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Lib Tech Banana Magic and Banana Magic Wide Snowboard Review

Snowboards - Snowboard Reviews

 
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Lib Tech Banana Magic & Banana Magic Wide Snowboard Review
2012-lib-tech-banana-magic
Lib Tech Banana Magic $699
Advanced to Expert All Mountain Freestyle to Mostly Mountian riding.
Hybrid Rocker aka Enhanced Banana C2 Twin Shape
The Lib Tech Banana Magic started in 2010 as a high end stiff park board made for aggressive freestyle riders.  In 2011 they added what they call Enhanced Banana Tech which is very similar to the C2 BTX and added what they call Horsepower  tech which is a lighter core and a lighter top sheet. The 2012 hasn't changed much from 2011 except for a few minor tweaks.  This is not really a park board but more of a freestyle board for the mountain.  The 2011 and 2012 models are the way to go due to Mervin's hybrid rocker.  For 2012 it seems to have a little more stability but the 2011 will be pretty close there as well.  We wouldn't say this is as stable as the Lib Tech Jamie Lynn and Lando Phoenix but it's pretty stable for a hybrid rocker board.  The  Gnu Impossible Series EC2 BTX is similar but will be a little more on the mellow side of aggressive freestyle world and is actually the most aggressive of the new elliptical camber or EC2 BTX boards.  The Banana Magic has incredibly fast turn initiation and a very serious grip between the feet that could turn some people off or incredibly turn them on......no pun intended. All in all the Banana Magic is an aggressive mostly mountain twin that is going to have a good time taking a more freestyle approach to mountain riding.   If you are looking to go big on the mountain or in the park this will be a good board if you are ok with the excessive price tag.  

How It Rides
Groomers Good   Speed Good
   Flex Medium   Rails/
Jibbing		 Good
Powder Good   Weight Medium
   Carving
Good   Pipe Excellent
Turn Initiation
 Easy   Edge Hold Excellent   Switch Excellent   Jumps Excellent

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The Good Ride Take

A Quick look at the 2012 Lib Tech Banana Magic

                      


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.

 

Company Information

Lib Tech Banana Magic 2012

Banana Magic

Mervin's Dream Construction!

no fiberglass
bio beans
horsepower
c2btx

The Banana Magic Horsepower series is completely Volcanic Organic and features all basalt construction (no traditional fiberglass) BEANs top material, Columbian Gold eco timber core combined with deep sidecuts and “enhanced” banana. Lib Tech has tuned this combination of geometry, construction and flex to create incredible edge grip in all conditions especially ice, unbelievable float in powder and broken snow, effortless jibbing and damp quiet stability at speed. You carve, you jib, you carve, you jib.
Art by Quincy Quigg.

Sizes:

161, 158w, 157, 154, 162w, 152

Enhanced Banana (!BTX!)

Mervin’s magical world. Our highest rocker between the feet blended with a secret numerical formula of camber to the contact points. Focuses our maximum pressure between your feet for magical turns and edge hold on ice and a mild amount of pressure to the tip and tail for end-to-end stability and pop while maintaining incredible float and catch-free freestyle .

Twin All Terrain Freestyle
Excels: in all conditions.
Epic: carving, ice & pow.

True Twin:

Absolutely perfect twin geometry, tried and true science with MTX, or the added advantage of new Banana Technology and or Camber Combo.

Sintered Carbon 9991 Base Material:

Carbon sounds tech, doesn’t it? Fast base material for tech-tuning freaks. Wax required. Oneballjay recommended.

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!

Double Sintered UHMW Sidewalls:

A Lib Tech innovation. Twice as sintered as any other sidewall. Tough, handsome and light.

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!

 

Lib Tech Banana Magic 2011

  • NUMERICALLY ENHANCED BANANA TECH (BTX): Hockey skate bite and banshee sprocking leafspring mechanism.
  • NUMERICALLY ENHANCED SIDECUT: Carve fat stance heelside 360º on ice with your laces untied!
  • MAGNE-TRACTION: Rides like a skateboard!
  • NEW! Horsepower Construction, with Mervin's special Columbian Gold wood core
  • FREEDOM FROM FIBERGLASS: First ever production of a 100% Basalt fiber reinforced construction takes a giant Eco-leap forward! Lively and damp!
  • GRANIT SPARKLE BEANS:New earth friendly, Bio-Plastic top skin made from castor beans that features the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any top sheet in the industry.
  • Z-SPOT:Z Axis organic fibers for extra control and sensitivity between the legs!
  • SWIRL SINTERED UHMW BASE:Slippery like banana!
  • Art by Quincy Quigg

