Ive had my current board (Nitro Suprateam) for about 8 years and now thinking of replacing it. But i’m a bit lost in looking for a replacement due to the different variations of camber being offered. Having read up a fair bit over the past few days i’m thinking i probably need either a positive camber (like the nitro) or one of the new hybrid camber boards.

Most of my riding is in alpine resorts on the usual groomed or icy red runs. I’d class myself as “intermediate” but i do get the fear a bit on steep blacks. So im thinking that the best might be a traditional positive camber board as they hold an edge better (or do they??) but there seem to be more hybrid camber boards out there these days which are billed as easier to ride / turn.

Any experiences??

I usually go with camrock. Camber between the feet and rocker tip and tail.

i’m a big fan of underbite as seen on yes boards or magnatraction on libtech boards for hard or icy snow. They used to be grabby when the snow was soft but they have really perfected it.

Regular camber is still damn good though. Depends on what you are riding

Thanks. Well i dont ever hit ramps or rails so i was thinking of just straight camber but a slightly shorter board to aid turning (from 161 to 158).

I positive camber being phased out? (am i buying a 26″ bike ha ha) or is it just as valid as all the other designs?

I’ve ridden all sorts.
In my opinion trad positive camber is dead unless you’re a pro or just sh*t hot.

Most of us ‘others’ benefit from some sort of rocker/hybrid core profile – basically to get rid of that ‘hooky’ feeling when starting and ending a turn. Makes riding a lot easier and makes me a better rider for sure.

There are very few trad positive camber boards on the market now days. Most you will find will have at least a tiny tiny bit of micro rocker in the noise.

The modern equivalent is starting to come through has been termed ‘camber 2.0’ – camber or lifted flat in the middle, rocker or flat right out at the tips (i.e. way beyond the feet). Again – to get rid of the initial hook but retain the pop of trad camber.

Manufactures are addressing the ‘riding ice’ issue with additional contact points along the edge i.e Lib/Gnu has Mange Traction, Burton has frostbite, YES has underbite, Salomon has equiliser etc….

I had a Suprateam – killer board in its day. Nitro are bringing the name back for 2017.

OP how tall are you? I’m 184 cm and I have boards from a 147 to 161.. the modern short wide boards have pretty big effective edges for their size and are a lot of fun.

Im 6ft.

I did look at the Lib Tech Skate Banana but i was worried that id keep washing out on steeper icy runs

I have a 7 (ish) year old LibTech Magnetraction (without the banana camber).It’s awesome on groomed runs, and pretty good fun off piste.

If I went more often, I’d probably get something a bit more modern but it’ll do for now.

Edit: I still get “the fear” on black runs and tend to avoid them.

Edit 2: – lib tech board finder has some info on the tech (click why when you’re done) http://www.lib-tech.com/snowboarding/snowboard-finder/#/

I got a Nitro gullwing board a couple of years ago – I really like it. As well as all the above if you do get some pow it definitely floats better. Some sort of hybrid camber is the way forward IMO.

I’ve not tried the Bataleon type boards which are slightly different but should have a similar effect.

Height is less relevant than weight.

OP, you say you will be mainly riding the Alpine Groomers, but you don’t give anymore detail in terms of what you want the board for? carving? Jibbing? flatland tricks, hitting the park?

Is riding switch important to you? Do you want a fairly soft board that allows you to initiate turns easily or something that’s more stable at speed?

How much riding do you do each season?

If you just want a general all round board for cruising the groomed pistes without any other specific requirements then I’m tempted to suggest a directional twin with perhaps ‘camrock’/hybrid (i.e. ‘best of both worlds’) but possibly avoiding too many of the latest design gimmicks – unless you find that you have a definite requirement.

It might just be worth heading to The Snowboard Asylum, and chatting to the guys there about what you want to do with the board. Make a short list, then pick the one with the top sheet design you like the most/has the biggest end of season discount! 🙂

banana boards are great but they feel very loose . I don’t think they are great for carving or powder, they are fine but there is much better.

