Category: snowboarding gear

C2 vs. C3 camber & the Lib Tech TRS review

C2’s control, precision & float vs. C3’s control, precision & power

For a long time I was wondering about Mervin’s (GNU & Lib Tech) C2 and C3 camber. I used to ride a 2018 C2 Banana Magic (BM) and then at the end of this season I got a 2024 Lib Tech TRS. The Banana Magic was a C2 hybrid camber profile with camber under foot and a rocker in the middle.

The 2018 Banana Magic was a C2

When I got on the TRS it was a big change. The TRS has the C3 camber which is basically a traditionally camber board with a slight rocker in the center.

I didn’t like it at first. It felt really stiff. It has these riser pads under foot that make it so stiff. It is changing my riding style though. After 3 days I went back to the Banana Magic and that felt weird.

I could feel the rocker in the middle of the board that I had got so used to. It felt kind of squirely like some people say about C2. I realized that C2 keeps me in a more upright position and the TRS made me squat more. At first it felt like the TRS had less suspension or something. I would hit bumps that it didn’t seem to absorb like my Banana Magic.

I did 3+ seasons on the BM and over 300 days.

  • C2 = control, precision and float
  • C3 = control, precision and power
  • C2’s perfection vs. C3’s aggression

About the Lib Tech TRS C3 2024

Up until 2021 the TRS was a C2 board or C2X. Then in 2021 they made it a C3 and then in 2022 they added the riser pads. The 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 seem to be the same board but with a different graphic. And that looks the same for 2025.

I got the TRS at the end of the season 2024 so I didn’t get to ride it much. I rode it for 3 days and then the mountain closed. Then I was thinking of selling my TRS to get something less stiff. And I sold my Banana Magic and I still wanted to hike some jumps at the mountain post season so the only board I had to ride was the TRS.

So since I’ve been hiking with it I noticed it’s definitely more springy than the BM. I just hike some jumps so the runs are real short so you know you don’t get the feel for it. It’s taking some getting used to that’s for sure. Despite being the same length 154 it feels longer than the BM.

C2 vs. C3 – float vs. power

If you look at the pic at the top of the page comparing c2 and c3 then you will see the only difference in the words Mervin uses to describe them is power and float. And in the older description it’s aggression vs. perfection (c2).

Float…

The C2 is supposed to float more. I rode that board in Idaho and New Hampshire. New Hampshire sucks for snowfall, but in Idaho I saw quite a few pow days. The C2 I had above is a true twin with no setback (although I set it back .5 of an inch) but I think it did pretty good in powder. Not so great on the deepest days.

I remember when I first got on the BM after riding true camber boards it felt kind of “surfy” as they say. It feels looser and when I first got on the TRS I was thinking the BM was more agile.

The TRS I don’t know as I haven’t experienced enough but it’s also a twin with .5″set back and camber so most will say it won’t float well.

Power…

As for the power I think the TRS has a more stable, locked in feel to it. When you put it on edge it’s going to charge right through it. It’s stiffer feeling. It carves well. I think it wants to go fast and bigger. It has more pop.

TLDR: C2 vs. C3

The C3 is going to be better at speed, be more stable, have more pop and be more locked in on carves. The C2 is going to be better in powder and feel more surfy and loose.

Pros C2 (BM)

  • Floaty – floats better in pow because of that rocker
  • Looser
  • Surfy
  • Agile
  • Softer
  • Better at skidding a turn

Cons C2

  • Less locked in
  • Less pop
  • Softer

Pros C3

  • More locked into a carve
  • Stiffer and more stable
  • More poppy
  • Better at speed
  • Better at landing big jumps

Cons C3 TRS

  • Less agile maybe not as quick or absorbent of bumps
  • Stiff which means less forgiving
  • Nose and tail presses will be harder
  • Not as good at low speed
  • Not as easy to skid a turn

It was totally different from the board I was used to so the TRS felt hard initially to do tricks on. It felt harder to move around trying spins and stuff.

I’d like to ride it more to get a better feeling for it.

TRS specs

Ok you will find something confusing about this board. I saw someone else make a forum post about it too. So on the Lib Tech site you will see.

TRS specs listed as only a 5 in flex??

But anyways I got the 154 and around the web and from reviewers heard it was a pretty stiff board. I emailed Mervin below and they also said it was a pretty stiff board.

