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All Hail The Mighty Sherpas!

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  • All Hail The Mighty Sherpas!

    I picked up a pair of Sherpas in Spruce's recent sale, thanks Jeff. I like my skiboards on the shorter side, but decided to add something a little longer for powder days. So much has been written about the Sherpas, there really didn't seem to be much for me to add in a review, other than .....

    The Sherpas are, hands down, the easiest boards to ride in variable conditions. Powder, crud, slush, crust, you name it, they just plow through it with ease. They are the most stable skiboarding platform to stand on, yet still have enough mobility to be fun. I especially like the way they ride through bumps, their big noses just deflect off the upslopes without grabbing. Plus, the thing I most appreciate right now, the are effortless to ride. It was 56 degrees to day up at Snowbowl and they handled the slush like it was a light powder day, well almost.

    I actually had a pair of Sherpas a few seasons ago and found them to be slow and clumsy. I sold them after a few runs. So before this season, I never really understood why folks liked the Sherpas so much. I guess there's a time and place for everything.

    Yes, I rode them centered and with poles.


    Just these, nothing else !


  • #2
    Love that Spaceships graphic!

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Bad Wolf View Post
      The Sherpas are, hands down, the easiest boards to ride in variable conditions. Powder, crud, slush, crust, you name it, they just plow through it with ease. They are the most stable skiboarding platform to stand on, yet still have enough mobility to be fun......
      I can't recall from the posts throughout the season but did you try the Crossbows? For me they handle any conditions you can throw at them without the bulk (and poles) that you sometimes get with long skis and longboards like the Sherpas.
      Boards:
      2016 Spruce tuned Head Jr. Caddys - 131cm
      2013 Spruce "CTS" 120s
      2010 Spruce "Yellow/Red" 120s
      2018 Spruce "CTS" Crossbows - 115cm
      2016 RVL8 Spliffs - 109cm
      2008 RVL8 Revolt "City" - 105cm
      2017 RVL8 Sticky Icky Icky - 104cm
      2011 Defiance Blades - 101cm

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Wookie View Post
        I can't recall from the posts throughout the season but did you try the Crossbows? For me they handle any conditions you can throw at them without the bulk (and poles) that you sometimes get with long skis and longboards like the Sherpas.
        I never got a chance to ride the Crossbows. There were a couple of pairs at Westfest, but no one seemed willing to give them up. Based on the reviews, I was inching towards getting a pair, but Jeff’s sale made the Sherpas too good a deal to pass up.
        Just these, nothing else !

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Bad Wolf View Post
          .....There were a couple of pairs at Westfest, but no one seemed willing to give them up......
          There is a reason no one wanted to give them up. You'll have to try a pair next season.
          Boards:
          2016 Spruce tuned Head Jr. Caddys - 131cm
          2013 Spruce "CTS" 120s
          2010 Spruce "Yellow/Red" 120s
          2018 Spruce "CTS" Crossbows - 115cm
          2016 RVL8 Spliffs - 109cm
          2008 RVL8 Revolt "City" - 105cm
          2017 RVL8 Sticky Icky Icky - 104cm
          2011 Defiance Blades - 101cm

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Wookie View Post
            There is a reason no one wanted to give them up. You'll have to try a pair next season.
            I’ve come to learn that all skiboards are great, because they are short, and short is fun. That’s why it’s been difficult to resist buying every new board that comes out. What I try to do now is look at gaps in my riding experience that could be improved with different products. Obviously the ultimate goal is to find that one board that does it all,
            and each new product Greco or Jeff comes out with seems to move us closer to that goal. Of course a lot of this has been driven by the forum with requests to make specific products. It was cool when the XLs were born out of the original Blunts based off rider feedback. And now we have the Crossbows to advance on the performance of the Ickys. I know I will like the Crossbows, the question becomes if I need them to fill a performance gap in my quiver, or even if they could become a one board quiver?
            Just these, nothing else !

