You may want to consider buying a board from a small manufacturer that can provide excellent personalized customer service and who can suggest either one of their standard production boards, or a totally custom design:
Donek: Sean Martin produces some of the best freecarve boards around, with stellar customer service. And he just got brand new CNC equipment. Check the Donek website for demo days in Colorado and on the East Coast. Previous to '04, Donek topsheets were somewhat prone to scratches and breakage, so Donek sold gaskets to go under some stiffer bindings. If you use Bomber bindings with these boards, you should use the gaskets to make sure your warranty remains valid. For '04, Sean is adding another layer of lamination to the topsheet that will provide more durability. Donek has a demo-by-mail service: Sean will ship you a demo, and when you are done, you tune it and ship it back. Plus, a custom Donek can be ordered with any type of graphics on the topsheet.
Coiler: Bruce Varsava is renowned for his All Mountain series. The top of the inserts on some Coilers are recessed by about 3 mm, so you need longer binding screws to get sufficient thread engagement - If you are using bomber bindings, you need 12 mm long binding bolts instead of the normal 10 mm length. Bruce makes everything to order and does not usually have demo boards available. Coiler makes boards that are very durable, and less expensive. If you are looking for a custom BX board, you can special order a Sammy Surfer.
Prior: Chris Prior makes the 4x4, an excellent all mountain board. Check out the Prior demo days at Canadian and NW US resorts, or stop by his shop in Whistler and pick up a demo. Several stores rent Prior boards, including Fanatyk Co at Whistler.
If you want to order a board (either customer or standard) from one of these folks, get your order in soon, because there is a backlog.
Other recommended production board manufacturers
Nidecker - A Swiss company. Nidecker goes the extra mile by sponsoring competitive snowboard teams/clubs that are associated with companies. If you are part of a snowboard team that is organized within a company, see Nidecker's Corporate Competitor Representative. In the Lake Tahoe area, the contact is Michael Kelly Larsen:
Volkl - An Austrian manufacturer. They have good customer service, and will replace gear after it is out of warranty.
F2 - The Speedster is a fast race board. Curiously, starting in '03, the Speedster race boards have rounded tail corners, which are normally used only on freecarve boards.
Hot: The Hot Blast is a highly regarded race board. The older Hot Shine was a good freecarve board. Hot was recently absorbed into Hammer Snowboards, and is now manufactured in Spain.
Oxygen - The Proton has a tail that sticks like glue to the snow. There is a new topsheet style for '04. However, the Oxygen web site has not been updated for 2004. Oxygen's parent, Atomic Ski, may or may not continue the Oxygen line.
Other board manufacturers that currently make carving boards:
Inca Snowboards makes race and freecarve boards with huge reverse taper that works great on ice.
Custom craft Marty can make a custom alpine board that is less expensive than boards from other custom shops.
Fozz Boards is Mark Fawcett's board company, which appears to OEM Prior.
Goltes, in Slovenia, makes race boards with a carbon fiber topsheet. Sold by Dan Yoja in Canada.
Rad-air A Swiss Company that specializes in long boards that are made at the Volkl factory. They make the Tanker, a great board to use on a pow day. The Tanker Crown also carves reasonably well.
Radical Sports in Zürich makes a freecarver, as well as board that's waaaay long: the Surf 222.
Choc snowboards in the Czech republic. They OEM the Trans boards. The Trans Bastard model has a 15 cm waist.
Virus specializes in narrow race boards: The Cyborg has a length of 181 cm and a waist width of 14 cm. Virus boards are expensive.
Scott USA Makes the Scott Striker, sold in Europe.
Plenk Makes the Pin Trip race board, the FreecarveFC, and the maniac BX board.
Goode makes the Exile race board.
Pogo, a German manufacturer. Pogo has a Museum archive on its site where you can gawk at ridiculous-looking asym boards.
Plasma Makes the Extreme, the Aressive, and X-Over.
Generics in Austria makes the IQ race board, and several freecarve boards, including the Chrono, the Peak, and the Ranger. They also make the Terra BX board.
Snowblind makes custom boards, including a few asym models.
Black Hole Snowboards, in italy
Oxess in Switzerland.
Limited4You Makes several race boards.
Rabanser Snowboards in Italy makes the WorldCup Edition race board, as well as race boards for kids (110 cm).
Xtasy snowboards, in Germany
Piranha
HeavyTools makes the Stinger
Duret, in France, makes the Alpine
Boards available only in Japan:
Moss
Ogasaka
Gray
BC Stream
Yonex
R.17#Addicted is sold by Burton. Also see this store. You can also buy seconds from the Klugriding web site.
첫댓글 영어라 쫌 거시기 한가?
많이 거시기 하군요.
이 글의 출처는 아마도 http://www.alpinecarving.com/인 것 같군요.