SG Full Race 163 BigWaveDave

Picked up a used 163 full race titan last year.

First words to describe it is it's a pretty amazing board and insanely fun. Seems like it can do anything from tight slalom turns to high speed GS sized turns with ease and control. I don't race, but I think it is great fun as a recreational board for a crowded hill, limited terrain or visibility, or when exploring an unfamiliar resort, as you can mix up the turn shape, size and speed at will to handle whatever the slopes present. I think this is a slightly newer model, 2010-11?

The board feels a little heavy for its size, but not any less nimble for it, in fact has a solid feel as it slices smoothly through crud and ruts. I think it's best on anything from packed powder to ice. My first ride on this board was in soft, granular spring snow, and like most carving boards, I had to hold back or it wanted to dig too deep. I would have preferred a softer, wider board in those conditions.

I weigh about 185lbs, and probably closer to 195 dressed to ride, and mostly not a very aggressive rider. I would echo the above reviews, and add that it's like a go-kart if it were made by Porsche. Being a small board with VSR, slight fore and aft adjustments in your weight make very noticeable changes. I tend to get lazy and sit back riding a board, and with this board, if you do that, it wants to go faster and faster, not completing turns. Then I find myself going quickly edge to edge, more like a skier, until I rein it in by getting forward to tighten up the turn radius. So, to get the most fun out of this board, I try to stay in the driver's seat and drive the nose into each turn and am rewarded with laid-out, railed turns that practically pivot on the spot where you place your hand on the snow. Then again it's nice to be able to throw in a couple of quick turns and shoot across to the other side of a run with a high speed large radius turn. Whiplash is a possibility.