I don’t purchase a new board every year, lets face it, im kinda broke all of the time with my two little ones & a house. However I have been dead set on investing into a rocker this year after riding a friends last season. I’ve spent a lot of time checking them out at my local Eastern Boarder as well as reading up online. Yet, I still cant decide which one I want. So let me break it down for you and maybe you guys can help me make the right investment.
I’m only 5’5 and 135lbs. Which means I need something light and noodly. But not crazy flexible. I definitely want to be able to press and flex the boards more so than I can with my current cambered board, but I also want to be able to carve some nice turns at high speeds as well as retain some decent pop all around. As I mentioned before, I’m dead set on a rocker, but I don’t think I want to go as extreme as Burton’s Hate V-Rocker, that thing is just nuts. Price definitely plays a big role and im trying to stay in budget (under $450), this really limits my choices, but leaves just enough boards to make it a tough decisions. Design doesn’t matter much, since all boards generally look good to me haha, but it can be a decision maker in the end.
Heres what I’m currently looking at.
Ride Agenda
I was just checking this board out today in person. The 147 is the exact size I’m looking for (however a 148 works just as well too). The Agenda features Ride’s Lowrize technology which is a non extreme rocker board, basically allowing you the feel and benefits of a rocker while also maintaining pop and stability all around.
The artwork is nice, I like the style and colors over all. The board is light, but not super light, and it has good flex unlike its counterpart the Machete. While it is definitely no “noodle” it’s more flexible than my current board and I feel it may be a good transition.
At only $299 this is the cheapest of the boards I am considering, making it quite possibly the winner. Overall this board seems to be what im looking for, but I do hear it dings easily. Not a big deal with good maintenance.
Arbor Draft
The Arbor Draft is an impressive board. Built specifically for jibbing, this super light & super flexible board is perfect for pressing boxes and other features. Also available in a 147, I was immediately drawn to this board because I have always wanted to own an Arbor and this would definitely be the one out of their entire line-up that suits me best.
The artwork is by far my favorite of the three, although I suppose that doesn’t matter all that much in the end.
The Draft features a wood power spine throughout & a bio-film coating on the top sheet for added durability against damage. This board prices at around $400 making it a little more expensive than my other choices, but also more appealing because I know you get what you pay for in this industry. Although I have never rode an Arbor before, I have only heard good things.
Rome Artifact
Rome’s Artifact strikes me as another board with tons of potential as far as rockers go. Also available in a 147, the Artifact is a super light noodle made for pressing 5-0′s like it’s nobody’s business. Featuring Romes reverse-jib rocker tech, this board is probably the most reverse camber & flexible out of the three I am looking at.
The artwork is cool but a little crazy for my taste. Still, nothing to stop me from snagging this puppy in the end.
The Artifact also features Rome’s special impact base to protect against dings from rails and boxes. Coming in at around $375.00, this board falls in my price range while not leaving me completely broke forcing the kids to eat Ramen Noodles for the third time this week (kidding).
These are just the three I am currently interested in. However there’s no denying that there are plenty of other great boards out there too. Basically every company is sporting their own rocker variations this year, and names such as Lib Tech, Burton, K2, etc are not to be overlooked as well. I have a feeling I may end up with the Agenda simply due to the price, but if anyone has some thoughts on which board I should go with please let me know!
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