Another board that has been mentioned a lot in the discussion of a suitable board for riding powder is the Ride Slackcountry. For those who don’t know, “slackcountry” is a term used to describe the backcountry areas near to, and accessible by, a ski resort. So those areas aren’t really backcountry. But that’s good, because in-bounds off-piste and the slackcountry is mostly the target of my powder shredding; so if nothing else, this board is aptly named.

But there is something else – the slackcountry comes highly recommended, which is why I’m considering it. I like personal recommendations and I like the vibe of this board. So let’s take a look at the powder-credentials I’ve been considering:

  • Directional shape
  • 0.75″ setback on the default stance
  • 157cm length option – good for me
  • Rocker design – good for float

Whilst the slackcountry has a directional shape, I think the nose and tail widths are equal at 29.8cm. That’s not a show-stopper, but I would prefer a wider nose than tail. I think Ride are aiming for something that’s close to being twin, but still kills it in the pow.

Here’s a guy from Ride talking about the Highrise Rocker design, using the Slackcountry as an example. I always like videos like this. With just a little bit of effort, the manufacturers can show and tell a lot about their products – it really enhances the typical info you get on their site. Check it out:

HighRize Rocker Technology from Ride Snowboards on Vimeo.

Nose and tail to one side, it’s still directional, it has a default setback and the lift at the nose from the rocker design is quite pronounced. All-in-all, it should be floaty in pow for me. And who could argue with a recommended use of: “faceshots”? It’s on the short-list.

The last board I’m going to look at is the K2 Gyrator. I did have the Malolo on the list of powder boards that I’m considering, but, I just don’t fancy buying that. I don’t have anything against Burton, but when it comes to boards, I’m never drawn to their range. That said, I should probably give some more thought to their channel binding system… Why? Because it kinda annoys me, even though I don’t have a good reason to say that. But who knows, that easy adjustment could be helpful for changing setbacks on powder days, which is what this board is all about for me…

So here’s a recap of the list:

If you’ve got a view on the Slackcountry, Burton’s Channel System bindings, or any of these boards – drop a comment!

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