Hardbooter.com Blog

Bola at All Boards Sports was kind enough to loan the Hardbooter crew some boards at SES this year. He sent us packing with an Oldenberg alpine stick and a Dupraz Pintail powder board. These boards cover the extremes of snow conditions from the hardpack groomers to the pow pow, respectively, and we where stoked to head back to our trusty, variable Utah stomping grounds to give them a welcome to the Hardbooter lifestyle.

Rolling back from SES Dave, Rusty and I could not wipe the grin off our faces. We were still on the uber alpine high of trenching the cord with so many amped riders at SES. Now with the 7 hour drive home ahead and I, with a newly broken wrist, ate some pain killers, sat back and enjoyed the ride. Even with four full days of solid riding behind us, we still talked snowboarding all the way home, probably like everyone else who had just left SES was doing.

Rusty had met us in Aspen for SES but it was only the start of his adventure after a gnarly crash and some hospital time last year. He was back on the war-path and happy to be back in Utah. Rusty is one of my closest childhood riding partners that spends 5 days a week working for The Man and rides New England resorts on the weekends. Maybe it was the Dupraz loaner from Bola or maybe it was just because Rusty had it coming but we woke up the next day and it had dumped. Only a day after getting the Dupraz at SES it was mounted, waxed and put into service.

The Dupraz’s shape sure got a lot of stares from the newbees in the base lift lines but once we were up top in the real snow, the snickering giggles and “what is that” questions turned into jealous stares from all-mountain board riders struggling with pocket tools, moving their bindings back in search of float. With its powder specific shape and 179cm length, float should not be an issue for this board. I couldn’t wait to see how it rode and since we had just been traversing from chair to chair, all I know so far is that the inserts are doing a great job at holding my bindings in place. We were just a few hundred feet from some PC pow and a hidden tree stash and now it was time to see how the Dupraz and Rusty rode. I dropped into a narrow opening that turns into a loose grove of aspens and pines. The snow was a bit heavy by Utah standards but the pointed nose of the bright red Dupraz found its way to the surface as the tail began to drop. The pintail did a great job of supporting my weight but could use a break. I moved some weight over the front foot while insuring I was balanced incase it pearls. The nice moderate flex smoothly took the weight and the nose continued to plane. I only needed a few turns to find the sweet spot and although it should have been easy on a board this size, I was surprised by the response I received from a board that might have been more at home in a wide open Powder field. I threw in a big powerful braking turn just as the tree shot crossed an open traverse and the board dumped speed very predictably. This was just enough to keep me from drifting too far and landing on the low traverses but still a few feet up and plenty of drift into some waist deep virgin snow.

Landing a pintail in fresh snow is always a blast. It’s almost like auto-land! The tail sinks and you slowly descend into the snow. All it takes is a little forward pressure and POP! you’re right back on plane. I headed for a groomed section of trail and was ready to see if this specialized powder board could handle a few meters on the trails to get me around the hill. There was just enough fresh on the groomer to plane up on but as soon as the edge grabbed and I leaned, I felt the board hook up on the soft cord underneath. The soft, pow exclusive nose did a fine job of holding my weight and I threw in some laid-out turns and came up covered in white stuff. It held fine and I spent the turns smiling not worrying about the board. Perfect! Rusty and I rode all day and the Dupraz was solid. I rode heavy on my front leg for the duration without a hint of back leg powder ach you might get on an all mountain shape. The big Dupraz seemed to shrink under my feet as the day went on. I was nailing some tight tree shots that I usually pilot my 56 Fish through when I realized I had not heard a bomb in over 45 minutes. Time to walk.

mmmmmmmmmmmm… open bowls. In less than 20 minutes Rusty and I zipped up our gear and got ready to see if this Dupraz would work in one of the thousands of open bowls in the West. I made two turns to check and pointed the rest.

Some boards do well just pointing. After I made two great powder turns I got bored. Sure I could have put down twenty or forty more and the Dupraz would have answered because it was that easy to ride but Rusty took care of all the turning behind me and I’m a sucker for an open field. Maybe I’m just polite but I try to use as little fresh snow as possible so my friends have plenty. I simply put a straight line down the middle most of the time. I ride a lot of fun pow shapes and I think this is when I want a board to work; hanging on at some silly speed just bouncing on the top of the snow, looking down at the run-out for the best lip or an open spot into a meadow to lay out turns in the flats. ( and to sucker the tourists into thinking they can do the same. Of course since they didn’t point it, they have to hike out for 20 minutes saving more fresh for cronies and me! Come on! I didn’t coin the phrase “no friends on Pow days”). But I didn’t want to be the guy hiking so the board better feel, well, no pow board is stable but perhaps secure is the word that fits. Man, this Dupraz is secure! By the end of the day I was worked from riding hard but could still hang on strongly through the chop and crud now covering everything. I found lips to slash and cut back on and spent the day smiling. It may have been just the time I spent riding with my pal Rusty but the Dupraz felt more like a new surf board that I felt right at home on than a snowboard and sometimes that’s OK!

