Last year at SIA, two snowboard companies released snowboards with reverse camber. For 2008-2009 it looks like more companies will be releasing reverse camber or no camber combinations.
Each company has their own style of reverse camber and each one rides completely different. Each style is also patent pending which explains why one company will not have the same style as another company.
Each board designed with rocker is meant for different riding styles. Some rocker boards are powder specific while others are park specific.
Check back as this post gets updated with more information as released.
6/17/08 I have rode/reviewed these boards for 08-09 that have rocker/reverse camber/no camber:
08-09 GNU B-pro BTX
08-09 Lib Tech Phoenix BTX
08-09 Lib Tech Riders Choice BTX
08-09 Lib Tech Boxscratcher BTX
08-09 Lib Tech McKink BTX
08-09 Lib Tech TRS BTX
08-09 Never Summer Evo R
08-09 Never Summer SL R
08-09 Never Summer Infinity R
08-09 K2 Turbo Dream
08-09 Burton Fix
08-09 Burton Hero
08-09 Capita Horrorscope FK
08-09 Nitro Sub Pop
08-09 Roxy Eminence BTX
Lib Tech Banana Technology
“Banana Technology replaces camber with rocker “banana” between your feet. When you stand on your board, pressure is now applied inward to the edge area at and between your feet as your weight presses out the rocker. The Banana Technology flex pattern is slightly stiffened at the tip and tail to increase pop and stability on big landings. Magne-Traction is incorporated into the Banana Technology (as it should be on every freestyle snowboard) to improve edgehold and put even more control underfoot at your balance point. The end result is a board that is loose and catch-free, presses boxes, rails and jibs extremely well with the preset rocker, maintains pop with a stiffened tip and tail, and turns easily on hardpack when the built in rocker is put on edge. The built in rocker curve makes the board float naturally in powder switch and normal with a centered park stance. The firm nose and tail prevent the board from folding in chunky conditions.The future is Bananas!”
K2 Rocker Technology
“Surf inspired, reverse camber design, providing maximum powder flotation.Sometimes a moment comes in design where you have an epiphany. Camber is for groomers, ROCKER is for powder. The rocker helps the board rise to the surface in powder or any condition, while the rider maintains a centered balance for maximum control. Although designed specifically for powder, we designed enough sidecut to provide great maneuverability and versatility on firmer conditions, or just to get back to the lifts for another lap. We guarantee you’ll have that WTF moment, but in a way that leaves a smile on your face for days.”
Never Summer Snowboards
For 2008-2009 Never Summer is introducing 5 models with reverse camber. The 5 models are Evo R, Legacy R, Revolver R, SL R and Infinity R. These boards will feature RC Technology will feature two cambered areas from the feet out toward the tip and tail and rockered under foot and a Vario Power Grip side-cut.
Update 4/18/08: Snowboard Mag has the Never Summer Press Release here
During my visit to the Nitro snowboards office in Redmond here, they showed me two prototypes they are considering for the 08-09 season. One prototype is a no camber snowboard and the second is a rocker/reverse camber snowboard. Lets see which one they decide on after testing to be the late release. They also might have something else coming back from the past.
Rome Snowboards
Rome will be releasing the Notch and Artifact in limited edition rocker called The Artificat 1985 RC and Notch 1985 RC.
Signal Park Rocker
Read about the Signal Park Rocker here
Signal Snowboards is excited to unveil its ultra slick, super mind-blowing 3-stage rocker board. Steeps, deeps, bumps, jumps, rails, boxes and catapults—ride it anywhere, this board does it all! Comes in three sizes, 152, 156, 158! Lightweight and affordable, collect all three! Available Fall 2008.
- Soft flex and unique design make it an excellent board for all riding levels.
- PARK ROCKER has reverse camber, making it not only a great board for the park, but also a versatile board in powder.
- PARK ROCKER has silk-screened topsheet with multiple windows revealing core.
- PARK ROCKER cores are 100% Poplar, utilizing a 180-degree Opposing Grain Structure; hand-laminated and cut with our very own C&C machine in-house at The Lodge!
- Signal cores use no finger joints!
- Average weight is a feather light 1.4lbs! Strong, Durable, and Long-lasting POP!
- All boards in the series (152, 156, 158) are made with machine-stitched Biaxial Glass Weaves for durability, soft flex pattern and lightest possible weight.
- PARK ROCKER has a Radial Sidecut. The flex, stance, and sidecut are symmetrical — whether you ride the PARK ROCKER backwards or forward the geometry is spot on.
- Our Magnum ABS Sidewalls offer the perfect blend of high impact resistance and
flexibility. - Ultra slick Sintered Base.
- All Signal die-cut bases are assembled in-house at The Lodge.
Burton has the new V Rocker featuring a 3-point rocker with a scoop tip and tail. Boards available are the Lip Stick and Hero.
-Capita has the Horrorscope video here
Anonymous
August 4, 2008 at 11:34 pmWhat up Shay? First off, your blog and all your info is F#$king awesome. I check out your page everyday, and appreciate all of your posts.
