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Arbor Draft Snowboard Review

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Arbor Draft Snowboard Review

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draft-blue

 

 

$399
Intermediate to Expert Freestyle to Jib and Street

Continuous Rocker Twin Shape
The Arbor Draft was the first snowboard in their line up for 2010 to go rocker.   For 2011 and 2012 the Draft is pretty much the same board with the exception of a few minor refinements.  The Draft is Arbor's take on Reverse Camber Park Board and it also has Brass rails.  It has quite an extension at the binding section that really improves the edge hold. We found this to be a fun board when it comes to doing what it's supposed to and we also had a few plesant surprises when we took the Draft out of it's comfort zone.   Check out the Detailed Review Below. 

How It Rides

Groomers Average

Speed Average

Flex Soft

Rails/
Jibbing
Excellent
Powder Average

Weight Medium

Carving
Average

Pipe Average
Turn Initiation
Easy
Edge Hold Good
Switch Excellent
Jumps Good

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The Good Ride Take

The Arbor Draft Review by The Good Ride

Days On this Board- 20+
Bindings Used- Burton Mission, Burton Cartel Re:Flex, Flux TT30

Size Used- 149 & 155

Riders- 5'10 195lbs size 9 shoe, 5'11 175lbs size 8.5, 6'1 170lbs size 11 shoe

Boots- Burton SLX, Burton Ion, Nike Kaiju, Celsius Opus 6

 

The Arbor Draft is one of their park/street specialists and it has become quite a successful board in their line.  We found the Draft to be a great park/street board but it also suprised us outside of the park fence. 


Groomers- Groomers aren't the Draft's strong point. Reverse camber is just not that all mountain when it comes to performing on a groomed run. Still we were impressed on the way a short continuous rocker board with brass rails handled the mountain. It did better than we expected but it's still not great.  The one good thing is the board doesn't have that weird feeling of instability in the flats like many continuous rocker boards do.  If you just look for the next way to jib on groomers this will be fine but it's not great for traditional groomer riding.
Powder-  There were a few day's we had this board in deep Pow and it was super fun for a small twin.  It really floats well even with a centered stance and takes the park to the mountain.  Regular or switch you will have soo much more fun on this board than a traditional cambered twin in powder.  When it gets deep and thick it won't be like a real powder board but it does very well for a park board.
Turn Initiation/Carving- This board is easier than a lifty at 3am.  It turns on a dime and has a fun edge to edge feeling that is very predictable.  You can make that quick micro adjustment right before hitting a jib.  When it came to carving it was lacking but it did better than we thought and it wasn't as washy as a rocker could be.
Speed- This board does very well for a rockered twin but don't expect it to beat a normal cambered board in a race. The base is fast, it has a medium flex and a decent amount of contact with the snow for a rockered board as well.   It will handle anything in the park and won't keep you behind the pack on a pow day.  It's just not going to show up people on the Boarder X track. 
Lightweight- Not too bad.  It's not a feather weight but that is good.  We like a board with a little extra strength and durability when it's going to be used on rails and boxes a lot. 
Edge Hold- They have a typical rockered board shape with a few cool twists.  1 is ther brass rails so you won't get caught on rails and 2 is their Grip Tech.  They extend the edge between the feet to comphensate for the nose/tail that is off the snow.  Its just the right amount of edge hold and doesn't feel grippy. Even though it's rockered and has brass edges the Grip Tech has enough hold to get around a hard pack park.  We rode this board when it was new and the brass edges were still very sharp but we think that the edge hold of this quality won't last after a few weeks of hitting the jib park. So we would say it's borderline excellent when it's new and will probably sink to average over time.  
Stiffness- We felt the Draft was closer to the medium side of soft   It's not street soft but sure is perfect for any park USA.
Jibbing- Anything you want to do with this board can be done in the jib park or any natural hit on the mountain.
Switch-  It's a true twin so any way you want to go will be the same.
Rails & Boxes- Completely catch free! You will experience a new level of comfort on long technical gnarly thin rails.  It will change the way you ride.  Rome had brass rails on a cambered board before and everyone who rode rails loved it.  The rocker with Arbor takes it to a new level.  If you are a beginner looking to learn how to ride boxes/rails better this will be forgiving on small hits.  If you are an expert you will be able to pull off tricks you weren't confident trying before.  Dont blame us though if you loose your teeth trying something new. 
Pipe- We all had a ton of fun in the pipe with the Draft but the reason it got a rating of average was because over time and hiting rails/jibs the Brass edges will get soft and the pipe performance will falter.  So when the edges are new and sharp this is border line excellent but when the rails get rounded it will be not so good.  
Jumps- The pop that is generated from the Draft is good.  It has a pretty springy feel but still feels stable and playful when creating your own air.  The

