Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Support about extremecarving or freecarve/freeride Swoard boards, hardboots and bindings

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fivat
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Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by fivat » Monday 24 October 2011, 18:12

Some riders will receive their new Extremecarver Gen4 on November already! 8)

This is the place to post your feedback: your impressions about the purchase service, the board finishing, how the Gen4 worked on the snow, how it behaved compared to other boards and the Gen3 in particular, what surprised you, what were your settings, the type of terrain/slope, etc.

Thank you! :D

Patrice Fivat

PS: Here are gathered in one place the links to old reports on Gen3.

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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by Arnaud » Thursday 22 December 2011, 8:24

I've been riding my new 168H Gen 4 for 3 days already . :tongue: Here is my first feedback. In the next ten days, I will make more deep tests to compare the new generation to the previous one. During the last 3 days, I had a chance to ride on artificial snow covered with a dozen centimeters of fresh snow, with lumps of fresh snow, then on heterogeneous hard-packed snow with pellets, and finally on well groomed hard snow. All black slopes of course :wink:
F2 Race bindings and UPZ boots, same settings as for the Gen 3 : 46-47° rear and 54-55° front.

The first imediate impression is a greater ease on bad snow. On perfectly groomed slopes, the difference does not seem that important. But I have to remind that the Gen 3 behaved already flawlessly in this conditions.

When carving on bumpy slopes, the feeling of comfort is greater and the board is easier to control. The tail doesn't get stuck in bumps, and turns seem much easier, without any shaking.
In extremecarving on heterogeneous snow, the beginning of the turn is more accurate, the nose grips immediately into the snow and stays perfectly carved in during the whole turn, nothing moves out. No skidding in granulated snow, no edge hopping at terrain changes. I even tried to lift the board up during a laid frontside turn (therefore letting myself to glide on the stomach), as soon the edge retouches the snow, it grips immediately without transmitting vibrations to the legs. :clap2:

To be continued after more deep tests ...
Swoard EC Pro2 168H - Swoard EC12 Boots - Gen5 168H - Stoke 162 M

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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by vizsyn » Friday 23 December 2011, 2:34

I'll post my review about my adventures on my brand new fully paid for ExtremeCarver 161M Gen 4 :D

That is, when it finally gets to me :think: :huh: :pray:

Hopefully the US distributor does not take much longer.... :pray: :pray: :pray:
Riding softboots since '96. Saw EXTREME OPUS 4 "LIFTED" in 2010... Back to Square 1

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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by Dijker » Friday 23 December 2011, 21:59

Men, your service rocks. Order my board late Monday evening and here it is, waiting for the snow. First test next week, more extensive test w/c January 2nd. Can't wait!!

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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by fivat » Friday 30 December 2011, 18:11

Winter has really started and we are looking forward to reading more feedbacks about the new Gen4.

This week I saw two riders in action on the Gen4.
Dron (= Andrey, from our Velvet friends) on a 168H and l-ju (= Julien, from the Swoard team) on a 168M.
They both were impressed how the board is even more stable in the turns than Gen3, and how it is easier to initiate the fully laid turns. :bravo:
Julien asked me if it was a serial board or a prototype for me, because he was surprised by the performances. ;-)

During the beginning of this season I could make serious tests on all types of snow (100% artificial, fresh, soft, heterogeneous and hard packed), as well as on all types of slopes (blue to black). It's not my role to comment myself the boards we are producing, but I can't resist to say that this is the best generation ever! :D The famous Swoard performances have been increased again and the board has some "metal-like" comfort features (dampening!) but not the disadvantages of metal (feeling of being locked in the turns or oscillations of decambered nose). Extremecarving is still easier and easier. And "normal" carving is a piece of cake.

Though the Gen4 is new this season, we are already working on other ideas and technologies for an additional model including metal but differently from the other brands. The Swoard team could test the prototypes I have in the chalet right now. :D

Patrice Fivat

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Test report Extremecarver Gen4

Post by l-ju » Wednesday 4 January 2012, 21:08

Hi folks,
Happy winter to all of you.
I've been the happy tester of an extremecaver Gen4 last week.
Here you've got my test report.

Size & Flex tested : 168M

Set up:

Binding : F2 Race titanium
Boots : NorhtWave .900

Slopes :

Black & Red, not too crowded
well groomed with some small steps between machine tracks.
No icy conditions, snow not too soft, 3 days after large snowfalls.
--> good conditions

Rider level:

EC advanced

Board design/artwork:

Nice design with small new touch on the existing base.
I've compared this evolution to the one done by designer on German cars :
Subtle and sharp, with delicacy and elegance. (I like it !)
Positive point : I've always the famous red board under my feets.
Product finition : very good quality level, no visual defect observed.

