This review was done through Board Insiders and will be featured on their site as a review with video of me explaining the board and riding it. I’ll update this link to that when it goes live.
Location: Stevens Pass, Washington
Snow Conditions: Snowing with powder on runs, some groomed areas.
Setup: I rode the GNU Billy Goat C2 BTX with Union Forces and my Rome Vamps size 8.
First Impression: Wow, take this board in a chute and you’ll win the banked slalom as well.
Size: 162cm (this is the only size for 09-10).
Weight: heavier than average
Flex: It’s meant for freeriding, being stable and going fast. The flex is stiff longitudinally, stiffer nose and the tail is a little bit softer but by all means it’s a stiff board and it’s the stiffest board in GNU’s line up. I did try to tail press and got it an inch off the ground but it wasn’t easy. The C2 technology gives a more freeride take to the btx, between rocker and camber you have a more stable feeling, less loose feeling and rideable for freeriders.
Turning: The sidecut says a lot about this board, but also it’s quick to maneuver and very quick with short radius turns. The waist width 25.2 is narrow for the size but that helps make it quicker. I found this board the best when going down a chute with banked turns, no surprise there that it would be the best board of the week for that chute. It rallied up each wall, carved on edge quick and held each turn to the next. I was amazed how well it did in the banked turns. Whether I wanted long drawn out turns or quick turns, it was fine handling both.
Stable: This board is the epitome of being stable, hard charging and fast without feeling like the board can’t handle it. The Billy Goat is made for speed and stability. Even though choppy conditions, it cuts through and handles without any doubts.
Pop: Other than a small roller, didn’t try this board in any park/pop conditions.
Switch: It was a transition to switch, had to be careful and noticed the difference when riding…definitely took it slower. It’s not a board meant to handle a lot of switch riding.
Overall Impression: It’s not an easy ride, definitely a aggressive men’s board meant for charging. It made banked walls very easy to ride, quick response edge to edge and it was still a fun fast ride but fun by charging and hauling on it. I can’t imagine riding this board everyday at my resort, no way but if I ever did a Banked contest or boardercross…I’d ride this board. Like most Mervin boards, it handles NW conditions very good, charging through heavy snow with no problems.
Shay’s Honesty Box: This is not a easy board in any way, shape or form. Just look at the main man behind GNU whose board it is: Temple Cummins. Big mountain, banked slalom…this board is created for that shred type, while it does fine on groomers it’s meant for more than just resort groomers.
On a funny note, I went from riding the Signal Park Rocker to the GNU Billy Goat, the two most different boards I have ever reviewed and still was able to take in account each riding style, have fun with them but it was a interesting transition.
*This Review was done in February 2009, please be aware that products may change.
Ready to buy? Head over to evo for the 2011 version of the GNU BIlly Goat C2 BTX or shop their full line of GNU snowboards
Anonymous
April 5, 2009 at 2:12 amcould be bieng a bit dim but does it have magnetraction the jpg makes it look like it doesnt. but i was under the impression all lib and gnu,s where running the mag.
Cheers
Jay Robyn
Anonymous
April 5, 2009 at 8:40 amyes, it has magne traction.
Shayboarder
April 5, 2009 at 10:31 amBTX is magne traction and banana traction, the two go hand in hand together. All Libs have either mtx or btx.
Anonymous
April 5, 2009 at 3:33 pmHi Shay,
Can you make a quick comparison please with the Lib Tech Lando Pro Model 160cm?
I was looking to the Billy Goat C2 159cm for 2010 instead of my Lando 160cm 2009…
I like my Lando for freeriding all mountains style but need more less waist, light (freestyle) but want to keep the same capacity in freeriding… for 2010
The attraction on Gnu BG C2 159cm will be the Waist 2mm less and 1 cm less combine with C2 but I am afraid to lost the freestyle of the Lando (even if the Lando does not offer the freestyle as Skate Banana or the Gnu DK or others)
Thanks
Francis B.
Montreal, Qc
Anonymous
April 6, 2009 at 11:51 am^^There is not a Billy Goat in 159 for next year. Only comes in 162.
Shayboarder
April 6, 2009 at 5:12 pmBilly Goat is narrower and stiffer than the Lando. And yeah it only comes in a 162cm for 09-10. Big difference is the C2 versus BTX.
Brek
April 7, 2009 at 11:42 amI believe the billy goat actually has mini mag because temple found that regular mtx could be a lil grabby on certain snow. So mini mag is smaller closer together wiggles i believe. So regular mag would be like a saw to cut off some branches and mini mag would be like a hack saw.
justin
April 8, 2009 at 5:36 pmI’m stoked for this board, going to make this my split for next year
Shayboarder
April 8, 2009 at 9:54 pmYep the mag is not noticeable, definitely not when I rode it but it wasn’t icy either. Definitely dulled down and not as grippy as other mervin mag’s.
