Men's Snowboard Guide - Winter 2021-2022
Alright, we have to say off the bat that finding the right snowboard has more to do with the rider’s size, weight, and riding style than anything, but for the sake of keeping these blog posts from turning into novels, we’ve grouped our winter 2021-22 boards into Men’s Boards and Women’s Boards.
We’ve sorted our boards based on shape instead of brand, so they are grouped loosely by taper, from ture twins, to mildly directional “twins”, to fully directional all-mountain boards (most of our stock falls in this category), to heavily directional pow slaying shapes.
Swing by our downtown Fernie shop any time to chat with us about these boards and check them out in-person!
Freestyle True Twins
This is a true twin board with a centered stance, early rise tips and twin flex. For the jibby rider who loves the park, who is super playful, and who wants a board that rides switch as often as not.
GNU Headspace
The Gnu Headspace is Forest Bailey's Twin Freestyle Masterpiece. Award-winning tech makes this a freestyle dream for the intermediate to expert rider who wants to get playful in the park as well as on the slopes.
- Zero taper, zero setback, true twin board
- Available in 152, 155, 158
- Asymmetrical sidecut (with the tighter radius on the heel side) allows for heel turns with less effort and less board angulation.
- C3 camber gives it lots of pop
- Mid-stiff flexing
The 2022 Gnu Headspace is an approachable, fun, poppy freestyle twin for intermediate to advanced riders looking for something playful and versatile.
Freestyle True Twins
This is a true twin board with a centered stance, early rise tips and twin flex. For the jibby rider who loves the park, who is super playful, and who wants a board that rides switch as often as not.
All Mountain “Twins” & Mildly Directional Boards
These boards are for the playful freestyler who uses the whole mountain rather than just the park. These are not true twins, but “directional twins,” with a slightly set back stance and/or longer nose than tail, and less than 5mm of taper.
Although they are slightly directional, these snowboards are still suitable for riding switch, and are perfect for anyone whose season goals include more creative riding and learning that next steezy trick.
Burton 3D Kilroy
The ultimate jib tool, the 3D Kilroy features a “spoon” nose for perfect presses and catch-free freestyle fun.
- Zero taper, 12.5 mm setback
- Available in 150 & 155
- 3D contoured nose and tail for a catch-free, easy to butter ride
- Twin flex makes it equally versatile regular of switch
- Softer flexing board, for park to all mountain freestyle
- 3D scooped nose and tail gives extra butteryness
- Featuring Burton’s Purepop camber - camber between feet, flat on outside (get jibby with it!)
- Fast sliding sintered base
The 2022 3D Kilroy is a super fun board for the playful, poppy rider who wants to get jibby in the park and beyond. Great for beginners through to advanced riders.
K2 Manifest
Nicknamed the “Swiss army knife” for its versatility, the Manifest is a perfect one board quiver for most riders (especially here in Fernie!).
- no taper, 20mm setback
- Available in 157W, 159, 160W, 162, 164W
- Camber with early rise, longer nose than tail, arguably twin flex!
- Very well balanced all mountain board, easy to ride switch on.
- Tons of float for such slight setback
- NOTE: Fairly large turning radius makes for a more fast and stable than nimble ride.
- 7/10 stiffness
The 2022 K2 Manifest is an approachable board for the strong beginner that won’t disappoint the seasoned expert. Perfect who wants a board to progress with that can handle it all.
Nidecker Escape
The Escape is Nidecker’s “Goldilocks Zone” board - not too stiff, not too soft, with a versatile all-mountain shape.
- 2mm taper, 30mm setback
- Available in 152M, 156L, 159L, 159W, 162W, 162XW, 165W, 169XW
- Ash top sheet absorbs vibration
- The wood core (beech, spruce, poplar, paulownia mix) hits a great balance between pop and dampness (landing on the slightly poppier side).
- Directional flex
- Longer camber section and almost no early rise – flat at the contact points to add a little float and reduce aggressiveness.
- Carves like a steak knife.
- Intermediate to Expert
The 2022 Nidecker Escape is a great choice for intermediate to expert riders who want an all-mountain board that loves to grip hard pack and still handles pow.
GNU Banked Country (NEW!)
