2010 Nitro Swindle

The demise of my 2009 Swindle found me distraught to say the least.  I loved that board so much, the first thing I did was call around looking for this years' model.

Even so, I would be lying if I said I wasn't just a little reserved about going from camber to zero camber. Yes, with the advent of alternative camber and the Swindle being intended as a rail deck, it was a natural progression for Nitro. Since I needed a new board desperately and the price was right, I decided to take a chance.

This was my first opportunity to compare two generations of the same model, so I made sure to check out all of the differences between them.  Aside from their camber, Nitro thinned the 2010 Swindle just a tad for a softer flex, which worried me.  I loved the 2009 because it road way more like a park deck than a jibstick; maybe Nitro thought so as well, since most of the changes seem directed towards better performance on rails and boxes.

Cruising groomers with this deck remains just as enjoyable. Now that it is a bit softer the ride is more playful, which makes for more fun.  Nitro elongates the contact points in the Swindle so a smaller size will stay in control through turns, so as far as carving goes there isn't much difference from last year.  Thankfully, a softer deck didn't mean a change in control at speed (maybe we have zero camber to thank?); the board can point a mild diamond slope without getting too squirrely.

Nitro built the Swindle to jib, so don't expect to send anything bigger than 30 feet--and that is on a good day with no chop or slush. Zero camber seems to be a happy medium for jumping; I didn't need to adjust my pop like with full reverse, nor have I found the board booting me out of control at any time.

For ollies this board performs standard.  Zero camber means you don't have to pre-load, so you can pop on demand.  The Swindle isn't stiff enough to really boost, but I've had no trouble getting on to the features at Bear Mountain and Snow Summit; it even hopped the occasional snow gun cover.

I've ridden this board in soft boots, soft bindings, stiff boots, and stiff bindings; it slays jibs even with the worst possible combination.  This doesn't surprise me since that is what Nitro built this deck to do.  It pops nicely onto any rail, box or barrel; and if you like to butter your way from jib to jib zero camber eases right into presses.  The flex is forgiving for those sketchier slides, and a perfectly flat base makes locking on almost effortless.

The bottom line: A lot of Bear's local park stars have been spotted with the Nitro Swindle, and there is a reason.  The deck is perfect for everything Bear throws at it, from their mild jumps to their technical jibs.  The responsive pop and playful flex make even the flattest groomer fun, fun and more fun.  If you are a park kid not looking to huck double corks off 60-footers, this board would do well in your quiver.

For more information on the 2010 Nitro Swindle, head on over to Nitro's website by clicking...here.

2010 Omatic Extr-Eco Wigglestick

I've been dying to get on an Omatic for a while and today the opportunity finally presented itself in the form of this year's 154 Extr-Eco Wigglestick.  With bindings mounted and Bear conjuring up another bluebird day, it was off to the races.

This late in the season, Bear Mountain starts with crusty corduroy and becomes virtually un-rideable slush towards late afternoon, which gives me a chance to put boards through a variety of conditions.  The Extr-Eco Wigglestick was quite an experience; let's start with B.S. Technology.

Though Omatic will make a pun out of it any way possible, B.S. stands for Bowed Surface.  The Extr-Eco Wigglestick is flat between your feet with slight reverse cambering at the tips; in addition, Omatic thinned the base up near both edges, making for a playful ride not only tip to tip, but also edge to edge.

Look through the Omatic tech page, and you'll find the word "stable" several times.  For cruising groomers ranging from crusty to fairly slushy the Extr-Eco was just that.  Reverse camber is already famous for increased control, but combined with that thinning of the base the response from this board is astounding:

In the morning crust the Extr-Eco grabs on tight edge to edge and as things soften up the board remains playful and easy to maneuver; slush didn't slow it down.

As far as speed is concerned, I broke my personal record for distance down a hip on a board slightly shorter than I'm used to within an hour of riding it;  That says it all for stability in my book.

I slacked on hitting bigger kickers today so I can't give you the full low-down on the Extr-Eco jump wise.  I didn't go too much bigger than 10 feet, but I could see this 154 (with me being 175 lbs) stepping up to 20 or 30 feet.

What I will tell you is this stick pops; no load necessary.

Jibbing comprised most of the day, and the Extr-Eco annihilated in that department.  Keeping the deck flat between feet lets it lock on to boardslides, and of course the reverse camber initiates presses painlessly.  What really stood out again stems from thinning the base near the edges, which lifts the edges free and clear of dreaded hang-ups.  I even managed to make it out of a frontside board on a corrugated tube.

Overall I really enjoyed riding the Extr-Eco Wigglestick. I admit there are boards that have taken getting used to, but this was not one.  I took to it quickly and it performed in every way I wanted.  I could see using this deck as my overall park board (cruising, jibs, mild jumps), and I'd probably end up bringing it everywhere else (trees, powder) as well.


Click here for more information on the 2010 Omatic Extr-Eco Wigglestick.