Blunt XL First Impressions

[valmorel]

Muscle Board. There, that sums up this board perfectly. But a Muscle Board with a difference. No histrionics, no effort. The full performance is readily available to all with no special techniques, no special skills.
This is most definitely a large Blunt, not a small Rockered Condor. The Blunt family influence is there from the get go. That readiness to turn and spin and not catch the tails. What is also there is edge grip. Far more edge grip than most of us will ever need. The bases on my pair are dead flat. I am going to cut a slight base angle, maybe half a degree, before using them again to shed some of this edge grip. Loosen up the ride a little.
And tail support! Loads of tail support. I was able to ride them standing straight upright, even leaning back a little, no problem at all. Try that on a Rockered Condor and see what happens.
At first we were restricted to the right side of the slope as the local club was using the left side for slalom training. The snow was nicely pisted but a bit sticky. This seems to be a feature of the man made snow at Xscape now, slow and sticky but it doesn't readily turn to ice. On this stuff the XLs were just fine, exactly as expected really, though maybe a little slow feeling. Very very secure feeling and nice and precise. Eventually the club packed up and we could use the left side. Here the snow was a little more polished and much more chopped up. In this stuff the XLs really came alive. It's really odd to be on a board that feels so stable yet turns on a dime. Being that little bit longer and stiffer they felt really secure and easy to pilot, no real effort at all.
If you have ordered a pair you are going to be delighted. If not, you are just plain going to be left out!
There is so much to think about that it is difficult to put all my thoughts into words, so please ask if you have any questions.
I can tell you this though, for this winter this is going to be my Go To board for sure.

[rickylink]

Thanks for the review. I'm glad I got my pre order in, can't wait to get out there and ride them!

[Wookie]

Thanks a lot for there review. What bindings were you on? Non-release or the Jeff Singer magic bindings?

[valmorel]

Thanks a lot for there review. What bindings were you on? Non-release or the Jeff Singer magic bindings?

Attack 13 on Risers. Will try a fixie next time out.

[Gromit]

Thanks a lot for there review. What bindings were you on? Non-release or the Jeff Singer magic bindings?

Spruce Risers with Tyrolia Attack 13 toe pieces and Rossignol heel pieces. Just as good as non-release bindings.

[Wookie]

Spruce Risers with Tyrolia Attack 13 toe pieces and Rossignol heel pieces. Just as good as non-release bindings.

Thanks guys. Looks like a Robin was on the slopes with Batman. What is Gromit's impression/review of the XLs????

[Gromit]

Thanks guys. Looks like a Robin was on the slopes with Batman. What is Gromit's impression/review of the XLs????

I definitely could feel the Blunt family resemblance. As valmorel said, they're not a short RC. The XL gives back more feedback to their rider. As you can see from my sig, I have both Blunts and RCs. On the RC, one has to stay in balance and let the boards do their work.
I'm still pondering on whether to buy some XLs as the Blunts themselves are so great. They were the only boards that I took on a trip to The Three Valleys earlier this year. I never felt the need for any other skiboard during that week.
Visually, IMHO the Blunt XL won't be such a conversation starter with non-skiboarders as their shorter brethren is.
My thanks to valmorel and Greco for giving me the chance to try the Blunt XL prototypes.

[slow]

Sounds like another winner skiboard. I too am glad I preordered already, before they are all spoken for.

Thanks for the reviews! Please keep them coming as you get more ride time on them.

[kirk]

I hope I heal up this season to try these boards out!

[jjue]

Thanks for the review Valmorel and Gromit !..I am pleased that the new BLUNT XL has a lot of support to the rear. . One of these days , I would appreciate it if you guys could give us your idea as to how riding in the rear inserts feels compared to center .... overall I loved the Blunt and was blown away at how competent it was in such a little package.... the resort conditions where I had problems with the Blunt were in refrozen unconsolidated off piste variable snow and in very deep broken up off piste powder where maintaining fore and aft stability was a big problem . These were the resort conditions that the Rockered Condor was clearly superior for me . I am hopeful that riding in the rear inserts of the Blunt XL and having that extra 4cm in front of me will help navigating that type of snow while still retaining the Blunt prowness in firmer snow. I hate however the idea of having to worry about changing my bindings to front or rear inserts based on the condition and wonder if riding the rear inserts feels ok to you guys on firm snow ... One of the issues for me with the KTP is I much preferred center mount for firm snow ,but I much preferred rear mount for soft variable snow , and most of the times at the resort you are going from one to the other type of snow from run to run ....

[Bluewing]

There is so much to think about that it is difficult to put all my thoughts into words, so please ask if you have any questions.

Since you opened that door….

1. Is the 34cm running length in the spec chart correct? If so, how do you account for the amount of grip you encountered?
2. I realize the dome slope is short but did you get a feel for how these will track when running flat at speed?
3. Any feel for how these boards will do in chopped up cruddy snow?
4. One of the things I love about the Sherpas is that I trust them to just pound through anything in front of them. My lack of trust in shorter boards to do that has kept me progressively going longer. Any feel for the XL's ability to plow through, go over and generally just handle whatever is in front of them?
5. Any sense of how these will do in frozen hardpack and icier conditions?
6. Can you do a quick comparison of these to RCs and Blunts?
7. I had fun on the Blunts but didn't trust them to get me through the highly variable conditions and general crap snow I ride - will the XL have a much higher performance envelope?
8. Any feel for how much tip and tail flap one will experience at speed in lumpy conditions?
9. Any sense of how much or little "damping" this board has (i.e., do you feel every grain of snow under your feet or does the board smooth some of that feedback out and not send it straight up your legs)?
10. How does Dave Lynam fly through the air like he does?

[valmorel]

Interesting and relevant questions Bluewing, thanks.
Yes, the 34 cm running length is correct when measured old school, but bear in mind that with rockered board anything other than a glass hard surface will mean they have considerably more. The edge grip issues with short running lengths have been discussed at length here but not for some years. Basically, many among us, myself included, think something happens underfoot much like with an ice skate, where you get a short blade with a very high loading. Of course, the blade needs to be sharp! Then again, the nature of rocker combined with steep sidecut means that as the board goes up on edge much more edge begins to engage. There when you need it, out of the way when you don't.
As to how they track, hard for me to say but I never felt any directional instability. I always can when there is a problem, so I am pretty confident they will be fine. Maybe not so much at 50 per though!
The only chance I had to use them in chop was riding the ruts and bumps left by the slalom training that had been going on just before (local club). In these conditions the board really came alive. I loved it. None of the nervy feeling I get from the Blunts, much more solid, but bear in mind, it ain't a Sherpa.
Point 4, not really had a chance to evaluate that. That really requires a day on the hill. Interestingly I also had a Sherpa variant with me that I rode back to back with the XLs. Like you say, they just smoothly handle everything. Damn I could fall asleep on them and still get down safely.
Frozen/hardpack? I think they will be out of this world. It's the edge grip of course, zero tendency to slide out. Jack won't like that LOL.
Will cover your other points later.

[LYK]

Interestingly I also had a Sherpa variant with me

Another new board?

The fabled super sherpa?

[Wookie]

The fabled super sherpa?

I think a Super Sherpa would just be called "skis", would they not?

[Bluewing]

I think a Super Sherpa would just be called "skis", would they not?

I think you could take the Sherpa concept to about 140-145cm and still have them considered skiboards or longboards or whatever category they fit into now. Wait - that I think was what Rob did with the Yetis. Were those skis? Not sure. I would be willing to be a test pilot for Super Sherpas if Jeff every wants to make them!