New this year, the Banked Country is a pro model collab design from father son duo Temple and Cannon Cummins. It combines Temple’s legendary slalom prowess with his son’s skate influence for a unique ride featuring the all new Progressive Magne-Traction.
- 2mm taper, 38mm setback
- Available in 155, 159, 160W
- New “Pro Mag” Progressive magne-traction tech gets rid of the magne-traction at the top of the board, and instead kicks in at the middle and becomes more defined towards the tail for a smoother, less ‘hooky’ entry into turns and a biting tail for powerful turn exits.
- Fun and rideable in all kinds of conditions
- A classic snowboard (oldschool) in its shape. Very functional and versatile board.
- Long nose for extra float.
- Fast-sliding sintered base
- Stiff flexing, aggressively cambered, hard-charging rip stick for strong intermediate to advanced riders.
The Edge of the World team is excited to try out this new Pro-Mag tech from Gnu, which is sure to trickle down into more models over the next few years.
K2 Broadcast
The broadcast is an approachable K2 classic. A well-balanced, predictable performer that never disappoints and has endured the test of time.
- 3mm taper, 20mm set back
- Available in 156, 158W, 159, 163W
- Versatile all mountain board that suits many riders
- Set back camber with early rise tips. Handles switch riding easily.
- Stiff flexing, with tip-to-tail carbon stringers that increase stability, pop and liveliness but make this board easy going torsionally. Great for kickers and side hits!
- Sintered base.
- Suitable for intermediate to expert riders.
A classic, versatile charger for a strong intermediate to advanced rider looking for an all-terrain, playful ride.
Lib Tech Dynamo
The Dynamo is a super playful all-mountain board that suits a lot of riders, and is not overly directional.
- 3mm taper, 25mm set back, (1”)
- Available in 153, 156, 159, 159W, 162W
- Full camber, stiff flexing slightly directional board, arguably twin flex
- Low maintenance, but durable TNT base laminates - in the middle of sintered vs extruded scale.
- Very little early rise nose with camber all the way into the tail, floats best when ridden faster.
- Pros Austen Sweetin and Phil Hansen ride this board a lot!
- Roughly 6/10 stiffness
The 2022 Dynamo is a fun and playful board for intermediate to advanced riders who love to get creative and don’t shy away from the occasional charge or switch session.
Nidecker Alpha (NEW!)
The all new Nidecker Alpha (along with the Beta) is part of Nidecker’s first foray into the world of 3D shapes, and is intended to blend all mountain freestyle with effortless snow surfing.
- 2-4mm taper, 15-20mm setback, (depending on length)
- Available in 153 & 158
- 3D spooned nose for maximum float and easy turn initiation
- Base shape is “pinched” at the tail (think bird tail) for better maneuverability, and to help the tail sink (and therefore the nose float even more) in pow.
- Fairly stiff flexing (7/10) and responsive.
The 2022 Nidecker Alpha brings 3D tech to a versatile board that isn’t overly pow specific. The Edge of the World crew is excited to try this one out!
Nidecker Thruster (NEW!)
The Nidecker Thruster is a new “unisex” board this year. For the all-mountain freerider who wants a board that can truly go anywhere.
- 3 to 4mm taper (depending on length), 20mm set back
- Available in sizes 147N, 150M, 153M, 156L, 159L, 162W
- Full camber, fairly stiff board
- Relatively wide turning radius adds stability at speed.
- A new ‘do anything’ board for strong intermediate to more advanced riders
A great value “one board quiver” board for strong intermediate to advanced riders. Our crew is excited to try this new Nidecker board out!
Directional All Mountain / Freeride Boards
For the rider who wants to fuse groomer carving with pow turns and loves dropping off cliffs more than hitting kickers in the park. These boards are strongly tapered shapes, with directional flexes. Most of the snowboards we carry fall into this category since they’re perfect for riding Fernie’s rugged, snowy off piste terrain.
Burton Cartographer (NEW!)
An all-new offering from Burton, the Cartographer finally fills a gap in the Burton lineup as an entry level freeride board.
- 5mm taper, 25mm setback
- Available in 154, 159, 162
- New shape, introduction to freeride (not as aggressive as other Burtons)
- Move from twin to directional, not full stiffness
- Fully directional flex
- Sintered base
- See core engineered grain direction
- An entry level freeride board with a tighter than average turning radius
- Stiffer nose than tail to chop through chunder while maintaining a surfy tail in powder.