Since that day I have logged several more powder days on the Dupraz swapping it in the rotation with my other Pow sticks like my 156 Burton Fish, a 162 Malolo, a 182 tanker, and several other all mountain shapes from the demo shop. Every time, the Dupraz has been a joy! It only takes a few turns to get reacquainted with and serves its purpose on the groomers well with alpine like angulations possible on good snow due to its wide nose! I was bummed when we sent it back to Bola and hope to find a similar shape to spend more time on. I have since ridden some large swallow tails that remind me of big board stability but have to give the Dupraz Pintail props for riding as well as a larger board in the open and making great work of the trees, turning much tighter than any board its size. Thanks Bola!

For a high resolution video review of the Dupraz, click the following link:

Dupraz Pintail Powder Review

(The file is quite large, and could take some time to play, based on your connection speed. You can also right-click and download the file if you wish.)

Or, here's the youtube version:




-- Billy

The big Madd stick.

Alright. Let’s talk real Superboards for a moment. I mean the Big Dogs: Kessler, Donek, Coiler, Prior, Tomahawk, Louie, Virus, F2 team stock, Burton team stock. That’s my happy list. There are a few newcomers, some boards that are up and comers and some failed companies. It is the current Big Dogs that make some sick big guns. Boards that make you want to go faster and faster until things go wrong or you back off the throttle. That’s what some turns are about…the fear.

The Madd 180 first stepped into the Big Dog list in the early 90’s. I remember my roommate at the time, telling the handful of us who had dug up the cash for a big gun custom shape from this Canadian cat Chris, that he had just ridden a 180 that felt bigger than the 185 to195 customs we were all pimping as the new school action. We talked about it over black and tans in the lodge. I listened to him pitch the Madd 180 but figured that he was just full of beer. I mean, heck, it’s a 180 and the biggest stock board John Q. Carver could get was still in the 170 range. 180 and bigger were definately on the wish list! The major companies where pumping out team only race stock that rode unlike anything else, much like the custom shapes we had enjoyed for a year or so. I was stoked to feel my personal speed limit increasing daily while riding the 180-185 team boards from F2, Burton, Rossi and Hooger but when most of my riding partners went off to race I was stuck with my Hooger 181 and my speed limit started to be limited by the board again.

Then by some luck, sitting in the rental shop of the resort was the same Madd 180 that my roommate had demoed. It belonged to some cat who was a friend of some cat who was cool with people riding it. The condition was that we couldn’t break it, a stipulation put forth by the rental shop regularly towards my current riding crew. After all, there were only a few of these boards, perhaps as few as two. After riding so many World Cup race stock boards, I imagined this 180 to be fun for a few laps but on par with stock crap from everyone else. Many of use had seen the Madd line and we had ridden a few 158s but only had the Ride Kildy 159 to compare them to and felt they may be a bit stiff to race. However, we knew the shorter Madds free rode very nicely.

I dropped in under the quad at Waterville Valley, the old quad top station when it went to the top. I had chased the local fast guys Bill Enos and Mike Kildavauld down this hill a hundred times. I was ready to see what this Madd would do and I waited to role it on edge until I was at those speeds. The 180 had some serious balls and when I first rolled onto its edge, the platform felt way bigger then any 180 I had ridden up until then. It was a bit awkward at first to find a speed the board liked but when I did, it was fast and stable. I ripped every size turn I could at the time but they all fell into the same category…. BIG! I only got a couple runs in before I had to go back to the shop to pair instructors with a lesson. I did not want to give the board back. I have to think I may have missed it all these years….

Fast forward to SES 05. Over a decade of boards and riding later and there it sits again, this time in the Bomber demo tent in Aspen. It has a brighter look than I remembered but possessed that same carbon butterfly the Madd line has become famous for. I had just one year earlier been reminded of Madd’s little 158 rocket ship when we did Hardbooter’s first photo shoot/test ride so the Madd caught my eye right away. After a few warm up runs on some other boards, it found its way under my feet. I jumped off the chair overly excited to ride an old friend and a board, that for years, I felt that maybe I had over rated with only 2 runs on great snow. Now, a decade later, here is my chance to find out…..

Man did the snow suck on Thursday at the Summit Expression Session and after trying to work the Madd hard, all I could get it to do was plow the nose through the soft Colorado snow. There would be no way to ride this thing powerfully unless the temperature dropped quick. With the wonderfully sunny day we had, this wasn’t going to happen so I grabbed my soft boots. I rode some BX and AM shapes with friends and gave the 180 the stink eye as I left just to let it know I was not through with it yet.

Friday turned out to be warm also and after giving the Madd another spin, I still had very little feedback due to the soft snow. Again, the day was spent riding soft and long gear. The now smaller 180 went out under many riders’ feet that day and most of them really loved it. I didn’t have a chance to bend it hard so I felt I should just walk away and hope to ride it again. For me SES was about riding everything I could but some boards where just to stiff for the conditions. The Madd and several other boards never had a chance to shine for many riders but you can never complain when the snow is great for one kind of riding but not the other.

As we packed up to leave SES, the cats at Madd were very kind to stash one of everything in our roof box so we could get to know stuff on our own time. Man was that a great move. We left with several Demos from lots of kind folks and looked forward to riding them the next day when we got home. It was best though, to know that everyone at the Wasatch Trenchin’ Convention would have a chance to ride them as well!

