primary board brakes. Lots of people own many different boards. But in the end they will have a favourite babe. Then these guys keep nagging that this morning it would have been so much better on the other board. They change around and so on. This leads to nothing. Use 1 board and you will be united.

Once or twice a year its nice to test different material. If you find a better board than your favourite one you will notice.

[Whitey]

Lots of people own many different boards. But in the end they will have a favourite babe. Then these guys keep nagging that this morning it would have been so much better on the other board. They change around and so on. This leads to nothing. Use 1 board and you will be united.

Words of wisdom, to be said. I do agree. I have only one carving board. I have a Swoard. The Swoard. Therefore, I have no need to own many alpines.

Peace on earth

[Franck Lehmans]

To be honest: I dont care. In the past I wanted my boots to be hard as hell to be a real fast man. Than I found that soft boots are fine as well. So now what

I dont think exactly like you... For me, the board is a prolongation of the body, and the connection between feet and board goes throught the boots.

I think that it must be a optimal compromiss between the hardness of the boot and the nature of the board (powerfull, soft, hard...). Somme boards and style of riders needs extremely hard boots, and other needs reel soft.

One andvantaged for softer boots is that it liberate a little bit more the ankle... So it gives you one more shock absorber. So you dont your feet and legs like prisoners in the stone.

I am married once and I ride one board. (...) Use 1 board and you will be united.

Personatly, I think exactly the same as you. Habitudes and knowledge on one board (like on one girl) is the motor of a good harmony... The only thing is to find the right one (board, girl, man... or whatever) for you.
But it is sometimes impossible to evolve and progress whith your old luggages... And on that case, you need to change.

[Felix]

Use one board and stop progressing.

Every high level racer (skier or snowboarder) will often switch around boards just in order not to get too accustomed to one board. The board they will use for the races will mostly never be ridden outside of the race, so they got trainign boards for training.

Even a skier who is great at slalom and has no other intention then to race slalom will sometimes go for a GS training, just in order to not get stuck in one end. (and here we're talking about a radius step up from around 12m to 27m for men). Tha't difference is a lot bigger cause you simply can't use the same technique.

If you snowboard on a Swoard, you have to adapt technique too. I race most of my time or go freeriding chasing the deepest pow and also have still huge problems on the Swoard. I ride far too active. If ridden properly a Swoard doesn't need much power and strength (compared to say racing a 20m radius Kessler down a rutty GS course, or even going down a slalom run in an indoor ski hall where you have to work really hard to get speed)

Also choosing the wrong Swoard (S,M,H) for your weight will pretty much break the complete way. If I ride a 12-13m GS cheater board, it doesn't matter much if it is too hard or soft, on the Swoard it really goes wrong.

So the more boards you have the better. And the best solution to feeling to be on the wrong board is to arrive very early at the mountain so you can quickly drop by at the parking. You wouldn't go down a steep frozen south facing face of a mountain on your 2m Swallowtail. Neither would it be any fun to go down that face after 1m of fresh and light pow with a small board.

I change every day 2-3 times my board and skis. Like skiing slalom or snowboard racing from 8-10 when we have to clear the slope for tourist, then go carving on the other equipment as long as the slopes are still in good condition, and then in the afternoon go Freeriding with an appropriate board. Of course you don't allways choose the right weapon, but it will be way better thany trying to do all with the same tool.

[janM]

That was kind of "I don't like it anyway so I'll do everything wrong and watch what happens"-test.

Crucial parameters still remain unmentioned:

- riders' body weight [kg]
- riders' body height [m]
- board flex (S, M, H)

Why? Is the author ashamed of one of the two first parameters? Or was it just ignorance?

[Viviane]

Hello everybody,
at the moment I'm riding a F2 Silberpfeil, and must say I love it!
But... seeing the movies from the SWOARD team, there is nothing I want to do more than EC. So I am thinking of buying a SWOARD board.
Now my question: Is the 161 not to long for me as I myself am 163?
Can someone give the right answer?
Thanks, V.

[Felix]

What's the lenght of your boots - so hopefully you don't have to go up to the 168, but no 161 is not too long at all if you're 163 IMHO. Many people ride boards longer than their body height, though mostly for GS.

If you have to go up to 168, because of your boots then this might be a bit long indeed. In that case you should consider trying to downsize on the boots and get them adjusted by a good bootfitter (having a good bootfitter fitting your boots, will always get you down 1 size in Mondopoint (equals to 1cm shorter boots).

[Ed]

Hi Jan

Your critics might be ride. I am always sceptical about other boards....

- riders' body weight [kg] 72 kg
- riders' body height [m] 178 cm
- board flex (S, M, H) unknown

C u

Ed