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  • Upgrade from the original RVL8 Revolts

    I bought the original RVL8 Revolts back in 2006 and have been enjoying them for the past 12 years! I only make one three-day ski trip a year so they don't see a ton of action, but they've been pretty used and abused over the years. I'm thinking that the skiboard technology has come a long way and it might be time to consider an upgrade.

    I mostly ski out in Colorado, but this year we're heading out to Utah for the first time. I am not one to bust out any tricks, but I love bombing down the mountain, riding in the trees, and even flying some some moguls. I have loved my Revolts in every instance in that I can just put them on and handle pretty much everything we do -- except deep powder. Last year at Big Sky I found myself going down and getting stuck on more than one occasion. I have good technique when it comes to getting on my heals, but I know the boards and technique can only do so much for me.

    I've checked out the board comparison chart and it looks like the best all around board is still the Revolt so I'm hesitant to change things up... but then I also don't know if the newer Revolts are that different than the originals. I'm 6'1 - 165 lbs. Any thoughts?
    -Brad

  • #2
    Originally posted by captain_jim1 View Post
    I bought the original RVL8 Revolts back in 2006 and have been enjoying them for the past 12 years! I only make one three-day ski trip a year so they don't see a ton of action, but they've been pretty used and abused over the years. I'm thinking that the skiboard technology has come a long way and it might be time to consider an upgrade.

    I mostly ski out in Colorado, but this year we're heading out to Utah for the first time. I am not one to bust out any tricks, but I love bombing down the mountain, riding in the trees, and even flying some some moguls. I have loved my Revolts in every instance in that I can just put them on and handle pretty much everything we do -- except deep powder. Last year at Big Sky I found myself going down and getting stuck on more than one occasion. I have good technique when it comes to getting on my heals, but I know the boards and technique can only do so much for me.

    I've checked out the board comparison chart and it looks like the best all around board is still the Revolt so I'm hesitant to change things up... but then I also don't know if the newer Revolts are that different than the originals. I'm 6'1 - 165 lbs. Any thoughts?
    RVL8 Sticky Icky Icky's and or Spruce Crossbows are both great next step boards to try.

    Rick ><)))°>
    rickylink

    ~ KTP ~ Revolts (mucho) ~ ALP/DLP ~ BCP ~ RC's ~ Blunt~ Blunt XL~ Spliff ~ Sticky ii~ Spruce LE /Osprey~ Crossbow ~ Bomber E2 Bindings / RVL8 Receptors
    ~ Full Tilt Boots

    ~ Your 1 ply guy



    Big or Small I Ride them All !

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    • #3
      Originally posted by rickylink View Post
      RVL8 Sticky Icky Icky's and or Spruce Crossbows are both great next step boards to try.

      Rick ><)))°>
      Thanks.. my impression of the sticky icky ickys was that they were a no-go for powder. What advantages would have any either of these over my current setup?
      -Brad

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      • #4
        Originally posted by captain_jim1 View Post
        Thanks.. my impression of the sticky icky ickys was that they were a no-go for powder. What advantages would have any either of these over my current setup?
        Stickies can do some powder, especially when set back, but that's not their strength. Whether they would be an advantage to you over the Revolts depends on what you want.

        If you're perfectly happy with Revolts everywhere except in deep powder, then you might be better off getting a second pair of boards for deep powder. Blunt XL, Rockered Condor, Raptor/125 and other options would complement your Revolts well. There are several here who have such quivers of 2. But it's hard to strongly recommend this setup to someone who makes one 3-day trip a year.

        If you want to replace your Revolts with a single pair of boards that handle deep powder better, then Stickies and Crossbows will likely be the most recommended options. I personally feel that the single most important advantage of Stickies and Crossbows is that they are versatile enough to let you go anywhere on the mountain without really needing another set of boards, but that this comes at a cost when you push those boards hard enough on certain terrain or with certain riding style to hit their performance ceiling. Comparing the 2, Stickies are stiffer and closer in form factor to your Revolts, so you will probably feel more comfortable with them at first, whereas the Crossbows are softer and larger, so you may need to adjust more. Crossbows are much better in powder than Stickies but not as nimble everywhere else.

        Oh you didn't mention what bindings you had, but depending on what they are you may or may no be able to mount them on the boards that you are considering.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by captain_jim1 View Post
          Thanks.. my impression of the sticky icky ickys was that they were a no-go for powder. What advantages would have any either of these over my current setup?
          ^^^^^ What Fun said.

          I've had my Ickys in about a foot of powder with no issues, but over that, I get a little bogged down. I'm sure better skiboarders than me can make them work in deeper powder, but there are better options out there that are more fun and less tiring when in gets deep. The advantage the Ickys have over the Revolts is rocker for float, but the disadvantage is less effective running length for stability.

          You really do have to go with a two board quiver to get the best of both worlds. Mine is Ickys for general fun and Sherpas for deep fun.
          Just these, nothing else !

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Bad Wolf View Post
            You really do have to go with a two board quiver to get the best of both worlds. Mine is Ickys for general fun and Sherpas for deep fun.
            What bindings are you using? If you have Spruce Risers, then any of the longboards (Sherpas, etc.) are a great option. If you have only nonrelease, then personally I would pick a pair of Blunt XL's or even RC's for "something different" than your Revolts and a powder-performance upgrade. SII's are great, but as The Wolf and others have noted, the're not going to make powder any easier. If you're a risk-taker willing to endure something of a learning curve, RC's are the big fun powder masters of Planet Earth.