After getting home from the SES, I had to jump right back into training and I brought the Madd 180 out just for kicks. I knew the race hill would be firm as it always is. I set and slipped the course with the Madd, getting a few warm up turns in at the top and bottom. After riding my normal race board for a few runs, I switched back to the 180 to give it a whirl in a sick GS course. I started to charge the first pitch of the course and discovered instantly that I had not been wrong a decade ago. As soon as the little 180 hit the ice it felt like it grew 20 centimeters. The board grip was awesome but the radius seemed much larger than the course I was trying to rail it through. As I increased speed I hoped I could bend the board more to make the ever so tightening GS gates. The board seemed to deny me the compact turn I was looking for, forcing me to skid the tail and readjust my line just to make the next few gates. And then, just a few banners away, was a two gate delay; a turn twice as big as every other turn on the course. That’s when the Madd’s magic kicked in. The very energetic and stiff 180 found the turn shape it wanted to make. “Big”, just like I had remembered. I had the same smooth and stable platform under my feet that I had used to rate other boards. With a glance over my shoulder, I jammed the board into a heel side and tried to work the next two gates while hanging on. I needed to let the Madd cruise the shape it wanted since I was now skidding most of the turns trying to negotiate the hardest part of the course. Frustrated, I pointed the last 10 gates or so and as soon as I entered an area free of obstacles, I put it right back into the efficient stable turn the board wanted to make and again the platform became firm. A smile crept onto my face. The 180 again ripped from edge to edge with lots of energy but now that I was riding it free from a tight GS turn, it rocketed up to speed and remained stable. Man, was the turn big. At SES the nose just fired right through the soft snow but with some stiff cord under the board, it really came to life. I enjoyed the fact that it was a bit narrow. It allowed me to make fast, committed edge changes with great tip set and the smooth middle sections finished off with a solid tail snap moving me right into the next turn. This board was everything an experienced rider would want from a board. The only problem I discovered with the big Madd stick is that it’s not very easy to ride without the correct inputs. This is not a bad thing unless you buy this stick thinking you will grow into it.

During the WTC, this board went out under experienced riders’ feet and they all came back with smiles. Some compared the Madd to the 197 Sims burner they rode earlier in the day.

What sets this board aside from others is that this is a groomer friendly version of a full blown race board. It has a firm nose that needs rider input to start the turn, making it a bit temperamental unless the rider makes the right moves. This, however, is a part of what makes superboards fun. A rider discovers that a mistake can hurt the individual turn or, in extreme cases, hurt the driver!

Bigger riders with larger feet or lower angles will have to make some adjustments to be pleased. I know some riders out there have always run higher angles to stop drag and this board is no different. Nevertheless, if you are coming off a new school wide board you will need to make some adjustments. Perhaps Madd will offer these boards in different widths over time but for now, you will be rewarded for your effort. The Madd will hold a lot of rider weight at high speeds. It refused to slip under my 175lbs. at full angle and charging at full speed on the steep, upper pitch of the Olympic run at Park City. The 180 should make all the countries best carvers under 220 happy everywhere on a good groomer.

This board rides smooth, stable and clean but like a bad bar pick up, may not look so pretty in the light to the asthetic connoisseur. Most of the 05’ batch of Madds came out of the Italians shop with some flash, the residue left over from the building process. Then, most of the flash was cut off and sanded out but the glue from attaching the butterfly plate to the board was overlooked by quality control. This has been pointed out by the masses on BOL as one of the boards’ weak points. We have heard some wet sanding helps remove this residue but side with the consumer on the feeling of receiving a “not quite finished” product. I must also note, however, that some of the best riding boards out there are not the prettiest while some of the best looking boards suck to ride. This is a cosmetic issue that each rider has individual feeling about but the fact remains that the aesthetics of this board do not hamper the ride.

All in all, this board rips! It is truly a superboard worthy of the title. Like cars, there are many out there but each company has a flag ship supercar. The 180 is Madds supercar pushing the turny 158 into its own class of fun run about and sending the Madd 180 into the realm of the exotic custom boards not only in rideability but also price and resale. If you think you have game in hardboots, this board should be demoed for sure. If you love the Madd line already but just want to go faster than before, then this is your board! This might just be the best shape to ever come out of the Madd Labs!

Billy Bordy

I have had a Madd 158 sitting around for way too long; this board found it’s way to me with a big black circle in permanent marker around one of the front inserts and may be the reason it sat for so long. I really was not that excited to ride the board because it was a bit smaller than anything I take out daily. I had considered putting in some time on it with my wife; it seemed like it could be fun on some mellow groomers. But that damn insert reared its ugly mark of failure as soon as I began to mount it. The Madd got thrown back into the quiver to be lost for a few more years.

I had ridden the 170 many years back; it was on some classic hardpack, fast and firm snow. I was a bit of a board snob at the time, only riding long custom lengths made just for me. I had just put a few runs in when a bail broke so I ran back to the shop. As I searched for a new part, the only bail I found was mounted on a Madd 170, no doubt belonging to a friend of the shop. After some quick hellos I found myself walking out the door with the bail I needed - only it was still mounted on the Madd 170. I never could just say no, especially when it came to my favorite question, “Would you like to ride this?”

As I mentioned, it was long ago that I rode the 170 and that’s why this review is really about the 158. I do remember being very pleased with the 170 even after just coming off a board with a lot more length. The 170 felt nice and stable with great edge grip through the whole turn, tip to tail, with a good release off the tail and onto a great deck to stand on. I logged a few runs and bumped into some friends, one of which had an extra bail to lend me. It was not crowded and I went back to the bigger board, not because the 170 was not fun, but because I was having a good time going very fast on one of my favorite rides of the time.

