Arbor Woodie Series 2001

Review Date
December 23, 2002

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
6-15

Reviewed by: jeff westbrook(Unregistered User) ,  Advanced , from nyc

Price Paid:  $250.00 at bike shop

Favorite place to ride:
Waterville

Riding Style:
All Mountain/Freeride

Product Year:
2001

Summary:
Well, first thing... I got laughed at by everybody for buying a yuppie board. And my roomate calls it a giant italian ice spoon. But it was light and cheap. Yea, kind of goofy looking in an eddie bauer golden retriever kind of way, but I heard they ride good.

Strengths:
And they do ride good... on the west coast. This thing just wakes up in powder and loose wet stuff. Super stable old school carving at speed and jumps pretty good. And-no kidding- nice in the pipe...

Weaknesses:
But out on my local east coast digs, the board just sucks. Carves like a coal shovel on ice. Groomers are fast, but after 10am, you might as well go home. If it's icy, you'd be better off with a burton performer with the skegs removed. If you go to vail every weekend, this board is for you. If you're trying to sneak into sunday river with last year's season pass from mountain creek, look elsewhere for a board.

Similar Products Used:
never summer premier
lib tech dave lee

Review Date
December 1, 2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
2-5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by: 18iron(Unregistered User) ,  HardCore , from Tacoma, WA USA

Price Paid:  $215.00 at Marley''s Snowboard

Favorite place to ride:
Anywhere there''s snow

Riding Style:
All Mountain/Freeride

Product Year:
2001

Summary:
It is the best board in production today. Period. I,ve ridden Arbor since 97' and nothing else comes close.

Strengths:
The unequaled looks, responsiveness, lightness, ability to hold an edge, the ability to turn heads, how it handles in the summer at Hood, how it handles the deep fluff at Baker, the steeps of Alpental BackCountry, the Cascade concrete. Also, the first class customer service and owner. Ride Arbor.

Weaknesses:
Snow melts in the spring!

Similar Products Used:
K2, Lib Tech, Burton, Sims, Vision, Morrow.

Review Date
June 19, 2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: Peter(Unregistered User) ,  Intermediate , from Leiden,Zuid Holland, The Netherlands

Price Paid:  $410.00 at Valsurf.com

Favorite place to ride:
Austria and France

Riding Style:
All Mountain/Freeride

Product Year:
2000

Summary:
You cant buy it here in Europe so i bought one online
and the service was super.
And so is that board!!!!

Strengths:
anoverall agressive Top board

Weaknesses:
Yep so many said it before me, the top sheet

Similar Products Used:
Peach & Rossignol Nomad 2

Review Date
June 1, 2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: Anthony(Unregistered User) ,  Intermediate , from Los Angeles, CA

Price Paid:  $409.00 at REI

Favorite place to ride:
Mammoth Mountain

Riding Style:
All Mountain/Freeride

Product Year:
2001

Summary:
I'm no expert snowboarder, but I've ridden enough to know that the Arbor is the board I'll ride for a long time. Held an edge in anything (unlike the Gnu I used before, which wouldn't turn worth a darn), was very stable at higher speeds (as high of a speed as I wanted to go), and was very nimble edge to edge.

I wear a size 13 boot, so it was nice to see that the wide board (I ride the 166W) wasn't a completely different board (like the Burtons that have special "wide" models like the Floater and Canyon). No toe drag and excellent control; wherever I wanted the board to go, it went, without hesitation.

I am a skier that uses the board to ride with my kids, so I also liked the ease of use; the Arbor made it easier to learn how to ride (compared to the Gnu, which was almost like using something without edges, and the Burton Floater, which was sluggish edge to edge for me). The board is just the right stiffness for whatever I wanted, whether it was on the groomers with my kids or in the powder. I haven't given up my skis (see my review on the Atomic Beta 8.20), but the Arbor Woodie is a nice change of pace, and may become my primary mode of transportation on the hill next season or the season after.

I had lots of people comment on how nice the board looked, so if you're out looking for a board bunny, maybe this could be your pick-up line. Even the pipe riders commented on the board, and asked me what I thought. Compared to the 166W I have, their boards look AWFUL small.

The only other annoyance I have with the board is the price: 409.00 seems a tad steep. I looked at the Salomon W4 as well, and 400 dollars seems to be the price point for the mid-to-upper range wide boards, but that seems a little steep for me. I'd give the board a 5 star value rating if the board only cost 325-350. It gets 4 stars because it really is an excellent board; I haven't ridden anything else that has the performance of the Arbor for that price.

If you are a pipe rider, I wouldn't get this board; the top sheet is fairly easily scratched (I'm sure others have mentioned this). However, if you are a more "classic" snowboarder or a boarder that used to be a skier, can't stand the latest graphics on the other boards, or someone looking for a board that doesn't limit you in terms of the board's abilities, the Woodie is for you, provided you have $410.00 to shell out. Costs a little more, but probably worth it if you don't want to buy another board next season or the season after.

Strengths:
Great stability, holds edges in anything

Weaknesses:
topsheet scratches easily; tad on the expensive side

Similar Products Used:
Gnu, Burton

Review Date
May 28, 2001

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: Carol(Unregistered User) ,  Intermediate , from Auburn, New Hampshire

Price Paid:  $250.00 at All Outdoors, Manchester

Favorite place to ride:
Mt. Sunapee

Riding Style:
All Mountain/Freeride

Product Year:
2001

Summary:
Environmentally aware company. Boards maufactured in the Ride/K2 factory. Hangs on the wall of my home office in the off-season...it looks that good. Got it late in the season (on sale!), and can't wait til the next. Aloha.

Strengths:
Very light, great flex, good feel for the terrain. Noticed an immediate improvement in my riding. Everyone loves the way it looks. Narrow enough for smaller feet (I ride the D50) -- who needs a women-specific model when there are products like this out there.

Weaknesses:
Topsheet scratches *very* easily. Arbor recommends a light sanding over the area and several coats of good urethane.

Similar Products Used:
Burton Freedom 51, Oxygen Fascination 490