- Intermediate to advanced
The 2022 Burton cartographer is the perfect board for someone who has strong fundamentals and is looking to progress their riding on a more directional shape. The Edge of the World team is excited to try this new approachable directional board!
K2 Alchemist
The Alchemist is K2’s flagship model, featuring premium materials and built to handle aggressive freeriding.
- 6mm taper, 20mm setback
- Nice long transition from the camber into the early rise nose
- Available in 157, 159W, 160
- Full of premium tech (wood core layup, carbon-infused sintered base, super light super durable SpaceGlass tip inserts) in a fully cambered profile and modern freeride shape.
- Stiffest flex in K2’s snowboard line.
- Very well balanced ride.
- Easy maneuverability with tons of support under the feet.
- Very damp, yet poppy. Comfortable at any speed.
- Recommended for the very strong intermediate to expert rider
K2 describes the Alchemist as “an aggressive directional snowboard built by obsessive snowboarders for obsessive snowboarders” and we tend to agree. Perfect for the hard charging advanced rider who wants a tool that will do the job for years to come.
Nidecker Mellow
The Mellow is Nidecker’s blend of surf-style and all mountain performance.
- 6mm taper with 30mm setback
- Available in 150W, 155W, 160W
- Built 'shorter but wider' style (waist widths are 260mm +)
- Early rise tips blend into a long flat section, with camber in the centre
- The early rise and extended nose make the Mellow float effortlessly in pow
- Tight sidecut and fairly stiff flex pattern make it reactive edge to edge on groomers
- Suitable for intermediate to expert riders
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The Mellow's unique shape makes it a versatile, surfy board that can handle pow, carve groomers, and can go switch without a problem.
https://www.edgeoftheworld.ca/nidecker-mellow-40017260.htmlBurton Deep Thinker
The Deep Thinker is Danny Davis’s all mountain model - one of the first boards he designed (along with free thinker).- 7mm taper, 25mm set back
- Available in 157, 157W, 160, 160W
- Lots of energy in this board - stiff with a lot of pop
- Camber all the way into the tail
- Stiff tips, medium torsional flex and deep sidecut make for a super responsive board, lightning fast edge to edge - not for chill/surfy riders!
- Carves well, rides switch well, and floats reasonably well.
- For the advanced to expert rider with an energetic, powerful riding style.
The 2022 Deep Thinker is a hard charging, snappy board for strong riders who want precision and responsiveness from their ride.
Lib Tech Ejack Knife
Eric Jackson’s pro model, the Ejack Knife loves to ride big mountain lines, slash pow, and stomp landings. This is a classic board for Fernie that does well on our rugged terrain as well as on groomers.- 8mm taper, 25mm setback
- Available in 154, 157, 159, 159W, 162W
- Heavily cambered board (C3 camber profile) with Magnetraction that has a fun, poppy approachability
- Stiff flexing
- Nose and tail are shaped the same but still offset, so it can land switch just fine but still handles big lines.
- Very little early rise nose with camber all the way into the tail, floats well when ridden faster
- Ideal for intermediate to expert riders.
The Lib Tech Ejack Knife is a staff favorite at Edge, and is popular among Fernie riders as a stable fast board that doesn’t shy away from the send.
Stranda Descender
Very much a true freeride board, Stranda’s Descender has really impressed our staff - it is the most commonly ordered board by our staff this year!- 9mm taper, 30mm setback
- Available in 158, 161, 162W (and sizes 148 & 152 available in the “women’s” Descender)
- 8.7m - 9.3m sidecut radius, super responsive.
- Camber profile with early rise in the tips. Long mellow rockered nose. Floats exceptionally well! The camber stays high under the back foot due to Stranda’s parabolic camber curve tech, which maintains the pop despite an early rise tail.
- One of the lightest boards in the shop, but still effectively dampens any chatter.
- Fairly stiff, ideal for strong intermediate to expert riders.
The Descender is a fantastically fast, responsive, capable board for intermediate to expert riders who don’t shy away from any terrain or snow condition and need a board to match them at every turn.
Talk to staff members Jesse, Johnny, Lars, Rich and Tim about this board - all of them own and love it! Also available in a split, which staff member Aaron is riding this year.
