Do you like bananas

jryoung · Ladies Man Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 7664 City: Man Jose

I was waiting to see how long it'd be before someone jumped on McKonkey's idea of reverse camber, and I'm not really suprised it was Lib. I'm not really a freestyle type of board guy, but I'd really be interested to see how one of these bad boys rides. More importantly if the tech is going to spill over into powder boards. We already have tapered boards, a tweak to the camber (if functional) would probably be sick.

http://lib-tech.com/tech/SkateBanana.html

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

Interesting.

I'm surprised it hasn't been tried sooner. Exclamation

Damon · Posted: Jun 11, 2007 7:48 am Post subject:

I'm surprised it's not coming out in a powder board, because K2 never really backed up the idea in any of their park skis. 2 of their powder skis are gonna have em next year(the Seths now..)

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

I don't get it. What's the difference?

jryoung · Ladies Man Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 7664 City: Man Jose

The design stems from a ski design/model called a "spatula". The ski has the reverse camber or "rocker" in wakeboarder language and has a reverse sidecut. So instead of an hourglass shape it, the skis are wider at the waist than at the tip and tail. Every skier I've talked to says the "spats" are the sickest powder skies out there. They suck in hardpack because they no longer have a sidecut, but in powder they utilize much of the hydrodynamic technology to treat powder like water.

What Lib did was just take the reverse camber idea, so now they have boards with rocker. This will help jibbing in that presses will be easier but the rocker may hinder turning stability. So they threw in the magna traction for extra grip in the turns. One of the key elements in turning a snowboard is go get the center portion of the edge to dig into the snow, the rocker may infact help it, but flex may be a bit of a hinderance.

In short it's really an experimentation of experimental designs. The two together may just be brilliant, or at the very least begin to push board technology in a new direction.

gotama176 · Soul Rider Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 341 City: Columbus

K2 will have a version with reverse camber called the Gyrator. Couple of the guys from my shop rode both at Test Fest, said they like the Banana a little better, but that both were a blast to ride.

Check out K2's Hellbents for a reverse camber Park Ski.

So many zero and reverse camber skis out there for 07/08 experimenting with sidecuts to solve the hardpack issue.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

So why is the picture of a normal looking snowboard?

spyd4r · Addict Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 701

oshensurfer · Posted: Jun 11, 2007 11:02 am Post subject:

Wakebrad, It's not. Look at the profile. A normal board would be flexing the other way, like a snow ski. Middle would be off the ground by 1/4" or so. That one rocks back and forth (has rocker).

gotama176 · Soul Rider Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 341 City: Columbus

The side cut is normal, not the camber. Actually, I think the banana is rockered, similar to a wakeboard, while the Gyrator is a reverse camber.

billyjodonjimbob · Soul Rider Joined: 27 Jun 2003 Posts: 280 City: Seattle

I have had the pleasure of riding the skate banana as well as the gyrator.

This is not a gimick, at it was definitely fun. Riding powder was dope and both floated really, really well. Sliding rails was super fun to as pressing was a breeze. Butters were tons of fun. Jumps were different, but not bad, something that I could easily get used to. Groomers were fun too,

I like the lib-tech version a bit better, maybe because I rode it with magne-traction, but both were suer, super fun.

There are a whole bunch of reviews on snowboardseattle.com

cezza · Posted: Jun 13, 2007 12:18 pm Post subject:

..so manuals would be a piece of cake then?

Beaver · Posted: Sep 02, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject:

I got me a bannana. its pretty amazingly sick.
i need some new binders, suggestions? i want a cap strap type toe strap for sure.
ive been thinking flux?

jryoung · Ladies Man Joined: 19 Mar 2004 Posts: 7664 City: Man Jose

Damon · Posted: Sep 03, 2007 4:30 pm Post subject:

gotama176, I wouldn't call the Hellbents much of a park ski... 120 at the waist would be a helluva ski to be riding around the park with.

gotama176 · Soul Rider Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 341 City: Columbus

Yeah, I posted that before I realized they were the rockered Maiden's. My only knowledge at that time was that they were being used by some pro riders at park comps. Don't know which ones, just remember seeing them brought up in various threads, ect. That being said, I think I they will be seeing alot of use on BC booters and random park sessions.

Our shop had one pair, we sold 'em before we even had our season opening sale!

gotama176 · Soul Rider Joined: 19 Aug 2004 Posts: 341 City: Columbus

Yeah, this is when I first remember hearing about the hellbents back in April. Andy Mahre and Pep Fujas were killing it on them late this spring. Rumor, NS rumor HA, is that they are going to be testing a narrow version of the Hellbent for Park.

TP83 · Addict Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 739 City: Woodside

so is the skate banana a park specific board? i keep reading the description but i keep confusing myself.

NorthwestRider · Posted: Oct 27, 2007 6:03 pm Post subject:

I am trying to get a TRS with magne, and banana through pro form. Its gonna be sick.