Board: Arbor Coda
Size: 153
Camber Option: Camber System. Arbors camber reinvented; traditional camber with Griptech under foot for added contact and Uprise Fenders so the tip and tail contact points are elevated.
Bindings: K2 Indy
Stance: 21.5 Wide 18 Negative 15 Goofy
Boots: K2 Thraxis Size 10
My Weight: 177lbs
Resort: Arapahoe Basin
Conditions: Sun poking through clouds, light snow, colder temps, and a bit of wind.
Flex: A true middle of the road playful all mountain flex. More give in the tips, stable under foot, and a fair amount of torsional give.
Stability: This board is stable to a point then it does get bucked around a little bit in excessive chunder. Overall the board does a good job at dampening minimal vibrations.
Ollies: Having camber always helps with snap if you know how to load it. The Camber System on this deck is playful and easy to initiate but it does let you send it to the moon when you want to.
Pop On Jumps: Small, medium, or large jumps shouldn’t be an issue with this board. I will say that the snap off the edge of the board is impeccable and really shows how well you can load this board up.
Butterability: Pressing into the nose or tail on this board you’ll realize right away there’s an immense sweet spot and that it just wants to lock in to the snow. The flex is great for playing around all over. What really sticks out is how the Uprise Fenders lift the contact points so they don’t catch.
Jibbing: Nose or tail presses this board locks in perfectly. Sliding sideways is a breeze and you do have the added bonus of the elevated contact points.
Carving: Here’s what had me second guessing this board. I had it wash out on edge more than once when doing hard toeside and heelside turns. The contact point that has the Uprise Fender would disengage and I would find myself slipping out. Once I figured that out I found that there was a sweet spot to the carve but not to push it too much. Now this might have been attributed to being on the 153 instead of the next size up or it could be the camber profile.
Rider in Mind: The guy that’s ripping the park, pipe, groomer, powder, and everything in between and wants a deck with camber that doesn’t suck.
Personal Thoughts: I love the tip shape of this board, it’s one of my favorite designs out there right now. It’s fun to see how it cuts through snow and yet still lets you play on it. Overall this board does not disappoint, it’s one of those decks that really is a true quiver killer deck.
Comparable Boards: Jones Mountain Twin, Interior Plain Project Honalee, Rossignol Jibsaw HD
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This board was loaned to us for review from Arbor Snowboards marketing department.
20 Comments
I love that you got on some of the different board in company’s lineup! This sounds like an interesting ride… wonder if you rode the wasteland this year?
No Wasteland this year.
Do you know if there has been any change from last year’s Coda to this year’s? I owned the Sin Nombre for a short while and was told it was very similar to the Coda.
Also how does this board compare to the Rome Mod or Coda Premium (if you’ve ridden it)?
Thanks!
Whoever told you that is a fucking moron. It’s the same board as the Coda Premium minus the 100 dollar price jump and top sheet.
Haha you’re totally right after looking at the specs. So the carbon is what’s increasing the stiffness / aggressiveness I assume?
Thanks
Pretty much, there’s other subtle things, but it’s stuff that most people wouldn’t understand.
Hey Angrysnowboarder! I’d like to buy an arbor coda but I can’t decide which one the rocker or the camber, I like to carve but I also like to do some fun stuff… I think I prefer the rocker but I’m scared it will slip out in sharper turns. I’d like to know your personal thoughts about it. Which one would you choose? Is the grip tech really holds the rocker profile in the turns?
Thanks!
I owned 2 Coda Rockers. Griptech works and won’t hinder you carving, it will have more play than its camber counterpart. Sounds like you want the Rocker one more.
hey!
i like moguls and fast changes in direction and doing big carves (surfing background). I need a board i can trust and that won’t slip out on me doing aggressive carves down steep runs, camber or rocker? thanks!
Rocker will be more surfy. Camber is more precision based.
Hi – Love your reviews, have a question. I own a 2015 Rome Brigade with Romes NoHangups 2.0 3D tip/tail, which is nearly identical to the Crossrocket which youve reviewed extensively. Your reviews on Romes 3D boards are basically that they are deathsleds..last week I demo’ed an Evil Twin and an Arbor Coda which are as you know very similar to the X-Rocket and Brigade in that they are camber decks with raised 3D xtact points. My opinion on the the Evil Twin is that it was very unstable on the flats and more wishywashy, lighter, but otherwise pretty identical. my question is that on many of your reviews (including also some Jones boards which feature vastly more “spooning”) you give positive accounts of 3D boards with the exception of Romes boards, why is this? What exactly is it about Romes 3D boards vs everyone elses that you dislike? Thanks!
Have you looked at the amount of 3D between all of those decks? Vastly different amounts and built off different geometries.
Hey thanks for replying first of all you are an asset to the sport. I guess my followup would be – of the mfrs who use 3D rocker on camber decks (Rome, Jones, Arbor, Bataleon)1. who does it best? 2. Which boards/brands have the most and least spooning? Which 3D board would you say performs the most like a trad camber deck with solid edge hold for stable carving? Looking forward to your advice. I think 3D edges on boards are oft overlooked by most riders and not understood
The best in my opinion is Marhar. It’s subtle, it’s there if you need it, and it doesn’t over power you. That being said I would say Jones and Arbor have it figured out, Endeavor isn’t bad. The thing is a lot of companies went WAY overboard with how they did it. You want to keep it minimal.
I’m looking for a board I can ride all around the mountain, eager to butter and spin when on the flats (I spend most my time buttering and playing around), but will also cooperative when I try to learn Euro carves or carve my way around moguls or trees fast. I don’t usually charge or race down any slopes.
I like what you say about many marhar and arbor boards. The halfbreed, coda, westmark… Also the ride machete sounds good. Any advice? I’m about 6’2, 185lbs, size 11,5 (will buy a wide).
Maybe the marhar liftem, archaic, or arbor regent?
Do I need a mid wide for a 10.5 boot (k2 thraxis)?
No.
Has the camber system made the rocker system boards obsolete? Seems like you get the pop of camber with the forgiveness of rocker.
No it’s just two different types of pop. Ones more skate like the other is more precision based. They have their place.