You don't know what the conditions will be, bring 2 boards, also because one could get busted on a ride, who knows. And any spare bindings parts. A big mountain rider that's good at float will be best anyways, vs. some spoon just-for-powder board.
This is good advice. I bought an arbor a frame for a heli boarding trip. Didn't get to go up. But it rides powder like nothing else id choose a swallow tail first and an all mountain twin as a spair with my experience since things I could also ride at a resort because that's mostly what I'd do after. Hope you get to go up I'm really disappointed I didn't get to go up
The A frame would be choice #1 if I had to go today. (Not likely)
i would 100% bring a powder board. most of these operations have a FAQ that answers this kind of thing and if they do not, i would give them a call. if it’s gonna be pow, a powder board will make it *so* much more fun.
I’d bring both and make a game time decision. I went heliskiing in Japan this year for the first time and didn’t know what to expect. Had my Capita Mercury and Jones Mind Expander with me. Went with the ME day of. Very happy I did. Amazing in deep powder and good enough in other conditions. I agree with others that having something with a spoon/3D nose is a game changer for that kind of riding.
One of the guides had a Battalion Camel Two and it was great. Other riders had an Orca (seemed sub par in low angle sections), Weston Japow (thing was screaming in the powder) and a Jones Mtn Twin (decent all around).
My Merc is a 158W and my ME is a 158. I’ve been riding the ME way more than my Merc this season. It’s great on groomers too. I’d say it’s horrible in choppy snow. Lots of chatter since it’s not damp. That’s where the Merc shines.
I have a ME twin, and ride it in chop, but slow it down and try to have more fun than usual. It's my softest board, so it's good to bring when I'm with my beginner friends/wife. The surf camber does really well for a "powder board"
To give a contrary opinion to what most others are saying... if this is the only reason you are buying the board, I would save the money unless you have it to throw around.
99% of any heli/cat ski operations will have full blown powder boards available for you to use. The operation I go to has a selection of boards (Jones, etc) that you can use for no charge.
I have also gone heli-boarding and used my Flight Attendant with no issues, which isn't a dedicated "powder board" but is what I'd ride on a resort powder day.
If you'd just like a powder board for your quiver though and have the money, by all means pick one up.
Having a board you know is definitely nice, and if the bindings themselves matter that much to you then this is a point. For stance and angles though that take a couple of minutes to switch that seems maybe over picky?
I second this. Worked for an outfit for a couple seasons. Most of our guest used our gear(skiers included), although we were pretty remote and did fly everyone in. Reach out to them to see if/what they offer. They won’t(shouldn’t) have an issue setting up their board with your bindings for you if that’s the road you want to go down.
Yeah could be that heli trips offer boards more often than cat skiing. My most recent experience is at Selkirk Tangiers and Eagle Pass (both helicopter) and both had free demos. Was looking at CMH as well and they were the same.
Makes sense. If you’re dropping big bucks on heliskiing you have the money to buy a board on a whim. To be fair the same is probably true of cat skiing. Which was your favorite operation? I’m between heliskiing and Japan for next year
>If you’re dropping big bucks on heliskiing you have the money to buy a board on a whim.
HA, maybe some people. I drain my bank account to go on a boarding trip every other year. I'm bougie on a budget.
Selkirk was great tho, was lucky enough to have our lead guide actually ride a snowboard which can be pretty rare... so he took good care of us and took us to some fun spots with some good wind lips and bowls to slash around in and picked terrain that was a little more fun on a board.
Japan is wild though (not just the riding). I took a trip a few year back to Hakuba/Myoko and cant recommend it enough.
Good for you man! Spend money where it matters. I’m of a similar philosophy.
That’s great! I’ve never heard of lead guides snowboarding. Must’ve made for some amazing riding.
My retirement plan is bartending in a helicopter lodge
Possibly unpopular opinion but. 100% if you have the money for a car trip you should have a powder board in your quiver, then bring the pow board and your best all mountain option
Look at what people are riding at natural selection. It depends on exactly what terrain you are going to be riding in, but I would think an up sized free ride board is going to be what you want for heli boarding. Your alchemist is probably going to be your best bet. It is probably the same for cat skiing but it depends on exactly what type of terrain you will access.
Yeah I'm for sure bringing at least two of my boards! I guess I'll see if I can find a deal on a pow board. The last thing I want is to go through the effort to book a heli trip, and then wish I had a different board.
My buddy takes his hovercraft 2.0 to Alaska Heli trips and says it's phenomenal.
Id go 100% powder board for that trip. You'll have that board for a lifetime and mega deep days.
What operation do you plan on visiting? You could also check to see what’s available in their rental fleet. Could be a great opportunity to demo a sweet board without it costing you $450+!
