Spruce Slingshots Review

[jjue]

My full review later. Here is my short version, best all around skiboard I've ridden!! . Edgy on firm when you want, slarvy when you want to slide, wonderful ,floaty and fast in deep unbroken pow, variable and crust, riding off the tails, tips nice and floaty in variable stuff, excellent carving on groomed snow , great in moguls, all ridden from center mounted binding in an upright centered to slightly forward riding position. Instant classic!


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[sempai]

Best all around skiboard I've ridden!!

If I only had a dollar for every time you have said this. Ha!

[ysb33r]

Jack,

Are they really better than the Crossbows?

And did you rear-mount them?

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[jjue]

If I only had a dollar for every time you have said this. Ha!

Ha Ha . yes I have been accused of saying this about every skiboard I ride . This time what I mean is that while the Slingshots may not be the best skiboard for every condition for me , they are the best all around compromise. I am going to do this review a little differently in that I will compare the Slingshots to my current three favorite skiboards , the Sherpas , the Crossbows , and the Spliffs and try to explain how they differ from the other three boards and where the Slingshots fit in my skiboard line up .

[jjue]

Jack,

Are they really better than the Crossbows?

And did you rear-mount them?

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Great question , and I will start with a comparison of the Slingshots and the Crossbows. The Slingshots and the Crossbows are about the same surface area but are designed differently with the Slingshots having a wider tip and a narrower tail then then Crossbows . The Crossbows have a rockered tip and tail and are perfectly symmetric. The Slingshots are rockered at the tip and are not rockered in the rear. My own personal experience with the Crossbows is that they carve for me wonderfully in the center position but in variable conditions, crust and in deep pow I need to ride them rear mounted for them to work for me , to prevent tip dive and to avoid having to lean back on my heels . I have defaultted to riding the Crossbows in the rear position all the time now because I do not like to keep changing binding positions but I have to lean forward in firm snow a signficant amount to engage the tips and have them carve properly when rear set and even then the carve is not as edgy or great as in the center position for me. With the Slingshots I have them mounted center and kept them center mounted all day in all conditions . Interestingly the center mount position on the Slingshots is rear set to the exact center of the board and sits on the center of the turning radius of the board and is actually set back on the board compared to how a center mounted binding is on the Crossbows . This and the assymetric shape of the board causes the tail of the board to sink enough in crust , variable snow and deep pow , that I do not need to rear set the board in these conditions . In these types of conditions the board works very well , feels floatier and faster then the Crossbows primarily I think because it is not sinking the tail quite as much as a rear mounted Crossbows and causing drag in three D snow. Basically I control the board in soft now from a centered or slightly leaning forward position without any need to rock back on my heels.
In firm snow on a center mounted Slingshot the design has a number of different characteristics compared to the Crossbows. If you stay centered on the board the board feels more slarvy, almost like a non cambered rockered board . It is very easy to slide the tails but the edge still engages with a very positive edge hold and the board does not slide out . It kind of is super easy to turn but then hooks into the edge . If you lean very slightly forward then the tip engages more and it feels exactly like carving a center mounted Crossbow. The carve feels very nice and precise and the edge is very well engaged. By the way I have just the stock Slingshots and not the special race tuned version . I didn't do anything to them after receiving them except for putting some hot wax on them
The wider tip of the Slingshots also helps in broken up and variable snow compared to the Crossbows and especially comparing center mount Crossbow to center mount Slingshots. The nice ability to slide /slarve or engage into a carve at will with a slight change in body position center to forward is really cool in moguls and makes the board seem easier to me in moguls then the Crossbows. All in all the board is very comfortable and easy going in all conditions.

I agree with Wookie that if one is mostly in firm icy snow then the Crossbows are great with the option to set back the boards for deep snow if you get that every once in a while
For me the Slingshots have replaced the Crossbows as the best compromise board if I have powder , variable conditions, crust , and icy firm snow and moguls all in one day especially as riding it center works for me in all conditions .

[jjue]

Sherpa s vs Slingshots: I ride Sherpas rear mounted.That way they have more float, are faster, and more stable in variable conditions but take significantly more work to turn and are less fun in moguls. I reach for them in deep pow conditions but on most days they are a bit of overkill for me. Certainly more work to carve.

