DLP's vs Playmakers vs ...?

[Ruben]

Last week I tried sharpening my DLP's, as they couldn't carve nearly as well as they used to. However, upon inspection of the boards, I noticed the edges were delaminating from one board underfoot. I guess they have finally given in to all the rails I have done with them. I will continue to use them for that until they fall apart competely, but I'd like to get a replacement pair of skiboards already for when they completely die.

That led me to the question: what do I actually want now? I'm searching a pair of boards complementary to my Spliffs (which I like a lot). My Spliffs are very good daily drivers, touring boards and I can also carve really nicely on them (with a bit of an adjustment from Spliffs), but I wouldn't want to use them in the park, as their tail support is not as good as I'm used to with the DLP's and I would like them to last a bit longer, as they are my touring boards as well. I have yet to try the Spliffs in real deep powder, but that's why I was also eyeing the Playmakers. They look like they can handle deep pow even better, but I've also seen Nick Fromm doing a lot of rail shredding with them. However, I also really liked the DLP's in the park, especially the stability they gave on jumps, so now I'm really torn (and unfortunately money is not endless). Anyone has some good suggestions/tips/reviews on this for me? I already read the Spliffs vs Playmakers topic, which was quite informative.

For extra info: I live in the Netherlands (which has no mountains and rarely snow) and spend all year in an indoor ski hill in the snowpark (mostly rails, sometimes a jump). In the winter I go to the alps for at least one week a year (but sometimes more if I have the time and can afford it).

[ysb33r]

If you decide to stay with DLPs, I have both a brand new pair and a slightly used pair with me, either which I can part ways with.

[Ruben]

If you decide to stay with DLPs, I have both a brand new pair and a slightly used pair with me, either which I can part ways with.

That's a great option to consider as well then, thanks!

[newbie2011]

That led me to the question: what do I actually want now?

Sounds to me that you have two different use cases and I'm not sure if you want a board that would fit both. Your most frequent usage is indoor, second one is in the Alps, where indeed on the rare occasions that we are lucky to get a fresh dump, a dedicated powder board is worth it.

Are you thinking of getting a board that would work for both indoor and powder ? That one could indeed be the PMs, I understand they are quite stiff and they have good grades for both park & powder.

The other option I can imagine is getting a replacement DLP pair, so no risk of not performing in your indoor park, and search/wait for a dedicated powder board for the Alps trips, which would open more options than just the PMs - XLs, RCs, Ospreys and others. From what I heard the Spliffs already do well in some powder, so it's not like you're totally unprepared for such conditions.

From my point of view and experience over the past years, for Alps a three boards quiver works best - one board (carving specific) for hardpack & ice, on those common days when there's no soft or fresh snow; second board (all mountain) for mixed conditions, not too hard, not too soft, a bit of everything - man made, crud, bit of fresh snow - but staying under the deep powder level; and a third, occasional, powder oriented board for those rare lucky days.

[Ruben]

Sounds to me that you have two different use cases and I'm not sure if you want a board that would fit both. Your most frequent usage is indoor, second one is in the Alps, where indeed on the rare occasions that we are lucky to get a fresh dump, a dedicated powder board is worth it.

Are you thinking of getting a board that would work for both indoor and powder ? That one could indeed be the PMs, I understand they are quite stiff and they have good grades for both park & powder.

The other option I can imagine is getting a replacement DLP pair, so no risk of not performing in your indoor park, and search/wait for a dedicated powder board for the Alps trips, which would open more options than just the PMs - XLs, RCs, Ospreys and others. From what I heard the Spliffs already do well in some powder, so it's not like you're totally unprepared for such conditions.

From my point of view and experience over the past years, for Alps a three boards quiver works best - one board (carving specific) for hardpack & ice, on those common days when there's no soft or fresh snow; second board (all mountain) for mixed conditions, not too hard, not too soft, a bit of everything - man made, crud, bit of fresh snow - but staying under the deep powder level; and a third, occasional, powder oriented board for those rare lucky days.

If is indeed a bit of a difficult case. A 3-board quiver is starting to make more sense to me as well. However, if the PM's perform well in both park and powder (enough tail support and confidence for landing off rails and jumps), they might as well be a good choice for both use cases.

For slight powder, the Spliffs work fine for me (I haven't had very deep powder and only 2-ish powder--ish days on them), but landing from drops, they are quite difficult, as the tails are not as supportive as I would've liked. I'm also just in between the weight range where the Spliff and PM's crossover between their advantages. However, with a backpack full of gear (avy gear, drink, extra layers, etc.) I think I could still make use of the extra stiffness.