Test conditions:

Test done in direct comparison with the Extremecarver Gen3 (jan 2011)
I've rode my Gen3 1.5h before switching on the Gen4.
By this way I've been able to feel the difference between the 2 boards in similar conditions.

EC on steep slopes:

The first feeling is that the grip is really increased in the very first moment of the turn.
The nose is biting and grabbing the snow very fast. It makes this first moment very safe.
Right after the heart of the turn is more stable, you can feel that you are on a rail. The interesting thing happens on the last part of the turn, vibration level has been massively erased. You can feel a real improvement on the shock absorber side.
This point is also significant in the transitions between two turns.
The ride is safer and sharper.
The small imperfection of slopes defects seems to be slightly attenuated on the gen4 compare to the Gen3.

Conclusion:
There are real improvement on th shock absorbtion side and on the nose attack at the very first time of the turn.



julien
Swoard 168 M

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Alex
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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by Alex » Friday 6 January 2012, 13:05

Hi, I've tested gen4 during xmas holiday, for 10 days I alternate Gen4 and Gen3 day by day!

Boards:
Swoard ExtremeCarver 168 M Gen4 Vs the same but Gen3

Settings:
UPZ ATB boots, binding F2 Race Titanium 47°/55°

Slopes:
Many technical black slopes in: Tonale/Madonna di campiglio/Marilleva/Pinzolo

Snow condition:
All possibilities: artificial, hard packed, soft.
The first days the test started with a lack of snow, so just artificial, after a snowfall I was able to ride the board with better conditions.

The gen4 convinced me, there is a real improvement that is non just aesthetic.
The feeling is to have more grip, It's easier start the turn because you feel the nose more sound and well linked to the snow and is very difficult lose the tail also on rocky situations.
Obviously Gen3 was a great board, the well handle bad terrain, with the nose that absorb vibrations and absorb chattering in very "inclined" situations ;) At the beginning, I've started my test on easy conditions and I didn't fell noticeable differences with Gen3, but I was really impressed when I've the occasion to ride the board down a slope that I love (nera Marilleva [Trentino] ) that is very technical because every turns is in a parabolic ( in counter-slope ), is exposed to north, without sun, so very hard and Icy. I rode this slope with Gen3 and after with Gen4, many times. With Gen3 I feel myself to be at the limit at every turn while for the first run with Gen4 it was easier laying down every turns in a relaxing way. Riding Gen3 and after Gen4 is analogous to ride the same motorbike but in the case of Gen4 with improved suspensions setup. Gen4 works better with the imperfection of the slope, the response of absorbing vibration is more sweet than Gen3.
The conclusion is the same of @julien: improvement on the shock absorbtion and on the nose attack at the very first time of the turn, and is very difficult lose the tail in every situations...Well done Swoard :bravo:

Alex
Swoard PRO 168M 00001, 3G 168H
F2 Race Titanium
UPZ RC10, UPZ ATB

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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by iceaxe » Tuesday 24 January 2012, 14:52

I finally got my Extremecarver a week ago, very impressed with the build quality. I suppose I would expect nothing less from the Swiss (Suisse).
Swoard 168M, Raichle SB323 w/ACSS via Abrax, Burton Step in race (non-intec).

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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by fivat » Monday 26 November 2012, 10:23

Here is one feedback received by e-mail among many others. It comes from Tobias (Zürich, Switzerland).
Many riders don't read the Forums worldwide and they don't post. They simply ride. :D
This message is cool and reflects well what we often read or hear. Thank you! Don't hesitate to write us too.

------------------------
16th November 2012
Dear Swoard team,

The shipment of my ExtremeCarver Gen4 has been well received. Thank you very much.

I could just use this board in Pitztal these days and I have to say, that I never have ridden any other Snowboard with comparable characteristics. I do snowboarding for 26 years and never used a Board with such supreme properties. I adjusted the bindings according to the advices of your internet site and immediately felt 100% comfortable with the material. This pushes my skills to a higher level and I am grateful to Swoard for your contribution.

Best regards

Tobias

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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by Tobias » Monday 3 December 2012, 16:57

Dear Patrice, dear readers,

thank you for citing my comment on the ExtremeCarver Gen4, which I hereby cordially confirm. I indeed was very occupied with riding.