Last year’s off-season, BOL’s forum was filled with debate about the Madd 158. Perhaps the reincarnation of both sizes started as just that. (elaborate on this “reincarnation” statement) A few riders were pimping a board they had been so pleased with that more riders wanted a chance to share the stoke. Following the forum discussion of the Madd product, I was ready to break out the 6 mil tap and try to reincarnate the 158 I had. I’m glad I did.

I like trying out new pairs of boots on an SL stick. I enjoy the fast response and direct feedback of a shorter stick to work out any quirks in a fresh pair of shells. When Dave and Mikey walked in the shop with a Deeluxe box, I was glad I had mounted the Madd 58 with my tried and tested TD1 Intecs. It took a few minutes to set up for the new boots. When Dave broke out the new camera we had bought for the site, I considered going to a bigger board for some good powerful shots. Luckily, we were in a hurry and out the door we went.

Dave spent the first part of our lift ride obsessing over how “cute” the Madd was. We both joked about the little nose and tail and I began to get excited for fast SL turns. Dave and I decided to warm up before breaking out the camera. Mikey was just stoked about shooting photos. It was his 3rd day on plates and the fact we would have to stop often made him very happy. But that also means this will be the only uninterrupted run all day. Using that as my motivating factor, I am determined to treat this Madd like a race stock SL board. I always think SL turns work out best when you are angry so that’s what I got….MADD!

I had flexed the 158 for years in my basement and was now ready to bend it under my feet for the first time. I railed a big, powerful heel side and pumped aggressively into the next toe side. The Madd kept up very nicely under my new Indys and for the next few turns I took some time to separate the response of the board from the feel of the new boots. I had ridden the AF700s in the past and felt real comfy in the Deeluxe boot after just a few more turns. It shocked me to discover how steady this little 58 felt as I tried to feel the boot. Most SL boards are very tricky to ride, especially on the first few turns. You usually spend some time looking for the sweet spot between the tip and tail and then try to limit your fore and aft movement to within the generally small balance point. This is perhaps the biggest difference between the Madd and almost every other SL board out there and may be the best characteristic of the little 58.(what characteristic?) After 25 or 30 fast, aggressive SL turns, I started to drag out the shape and really stand on the board. I was pleased with the smooth initiation and positive response into a more freeride style turn. The somewhat dead and almost boring response under heavy SL style input was not what I expected. But although the board had felt a bit slow in a heavy forced SL turn, it began to shine in a turn shape just a little bigger. As the pitch began to increase, I welcomed the simplicity of input needed to rail the smooth Utah packed powder. After only a few high angle turns, I felt cocky on the little Madd and the Jibber in me slipped out as I spun it around to the flat nose. I could really feel the firmness of the tail as it became the nose. Again the board felt much longer than it truly was. It was small and nimble and I found myself spinning from forward to switch several times with just a few short turns in between. We soon reached the bottom and started shooting photos. As Dave and Mikey discovered how to work the new camera, I spent time learning to work the little Madd. I would sit and wait for them to get set up, thinking about the benefits of such a fun little stick. Since it was our first day shooting we spent a few moments trying to capture several styles of turn. From laid out Euro style to fast and low alpine and even a trip in the park and pipe. The 58 held up well to any style of turn and landed very smoothly.

This big feel from a little board really allows the rider to push aggressively through the whole turn and even drag out the little SL radius into some sweeping GS style arcs. Without a doubt this is why this Madd 158 is a favorite among hard charging experienced riders who may have considered removing any thing shorter than a 175 from their quiver. While the platform is ultra solid for a 58, it does sacrifice some SL feel. Again, I really tried to pound the board into some tight aggressive quick turns and found my self a little disappointed in the lack of a snappy hookup. This is the style of initiation I am so fond of on a SL stick. This massive dive or bend into an aggressive short turn is the energy you try to carry out of the tail on most short sticks. It is this same energy that can snap you off the tail, sometimes 2 feet or so from the snow, forcing you to make quick corrections to maintain control. While the Madd will provide a similar turn, due to its stiffness it requires a massive amount of input and angle to achieve the same result. This amount of input definitely removes the older 58 from a great SL specific shape and feel. It does, however, blend a not so tight SL feel with a stable free ride of a longer board that is very uncharacteristic of a pure SL stick. Without a doubt this is why the 58 gets the props it does. It forces you to push and drive in the turn no matter what the shape, but as you decrease the pressure, the board increases the arc while remaining stable. While many SL boards start to “swim or twitch” at speeds above 25, the Madd holds steady under an experienced riders feet, well into speeds that may be beyond many a rider’s threshold. This board would be a great ride for an aggressive alpinist plagued with crowds or a tighter trail system. It is a tight turning SL style board that carves a wide range of shapes from a loose SL turn into a tight GS turn. It may not provide the smooth cruiser feel of large GS stick but if you are going to carry only one short, stick this may be the one filling a larger size gap than a board of similar length.
Less experienced and intermediate riders may not be prepared to put in the effort to make this board work and might want to look for a softer, milder board. I have heard many intermediate carvers discuss the overwhelming effort needed to ride a board of this caliber. Most riders in this category should continue honing their skills on a milder ride. Any rider who has no problems with aggressive linked turns on challenging pitches may find this board the link to the next level, provided they are willing to work for it. With a price above many stock boards, the Madd is a bit scary to get into. With the new inserts, these boards should last a long time. I could see many boards in the 160 to 175 range staying home more often as your Madd gets more hill time. If you would like to have just one sub 175 length or you just can’t find a short board that holds up under your feet, this may be the board for you.