For carving and icy pistes, I already found out that the spliffs perform well for me, it's just a bit of a different technique to get them to perform, a more relaxed one actually. Risers help as well.

I think I'm just gonna disturb my bank account then, in the long term it'll cost the same anyway (less wear and tear on some boards).

Also ysb33r , I tried messaging you, but your inbox is full .

[newbie2011]

However, if the PM's perform well in both park and powder (enough tail support and confidence for landing off rails and jumps), they might as well be a good choice for both use cases.

Both Spliffs and PMs are boards that I'm very curious about, for me they overlap too much with what I already have, but together they look like a great all-conditions quiver.

In practical terms your choice will also depend on what you find and the total price, because as you said, nobody's budget is unlimited skiboards.eu had some SEI PMs in stock recently, but now I see they are sold out. From US you find all three graphics available, the first and last designs look both great to me

in the long term it'll cost the same anyway (less wear and tear on some boards)

That's also something I was thinking about, two boards where one would wear down faster being used more often, or three with a dedicated "consumable" park board ? Given that the park board would be replaced more often, even if you get the PMs, a third board could be a valid budget-wise (longer term) option.

[ysb33r]

If is indeed a bit of a difficult case. A 3-board quiver is starting to make more sense to me as well. However, if the PM's perform well in both park and powder (enough tail support and confidence for landing off rails and jumps), they might as well be a good choice for both use cases.

For slight powder, the Spliffs work fine for me (I haven't had very deep powder and only 2-ish powder--ish days on them), but landing from drops, they are quite difficult, as the tails are not as supportive as I would've liked. I'm also just in between the weight range where the Spliff and PM's crossover between their advantages. However, with a backpack full of gear (avy gear, drink, extra layers, etc.) I think I could still make use of the extra stiffness.

For carving and icy pistes, I already found out that the spliffs perform well for me, it's just a bit of a different technique to get them to perform, a more relaxed one actually. Risers help as well.

I think I'm just gonna disturb my bank account then, in the long term it'll cost the same anyway (less wear and tear on some boards).

Also ysb33r , I tried messaging you, but your inbox is full .

@Ruben try now

[Ruben]

Both Spliffs and PMs are boards that I'm very curious about, for me they overlap too much with what I already have, but together they look like a great all-conditions quiver.

In practical terms your choice will also depend on what you find and the total price, because as you said, nobody's budget is unlimited skiboards.eu had some SEI PMs in stock recently, but now I see they are sold out. From US you find all three graphics available, the first and last designs look both great to me


That's also something I was thinking about, two boards where one would wear down faster being used more often, or three with a dedicated "consumable" park board ? Given that the park board would be replaced more often, even if you get the PMs, a third board could be a valid budget-wise (longer term) option.

Yes, that's what I was thinking too. I pulled the trigger on the PM's yesterday evening, and they were the last ones in stock (that's why it's saying out of stock now). I also messaged Jiri, asking for other RVL*8 and he said he wouldn't buy any RVL*8 stock this year, as he hasn't got that much time for the store. A shame though, him being the only store in the EU...

ysb33r , I tried messaging you again, but it still says "User ysb33r has exceeded their private message quota." I'll try again tomorrow, maybe it needs some time to process.

[newbie2011]

Yes, that's what I was thinking too. I pulled the trigger on the PM's yesterday evening, and they were the last ones in stock (that's why it's saying out of stock now). I also messaged Jiri, asking for other RVL*8 and he said he wouldn't buy any RVL*8 stock this year, as he hasn't got that much time for the store. A shame though, him being the only store in the EU...

I was wondering who snatched that last pair, good to hear it's you

That's quite a bummer that they kinda close shop, even if the choice was rather limited, there was more than nothing

[ysb33r]

Yes, that's what I was thinking too. I pulled the trigger on the PM's yesterday evening, and they were the last ones in stock (that's why it's saying out of stock now). I also messaged Jiri, asking for other RVL*8 and he said he wouldn't buy any RVL*8 stock this year, as he hasn't got that much time for the store. A shame though, him being the only store in the EU...

ysb33r , I tried messaging you again, but it still says "User ysb33r has exceeded their private message quota." I'll try again tomorrow, maybe it needs some time to process.

There should be space now - I cleared the trash