All in all we are very impressed with the Draft and it should be considered for serious Jib park riders that ocassionally ventures elsewhere on the mountain. 

 

The Good Ride Take on Continuous Rocker
This is where it all started or re-started in the Mid 2000’s. In the beginning Continuous Rocker was mainly for park and powder. Today it's still pretty much made for the same 2 functions. There are a few boards that are made for all mountain to freeride use but most of those have migrated to hybrid shapes.  Continuous Rocker helps you maintain a catch free forgiving ride which is excellent for beginner riders or those who ride at slower playful speeds through the park.  Almost every one we have tried has to be on edge or it will wander giving you that squirrely feeling like a skateboard with loose trucks.  The biggest issue is it isn't very stable flat basing or one footing in firmer snow.  Continuous rocker is for the most part really poppy and helps you generate your own air.  There are many styles of this shape so this could be a good choice for beginners, park rats and people who only ride powder.

reverse-free

 

Company Information

Arbor Draft 2012 Description

A street-specific rocker board for riders whose focus is park and urban jibs: rails, boxes, trees, wall rides, etc.; the Draft is the perfect platform for spinning, pressing, bonking, and buttering your way through life.
Artist: Haunted Euth

THE ARBOR SYSTEM
A FUSION OF INTERDEPENDENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT TRUE-ROCKER PERFORMANCE
Arbor offers The System to provide riders with an amazing amount of edge hold in a rocker design that preserves the full range of performance associated with true-rocker shapes. We did this by perfecting the true-rocker profile (Parabolic Rocker), while building in real edge control through a unique sidecut (Grip Tech).  In our opinion, the award winning “System” has proven to be the best rocker design yet offered.
This design is built on the JIB System, which utilizes a flex and shape that are specifically tuned to JIB and street oriented riding.
OTHER FEATURES & TECHNOLOGY
THE TOPSHEET
POWER PLYS - Arbor’s wood Power Plys work like a 3rd layer of fiberglass. During construction resin locks the dense natural fibers in place, creating a composite layer that structurally enhances a board for added return and improved durability.  Our Power Ply technology allows us to reduce our overall reliance on chemically treated fiberglass and petroleum-based resin by up to 20%, which also provides important weight reduction.  Arbor’s wood Power Plys are produced using a range of sustainably sourced, natural wood veneers. The variance of real wood grain creates a one-of-a-kind look on each board made with this technology.
BIO-FILM - Every board in the Arbor line is built with an ultra thin protective top foil made using 30% caster bean based bio-plastic.  This top sheet protects the board from damage caused by loose bindings, out-of-control skiers, or other unforeseen impacts.  Its natural glossy nature also eliminates the need for environmentally harmful clear coats.
THE CORE
MEDICINE CORE - Arbor’s most versatile core, built from 100% FSC certified, sustainably produced poplar.  Poplar remains the industry’s standard for reliable return and lasting durability
THE BASE
FUSION BASE - A tough, user-friendly extruded base that’s light and easy to repair.
THE SIDECUT
UNBLENDED PROGRESSIVE - Arbor’s unblended tri-radial sidecut technology; better known as “Grip-Tech.”  Please see “The System” Section for more details.
THE SIDEWALLS
RHYTHM RAILS - Made from an advanced blend of ABS and urethane; delivers durability, a clean, acoustically damp ride, and solid edge performance.
SHADOW FLEX - A slight tapered thinning of the core profile between the bindings, improves: turn and spin initiation; tracking in mixed conditions, on the flats, and during landings; and performance on rails, boxes, and jibs.
THE GLASS
BUTTER GLASSING - A biax over biax lay-up that’s designed for park and street inspired all-mountain riding.
THE INSERTS
2X4 14-PACKS - Provides both a wide stance range and amazing micro adjustability; used here to create Arbor’s Sumo Stance, which has a max stance of 25.2"/64cm.
THE EDGES
BRONZE - Made with softer bronze for street specific riding, provides clean, catch free rail performance.
WARRANTY
TWO-YEAR - Every board in the Arbor line comes with a two-year warranty on material and workmanship.  We stand by everything we make.