I’ve pre ordered a yes standard 159 for 2018 season. underbite for edge hold, directional twin, with extra holes for powder days so you can slam back the bindings.

Otherwise I’d get a yes basic 158, a little cheaper too.

I like Yes boards

Is positive camber being phased out?

There are certainly fewer true ‘camber’ boards available [in the UK] these days but loads of riders still like them as they respond well to folks with ‘performance turns’ and who like a bit of ‘pop’ in their boards. These things are often cyclical and some board manufacturers have reintroduced boards with more pronounced camber but moderated slightly to reduce the negatives of grabby/edge catching/hookups. So I would say camber is far from ‘dead’!

Digby – We tend to just go for 3 or 4 days each year as a lads mini break thats all. We tend to just stick to the piested runs and never find ourselves in a park on the ramps / rails etc. There is an occasional bit of dicking about in the trees between runs if there is soft snow but nothing much more than that.

The other two are better than me, one is more skilful and pops of bits of drops etc and the other is a speed demon. so they do tend to head for the steeper stuff wheres my main requirement seems to just be able to keep up without breaking my neck 🙂

Blackflag – to be honest I’d just get yourself a CamRock/Hybrid, All Terrain board with soft/mid flex appropiate for your weight – that’s fun to ride and mess about on.

Something like the Slash Happy Place by Gigi – you should be able to pick up some end of season bargains for around the £250 price point. If you are only riding 3 or 4 days a year, I really wouldn’t spend much more than a couple of hundred. Save the money and book some lessons so you can keep up with your mates without breaking your kneck!! 🙂

I thought about getting a new board to replace my old Palmer.
I read the guide on boardbasement. I’ve read this thread. Still none-the-wiser!

CamRock/Hybrid
That this?
Rocker (Reverse Camber) – The exact opposite of Camber. The Board curves upwards from the middle of the board, so that when laid flat the nose and tail are significantly off the ground. The up-turned ends makes it harder to catch an edge and it also raises the nose for better float in powder. This shape is also very popular for park and freestyle riding as it is more forgiving for catching edges on landings and rails with its raised contact points.

Not been boarding for almost 10 years now but hope to go again next season! Got 2 boards at home which I think I’m just gonna chuck in a skip now 🙂 Looks like the world’s moved on a lot & reckon it might be best to just rent now, at least that way I can try out different types of board.

Or is this the CamRock/Hybrid?

I had a Burton Custom X (traditional camber) for a few years, but one year it got damaged beyond repair, so I thought I’d try out one of the alternative cam/rock boards, so I got a Burton antler flying V, I hated it.

It had no bite on a hard piste, it was slow on flat sections where the old custom x would have flown along, it was difficult to carve etc etc.

Sold it after 3 days, and bought another custom x (traditional camber) and couldnt be happier.

I know I’m not pro or even especially good, but its traditional camber all the way for me .

Maybe the one cam/rock board I tried was rubbish, and I should give some other cam/rock boards a go?

I’d try another. I didn’t like the Skate Banana I tried.

DezB second one looks like the Nitro ‘gullwing’ hybrid camber. Traditional camber with a funny bump in the middle. The board looks a bit broken but it works for me. 🙂

CamRock/Hybrid
That this?

No … no quite … but it might be …

Apologies – I should have been a bit more specific. Camber /Rocker is bit misleading I agree as it just means that the board incorporates elements of ‘camber (i.e. the centre of the board is ‘raised’) and rocker (i.e. the ends of the boards are raised – like a banana)

CamRock could actually be any variant of the above. Sometimes with the camber in the middle, sometimes under the bindings etc, so that the result makes the board profile look like wavy.

Sometimes the wavy designs are subtle and most riders probably couldn’t tell the difference and sometimes the designs only become apparent in certain conditions – for example, I find true ‘rockers’ can be a pain in flat spots/spring conditions. Some people love ’em.

