New board time
Hi all
I got another tasty sized tax return this year and what better way to spend that money than on a new board. 
A bit about me. I’m 170cm tall, about 66kg and an intermediate rider looking to push myself into more advanced riding (getting faster, more aggressive).
I’m currently riding a GNU Ladies Smart Pickle 152. I do love this board here in Aus. It’s very playful, quite a soft flex and great on the groomers. I did find though in Canada (and on some of the powder days here in Aus / heliboarding in NZ) that I had to fight the board a bit in these conditions and that the flex was just too soft.
So, I’m keen to add something a bit stiffer and more aggressive to the collection. Specifically, I’m off to Japan in Feb for 2 weeks so this will be my board for that trip (and maybe future Japan trips 
)
So keen for people to throw out some ideas for boards to get me started looking at. I have been having a look but it’s a case of there’s just so many out there and I WANT THEM ALL!
(Remember, this will be a 2nd board - not a replacement for the Pickle.)
Cheers all 
I will reply in more detail shortly, but two boards I would immediately point your attention to are the:
YES. Hel 152: https://www.boardworld.com.au/products/yes-hel-152-snowboard and
Jones Twin Sister 149: https://www.boardworld.com.au/products/jones-twin-sister-149-snowboard
Overall, I think the Hel would be better suited, and I feel you’re spot on with the 152 size. It’s going to be more aggressive than your Smart Pickle, while still being versatile in all conditions. The directional CamRock profile is a real winner and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty. It would be a great addition to your quiver.
I was lucky to get a Hel Yes for my birthday earlier this year. For many years I’d been riding a Gnu B-Street, and was happy enough with it. My riding was fairly static, not getting any better, just trucking along. I struggle with crowds and cat-tracks after a nasty accident a few years ago.
The Hel Yes has been a game changer for me. It’s a bit longer than my Gnu, which was daunting at first. It’s light, fun and agile. I’ve ridden it in Australia and NZ this year, and have enjoyed every moment. Ice, hardback, great snow, corn and full on spring slush. (Only missed out on full pow :( )
This year, I’ve changed my riding, and have felt a huge improvement. (It actually made such a difference that the joy was brought back!)
I’m never going to do jumps, or hits, I’ll be honest. But I’ll go off piste and this board rides really well on both.
This board is really well made, and after a season riding has no marks or scuffs on the top sheet, which has a kind of rough finish rather than a smooth finish. I like it’s understated design too. We wax pretty often, here, and the base stayed in great condition. I’ve seen a few boards around this year with extruded bases that just didn’t was up well. The Yes board is a quality product, Sintered base.
I think the main thing for me is that we have a bloke here who knows his stuff, Rider26 really does. Apparently there was a fair bit of agreement about which board and size I was to get as a gift, and the advice from Rider26 won the day.
I love this board, I am very happy with it, and I’d recommend you at least try it.
Shoot me any specific questions and I’ll try to answer them for you. I won’t be changing boards anytime soon!
I was lucky to get a Hel Yes for my birthday earlier this year. For many years I’d been riding a Gnu B-Street, and was happy enough with it. My riding was fairly static, not getting any better, just trucking along. I struggle with crowds and cat-tracks after a nasty accident a few years ago.
The Hel Yes has been a game changer for me. It’s a bit longer than my Gnu, which was daunting at first. It’s light, fun and agile. I’ve ridden it in Australia and NZ this year, and have enjoyed every moment. Ice, hardback, great snow, corn and full on spring slush. (Only missed out on full pow :( )
This year, I’ve changed my riding, and have felt a huge improvement. (It actually made such a difference that the joy was brought back!)
I’m never going to do jumps, or hits, I’ll be honest. But I’ll go off piste and this board rides really well on both.This board is really well made, and after a season riding has no marks or scuffs on the top sheet, which has a kind of rough finish rather than a smooth finish. I like it’s understated design too. We wax pretty often, here, and the base stayed in great condition. I’ve seen a few boards around this year with extruded bases that just didn’t was up well. The Yes board is a quality product, Sintered base.
I think the main thing for me is that we have a bloke here who knows his stuff, Rider26 really does. Apparently there was a fair bit of agreement about which board and size I was to get as a gift, and the advice from Rider26 won the day.
I love this board, I am very happy with it, and I’d recommend you at least try it.Shoot me any specific questions and I’ll try to answer them for you. I won’t be changing boards anytime soon!
Thanks Tambo. It’s always cool to get a rider’s opinion.
I’m curious as to how you feel your riding has changed and what’s improved.
What size Hel Yes are you on? And what bindings have you paired it up with?
You’re right about the advice available here.
Rider26 helped me select my current board and as I said I do love it-just looking to add to the quiver.
I honestly think you’d absolutely love the Hel and it will be a great addition to the quiver. The CamRock profile will feel more aggressive because of the camber between your feet (more stable, increased edging performance, more energy and pop), while still being playful in the nose and tail, and giving you float in powder. I could go on and on about it, but I’ve asked Michelle to reply with some feedback for you. She tested a bunch of boards at SIA and the Hel was the standout for her… so much so that she made me buy her one, haha. 
However, please feel free to ask any questions and I will be more than happy to answer.
I honestly think you’d absolutely love the Hel and it will be a great addition to the quiver. The CamRock profile will feel more aggressive because of the camber between your feet (more stable, increased edging performance, more energy and pop), while still being playful in the nose and tail, and giving you float in powder. I could go on and on about it, but I’ve asked Michelle to reply with some feedback for you. She tested a bunch of boards at SIA and the Hel was the standout for her… so much so that she made me buy her one, haha.
However, please feel free to ask any questions and I will be more than happy to answer.
Thanks Jeremy. Looking forward to Michelle’s feedback. 
Hey Everyone.