 

Arbor Draft 2011 Description

A jib-specific rocker board for street-style riders whose focus is rails, boxes, naturals, or urban assaults; the Draft is the perfect platform for kinking or pressing any feature with a buttery, forgiving feel that supports spin tricks.

Wood Power Spine / Fusion Base / Medicine Core / Sumo Stance

Artist: Jeff Soto

                    
Check out The Draft video for all of the insight into this Arbor Snowboard.

THE JIB SYSTEM

A FUSION OF INTERDEPENDENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT SUCCESSFUL ROCKER PERFORMANCE

 

Make no mistake, rocker represents a completely different approach to snowboard design.  It requires a total rethink of long held ideas of how flex, materials, and shape interact and affect performance.  In response, Arbor developed The System to address the new physics of riding rocker.  In our opinion, the award winning “System” has proven itself to be the best rocker design yet offered.

 

Click on "The System" above to read more about The JIB System

 

OTHER FEATURES & TECH

 

THE TOPSHEET

 

WOOD POWER SPINE - Arbor’s sustainably sourced, inlaid wood Power Spine works like carbon fiber - tuning the board to improve return in target zones within the flex pattern.  The Power Spine is one of the System Set of Technologies.  Please refer to “The System” section for more details.

 

BIO-FILM - Every board in the Arbor line is now built with an ultra thin protective top foil made using 30% caster bean based bio-plastic.  This top sheet protects the board from damage caused by loose bindings, out-of-control skiers, or other unforeseen impacts.  Its natural glossy nature also eliminates the need for environmentally harmful clear coats.

 

WOOD CORE

 

MEDICINE CORE - Arbor’s principle all-mountain core, built from 100% FSC certified, sustainably produced poplar.  Poplar remains the industry’s standard for reliable return and lasting durability.

BASE

FUSION BASE - A tough, user-friendly extruded base that’s light and easy to repair.

 

SIDECUT

 

UNBLENDED PROGRESSIVE - Arbor’s unblended tri-radial sidecut technology; better known as “Grip Tech.”  Please see “The System” Section for more details.

 

SIDEWALLS

 

RHYTHM RAILS - Made from an advanced blend of ABS and urethane; delivers durability, a clean, acoustically damp ride, and solid edge performance.

 

GLASS BALANCING

 

BUTTER GLASSING - A biax over biax lay-up that’s designed for park and street inspired all-mountain and urban riding

 

INSERTS

 

2X4 14-PACKS - An insert system that provides a wide stance range and amazing micro adjustability; used to create Arbor’s:

 

Sumo Stance - Max Stance 25.2" / 64 cm

 

SHADOW FLEX

 

DEEP SHADOW - Delivers JIB and street performance.  A slight tapered thinning of the core profile between the bindings, improves: turn and spin initiation; tracking in mixed conditions, on the flats, and during landings; and performance on rails, boxes, and naturals.

 

EDGES

 

BRONZE - Made with softer bronze for JIB specific performance.  Check out “The System” section for more details.

 

2-YEAR WARRANTY

 

Every board in the Arbor line comes with a two-year warranty on material and workmanship.  We stand by everything we make.

