Dual or Extremecarver?

[Haettenschweiler]

I am from the Netherlands and I am a 1 or 2 weeks a year border. Started some 15 years ago on hardboots and a Burton board.
Was no problem to carve with it on any kind of slope. In the mean time alpine and/or freecrave boards dissapeared from the shops in the
Netherlands. Totally depending on the information given by the local snowboard shop I bought a F2 Speedster SL (163cm) with Intec Titanflex step-in bindings.
What a big mistake. The last years have been very dissapointing. As soon as the circumstances get a little icy I get in trouble. Carving is out of the question and I fall a lot, which is not good for my confidence, which influences my riding in total.
I am sure the board is not for me, because on the Burton I had no problem at all.

So I have been searching the web and read about everything avaliable. I was going to make a decision between Swoard, Coiler freecarve or Donek freecarve board.

I never go off piste, but I stay on the slopes from early morning till last lift. If possible end with a valley descent. Everything on one board. So I am looking for a board which I can carve with (not necessarily EC), but which can also take me through the day. Most likely I will go for the Swoard, but I am not sure to take the Dual or to take the Extremecarver.

I hope you guys can point me in the right direction which of the two to take.

My measurements are:

Height 173cm
Weight: Fluctating 85-90KG more muscular tissue then fat. Especially the legs
Feet size: 25cm (Don't know the boot size as they are on their way to France (Morzine) for a week of snowboarding. I will follow tomorrow)

Really love to have my new board before February, because I am going to Morzine again for three weeks this time. I need 3 weeks of fun as you can understand and not 3 weeks of total annoyance on the Speedster.

tnx in advance for any comment.

[Transistor Rhythm]

Softer flex is more easy to ride, less tiring. Harder flex is better on ice and for carving at higher speeds. F2 SL boards are a bit nervous in my opinion, as are most SL boards. When the slopes are chopped up the Swoard keeps on tracking carves, a F2 slalom board would bounce you around like crazy.

I think a 168M would be optimal, you could also do H but it will be a bit more like a race board. But you want a H if you're expecting to do more steep slopes and a lot of laid down turns. I personally prefer longer boards because they have more effective edge and thus more grip on any type of surface, but 175 would not be optimal for your foot size.

[fivat]

Softer flex is more easy to ride, less tiring. Harder flex is better on ice and for carving at higher speeds.

Yes and no.
The Swoard Extremecarver is not a traditional board, especially because it was possible, thanks to the ATC technology, to make the board soft longitudinally (soft flex) with a stiff torsion. Actually the distribution of torsionnal stiffness is tuned precisely. The highlight of this technology is that it has little or no effect on the longitudinal flex of the board. Both parameters, flexion and torsion, can be separately adjusted, which authorizes unprecedented combinations of flexion and torsion.

Thus:
Yes, softer flex is easier (I would say more comfortable) to ride, less tiring. It is very good (with the Swoard Extremecarver) for riding very hard or icy snow because the board bends better and you get the best grip for extremecarving thanks to the ATC Matrix.
Harder flex is better for soft snow, high speed, aggressive riders (muscles!) or racing.

Height 173cm
Weight: Fluctating 85-90KG more muscular tissue then fat. Especially the legs
Feet size: 25cm (Don't know the boot size as they are on their way to France (Morzine) for a week of snowboarding. I will follow tomorrow)

Extremecarver:
If you have small feet (about 40 or less, what is about Mondo 25.5), you should choose the 161H because it is narrower and it matches your feet (for recommended angles: front foot angle not higher than 55°). But this board could be too soft for your weight (we are not making 161XH). If you have feet size around 42 (what is Mondo 27), you should take 168H. I think it's the best for you along to our experience and sales feedback.

Dual:
Since you are only a hard boot rider, you may prefer the Extremecarver. The Dual is good for soft boots too and for freeriding, what you don't like if I understand well.

Really love to have my new board before February

You can get your Swoard at home in one week only. We are making a stock continuously.

I forgot: welcome to this Forum!

Patrice Fivat

[Arnaud]

Considering your weight, 168M will be a bit too soft. The risk is to have nose diving in soft snow. 168H would be perfect. It's a very versatile board, easy to ride, with great grip on hard snow.

[starikashka]

I never go off piste, but I stay on the slopes from early morning till last lift. If possible end with a valley descent..

You probably the hardbooter-robot if you can ride that long

[Haettenschweiler]

Great! Thanks for the immediate feedback. Highly appreciated.
Swoard 168H it will be. It will be ordered first week of the new year.

[Transistor Rhythm]

You won't regret

[leeho730]

I never go off piste, but I stay on the slopes from early morning till last lift. If possible end with a valley descent..

You probably the hardbooter-robot if you can ride that long

Not many people can do that?

[starikashka]

I do not know, just compared with myself...If i go to black slope like schwarzkogel in soelden and do laydowns i will be exhausted within 2-3 hours and go to valley in the cabin.

[Haettenschweiler]

I think that's the difference. I am not an extreme carver. I consider myself more of a fun carver. I take a holiday with family and friends and most of the day we take the slopes together. If you are with a big group you have to take routes across the mountain who are doable for everybody. Maybe one or two hours a day your left with the better boarders and skiers and can you go for the more difficult slopes and really work on your technique. I think thats why I can stay on the slopes all day. Definitely not a robot.
Another question (I already used the search function): I read a lot about canting, but I really cannot figure out what is meant by that.

[joemzl]

I read a lot about canting, but I really cannot figure out what is meant by that.

http://www.bomberonline.com/store/bindings/td3_SW.cfm
Scroll a bit down and you will see the canting.

It´s explained here:
http://www.alpinecarving.com/binding_setup.html

It´s only for info. For EC you shouldn´t youse it.

[starikashka]

I consider myself more of a fun carver....
Another question (I already used the search function): I read a lot about canting, but I really cannot figure out what is meant by that.

You will certainly like your new board But do not take it into indoor slopes

Canting is useless thing on the swoard. Even if you ride kind of bomber style. I throw out all my canting pads even on the narrow board

[docrob]

So what 's the concensus on this?

Canting or no canting for free / extreme carve on the dual ?


Doesn't it depend...?

[lardybenoit]

I'm carving with a F2 RS fitting with Intec Titanflex step-in bindings.
My advice is to let open the flex on our hard-boot.
I recommend you the training course during the swoard event to improve your technics because I was initially completely wrong.

Even after a test with swoard board (with my brother whom has the same configuration than me) we move forward to believe we've made the good choice.

[Transistor Rhythm]

The consensus is you apply heel lift in the back and maybe also toe lift in the front when riding narrower boards (binding angles above 60). This should never be the issue when you have selected the right ExtremeCarver.

Best tip is ofcourse to come to the ECS. You will learn directly from the source and get to talk to a lot of people that try to achieve the same as you. About 15 Dutch and Flemish participants already registered!