Personally I try and avoid anything too fancy as I like a board with a raised camber in the middle, a bit of pop and a ‘nose’ for float in powder.

It’s an interesting time for board design – the snowboard market is fairly mature and some manufacturers are keen to try and seem to have the latest & greatest design to make you part with your cash. On the flip side [a bit like the bike industry] some smaller companies are coming out with ‘innovative designs’ …

My rule of thumb is that the more ‘radical’ the design, the more limited the board’s use. That’s not a problem if you live somewhere in the mountains and can select the appropiate board for the conditions. If you are only riding for a short period each year then I would suggest something that can cope with mixed & varied conditions (i.e. piste with a bit of crud and/or slop) without limiting yourself.

Camber vs Rocker

The Suprateam was a great board!

A few years back, everything went mega-rocker, now camber is actually making a pretty big come-back because (a) we all need to be sold the next big thing! and (b) people started to realise that pure rocker boards don’t actually perform very well (fun though!).

Positive camber will indeed give you better edge hold and more stability at speed. Full rocker will be easier to turn and be great for flatland and rail tricks, but will feel twitchy at speed. Positive camber is actually better for kickers and pipe too.

A nice compromise for most riders is a board which is basically positive camber, but has a touch of rocker in the tips, as a few people have mentioned. This gives you most of the grip and performance of camber, but some of the playfulness (and float in soft snow) of a rocker board.

Magnatraction, Underbite, Frostbite, etc. is a load of bollocks! 😉

This is a camber/tip-rocker profile:

Magnatraction, Underbite, Frostbite, etc. is a load of bollocks!

Or even better … ‘Mellow Magnatraction’ … so mellow you can’t tell the difference! 🙂

Anyone tried a Salomon Assassin?

That has a negative camber at the tips, possi camber under the feet and flat between bindings. What im looking for is something thats easy to turn (more than true camber) but really holds an edge (unlike a rocker / freestyle board)

Steveomcd – i like the look of that profile – can you suggest any boards that have it aimed at an intermediate rider and with a bit of flex

I’ve recently been riding an Endeavor High Five, which has exactly that profile. I really, really liked it – only bought it as an emergency replacement after I snapped my 2nd board this winter!

It’s quite stiff though.

Otherwise, Amplid Paradigma (more directional) or HiFi (more twin).

I haven’t tried a Salomon Assassin, but a lot of my instructor mates ride them and really rate them. I’ve still got a “but Salomon is a ski-brand!” thing going on in my head…. great boots though….

I’ve had a burt0n custom since 99, fish since 2006 and malolo from a year later

bought a modern all singing board last year

Shit by comparison – I prefer a fish for everything I do if not total glacier

Never touch a park

Magnatraction, Underbite, Frostbite, etc. is a load of bollocks!

it isn’t but hey ho

i like the look of that profile – can you suggest any boards that have it aimed at an intermediate rider and with a bit of flex

https://www.yesnowboard.com/products/basic

https://www.yesnowboard.com/products/standard although standard is fairly stiff

Really? I’ve got an original 02 Fish and it’s loads of fun on mega-snowy days in the trees, but otherwise I’d rather be on a big freeride stick.

My 2p…

My first board was an traditional camber board An as it was my first board it thought it was alright, Caught edges allot but but it down to being a noob and being quite stiff.This particular board likes to be pushed.

i then bought (old by today standards) a Capita horrorscope 155 which falls into rocker part (although its there Super dooper FK hybrid thing)

i mainly just cruise around on piste, popping of the sides back on nothing super Gnarly as they would say.

The capita board is SO different. Apart from being softer, I found i caught my edges allot less, so less time on my bum which is great. found i could relax more (be lazy) easier to Bimble on. At high speed gets abit lively but again down to it being short soft and rocker, but i think this adds to the character.

