warning
04-01-2007, 04:24 AM
So, I waited until I had been in everything before I wrote up a full review. Might be a little long and rambling but whatever, just going to let you know my thoughts.
When I first got the EMPs, I loved the graphics and the size. They seemed perfect, and I'm not a hardcore park guy, so a bit of extra length and going over the 100cm mark did not bother me in the least.
The flex felt right, and I cannot put into words how well the boards ride fakie. I swear you turn your hips and these things just lock in. I went from only being able to ride fakie long enough to land off a rail and butter back to forwards, to speed checking and passing people in a few days.
Packed powder and the usual East Coast ice spots are handled as well as any other boards I've ridden. Most of "any other" boards include early Line models.
Slush, I really can't comment too much on. Nothing really to say either good or bad..... When I first got out to Tahoe last week I was pushing twice as much as the boarders I ride with when things got sticky. I don't feel this was the EMPs handling the garbage poorly but the lack of surface area (skiboards vs snowboards) hurting overall speed on the long flats.
I got really fed up with kicking all day long and took the day off to get some new hotwax put on at a local shop. But I can't comment on if that helped or not because, the next day brought 2 foot of fresh....
Powder. Wow, this is where I fell in love with EMPS. I had been to Hunter the day after a fresh 3 feet but there really was no glades there. It was mostly skier tracked powder which the EMPS handled fine.
When I got to the top of the glades at heavenly with my snowboarder friends, I thought.... we'll I've been here before. Crazy powder and I'm going to end up knee deep and dead while they shred right by me. I have pretty big boots so I can't adjust my bindings for powder, so I just got some speed and leaned back into the fresh 28". It took about 5 turns and I started passing people. Thats right I was taking tighter lines in the trees and passing people in knee high powder. The day was crazy and I loved it.
I got caught slacking at one point bombing some fresh tracks .... some boarder stopped in front of me and I had to take an unexpected turn....one foot got stuck in the pow, ended up behind me, and I couldnt keep going on 1 board, with the other dragging. Ended up dead in the flats. Getting started in the pow with EMPS is still a bit rough so as long as you keep your speed, you should be good to go.
Overall, the ride of the EMPs was above and beyond what I expected. The extra length really helps in the powder but you still have the freedom of skiboards.
My only complaint would be the topsheet is really soft. I sanded the edges, and make sure to never click my boards together, or push over my own tips, but they still take some nasty chips. Some from falls, some from lift lines, some from agressive riding, but it seems I'm sanding a spot down and dropping epoxy on a new spot after every 2 days of riding or so.
Welp, theres my review after a season on EMPS. Keep in mind I had taken the last 3 seasons or so off and ridden mostly Lines until now. So the switch from my old boards to these was a pretty big leap.
When I first got the EMPs, I loved the graphics and the size. They seemed perfect, and I'm not a hardcore park guy, so a bit of extra length and going over the 100cm mark did not bother me in the least.
The flex felt right, and I cannot put into words how well the boards ride fakie. I swear you turn your hips and these things just lock in. I went from only being able to ride fakie long enough to land off a rail and butter back to forwards, to speed checking and passing people in a few days.
Packed powder and the usual East Coast ice spots are handled as well as any other boards I've ridden. Most of "any other" boards include early Line models.
Slush, I really can't comment too much on. Nothing really to say either good or bad..... When I first got out to Tahoe last week I was pushing twice as much as the boarders I ride with when things got sticky. I don't feel this was the EMPs handling the garbage poorly but the lack of surface area (skiboards vs snowboards) hurting overall speed on the long flats.
I got really fed up with kicking all day long and took the day off to get some new hotwax put on at a local shop. But I can't comment on if that helped or not because, the next day brought 2 foot of fresh....
Powder. Wow, this is where I fell in love with EMPS. I had been to Hunter the day after a fresh 3 feet but there really was no glades there. It was mostly skier tracked powder which the EMPS handled fine.
When I got to the top of the glades at heavenly with my snowboarder friends, I thought.... we'll I've been here before. Crazy powder and I'm going to end up knee deep and dead while they shred right by me. I have pretty big boots so I can't adjust my bindings for powder, so I just got some speed and leaned back into the fresh 28". It took about 5 turns and I started passing people. Thats right I was taking tighter lines in the trees and passing people in knee high powder. The day was crazy and I loved it.
I got caught slacking at one point bombing some fresh tracks .... some boarder stopped in front of me and I had to take an unexpected turn....one foot got stuck in the pow, ended up behind me, and I couldnt keep going on 1 board, with the other dragging. Ended up dead in the flats. Getting started in the pow with EMPS is still a bit rough so as long as you keep your speed, you should be good to go.
Overall, the ride of the EMPs was above and beyond what I expected. The extra length really helps in the powder but you still have the freedom of skiboards.
My only complaint would be the topsheet is really soft. I sanded the edges, and make sure to never click my boards together, or push over my own tips, but they still take some nasty chips. Some from falls, some from lift lines, some from agressive riding, but it seems I'm sanding a spot down and dropping epoxy on a new spot after every 2 days of riding or so.
Welp, theres my review after a season on EMPS. Keep in mind I had taken the last 3 seasons or so off and ridden mostly Lines until now. So the switch from my old boards to these was a pretty big leap.