2017 Ickys - And So It Begins

[Bad Wolf]

I'm looking for my first set of skiboards and the Revolts looked to be my first choice. I'm rethinking that after reading this thread. How would you compare these two? The specs are very similar other than the SII's being rockered. Does that give the Sticky's an advantage. Unfortunately my skiing will generally be only week a year but will be in Colorado or Utah for the most part with the occasional day or two in North Carolina or West Virginia.

Looking forward to your opinions.

Jay

I would choose the ickys over the Revolts. Although they are similar in dimensions, the rocker/camber profile of the Ickys makes them a very different riding experience. From my perspective, the Ickys make everything I want to do on a skiboard easier and more fun, effectively opening up more terrain that used to be beyond my ability.

[Jhardy33]

SII's vs Revolt

I'm looking for my first set of skiboards and the Revolts looked to be my first choice. I'm rethinking that after reading this thread. How would you compare these two? The specs are very similar other than the SII's being rockered. Does that give the Sticky's an advantage. Unfortunately my skiing will generally be only week a year but will be in Colorado or Utah for the most part with the occasional day or two in North Carolina or West Virginia.

Looking forward to your opinions.

Jay

[Wookie]

I started my day on the Spliffs and after a few runs switched to the Stickies and had so much more fun. Admittedly the Spliffs needed a tune badly and the runs were frozen solid but the Stickies have spoiled me. They require so much less input than the Spliffs. Really a fun set of boards.

[Bad Wolf]

2017 Ickys - And So It Begins

I rode the Ickys and Blunt XLs back to back today for comparison. We got about four inches of new snow overnight, that fell over a very hard, icy, refrozen base, so it was a good day to compare float and edge grip. Both boards handled the conditions admirably, with the edge going to the Ickys on the hard pack and the XLs in the softer snow. You would have a great day on either board, but my preference goes to the Ickys for better all around performance. I am taking both boards to Westfest, and will primarily be on the Ickys, with the XLs as my deep powder back up. Sorry to be brief, I'm not too good about breaking this stuff down into details.

[Kocho]

I just saw a video of the guy working at Artechski. Nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUdh_BSqA1Q

And this one too:

https://youtu.be/if1NJrayq_0

[l ak l]

Just got mine this week,I can't wait to take them out this weekend !!!





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[Motorsbuzz1966]

Thanks for that analysis BW . Been waiting for some additional feedback on them with some good use in all conditions.. I just had 4 days in France and took my raptors and eman uprise boards. I had to give up on the eman boards as although I got on well with them in good snow previously, I really struggled on the Icy slopes I was dealing with early season. I was very comfortable on the raptors and they help well on the Ice I guess due to their softer flex.i have though been thinking of heading to the short ski options currently on offer probably the Ethan's but now some good feedback on top of Valmorel's alway thorough and informative original review has turned me back to the ickies... I have always wanted a one board setup that I can work with during my limited slope time.... I have a further 8 days in March to be thankful to look forward too so need to decide on sticking with the raptors or go for the ickies. thanks again for everyone's thoughts as really helps us newer to this great sport.


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[valmorel]

Exactly. My original review of the very first Revolts said, 'a little more of everything without being too much of anything'. The Stickies build on that.

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[Bad Wolf]

One Board To Rule Them All And In The Darkness Bind Them

I guess it's time to wrap this up.

When I first got into the skiboard scene I was lucky enough to spend time riding with some of the pro riders like Bloom and Enouf. I always envied how they would turn up to ski with just one set up, no matter what the conditions. Dave on his Revolts and Brandon on his Alpdors, Receptor bindings, hard boots, no poles, lets go! There I was, in the parking lot, with half a dozen boards, soft and hard boots and three binding choices. It wasn't just about choosing a set up for the day, I would often swap boards out three or four times by lunch!

I always envied the pure minimalism of the pro riders and have wanted to be like them. There is a simplistic beauty in being able to have just one board, and make it work everywhere. Of course the pros have a few huge advantages over me; age, experience and pure talent! Over the last few seasons I have tried many board, binding and boot combinations, looking for my go to set up. My first love were the Jades, then the Slapdashes, then the Blunts, then the 120s, then the KTPs. Each set up had it's own advantages, like the versatility and fun of the Blunts, the rapid turns of the Jades, the edge grip and stability of the KTPs. But each board also seemed to have a failing for me; too short, too long, too wide, not enough float. The bindings were the same. I never felt fully confident on non release, I didn't like the feel of risers and soft boots lacked total control. I came close on the Blunts and spent an entire season on them. I even went to Westfest and Shredfest with the Blunts as my only choice. But, in the end they were hard work in the trees and chop, and although they were fun to slarve on, I could never fully trust the edge on hardack.

