I rode a 169cm NS Raptor X wide all last winter all over Snowbird, Utah. I sold its predecessor the NS Titan Wide to go with the new Double Camber/Rocker Technology. If you are still riding an "Old Skool" board without the double camber/Rocker Technology you do not know what you are missing. I have been riding since 1995 and this board is just plain forgiving. This new technology will make you a better rider instantly. No more accidental edge catching even with the increased responsiveness. You bust through crud and bumps like a mad man! The board floats bigger than it is in the POW, so much that I am downsizing to a 165cm this season. I am a big guy that rides hard and aggressive. I tried to destroy the top laminate last season riding the trees but the board is built solid tip to tail. Never seen a tougher Top Laminate—Having kids run over it all the time with their skis in the lift lines proves it also. Buy the Raptor X you won't be disappointed…

I went from the Never Summer Titan TX Wide 169cm to the Never Summer Raptor X Wide 169cm. The Raptor is the Titan’s Replacement. The Ride is NIGHT & DAY DIFFERENT! The Titan was stiff, heavy and unyielding. Lots of edge lots of control at high speeds but that’s its only offering in comparison.The Raptor X is light, snappy, and pops out of holes, over moguls, and blasts through crud & crust. The board in powder was a whole new experience- for once I didn’t have to lean back, it rides way longer than it is. I had to keep from wheeling over with any speed I got in the powder till I got used to it. Staying center over the board I found was the key in powder. In other words, if you have ever surfed, it rides just like a surfboard in the powder. The whole shifting of your weight is minor to get the board to move in comparison to the old camber style. This board is super responsive yet forgiving. So many times I thought I might catch an edge landing switch or jibbing around but it just keep going and surprised the hell out of me. I feel this board will make you ride better especially if you've been riding for a lot of years. There is a 2 day learning curve and I recommend having a POW day and a groomer day. The feel is different especially if your a hard charger and like to ride fast and steep. Now that I have been riding it for almost a month, I have never felt like the board was gonna wash out from under me even at high speeds. Icy faces were sketchy at times due to the board easily being manipulated into a turn on a whim. (Maybe this is the washing out some say this new technology brings?) SO YES THE HYPE IS REAL! I will never go back to old skool camber.*Side Note*I was riding on this 45 degree slope on a POW day and I barrel rolled and got my tail stuck on this small tree and had to do this inverted pushup to spin off of it. I hit so hard I thought I had shredded the Carbonium topsheet. NO SIR! All I left was some sap and light scuff. This board is tough! Now the true test... SKIERS AND LIFT LINES-WATCH YOUR STICKS PLEASE!

No sponsorship-- just avid user over the past 12+ years. I have used this beacon along with Ortovox. I prefer the Pieps because I think it is more user friendly with the features it offers. I loved the other reviews on here... All Beacons have their "issues" but in my honest opinion those "issues" usually arise or result from inadequate classroom and hands on training. I feel comfortable using my device because I practice with it therefore I have had minimal interference or "issues". Use some COMMON SENSE and turn off other electrical devices such as phones when you are searching etc. If you don't practice yearly (by buying another Beacon or using a friends) you shouldn't be in the Backcountry... If you don't have friends that know how to use their devices you shouldn't be in the Backcountry... (What good would that do other than a body recovery later on?) If you don't have proper equipment (probes/shovel) you shouldn't be in the Backcountry. Most of all, if you haven't had a Certified Avalanche Class Offered by the NSP or Avalanche Centers you shouldn't be in the Backcountry!

Liberty Mountain in West Valley, Utah will do the Pieps Software Updates on your older models for $20. It takes about 5 minutes (if you walk in). Go to Pieps Website on how to find which model you have.

Its hard to find this Deep Purple Color... Snatch it up quick! Its not quite Gay but Metro enough to standout and make a statement. If you are 6'1" or taller or a 32" inseam or larger go with the XXL. The Waist has inside adjustable velcro straps that bring it in nicely and hold. Their is also pull strings on the sides to bring in extra length if you want. (Novel Idea! Everyone should do this for us baggy riders!) My waist is about a 36-38 and they fit great with a little adjustment. I hate tight pants while snowboarding especially in the Quads. I tried an XL and the length was not quite long enough and the legs felt tight or confining. (At 6'1" & 32" Inseam)

I have a pair of Volcom Gore-Tex Pro Snowboarding Pants that I paid High Dollar for. I don't notice any difference in quality, warmth, water-resistance, breathability, etc. Makes me think twice about spending that much again just to get Gore-Tex Pro Shells.