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[jjue]

Spliffs vs Slingshots: I ride Spliffs 4cm set back with non release Zero bindings. I love the fat short shape ,light weight of the set up with non releasers especially in soft snow , they carve ok but nothing like Crossbows or Slingshots
In general if it is a light pow day ,you might see me on Spliffs, deep pow on Sherpas, all around conditions like today, with pow variable, firm ,the whole range you will probably find me on Slingshots!

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[slow]

So how will the Crossbows fit into your quiver now Jack?

[jjue]

So how will the Crossbows fit into your quiver now Jack?

I think the Slingshots will replace the Crossbows in my quiver

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[newbie2011]

Great question , and I will start with a comparison of the Slingshots and the Crossbows....

Excellent review, thank you for writing such a detailed comparison !!! I was just reading the good reviews of the Crossbows, but these sound even more exciting

[rickylink]

I always enjoy reading your reviews Jack. As usual very informative!

[jjue]

I have some more thoughts on powder performance of the Slingshots and how they compare to other boards. The rear position on the Slingshots might work for some people better then the center position , . Let me explain. When you set back the Crossbows and the Sherpas on the rear inserts or set back the Spliffs 3-4cm back , they work very well in deep pow by leaning FORWARD in deep pow right up against the tounges of your boot and are very error tolerant in variable terrain preventing you from going over the handlebars forward in deep inconsistent snow when the snow varies allot in consistency from turn to turn . If any fall occurs it goes back on your rear rather then a face plant which is much easier to deal with in difficult conditions. I had just ridden the rear mounted Sherpas in pow a few days before getting on the Slingshots and found I had to adjust my style ( I did take a couple of face plants before adjusting , ha ha ) . I have to ride the pow in a more centered position more like how I ride a center mount Blunt Xl in deep pow and be a bit more careful of balance then a rear mounted Sherpa . Soon as I realized that , everything clicked and I was able to ride all conditions very nicely on the Slingshots and in control which seemed faster then a Blunt Xl in pow but not as fast as the Sherpas . I think rear setting the Slingshots would make them more error tolerant in pow but l I think there will be a big trade off in firm snow performance going back. I was so happy with the way the Slingshots performed in the center position on skier packed or groomed snow and moguls that once I found out how to adjust to riding them in deep pow and variable I didnt want to experiment going to the rear position . .

[jjue]

Riding the Slingshots has gotten me thinking about a whole lof things because it is such an unusual board. In this post I wanted to explore some of my feelings about wide bodied and narrow bodied skiboards. I really , really , like the feel of the super wide bodied skiboards in soft snow , especially when a super wide tip is combined with a super wide waist in a short format . Boards like the Condors the Blunt Xl and the Spliffs fit the bill . The issue with me is that the wide boards don't carve as nicely as the narrower boards. Yes they can get up on edge and carve fast and furious on firm snow especially when ridden low to the ground , feet slightly apart , skiboard style ( think Courtney or Dave Lynam or Kirk Thompson ). but the boards do not lend themselves to that beautiful elegant stand up tall boards together type style so epitomized by riders like Rickylink and Valmorel that I aspire to . For that you need need a narrower board like the Dlp/Alps , Crossbows, or Stickies and often the carve is best if the board is ridden right on the center mount position. I have always had a preference for off piste riding and groomers are kind of just a way to get to the goods and real nice carving performance is not as important for me so I have gravitated towards boards that do well in the off piste over their groomed snow performance, but what if I could have my cake and eat it to ? . The Slingshots are the closest to that ideal I have come . I do prefer the feel of the wide bodied big short fat regular skiboards over the Slingshots in pow and soft snow but not by a long shot and the center mount carve,/slarve combination of the Slingshots on firm snow is so much fun that I actually look for groomers equally with the off piste stuff , which is really a revelation for me ,especially as I get to be an old man and get tired out doing the stuff that Courtney likes to spend her whole day doing , !

[jjue]

Had my second day on the Slingshots Monday. Best early season in memory at Kirkwood. 11 feet of snow so far,100 per cent of terrain open.

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[jjue]

All kinds of conditions , double black diamond runs all open , steep chutes , big bowls , natural wind blown snow , pockets of undisturbed powder , broken powder , steep icy moguls where skiers have ridden the snow off and wind has blown and made them icy , nice groomers .. the Slingshots are really the swiss army knife of skiboards for me , they just do everything I want and are easily controlled with no bad habits ,
I love that I don't need to set them back and can ride them center in everything ,
A fantastic new board .