Lib Tech Dark Series and Lib Tech Dark Series Wide $669
2012 Lib Tech Dark Series C2 Power Banana Review 2011 Lib Tech Dark Series C2 BTX Review 2010 Lib Tech Dark Series BTX Review Intermediate to Expert All Mountain to All Mountain Freestyle Set Back Twin Like Directional Hybrid Rocker Shape The Lib Tech Dark Series has evolved from camber to MTX to BTX to C2 Power BTX. The central skate theme has been maintained but each design change made to the Dark Series rides differently. All of the Dark Series over the last 5 years ride different than almost any other board we experienced. The Dark Series is a a bit of a mystery compared to some other boards in its class. The Lib Tech Dark Series can hang on either side of the park rope but it's best going big in the pipe and hitting big kickers. The Dark Series snowboard is not for everyone but some will really love and appreciate the ability to give you a skate like feel while also attacking the mountain at almost any speed you are comfortable with. The Dark Series can be ridden by intermediate to advanced riders but most won't appreciate the board until they are at the advanced to expert level. Not much has changed from the 2011 to 2012 models when it comes to tech except a few minor refinements. It does have some unique qualities that aren't for everyone so check out the detailed review below.
Lib Tech Dark Series Snowboard Review by The Good Ride
Boards Used- 158, 161 in MTX, C2 BTX and Power C2 BTX Days- 30+ Riders- 4 Bindings- Burton Cartel, Flux Titans, Burton Co2's, Rome Targa's & Burton P1's Lib Tech has changed the Dark Series started with camber, then added MTX to the camber, then changed to BTX, then skipped C2 BTX and went straight to C2 Power C2 BTX. C2 Power Banana has changed the dynamics of the board. The new dark series is very unique to the industry. The best way to describe the Dark Series is it's a fast skate board made for the snow. We haven't found a board out there like it. As of 2011 they refined the C2 BTX into a more stable version of the origional C2 BTX. The Lib Tech Dark Series takes a stiff approach to the freestyle skate board like catagory of snowboards. We can't get over how uniqe the Dark Series is. One of the issues we had with BTX and to a lesser extent with C2 BTX is the squirly feeling you have when flatbasing on firmer snow. The 2011 Power BTX is better in all conditions than the C2 BTX and BTX. None of these 3 are as stable when it comes to the old MTX board but you get a lot more from Banana than Camber. Despite the change in technology over the years one thing remains the same and that is the Dark Series maintains the aggressive all mountain freestyle ride that works for some but not all. Out of all the shapes we find the C2 Power shapes the best.
Groomers- If you like morning Groomers then the Dark Series is fun to haul ass on. When you design a park board to go big it will usually do well on Groomers. We have ridden this with many types of freeride/groomer specific snowboards and the Dark Series holds it's own. The one issue is it's not as much fun to carve with the Dark series as it is with many other Lib-Tech snowboards. The built in Riser (org throttle), combined with the reverse camber shape and MTX side cut make this board turn on a dime. This is great in the park but not quite as much fun when carving on groomers. If you lean into a turn like you would on lets say a Salomon Special you would be turning up hill. Powder- This might be one of this boards only weakness. When you have that much contact length on the snow something has to give. The Dark Series C2 Power BTX has definitely improved it's performance from the past but it is still not as good as many other mervin boards. Don't get us wrong here. If you take out a camber or mostly camber snowboard then the Dark series you will be blown away but we weren't as stoked on the skate like ride this had in powder compared to some of the other Mervin boards out there. Speed- Before you ride It seems like the flex is medium and would not operate well at high speeds but don't let that fool you !!!! The Dark Series rides fast and much bigger than its size. The158 it has a contact length that is 122cm which is the same length as allot of 160's, 162's and some 164's. The risers make it really fun to turn and also absorb allot of chatter.This board will track straight at high speeds in any type of terrain without sketching you out. It's soo fast that you can make almost any long flat track a mountain can throw at you. This might be Lib-Tech's