“The TRS is for sure one of the stiffest boards in the Lib line”

But yeah if you check the Gnu Headspace board another one I was considering the 155 is listed as a “6” but lots of reviewers said it was a fairly soft board and not stiff. Hmmm…

Ride Fuse snowboard boot review

This is a review of the Ride Fuse snowboard boot. I bought this boot in 2023 to hopefully be the solution to my old Thirtytwo TM-3 boots.  And I just added an update here on these boots in 2024 below.

Ride Fuse snowboard boot 2024
Ride Fuse snowboard boot 2024

I first got the 8.5 Ride Fuse boot which was the same size as my previous boots, but after wearing it around my work I figured it was going to pack out and get more spacious. It definitely felt and looked bigger than the same size in my Thirtytwo boots.

So I looked a little longer and eventually found a size 8 and got them. I didn’t really like the blue color way much so I ordered some other blue laces that thought would go better than the white ones that came with it.

Ride Fuse boots are pretty stiff (8-10) out of the box for a freestyle boot.

They felt awkward and so I would wear them for an hour or two and then go back to my old 32 boots.

I think the Ride Fuse boots could get better, but as they were breaking in I found my self trying to customize them more by getting additional insoles to take up space. My feet are weird and my ankles are skinny which leads to some boot fitting issues.

With the size 8 Ride Fuse I noticed my foot was starting to move around in the boot so I got some heel shims then they kinda still moved and there were pressure points on the widest side of my foot where I developed bunions near my pinky toe probably from wearing my TM-3’s daily working 8-10 hours in the park.

So I already went through like two seasons of ongoing boot modifications with my TM-3’s so I started to think I would sell them on ebay.

But then I changed my mind after putting the old TM-3’s on again. But too big after a few weeks of using them so I got the 7.5.

What I liked about the Ride Fuse and it’s features

Pros:

  1. It’s got an articulating cuff so when you flex the boot it doesn’t distort.
  2. It’s mostly lace and has a boa for the tongue and inner liner.
  3. The inner liner is different as it doesn’t have the traditional central tongue. It kinda wraps and is called the Mobile Trap Wrap Liner .
  4. The rubber sole is pretty good for traction – Michelin® Hybrid Fiberlite Sole. Sometimes I thought the gripped my board better 1 footing than the TM-3’s but then others I thought maybe the TM-3’s got better traction walking in snow. But still good.
  5. I like the exterior tongue on it – called Slime tongue which is supposed to provide dampening.
  6. It’s a low volume boot. It has much less volume especially in the heel area of the boot compared to the TM-3.
  7. It’s a fairly lightweight boot. It felt about half the weight as my TM-3’s.

Cons:

  1. It’s not as heavy duty as my TM-3’s.
  2. They are part BOA. Which is fine for some but they give me anxiety that they will break. They have not broke yet although I met a guy on ebay who said the dials on his broke.
  3. Liners are kinda wimpy. They will pack out in 30 days and you’ll gain half to a full size. Probably pretty typical of snowboard boot liners (except TM-3‘s) although they have the wrap instead of traditional tongue which I liked at first although they did cause some light bruising on my shins.
  4. Not very warm. I had a coworker with Ride Insano boots who was always going in to warm up his toes during the season.
  5. They are not very waterproof. I’ve had 2 pairs of these and both in wet snow and rain would get wet and I would have to take the liners out (daily in spring) to dry. I think there was a leak in the seam of the sole.

I tried on a lot of boots before buying these online. And I actually never tried the Fuse on in a shop before ordering online. But I tried the K2 Maysis, other K2 boots, the Ride Lasso, Ride Lasso Pro, Ride Deadbolt, some Northwave boots, Deeluxe boots, Team ID and others, Burton Tourist, Salomon Echo, Salomon Launch, Salomon Dialogue, Rome boots (no articulating cuff) and more.

None of them really stood out however I tended to think the ski company boots (surprisingly) like Ride, K2 and Salomon fit better.

I read about the Fuse and heard good reviews on them and I remember a rep for Mervin boards saying to try on a lot of boots and find a company that has a mold that fits your foot better.

So it seemed like all the ski companies were fitting better and I can tell you to at least size down a half size for these boots and maybe all of Ride boots and for K2 boots too as they are made by the same company. In my experience all the K2 and Ride boots ran about a half size large.

I spent about 10 hours in the Ride Fuse boots and will probably sell them as they loosened up and I even wonder what a size 7.5 would feel like after the pack out or if I could even get into them. I mean in Thirtytwo boots my toes were crammed in the front and hurting but there was empty space around the rest of the foot that was hard to keep tight.

