GNU Free Spirit – 143
FACTS:
Price: $469.95
Length: 143
Flex: 6/10
Shape: Directional – Aggressive dominant camber out to contacts with mild rocker between the feet.
Range: Aggressive skilled riders
Kelley’s Notes:
What a great shape! One size (143cm) makes the buying process simple. But don’t think it’s out of your range. This shred stick can hold from 90-200+ pounds. Flexible enough to give you a fun, playful ride with some serious edge control and pop. The beautiful top sheet makes it hard to peel your eyes away from the board and onto the slope. It’s a short, fat board giving it a more surfy feel underfoot. Extremely stable at high speeds so take the big line! With the wider waist-width, makes turns sluggish going edge-to-edge on harder packed snow.
Overall: This powder hound of a snowboard is short but fat to keep you afloat in the deepest conditions with a lot of pop, flex and overall playful feel.
CAPiTA Space Mental Fantasy – 143
FACTS:
Price: $370.00
Length: 141, 143, 145, 147, 149, 151 &153
Flex: 6/10
Shape: Twin shape – Hybrid camber with early rise in nose and tail
Range: From newbies who are still locking in those turns to the seasoned park rat coming back each winter.
Kelley’s Notes:
This snowboard really surprised me. I was expecting the flat camber to not respond as well edge-wise as a true cambered board, but this stick can shred! Fast and full carves without speed wobbles. Taking it into the park, boardslides were silky smooth, but jumps weren’t as reliable. Has high energy for pop, but doesn’t have the support for harder landings or riding through chunder.
Overall: Awesome board for the rail rat or someone cruising the mountain popping a few side hits.
flexing front lip – Salomon Gypsy & Nova bindings || p: Scott Schlegel
Salomon Gypsy – 143
FACTS:
Price: $479.95
Length: 138, 143, 147 & 151
Flex: 6/10
Shape: Twin shape – Hybrid camber starting with Flat camber with early-rise nose and tail
Range: Intermediate to aggressive riders.
Kelley’s Notes: This board is not new to the slopes, but I needed to try it out anyway. With that many seasons under its belt, you know this board can shred it. The stiffness still has a lot of life and was fun to ollie every little side hit. Can handle heavier landings and would be a great jump board. The flat camber had a hard time holding an edge while carving.
Overall: Good to cruise the park or all mountain riding.
riding on the edge Jones Dream Catcher || p: Jaime Del Pizzo
Jones Dream Catcher – 151
FACTS:
Price: $449.00
Length: 148, 151 & 154
Flex: 8/10
Shape: Directional Freeride – camber underfoot with rocker in tip and tail
Range: Aggressive, big/ all mountain riders.
Kelley’s Notes: The newest model from Jones Snowboards, and this thing is a straight RIPPER. The Dreamcatcher can easier be called the ‘all-mountain destroyer’ with no argument. It has enough play to butter around while still laying down the deepest carves in history.
Overall: “The Dream Catcher is stable, confidence inspiring, yet soft enough to be playful in any terrain”. -Jones Snowboards
*Featured Image by Patrick McConnell