And then came the Ickys. I have ridden them exclusively this season, in the set back position, with hard boots and my custom HDPE risers. I have about sixteen days on them, including nine of the last eleven. I have ridden them on man made, ice, refrozen hardpack, perfect soft corduroy, crud, chop and boot deep powder. I have had them on the groomers, in the trees and through the bumps. Not only have they handled everything superbly, they seem to have made me a better rider. They are fun, versatile and effortless to ride. Many times this season I have had spare boards in the car and had intended to swap out, but I have never wanted to give up the Ickys, even just for comparison. I did spend a half a day on my old blades and a day on the 120s, but couldn't wait to get back to the Ickys.

So, are the Ickys my go to board, my one set up to take anywhere with confidence? I guess time will tell, but I have now reached the point where I leave all my other boards at home and just take the Ickys. This might be as close as I can get to my goal of pure minimalism like the pros. The Ickys really do compensate for my minimal experience, advancing age and lack of talent. There may be boards with better float or edge grip, but for me the Ickys are the the epitome of an all mountain board.

They Ickys a Jack Of All Trades And A Master Of Fun.

[Bad Wolf]

The wife and I are enjoying a foot of new powder up at Snowbowl today. Merry Xmas!

The Ickys are FANTASTIC in powder. With enough speed they can even float my 185 lbs.

[Bad Wolf]

There has been a lot of talk on the forum recently about the binding mounting position and how it affects the ride and performance of our boards. I'm starting to realize that I ski much better when I get forwards and pressure the tips. To do that I need to set the bindings back.I think riding centered on skibards requires an ability to quickly adjust your fore/aft balance, and I just don't have that ability. In the past, I have only been able to keep my weight forwards on the longer boards like the 120s. On the Jades, Blunts and Slapdashes, I would face plant if I got too far forwards. I could get away with this riding style on the KTPs when I had them set back, but it never felt quite right, like they weren't meant to be ridden that way.

Surprisingly, or not, the Ickys are perfect for a weight forwards, ski like, riding style, if you set them back. I've had them in a variety of conditions now and have never felt like the tips would dive and send me over the top. Perhaps that is an effect of the rocker? At times these boards feel as nimble as the 88cm Blunts, and at other times I feel similar stability as the 120s. So, I've settle in to riding them in the set back position and then pressuring the tips.

I got to ride the Ickys today in a blizzard up at AZ Snowbowl. The conditions were perfect, hero snow. It was snowing hard and each run was on a layer of fresh snow. Once again the Ickys performed immaculately. Smooth on the groomers, but great edge hold when you broke through to the hard pack underneath. Surprisingly stable through the moguls and predictably quick through the trees. The are equally at home carving or slipping. Later in the morning I was surprised to hear other people on the lift complaining that the conditions were getting very choppy, I didn't notice that.

As usual, I had a bunch of skis in the car to swap out in case the Ickys struggled in the conditions. Today I had the Spruce 120s, 125s and Sherpas. I never even thought of swapping out

[valmorel]

Stickies seems to sit well with me, but I agree, quandary.

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[Bad Wolf]

RVL8 Cambered/Rockered Sticky Icky Icky 104cm Skiboards

Sticky Icky Ickys

Ickys

Stickies

SIIs

Sickies

[Bad Wolf]

2017 Ickys - And So It Begins

I rarely get over 30 mph, so don't wait on me to report on high speed carving [emoji33]

I have no powder report on the Ickys either. Snowbowl got a reported 9" of new snow at the top of the mountain, but the upper lift was closed due to downed trees from the storm. There were some little stashes of powder, on the backside of some of the park features, that the Ickys powered through easily, but nothing you could float in.

[Kocho]

Someone else will answer about the SII (I have not even seen them), but from what you describe you might want to try some of the "old-school" boards with long turn radius. From Line and Daystar for example. I have a little thread going on those as I bought a few used pairs to try this season:

https://www.skiboardsonline.com/foru...ad.php?t=16512

I think the Rumspringa is similar to the Line MNP in feel and turn radius, maybe a little wider turn radius. The longer of the two Dynastars that I have has even bigger turn radius I think and should work well, being only a little wider than the Rumspringa. All three of these boards bring back the feel of narrow boards where I can ski with my feet close together rather than apart due the snowboard-like dimensions of some of the other boards