Great review guys and very interesting indeed. I think this is a perfect example of why it's great to have two different sized riders reviewing the same board. It really shows how you have to be careful when picking a board based on reviews. I tested a few boards on my last trip to Idaho and among them was this Freecarver 9000. I found it to be one of the best boards I'd ridden in a while but then again I live for carving. I also found it super stable and super versatile. Not a workout at all, very quick from edge to edge in-spite of it's width and full camber. So i tend to agree more with Davey boy. Both Davey and myself are 6'4" 220lbs, so we aren't going to encounter the same issues Beasty had with this 9000. For me this was an all day, every day, all conditions board but that's because I have the height and weight to tame it. Hope this helps other viewers here. Thanks
Rode my 6000 in some late Spring pow today (8 inches), and it actually did great!!! That directional setback and super wide nose really made it float like a champ.
I just tried the Freecarver 6000 in 5-7" of pow in a sampler with other freeride boards. The Freecarver was by far the worst of the day but at least it was better than expected for a carving board. Id you like the Freecarver something like the 2025 Jones Storm Chaser with back seat camber will blow your mind.
Can't wait to see what you think about the 6000. I've ridden the 6000 in New Zealand all season, and it's definitely an all-day board, so much fun. Morning groomers and slushy afternoons - awesome at both. It's great over jumps, really stable and forgiving. Awesome in the slush and works in the powder set back on the powder just fine. But best of all it's an absolute Eurocarver king, groomers or halfpipe... it brings a smile to the dial
I picked up the 160 (5'10" 205lbs) and I love this board for bombing runs. It's a totally different style of snowboarding carving this hard and fast. It took me a while to get used to it and I found some carving lessons from James Cherry here on youtube (look him up) which helped a lot. (Set this board up with your rear foot + facing forward, not backwards). It does fine in a bit chopped up snow but loves the smooth groomers. This board is damn fast. If you have any type of situation where you can't go fast like poor visibility, choppy snow, or crowded runs the board becomes a liability because it is a lot of work keeping it slowed down. Very fun quiver ride and an awesome change of pace.
So when sizing a board boot, size is most important, with weight second and height a distant third. Yeah, you aren't too much heavier than the suggested weight range at 230lbs for the 164, and 11US/10UK boots will be able to turn it well enough. You could even go for the 160 if you want more control and don't have really long, wide-open groomers. You will be a little heavy for it, but it will still ride well, and recommended weight is a general guideline. It comes down to personal preference and what size board you are used to now. If you want to get into it more and do this right, hit me here to give me the info I need to help you much better. shop.thegoodride.com/merchandise/gear-advice/
Bought the 160 on just specs. Just some dry Jumping on it and its stiff whit some hinge points on each side of front binding(good bend and twist in middle). Where you need it for carving, the rear is going to hold forever! Gonna be alot of fun!
Which one would you choose for hard carving between this and Korua shapes Cafe Racer (normal one, not plus) ? Thank you and keep up the great content ✌
Thanks! If you have a large quiver go Freecarver 9000 or 6000 if you want something more turny/circle carvy. If you have a lighter quiver go Cafe Racer because that thing can float in pow like a champ and isn't a one dimensional board like the Freecarvers.
It will turn a tighter radius/circle carve/across the groomer carve much better once the sidecut is engaged but its not a quick turner. Its still almost all effective edge with a nub for a nose and tail. Bad choice for crowded snow. You need open groomers for this. Go mind Expander if you see crouds and want an all around quick turner.
I like this Jones, really. Did you test a Nidecker Tracer snowboard a few years ago? Asymmetrical. I wonder if these boards are similar in some way? Or Bataleon Party wave plus, it seems to be very similar in geometry.
Yes I did test the Tracer a few times. This board is not similar in any way to the boards you mentioned. The Freecarver is more similar to boards like the old Endeavor Alpha and the Never Summer East. This has almost no nose and tail. It pretty much all camber and effective edge with one purpose. High speed carves.
Hi guys, in your opinion what are the main differences between this freecarver 9000 and korua cafe racer? I imagine that this one has much more effective edge, but do you have any opinions regarding riding style? I like both A thousand thanks
Massive differences here. The Freecarver is a one trick pony. It's got a great trick though. Super camber with almost no tail and nose so it does more down the line carves like a champ. The Cafe Racer is a board with less camber but still a lot for most freeride/alt freeride/snowsurf style boards. It carves hard though, has a more balanced turning experience and floats in powder almost as good as a dedicated pow board. So if you have a smaller quiver go Cafe Racer. If you have a deep quiver of many boards and want something just for super carves go Freecarver.
This is one of the first reviews that question me wanting a specific snowboard. I end up riding weekday afternoons and the snow is typically beat up by then. I'm like Davey's height/weight w/ size 14W boots... reading the specs, I thought that was more the 164 board. Is his 160 choice because of the size 12 boots?
We actually asked for a 164 but they didn't have one for demo. I think Davey having 12's and preferring smaller boards for his specs made him like the 160 better. I think if he got the 164 we requested his take would have been more like mine (5'10", 185lbs & size 9 US boots) on the 156 and it would not have been so easy to ride. With 14's you need the widest boards they make to avoid toe/heel drag. At 14's you won't have the same experience we will but you probably already know that. Unfortunately there aren't many drag free boards out there for you.
@@thegoodridesnow Thank you for responding. I probably have enough boards including some ultrawides. I still have my old school palmer plates, too, but I'm really glad that I don't have to use them.