fastest board and one of the fastest in the industry for its size. It can also handle allot more weight than you would think. The tester weighed 195 and rode the 158 without any issues. His comments were it rode like it was a 164. Weight- Its not going to win a feather light award but but is definitely on the lighter side. Its light enough so you don't need your foot under your board to support it. Turn Initiation- Its pretty narrow, has C2 BTX so when you want to turn it its extremely responsive and dependable regular or switch. You don't have to put in the same kind of lean into the board to make it turn when you have MTX edge control at your feet and the BTX curve. With the old MTX you can handle this one foot off the chair better than some boards with 2 feet strapped in. It's narrow waist, org throttle and MTX or C2 BTX make it soo easy to turn that you can't lay out a good carve like you can with most freeride boards. You can almost turn the board back up hill without even leaning into it like a skate board would. This makes it great in steep terrain but not making tight turns. It's great in the park or in tight spots but when it comes to a more freeride turn it isn't that satisfying as what you could do on lets say a Palmer, Salomon or other high end all mountain board. Edge Hold- This will hold an edge on any condition like no other board. BTX C2 is slightly more mellow than MTX and does more than just hold your edge. It makes everything fun to do. Its a little grabby in the crud off piste but why would you want to be there any way. Stiffness- This is a medium to medium/stiff flex and a step up from the TRS and Travis Rice. Switch- The Dark Series has what is called Twin Harmonics which seems like a twin shape but the core and the tip/tail are slightly different. For us it feels more like a Twin Like Directional Snowboard. It is also difficult to tell if you correctly centered your stance because the nose and tail are different. It rides fast and dependable switch but you notice the difference. Pipe- With a great twin like shape, BTX C2 and built in risers it powers through any size pipe. The edge hold is great and the rocker makes it easy to land something new you are working on. This is closer to riding a skate board in a half pipe than riding a snowboard. Some will love it and some will hate it but the Dark Series really performs well here. Jibbing/ Rails/Boxes- Its fun to jib with the Dark Series but its not super soft enough to pull everything off. The Dark Series will soften up over time like all Lib boards but if jibbing is your thing then the Lib Tech Skate Banana might be more suited for that kind of riding. We found that you couldn't really bend the new board as well and it would only allow you to get a bit past the natural rocker between the feet when it came to buttering around. Jumps-The Dark Series springs off of any size jump and will handle any air in the pipe. Don't worry about this board performing....worry about your ability and your health care plan. When it comes to creating your own
The Good Ride Take on Hybrid Rocker Snowboards
This is what we call a snowboard that has rocker in the center and then a camber bend at the tip and tail. The end result is the tip and tail are still off the ground but it helps bring some good qualities that people liked with camber to rocker. The camber usually keep’s the board from washing out when you lay into a harder carve and for the most part provide a more balanced all conditions ride compared to continuous rocker or camber. This is still nothing like camber board and it provides a loose forgiving catch free ride. Hybrid Rocker comes in all riding styles from Freestyle to Freeride and is a solid next step from where it started with continuous rocker. Hybrid Rocker is usually pretty poppy, floats well in powder, catch free and very forgiving. The one complaint is it can still be unstable flat basing or one footing in some conditions like hard pack or ice. The major companies are working on this problem and it’s been getting better since this was introduced. Most love this loose feeling and get use to the squirrely nature in certain conditions. We at The Good Ride feel this is one of the better shapes out there so give it a try.
The Dark Series’ Volcanic Organic Technormous Broknowlogy is ridden, designed & tested by Alister Shultz, Kurt Jenson & James Steinteford and is the board of choice for the Lib Tech experiMENTAL division’s Apostolos “Pos” Karabotsos. These boards are available in regular widths & wides.