@TAMBO - I am so stoked you love your HEL. I agree with everything you said (as I have size 7 boots I can/do demo all the women’s models!) - its super light, poppy, easy to ‘drive’, but incredibly stable at high speed (or on harder snow). Worth noting - is that the new 1516 HEL got quite a few international board awards too! Lots of great tech in that board.
@GENIASS - I would agree with Jeremy on this one, the HEL & TWIN SISTER are both great options. They are both great resort boards, and are obviously very well suited to any off piste riding that you find yourself lucky enough to be doing! The HEL will ride a touch more playful, the TWIN SISTER will ride a touch more solid - but you will notice a huge increase in performance boost with either of these boards once you get on our CAMrock profile (camber under your feet, and a rockered tip/tail).
...maybe worth noting is that the waist width of the HEL152 = 242mm & the waist width on the TWINSISTER152 = 246mm - so the HEL will certainly feel more agile.
Hope this info helps. Let me know if you have more questions.
I’ve got the 147 Hel Yes. combined with Flux GU bindings these (also recommended by BW)
I’m about 164cm, and intermediate rider, though mid 50’s in age. So really a granny shredder.
I suppose the main way my riding has changed is that I find it easier to have a flat board, and get closer to carve turns. As Amine says, it’s a very agile board, but very stable, and I just feel a lot more comfortable on it. I’ve had lots of trouble on cat tracks, but finally feel like I’m cracking it now, with the confidence to push a bit harder. And…. it’s a LOT easier to strap into while standing than the full rocker board I had before, which is a winner for me when riding with skiers.
Look, if I feel like I’m still itching to get out there on a board at my age, then this board has to be doing something right for me. Also, the BW shred is such fun, thanks Amine for setting up the demo boards for us all
Tobi tried my board one day, but found it too short for her, though it made her ken to demo at the shred. I found her board ( a Burton something, a few years old, so heavy after the Hel!)
Geniass, if you get the chance, come to the shred sometime. I think we’ve been to 5 now, formed some great friendships, and have a heap of fun.
Biggest regret in life? Not getting on a board until later. To that end, made sure the kids found the snow way earlier than I did. Seems to have worked.
Thanks for the honest feedback Tambo. Gives me some really good insight into the board and how it feels.
Hubby and I are definitely keen to make it to the shred at some point just the travel time from Canberra wasn’t going to work this year (very busy with work /work travel).
Perisher passes for us next year…. happy to let you have a spin on mine if we meet up, even though it smaller than what you want. That’s if you haven’t already committed.
Hey Jac,
I demoed the Hel 149 early last year and absolutely fell in love with it! I loved how stable it was at high speeds but so agile when I felt like playing around with it.
I tried it again at SIA in February at Copper Mountain during the demo days. I couldn’t find anything bad to say about it. I paired it with the Now IPO bindings, and found they were a great fit for each other.
Later this past Whistler season, as soon as we returned from SIA I went out and bought the new Hel 149 and the Now IPO bindings. I rode my board more this season than ever before and loved every minute of it. The Hel managed all the different terrain and snow conditions we get in Whistler with great ease. It was stable on hard pack snow and ice, but allowed me to glide through the snow on powder days. I even went into the park to try it out on a few jumps!
Long story short, I would highly recommend the Hel Yes. It definitely lives up to its name!
Perisher passes for us next year…. happy to let you have a spin on mine if we meet up, even though it smaller than what you want. That’s if you haven’t already committed.
Thanks Tambo - very generous of you. Although I dare say I will have committed by then! 
But we should definitely hook up for a ride at Perisher sometime next year.
Hey Jac,
I demoed the Hel 149 early last year and absolutely fell in love with it! I loved how stable it was at high speeds but so agile when I felt like playing around with it.
I tried it again at SIA in February at Copper Mountain during the demo days. I couldn’t find anything bad to say about it. I paired it with the Now IPO bindings, and found they were a great fit for each other.
Later this past Whistler season, as soon as we returned from SIA I went out and bought the new Hel 149 and the Now IPO bindings. I rode my board more this season than ever before and loved every minute of it. The Hel managed all the different terrain and snow conditions we get in Whistler with great ease. It was stable on hard pack snow and ice, but allowed me to glide through the snow on powder days. I even went into the park to try it out on a few jumps!
Long story short, I would highly recommend the Hel Yes. It definitely lives up to its name!
Thanks Michelle.
Damn you and Jeremy are persuasive…..
Girl - do it! You won’t regret it.
The Hel Yes is a fabulous board.
Unlike the others here who were going longer than before, I went down in size.
My other board is a 155 Roxy Eminence C2BTX (same board Torah rode in the pipe).
I bought the Hel Yes for Southern Hemi kit with the plan to not take a board bag back and forth to Japan….leaving my Eminence over there.
Great plan.
Only one problem. LOVE the Hel Yes too much to leave it behind!!!
I too have found cat tracks hysterically easy on this board.
Early in my development cat tracks were the bane of my life, I came unstuck a lot, and stacking it on a cat track hurts more than a hill and is way more embarrassing
I was generally fine on the Eminence (loved it more than life ) but often ran out of steam on flats (the traverse from Merritt’s to Gunbarrel for example) and had to scooch or walk. Not with the Hel Yes! The first time I rode that traverse on it I cracked up laughing. I had a broken arm, was being super cautious and just keep going! Astounded! Bouncing along like it was self propelled.
It was an absolute dream in Japan on and off piste in December, January and March.
Love love love it.
Can not say enough good things about this board!
I have it paired with Now bindings, I’m 46, have been riding for 9 years.
Competent rider, next to no park, it’s been put through it’s paces on ice, hard pack, and thigh deep pow, on and off piste, outstanding responsiveness in trees (board/binding combo).