In reply to a question on snowboard kit!

Hi Neil
Looking to get myself a GNU or Lib Tech Banana Magna Traction Board for this season.

Given I only ride Freeride on/off piste (not into jumps yet), using your technique is it better to go for a stiffer board or something a bit softer (like a freestyle board) to help it flex?

Any advice much appreciated.












My Reply: 

To be honest with good technique you can pretty much ride any board!

For Freeriding, I go slightly longer so that at speed I have extra stability on the edge. Say for playting around jibbing etc I’ll ride a 162/163 so for freeriding and most all mountain riding I’ll ride a 166. With the extra length I don’t want the board to be super stiff as I need to be able to bend it to make it turn. If its too soft however I’m going to bend it too much when I’m up to speed! A good all round Freeride/freestyle board does pretty much everything, I’m not into boards that are super specific as I like to ride everything so I don’t want a full on powder stick or a floppy jib stick as it limits things.

I have to say I’m not convinced about the whole banana technology myself and it was interesting to see at the ski show this year there aren’t so many true bananas around this year and the new thing is camber under the feet and banana tech nose and tail?

I can see how this banana technology makes the board rise up in powder and easier for buttering tricks but for all mountain riding and cruising I can’t see how it can help. If you’re trying to apply pressure to the nose and tail of the board to make it steer into and out of turns then I can’t see the point of bending the board so that pressure is reduced in these areas.

I know people that rate the banana but I also know riders that rated them last year but aren’t riding them this year?

If you want one I think there’ll be a few on e-bay in the next year or so!

Magna traction is good if you can carve clean lines for sure, but if you can carve clean lines then you probably don’t need it as you are already using your edge pretty effectively. It does work and there are a few new boards with this sort of effect built into the edge but to me all of these things are used for sales pitch and if you can ride and carve well you probably don’t need it.

I guess I’m not a gimmick person, I like a board with good flex and pop with a good all round shape which is good fun to ride!

I ride the wide boards as I”m size 10 foot so ride the salomon special magnum but if it wide enough, and I think it might just be I’m going to also get the Salomon ‘sick stick’ to play around on this winter.

The choice is yours but I’d say save your cash and get a good all rounder!

What you think?

Neil.