Sizes:
164, 161w, 161, 158w, 158, 155w, 164w, 164, 155
C2 Power Banana Camber / Banana Blend (C2BTX)
Mervin’s favorite blend for aggressive power snowboarders pushing the envelope. Rocker between your feet blended with a radial camber to contact points. Focuses pressure between your feet for easy turns, great edge hold on ice and our maximum amount of pressure to the tip and tails for power end-to-end stability, pop and maximum control in critical situations while maintaining float.
Twin All Terrain Freestyle Freeride Excels: in all conditions. Epic: big landings & critical lines.
Directional Twin:
Effortless freestyle and freeride geometry. Twin chassis (from contact to contact) but with an ever so slightly longer nose than tail. Floats on powder and blasts thru crud, a Twin with an advantage.
Sintered Carbon 9991 Base Material:
Carbon sounds tech, doesn’t it? Fast base material for tech-tuning freaks. Wax required. Oneballjay recommended.
Columbian Gold Core:
Experimental new dead tree with the highest compression response ever used in a snowboard.
Correct Sandwich:
SUPER LIGHT SPIN WEIGHT! The perfect blend of pickles and mustard. UHMW sidewalls, Power Transfer Internal Sidewalls, torsionally loose. The new kids think they are new!
Power Transfer Spine:
Futuristic power 90º pop technology from our world record setting skateboards. Transfers energy from your feet directly to the tip and tail. More Pop through the Woodshop.
3D Bamboo Org Throttle:
Our functional 3-D riser system that features crossband wood platforms with edge to edge grain orientation that transfers energy directly from your feet to the power transfer internal sidewalls and out along your edges. Control, power and pop.
Double Sintered UHMW Sidewalls:
A Lib Tech innovation. Twice as sintered as any other sidewall. Tough, handsome and light.
Basalt:
Basalt is produced in a clean, pure process consisting of high heat and absent of toxic additives. Not only is it safer for humans, it’s easier to recycle. Basalt fiber has strength properties much higher than fiberglass and better damping properties for a smooth ride.
Bio-Plastic Beans:
ExperiMENTAL division leader Mike Olson loves beans! When he’s not eating them he’s buying plastics made with them. Lib Tech has made a commitment to using a new earth friendly, bio-plastic top skin made from beans that features the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any top sheet in the industry.
Power Transfer Internal Sidewalls:
The same futuristic power 90º pop technology from our world record setting skateboards and power transfer spines only this time we have placed it along the sidewall of your board to add board control to our sandwich construction. Stronger, more pop, and more control brought to you by our Woodshop!
2011 Lib Tech Dark Series C2 Power Banana
CORRECT SANDWICH: Low spin weight!
C2 POWER BANANA TECH: C2 Power Banana Camber Combo Tech for massive edge hold and control
MAGNE-TRACTION: Rides like a skateboard! Control & Balance between your feet!
BEANS: Bio-Plastic top skin: strong, light, renewable!
GOLDEN FLEECE: Basalt Fiberglass is strong, pop like volcano!
3D POWER TRANSFER SPINES: More pop!
ORG THROTTLE: Control, power, pop!
DOUBLE SINTERED UHMW SIDEWALLS: Tough!
SINTERED UHMW BASE: Fast!
Art by Mike Parillo
2010 LibTech Dark Series BTX Snowboard
NEW Power Banana Camber Combo Tech high performance freestyle freeride. For the advanced, aggressive shred enthusiast. C2 Power Banana is designed for aggressive all terrain freestyle riders and features Banana Tech rocker between your feet combined with cambers at each end of the board.
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Golden Fleece Basalt: Made from volcanos. 92% stronger than fiberglass.
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ART BY : QUINCY QUIGG
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INGREDIENTS:
CORRECT SANDWICH: Low spin weight!
C2 POWER BANANA TECH: Control between your feet!
MAGNE-TRACTION: Rides like a skateboard! Control & Balance between your feet!
BEANS: Bio-Plastic top skin: strong, light, renewable!
