Camber continues to not be dead just reinvented for 2014. The Salomon Time Machine takes us back to a time when snowboards were snowboards and not technological experiments. Fire up the Delorean cause we’re going back to the future.
Board: Salomon Time Machine
Size: 156
Camber Option: Cross Profile. Camber between the feet with rocker in the tip and tail.
Bindings: Rome 390 Boss
Stance: 22.5 with 18 negative 15 goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 175
Resort: Breckenridge
Conditions: Started out sunny and then the clouds moved in and snow fell from the skies. The groomers were fresh and crisp while the snow was that right consistency to lay a carve or two.
Flex: Playful between the bindings with more give in the tips. This board has a well broken in flex to it like you’ve ridden it all season which gives it that versatility to get a lot done. It definitely feels like a true center of the road flex.
Stability: You can charge with this board and it won’t get bucked around or collapse under pressure. Taking it through choppy terrain the board just absorbed everything in front of it.
Ollies: This board has a smooth consistent snap that you don’t have to fight to initiate. Any time you needed it, it was there. Over all you can boost with this deck.
Pop On Jumps: Best advice I can give is don’t preload the tail going up the lip otherwise you might go a bit further than you expected.
Butterability: The blunted shape in the tips coupled with the rocker lets you play around any way you want. It’s that consistently smooth fun shape and flex that is playful yet stable.
Jibbing: This board just locks into presses and stays there till you want to spring out. Board slides aren’t anything to worry and having a little bit of camber between the feet in my opinion just allows it to grip a board slide better.
Carving: The sidecut just works with this camber profile so well. You don’t have that feeling you get with other hybrid camber rocker profiles were it’s sluggish or doesn’t have hold. This grips right under foot and allows you to initiate edge to edge transitions with minimal efforts. Long drawn out carves are not an issue but it really excels at quick fast turns.
Rider in Mind: The all mountain freestyle guy that’s going to ollie ropes, hit a rail, slash some pow, and wants a board that feels like they’ve ridden it all their life.
Personal Thoughts: This board is amazing in terms of flex, stability, and sidecut. It might be a time machine but damn it’s just consistently awesome. Possibly one of the best decks for next season I’ve been on. Whenever you can get on a board have it feel like you’ve ridden it all season you know it’s built well.
Support your local snowboard shop buy locally. Find a shop here.
Disclaimer: This board was loaned to us from the Salomon Snowboards Rockies rep.
44 Comments
Wow. I was set on Nitro Uberspoon/K2 Happy Hour as a quiver killer until you posted this. Looks like all 3 are decent quiver killers?
You would be correct sir.
Hi,
with a height of 178cm an a weight of 78kg, which boardsize would you recommend to me?
I would probable go with the 159.
Most of the time the board will be use for on-piste (50%) and off-piste (50%) cruising but not in parks or to do big jumps.
Cheers
59 sounds right to me.
Uberspoon vs. Happy Hour vs. Time Machine. Which one carves best on hardpack?
Happy Hour and Time Machine are fairly equal then the Uberspoon. Happy Hour is more traditional camber than anything so best edge hold as you load it up.
Would you say this board or the Villain is better to replace my Blacklist with cause I tried it with the franklin/Orion and the high speed feedback gets kind of crazy in ruff terrain.
Villain will be closer to the Blacklist for sure.
Thanks I am glad I asked and did not get the NS evo this year.
angry,
how would the time machine compare to the yes greats/asym? which one would you prefer more for an all quiver board?
That is an insanely tough question sir as both of those boards kill it and would both be solid choices. Flip a coin and pick one would probably be the best option.
thanks angry for the response! One more quick question about The Greats vs The Time Machine. Which one would you say is the better buttering board between the two?
Tuan I would go with the Time Machine only because it doesn’t have an Asym tip shape which makes it more universal depending on if you go frontside or backside in a butter.
Thanks again Angry for the response. I hate to do this to you but one more question….
I just read your review of the uberspoon and Im not literally torn betwen the Time Machine and the uberspoon =).
Which of these would you say is more playful? If you had to pick one board to ride on all the time, which one would you choose?
Uberspoon is definitely more playful in powder and the flex is just a bit softer.
angry,
I’m torn between Time Machine and Capita DOA.
70% of time I just carve/ride fast. Rest of time on board I spent on buttering/ollies/180’s/fooling around. I need jack of all trades board. Which one will suit me more, or would you recommend something else (Rossi One, K2 HH etc.) ?
Haven’t ridden a DOA but the Time Machine for sure.
Thanks for answer!
Although it’s hard to find people who have ridden both of these boards and know what they’re talking about. And I don’t trust local salesmen, all that matters for them is Burton (not that their boards are bad, but I’m a bit sick of it) ;/
One more question if you don’t mind, should I choose 156 over 159 if I’m 165lbs and 5.75ft ?
56 if you want more play all around 59 for harder charging more powder.
Hello Angry
i’m looking for a new board.
Time Machine or Assassin is the question for me? I’m a intermediate/advanced rider most of the time on piste (70%) and the rest pow/freestyle.
Which one would you recomment?
thanks…
Cheers
Hi angry.
I’d like to buy a board. My riding style is similar to notify’s. I’ve read a lot of your reviews of 2014 gear and really can’t decide.