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Bad Wolf View Post
              I know I will like the Crossbows, the question becomes if I need them to fill a performance gap in my quiver, or even if they could become a one board quiver?
              You won't know until you spend some time on them.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Bad Wolf View Post
                And now we have the Crossbows to advance on the performance of the Ickys. I know I will like the Crossbows, the question becomes if I need them to fill a performance gap in my quiver, or even if they could become a one board quiver?
                The Crossbows and Ickys really don't feel similar IMO. I'd say the Crossbows are the closest thing to one-quiver boards that I have ridden. They seem to handle different conditions equally well.
                Boards/Bindings:
                2013 Spruce Sherpas w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
                2023 Spruce Stingers w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
                2015 RVL8 Blunt XLs w/Tyrolia Attack 13s
                2020 RVL8 Sticky Icky Ickys w/Tyrolia SX 10s


                Boots:
                Salomon X-Pro 80

                Past boards: Salomon Snowblades, Line MNPs 89 & 98 cm, Five-Os, Bullets, Jedis, Spruce 120s, LE 125s, Ospreys, Crossbows
                Summit 110s, Nomads, Jades, RVL8 ALPs, BWPs, KTPs, Tanshos, Rockets, DLPs, Blunts, Condors, RCs, Revolts, Spliffs

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Bad Wolf View Post
                  .... I know I will like the Crossbows, the question becomes if I need them to fill a performance gap in my quiver, or even if they could become a one board quiver?
                  My thoughts for you specifically is that the Crossbows would give you the crud busting capabilities of the Shepa without having to need poles.

                  For me, while there are several boards in my quiver, my practical riding selections are:
                  1. Crossbows for all mountain riding most conditions (90% of the season)
                  2. SIIs for perfect groomer days with limited ice (9.99% of the season)
                  3. Spliffs on reserve for epic powder days (0.01% of the season)

                  Everything else in my quiver has been tapped by family or pressed into service as loaners/demo boards.

                  Originally posted by Fun Machine View Post
                  You won't know until you spend some time on them.
                  ..... he knows. He's just wondering if adding one more board to his skiboard journey is grounds for divorce. For me as long as my wife has more shoes than I have skiboards/skis I'm good (and I have a LONG way to go to catch up).
                  Boards:
                  2016 Spruce tuned Head Jr. Caddys - 131cm
                  2013 Spruce "CTS" 120s
                  2010 Spruce "Yellow/Red" 120s
                  2018 Spruce "CTS" Crossbows - 115cm
                  2016 RVL8 Spliffs - 109cm
                  2008 RVL8 Revolt "City" - 105cm
                  2017 RVL8 Sticky Icky Icky - 104cm
                  2011 Defiance Blades - 101cm

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I did not try the Crossbows this year. In fact, I only started reading about them a month ago. I had the impression they are comparable to boards that don't really interest me (plus I picked up a pair of Sherpa Woody's at the sale). But now, I'm starting to see what may have been an error in perception.

                    Right now I only ski on Sherpa's and Ospry's. How do the Crossbows compare to those 2 in holding an edge on steep ice? How can anything ride through soggy mashed potatoes better than Sherpa's?

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by shortydude View Post
                      I did not try the Crossbows this year. In fact, I only started reading about them a month ago. I had the impression they are comparable to boards that don't really interest me (plus I picked up a pair of Sherpa Woody's at the sale). But now, I'm starting to see what may have been an error in perception.

                      Right now I only ski on Sherpa's and Ospry's. How do the Crossbows compare to those 2 in holding an edge on steep ice? How can anything ride through soggy mashed potatoes better than Sherpa's?
                      The Crossbow is a great board ......... If you like the sherpas and ospreys, I think you will like it. Edge hold is really grippy centered. Set back, the heels will wash out with too much weight on them. The sherpas and ospreys don't wash out set back.
                      Now: 08 Sherpa's (2), Atomic 120's, 2013 125 Protos, 125 LEs, 2014 Sherpas, Osprey protos, 2015 Blunt XL's, 2016 Ospreys, Ethan Too twintip skis,2017 Shredfest One of kind Spliffs, 2018 Crossbows
                      Bindings: Spruce Risers and Tyrolia LD12's
                      Boots: Full Tilt Booters, Tecnica Agent 110
                      History: Atomic shorty's, Sporten, Groove Taxis, Head 94's, ALPs, Spruce 120 Blue boards, Custom Lacroixs, Rocker Condors, 08 Summit 110's, Hagan offlimits 133's, Rossi 130's, 2011 Summit Marauders

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Fun Machine View Post
                        You won't know until you spend some time on them.
                        I would need to ride them a while to see how they would fit into my quiver, or even replace it, but with the familiarity I have with those whose reviews I respect, and the huge range of boards I've personally owned and ridden, I have no doubt I would "like" the Crossbows. Short is fun, and I've yet to meet a skiboard I didn't like.
                        Just these, nothing else !

