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RSS/XML2009/10 Prior AMF - Rocker all night, shred every way
2009-04-30 11:26:47
When I went to visit the Prior factory in February, I got a glimpse at the 2009/10 Prior AMF which now features rocker. I already own a 2008/09 Prior AMF, with standard camber, and love it. So I was keen on trying out the rocker version to see how it rides.
Disclaimer: When I rode this board, I was recovering from a fractured patella and was not able to put the board through its usual paces. Some aspects of the board I could not test due to pain.
Location
Whistler/Blackcomb, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Snow
The temperature in Whistler was near freezing. Higher up in the mountain the snow was hard packed and icy. Lower down the snow became slushy.
2010 Prior AMF with the "Destination" topsheet graphic. Set up a little backwards, the black end is supposed to be the tail.
Setup
- 2009/10 Prior AMF 153
- Union Force Bindings (M/L)
- Burton Ruler GMP boots (Size 9.5)
If I had an AMF Rocker in my quiver, I would expect it to be a true all mountain freestyle. That means it should handle powder, pipes, and park and whatever else that I can think of (with the possible exception of tree jibs which is the reason my knee cap is broken).
The board was setup with a centered stance, as wide as possible, with 18 degrees of angle on the front foot, and -18 degrees of angle on the back. Although it was accidentally setup backwards, so I was riding with the tail as the nose, this didn't seem to affect the ride much.
First Impressions
When I first picked up the board, it felt light for a Prior. Granted this AMF is 5cm shorter than mine, but the wood core has in fact been shaved down slightly as compared to the previous year's model. This makes the board slightly lighter and more flexible.
Weight
Prior boards are generally heavier than most as they tend to be biased toward durability and stability. However, this version of the AMF is lighter as the core has been shaved down slightly to make it more flexible and to accommodate the rocker.
Flex
The AMF is on the stiff side as far as freestyle boards go. However, thanks to the rocker, this board is surprisingly easy to press without sacrificing stability.
Turning
Like most Prior boards, the AMF is stable at any speed. It holds an edge like a champ. I never once felt like I would wash out. The rocker didn't compromise the turning magic of the AMF in any noticeable way. Edge to edge, this board was about average; not remarkably quick, nor painfully slow. The waist width is about a half centimeter wider than my Never Summer EVO-R which is the board I had been riding in Whistler and is 155 centimeters long.
This AMF had the "Royale Green" base graphic, one of eleven options for the base graphic.
Construction
All Prior boards are hand made in Whistler. Thanks partly to the upcoming Olympics, the municipality of Whistler has implemented relatively strict environmental regulations. This means that this board will have a relatively small footprint, especially if you're in Whistler when you get it. Prior boards can also be custom built. Although this increases the lead time, this also means that boards are pressed on an as needed basis. Prior boards get four out of five trees for environmental friendliness.
Rocker is new for Prior snowboards. For the AMF, they have employed a Hybrid Rocker Camber which is a rockered tip and tail combined with a flatter camber under the waist of the board. This is meant to provide the AMF rocker with an effective edge length that is the same as a regular cambered board allowing the rider to carve on icy and hard pack conditions without washing out.
Switch
I wasn't physically able to ride switch much as it put too much stress on my injured left knee. However, the board was set up backwards so I was basically riding it switch the entire time. The Prior AMF, although twin in shape is directional in flex. I would have liked to get a chance to ride it switch more to be able to compare the ride more throughly. That being said, the board didn't feel much different riding switch than riding regular.
Overall Impression
The name of this board stands for All Mountain Freestyle and the 2009/10 AMF certainly delivers on that promise. The Hybrid Rocker makes this board easy to press without sacrificing the stability you come to expect from a Prior snowboard; it's stable at any speed. I would have liked to try the board out in powder to see how the rocker affects the ride. However, freshies may be a lot to ask for at the end of April.
One disadvantage of the stiffness of the AMF (and pretty much all Prior boards) is that it is not very forgiving. You need to be on your game while riding it. That being said, if you want a board that will perform in pretty much anything, the Prior AMF may just be the board for you.
Received 2 Comments:
Comment posted by Tom B on 2009-05-06 21:00:31
Did you like it better than your cambered AMF? Is the rocker version more or less stiff than the camber version? Prior has some demo stuff on sale and I need to decide fast!
Comment posted by Marc on 2009-05-07 11:15:00
The core of the AMF Rocker has been shaved down slightly so it's a bit lighter and more flexible than the camber'd version (but only a bit). I'm considering selling my 09 Prior AMF to get an AMF Rocker. In my opinion, the latter is more of a "do anything" board.