I put this down to the camber profile.So would highly recommend one,but again this is what works for me.Id just think about what you spend you time doing 90% of the time…i mean we are all guilty of saying we spend our day doing flat out laps at warp speed lift open to lift shut. 😳

650b+ anyone?! 😆

I’ve always ridden camber boards and last month rode about 5 days on my trusty 2008 Rome Slash (a wide version of the Agent, a mid flex all mountain/freestyle board), before it started not holding a backside edge due to sidewall damage sustained (and subsequently bodged with epoxy) when I tried a 25ft cliff huck.

My backup board was a Sierra Reverse Crew, which is a relatively stiff and aggressive V rocker board, with reverse camber, based on a Burton Custom flying V.

Having never ridden reverse camber before, I had a few touch and go moments on the 1st run, on a fairly flat traverse from the lift, as I got used to the slightly different edge characteristics (which were only really evident on that 1st run)

After a few days on the board, for the most part, there was minimal difference in overall performance… there was plenty of edge hold on offer in most situations, plenty of pop for ollies, turning and carving was responsive and precise and though I’d read all the bumpf about butters and presses being way easier with reverse camber, I struggled to notice much in the way of difference, though it may be because the board was a bit stiffer than the Rome.

There was a couple of areas where I did notice a difference though; 1st up, the board seemed better at on piste ‘surfy’ turns where you’re goofing around with your weight back and by the same general mechanics, at keeping the nose up in deep powder and saving a bit of leg burn. All told, it wasn’t nearly as much of a difference as I’d have imagined, but I struggle to pinpoint any disadvantages over similar traditional camber boards I’ve ridden.

Truth be told, as it was coming to the end of the season, for the most part, the snow wasn’t the best, so perhaps not the conditions to give a thorough evaluation, but suffice to say I was pretty impressed, because relatively speaking, the board cost peanuts.

Apologies if that doesn’t really help you nail down a decision, but it might help you see beyond all the marketing hype.

Makes you think…

😀

So if thats the case….. Is there any point in me even bothering replacing the Nitro Supra Team???

Any core shots, delamination, sidewall damage or cracks on the edges?

not really

when you next go away, hire a new board every day. all different profiles . or something like that

I used to have a burton custom, traditional camber but a few years ago I switched to a Never Summer “Raptor”, which was their top of the line rocker/camber board. Being a freeride board it’s fairly stiff so similar to a custom X I’d say, but the base looks like a w when you look down it from one end to the other.

All I can say is I much prefer it to the old board. Rides better on piste and off. Carves exceptionally well and is great in powder. I was very sceptical about it and couldn’t do a demo before I bought it, but I’m very glad I did.

I wouldn’t go back to a standard camber board.

So if thats the case….. Is there any point in me even bothering replacing the Nitro Supra Team???

Possibly not … depending on how the board has been stored it should be absolutely fine. Some boards can ‘warp’ or lose their pressed shape over time or if exposed to excessive heat. Chances are if it’s not delaminated or damaged to the core it will be absolutely fine. Spend some of the money you’ve saved on coke and strippers … the rest you can just waste .. 🙂

After a few days on the board, for the most part, there was minimal difference in overall performance…

For sure. A decent rider should be able to do just about anything on just about any board (within reason!). All other things being equal, a rockered board will have less edge hold than a cambered board, but that doesn’t mean you can’t carve on it. Similary, it will be harder to press and butter on a cambered board, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done (not even close!).

Salomon Assassin @ Absolute Snow for £266. A definitely consider that.

Dump your SupraTeam.

Put it this way – the cheapest week I can manage Travel/Accom/Lift/board carriage is around £750 + spending money. £266 for a new board spread over 5years+ is peanuts relative to the whole cost of the holiday.

My fave core profile at the moment is med flexing rocker/flat/rocker. Nope – it doesn’t have the ultimate pop that trad camber has but I feel like I’m completely in control all the time and therefore I can always ride as I want – and as a rad dad – that’s just what I do. 😉