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Location: Mammoth, CA
Snow Conditions: Hardpacked to softpacked groomed runs.
Setup: I rode the Lib Tech T.Rice with my Union Team bindings and Vans Veil Boots size 8.
Size: 157cm.
First Impression: Pop, check. Stability, check. Charging, check. Ride a little more like Trice in your head? Sure.
Weight: Tad heavier than average
Flex: I was expecting a stiffer ride and while it’s up there on the flex, it’s not so overly stiff you can’t play with it. From the bindings to the nose/tail were noticeably stiffer and that helped keep it longitudinally on the stiff side. However torsionally, the T.Rice had a easier/softer torsional flex that made quick turns and it feel softer during riding. Lib Tech says it’s a 7 on the flex scale for 2011-2012 but a 7 that’s still capable of riding anywhere you want. The T.Rice has C2 technology which is banana rocker between the bindings and camber from the inserts to the contact points.
Turning: I was expecting the 25.8 waist width to be a slow turner for me while riding so I took warm up runs on the first day with it but eventually realized that the softer torsional flex made it handle turns without delay. It was quicker to turn than I expected. Eventually I took the Trice into the pipe, in the park and on the jumps feeling very comfortable on it and how it handled.
Stable: The wider width definitely helped on stability, making it a bomber board to ride. But already the flex and handling, made it a very stable ride down the mountain.
Pop: When I first got on the Trice I didn’t take it immediately into park but when I did, the pop was there very loud and clear. I started small and ended up realizing that the pop was carrying me past the landings. In fact some of my best park laps this year were on the Trice. I’d hit the first jump, tap the bonk barrel, hit the corrogated tube and then do the three jump line before either a run through the pipe or onto the flat box. In fact the majority of riding on the Trice was in the park but also some good freeriding laps as well.
Switch: Rode like a twin during my time on it and got in some fun switch riding in the pipe (didn’t look pretty though).
Overall Impression: The T.Rice is Travis Rice’s destroyer pro model snowboard and it shows in it’s handling, stability and how it rides. It’s a board that you can ride park or drop lines on, the board shows no mercy to the mountain.
Shay’s Honesty Box: I was really surprised on the Trice. The combination of the midwide with my size 8’s required not thinking about it but the Trice excelled so much it didn’t even matter I was riding a midwide. I ended up borrowing the board for a week longer because I was having so much fun on it, that’s a good board. It was hands down my favorite mid wide board.
Ready to buy? Head over to evo for the Lib Tech T.Rice or shop their full line of Lib Tech snowboards
On Snow Photo
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Lib Tech T.Rice description
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Review Disclosure: I borrowed this board from P3 Snowboard Shop in Mammoth. Thank you Mike and Steve!
Julian
April 7, 2012 at 12:36 amMe 5.11 160 lb. I think that 157 is good for me. But can some tell me with 10 boot size it will be hard maneuvering and edge to edge. Me a little scary from wide boards because i before i ride 165 wide and was rly hard ( the board was a gift).
Rico
April 9, 2012 at 2:57 pm@julian: size 10 boots should be fine. Shay has a size 8 or 8.5 boots (I think) and she thinks it turns just fine.
Julian
April 10, 2012 at 1:32 pmRico thank you for information bro i will try mby next week
Jeff
April 11, 2012 at 12:57 pmHi Shay and everyone else!
I appreciate all the great input on not only the TRice, but all the other boards I’ve got an interest in riding. Pretty stoked on getting a Lib, but can’t quite narrow it down past the TRS 154, Banana Magic 154, or TRice 153. I guess I’m suffering from
analysis paralysis in that I’m having trouble with selection. Shay, I know you’ve reviewed all three and your descriptions have been rad. Thank you. I’m an intermediate freeride/freestyle rider but spend majority of time outside the park hitting natural features, etc but hit it periodically throughout the day to mix it up. I’m 5’8 and weigh 145 lbs with size 8 boots. As of late I’d been stoked on the TRice but reading the reviews was a little nervous to find it to be a mid-wide. Was thinking it may be too much for my size, etc. I’d like something that has easy turn initiation and the ability to handle what’s thrown at it. I’m not sure if I’m missing anything, but it looks like a majority of Libs fall under the mid-wide range. The 154 TRS has a width of 25.3, Banana Magic 154 at 25.2, and TRice 153 at 25.3. Are there any significant differences between these three boards that you noticed when riding? I kind of wonder whether the TRice may be too aggressive, but at the same time would love to progress my riding and would like a board that can help me with that. Any thoughts? Sorry for the long post. Hope someone can help. Thanks a ton!
-Jeff
Frank
April 11, 2012 at 8:32 pmroughly 😉 go for a Magic 154 and have fun 😉 but TRS 154 is good too and cheaper
Jeff
April 13, 2012 at 10:21 amFrank,
Thanks for your comment. Yeah, I really feel that’s the way to go also. In reviewing some posts and talking with some shops it seems like I may be able to size down to the 152. One decision after another. Gotta love it. From what I’ve read and have been told Libs are meant to be sized down a bit. Does this sound correct? Thanks for the help!
-Jeff
Rico
April 13, 2012 at 7:38 pmNah I’d ride your normal size if I were you. Why would you want to size down? Their marketing ploy is that you basically can ride your normal board size in pow cuz of the banana instead of sizing up hence the “size down”.
Alypse
April 14, 2012 at 8:31 amJeff why you think that only T.Rice will help you to progress. I think that the Magic will better for progress of your riding because is a little bit softer and manoeuvrable.
JJ
April 20, 2012 at 7:40 amThanks for the response everyone. My plan is to go with the banana magic. Can’t wait to get this thing and ride. Gonna make for a long summer, but I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait. If it happens sooner than later maybe I’ll get a few late spring sessions in. I should probably post on the banana magic discussion board and will do so once everything falls into place. Thanks again for the help everyone!
Frank
April 21, 2012 at 3:10 pmAgree with Rico,
Even if Lib says size down, I do ride Lib and did some demo as well… my personal preference is to keep same regular size instead of sizing down…. Since I do like to go Fast (Mach 3 speed some time 😉 Lib worts well only at that speed normal size etc… you got more effective edges and help in big big pow in case you are lucky… for the rest they are allready very versatile… But for 2013…. Flow blow my mind… they did very good for 2013 from bindings (NX2) to board… ABT (Maverick and Rush) well… 2013 will be an other competive year I thinks 😉 l do like that 😉
Joe
August 24, 2012 at 8:11 amHey,
I’m looking at buying theT.rice pro HP.I can’t decide whether to get the 153 or 157.I am5’8″and170pounds and9.5boot.I mostly freeride on groomers, tree runs and pow.Rarely jump.I currently ride a camber156board. I heard that lib reccomends sizing down 3cm from what you are used to riding. I was wondering if that is more for freestyle people for spin weight etc. or for free riders too.If sizing down is mostly for freestyle people then I will probably get the157 for added benefit of surface area.If there isbenefit to Freeriding style to sizing down then I will get the153. Thanks!
Shay
August 24, 2012 at 11:15 amJoe,
You can size down but I prefer to keep the same size if you are freeriding. If you are freestyle riding, definitely sizing down is possible. I’d recommend the 157cm for your weight, riding style and it’ll give you good float in the pow.
Dalton
January 18, 2013 at 10:38 amWhat binding you recomend me to buy for TR PRO 157 ¿???.
I m struggling on going for the Union contact pro or for the Union Atlas ??? Or Flux
Please let me know asap as i m heading to the mountains next week. I m an all mountain rider wanting to dedicate some more time to my freestyle riding at the park to then take it everywhere
Thanks