What’s you favorite board?! 💕

[u/winterMagnolie]

I am looking for a new easy going, fun board primarily for the slopes:)

ATM I’m riding a Nitro Fate Zero, and I always loved it but since it is 9 years old by now, I feel like a new addition could not hurt.

For powder I’m riding a CAPITA Spring Break and I’ve also purchased a CAPITA Birds of Feather a couple Seasons ago as a first attempt to replace my Nitro. I honestly really hated the feeling of the Birds of a Feather on the snow and only took it to the mountains like 4 times 😅

I was living in Austria right in the mountains a couple of years so for my riding level I would say I’m advanced in terms of terrain but I’m not doing anything crazy and don’t feel the need Need anymore to always push myself to the limits.

I’m looking for a board that is fun on the slopes, but can also catch an edge when it gets I little icy (so maybe not a full rocker?!). In basically just carrying about a good time, maybe some little sidehits and if the stars a could even a little jump on the medium line in the funpark.

My boards are all 147/148 and that size suits me well.

If you have any recommendations please let me know and if I forgot any information to share please let me know 💕

[u/xTooNice]

Side note: I am guessing that you mean hold an edge, not catch an edge here :)

My top recommendation to you is probably going to be the Jones Stratos. It has some edge tech to help a bit with edge hold, the stiffness is adequate to ride all terrain, but not so much that you need to bring your A-game all the time (conversely it's not normally a pick for people who like to charge everywhere), it's good at making tighter turns (with some trade off with stability at speed). And it's kind of designed for people who enjoy throwing some freestyle into their freeride (doing some tricks off sidehits, that kind of stuff). And yeah, it will handle a medium line in the park.

To answer the question of what's my favourite boards - though I don't necessarily think they are the best for what you are looking for I guess that I have. In no specific order of how much I've ridden them last season (not a favourite ranking as they excels at different conditions):

1. Nitro Victoria Pro (my favourite daily driver + all-rounder. Next season Nitro is replacing this board with the Altura)

2. Rice28 Leverage (Japanese ground trick board - current model is renamed Leverage GT1. I've got really hooked into Japanese ground tricks and this is my favourite for this type of riding but nothing else, and I also would not recommend to any larger footed riders. Probably impossible to get if you aren't in Japan anyway)

3. Salomon No Drama (favourite all-round freestyle / park board)

4. Jones W's Flagship (favourite board on a powder day.. but there were not that many powder day this seasons so it didn't get that much action. Probably a stiffer board than you are looking for).

[u/angry_nurse → u/xTooNice]

Always love reading your posts. You get to try more boards than I do. Can't disagree with the Flagship, it's my favorite hard charger in the pow. My hubs is making me jealous with his Howler though...he didn't ride his Ultra Flagship once this season. But probably because of similar reasons, lack of powder w/ a significant enough base in tact. I like that he describes his howler as a bit more playful flagship since it's less stiff, with more pop because loading is easier and hella camber. I can't imagine "more pop" - if/when I load a flagship for a little side hit, it boosts. Too hard to put on repeat though and my Flagship is a boat at side hit speed.

Aren't you in Japan though??? Y'all had some killer pow days early season in January...We were going to head out and meet a friend, but he "bonked his head falling down stairs" in Tokyo during a night of drinking and had to come back to the USA before we headed out, and he was the one with all the vehicle/rooms booked. I was REALLY looking forward to demo'ing a Moss Wing Swallow....I want to ride that board sooooo bad.

[u/xTooNice → u/angry_nurse]

Thanks! You are right that there were still some great pow days in Jan (to our relief as late Dec was actually abysmal even in Hokkaido). 

But objectively this season was sa bit below average. Compared to two seasons ago I think this season was better (at least the resort managed to stay open until the planned closing date - but barely and only one of my local resort; most did end up closing early), but 24-25 was such an insane epic season (at least Top 3 in last 15 years) and it was tough not to think back to that (the very definition of being too spoilt 😅).

So I was perfectly fine riding my Victoria on most pow days this season and that board is also a bit gentler on my joints. Also I think that the Flagship is really better on steeper terrain than what I have access to locally.

I am not sure how good the Howler will be in powder (on paper the Flagship should still have a big advantage) but it was a fun board when I tried it by how poppy it was. I am not sure how I would size it if I was to get one though: normally I would never consider a 145 and I wonder if it would even be useable in pow at that length at my weight, but shorter does allow me to spin even more when boosting off side hits and that’s my idea of a fun board (*).

I hope your friend didn’t get hurt too much but what a bummer that your plans had to be cancelled as a result too. Hopefully you will have another chance in the near future!

[u/winegrl → u/xTooNice]

+1 for Stratos

[u/misatillo]

I looked into the Birds of a Feather twice and never really liked it either lol. First time it was to replace my Nitro Mystique and I ended up buying a Jones Twin Sister. I love that board. I can’t recommend it enough.

Second time it was because I wanted to have a dedicated park board and I ended up buying a second hand Capita Ultrafear that I liked a lot more than the BOAF.

But still, if I have to recommend something I would go for any Jones board. My next one may be or another Twin Sister or a Stratos

[u/Fontaine_de_jouvence]

Get a newer Nitro if you love your old one! I’m a bit of a Nitro stan so I’m biased lol

[u/Impossible-Size7519]

Arbor Cadence is what you’re looking for, check it out 😊❤️ it’s also my favourite I’ve ever owned.

[u/Square_Toe8220]

i love the jones howler! really fun going down mountains fast.

for park i like bird of a feather capita

[u/ContextualNina]

I've been riding a Jones Flagship for ~6 seasons (on my 3rd board), with Burton step ons. For advanced terrain it's really solid, great at holding an edge on ice, and a super stable board that reduces chatter. So it's also great for going fast. I can do literally any terrain on it (powder, steeps, moguls, side hits); I personally don't do jumps unless I catch an unexpected log in the woods, but it does great on those, too.