Time Machine looks like a board I’m looking for, except, I’d rather to buy it from my local store. I want to support them, but they don’t have salomon boards. Only Arbor, Volkl, Burton, Capita and if I’m correct K2 but not all of their models.
Could you recommend a board which would ride like this Salomon ? I was thinking maybe Arbor Westmark or Del Ray/Relapse ?
Guys @ store suggested me Westmark but I’m not sure if rocker’s for me. I’ve tested some gnu rocker board with magnatraction last year and it felt like it not holding edge properly when doing long, deep carve (and i like these).
Boot size: 9.5
Weight: 160
Cheers,
John,
More than likely when you were on the Gnu you were trying to carve like you would with a cambered snowboard. With a center reverse you steer it underfoot like you would a skateboard. It changes how you ride. But it seems you want something more like a cambered board. The Relapse is a mid wide cambered board to be the cambered equivalent of the Blacklist. While the Del Rey is more like the Westmark but with camber. I think the Del Rey would probably be more like what you’re looking for.
Thanks,
Well it was ’13 GNU Carbon Credit if it makes a difference.
I will try to find “test drive” of these boards somewhere – maybe I’ll be lucky. But what you are saying tells me that I won’t ever like rocker board. Maybe I don’t understand this whole underfoot steering (it is term from skateboarding right?) – I’ve never ridden a skateboard in my life 😉
I know that Relapse is wider version of Del Ray. Reason I’ve listed Relapse is that, arbor website (http://www.arborcollective.com/snow/board-mapping/) suggest that it is a bit more all mountain oriented than DR.
You steer the board right under your feet where you should not out at the tips like with traditional camber.
[…] […]
I’m looking for something slightly more beefy than the Proto. More all-mountain than park. Would you say this fits the bill? I felt the Proto got pushed around a little on bumps and mounds on fresh snow. Other boards I’m looking at maybe Rossi One Magtek, Angus, K2 Happy Hour.
I’d nix the Happy Hour and instead look at the MarHar Archaic. Otherwise the ones you listed are there although you might opt for The Mans Board over the Time Machine as it’s stiffer.
Hi Angry,
I skateboarded for about 7 years, then 4 years surfing after that. I now have about a season under my belt snowboarding (with holidays every year up to that point). Grabs and hitting rails came pretty quickly, I turn well on double blacks and also spend a reasonable amount of time riding powder. To be honest, I’m still learning to ride switch properly and although I can butter around throwing in 180s I can’t do it at speed. So basically, I need a board that I can literally do everything, allow me to ride at speed going regular, and inspire confidence when buttering or riding switch. I narrowed it down to this board, the never summer sl, and the never summer cobra. What would you recommend? My current board is a 2006 Forum Joni Malmi 157.
None of these choices honestly. You would do better with the Salomon Sabotage.
I weigh about 148lbs, size 10us boots, about 1.8m tall
Just wondering…Read this and pulled up buying a capita dbx (157) because of the review. Both hybrid cambers but I like the way uyou described this board. I have been boarding a few years and was looking for something all roundish that was still comfy at speed and a good carve. Just to add I have been on a ride Machete GT and not overly impressed with versatility…Don’t really like the low rise rocker biz either.
How would you compare the Time machine an then DBX (or TFA for that matter)???
I am same specs as you.
Cheers
great reviews.
Haven’t ridden a Capita in 5 years so can’t really tel you.
you need to get on some capitas, son!
what up wit dat!?
Email them and tell them to send me snowboards.
ok but did you pee in their cornflakes or anything?
Pretty sure I said one thing was bad on one snowboard after praising it and that got me labeled a the Anti-Christ.
The more I read about this board, the more I am leaning towards grabbing one.
I would, however, appreciate some input into sizing.
I am same weight or thereabouts as you and over here in Oz the snow is rarely deep like you guys van get. Most of the rtime you might have a touch of fresh in the mornings but rarely deep and soon its hard pack and chop. The one thing I don’t dig too much about the GT is having to muscle it around and you made mention of this board being suited to quick turns etc.
Would you go with the 56 or the 59 keeping in mind it may be a more nimble deck than what I have been riding.
I have a signal omni 156 for mucking round on. I was hoping for something a little more all mountainy but not as rigid as the GT.
Cheers
You’re in a situation where the 56 would be more beneficial I believe.
Cheers.
Much appreciated.
The 390 bosses a good combo?
I have some capos (13) and some salomon chiefs…
Was having a sneaky look at the bosses but what Ibhave should do the job nicely yeah?
Save your money and just ride the Chiefs.
Tops! Thanks again.
Love the bloody things if I’m to be honest!
Hey Angry,
Is there any difference between the 2014 Time Machine and the 2015 or are they the same? I’ve found a new ’14 for a pretty good price and the new ’15 is just a little more expensive. Thoughts?
Save your cash, get the 14.
Thanks Angry for this Ye Oldie Review from 2013. I had locked on the Salomon’s Assassin. Butta… de 2015 top print is not my cup of tea. It’s definitely a serious dealbreaker…. and a new Assassin from 2014 (with a super cool print) is nowhere to be found… *snifff!* *cry!*
So after reading most of your’s review, I finally found my board: The 2014 Time Machine.
Thanks a lot man, just wanna say Kudos!!