@@thegoodridesnow I finally got a morning groomer day and I had a blast. The carving radius is huge at slower speeds and it just picks up speed pointing it. Overall, it felt like the pre-2020 Flagship that was super stiff. But the shorter tail made it easier to finish the turns. I could still do quick dynamic edge changes, but it took some work. If I had to say anything, skiing by braille sucks on it cause it just has a mind of its own. If you can see the lumps or bumps, it's still decent on a storm day afternoon or bluebird beat up afternoon snow... it just can plow thru chop. Then again, the board is heavy and damp and I'm on Jones bindings that are pretty damp.
So lots of missing pieces to this statement and something doesn't make sense. If you could tell us your: 1. Boot Size/Weight/Height? 2. What Size Huck Knife You have? 3. What size Freecarver 9000s you have? 4. Do you mean slow in terms of turn initiation or straight lining?
Yes but don't get rid of the Hovercraft. This would build your quiver up and give you an excellent clean groomer carver but you would still need the Hover for everything else.
I'm looking at this board for those kinda shitty hard pack groomer days where you really can't ride anywhere but the piste and you want a pretty severe amout of edgehold. I already have a Mtn. Pig as my daily driver and a sushi for pow/trees/surfy groomer days. I run an 11.5 Ion Step on also. Do you think the freecarver is a good option? I'm also looking at a Custom X camber or maybe an Ultra Mountain Twin. Thanks.
If your looking for a bomber and a more specific board to carve and rocket down the runs I'd go for the carver but if you want a really good carver that still rides great all mountains in more conditions the UMT is a great versatile option
So you have given us just enough info to get us in trouble and I need to know a lot more about you, your specs, what you want etc to help you properly. If you want to do this right hit me up here. shop.thegoodride.com/merchandise/gear-advice/. If you want a short answer I would say if its hard and smooth yeah give it a go and I'd also use it for those first chair clean groomer mornings. That being said you have other holes in your quiver you could fill before going with such a specific board. You are looking at 3 massively different boards so really hard to say. The Custom X wouldn't match what you described above. It would be an excellent good condition carver but also a great technical all mountain board for everything but hard snow and pow. The UMT is not a carver but more of a directional twin daily driver for doing a little of everything from hard snow to even a little pow but if you don't like to ride centered/switch a lot this might not be a good call.
@thegoodridesnow Yeah sorry, I should have added that I am an expert level rider and about 215lb. Also, I pretty much only focus on freeride, carving and splitboarding.
Still not enough to fully help. I can't really do much more on YT. It's a really bad place to help. Based on the wide variety of boards you are looking at I would need to know A LOT more about you to help properly. Based on the info given above the 160 would be the best call if you want clean hard and clean soft snow high speed down the line carver. Maybe 164 if you want even more. You don't have a good carver so pass on the UMT. Probably Custom X too unless you like less directional rides. You also might want to consider the Korua Cafe Racer if you want something more versatile that still carves like a beast. The Hovercraft 160 or 164 would carve harder than anything you have but also fill in your quiver for super deep days when you need much more float than the Sushi and Mtn Pig can offer. Best of luck.
@@thegoodridesnow I ride the 164 flagship, 158 mind expander twin and 159 bataleon surfer, I weigh 195 pounds and advanced level, mostly freeride, what would you add to my quiver? And what are your thoughts about my current quiver?
@@thegoodridesnow I've been riding my Madd BX 168 CB (which I got used) for years. It'll carve hard (9.2 m radius), and speed is on tap. I think it's time to replace it. I wonder if this might be the ticket. It looks very stable at speed and excellent edge hold.
I agree. Freecarver is volume shifted, it is a much wider board than regular, so you are gonna get that float. it is still got all the same spoon shape tech from Jones' freeride expertise.
Have you ever ridden a carving board like this in powder? I have, and it's absolutely scary. A tiny nose 1/8th the size of a normal freeride board can't float a board with a massive camber, almost as high, pointing down no matter how much "Volume Shift" spoon tech and setback there is. You need a nose to float in powder.
I rode the 6000 in the pow a few days ago at mammoth it was awesome! The stance is already set back so you already have a way bigger nose than you need for just carving, it definitely is a badass all mountain/pow board that carves like a monster on the hard pack. I’m 5’6” 140 and rode the 154. Wish they made the nose not quite as long and kept the sidecut where it is, I’d like a little more tail.
I just rode the Freecarver 6000 in pow and compared it same day to some other Freeride boards with less width, volume, set back etc and the Freecarver 6000 was better than I thought it would be for a carver but by far the worst ride of the test. I hope you can get out and try boards like the 2025 Storm Chaser with setback camber, the Hovercraft or even the Mind Expander.
I see from your channel you are an old school carver and your perspective is different than most. For most, the Freecarver 9000 won't do that as easy as it will for you. That is why they made the Freecarver 6000 with it's 6m sidecut.
@@thegoodridesnow the board I'm riding in that one video is a 12-14 m progressive sidecut and I'm using hard boots, so not really a fair comparison. But the sidecut on my Flagship is 9.3 m and there's no issue making a tight turn with soft boots on that board.
First off I was commenting on how you ride and your ability level...not the board you were riding. Guy's like you can bend this board easier than most. Secondly you haven't ridden the Freecarver 9000 and you are commenting on how it rides? I've ridden the Flagship extensively and this is nothing like it. I can make tight turns pretty easy with the flagship. The Freecarver 9000 has massively more camber, a much longer effective edge, is much wider and has a very different shape. It doesn't make tight turns anywhere near as easy. You can't just cross reference sidecuts from boards like the Flagship against this Freecarver 9000. It's just too different.