Measure with the Brannock device if you haven’t.

That’s a good starting point. I got one foot that is a 27mm (size 9) and another a 26.5 (size 8.5) and was told my volume is a 7.5 (skinny lower ankle heal area) so it’s complex fitting a boot.

I mean my toe space was good with the Fuse but they were loosening up and getting more spacious and my foot was moving around as mentioned before.

Update 2024 on the Ride Fuse

So I was trying to sell these on Ebay and then the start of this season I wore my old TM-3’s one day and got a black toe so I thought I am not doing that again and I took the Ride Fuse’s back out of the box and decided I needed to wear them.

So initially these were uncomfortable. I put some heel wedges in them to take up some space and another intuition insole under my left foot to take up some more space.

So these are stiff and I didn’t heat mold them and the liner right at the top at my shins hurt for 10-14 days. They got kinda red and bruised.

I also went from not riding to wearing these 8 hours a day almost every day working in the park and riding.

The liner I am not sure I like. At first I thought it looked cool but learned later that it distorts a bit when you flex. It kind of needs an articulating cuff like the shell has so it doesn’t do that. But you can only see this if you take the liner out of the boot and then do some bends.

And my ankles are skinny so it might not distort like it did for me. I got some pressure points in there that were caused by that.

So heat mold them if you can probably. Now they are a little better. My damn left foot is a pain to fit. It’s got less volume and width than my right foot but is a little longer.

I think in the last week or so they have improved some. But for a while there back I was trying on other boots.

They were really stiff at first and I couldn’t ride well, but they broke in. The bigger you are probably the faster they will break in. I am just over 150lbs.

So support is good, traction seems ok. As far as comfort goes not very, but improving ask me later how it went.

Overall I met other people that were pretty happy with this boot and on their 2nd or 3rd pair. So if it works for you it works. Definitely size down a half-size or go to a shop to try some on or buy multiple pairs online.

It’s a lightweight and low volume boot which is a plus. They are pretty stiff feeling which can take some getting used to. They are not a high-end boot but maybe med-high range and still pretty stiff. Like most boots do they will packout and loosen up with time.

Learn more about the Ride Fuse snowboard boot on Evo.com.

Related:

Bern Macon 2.0 Helmet review

I got this Bern helmet for snowboarding because my other helmet seemed a little big. That was a Giro Emerge helmet.

I think I liked the Giro but it looked a little big and it got looser with time so keep that in mind when you get a helmet. It might loosen and then consider if you will wear a balaclava or beanie or not.

So I liked the look of this Bern helmet and it is lower profile than the Emerge. But the MIPS system doesn’t look as sophisticated as the Giro. The Giro has a “spherical MIPS”system which is more than a thin piece of yellow plastic.

The only thing I didn’t like about the Bern macon 2.0 was the thing in the back is hard plastic and I went a little smaller and got a small vs. the med in the Giro.

It’s hard plastic and has no padding over it. If I unbutton one of the snaps where it attaches it will loosen and the pain goes away however it’s a little less tight and more wobbly.

I made this video comparing the two.

Bern Macon 2.0 vs. Giro Emerge

There were pluses and minuses to both.

The Giro Emerge also has PPE foam which is a little more capable of repeatable impact vs. the PPP foam in the Bern. However the PPP foam is lighter.

Learn more about these helmets on Evo.com

Giro Emerge helmet review

This is a review of the Giro Emerge MIPS helmet. Here is a video I made about it.

The helmet…

Works fine. It’s a MIPS helmet…

What does that mean?

MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System. Called a slip plane, the interior layer, frequently yellow, allows for 10-15 mm of rotational movement between the head and the helmet in the critical 10-15 milliseconds after an oblique impact. This reduces the rotational forces exerted on the brain during impact and, presumably, reduces brain injury relative to the same helmet without MIPS. – source

I didn’t notice at first but there is a layer in there that will move. This is called a spherical MIPS which is different than the traditional MIPS in my Bern macon 2.0 helmet.

This helmet is made from a multi-impact foam called EPP.

EPP vs EPS?

EPS is made from polystyrene, while EPP is made from polypropylene. Polypropylene is more flexible.

EPS is lighter but it is not really considered a multi-impact foam. It will crack easier and EPP is a little heavier but it tends to not deform permanently.