On the women’s side, staff members Christine and Michelle and team rider Lucy have also added the Stranda Descender to their quiver. Truly an Edge of the World staff favourite!
Nidecker Beta (NEW!)
The all new Nidecker Beta (along with the Alpha) is part of Nidecker’s first foray into the world of 3D shapes. The Beta is a heavily tapered and setback shape intended to maximise float and performance in pow while still performing everywhere on the mountain.- 8-10mm taper, 40-50mm setback (depending on length)
- Available in 157 & 162
- 3D spooned nose for maximum float and easy turn initiation.
- Fairly stiff flexing (7/10) and responsive.
- Base shape is “pinched” at the tail, with a swallow tail cutout for effortless maneuverability, and to help the tail sink (and therefore the nose float even more) in pow.
Our team is excited to try the new Nidecker Beta 3D board out on those deep pow days!
Stranda Cheater
A soft boot carving dream known fondly at our store as the “big friendly giant,” the Cheater turns so easily despite its length that it feels like cheating. The Cheater is a definite staff favourite at Edge.- 9mm taper, 40mm setback
- Available in 170 & 170W
- A unique shape makes this a turning dream - a super short blunt nose and swallow tail, with a 143cm effective edge (equivalent to the edge of a board 10-15cms longer if the nose and tail were normal) gives this board tons of grip for its size.
- Classic camber profile, and flat at the contact points means no hooking of the tips!
- Stranda’s regressive sidecut means the Cheater has a tighter radius at the tip than tail.
- A super calm, smooth groomer ride that carves like a dream.
Talk to staff members Connor, Lars, Rich and Tim about the Stranda Cheater - they all have their own, and can’t get enough.
K2 Party Platter
An extremely fun and versatile board for the playful rider who does it all. The party platter is a party to ride!- 10mm taper, no set back
- Available in 152 & 157
- Centered stance and twin flex mean that switch is no problem.
- Short/fat volume shift means great float in pow
- Camber between the feet with rocker just outside of the bindings means stability at higher speeds, edge hold on groomers and an easy pivoting feel for jibbing and tricks.
- The carbon “Ollie Bar” between the inserts gives the Party Platter tons of snap and rebound.
- Super fun and versatile all mountain board on the softer/more playful side
- Great for beginners through to advanced riders.
The 2022 K2 Party Platter is just that - an absolute party of a board that loves to get creative anywhere and everywhere on the mountain. Well-loved by the Edge of the World crew.
K2 Instrument
A great value board in a classic freeride shape that’s versatile and approachable for most riders.- 10mm taper, 20mm setback, directional flex
- Available in 154, 157, 160, 163
- A “does it all” board that handles both directional riding and pow very well
- Camber with early rise tips; very long, mellow transition from the camber section into the nose makes for effortless float and forgiving turn entry
- Mildly 'shorter but wider' shape gives it great float without being overly wide
- A responsive ride, with a longer radius in the tip of the board for easy turn initiation, and a deeper sidecut under foot for deep carve capability.
- Ideal for the intermediate to advanced rider.
The 2022 K2 Instrument is a versatile directional all-mountain tool for the rider who wants to get on edge on the groomers and still float through the pow.
https://www.edgeoftheworld.ca/2022-k2-instrument.htmlLib Tech Orca by Travis Rice
Travis Rice’s infamous short-fat pow slayer has been labelled an “apex all terrain tech shred predator,” and watching T Rice shred on this board would certainly confirm that description.- 10mm taper, 35mm setback
- Available in 153, 156, 159, 162
- Downsizing is recommended by lib tech, but we recommend keeping it slight (~3cm)
- The tail shape is unique - it abruptly kicks out, so it doesn’t sink like normal pow boards, instead it planes on top of the snow and stays extremely maneuverable.
- Rocker in the centre, camber under the feet means it has a loose surfy feel in pow but still rips on hard pack.
- Very approachable pow board due to its mellow medium flex and centre rocker.
- Suitable for all levels depending on riding style.
The orca is an approachable, maneuverable, surfy pow board that still rips on hard pack. Try one out to see what the hype is all about!
Burton Family Tree Show Stopper (NEW!)