I have a size 12 foot. After years and years of riding small width Burton boots with no room for high arch feet or wider than normal feet, I found the Prime Boot is "THE ANSWER" to my wide Feet. I am not a Triple EEE but an E not quite a Double EE in width. The Toe Box is roomy so my feet stay warmer now cause I'm not cutting of circulation. No more sore feet either in the arch because this boot doesn't push down on the top of my foot. The Boots are Stiff and great for my kind of riding. (Freeride/BigMountain/Powder) Another plus with ThirtyTwo Boots is the simplicity of the good ol' lacing like a shoe. It allows me the ability to adjust the fit exactly how I want it. I have had those speed lacing systems and I don't really care for them because they do break (if your a hard charger) and you might as well chuck them than to get some shoe cobbler to look at them and scratch his head and go huh? The Inner liner is warm and laces up nicely with a pull-cord-lock, small string lacing and strong velcro sides to keep the tongue from moving around on you during the day.

SIDE NOTE:
I tried on a pair of Solomon Boots called the Synapse Wide (Specifically deemed a wide snowboard boot.) If you have those Triple EEE Fred Flintstone Feet you should go with these Boots they are SUPER wide and beefy and bulky and heavier. BUT... they also have all that extra crap for tightening your strings like the BOA or Speed Lace Systems. They also don't fit into Burton Large Bindings (I had C60's but went to Union Bindings which are wider and Stiffer) Burton just doesn't make much stuff to fit people outside of normal sizes.

I am 6'2", size 12 shoe, and 265pds. of HARD LARD BABY!
This is my choice of boards for several reasons:
Toe overhang is minimal if any for large feet.
The board floats me well and is stiffer than most which makes it fast in the steeps and way responsive in the trees.
The price is reasonable for the quality and craftsmanship you get.
Your not getting a clone Burton Board.
The top laminate sheet is less prone to tree and rock damage than most boards I've seen. The board is solid and the camber and tip to tail snap is perfect for my riding requirements.
Look for me dropping the Cirques at Snowbird. I'm the FAT GUY that will School you little frail NANCYS on your JIB boards!
Kids today, all they talk about is big air. I say, stay in the terrain park, that's where the action is. If you want big air, pull my finger.

Used it for single belays on The Subway in Zions.
Ideal for ropes below 10.5 mm
Works great in all 3 positions: Reg. friction for repelling, high friction for belay, and hanging auto block belay.

I wore these down the Subway in Zions and they worked great... Side-note and trade secret-->Always wear socks (synthetic or wool) down the Subway no matter what shoe or sandal you decide to wear...keeps blisters to a minimum from the friction of the sand and your wet feet. The shoe is very comfortable with no break in time...

*Needs Eyelets* to keep the adjustment strap from braking (cause of the angles it makes). The adjustment strap goes all the way around the shoe--which helps to tighten it up once the shoe gets loose from being in the water.

Don't be a cheap-o and spend the money to get the best flops on the market!
My feet are never sore and I have put some miles on these bad boys with high arches.
-Awesome Footbed
-Good Traction
-No odor problems
-Sized right

Quick and easy deploy with good depth markings...
Not too flimsy to get through the hard pack...

I am gonna bail on all the synthetics from here on out. Good-bye Patagonia Capilene... Good-bye Under Armour Cold Gear... Hello Lamb Chops I am here to stay! Absolutely the best base layer I have ever owned. I don't care about the special washing requirements. The itch wasn't even noticeable and I have sensitive skin. I was amazed at how little body odored was trapped by this material. As with most things now-a-days, you pay for performance when it comes to winter gear. Arc'teryx never ceases to amaze me. I am buying the matching bottoms.

I went to the Backcountry.Com warehouse and showroom in West Valley, Utah. I was looking for a Jacket to replace my North Face Mtn. Guide Jacket. I did my homework and researched several different jackets all of which had one thing in common... the new GORE-TEX PRO. I tried on the Following jackets: Arc'teryx Sidewinders SV & AR, Mountain Hardwear Beryllium, & North Face Free Thinker. I wanted it to be roomy because I am not your average skinny runt snowboarder. I am 6"2 with 54" Chest 36' waist. This jacket fit the best for my XXL build. These last 2 days 1/29-1/30 2008 have been epic at Snowbird Utah 48" fell in 2 days. (They are saying the best in 20 years) This jacket was bomb proof and it kept me dry. It was waist to chest deep power. I dropped in off of Great Scott and the Cirques with this jacket keeping me completely dry even while cart-wheeling and eating it due to the poor visibility. I ski patrolled on board at The Canyons and got to demo a lot of jackets. This by far is the best jacket I have ever worn.

The collar is high but it is awesome in deep powder...nothing gets in. You don't have to wear one of those stupid ninja hoods that causes your goggles to fog with the higher collar. Obviously those who complain about the high collar have never been in deep powder. The powder skirt was also flawless. My helmet did not rub on my coat. The hood that is zipped up in the collar is a storm hood. I compared the other Arc'teryx jackets with the storm hood outside the collar while trying on several coats in their showroom in Utah. If your a free skier or a boarder and you want free range of motion this is the best Arc'teryx model that I tried on.