Board: Gnu Riders Choice
Size: 157.5
Camber Option: C3. Camber 2.0 from Mervin. So camber under foot with a minimal hinge between the feet and a flat section out past the inserts.
Bindings: Rome Black Label
Stance: 21.5 Wide 15 Negative 12 Goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 200lbs
Resort: Arapahoe Basin
Conditions: Sunny bluebird skies, zero wind, warm temps, and typical preseason chunder, ice, and slush.
Flex: The overall flex is a pure middle of the road. You have some play out in the tips and it progressively stiffens up through the insert pack to the middle where it meets some torsional give. This torsional give allows the board to have some play.
Stability: This board is very stable and damp. It doesn’t get bucked around in uneven terrain, at speed you rarely notice any chatter, and when you plow through chunder it doesn’t fold.
Ollies: There’s some snap in this board but it’s not overwhelming. It does load up a bit different due to the C3 camber profile but once you figure that out it doesn’t become an issue. Where the camber section meets the flat it gives this big sweet spot to engage it to pop.
Pop On Jumps: The closest thing to a jump I hit was hipping a bonk. It popped with ease and got the job done. This board is going to slay jumps from small to large so don’t sweat it.
Butterability: The tips have play where you want them and there’s a little bit of fight which really lets you balance your weight out over your front or back foot. The Magnetraction can be a little hooky so just be prepared for that.
Jibbing: It’s not a jib board but it’s got enough flex to get the job done. You have to know how to balance your weight out over the camber section and push into the flat. Once you do that it’s fine.
Carving: Here’s where this board shines. That asymmetrical sidecut lets you rail a turn on the heelside with very minimal effort. This is a board that transitions smoothly from edge to edge and never seems to be sluggish. Only once did I get the tail to wash out on a mildly aggressive carve. When laying it over you feel this board engage and lock in but it doesn’t feel stuck on edge which is nice.
Rider in Mind: High end all mountain freestyle guy.
Personal Thoughts: This is the version of the RC I’ve always wanted. It’s powerful where you need it, predictable where you want it, and just the right amount of flex to camber to sidecut to be a very predictable ride. Thank you for finally adding C3 to this board and making it far more dialed in than the regular version.
Comparable Boards: Jones Ultra Mountain Twin, Ride Helix, Rossignol Juggernaut
