I've been getting into backcountry a lot lately and am thinking of getting one to make some of the hiking a bit easier on the flats. Are they worth it. Do they work well as a board? Pros/cons?

l own an 05 165 Burton S-series & for what it is, l like it alot.

With the skins on, in walk mode, it works very well on steep climbs. Great traction & the fairly short length make switchbacks easy. The board is heavy & after a long hike l really feel it in my hips. The fact that u do not have to lift ur feet as high as u would hiking with snow shoes on & then not having to ride with too much extra gear on ur back evens this out for me a bit. l am seriously considering some lighter bindings to help lighten the load as every ounce shaved makes a difference on a long hike.

When u get to the top putting it back together is simple & it offers a great ride. In soft snow conditions the difference between this board & a non-split board is hardly noticable, it is a little softer than I'd like but that is not a big deal. In hard conditions u can definately feel the difference but this has never bothered me as l would never ride this board in anything but powder or spring conditions. I've only dropped some small cliffs (10 footers or so) & it seems to handle it just fine, again it is a bit soft for this (at least softer than boards l like) but it stayed together no worries.

Now for the cons. This board sucks for touring. In walk mode, always keep the skins on & do not try to ski it. Waaaaay too short & soft not too mention that the binding interface in walk mode is not the strongest or stiffest of attachments. If the conditions r right & u practice alot u might be able to pull off some tele-turns on it but l find it is more trouble than it is worth. l find that it is much faster to just walk it (meaning using the board in walk mode with the skins on) over rolling terrain as stopping to put it together for a short descent & then taking it apart again for a climb & then repeating takes too much time & energy. Some friends have suggested l try kick-skins with it (kick skins r very short narrow skins that u stick to ur base just underfoot & they allow just enough traction on flat ground or small climbs but allow for enough glide to make the skis a bit more skiable) but l have not had a chance yet.

Overall, it should not be ur only board & I'd never take it out at a resort but if u plan to make a lot of trips into the backcountry it is a great board for that. Definately practice with it on short backcountry trips before u really go for it. Oh & be sure to study up on ur avalanche knowledge (consider taking a course) & never go into the back country alone & never forget a probe, shovel & beacon. You do not want to die out there.

Here is a good website to check out:

http://splitboard.com/