Stranda Tree Surfer Snowboard Review

[@james2653]

Mats has introduced a 162 Wide for this season for those of us with a bigger footprint (or a fuller figure 😂).

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yeah, great call on his part. It's added to the review on The Good Ride already.

[@grub1962]

I have a 162 Treesurfer... It is Friggin' amazeballs. Best board I've owned since 1979 Your riding will improve the moment you make your first turn, whether it's on groomers or powder. The build quality and materials used are second to none! Great review... thank you for sharing with the world !

[@thegoodridesnow]

Many thanks for your take and good words.

[@luisjba]

Look forward to your Makrill review and how it compares vs this one!

[@SteveThompson-li2fc]

Great and detailed review as always James. Would love to see you branch out to skateboarding in the summer: surfskates and longboards have completely changed the game.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks and I'll think about it. Good idea. Thanks! .

[@therealchickentender]

Hey did you ride the similar Bowlrider in their line? Really been eyeing both of these since late last winter.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Nope but hope to this winter

[@StuartYeh-qd4xz]

Spot on review!! I am super torn between Stranda TreeSurfer and Weston Japow for my dedicated deep day board. How do you compare these two beasts?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks! Both are excellent boards and favorites on The Good Ride. Both are very damp, can go fast and float like champs. Both are super fun to carve on groomers as well. Tree Surfer has a little faster base and turns quicker in tight spots. Japow is better for going straight or making more down the line turns and doesn't need as much back foot weight on a turn and comes in more sizes.

[@wildwest]

Nice review. I have the 157 and it's amazing. How does it compare to the Hovercraft?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Very different rides. The Hovercraft is much less turny on groomers and it's much more of a go straight/fast board. The Tree Surfer is more turny. It evens out a little more in powder but the Tree Surfer is still more turny/slashy.

[@rhoads0098]

Do you have reviews coming up for the Stranda Cheater, and Stranda Shorty?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Not anytime soon. Have them but havent ridden them yet so probably not till eatly to mid winter

[@dlabmobiledetailing]

I hope so. I own the Cheater 170w and it’s amazing. I’ve ridden the shorty 164w and will be adding one to my quiver next season for sure. I have a lot of nice boards but I reach for the stranda almost every time. Lars knows how to make a proper board. They’re so good.

[@rhoads0098]

@@dlabmobiledetailing Lars doesn’t make the boards, Mats does. How well did the shorty hold an edge?

[@thegoodridesnow]

cool. yeah super impressed with Stranda!

[@dlabmobiledetailing]

@@rhoads0098 haha shit yes my bad, Mats*. mixed up names! I rode Lar’s shorty one day at Fernie last season. I was on my wintererick wescott pro with titanal and swapped him boards. Edge hold was amazing and the dampening was crazy. Edge hold was on part with my wescott but the shorty was even damper. Really smooth and turny.

[@SilverSurfer9000]

Great review! I almost bought a Makrill on sale and regret I didn’t, but this looks amazing too and I’m starting to get sick of short wide boards. Do you prefer the Tree Surfer or Makrill for carving and which has better float? I’m in Whistler so similar heavy pow to you, and size 11s so would need the 162 tree surfer

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks. Makril review coming but I preferred the Tree Surfer for Carving and Powder over he Makril for where (mainly low angle) and how I ride. They are making a 162w now so that would be great for the 11's if your weigh and to a lesser extent your height match well too.

[@SilverSurfer9000]

@@thegoodridesnow thanks, great to know. Unfortunately I'm tall and skinny 6'2 and 155lbs lol. But I like bigger boards I ride a 160Wide K2. I thought that might be the case with the Makrill's specs...small n nimble and designed for light fluffy japow. Love the Stranda shapes and philosophy. Lars from Justaride snowboard chanel does some mean carving tutorial videos on them (he's in Fernie BC)

[@thegoodridesnow]

Ok so yeah with Size 11, 155lbs and 6'2" that will be a lot of board in 162w. I need he make, model, year and size for me to understand what you ride now. I do to and Lars is great. So tough call on he Tree Surfer. Its decently wide so you might be able to pull off the 157 depending on your boots footprint and stance angles. 162 would be better but it's a lot of board for your weight. You might like something better with ultralight construction vs. this board though unless you like really damp boards that are more on the normal side of the weight spectrum.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Hard to say though with the info I have. 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/

[@SilverSurfer9000]

@@thegoodridesnow thanks. I tend to like bigger and damper boards as I have strong legs and decent carving technique. I have k2 Manifest Team 160Wide, BSOD 2024 157Wide (kinda wish I’d got 161W but it’s still great), K2 Excavator 158, Telos Caldera 160, Amplid Milligram 163 Split. I rode a Gentemstick Flyfisk 164 in Japan last season and absolutely loved it, it didn’t feel sluggish at all so much power and stability in a carve and nimbler turning than I expected

[@darkieca]

Hey man ! Super interesting review as always :) Is it me or it is the first time that I see you tried +30 +15 binding angles ? :D Exactly what I ride ! Talking about that, is this Tree Surfer sensitive to binding angles like the Korua Dart for exemple ? At the beginning of the video, it is written that you did compare it with many other boards but you did not mention it later. How those this compare with the Jones Storm Chaser or Storm Wolf for exemple ? Finally, you mentionned that this board turn quickly on powder. Is there any 3d shaping to help ? Yeah that's a lot of question you are not obliged to answer but that's an interesting video so it deserves many questions :D By the way : love your T-shirt dude !