Sweet Justin that’ll make a sweet split.
legallyillegal
April 24, 2009 at 6:11 pmtemple fucking rules
too bad it’s only in 162
Anonymous
May 25, 2009 at 1:28 pmtemple and the gnu goat or even old temple boards before they called them goats always killed it in the chutes,trees,glades,bowls,pow,groomers. it is a hard board to tame but if you can master its power it is an all around resort,backcountry what have you killer.
i ride the goat 162 all year round in all cond..i switch up my stance for each day and conds riding. alot of people mite have trouble getting used to this board being its flex/directional and being you really gotta ride it hard to the bone to get to what this board is all about. i have owned and rode/ride gnu temple 01,04,07,08 and thinking of the 2010..they all rip
Anonymous
May 25, 2009 at 1:31 pmBTX is magne traction and banana traction, the two go hand in hand together. All Libs have either mtx or btx.shay.?
doesnt libtech jamie lynn board still have an option to have none btx/mtx? i think it was the redhead last year
Piro
July 13, 2009 at 8:08 pmhi shay.
first thx for the reviews.
q: you wrote in other reviews (like for the gnu riders choice btx ’09) that they are very aggressive. i’m looking for a board that is capable of holding the edge if it’s icy and steep (+fast :)). do you think this one would do that as well as the others? may you recommend one of the boards (libtech/gnu/other fabs?) you tested which does best? thx for your help!
Shay
July 25, 2009 at 10:28 pmAnonymous. The two go hand in hand, btx has to have mtx or it can be just regular mtx. The redhead was exempt.
Piro. Definitely the stiffer flex boards will let you have the aggressive charge and very fast. The Billy Goat would definitely be a good option if that’s what your looking for.
Spencer
September 11, 2009 at 12:07 amCould I ride a Billy Goat with size 11 feet?
Shay
September 11, 2009 at 5:51 amSpencer, the waist width on the Billy Goat 162cm is 25.2 which shouldn’t be a problem for size 11 feet. What board are you currently riding?
Spencer
September 11, 2009 at 11:41 am2007 161.5 TRice. The new Billy Goat looks great though and was thinking of trying something different. Need a pow day Baker board and the Goat seems to have twice the rocker of the Travis.
Mike
October 9, 2009 at 9:54 pmShay, I’m evaluating this or the T Rice 161 with C2. There going to be much difference between the two with flex? I have a 156 banana and it’s really loose at high speed and just get bounced around and worn out during chop. I”m looking for a stiffer board with the C2. Which would you roll with?
thx
Shay
October 11, 2009 at 1:30 pmSpencer, different type of rocker, you are comparing BTX to C2. Investing in a pow specific board might be the better way if you want more rocker, banana hammock would be it.
Mike, Billy Goat should be stiffer than the Trice but I haven’t rode the Trice to compare yet. Definitely the C2 will be more stable and a much more aggressive ride than the banana offers you. I would say it depends on your riding style and your boot size, Trice is wider than the Billy Goat, Billy Goat is really quick edge to edge and fast, Trice is more backcountry, powder riding.
Christian
March 23, 2010 at 8:58 amJust got this board (based on some info from Shay, thanks) and rode it for the weekend, in the NE. The temps were in the high 50’s – low 60’s, and the mountain was mash potatoes.
That being said, I didn’t get to really take this thing on edge and see how it held up carving at speed, it was just too mushy for that. So basically it was a day of straight lining runs and bombing through the wet slop. And just that it did, this board just wants to go. It was actually a little nice to have to work to keep up with it. The mountain was totally skied up, soft moguls everywhere, and mushy tracks to negotiate; I always won. The board was a monster.
As far a the playfulness of the board goes, it is stiff, but I was still able to take it off kickers in the park and had a great time. Parks aren’t usually my thing, but it’s spring snow so I’ve got more balls now. Still, I was popping floaty airs, stomping landings, and generally having a blast all weekend with this thing.
Like it’s been said, it’s only available in 162, so if you can handle that size (I’m 5’11”, about 190lbs) and you like to ride aggressive, this board is the tits.
Vik
September 25, 2010 at 9:27 pmShay,
I’d like to ask you a question. I cannot decide between GNU Billy Goat 09/10 and Lib-Tech Dark Series 09/10 (164cm-Wide … or regular size). I’m 6’3″, 176lbs, boots size 10.5. I’m a fast rider, riding mostly on well groomed surface in Snowbird and other resorts in SLC. I’m looking for a board that is stable to handle fast ride but at the same time is agile enough to make quick turns and occasional jumps – no parks.
Which one would you recommend? I’m open to any other suggestions when it comes to a brand or model but these two kind of fit my nature and my budget (I guess)
Thank you in advance for your answer.
Vik
Shay
September 26, 2010 at 10:22 amChristian, great to hear your experience with the billy goat! Thank you for your comment!
Vik, Good choices to choose from. First off you don’t need the wide version with your boot size so nix that. Both boards are responsive stiffer charging boards but the billy goat has the upper hand on quick edge to edge response, the dark felt slower for me. The big difference is sizes, billy goat is only available in a 162 and the dark series comes in more options.