Arbor Draft 2010 Description

Systematic perfection.

Arbor’s take on the rocker revolution - the new Draft is designed around The System, a fusion of interdependent technologies that support jib-specific performance.  Make no mistake; rocker boards represent a new approach to how snowboards function.  Rocker shapes require a total rethinking of long held ideas on technologies and how they interact. To that end, we offer The System.

Grip-Tech Sidecut: By not blending their standard, tri-radial sidecut design, Arbor has created two additional contact points under-foot.  This is done in response to the loss of edge hold that results when rockering a board, which lifts the outside contact points off the snow.  These new inside contact points provide the small amount of added edge grip required for successful rocker performance (patent pending).

Street Rocker: Arbor lengthened the apex of its rocker design, using a parabolic arc.  This improves edge contact between the feet.  As with “Grip-Tech”, Arbor’s Street Rocker design provides an important amount of added edge hold.  An amount that’s critical when using rocker to provide enhanced JIB/street performance.

Rocker Specific Flex: Rocker alters board dynamics by lifting the leading edge off the snow.  As a result, flex is activated in a completely new way.  In response, Arbor developed a Rocker Specific Flex pattern that’s designed to address how riders experience board flex when using a rocker design.

Inlaid Power Spine: By adding a spine of sustainably sourced wood fiber above the core, Arbor is able to structurally enhance a board’s longitudinal pop.  This is critical when de-cambering a board with rocker, which often takes the pop out of a board; pop that’s normally created by camber.  Adding in this structural spine rebuilds that longitudinal return, thus maintaining pop for ollies, etc.  The company also designed a unique tapered shape for the Power Spine that allows the torsional flex to soften towards the tips for easier spins, presses, and butters.

Robusto Tips: A wider, more blunt shape that’s designed with a completely flat kick.  Robusto tips are a key feature in Arbor’s approach to rocker design and The System set of technologies.  The System brings the snow contact aspects of the board inward; creating in effect a small mini snowboard underfoot, which rides like a skate.  This alters the function of the tips.  Besides helping riders float over deep or choppy snow, the tips now work like wheelie bars.  They encourage a rider to roll onto their nose, while preventing them from going too far over.  Because of this change, the company designed its rocker board tips to specifically meet the needs of their more specialized role as platforms for presses and butters.

True-Twin: Arbor is using an updated twin-tip shape with a symmetrical nose and tail and centered stance to create the switch freedom required for all aspect, street-specific riding.  At the same time, the company knew that using a true-twin design would encourage riders to equalize their stance, more evenly balancing pressure on both feet.  This allows riders to activate the Grip-Tech contact points and Street Rocker design in order to effectively skate the hidden “mini snowboard” that’s underfoot.

Mercy Edges: Using a softer bronze metal edge allows Arbor to create smoother, less catchy performance on rails and boxes.  This change was also an important tool for refining the feel of the board between and under the feet.  It balances the active edge performance created by The System’s parabolic Street Rocker design and Grip Tech contact points, both of which are needed for the rocker design to function when turning or at speed.

Sumo-Stance: Expanding the 2x4 insert system to 14-packs, allows Arbor to offer a huge 25.20" (64cm) stance without requiring riders to spin their disks or sacrifice micro-adjustability.  The design also allows riders to size down their boards for jib specific performance, yet still maintain a wide, skate-style stance.

Specs

Arbor Draft 2012 Specs

Size: 143cm

Effective Edge: 109.8 cm

Sidecut Radius: 8.2 / 7.3 / 8.2 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 27.3 / 23.4 / 27.3 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 19.1 / 19.1 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 90lb (41kg) to 170lb (77kg)

Size: 147cm

Effective Edge: 113.4 cm

Sidecut Radius: 8.4 / 7.5 / 8.4 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 27.6 / 23.6 / 27.6 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 19.3 / 19.3 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 98lb (44kg) to 178lb (81kg)