[@thegoodridesnow]

Thanks! Is it me or it is the first time that I see you tried +30 +15 binding angles ? - No but don't do it much. Doing it more with more directional boards like this. Talking about that, is this Tree Surfer sensitive to binding angles like the Korua Dart for exemple ? No Stance width/stance angle agnostic. If I don't say it means its just a snowboard that can be ridden any way you want. How those this compare with the Jones Storm Chaser or Storm Wolf for exemple ? Super different ride from both. Sits in the middle. Finally, you mentionned that this board turn quickly on powder. Is there any 3d shaping to help ? No 3D shaping. Just good/quick turn initiation. Right on and thanks!

[@303Jason]

I noticed all the different posi angles too; does this board prefer posi angles, James? Man I was all set to grab a descender and cafe racer this season... now I just want a tree surfer!

[@thegoodridesnow]

No. I was just in a posi mood. It can handle any kind of stance angles.

[@steveroberts5366]

@@303Jason grab a Descender! Best board in my quiver.

[@davidspear6682]

Have you tried the Shorty and Bowlrider yet?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Nope.

[@ancro2040]

Have you tested the Shorty? I think that board looks like the most interesting Stranda

[@thegoodridesnow]

No but hope to do so this coming winter.

[@jeffstewart4162]

What is your favourite board for the trees?

[@hiennguyen-kp5cj]

Hi would this be too much over lap with the karua boards like dart pencil or pencil.

[@thegoodridesnow]

They can do the same thing (carve groomers and float in pow) but they do each pretty differently so if it calls to you go for it.

[@cinnabon888]

Hi did you test Stranda Biru? Thanks

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yes. Review is coming soon.

[@outsider9216]

Thanks a lot! It looks like it has A LOT of early rise to smoothe carving unlike shorty unfortunately, so its just a powderboard after all! I'll keep it in mind! Thanks again James! 😊

[@thegoodridesnow]

"Unlike Shorty"? Do you mean like the Shorty? I wouldn't call it just a pow board. I had a blast carving this and most will as long as they don't need a full on super camber carving board.

[@outsider9216]

Ah, yes! I mean Cheater of course 🙃 And You're right, my Pencil also has an early rise and it's great for carving but this one seems to have a TON of early rise that's why I had doubts)

[@thegoodridesnow]

If you have a Pencil and a Cheater already you are dialed.

[@outsider9216]

No I don't have Cheater, I'm afraid of his gigantic size haha)) , And I've owned a pencil for 4 years, just want to try some fresh meat

[@steveroberts5366]

@@outsider9216 tree surfer (157) has an effective edge that is 53mm longer than the Korua Otto (157) which is a directional twin. 63mm more edge than the pencil (159). Don't let the early rise fool you, all the Strandas rip.

[@DrCrimp-sg5pb]

This or the Dart ?

[@thegoodridesnow]

Two very very different boards. Would need to know about you to suggest one.

[@DrCrimp-sg5pb]

@@thegoodridesnow I’m a dart owner and lover. But stranda being catching my attention lately

[@thegoodridesnow]

Very different ride. Much more of a less directional ride , A lot less taper and seems to drive better on the back foot of a carve vs front like the Dart. Has a faster base.

[@migg8130]

This board is outstanding for turning, I’d rather would prefer the STRANDA Bowl Rider over this one. Same shape, better for turning on the groomers. Again awesome boards

[@thegoodridesnow]

Yeah Stranda is going great things and thanks for your take. Have you ridden both?

[@migg8130]

@@thegoodridesnow yep, the Bowlrider is actually similar to the Treesurfer. It’s the same shape, only difference is no swallow tail. In my opinion better for carving / turning and still good in powder. If you’re honest about your riding, I’m riding most of the time groomers like 80 to 90%. So I’d would rather choose the Bowlrider over the Treesurfer… but again that’s all about personal preference. Both boards are very good. Just a little different on the back.

[@thegoodridesnow]

Hope to try it then. Thanks

[@andrewgentilucci8224]

@@migg8130 Do you find either more agile through the trees? Or similar? I’m on the east coast so to your point not a ton of pow but also will spend my days in the back country mostly (unless there’s literally no snow).

[@migg8130]

@@andrewgentilucci8224 if you ride more powder I’d go for the Treesurfer. Less back leg fatigue, tail sinks beautifully in and makes it more surfy. For the trees I would recommend the Treesurfer. Bowlrider has good powder float too, but like the name suggests, better for riding open bowls and open powder fields