mahatma
04-03-2010, 07:03 PM
OK. On Thursday I picked up my Condors from the shop as I had a few things done to them. I'll explain those before going into the review. As you might recall, I liked the Condors but found them to have idiosyncratic behavior when driven by me. Other reviews by noted skiboard experts were very different than mine. This bothered me. I mean, there is often differences in opinion but usually not differences in experience. It normally comes down to the different ways people ride and the conditions they ride in. But, this time was different. So, I dropped by the local shop and had my Condors looked at. My boards were cupped. In other words, the bases were not flat. Now, this is a common issue in the snowboarding world. If you purchase a snowboard (new or used) you are nothing less than a fool if you do not check the base. I've purchased fully custom snowboards that cost more than I would admit in anything other than a hushed tone that arrived at my door cupped. Production boards are the same way. Why? I don't know. I don't make the things. I just buy them. So, once this was verified, I wrote G to let him know. Greco did not ask how I discovered this, did not ask for an estimate of cost or anything else. G said one thing - "Tell me what is costs to flatten the bases". That's it. Period. I've never had any company or custom builder say that to me. Ever. G is "all that". There is no other company in any walk that is more client oriented. So, along with the base work I had a 2 degree side (or 88 depending on how you look at it) edge placed on the edges. They come from the factory with 0/0. I did this because the other boards I own that I am impressed with their all around edge control have this edge. The Lacroix's are 0/0 but they are a different animal.
This morning I deposited my newly based, edged and waxed Condors and a set of Spruce 120's into the cavernous Mahatma ski hoopdie. I then went to Larry's house, moved his Centrum Silver IV bag into car and deposited a fresh pallet of Adult Depends in the back and we left for Kagura. Arriving at Kagura at 0700 we find sun and reports that it rained last night. We get off the ropeway to a sad sight. Seeing powder spoiled Kagura regulars on hard pack frozen by rain is a pathetic thing to see. People raking across the groom on pontoon skis and snowboards 60 feet and flipping over the netting, cursing, wailing and gnashing of teeth is everywhere. Everyone's grabbing snowshoes and heading to higher ground. Screw this place. I have Condors and Larry has long, skinny skis. He wants to stay. The place is almost ours alone.
My first 2 bunny runs I do essentially nothing. It's ice. Larry is kicking butt. We push up higher and head for our normal hour long jaunt over to a coffee shop near the Dragondola. Here is where the review begins. I feel pretty comfortable on the Condors at this point but still have no idea how they will behave. Larry takes off and I chase. We're moving fast into the first turn. I set a hard edge and its' like I dropped a grappling hook. I ease up a bit and the Condor modulates like it read my mind. I set the boards flat and hunker over to catch Larry - the Condor carries speed like it is a much longer board and has absolutely no chatter. I set another turn cruising past Larry with a big smile on my face. I mumble something about skiing with senior citizens. Larry now chases. I head towards a wave section after a turn onto another slope. I catch minimal air on 2 of the waves - 5-6 feet max. Larry is behind me. We are now hauling ass - it's a race to the next chair. We're actually too fast for conditions. Larry underestimates a turn and is off the groom into crunchy powder. He was close enough I hear him curse. I rocket down to the lift and burn up and hours worth of thigh power dragging myself to a stop. On the waves the Condor felt floppy and compliant. On edge, the Condors tightens up like a steel belt. This skiboarder is overjoyed. After coffee and a few good natured jabs we are back on the slopes. I pick a nice, wide, intermediate slope (maybe 27 degrees), pick up some speed and prepare to face plant because I lean over the front of the Condors. No reaction. They just kept going as if I didn't make the slightest change. Huh? What's this? A condor that modulates its' edge and doesn't care if I get over the front on hard pack? What the hell is going on here? Larry compliments me on how fast I am today and says it's time for lunch. A little early at 1100 but what the hell. While we are eating a storm rolls in. Massive powder flakes dropping like a blanket from heaven returns Kagura to its' natural state. Withing 1 hour there is 4-5 inches on the ground. Unfortunately, the storm also brought gale force winds. Conditions are blinding. You cannot see your feet. The type of conditions where you cannot even tell if you are going up or down. Hunt and peck time to any man-made shelter. A toilet will do. Have to get out of this. We do. We wait. We wait some more. The wind gives a little and we decide to head for lower ground. Maybe 4 inches of the lightest powder you'll find covering the earth and turning my Condors into magic carpets. Larry is doing well but not enjoying the way I am. I'm acting like a snowboarder running up and bouncing off any crappy, littler anomaly and plowing off into the side country bouncing through widely spaced trees and pouncing back down onto the groom. Thew cycle repeats itself for another 30 minutes until we get to the lift that will take us over to the bunny runs. I don't want to leave. Larry looks beat. I don't feel like picking on him for being old because right now he actually looks old. He's not having fun. He can't see well in this stuff and he's nervous. We head back while Larry meekly apologizes. I give him a push and say "You ain't so bad for an old timer. Coffee's on me." Our day ends.