It works fine for me. Is slightly larger than needed but I tightened it up wearing a bavaclava (also adds warmth) and added some sticky foam pieces on the inside.

My head is kind of skinny so looks a little big on me. It’s not quite as low volume as I’d prefer, but the chin strap is better than the Bern helmet I used to use and you can take off the ear pieces if you want.

They have many different colors that you can choose from.

Learn more about the Giro Emerge helmet here or the Bern Macon 2.0 on Evo.

Thirtytwo TM-3 snowboard boot review

This is a review of the Thirtytwo snowboard boot TM 3 model. Push play on the video to learn more.


It’s a pricey boot. My previous boots were old Burton Driver boots and these ones sounded good so I went with these.

They are rated a 4-6 boot in stiffness. And I thought they felt super stiff when I first rode them. In fact I only rode them for 2 days.

Why only 2 days?

Because they expanded a bit and started to feel loose. So I got the shorter size. Last boots were a 9.5 and these were a 9, but actually I got the 8.5.

Watch the video for more details.

Features:

  • Recoil flex control
  • True half sizes
  • Performance Rubber Outsole
  • Performance backstay
  • 3D Molded Tongue
  • Elite Internal Harness
  • Tongue Tension
  • Articulated Cuff …
  • INTUITION FOAM LINER
  • 100% Heat Moldable
  • STI ENERGY FOAM
  • High Rebound Cushioning
  • PRESSURE PAD
  • Alleviates Internal Lace Bite
  • HEAT VENT
  • Breathable Shell
  • ADAPTIVE ARCH SUPPORT
  • Interchangeable Arch (see below for more)
  • HEEL HOLD SYSTEM
  • Customizable Fit
  • POWER CUFF
  • Adjustable Support

Pros and cons

  • Pro-customizable
  • Pro-seem fairly durable (update: I rode these over 200 days)
  • Pro-stiffness is good and customizable
  • Pro-responsive
  • Con-heavy
  • Con-bulky (not a low profile boot)
  • Con-pricey

Probably fits normal to thicker ankles and feet better

If you have skinny ankles and calves you might not want this liner or boot. Here’s why…

  1. The eyelets around the ankle have frayed on my boots because I am pulling them to the max so they are touching and getting stretched.
  2. The liner and the velcro at the top is maxxed out on one foot so it’s not sticking to anything
  3. Despite my toes being slammed into the front there is excess space around the foot in places.

…Update 2023 on the TM-3 and why I won’t buy it again

So at this point I’ve put around 200+ days ( 2 full seasons) on them and I can say that they have held up well. The eyelets around the ankle blew out, but I was able to use the inner metal loop as an eyelet.

But I wouldn’t buy these again.

Over the last two seasons I’ve had foot pain, bruised and black toes, bunions and some ingrown toe nails. The 9 was too big and the 8.5 is incredibly toe jammed yet still had excess space around the foot especially above the forefoot. I have skinny ankles/calves and one boot liner I couldn’t tighten enough with the velcro on the top of the Elite liner.

If you have thicker/ankles feet then these might fit you better.

Learn more about the TM-3 on Evo.com.

https://bit.ly/44amLq5

Currently I am considering a TM-2. That’s got a different liner and is more popular and cheaper than the TM-3.

Thirtytwo TM2 vs TM3

I’ve tried on the TM2’s and both of my best riding buddies in the last two seasons at Lookout Pass and Brundage rocked TM2’s.

There are a few different versions of the TM2. Last year my friend said he tried on the TM3’s and thought they were stiffer than the TM2’s so he stuck with the TM2’s.

They felt pretty stiff at first especially with those plastic stiffeners in. I took one run with those in when I first got them and pulled them right out. But I think with time they break in and they actually felt less stiff than the Ride Fuse.

My other friend thought the same about the TM2’s when he first got them. He said they were too stiff at first.

The TM3’s have the Elite liner and the TM2’s have the Performance liner. The Elite liner has a rubbery exterior which isn’t going to break down like a normal liner. Some say it’s not as heat moldable as the Performance liner. So it’s bit stiffer and lasts longer but it’s probably not going to mold as well.

One thing I didn’t like about the TM2’s though is that they have less rubber in the sole in fact I think a few models have no rubber just cheap EVA stuff.

Learn more about the TM-2 and the TM3 on Evo or Amazon.

Or the Ride fuse.

Union Force vs. Strata snowboard binding review

So I was obsessed with researching bindings and was primarily focused on getting the Strata, but then I saw the 5 pack Force binding and it caught my eye.