With summer upon us, we all try to find ways to cope with the fact that good carved turns are only available to us as flashbacks of the past and daydreams of seasons to come. With the new longboards from Loaded, however, we proudly offer you something to get your carve back without having to put your snowboard on and stand in your livingroom saying "woosh" over and over again.

Darren Radcliff over at Loaded Carving systems first pimped out their gear to me at Nationals in Sun Peaks, BC last April. He had their Fish and Pintail shapes in the condo some of the Steamboat kids were staying at, and when we stopped by he was quick to break ‘em out and give me the skinny on the whole line.

While one of the girls we were with left with a loaner Tomahawk, I left with a Loaded product pack and notion to keep my carve on all summer long. After being introduced to a skateboard constructed just like a snowboard, I was amped to get Dave on the phone and the Loaded product up on the Hardbooter site for an early spring release. Little did I know that while trying to get a hold of Dave and checking my messages, I received news of a local Park City Hardbooter going down and getting injured in the tree line. But since the cell phone service in British Columbia is not so hot that’s all I could make out in the static.

It was while visiting Dave in the hospital that I first introduced him to the Loaded. Since a broken tibia and fibula are hard to steer with on his front leg and since it is difficult to push with a broken femur out back, we agreed I would have to do the demo work. I was stoked to give Darren a call and have him send me a Loaded demo just as the snow started to melt.

On the last day Park City was open I decided to end the season with a bang, a bang that flared up an injury I received years ago while competing in the Playboy Smirnoff UltraCross events (much like Jeep’s King of the Hill format) of the late 90’s. The surgery required to fix my shoulder would be the first in a series of five needed to repair three different body parts. The board showed up right before surgeries four and five and is the reason they both took place…

I wish I had a great crash story to tell here, but while kicking around on the flex 4 Vanguard that Darren sent I noticed the knee of leg that recently had a rod removed (surgery two) , felt just as, if not more, uncomfortable than before. While spending my first day riding the Vanguard I discovered the cause of the pain to be a series of six non dissolvable stitches left in my knee for the past four years during the rod installation. They were removed in 2 more surgeries that will hopefully be my last for a while.

As you can imagine, after my spring from hell I am just as stoked to skate this year, as I was on my tenth birthday in ‘82 when I walked out of the Powell and Perlata shop in Santa Barbra with my first good skull and sword which I bought from Stacey himself. I remember being amazed by the size, shape, and control the skull and sword had; un-like any of the skinny plastic boards I had ridden until then. Returning to New England that winter, and with a few modifications, it served duty as my first snowboard. It was the first board I ever rode a lift with, although it may have only been a T-bar it was the first time I rode a Snowboard at a ski area…. and I learned very quickly that skateboards do not make good snowboards!


Now over two decades later, Loaded crushes the world of skateboarding by trying to prove snowboards, or at least snowboard construction, make good skateboards. After only a few short turns on any of their decks you can quickly judge this for yourself. The most common response from anyone who has ridden our Vanguard is WOW! The reason is simple. Since all of Loaded’s decks are made using the same Vertical-Laminate style as a snowboard and camber up the wa-zoo, each board truly has its own soul, and it is the great flex provided by the tri weave fiberglass matched to each rider’s weight that makes these sticks sweet!

Now, hopefully, this all sounds familiar to those of us in the hardbooting world and if any of these terms are too technical this is what’s important: just like any good custom alpine carving snowboard, these things are made to fit you and your riding style. With a call or e-mail to us, or a quick peek at loadedboards.com, any personal questions about the line and what should fit you best can be answered.

Here’s the low down on the line we carry:

The Fish: It is 33 inches long and ready to swim its way just about anywhere you can skate. It comes set up with tracker rts 139mm trucks and krypto route 70 mm 78a wheels and pleasure tools abec 7 bearings. Its wheel base is 25.5 inches and it weighs in at 5.6 lbs. They make it in 2 flexes, the first for cats over 180, and the second for the lighter fare in the 100 to 190+ range. This thing is sweet, and it makes its best arcs in tight spaces, and with its tracker bindings it does a great job playing Z-boy in anything made of concrete. It’s not only the trackers that set this thing apart from the rest of the Loaded line, but also its wedge foam tail kick that lets you get back on the deck and up your style points!

The Pintail: For sure the blended board in the line, this is a board tasked to do everything except inverts, and it truly delivers. At only 35 inches long, it places its randell r-II trucks all the way out to crank up the wheel base to 29 inches, giving the length to the hill friendly but still short enough to make it happen in the concrete jungle. It lays out soulful arcs between hordes of jibbers just trying to grind metal and drift airs! Keeping you on the ground and carving are a set of krypto 70mm 78a wheels and pleasure tools abec 7 bearings. At only 6lbs in weight this may be the only board a diversified rider needs. Loaded offers 4 flexes in this board: 170-240+ lbs, 140-210+ lbs, 110-180+ lbs, 80-150+ lbs.