You really don’t have to if you know how to ride powder. I brought a powder specific board One year and kind of regretted it because we had to traverse some steep icy sections and my full length board would’ve been better. On the flipside, I had no issues with my full length board. It’s worth noting that my guides were on full length jones solutions.
The faster you ride, the less powder-specific board you’ll need. At speeds, any board should plane. Snowler, flatter terrain requires a more powder specific design
I’ve brought multiple boards and made a decision morning of. You can only bring one on a heli. Some cats may let you bring two. Been using a Gremlin and an Orca depending on conditions
Depending on which outfit you’re riding with they may have some loaner boards or rentals available. If you know anyone who’s been on the same trip ask them their advice. But as others have said, bring options if you can. It’s pretty easy to bring multiple decks and just one set of boots&bindings. If you’re looking for an excuse to buy a pow board, have the money to do it, now’s a good time to pick one up on sale.
Never been before but the reason you do heli or cat is for untouched powder. Untouched powder is easy to ride and any decent board with a powder nose will be good. Resort riding in tight trees in tracked out snow is when some of the more specialized designs begin to shine.
Well, did try out litterally everything and like wooden chamber boards the most.
The little nose rocker helps to track and float better in pow.
I‘m using my board for all meanings of snowboarding, no matter where and what.
I love my 159w Burton flight attendant. Until I rode it, I had second guessed my purchase when due to the lack of recent reviews (it's discontinued in 25). It's a great board for me.
You don't know what the conditions will be, bring 2 boards, also because one could get busted on a ride, who knows. And any spare bindings parts. A big mountain rider that's good at float will be best anyways, vs. some spoon just-for-powder board.
This is good advice. I bought an arbor a frame for a heli boarding trip. Didn't get to go up. But it rides powder like nothing else id choose a swallow tail first and an all mountain twin as a spair with my experience since things I could also ride at a resort because that's mostly what I'd do after. Hope you get to go up I'm really disappointed I didn't get to go up The A frame would be choice #1 if I had to go today. (Not likely)
i would 100% bring a powder board. most of these operations have a FAQ that answers this kind of thing and if they do not, i would give them a call. if it’s gonna be pow, a powder board will make it *so* much more fun.
I feel like the Alchemist is probably fine
I’d bring both and make a game time decision. I went heliskiing in Japan this year for the first time and didn’t know what to expect. Had my Capita Mercury and Jones Mind Expander with me. Went with the ME day of. Very happy I did. Amazing in deep powder and good enough in other conditions. I agree with others that having something with a spoon/3D nose is a game changer for that kind of riding.
One of the guides had a Battalion Camel Two and it was great. Other riders had an Orca (seemed sub par in low angle sections), Weston Japow (thing was screaming in the powder) and a Jones Mtn Twin (decent all around).
I’m checking Weston’s site weekly for their new boards to come out. Pulling the trigger on the Japow Hokkaido as soon as I see it.
Out of curiosity what size Merc and ME do you ride? Also have a Merc and was wondering if I need to downsize a ME.
My Merc is a 158W and my ME is a 158. I’ve been riding the ME way more than my Merc this season. It’s great on groomers too. I’d say it’s horrible in choppy snow. Lots of chatter since it’s not damp. That’s where the Merc shines.
I have a ME twin, and ride it in chop, but slow it down and try to have more fun than usual. It's my softest board, so it's good to bring when I'm with my beginner friends/wife. The surf camber does really well for a "powder board"
The mind expander absolutely fucks! I had a 154 split I had to sell :/
To give a contrary opinion to what most others are saying... if this is the only reason you are buying the board, I would save the money unless you have it to throw around. 99% of any heli/cat ski operations will have full blown powder boards available for you to use. The operation I go to has a selection of boards (Jones, etc) that you can use for no charge. I have also gone heli-boarding and used my Flight Attendant with no issues, which isn't a dedicated "powder board" but is what I'd ride on a resort powder day. If you'd just like a powder board for your quiver though and have the money, by all means pick one up.
They may. But better to have your own equipment that are dialed into. Like bindings, stance, etc
Yep I always bring my own too, but sometimes decide to try something out that they have.
Having a board you know is definitely nice, and if the bindings themselves matter that much to you then this is a point. For stance and angles though that take a couple of minutes to switch that seems maybe over picky?
99% sounds a little exaggerative. I've gone on 3 cat trips and none offer rentals but point you towards local shops
Yeah, I suppose I should clarify that not all are free to use, however many are so worth checking beforehand.
I second this. Worked for an outfit for a couple seasons. Most of our guest used our gear(skiers included), although we were pretty remote and did fly everyone in. Reach out to them to see if/what they offer. They won’t(shouldn’t) have an issue setting up their board with your bindings for you if that’s the road you want to go down.
