United Shapes

[ninja_nate]

Speaking of Tucker, Gray and US, I recently found Aurora Boardealis back on the interwebs. This is one of my favorite movies over the last few years. Such a bummer the Warp Wave Vimeo disappeared. Seems like Messi and Gray had a falling out?

Anyways for those who haven’t seen it, highly recommend the watch: https://www.snowboarder.com/videos/warp ... full-movie

[Spenser]

Our (now former) GM, a 47 y/o skier, has been wanting to try one of my boards for carving since I posted a clip on the cheater a couple years ago. Now that he's a civilian this season, we finally made it happen.

He'd spent a bit of time on boards in the 90s, mostly hardboots, so it's been a long time. Set him up on the old cadet with a narrower stance and posi angles, since that was the best chance at tapping into his old hardboot muscle memory, and.... he was immediately flowing. Slicing pretty clean turns as fast as anyone by the end of the day. Going for round two tomorrow, and he might hop on the cheater at some point.

We did a lot of nerd talk on the chair, and it was rad seeing him put little tips into action and improve run to run.


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Day 2

[Shredder]

Nice! Have you converted him off the two planks?

[Spenser]

Definitely not going to stop skiing as his primary snow sport, but he's stoked to get back on a board and is interested in owning a setup again. Cadet is actually a really good fit for him as a one-board quiver. Seems interested in getting one...

[Spenser]

After all these groomer days & my B2B test, I think I'm ready to say the cadet is my favorite board to carve with. On top of preference, everybody affects a board in their own unique way… speed, angulation, drive, posture, so on. For me, the cadet has a special sauce that I don't quite feel with others. Feel very aligned with the "math" and build of this board. So consistently smooth and reliable for me, across the full range of turns and temperaments. Having been on the cadet shape in pow, I know I like it, but stoked to see how this "better" version is different in those conditions. That's mostly where I wished the old one had a little more meat to it.

[SJF_NH]

I could not agree more, there's something magical about the Cadet, and in particular the way that it turns (for me).

[jsil]

After all these groomer days & my B2B test, I think I'm ready to say the cadet is my favorite board to carve with. On top of preference, everybody affects a board in their own unique way… speed, angulation, drive, posture, so on. For me, the cadet has a special sauce that I don't quite feel with others. Feel very aligned with the "math" and build of this board. So consistently smooth and reliable for me, across the full range of turns and temperaments. Having been on the cadet shape in pow, I know I like it, but stoked to see how this "better" version is different in those conditions. That's mostly where I wished the old one had a little more meat to it.

Cadet better to carve with than the Cheater?

[Spenser]

After all these groomer days & my B2B test, I think I'm ready to say the cadet is my favorite board to carve with. On top of preference, everybody affects a board in their own unique way… speed, angulation, drive, posture, so on. For me, the cadet has a special sauce that I don't quite feel with others. Feel very aligned with the "math" and build of this board. So consistently smooth and reliable for me, across the full range of turns and temperaments. Having been on the cadet shape in pow, I know I like it, but stoked to see how this "better" version is different in those conditions. That's mostly where I wished the old one had a little more meat to it.

Cadet better to carve with than the Cheater?

In a linear sense, you can of course push the cheater to a higher level, and it's clearly a "better" carving board, but it's more of a dedicated approach when you take it out - you aren't just ripping around on it like a daily driver, and that's not always as fun. Re: which one I have the most fun riding and carving with in general, it's the cadet. Emphasis on "favorite," but not suggesting it's technically "best"

[jsil]

]
In a linear sense, you can push the cheater to a higher level and it's clearly a "better" carving board, but it's more of a dedicated approach when you take it out - you aren't just ripping around on it like a daily driver. As far as which one I have the most fun riding and carving with in general, it's the cadet.

So groomer only carving days, cheater, mixed days, cadet. Makes total sense.

I've always wanted to try a United Shapes. Cadet the one?

[Spenser]

I would still probably choose the cadet on most groomer-only days, because I just have more fun on it in general, since it's more versatile & playful (side hits, slashing, whatever) and I do really love the way it carves.

I choose the cheater simply when I feel like being on that type of board. It's a favorite, but it's also one of those "only ridden on rare occasions, but sure glad I have it" decks for me. I spent a ton of time on it the first year I had it, in all kinds of conditions, which was exciting - but since then, it's settled into it's long term position in which I only take it out a few days a year depending on conditions.

I also notice I prefer the groomers to be a little on the softer side when I take the cheater. When they're hard or borderline icy - more demanding if you're going to properly slice - I like a "regular" board. So think… when the groomers get really good a couple days after it snowed - those are prime cheater days for me.

If you're a directional rider who likes turning and flowing all around, cadet is the easy choice, but of course depends what category you're trying to fill in your quiver