The Vanguard: Without a doubt this is the stick any core alpine carver will crave to carve. This is the shape that launched the Loaded line. By starting with a great truck, the randall r-II in the 180 width, Loaded shaped the board around the truck and scored an instant winner that loves to rail! Set down on krypto classic k 70mm 78a wheels spinning on pleasure tool abec 7 bearings this thing moves. When it comes to flex there’s five to pick from in two different lengths. Flex 1 and flex 2 are 42 inches long, weigh 7lbs, and rock a 37 inch wheel base; flex1 for 175-230+ lbs and flex2 for 150-210+ lbs. Flexes 3, 4 and 5 are 38 inches long and weigh in at 6.4lbs with a 33.5 inch wheel base. Weight ranges are: flex3 150-200+ lbs, flex4 120-170+lbs, flex5 80-140+ lbs. If you ever thought you could skate this is the board to prove it on.

The Pintail and the Vanguard have wheel and bearing upgrades available for a fee. We offer the premium upgrade for both; the Vanguard premium with 76mm 75a wheels and Abec11 bearings, and the Pintail premium with Randal R-II 150 trucks with 1/8th" risers, 76mm 75a wheels and Abec 11 bearings.

The Hammerhead: This is the board that grabs everyone’s attention on the rack with its shape representing the shark that shares its name. Although the flowlab el arco truck in the front may bring out the hater in riders with flowlab experience, it’s really the tracker rts 149 in the back that makes this stick unique! While a duel flowlab truck setup is a chore to push and a trick to get the hang of, Loaded looked outside the arc, or at least away from the el arco in the back. They created a skateboard with the dive initiation of a snowboard, the stability and slide of a standard rear end, and a kick tail with an extra set of holes to change the wheel base from 29- 32 inches depending on the size of your sack. Everything rules on pleasure tools abec 7 bearings and 72mm inline wheels up front and krypto Hawaii k rears. Now while this thing may not be a joy to skate around town on, it is a treat on the steeps, cranking mad lean angles and tight turns. It tips the scale at only 6.6lbs! And it is not for the faint of heart.


Slide on the SideLoaded has brought the flex and feel of a snowboard to the street and will play a huge part in Dave's and my rehab this summer. It was the Vanguard in the mail that forced me to take my arm out of the sling for the first time just so I could reach down and grab the rail and carve. Since then, I and everyone I know, over forty demo riders (thanks to a local snowboard scene friend getting married near a hill!) have had a great time on it. We have a flex 4 and have put up to 230lbs guys on it, and although they would have liked it a bit stiffer, it held up under their weight in a flex for a rider between120-170+.

Christy making the boys look badI guess Loaded is not kidding about the + at the end of their rider weights. The Vanguard handled lots of surfaces from pavement to stone very well, and after the wheels broke in a bit it became a great sliding and carving deck. What we have surely found out is to go with the softest deck you can get away with for your weight. After the 20 pounds of couch weight, I weigh 185 and the flex 4 is my stick of choice for the soulful line Loaded promises. Please speak with us at Hardbooter if you have any questions about weight or flex issues. We will, of course, link this review to a forum for discussion.

This morning I told my shoulder surgeon that I had been skateboarding. He, just like the surgeon pulling random crap out of my knee, told me I should not. We discussed it and came to an arrangement, it turns out I am allowed to skateboard all I want. I am, however, not allowed to fall.