It seems like almost every snowboard company is coming out with there version of reverse camber (R.C.). I was just talking to a rep at sno-con today and she was saying how Lib has the R.C. on lock down because with the added MTX on there boards it helps control the buttery feeling that other R.C. boards have. Have you been able to ride other boards with R.C. and do you notice less control on those boards compared to Libs R.C. with MTX or is it about the same on all models with R.C.? Thank you, and keep up the blog. It is SO helpful!!!
Shayboarder
August 5, 2008 at 9:47 amThanks! Glad you are stoked on the blog and the info I put out! Nice from the NW, huh…I’ll be making my way back to Seattle in a couple weeks…looking forward to it.
I wouldn’t say Lib has the lock down on reverse camber because of the mtx…without the mtx it would make it harder to control the boards. Never Summer introduced the vario grip sidecut which has 5 contact points (instead of mtx’s 7 contact points) and still holds an edge very well, definitely good enough to compare about lib’s mtx boards. I actually notice less control depending on the flex of the board when it gives that loose feeling. K2 snowboards still were fine with reverse camber and no mtx or vario grip. With that being said, I still think non reverse cambers are the best for hard freeriding/carving…but that’s personal opinion.
Anonymous
August 5, 2008 at 8:46 pmThanks for the great info. I have heard a lot of great things about the R.C. boards, but your advise about the non R.C. snowboards being better for hard free-riding is the type of info I was looking for. I bought the T-Rice last year with MXT, and I love it. I am curious about the R.C. boards, but having good edge hold is super important to me, so I think I will wait to demo a R.C. board before I buy.
Hope you have a good trip in Seattle. Weather has been awesome here lately. I think we hit 87 degrees today. Take care, and thanks again for all of the great info!!
Shayboarder
August 5, 2008 at 11:36 pmI’ve spent a lot of this last couple months on 2 reverse camber boards…atomics and never summers. I still have to write the review on atomic’s reverse camber but it is the most freeride specific that I have rode…even though it says otherwise. But definitely best to wait and demo to see what you think about the boards.
Looking forward to the trip, I’ll spend a couple days at Hood riding midweek…so hey if you are around, I could let you ride my boards that have reverse camber.
Thomas
October 9, 2008 at 7:27 amI’ve heard pros and cons on the RC’s. I love snowboarding, and love testing out new stuff, but I haven’t got the ecomomics for testing out different boards. I’ve got one big question about the RC’s: Can they handle the bigger park jumps 50 feet+? I’ve read about alot of different brands RC’s,and they all say it’s perfekt for park and jibbing, but would it take back seat landings or just give in? Would be great if you can give me some info, since one of us is lucky enough to be testing all these boards;)
shaka,
thomas
Shayboarder
October 9, 2008 at 9:19 amI don’t hit jumps anymore so I really can’t answer that question for you. I’ve seen banana’s and never summer’s hit jumps and the riders don’t seem to have issues on the bigger kickers.
Anonymous
October 29, 2008 at 4:19 pmeyyyy. hey so i heard that signal’s model of the r.c. is pretty solid for rails and jibs, but for jumps I’ve heard other wise. like people say that you landing with most reverse cambers are verrrryy sketchy. i ride in minnesota so all we really have is rails and jibs but the jumps are pretty decent.
Anonymous
November 20, 2008 at 10:03 pmHi Shay,
It looks like the Signal Park Rocker is the least expensive RC board out there. Have you ever rode this board???
Shayboarder
November 20, 2008 at 10:49 pmSignal is hard to find here, definitely no demos so I haven’t yet been able to try it out. I tried to convince a friend to buy it…just so I could ride it. I’ll let you know if that works.
Anonymous
December 28, 2008 at 11:39 pmHey, I just had a question about all the different types of rockers… I was lookin for a new board this year, and I’m so confused on which one to get…. I had it narrowed to the K2 VVV with rocker (139), the gnu bstreet btx (142), and the never summer infinity(145). I wanted to use it mostly for park, but I don’t want it to feel sketchy carving if i decide to take it on a few runs… I wanted one that was flexible but herd the gnu is kind of stiff… i herd alot of good stuff about the NS but it comes 5cm bigger than i would like, unless maybe the 5cm really wouldnt make that big of a difference?
sorry for the story lol but I’m really confused, please help :/
Shayboarder
January 1, 2009 at 6:33 pmHey Anonymous, glad to help out. What’s your weight, boot size and riding location? If you are looking to ride park, the bigger Infinity probably isn’t the best for you size wise compared to the other boards. Give me more info and I’ll help you narrow it down or see if there’s another board that might work.
Anonymous
January 2, 2009 at 6:23 pmI’m 5 2 120lbs size 6.5 boot. I’m ridin in the east coast… Every online and local dealer is sold out of the k2 rocker and the ns so now i’m looking at the gnu, its a 142
Shayboarder
January 2, 2009 at 6:49 pmThanks, I did ride the roxy eminence which is the same was the b-street…definitely a fun board but handles the whole mountain. The size is on the smaller size for your weight but for park it’ll be fine and for turning but if you expect the board to carve and be a hard charger, it won’t be as stable as a bigger size.