Nevertheless I would like to add, that I almost switched back to skiing in the last season, because I felt, that I hit the ceiling in snowboarding (in halfpipe, on slopes, freeride) and could not get any further. But the EC technique and the SWOARD saved me from doing so in the last possible moment.
SWOARD ExtremeCarver Gen4 175M, F2 RaceTitanium, DeeLuxe Track225

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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by get!em » Tuesday 23 February 2016, 14:47

Used material:
EC Gen4, 175M
Binding: Titanium Race

My sizes:
1.92M, 84kg, shoe EUR45/46 Mondo 30,5 interior.

Exp: 25 years ski, 16 years snowboard (allround), 6 years alpine snowboard

Previous/current alpine boards:
Burton Factory Prime Asim, F2 Speedster SL (2 boards), F2 Silberpfeil


Testing conditions:
Czech Republic. Groomed pistes. From -5C in morning (8PM) to +3 at 1PM. 4 days almost same weather pattern (moist/fog, snowy/rainy). Started with frozen groomed piste. After 10am, piste was heterogenious, after 11am, soft pistes underground, wet snow.
Used fo 4 days now.

Compared most to my Silberpfeil, is my most recent use for years.

First look at EC gen4: At home: whow, a big wide board, is it manouvrable on the piste?
Attached my bindings: central stance, with front 55, back 47 degrees in goofy. Compared to my SP: front 66, back 57 (yeah, almost monoski with feet behind each other). Huge difference.
Boots in freecarve mode (flex in the boot is on, but limited on min and max, so not comparable to walking mode).

First ride on piste:
Standup from sitting position is easier then my silberpfeil, mainly due to the stance.
First turns, easy. some skidding turns, easier than silberpfeil. The EC feels smaller, lighter on the piste then my (fysical much smaller) silberpfeil under my feet.

First Carving turns on lower and higher speeds:
EC has wide turns. Have to get used to these wide turns in my planning the track ahead with other skiers and snowboarders and some irregularities in snow on the pistes. Carving turns are easy, after 2 rides down, a slalom/GS style carving is giving me a nice carved track on the piste. Tried longer/wider turns on higher speed carving. With the Silberpfeil it immediately railed, lock-in, on the turn and derived my stability from it. With the EC, I could get the board better on the side, but did not get a lock in and stability from it. After analyzing, i had to do better and more effort to keep on track/rail with the EC. Then analyzing again: the stability derived from the lock-in on the SP allowed me to have a wrong pose/stand on the board with different balance. After training a better stand/stability on the EC, I was able to get the same feeling as on the SP. Still have to improve my stand to have a more reliable stable carving turn, but on most turns I succeeded after day 2.

After day 4 I had the feeling of easy carving, less stress on my legs. Easier going on snow that is pushed into small bumps.

After day 4 I still have to improve my stand to carve extremer. But I could not improve or do layed down turns on the snow in the circumstances: the snow was too soft, wet and unreliable bumpy. And as bonus, after 10am it was to crowded with skiers to follow my own carving path. From material point of view: the topside easily scratches. A nose protector would be really needed in the crowded line for the lifts. The nose of my board now has more rounded edges on the topsheet...

For now, conclusion: good buy for me. Stable and nice carving board. The extreme part i have to learn yet.


Small question, maybe should open a topic for it, but for now it is small: I have a lot of (eg 10) lines in the transparent topsheet that look like cracks in glass. They are not scratches but cracks. They are from side to side (perpendicular to the length of the board) and are unequal distributed somewhere between nose and front foot, and one on the tail. With a nail you can feel them. Not sure when they did show up first. Question is: does it influence quality of the board? Sorry, i have no pictures (next year I will have probably), because the board is still at my holidayhome in the skiresort, and I am at home now.
Swoarc Dual 2 175 / softboot
Swoard EC 4gen 175 / race titanium

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Re: Feedback on the Swoard Extremecarver Gen4

Post by fivat » Tuesday 23 February 2016, 20:39

:bravo: Thank you for your review. We are glad you like the board and that you feel an important aspect: the rider is not locked in the turns and can drive the board instead of undergoing it.
You got the board as second hand, right? It was probably one of the very last boards made in Nidecker factory (before the closure a few years ago): 2-3 others riders reported us the same aesthetic thing, probably related to a too thick varnish. Write us by PM to figure out your case. Thank you!

You could consider joining us during the Swoard Demo Tour next season to get some tips on the snow. People progress a lot by this way. And there is no limit to progression. :D

Patrice Fivat

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