Some boards are built to fill a niche; soft boot boards really have several categories: pipe, park, rail, pow, big mtn., bx, and the self proclaimed “freeride” do it all stick. Each style of board provides a very unique ride with even the sloppiest soft set up providing the input. While the soft boot market is currently large enough to support several shapes and flexes, the Swoard may be the first board to enter a Hard Boot market here in the U.S. and fill a possible East Coast niche. Hopefully the Hard boot world is ready for an EC board. The more alpine product out there the better!
Hardbooter had no plans to review the Swoard at all this year. To be honest, the shape seems more like a step backwards to the days of long slow edge changes on silly fat boards. This board may need to hit the Gym to drop a few centimeters at the waist-line.
When boards vary in length, width and symmetry, riders mirror the range of shapes and dimensions with their own array of styles. That is what I found the Swoard is all about; a different style. The EC guys claim that the board brings out an all new, all improved style. After chatting with several riders who were new to the sport and had been amazed by the EC web site and sold on the fact that this was the only way to ride alpine, and all that “skinny crap” I had been riding for years was, well, all wrong, I jumped at the chance to ride a Swoard.
I met a guy named John-Paul at Park City Mtn. Resort at the end of the season. As we exchanged introductions in the lift line, I learned that he was from Chile and was visiting Park City on business. As the introductions passed and we got to talking about Hardbooting, I found out that he did some South American distribution work for Catek and Swoard on the side. John-Paul was stoked on the Swoard and Jeff Caron’s product, and after verifying we were both in the same shell size, I hit him up for some Swoard time. He was quick to accept and, perhaps, just as excited to try out the stick I was on.
After some (allen) wrenching I had the Swoard 175 with hard flex pattern ready to ride and we were headed for the top on the Silverload chair. The first turns happened on a mellow pitch leading to some steeps and I felt like I was learning how to ride my Checker Pig G6 all over again! After a few more turns I even felt some-what like a younger man on a Rossi GS board in the early 90’s with huge edge angles and without any drag. Images of Shannon Mellhuse laid out on the snow half carving, half controlled sliding flashed before me; a very EC style turn but a decade before its creation? As I aggressively charged on to a steeper pitch and opened the throttle up a little more, another vision appeared of Cliff and the Buttermilk crew riding softly on wide boards in Ride the Edge. (I always wondered why they did not charge at all? They rolled on edge and laid and dragged then flopped to the other edge, much unlike the railed New England style I knew so well) I mimicked the smooth layout style I had mastered watching the video over and over and it almost felt as though I was rediscovering a long lost turn. The Swoard started the turn very nicely each time and at slow speeds. (under 15mph) It held a nice clean line, almost diving into the snow and begging me to lean until the snow impeded my angle. Crossing the fall line I rolled onto the other edge. The transition seemed to hang for just a moment and then smoothly began a new turn that then seemed to tighten a bit more quickly then the last. Now as the pitch began to force me to accelerate I really tried to stand on the board, ripping across the fall line slightly up hill to dump speed and maintain control. I dragged my body inside of each turn I lay out as much as possible between the edge changes, with the moist late season Utah snow sticking to me as it sprays everywhere but holding up very well under the big fat platform of the Swoard. For just a moment a smile creeps onto my face as I imagine the Swoard trenching through some wide-open, European face, railing laid out turns on and off the cord. It all makes sense! I understand the boards niche and it’s only my first run on the thing. I drag out a toeside edge to really build some speed and see what type of edge hold the Swoard really has. As my speed creeps up into the upper 20s, everything changes.
The once solid platform now begins to bounce and chatter! I fight for edge hold and balance as I rip the middle of the turn. The tail folds just behind the back foot, not much at first but just a little as I exit the heelside. I throw my self over the board and allow the board to pass under to try and minimize the force onto the nose after feeling the board fail at the exit of the last turn. The nose begins to hook up but I cannot hold a railed turn at this speed. I reach out and through the apex of the turn trying to salvage what’s left of the bounce and chatter to still maintain control. I almost felt as though I made the turn wrong. Maybe it’s my fault the board is having such a hard time keeping up because it failed so soon and at such a slow speed. I spot some fresh cord off to the side and head for it hoping that my heelside will hold up on the yummy spring snow. After allowing the time for a solid EC turn initiation, I commit to the heelside and am only faintly rewarded for my input with a bouncy nose. This redirects me slightly before the board folds (arrows) between my feet and slides out 4 to 6 meters before I regain control. I try 10 more turns with proper EC style and receive little help from the board. I revert back to my racer roots and go into fight mode struggling to regain control. I dump speed and try to maintain turn shape and control the entire pitch. Magically and around the same speed that it all fell apart, it comes back together. I’m back to the photo quality EC turn and the Swoard feels like a snowboard again only giving me a bounce or bump when I try and push it too hard reminding me to back off the throttle and stay slow and low. As I work the Swoard through the end of the run I really got a chance to feel the board and its purpose much like the beginning of the run were I could see the niche it fills.
The rest of the time I spent on the Swoard was not as satisfying as that first run, perhaps because the board failed at the same speeds that some freeride softboot boards can handle. Possibly I was disappointed by the ride because I have ridden better stock boards from almost every major manufacture than this “Extreme Carver” from Swoard, over the years at less cost regardless of shape. I would love to see a shape similar to the Swoard show up in a more stable product.
Although anyone riding before the days of the four hole pattern may not see anything revolutionary in the shape or ride of the Swoard, the guys at Extremecarving.com have done a great job at marketing a old shape with a new attitude. They have clear and simple ordering guidelines for any one wishing to purchase a Swoard direct from them. They do still use a height guideline for size selection, a process considered out dated by most manufactures. Swoard does take into account rider weight, foot size and ability, to match rider and board. Unfortunately at this time Swoard has lost the factory making their product and is shopping around for a new facility. With so many Swoard fans it will hopefully only be a matter of time before they are pumping out product again.
The Swoard product has all the versatility necessary to provide entry-level riders with a tool that carves a very clean line. Unfortunately the board fails at speeds well below that of a true “race” board. The wide width of the board has several benefits. It allows the rider to run less angle and provides better float in crud and variable conditions allowing the board to be more stable at slower speeds. However, other boards provide the same rider angle options by simply incorporating lift on a more narrow board. The Swoard might be in your quill as a specialty board if you’re not willing to ride softies but still want to ride the crud and pow and have a bit of money to burn. But if you are rider who prefers speed on groomers, this board will spend more time in your quiver than on the snow. Test one out if you can but I have found that the Ride Timless, Salomon E.R.A., Burton Custom X or T6, Nitro Darkhorse or Natural all held an edge as well or better then the Swoard with Cateks on them.

Billy Bordy

Deeluxe stays true to the hardbooter, bringing some cosmetic upgrades into the tried and true Speed line. A quick glance at next year’s action shows the same line-up coming out of the Deeluxe camp as last year. The Indy (AF-700) is the flagship, full race boot providing the experienced carver with the ride they expect from Deeluxe. The Suzuka (AF-600) keeps the lighter racer or recreational carver in the trench with a bit softer flex and feel. Deeluxe also keeps its Raichle inspired roots with the Le Mans; which is a performance freecarve boot based on Raichle’s first series, the SB, dating back to the late eighties. Deeluxe is still looking to the future, with their entire line remaining Intec compatable. The trick, semi-moldable Thermo Fit bladders remain the stock option for those with a Deeluxe friendly foot shape. The Speed Thermo full customization light weight liner is, of course, available as an option for the entire line.