Lib Tech Banana Magic 2010

“The funnest snowboard ever made! Turns a sh*tty ice day into a concrete skate session of dreams.” ~ Mike, Olson

INGREDIENTS:

  • NUMERICALLY ENHANCED BANANA TECH: Hokey skate bite and banshee sprocking leafspring mechanism.
  • NUMERICALLY ENHANCED SIDECUT: Carve fat stance heelside 360º on ice with your laces untied!
  • MAGNE-TRACTION: Rides like a skateboard!
  • FREEDOM FROM FIBERGLASS: First ever production of a 100% Basalt fiber reinforced construction takes a giant Eco-leap forward! Lively and damp!
  • GRANIT SPARKLE BEANS: New earth friendly, Bio-Plastic top skin made from castor beans that features the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any top sheet in the industry.
  • Z-SPOT: Z Axis organic fibers for extra control and sensitivity between the legs!
  • SWIRL SINTERED UHMW BASE: Slippery like banana!
  • ART BY: MATT FRENCH

Specs

Lib Tech Banana Magic 2012

Model Contact Sidecut Nose Waist Tail Stance/BOC Flex Shape Camber Weight
Banana Magic 152 114 7 29.6 25.1 29.6 20.25?-26? / 0? 6 True Twin C2 110+
Banana Magic 154 117 7 29.8 25.2 29.8 20.25?-26? / 0? 6 True Twin C2 115+
Banana Magic 157 120 7 30.1 25.4 30.1 20.25?-26? / 0? 7 True Twin C2 120+
Banana Magic 158 Wide 120 7 31.1 26.4 31.1 20.25?-26? / 0? 7 True Twin C2 125+
Banana Magic 161 123 7 30.6 25.5 30.6 20.25?-26? / 0? 7 True Twin C2 135+
Banana Magic 162 Wide 123 7 31.6 26.5 31.6 20.25?-26? / 0? 7 True Twin C2 145+

 

Lib Tech Banana Magic 2011

  Contact   Nose Waist Tail Stance Flex Rating Board Board
Model Name Length: Sidecut: Width: Width: Width: Range / BOC Soft=1-10=Firm Category Contruction
152 114 7 C2-BTX 29.6 25.1 29.6 20.25"-26"/0" 6 True Twin C2
157 120 7 C2-BTX 30.1 25.4 30.1 20.25"-26"/0" 7 True Twin C2
158 Wide 120 7 C2-BTX 31.1 26.4 31.1 20.25"-26"/0" 7 True Twin C2

 

Lib Tech Banana Magic 2010

Size Waist Stance/Set Back Flex
152 BTX 25.1 cm 20.25" - 26"/ 0" 6
157 BTX 25.4 cm 20.25" - 26"/ 0" 7
158W BTX 26.4 cm 20.25" - 26"/ 0" 7


Pictures

Lib Tech Banana Magic 2012

Lib Tech Banana Magic 2011


Videos & Other Reviews

 

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User reviews

Average user rating from: 1 user(s)

 
Overall Rating:
 
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Magical, fun banana!!

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
I bought the 161 (I'm 5'11", 175 lbs.) after asking James at The Good Ride for recommendations on an all-mountain, true twin board with excellent edge hold for the snowment I ride in the northeast. I had never heard of this board until James mentioned it, but I'm glad he did. It is easily the most enjoyable board I have ridden!

I have ridden regular camber (Salomon Special II), hybrid camber (Yes GBOH), & rocker (Stepchild Headless Horseman) boards - all excellent boards which I would recommend, yet they are now all boards I will sell as they pale in comparison to the Banana Magic.

This thing can ride anywhere - I've had it in powder, hardpack/ice, spring conditions, and it excels everywhere. I'm convinced that the combination of Lib Tech's highest rocker in the middle combined with the stability provided by the camber under the bindings makes this board so much fun yet incredibly stable to ride. Easily the best ride I've had in the pipe. It is very easy to turn yet still stable so you don't feel like the board is steering you. As for Magenetraction, I don't think I'd get another board without it. I did not find it too grippy, but be aware that I like to have very good edge hold in my ride. Note, however, that while the Banana Magic is a decent carver, you definitely notice the "loose" aspect of its ride versus a regular camber board.


My advice is, if you are considering a hybrid rocker board, DO NOT overlook the Banana Magic! It doesn't get as much attention as others (I've ridden the T. Rice, TRS, Dark Series, & NS Proto which get alot of coverage) but is definitely worth a look. Enjoy!
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Reviewed by nvansluy
May 02, 2012