I purchased this jacket on SAC and am super stoked on it. The venting system is Ok, but the rest rocks. Definitely more of a mid to cold weather jacket, and the hood fits well over my Giro G9. on cold days, the fleece insulation panels in the back keep you nice and warm, and the wrist gaiters keep the snow out of your gloves. keeps the snow out, but still plenty of room for twisting, bending and reaching.

I'm 6'0" 170 with long arms, I wear a M. Definitely a baggy fit.

This binding has been an enigma for me since 2002. I've gone through several pairs, and have given the older ones to friends who needed an upgrade.

The Good: The chassis is my favorite part of these bindings. Limited flex means direct transfer of movement from boot to board and vice versa. In short, there's no loss of movement. Pretty much bomb-proof, which is the main reason I keep coming back to Ride bindings.

The Ugly: My ankle strap hardware (nut and bolt on chassis (back foot) completely came out mid-run on my first day at Silverton last year. I am meticulous about keeping my gear tight and maintained. But the straps have always caused me grief, and this is on every pair I've owned.The plastic male part of the ankle strap interface wears out. I go through one of these on average once every 15-20 days or so. I'm guessing that it is the interface with the metal ratchets. (It used to be worse when Ride used plastic ratchets because then the teeth would straight up fall off) it's really frustrating because if I can't get my back foot dialed in right, it messes up my whole flow. I went ahead and purchased several of the backup male parts from Ride a year ago , and always carry a spare in my pocket or pack.

In short: I choose the EX each year because i know they fit, and the price is right - I am not rich, you know? The work well in every condition I go after. Just have to be prepared to do some frankenstein work after day 15 or so.I think this year I'll try a model higher, but still keeping it real with Ride.

I am writing this on behalf of my lady, who has ridden this board for a couple years now. This board had helped her progress from greens/blues to blue/blacks and the occasional double. it's her first choice for powder and she digs how well it floats. It smooths out the choppiness of late powderday runs, and she feels it is pretty stable at higher speeds, even though it is lighter than her daily driver board.

Recommended!

//Re-Post from 2008 because this is a sweet board//. The Podium has served me well in every task i've thrown at it. Most especially, this board is super nimble in trees, both in long glades and tight access routes. I own a 161, and I can honestly say as a daily driver, it's all I need. It holds long surf carves on hardpack, is stable when straightlining, floats well in foot+ gnar, and is supportive and responsive in both park and straight air half pipe runs.

One final item i could share is that the base is pretty durable overall. I've hit far more rocks and stumps than the base lets on, and to me...that's been a wallet saver.

Great Surf Watch. Tides are on track, but forecasting is a little difficult if you're tying to plan a trip a few months out.. You're better off using the internet in this case. But if you need to know when the tide push is for your dawn session, look no further - it's easy to read. The Titanium face gets good compliments on a regular basis, too.

This was and still is my surf watch and I've had no issue with saltwater corrosion or leaky housing. The band fits well, doesn't stretch over time and doesn't grow the funk either. A little fresh water rinse does it good.

Worth every penny. I've dropped this a few times right on the face, and no cracks!

100+ days in these boots - in Pow, Park, Tight trees, loose glades, hiking and teary-eyed groomers. They've handled it all with style, stability and comfort.

The outer shell is super durable and I've replaced the laces only once. The inner boot could use a burlier tightening system, one that keeps the clamp on ankle and instep...or maybe I could have worked some magic on the lacing itself too.... but the only drawback I've found is that I have to re-tighten my laces throughout the day.

other than that, they have taken quite a beating and still keep on ticking. The anti-microbial liners work like a charm. Just keep the liners dry after riding and you'll be stoked!

The Podium has served me well in every task i've thrown at it. Most especially, this board is super nimble in trees, both in long glades and tight access routes. I own a 161, and I can honestly say as a daily driver, it's all I need. It holds long surf carves on hardpack, is stable when straightlining, floats well in foot+ gnar, and is supportive and responsive in both park and straight air half pipe runs.

One final item i could share is that the base is pretty durable overall. I've hit far more rocks and stumps than the base lets on, and to me...that's been a wallet saver.

This jacket is a good fit. I have long arms and the sleeve lengths don't make it look too young on me when reaching across the bar for a beer. I've worn this in temps from 20 to 50 and it is great...at 20 degrees and windy, I feel no chill with short sleeves. It is definitely windproof, stylee and warm, but not sweaty like your NF bubbles.

Super lightweight. Worth the cash.