The Condors were everything jjue, Valmorel, Bill and others have said they are. For what it's worth, the 2 degree side edge agrees with me like a glove style fit. I love it. These things are growlers. They are comfortable and compliant,but kick total ass when you set an edge. The only dig I can find is that compared to my Sherpas they are less forgiving of bad form when hauling ass. Never any bad behavior but the few times I shifted weight inappropriately the Condors responded by getting a little squirly for a second. I don't know, but the opinion of this skiboarder is that G should change absolutely nothing on this board. I dig a 2 degree edge but that's just me. I'm sure the graphics will change from time to time but as they are they are totally pimptastic lookers. These just might be the next big thing. I just might have fell in love. More next week
This morning I deposited my newly based, edged and waxed Condors and a set of Spruce 120's into the cavernous Mahatma ski hoopdie. I then went to Larry's house, moved his Centrum Silver IV bag into car and deposited a fresh pallet of Adult Depends in the back and we left for Kagura. Arriving at Kagura at 0700 we find sun and reports that it rained last night. We get off the ropeway to a sad sight. Seeing powder spoiled Kagura regulars on hard pack frozen by rain is a pathetic thing to see. People raking across the groom on pontoon skis and snowboards 60 feet and flipping over the netting, cursing, wailing and gnashing of teeth is everywhere. Everyone's grabbing snowshoes and heading to higher ground. Screw this place. I have Condors and Larry has long, skinny skis. He wants to stay. The place is almost ours alone.
My first 2 bunny runs I do essentially nothing. It's ice. Larry is kicking butt. We push up higher and head for our normal hour long jaunt over to a coffee shop near the Dragondola. Here is where the review begins. I feel pretty comfortable on the Condors at this point but still have no idea how they will behave. Larry takes off and I chase. We're moving fast into the first turn. I set a hard edge and its' like I dropped a grappling hook. I ease up a bit and the Condor modulates like it read my mind. I set the boards flat and hunker over to catch Larry - the Condor carries speed like it is a much longer board and has absolutely no chatter. I set another turn cruising past Larry with a big smile on my face. I mumble something about skiing with senior citizens. Larry now chases. I head towards a wave section after a turn onto another slope. I catch minimal air on 2 of the waves - 5-6 feet max. Larry is behind me. We are now hauling ass - it's a race to the next chair. We're actually too fast for conditions. Larry underestimates a turn and is off the groom into crunchy powder. He was close enough I hear him curse. I rocket down to the lift and burn up and hours worth of thigh power dragging myself to a stop. On the waves the Condor felt floppy and compliant. On edge, the Condors tightens up like a steel belt. This skiboarder is overjoyed. After coffee and a few good natured jabs we are back on the slopes. I pick a nice, wide, intermediate slope (maybe 27 degrees), pick up some speed and prepare to face plant because I lean over the front of the Condors. No reaction. They just kept going as if I didn't make the slightest change. Huh? What's this? A condor that modulates its' edge and doesn't care if I get over the front on hard pack? What the hell is going on here? Larry compliments me on how fast I am today and says it's time for lunch. A little early at 1100 but what the hell. While we are eating a storm rolls in. Massive powder flakes dropping like a blanket from heaven returns Kagura to its' natural state. Withing 1 hour there is 4-5 inches on the ground. Unfortunately, the storm also brought gale force winds. Conditions are blinding. You cannot see your feet. The type of conditions where you cannot even tell if you are going up or down. Hunt and peck time to any man-made shelter. A toilet will do. Have to get out of this. We do. We wait. We wait some more. The wind gives a little and we decide to head for lower ground. Maybe 4 inches of the lightest powder you'll find covering the earth and turning my Condors into magic carpets. Larry is doing well but not enjoying the way I am. I'm acting like a snowboarder running up and bouncing off any crappy, littler anomaly and plowing off into the side country bouncing through widely spaced trees and pouncing back down onto the groom. Thew cycle repeats itself for another 30 minutes until we get to the lift that will take us over to the bunny runs. I don't want to leave. Larry looks beat. I don't feel like picking on him for being old because right now he actually looks old. He's not having fun. He can't see well in this stuff and he's nervous. We head back while Larry meekly apologizes. I give him a push and say "You ain't so bad for an old timer. Coffee's on me." Our day ends.
The Condors were everything jjue, Valmorel, Bill and others have said they are. For what it's worth, the 2 degree side edge agrees with me like a glove style fit. I love it. These things are growlers. They are comfortable and compliant,but kick total ass when you set an edge. The only dig I can find is that compared to my Sherpas they are less forgiving of bad form when hauling ass. Never any bad behavior but the few times I shifted weight inappropriately the Condors responded by getting a little squirly for a second. I don't know, but the opinion of this skiboarder is that G should change absolutely nothing on this board. I dig a 2 degree edge but that's just me. I'm sure the graphics will change from time to time but as they are they are totally pimptastic lookers. These just might be the next big thing. I just might have fell in love. More next week