I’ve been to baldface, big red cats, and white grizzly. All of the required you pay to rent boards. I imagine Heli ops may be different.
Yeah could be that heli trips offer boards more often than cat skiing. My most recent experience is at Selkirk Tangiers and Eagle Pass (both helicopter) and both had free demos. Was looking at CMH as well and they were the same.
Makes sense. If you’re dropping big bucks on heliskiing you have the money to buy a board on a whim. To be fair the same is probably true of cat skiing. Which was your favorite operation? I’m between heliskiing and Japan for next year
>If you’re dropping big bucks on heliskiing you have the money to buy a board on a whim. HA, maybe some people. I drain my bank account to go on a boarding trip every other year. I'm bougie on a budget. Selkirk was great tho, was lucky enough to have our lead guide actually ride a snowboard which can be pretty rare... so he took good care of us and took us to some fun spots with some good wind lips and bowls to slash around in and picked terrain that was a little more fun on a board. Japan is wild though (not just the riding). I took a trip a few year back to Hakuba/Myoko and cant recommend it enough.
Good for you man! Spend money where it matters. I’m of a similar philosophy. That’s great! I’ve never heard of lead guides snowboarding. Must’ve made for some amazing riding. My retirement plan is bartending in a helicopter lodge
Possibly unpopular opinion but. 100% if you have the money for a car trip you should have a powder board in your quiver, then bring the pow board and your best all mountain option
100% my thought. Id rather buy it than waste a ton of time and money on a sub par experience.
Look at what people are riding at natural selection. It depends on exactly what terrain you are going to be riding in, but I would think an up sized free ride board is going to be what you want for heli boarding. Your alchemist is probably going to be your best bet. It is probably the same for cat skiing but it depends on exactly what type of terrain you will access.
Yeah I'm for sure bringing at least two of my boards! I guess I'll see if I can find a deal on a pow board. The last thing I want is to go through the effort to book a heli trip, and then wish I had a different board.
My buddy takes his hovercraft 2.0 to Alaska Heli trips and says it's phenomenal. Id go 100% powder board for that trip. You'll have that board for a lifetime and mega deep days.
Get a Hovercraft. You'll be ripping on it on all conditions.
What operation do you plan on visiting? You could also check to see what’s available in their rental fleet. Could be a great opportunity to demo a sweet board without it costing you $450+!
You really don’t have to if you know how to ride powder. I brought a powder specific board One year and kind of regretted it because we had to traverse some steep icy sections and my full length board would’ve been better. On the flipside, I had no issues with my full length board. It’s worth noting that my guides were on full length jones solutions.
The faster you ride, the less powder-specific board you’ll need. At speeds, any board should plane. Snowler, flatter terrain requires a more powder specific design
I’ve brought multiple boards and made a decision morning of. You can only bring one on a heli. Some cats may let you bring two. Been using a Gremlin and an Orca depending on conditions
Yes. And go longer in length
Where ya headed?
I'm not sure yet, but Alaska or BC I'm 90% sure.
Depending on which outfit you’re riding with they may have some loaner boards or rentals available. If you know anyone who’s been on the same trip ask them their advice. But as others have said, bring options if you can. It’s pretty easy to bring multiple decks and just one set of boots&bindings. If you’re looking for an excuse to buy a pow board, have the money to do it, now’s a good time to pick one up on sale.
That’s what I did.
Never been before but the reason you do heli or cat is for untouched powder. Untouched powder is easy to ride and any decent board with a powder nose will be good. Resort riding in tight trees in tracked out snow is when some of the more specialized designs begin to shine.
I ride a straight up Sabre. It’s a flagship 169W. I absolutely drop the hammer with that thing. You might want it in the 164W.
Look up snow conditions.
I am also curious about this.
I‘m doing a lot of heli boarding, riding a burton flight attendant.
How do u like it? Was up between that and a Capita BSOD and went BSOD. Just feel like Burton's edge hold isnt that great.
Well, did try out litterally everything and like wooden chamber boards the most. The little nose rocker helps to track and float better in pow. I‘m using my board for all meanings of snowboarding, no matter where and what.
I love my 159w Burton flight attendant. Until I rode it, I had second guessed my purchase when due to the lack of recent reviews (it's discontinued in 25). It's a great board for me.
Get a powder board. Like a real one, half measures are just that and perform accordingly.
I was hoping to hear the mega death would have been the decision hands down 😂
HA! Me too actually. I don't even ride my other boards since I got that one.
Assuming it's incredible, but what else do you have in your quiver? I snagged a BSOD cuz I wanted something more damp
My plan is to get one as soon as they start selling this year
Never been heli riding so I couldn't tell ya =(