New this year, the Burton Family Tree Show Stopper is touted as a unisex board, with sizes ranging from 142 to 162.- 12 mm taper, 38mm setback
- Available in sizes 142, 148, 154, 158, 162
- Extra wide for tons of float
- Lots of camber for power, response and edge control
- Twin flex in the nose and the tail mean this board can handle riding switch
- Very tight turning radius (6.3m in the 148 length option)
- Intermediate to Advanced
The Show Stopper is a nimble pow to groomer board for riders who want a wide and floaty board that still offers responsiveness and performance. We’re excited to try this new board from Burton!
Burton Hometown Hero
A staff favourite at Edge, the Hometown Hero is an energetic, responsive board that loves to charge through pow, corduroy, chunder, and everything else it encounters.- 12mm taper, 40mm setback
- Available in 148, 152, 156, 160, 156W, 160W, 165W
- Soft torsional flex with a stiffer nose and tail for stability at speed, and ability to plow through chunder.
- Deep side cut along with torsionally soft flex makes for a super responsive board - lightning fast edge to edge - not ideal for more chill riders.
- Camber all the way into the tail with directional flex, but still fine with switch.
- Ideal for the advanced to expert rider.
The Burton Hometown Hero comes in solid and split. Talk to staff member Aaron about this board - it’s one of his all time faves!
Stranda Shorty
The Stranda Shorty is a surfy freeride powder board. It’s known for being as fun on the groomers as in the backcountry and is a staff favourite at Edge!- 13mm taper, 22mm set back
- Available in 159, 164, 164W (size 153 available in the “Women’s” Shorty)
- Very directional flex (soft nose!)
- Mellow camber with very long early rise nose and short early rise tail
- Medium-high stiffness
- Relatively long effective edge for great carving performance
- Suitable for intermediate to expert riders
Talk to G-Money about this board - it’s one of his favourite pow boards ever. Staff members Jesse and Sara also own and love the Shorty, and staff member Meg rides the Shorty split.
Lib Tech BRD
Originally designed as a split board, Lib Tech turned the BRD into a solid board because it rode so well.- 15mm taper, 25mm set back.
- Available in 153, 156, 159, 162W, 167W
- Opposite of volume shift shapes, this is a short board that rides long
- The lower half rides small when on hard pack, and the super long nose engages in deeper snow and rides longer, making this a super versatile board.
- C3 camber with plenty of early rise in the nose and hardly any in the tail.
- Ideal for intermediate to expert riders.
All in all, the 2022 Lib Tech BRD is a top notch freeride/pow board with great groomer performance and one of the floatiest nose shapes in the shop. Talk to staff member Aaron about this board - he has spent a lot of time on the split version!
Nidecker Megalight
An approachable freeride and groomer board with a friendly soul that can still rip it up if needed. A staff favorite at Edge.- 18mm taper, 30mm set back
- Available in 158L, 161L, 164W
- Camber in the centre with early rise tips, directional flex
- Constructed with different torsional flex patterns under each foot making turn performance more natural feeling and precise.
- Race base makes this one of the fastest boards on the shelf, although it does require proper waxing care.
- Ideal for the intermediate through to expert rider who wants a board that feels chill but can still send it.
The 2022 Nidecker Megalight is an easy feeling ride, but it can still charge with the best of them. Talk to staff members Jesse, Lars & Rich about this board - they all love it for its ride quality & versatility.
Surfy Directional All Mountain Freeride / Pow Boards
For someone who lives for surfing pow, but likes the occasional carve – not much switch riding here!Lib Tech Lost Retro ripper
Part of Lib Tech’s “experiMENTAL” line, the retro ripper is Matt Biolos’ Japan inspired floaty nosed, powder loving swallow tail... an instant classic wall hanger that rips the whole mountain.- 14mm taper, 5” setback
- Available in 156
- Unlike most lib tech boards the retro ripper doesn’t have any magnetraction - although it still carves surprisingly well for a pow board.
- The long floaty low entry nose loves deep powder.
- Moon Tail enhances carvability
The Retro Ripper is a unique, surfy experimental pow shredder. Talk to staff member Rich about this board, he demo’d it for part of last season!
K2 Excavator
K2 named this brand new board the Excavator for its ability to dig deep trenches on groomers and in pow. Backed by a 5 year warranty and great tech, this is a promising new offering from K2 that we are excited to try out.- 20 mm taper, 20mm setback
- Available in 154, 158, 162
- A wider profile with downsize recommended
- Directional flex (softer nose than tail)
- K2 Bambooyah Pro Core is responsive right under the feet due to wood grain running from edge to edge, and has beautiful dampening without losing snap/pop
- Very tight turning radius and softer torsional flex makes this a very lively, quick turning board.
