Hardgoods 24/25

[C.Fuzzy]

that don't have a giant Chicken Bro logo on em

I would honest to god rather have a Popeye's, Chester's, Raisin' Cane's, or KFC logo on my board than the Never Summer one.

In some sense, anything that gets over hyped or has a stereotype for more noobish or bro riders is fair game here. Just like taking a shot at the Orca or warpig. Those are great decks but so bro that for us assholes here might be a bit embarrassing (for not good reason, they're not really embarrassing at all). It's just that NS on a whole kind of got that rep.

[BFBF]

Live in Colorado for a yr and you’ll understand the NS-monster energy-just moved here from Ohio - can barely link turns -pickup truck with Calvin pissing sticker -keystone riding bros - intimately.

[benjinyc]

I demoed a NS (sims) a few years ago and it was fine, nothing to shout out about, I just like true camber.
But today, the NS rider stereotype is just too strong that I could never put one under my feet. Totally anecdotal, but NS, Lib, Burton have the worst fanbois, but at least with the later two I've met people who've ripped on them. If you're still on a NS, your riding has probably plateaued without realizing it or it's just a matter of time before you come to your senses and get something else.

When I taught, a lot of instructors rode them, anytime I asked why they liked the board, all they could say was made in the USA

[kimchi]

So I rode Never Summer exclusively for ~4 years and still got some residual love for them. Those boards are unreasonably durable and I think set an unfair standard for the kind of abuse I expect subsequent decks to be able to take. But they're heavy, damp, and I'm completely over center rocker at this point.

With Lib reintroducing true camber next year (and really since they reintroduced "C3 rocker that's actually camber"), Never Summer is the only remaining "center rocker 4 lyfe" holdout. I try to be open minded, but Triple Camber sounds really fucking stupid.

Then you ad on top that bad graphics and Monster chugging lifted truck Colorado fan boy vibes, and it's just hard to get down with them. And I wasn't even that aware of some aggro shade they apparently throw at other companies.

I'd give them a shot if they made camber-dominant shape I liked that wasn't hideous. Every year World Boards in Bozeman makes a custom cambered deck pressed by Never Summer called the Mountain Slayer and that thing looks pretty dope.

[Spenser]

but at least with the latter two I've met people who've ripped on them. If you're still on a NS, your riding has probably plateaued without realizing it or it's just a matter of time before you come to your senses and get something else.

One exception to this is my friend Kyle who's from the midwest, at 1:36 & on. That said, I don't know where he picked up riding NS boards, but he's had a few for a bunch of years. Doesn't ride them as much up here anymore.

[Spenser]

This question really sparked quite the response.

Originally, I remember NS ads in snowboard mags around 2000. One in particular was a sick storm photo of someone on a big gun. "Modern" NS (which goes back a while now) feels like a whole different brand. Maybe they should go back to being a more mature freeride company where most people call their boards doors

I bet you the fanboy influence had a lot to do with the transition into what a lot of people don't like today. Might bet money on it that at least a few employees were bummed when they had to start making all the incredibly cheesy Colorado graphics.

[Spenser]

Now let's talk about Gilson

[SJF_NH]

Here in NH the shops that carry NS tell me that the typical NS customer returns every year to buy the current version of the NS model they rode the previous year, and that they won't even look at other brands. Kind of a dad vibe here and I don't see very many in the wild.

I've also heard that they're overbuilt and last forever (as verified by @kimchi fer cryin out loud)

But for the love of all that's holy, lose the fucking bird...

[BFBF]

The early NS decks were fucking full
Camber monsters
Thick , damp , stiff. Heavy camber
I remember riding a friends revolver or Titan yrs ago and holy shit it was a tank A brick
That honestly is how the “bomb proof” rep came about
The current boards are nothing like the initial boards which had a legit local core following
They’re were legit freeride “core”
That went straight to hell when the rocker craze hit
And here we are

[G.D.]

But for the love of all that's holy, lose the fucking bird...

PLEASE. If there's any divine entity/energy/lifeforce/God out there, please answer this simple request ...

I'd rather ride the new YES Lobster decks, than any of the 'Muricaa bird decks ... and I would never get any of the former .