Size: 150cm

Effective Edge: 117.3 cm

Sidecut Radius: 8.9 / 8.0 / 8.9 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 28.9 / 24.8 / 28.9 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 18.6 / 18.6 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 104lb (47kg) to 184lb (83kg)

Size: 153cm

Effective Edge: 120.5 cm

Sidecut Radius: 9.0 / 8.1 / 9.0 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 29.2 / 25.0 / 29.2 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 18.8 / 18.8 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 110lb (50kg) to 190lb (86kg)

Size: 155cm

Effective Edge: 122.3 cm

Sidecut Radius: 9.1 / 8.2 / 9.1 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 29.4 / 25.1 / 29.4 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 18.9 / 18.9 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 114lb (52kg) to 194lb (88kg)

Size: 158cm

Effective Edge: 125.5 cm

Sidecut Radius: 9.3 / 8.4 / 9.3 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 29.7 / 25.2 / 29.7 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 19.0 / 19.0 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 120lb (54kg) to 200+lb (91+kg)

Arbor Draft 2011 Specs

Size: 143cm

Effective Edge: 109.8

Sidecut Radius: 8.2 / 7.3 / 8.2 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 27.3 / 23.4 / 27.3 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 19.1 / 19.1 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 90lb (41kg) to 170lb (77kg)

Size: 147cm

Effective Edge: 113.4

Sidecut Radius: 8.4 / 7.5 / 8.4 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 27.6 / 23.6 / 27.6 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 19.3 / 19.3 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 98lb (44kg) to 178lb (81kg)

Size: 149.5cm

Effective Edge: 117.3

Sidecut Radius: 8.9 / 8.0 / 8.9 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 28.9 / 24.8 / 28.9 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 18.6 / 18.6 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 104lb (47kg) to 184lb (83kg)

Size: 153cm

Effective Edge: 120.5

Sidecut Radius: 9.0 / 8.1 / 9.0 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 29.2 / 25.0 / 29.2 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 18.8 / 18.8 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 110lb (50kg) to 190lb (86kg)

Size: 155cm

Effective Edge: 122.3

Sidecut Radius: 9.1 / 8.2 / 9.1 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 29.4 / 25.1 / 29.4 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 18.9 / 18.9 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 114lb (52kg) to 194lb (88kg)

Size: 158.5cm

Effective Edge: 125.5

Sidecut Radius: 9.3 / 8.4 / 9.3 m

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 29.7 / 25.2 / 29.7 cm

Tip/Tail Length: 19.0 / 19.0 cm

Set Back: 0.0

Suggested Rider Weight: 120lb (54kg) to 200+lb (91+kg)

Arbor Draft 2010 Specs

Size: 49.5"

Length: 149.5"

Effective Edge: 117.3

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 28.9 / 24.8 / 28.9

Tip/Tail Length: 18.6 / 18.6

Set Back: 0.0

Max Stance: Sumo Stance - Max 25.2

Suggested Rider Weight: Min/ Max: 47-83 kg

Size: 53"

Length: 153"

Effective Edge: 120.5

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 29.2 / 25.0 / 29.2

Tip/Tail Length: 18.8 / 18.8

Set Back: 0.0

Max Stance: Sumo Stance - Max 25.2

Suggested Rider Weight: Min/ Max: 50-86 kg

Size: 55"

Length: 155"

Effective Edge: 122.3

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 29.4 / 25.1 / 29.4

Tip/Tail Length: 18.9 / 18.9

Set Back: 0.0

Max Stance: Sumo Stance - Max 25.2

Suggested Rider Weight: Min/ Max: 52-88 kg

Size: 58.5"

Length: 158.5"

Effective Edge: 125.5

Tip/Waist/Tail Width: 29.7 / 25.2 / 29.7

Tip/Tail Length: 19.0 / 19.0

Set Back: 0.0

Max Stance: Sumo Stance - Max 25.2

Suggested Rider Weight: Min/ Max: 54-91+ kg

Arbor Draft 2012

Arbor Draft 2011

Arbor Draft 2010



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