I decided to buy both the red 2022 Union Strata and the 2021 limited edition “5 pack” Union Force binding. Ohh and before I get into it I will mention changes for 2024 and there will be links on the bottom of the page for more info on those.

Union Force snowboard binding review (vs. the Strata)

This is a review of the Union Force snowboard binding compared to the Strata. This is actually a limited edition “5 pack” model from 2021.


Of course you must be wondering…

How does this 2021 model compare to the 2024?

It depends on the model.

In 2024 there are two options for the Force.

  1. The Force in 2024 has a redesign that does away with the classic Force highback look. The ankle straps have been updated to the Exoframe 6.0 padded Ankle Strap. And the toe strap to the TS 5.0 Rhombus Toe Strap.
  2. The Force classic 2024 is very similar to the 2021. The only difference I see isthat the ExoFrame 4.0 Ankle Strap and the 2.0 Rhombus toe strap have a slightly different look.

2022-2024 Union Strata snowboard binding review

This is a review of the 2022 Union Strata snowboard binding. I rode this binding first.

The 2022 model did not appear to be any different from the 2021. The only visible difference I could see was that the word “Strata” was not on the highback.

The 2024 Strata also does not appear any different than the 2022 except for a different color way (black, royal blue, red, and white). The black one looks cool and I really like the shape of the Strata highback.

The straps, highback (no holes in 2024), baseplate and buckles appear to be the same as 2022.

The one I got in the video above was the team highback.

What did I think?

I tried the Strata first. And it was definitely different feeling at first and a bit painful underfoot. Perhaps it was the mini-disk or my boots or whatever. It did feel more loose.

The footbed is wider and there was some extra space between my boot and the interior sides of the binding.

The Force was tighter fitting meaning my boot cinched up tighter on the sides.

The Strata feels a little lower to the board and little more flexy. The Force feels a little more stiff underfoot (standard baseplate?) and more responsive.

It’s a little more powerful and aggressive feeling to me.

The Strata looser. More casual. More barefoot feeling.

What I didn’t like

  1. One of the toe straps on the Force (despite being the same on the Strata) would slip off occasionally and had a funny sort of warp to it. A random imperfection.
  2. They are painted bindings and that stuff chips and scratches off easily. But perhaps most metal bindings are like that.
  3. The extra space in the Strata (the footbed is wide).

The Strata’s a little less adjustable. There is no adjustable toe ramp and the heel area is less adjustable. The Force is more adjustable.

If you like lots of forward lean then the Strata has less cause you can only adjust it so far (3 settings I believe), but it’s more of a “freestyle” focused binding as they say so many may not want much.

And the Strata forward lean adjustment isn’t as easy to adjust but most people don’t fiddle with that much so it doesn’t really matter.

The Force is more of an all mountain binding. But whatever binding you get you can ride it anywhere, don’t feel too limited by the labels.

I suspect the Strata would feel better for jibs, but I personally don’t jib much.

As far as shock absorption goes I think they are both good. The Force has a thicker softer area underfoot. The Strata’s isn’t as high and the material is more rubbery.

Holy highbacks?!

Both bindings are available with holy highbacks;-) if you like them – I don’t. But the holy highbacks were discontinued with the Strata in 2023.

According to one of the Union reps I was emailing the highbacks with holes are  a “tad bit softer”.

The Strata highback doesn’t really have any padding whereas the Force has a lot.

The Strata is a bit more minimalist. I like the asym shape though.

Other snowboard bindings I was thinking about

Other bindings I was considering/comparing were several Salomon shadow fit bindings and the Bent Metal Transfer. In the end I went with these two. Salomon’s kind of looked cool, I was tempted to try out their shadow fit, but being a ski company kind of turned me off a little;-).

The Bent Metals are cool. I like Mervin’s stuff (currently ride a Lib board (Banana Magic), but I went with the Union’s. Maybe they felt a little heavier to me or liked the design of Union’s better.

Older bindings I had were old Burton Missions. I’ve had a few Burton bindings and wanted to try something new.

Learn more about the 2024 Union Force and Strata on Evo.com or Amazon

On Amazon:

Update. One of my ankle connectors on my Force bindings began to crack so I contacted Union and they sent me a new one in like a week!

“…So, if you break, or even crack your baseplate or heelcup during riding, we’ll replace it for life. Guaranteed.” – Union bindings