Board: Nidecker Tracer

Size: 157 Goofy

Camber Option: Camrocker.

Bindings: Rome Black Label

Stance: 21.5 Wide 15 Negative 12 Goofy

Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10

My Weight: 200lbs

Resort: Copper Mountain

Conditions: A mix of clouds and blue skies, zero wind, warmer temps, and perfect hero snow.

Flex: This has a fully directional flex as you would expect from something like this. What you get is from the tip to just inside the front contact point a little bit of flex then it progressively stiffens up through to the tail. There’s a moderate amount of torsional flex which is set back to match with the setback of the board. This makes it easy to twist when you need to.

Stability: This board is lively and as such you do feel more aggressive chatter with it through the nose into the front insert pack. From inside the front insert pack back to the tail it stiffens up and absorbs the chatter amazingly. It’s a deck that you will feel a little but but it won’t cause you to wash out.

Ollies/Pop: All the snap of this board comes off the back foot from the setback to the camber placement. It’s not overly snappy but it gets the job done. It’s a board that if you know you’re going to pop off something and know how to set up for it then you’re golden.

Short Turns: This board is a dream for all kinds of turns. You can feel it engage quickly off the front foot and then it rapidly transitions to back foot steering. This board smoothly and effectively rolls from edge to edge with severe precision.

Long Turns: Driving this board from one side of the run to the other you realize that it rockets through turns. It holds on and causes people to to stop and take notice that you are turning. It transitions quickly from toe to heel and the asymmetrical sidecut definitely compensates for our bodies natural anatomy.

Quick Carves: If there was ever a board that wanted to be on edge this is it. It drives hard into the edge and locks in. You feel it grip instantaneously. It’s an aggressive engagement off the front foot that quickly shifts back to your rear foot and lets you power off the tail.

Hard Carves: When locking into a deep hard carve there is no faltering with it. You’re in that carve and its going to let you carry it out till you want to disengage it. This board is a quintessential carving cruiser for pushing your limits and abilities. It steers off the front foot but drives from the back with power and finesse that is unparalleled.

Switch Carves: These are do able, just be aware that you will have a shit load of set back and that does change the dynamic of how the board will ride. But in all honesty this is a directional carving cruiser.

Rider in Mind: The guy that will charge when he needs to, lay a trench when he wants to, and can ride the whole mountain like a snake run flow park.

Personal Thoughts: So the big thing I noticed with this board is how much it drives off the rear foot and the power it has. You’ll feel it in your rear leg at the end of the day, but it’s not a bad thing, it’s just telling you that it wants to carve and carve aggressively. At no time did I feel like this board couldn’t hold an edge or rip a turn or a hard carve, it just wants to turn. The flex, camber profile, setback, and asymmetrical shaping have lent itself to a board that is an amazing board for the right rider. I will say this after having ridden most of the Nidecker line it falls in place between the Area and the Concept.

Comparable Boards: K2 Simple Pleasures, Bataleon Carver, Yes Optimistic.