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Wookie View Post
                          1. Crossbows for all mountain riding most conditions (90% of the season)
                          2. SIIs for perfect groomer days with limited ice (9.99% of the season)
                          3. Spliffs on reserve for epic powder days (0.01% of the season)
                          Haven't been tempted by the Crossbows if only because I'm staying 110 and under to keep non-releasable bindings. This season it's been:
                          1. M7s for early season conditions (10% of the season)
                          2. Spliffs for epic powder days (22% of the season)
                          3. Spliffs for solid 10+ cm powder days (50% of the season)
                          4. Spliffs/DLP switchoff for marginal powder days (4% of the season)
                          5. DLPs for squishy spring days - but still finding powder on the north faces - (8% of the season)
                          6. DLPs for snow droughts (2% of the season)
                            and
                          7. Spliffs for squishy spring powder days (4% of the season)


                          Best season this millennium.
                          BOARDSLAYER
                          Base / Edge Destruction X X X
                          Cores Snapped X X X

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Bad Wolf View Post
                            I picked up a pair of Sherpas in Spruce's recent sale, thanks Jeff. I like my skiboards on the shorter side, but decided to add something a little longer for powder days. So much has been written about the Sherpas, there really didn't seem to be much for me to add in a review, other than .....

                            The Sherpas are, hands down, the easiest boards to ride in variable conditions. Powder, crud, slush, crust, you name it, they just plow through it with ease. They are the most stable skiboarding platform to stand on, yet still have enough mobility to be fun. I especially like the way they ride through bumps, their big noses just deflect off the upslopes without grabbing. Plus, the thing I most appreciate right now, the are effortless to ride. It was 56 degrees to day up at Snowbowl and they handled the slush like it was a light powder day, well almost.

                            I actually had a pair of Sherpas a few seasons ago and found them to be slow and clumsy. I sold them after a few runs. So before this season, I never really understood why folks liked the Sherpas so much. I guess there's a time and place for everything.

                            Yes, I rode them centered and with poles.



                            Those were my boards that you bought from me. Its interesting that I think about it now. Kocho demoed these boards when I met him and in a later post of his he said he didn't like them. I bought them direct from Jeff and they must of been in terrible shape. Since a lot of times, we buy boards based on other users descriptions, how can we know that the boards that we are getting are in decent tune. It's possible that we may not like them because they are improperly made.

                            Obviously there was something seriously wrong with those pair of Sherpas.

                            With all due respect given to Grecco and Jeff.

                            In any event, I think I will have to get another set

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Quattrofan View Post
                              Those were my boards that you bought from me. Its interesting that I think about it now. Kocho demoed these boards when I met him and in a later post of his he said he didn't like them. I bought them direct from Jeff and they must of been in terrible shape. Since a lot of times, we buy boards based on other users descriptions, how can we know that the boards that we are getting are in decent tune. It's possible that we may not like them because they are improperly made.

                              Obviously there was something seriously wrong with those pair of Sherpas.

                              With all due respect given to Grecco and Jeff.

                              In any event, I think I will have to get another set
                              I remember those boards, they had the red square pattern. I think I took just one run on them and really struggled. It felt like I was trying to turn a truck with no power steering! I guessed at the time it was just me, as they were the longest boards I had been on, especially compared to my favored Blunts and Jades. A couple of folks had also warned me off them saying they wouldn't suit my style of riding. I'll never know if it was me, the tune, the boards, or even my attitude, but for whatever reason, I just couldn't ride them. I don't remember who I passed them on to (?), maybe they had more success with them?

                              A good tune does make a huge difference, and I know Jeff endeavors to always to send his boards out ready to ride, so I have a feeling it was just me
                              Just these, nothing else !

                              Comment

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