- Great pow board, and a race car on groomers
- Suitable for intermediate to expert riders.
Our team is stoked to try out the K2 Excavator!
Burton Deep Daze 3D
A surfy, 3D, powder-eating dream ride, the Burton Deep Daze is made for, well, the deepest days.- 20mm taper, 25mm setback
- Available in 154 & 159
- The 3d shaping in the nose and tail help stabilize the board through the whole turn.
- Super tight turning radius (6.5m / 6.5m)
- A flat rocker profile with directional float gives this board tons of float, with pop where you need it.
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Several of our customers swear by this board as the best powder board they have ever ridden. The Burton Deep Daze is the pow board of the 3D future.
Korua Pencil
The Pencil is a long-standing staple of the Korua Classic Line because of its versatile nature. The most approachable of the classic Korua lineup, it loves pow and still performs well in variable conditions.- 18-31mm taper (depending on length), 20mm setback
- Available in 147, 159 & 164
- 147: 18mm taper; 159: 19mm taper; 164: 31mm taper
- The 164 is the original Pencil!
- Feels quite reactive and shorter than it actually is
- Recommended for advanced to expert riders.
Talk to staff members Connor and Sara about this board - they both have one and find it is a fun stable ride that’s stiff where it needs to be but easy to maneuver through pow and chop alike!
Korua Dart
The most pow-specific of the Classic Korua lineup, the Korua Dart a powder-chomping bullet.- 23-31mm taper (depending on size), 20mm setback
- Available in 156 & 160
- Mildly directional flex
- Swallow tail short/fat
- 10/10 for surfy pow adventures!
- Recommended for advanced to expert riders.
Talk to staff member Connor about the Korua Dart - he rode one last season and found it to be a very versatile pow-specific board that remains nimble while being stable and confidence inspiring.
Korua Transition Finder
The Transition Finder still holds true to it’s pow specific nature but has a less directional profile that makes it great in most situations.- 26-31mm taper (depending on size), 20mm setback
- Available in 154 & 157
- Advanced to expert pow board with all mountain capabilities
- Mildly directional flex
- Very short early rise section with high camber all the way into the tail
- Recommended for advanced to expert riders.
The 2022 Korua Transition Finder is the kind of board that you could ride all day every day and never need to switch out. Talk to staff member Connor about this board, he rides the 157 and doesn’t often want to ride anything else when conditions are variable.
Korua Pin Tonic (NEW!)
A new release this year from Korua, the Pin Tonic is built to be a long, stable carving board that loves pow. Truly the surfy longboard of snowboards.- 28-31mm taper (depending on size), 20mm setback
- Comes in 164 and 172
- Despite the length, the 164 matches the Transition Finder 157 specs, and the 172 matches the Cafe Racer 164 specs
- Fairly short effective edge, so it will handle shorter than its length suggests on groomers.
- Advanced to expert riders.
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We are excited to try this new board out!
Stranda Tree Surfer
A board that doesn't need a whole lot of taper and setback to add float, because of that long nose and swallow tail. The Stranda Tree Surfer is a versatile directional ride.- 15mm taper, 22mm set back off the effective edge
- Available in 157 & 162
- Intelligently designed swallow tail pow shape
- Looks like it's heavily set back, but that's because of all that nose length past the contact point.
- Progressive sidecut creates surfy turn performance
- Recommended for intermediate to advanced riders
A floaty pow-loving surfy board that’s as nimble in the trees as the name suggests. Talk to staff member Lars about the Tree Surfer, he gave it rave reviews!
Stranda Bowlrider
Same board as Tree Surfer, but has a filled in tail for better groomer performance (better grip in the tail).
- 14mm taper, 22mm setback
- Perfect for surf-style carving
- Floaty nose and medium flex make this a floaty, versatile board
- Short round tail allows for better control in deep powder
- Recommended for intermediate to advanced riders
The bowlrider is a sufry, quick turning, confidence inspiring great time. Talk to staff member Tim who calls his Stranda Bowlrider “the king of boards.”
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