YES The Basic (CamRock) 2012
Board category: All Mountain Freestyle / Park.
Board size: 155cm
Bindings: Burton P1.1
Stance: +18/-9, 23 inch centered stance.
Test location: Thredbo, NSW, Australia.
Snow conditions: Variable spring conditions, September 2011.
THE LOOK:
YES call this one 'The Basic' because it's the cheapest model in their line - but believe me, there's nothing 'cheap' or 'basic' about this board. In keeping with The Basic's "don't judge a book by its cover" concept, the seemingly simplistic hue-on-hue graphic is actually embossed onto the topsheet, giving it a really high-end look when you check it out up close. Nice.
THE TECH:
The Basic features a 'Camrock' profile (it's also available in a cambered model), which essentially means subtle camber between your feet, and rocker from the bindings out. You get the playful, catch-free, pow floaty goodness of rocker, with the old-school dependability of camber. Sweet.
It's a true twin shape, but the flex is slightly directional. The best of both worlds really - and I guess that's part of the reason why it rides well not just as a park board, but as an all mountain plaything.
Flex is rated as soft/medium, and the feel equates to around a 4 on the 1-10 scale (10 being the stiffest). It felt slightly stiffer in the camber between the bindings, and softened toward the tip and tail - perhaps explaining why it was relatively easy to press, but still held a good edge.
The Basic's build boasts multiaxial fiberglass layers and carbon reinforcements in strategic areas, which is nice for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it all contributes to a lively, poppy feel - and secondly, this is the kind of tech you find in boards costing a lot more than this supposedly 'budget' model!
They say it's got a "sintered 6000" base, and I'm not sure what the number means - so all I'll say is that a sintered base is great value at this price point (where some other companies only offer extruded bases), and in sometimes slowish spring conditions, the Basic slid where others stuck.
THE RIDE:
With any new board you try, there's often a short adjustment period where you get accustomed to the way it rides. Not so with The Basic - it was comfortable and confidence inspiring from first turn to last. I couldn't help but enjoy myself when riding this board, because there was nothing else to worry about. It seemed like one of those epic days where everything seems to come together, and you feel really 'on it'.
Switch, especially, was a dream. OK, it's a true twin, so you expect it to be good - but before riding switch you have to transition into it, and The Basic offered complete control in every point of your turn or spin. It all seemed so effortless - just think it, and it's done. Dependability seems to be the name of the game for The Basic.
The width is around what you'd expect from a 155. It's 249mm at the waist, and that made for quick transitions edge to edge. I should point out that I ride with size 11 Burton SLX boots (with 'Shrinkage Tech' - so they equate to size 10), so on paper, most would say it's too narrow for me - but I never even came close to toe or heel drag, no matter how on-edge I got it.
For a board on the softish end of the scale, it handled surprisingly well when carving and at speed. Never did I feel sketchy or out of control, and it even carved well switch. I don't think I'd be following Xavier De Le Rue down some of the lines he hits, but I'd be cool with riding pretty much anything your average resort could dish out. It really does inspire confidence.
THE VIBE:
Look, to be honest, there are 'better' boards out there - however each one only excels in specific areas, and that's actually what makes The Basic shine. I'll explain. I have quite a few boards, and each one does one or two things really well, but they all let me down in other areas. That's the thing with The Basic - I couldn't find a single thing it sucked at, and that's great! If you couldn't be arsed lugging around a whole bag of boards whenever you head off on a boarding trip, and just want the one go-to ride that performs well in all conditions, get back to Basic.
YES. I want one.
I Fluxin knew they were Flux but that's about it 