$499 Intermediate to Expert Powder Directional Hybrid Rocker Shape Flow's Powder Board with rocker. It comes in big sizes, has a decent set back, pretty wide waist and takes you through just about any depth of pow with good float. Since the Flow Solitude is all about float it's totally worth it to have rocker. Their are only a few riders these days that actually still like a cambered board in pow. Flow does do a good job with their rocker to make it more stable in the flats, ride well in hard pack and be stable at speeds than some rockered boards. They didn't go overboard and banana the thing. It seems to have 3 cambered shapes but some how ends up rockered at the end. It's not going to have the pop of the old non-rockered board but it will float a lot better in powder and is ok on the groomers. The Solitude is not tapered which allows the board to hold an edge a little better on the way to powder. The Flow Solitudes below 2010 have camber so they will be fun to carve on groomers. The new rockered board will perform well on groomers but won't have the carveability that the old camber will. It's most likely worth it because of the solitudes significantly improved performance in powder and more forgiving nature. Flow makes a good board and if you can find this somewhere then give it a try. For 2011 not much has changed with the main design of the Solitude. There have been some minor tweaks but nothing really worth mentioning. Same with 2012. It's still a big fun board for going out into the deep.
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.
Flow Snowboards brings you speed, agility and precision with the newly redesigned Solitude. The 2011 Solitude delivers a directional shape for a setback freeride feel. Packed with technology: Whiskey X, Sintered 4000 base, Quadrax Glass, and Carbon Whiskey Bars this board is the very best in all-mountain freeriding.
If you prefer more waist-deep conditions, Pow-Rock is what you want. Pow-Rock utilizes two cambered areas and a long mellow reverse camber with a convex base to maximize your surface area and float in the deep stuff whileadding more pop and better stability in all conditions.
Flow's lightest and most responsive core gives you the highest strength-to-weight wood construction known to man. Focused response where you need it, and more low-to-mid-density woods in specificlocations throughout the board increase strength while decreasing weight, and make your ride all that much easier.
Every line and arc is designed to improve effortless carving, quicker response, a smoother ride and increase the power under your feet. The uniquely shaped Titanal plates for power, doubling the breaking strength and giving you a Cadillac feel in the binding area. This is linked together with a bamboo bridge that allows freedom so both bindings work harmonically together. Ride faster, harder, and with less effort.
All New Whiskey Bars is a custom V-design using 4 precured carbon plates that loads up the pop without adding stiffness thru a unique shape. Design is aided with a tapered shape towards the nose and tail which increases stability at the highest speeds without chattering through the chunder.
The 0/+30/-30/90 fiberglass & carbon orientation increases pop with the majority of fibers running tip-to-tail giving you stability and torsional freedom between the feet while distributing binding pressure over a larger area from the 30 degree axis fibers for a more natural flexing ride that can't be reached with Triax.
Speed, wax absorption and durability are the main ingredients of the Sintered 4000. This is done through focusing on quality over speed-robbing additives. For an even faster base, the Graphite Sintered 4000 only has speed on its mind.
One of the most complex designed sidecuts on the market that provides a natural carve with a progressive feel, the PDT uses years of experience. We were one of the first companies to use a slight reverse radius at the binding areas. This year's PDT adds a slight reverse sidecut at the binding areas with progressive sidecut that is mellow just at the tips and between the feet. The ultimate combo with Pow-Rock adds grip between and at the binding areas.
With a little more nose than tail, a setback insert pattern and flex for more performance and better float in powder, the Directional boards in our line thrive in any terrain. From the park to the pipe to the pow, the directional twin takes shape to do it all.
Flow Solitude 2011
SOLITUDE BIG MOUNTAIN/FREERIDE
FIND PEACE IN THE SOLITUDE
Speed, agility, precision and total response is what we achieved when we redesigned the Solitude. Float in the powder with Pow-Rock or take it to the groomers with a larger nose and tail for riding any direction. Lay waste to the ice with the Titanal reinforced Whiskey X and PDT sidecut that gives you the grip you want and the control you need at high speeds on the slopes. Carbon loaded for maximum pop when boosting kickers or rallying in the backcountry. A true do-it-all board for full freedom on any terrain, the Solitude delivers everything you could’ve ever imagined. Find peace in the Solitude.
MORE INFO:
SIZES:
158 • 161 • 164 • 169
FEATURES:
PRODUCT FEATURES VIDEO:
Flow Solitude 2010
SAY GOODBYE TO LEG BURN
Say goodbye to leg burn as well as your riding buddies,cause they’ll be laps behind you. Re-engineered to float through the steepest and the deepest, you will enjoy the ride on the Solitude. Equipped with Pow-Rock the Solitude keeps you cruising on top of the snow. The new Whiskey Double Malt and PDT Sidecut increases grip, dampens vibrations and provides extra pop via its unique shape in any snow condition. Enjoy a little peace and Solitude the next time it snows.
