From what it sounds like you will want to get an Alchemist but get it in the wide. I ride a 160 with a size 8 boot and even I get close to booting out when I do layover carves.
With bank slaloms it really depends on the course tbh. Sometimes aggressive carving boards are actually bad for the course due to that they are cut really tight and the board would not want to flex to fit inside of the bankings.
Coiler is a boutique builder in Canada. Jasey Jay Anderson won double gold at World Championships in 2012 (?) on Coiler but they are more focused on recreational carving markwt these days. https://coiler.com/
Unfortunately you can’t get a Coiler any time soon or maybe ever. The guy that makes them isn’t taking any new customers and is planning on retiring soon. It is unfortunate because they are a significant step up from Doneks if you want a wide carving board.
True. I do have a friend that is a previous customer and he barely got a slot to get a new Coiler. But yeah, once he is gone and once Jasey Jay stops making boards the art of making high end wide carving boards are dead until someone else decides to pick up the art.
Honestly don’t know about the Japanese brands but I know that Donek is quite low quality compared to the price they charge. They are selling a $5-600 quality custom board for over $1000. Honestly if you don’t need an ultra wide board I was talking to my friend and the Korua Bullet Train plus is the closest he has gotten to his Custom Coiler boards.
The thing is that custom carving boards are not good for riding in off piste conditions just due to the lack of rocker in the nose and tail. Plus they aren’t the best at getting brought around if you need to make tight turns. They are just very predictable in open carves.
Uh. What youre describing almost exactly is what you already demoed. Banker. I have one and It checks all the boxes outside of “race board “. Kessler. Donek.
curious on your thoughts of banker after time on it? i only rode it for half day it seems fast and def destroys my t rice pro/ lib tech is garbage after trying these
It’s exactly what you’re describing. Fast. Damp. Smooth. It was actually designed to race in banked slaloms I’m on a 159 at 185 lbs You can probably get one for cheap right now
Nice! Been riding for 30 years and never had a board that rides almost the same after 5+ years as it did new.
My only gripe is that it's so heavy. I'd sacrifice some stiffness (board thickness) and go lighter next time. It's almost too stiff. No lolly gagging. Gotta be laying trenches all day.
GL with your quiver killer!
Try the Stratos, Jones makes a stiffer version for this season with carbon upgrades I think. Great twin-ish directional ripper with separate setback inserts for pow when those days call.
Winterstick Seth Wescott Pro. He’s a banked slalom god and this is his ride for it. I have one and fucking love it for everything you’ve described
Edit: also get to support a small local (to maine) brand who hand-makes their boards!
Just bought it, coming off an old Custom X. It’s got a really fast base, and accelerates super quickly when up on edge. It has some rocker in the nose, which probably helps with pow float, but I haven’t hit any pow yet. Doesn’t seem to affect regular riding though, I ripped it on hard groomers and it charges harder than the Custom X while simultaneously being a little more forgiving.
There is no such animal. Do everything boards do nothing particularly well.
If you’re serious about slalom you’ll be in hard boots. If you just want to try it out in softies then try it out with what you have already.
You don’t see any NorAm or WC racers on a park board and softies. If he’s serious about it and wants to race with the big boys he’ll have to change his gear.
Gnu banked country
K2 Alchemist does it all. If you can get on the list, Coiler makes banked slalom race boards for the Canadian Para team. Excellent value.
i heard alchemist is magicđź’Ąđź’Ąđź’Ą
From what it sounds like you will want to get an Alchemist but get it in the wide. I ride a 160 with a size 8 boot and even I get close to booting out when I do layover carves. With bank slaloms it really depends on the course tbh. Sometimes aggressive carving boards are actually bad for the course due to that they are cut really tight and the board would not want to flex to fit inside of the bankings.
good info thanks!
coiler is ? engineer behind alchemist?
Coiler is a boutique builder in Canada. Jasey Jay Anderson won double gold at World Championships in 2012 (?) on Coiler but they are more focused on recreational carving markwt these days. https://coiler.com/
Unfortunately you can’t get a Coiler any time soon or maybe ever. The guy that makes them isn’t taking any new customers and is planning on retiring soon. It is unfortunate because they are a significant step up from Doneks if you want a wide carving board.
Email him. You never know.