            One thing to keep in mind, the original Revolts tend to be softer flexing than current production boards. Some riders seek out the old flexier versions while others prefer the newer, stiffer models.

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks for all of the input guys.

              Originally posted by Fun Machine View Post
              If you're perfectly happy with Revolts everywhere except in deep powder, then you might be better off getting a second pair of boards for deep powder. Blunt XL, Rockered Condor, Raptor/125 and other options would complement your Revolts well. There are several here who have such quivers of 2. But it's hard to strongly recommend this setup to someone who makes one 3-day trip a year.
              ...this sounds like the boat that I'm in -- and I agree, it would be hard to justify a second set of boards for my yearly 3-day trip. From what it sounds like, the Revolts are still the best all around boards out there. The only thing I'm thinking is that all of the talk about decreased maneuverability, etc is all relative... meaning, that yes, with a rockered set of boards you'll have less of an edge to work with, but I wonder how much it really impacts things.

              A few people asked, but I'm running on Spruce Risers with a set of Solomon releasable bindings.
              -Brad

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              • #8
                Originally posted by captain_jim1 View Post
                Thanks for all of the input guys.



                .The only thing I'm thinking is that all of the talk about decreased maneuverability, etc is all relative... meaning, that yes, with a rockered set of boards you'll have less of an edge to work with, but I wonder how much it really impacts things.
                So......the rocker on a skibaord like the Ickys, enable the boards to perform with the characteristics of both short and long boards. When running flat, or in low angle turns, only the effective edge is engaged, but when you crank them over, the entire edge of the board comes in contact with the snow. The overall effect is that you get the maneuverability and rapid response of a short board along with the stability and edge grip of a longer board. The bonus is that the rocker also gives you added float over the traditionally cambered boards, along with a smooth turn initiation. The best of both worlds for all mountain resort riding.
                Just these, nothing else !

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by captain_jim1 View Post
                  From what it sounds like, the Revolts are still the best all around boards out there. The only thing I'm thinking is that all of the talk about decreased maneuverability, etc is all relative... meaning, that yes, with a rockered set of boards you'll have less of an edge to work with, but I wonder how much it really impacts things.
                  Revolts are great boards, but I doubt you will get consensus from most members here that they are the "best all around boards out there." There is no objective way to compare, and it all boils down to what each rider wants out of their equipment. All the positives about rockered boards above can suddenly turn into negatives depending on the particular rider's expectations. But if you're wondering whether you'll actually feel the difference between full camber boards like Revolts and rockered boards like Stickies, then the answer is almost certainly going to be yes. But you won't know whether you'll like that difference until you ride them.

                  I suggest that you try-and-buy. Many riders here will let you try their boards for free if you'll meet up with them one weekend. If not, you can do it for $40 from SBOL. You might surprise yourself.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Fun Machine View Post
                    I suggest that you try-and-buy. Many riders here will let you try their boards for free if you'll meet up with them one weekend. If not, you can do it for $40 from SBOL. You might surprise yourself.
                    This is an awesome option - thanks for suggesting it.. I'm almost certainly going to do this.

                    I've been looking at the comparison chart and I think I'm going to try out the BluntXLs. They supposedly outperform my Revolts in every category except carving (6 vs 10) and Park (7 vs 9 - but I don't ever hit the park). Most importantly, they sound like they're awesome in the deep powder we'll be hitting up at Alta.

                    My last question -- I have the old school composite Spruce Risers w/the Salomon releasable bindings. I'm wondering if a newer set of aluminum risers/bindings would have any dramatic effect on my ride. I can't find any information online about the composite riser specs (height, weight, etc) so it's difficult to get any kind of comparison. For example, the Pro Prime and Pro Sport risers both APPEAR to have a lower height profile, but the spec sheet says they're 41/45mm tall. My composite's measure around 43mm to the top of the heel, so I"m assuming that they're similar in height to the aluminum setups. I know the contact length is nearly half on the newer risers compared to the composites and I understand that this allows for more flex - which is probably wanted on a shorter board like the BluntXL. I'm only hesitant on pulling the trigger due to the fact that a new riser/binding setup adds another $250-350 to my cost and I don't know what I'll get out if it other than not having the swap the risers when I switch boards.

                    Thanks!
                    -Brad

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by captain_jim1 View Post
                      My last question -- I have the old school composite Spruce Risers w/the Salomon releasable bindings. I'm wondering if a newer set of aluminum risers/bindings would have any dramatic effect on my ride.
                      It's unlikely you would notice much if any difference. There's nothing wrong with the old composite risers, they might even be a bit lighter weight than the newer aluminum models. Some have commented that the ride might be a little mellower, but if they are it's very subtle.

                      The very first composite risers were drilled for the 4cm x 4cm pattern only, but even if you have this version it wouldn't matter since the boards you're considering are all 4x4.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        If your Salomon bindings have brakes, they probably aren't wide enough to fit the XLs. You might be able to bend them but could be forced to remove the arms.

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