Deeluxe has provided hardbooters with a snowboard specific product for so long that almost every seasoned rider has, or has had, a set in their quiver. The renaming of the hardboot line from Raichle to the softboot banner Deeluxe may have come to improve sales as Raichle’s own softboot line surpassed the hardboots in sales. In a heroic attempt to maintain the line, Raichle’s name has gone to the wayside in favor of the hip Deeluxe image. The name change’s only effect was some small confusion to the intimate and growing hardboot community, accustomed to searching the Internet for the key word, Raichle.

Deeluxe again provides a product for every rider next year. The Indy gets a faster race car red paint job with a matching tongue and spoiler, completing the exterior. The remainder of the boot looks unchanged, featuring the Indy specific, Power Flex Asym shell providing the stiffest ride of the line. The forward lean continues to be controlled by the questionable spring-load forward lean mechanism. While the mechanism works well for the majority of the carvers the boot is designed for, heavy and powerful expert trenchers may find the weak upper junction of the shaft and upper cuff pin are prone to bending, and although very rare, possible failure. The solution is a switch to the 5-step forward lean mechanism, providing a stiffer and often more desirable ride for the hard core rider. Unfortunately, removing the damper ride of the spring can also have a negative impact to some. Unless Deeluxe offers a replacement kit with a better junction and cuff pin system, the benefits of the spring-load forward lean will involve a pre and post ride check for bending, and replacement when needed to avoid failure. This comes at the cost of the consumer, who must hammer out the pin to check it, which may possibly elongate the pin hole with repeated removal and reassembly. Indy riders will still receive the stock Full fit liner with thermo zones in key comfort and hold down areas, providing a slightly stiffer ride and semi-adjustable fit. The bladder uses the same powerstrap design as last year’s boot, providing a firmer bladder-to-tongue interface than the Le Mans boot, but still lacking the clamping power of a full wrap strap. Deeluxe believes the current design provides ample power while reducing the amount of shin bang in the stock liner. This will probably be the most modified part of the boot thanks to the Booster Strap, however, if you choose the full customization Speed Thermo liner it may be your only option due to the lack of any power strap.

The Suzuka again shares the same overlap tongue shape and shell with the Indy, providing a slightly more flexible boot with lots of free-carving and racing potential and has found its way onto 2002 silver medalist Richard Richardson’s feet. This is a full- blown carver’s boot with a softer Carve Flex Asym shell, more durable, but fixed 5-step forward lean mechanism. Only 3 of the positions are truly usable, and the coarseness of the positioning determining your forward lean forcing you to look to canting to offset the fact you would like to be between positions 2 and 3. The Semi- Fit, semi moldable liner, provides just a little less support than the Full Fit semi-moldable liner. The reduction in moldable zones separates the Suzuka from its bastard, hardcore cousin, the Indy. It also will change colors into a pleasing navy with black tongue and spoiler highlights. This boot rips all by itself and is on par with many Race Boots from other manufacturers, allowing it to be the recreational carvers’ boot of choice in 2005.

The Le Mans maintains its roots by allowing an economical option for the hardboot enthusiast who enjoys a softer flexing supportive boot to ride all conditions all the time. While it maintains the soft flexing outdated Flexon Comp tongue design it remains a favorite to some. Attempting to stay true to the fit and performance of a full tongue boot, Deeluxe has maintained the Le Mans nicely. It features the Ride Flex Asym shell, 5-step forward lean mechanism, and Core Fit non-moldable liner. This boot surely fills a niche but has all the weaknesses that the SB line had when the AF line went into production. The cant adjuster is still weak and prone to breakage even though it went through a semi successful although not bombproof upgrade in the AF series. The lack of a usable power strap and poor drive through the diagonal plane are still the boot’s major flaws.

Perhaps a better marketing campaign would be to drop the aging, substandard Le Mans and refine the flaws in the Indy and Suzuka which would provide Deeluxe with a firm foundation to continue their contribution to the hard boot community. Deeluxe continues to make an outstanding product next year; with very few contributors to the market, it is hard to find flaw in any hard boot that is snowboard specific. Deeluxe continues to be the hard boot of choice for most riders because of their commitment to the sport, and their long lasting history of quality and performance. Next year’s line offers all of the same thrills as last year’s line. The only noticeable upgrades being a flashy new paint job, leaving many riders in the same boot for the 3rd or 4th season fulfilled or perhaps looking to E-Bay closeouts for a deal on last years colors at a fraction of the price.’


--Billy Bordy

Alpine Snowboard Gear is still near impossible to acquire although it’s getting better. Our goal is to expose established and new equipment to the hardbooting community and the carving curious. Alpine snowboard can be as simple or as tech as an individual wants it to be. We will work to fit the needs of every level of hardbooter. We want you to contact us with questions, concerns about the site and how we’re doing (We also want you to call us to cruise around if your in the Salt Lake area during a high pressure system.) The site will be forever changing so check back often….


Dave Tille