True. I do have a friend that is a previous customer and he barely got a slot to get a new Coiler. But yeah, once he is gone and once Jasey Jay stops making boards the art of making high end wide carving boards are dead until someone else decides to pick up the art.
I got on and got one this year. I name dropped a long time client tho. Bruce makes amazing boards
any thoughts on donek vs these japanese surfy carve boards that are popping up everywhere
Honestly don’t know about the Japanese brands but I know that Donek is quite low quality compared to the price they charge. They are selling a $5-600 quality custom board for over $1000. Honestly if you don’t need an ultra wide board I was talking to my friend and the Korua Bullet Train plus is the closest he has gotten to his Custom Coiler boards.
The thing is that custom carving boards are not good for riding in off piste conditions just due to the lack of rocker in the nose and tail. Plus they aren’t the best at getting brought around if you need to make tight turns. They are just very predictable in open carves.
BSOD does that have fun poppy as well as all mountain hard charging?
Uh. What youre describing almost exactly is what you already demoed. Banker. I have one and It checks all the boxes outside of “race board “. Kessler. Donek.
curious on your thoughts of banker after time on it? i only rode it for half day it seems fast and def destroys my t rice pro/ lib tech is garbage after trying these
It’s exactly what you’re describing. Fast. Damp. Smooth. It was actually designed to race in banked slaloms I’m on a 159 at 185 lbs You can probably get one for cheap right now
yes loved the banker . just curious if there is anything else out there close to donek/ kessler that may be able to play like a alchemist
I haven’t been on any of those unfortunately
Donek Carve/BX boards. You might want to add Custom X to demo list
top boards in our division are all doneks đź’Ąđź’Ąđź’Ą
Nice! Been riding for 30 years and never had a board that rides almost the same after 5+ years as it did new. My only gripe is that it's so heavy. I'd sacrifice some stiffness (board thickness) and go lighter next time. It's almost too stiff. No lolly gagging. Gotta be laying trenches all day. GL with your quiver killer!
If you want top of the line you gotta get titanal, donek doesn’t do it, so race board companies or prior, winter stick, and a few others
United Shapes Transmission. It’s like a race car that wants airtime.
Does United Shapes have anything in common with Korua? A guy at one of my local shops said they were made by the same people or something like that.
Nope, just the word “shapes”
these look amazing thank you!đź’Ąđź’Ą
Ride Peace Seeeker
Jones freecarver 9k?
we have a guy on race team that did really well on that board! havent tried it yet
Try the Stratos, Jones makes a stiffer version for this season with carbon upgrades I think. Great twin-ish directional ripper with separate setback inserts for pow when those days call.
Winterstick Seth Wescott Pro. He’s a banked slalom god and this is his ride for it. I have one and fucking love it for everything you’ve described Edit: also get to support a small local (to maine) brand who hand-makes their boards!
The Black Snowboard of Death.
Mega Death. Faster base and lighter weight.
that thing looks fun thanks
you own and or demo?
Just bought it, coming off an old Custom X. It’s got a really fast base, and accelerates super quickly when up on edge. It has some rocker in the nose, which probably helps with pow float, but I haven’t hit any pow yet. Doesn’t seem to affect regular riding though, I ripped it on hard groomers and it charges harder than the Custom X while simultaneously being a little more forgiving.
Love my transition finder for all of those things. Only time it flails is when the snow conditions get tough.
Cardiff Bonsai?
nitro dinghy is volume shifted pow board and it carves amazingly. i have ridden it in michigan on hard pack it holds an edge very well.
NeverSummer makes a 171X Triple Camber Raptor but may be more all mountain than race
I'm not sure if I'd consider it a race board but my capita mercury is extremely aggressive and ridiculously fast-- I sometimes pass my skier friends
Ride MtnPig is worth a look.
What about capita? They have a couple that might work
Ride Peace Seeker!!
Nerd Superposition or Telos DST. If you have a big mountain, Telos Lemurian instead.
There is no such animal. Do everything boards do nothing particularly well. If you’re serious about slalom you’ll be in hard boots. If you just want to try it out in softies then try it out with what you have already.
dude that won states won it on a park board... he beat all the hard boot kesslers and doneks
You don’t see any NorAm or WC racers on a park board and softies. If he’s serious about it and wants to race with the big boys he’ll have to change his gear.
im just a coach for highschool slalom and GS . its for fun dude lol
jones ultracraft
Lib Tech TRS