Lib Tech Split BRD Test | Photo Mike Hardaker Mountain Weekly News
Better on the skin track but still needs some work. The Lib Tech Split BRD has all the makings of the perfect split. The board is lightweight, eco-friendly, super spirited and comes with a C3 Camber profile. What more do you need?
Camber Profile for Touring
Let’s start with what works with the Lib Tech Split BRD Splitboard. Lib Technologies designed a fun shape that has a wider and longer nose than past splits in the line. If you ever a chance to ride the GNU Beast splitboard the Lib Tech Split BRD will be similar here’s what we had to say about the Beast in 2015.
The GNU Beast has camber under your feet and a slight rocker between, called mellow banana. The camber under foot is awesome, and the added float of the rocker is noticeable in pow and heavier snow.
The Lib Tech Split BRD is pretty much the same. But, here’s where things get sort of interesting. Splitboarders understand that camber really helps on the skin track. Most likely I’m starting to sound like a broken record with the splitboard profile things and touring. However, considering we spend 75% of the day or more going uphill, the way the board performs on the skin track needs to be the #1 focus moving forward, even if it’s not as rad as sending it downhill. Or at least that’s how I feel.
So what did Lib Tech do? They listened to the feedback from their customers, our past reviews of the Goldmember and Travis Rice Splitboard and so forth. When the splitboard community found out Lib Tech was making a new splitboard with a profile that was more skin track friendly people started asking questions, would it work?
Sizing
For this splitboard test, I rode the 162 Wide version of the Lib Tech Split BRD, and I forgot it was Wide until I grabbed it for this review. What’s that mean, well the board rides much smaller than it is. Available in 3 sizes, 154, 159 and 162.
Lib Tech was able to make this splitboard even more freestyle friendly by lightened the amount of material found in the top sheet at the tip and tail of the Split BRD, they’re calling this tech: Ultra Light Spin Slim.
Toss in Magne-Traction contact points, 7 of them on each edge and you have boards (built in the PNW) that can chew through the heaviest snow around Baker and slice through cold smoke in Colorado while holding an edge on icy lines when you need it most. Pretty much perfect right?
Splitboard Touring & Skin Issues
Paging the manufactures, if you are going to manufacture, market and sell splitboards consider making skins to go along with the splitboards. Or team up with a skin company. Why do you ask? Well, a couple of reasons. Jones Snowboards, Ferburg and a few others (please leave a comment) are sending skins out that are factory cut to the splitboard length.
Personally, I hate cutting skins, as if you mess up even in the smallest place you’re looking at potential skin failure. I prefer to take them to a shop and have the pro’s cut them for me. Guessing most splitboarders just go to town with the mail opener tool and hope for the best.
Ok, so now the skins have been cut if the bottom of the splitboard has a wavy profile, it’s going to be tough to get a skin to sit flat against the ski. Even more so if the board has rocker at the tip and tail and then camber next to it, the change from profiles is far from skin-friendly.
I’m not saying we need to go 100% rocker or 100% camber, BUT the profiles must be able to link up with each other with skins attached. This seems to be a major issue with Lib Tech and any other brands wanting the RC, Banana, etc… tech.
As splitboarders where do we go from here?
Lib Tech Split BRD Splitboard Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Lightweight and eco-friendly design
- C3 Camber profile for touring
- Freestyle-friendly and versatile
Cons:
- Not optimized for skin track performance.
- No skins specifically made to fit.
- Challenges with skin attachment on board profile.
Overall Impression
The Lib Tech Split BRD can handle the deepest of powder you throw its way. This board really should only be ridden in such conditions, and splitboarding, in general, should be that way. With an Eco-conscious build, Lib Tech’s bio-plastic top sheet which is made from you guessed it, beans offering the industries highest strength-to-weight ratio, Birch Sidewalls, and the super-light Paulownia wooden core.
If you’re in the market for a Camber3 directional splitboard built for crushing deep snow. The Lib Tech Split BRD ($999.99) should be on your wish list.
Is Travis Rice the best person to be following advise from when it comes to splitboarding. The guy is a beast and one of the best snowboarders of all time, but he’s not a splitboarder.
Related Splitboards
Hello, thanks for a great detailed review!
My perfect charging board (snowboard) is 156-158 at a flex of 6-7 (out od 10). What size than you would recommend for a split BRD to match the feel?
Thankyou!
Atis,
What’s your height? Typically we scale up 2-5cm for splits.
I am 5’9 140lbs.
I guess 159 would be perfect, but no such size in Europe left in stock. Only 156 and 162W is what’s left unfortunately
G3 knife cuts skins perfectly . Takes off about a mm inside edges. Can be purchased just about anywhere you buy backcountry stuff
That little mail opener tool is the same thing a shop tech uses when he goes to town on your skins. I guess we vary in opinion because not only do I enjoy cutting my own skins, I prefer to. I know that I’m going to pay more attention to detail than some guy making minimum wage watching the clock until its beer:30. Sounds like your advocating that all brands adopt flat profiles like Venture? Please, no. Camber under foot is for more than just pop, it’s for better traction on steeper skin tracks. I’ve ridden flat profile split boards and they are just as inferior on the way up as they are on the down. Did you really just say that “splitboarding, in general, should really only be enjoyed on the deepest of powder days?” If every time I went out it was a powder day then I’m probably dead and in snowboarding Valhalla. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to hang up the board on bluebird spring corn days. You’re weird
How much do these weigh? Why is it not listed anywhere? What are they hiding? Can you throw it on a scale for the good folks out there.
Abel,
We don’t have the board anymore, a little heavier than other splits with the big nose.
I’ve had absolutely no issues on multiple trips since last spring with the union skins I cut myself, both on edges and sticking to the bottom. just gotta make sure there is some edge and a tiny bit of base on either side on the skin on the bottom. in the image above there is a large amount of overhang almost like the skins weren’t trimmed at all. if the skins were trimmed well and taken care of properly, I don’t see having the issues you describe.
most touring ski’s also have a fairly mixed profile as well, so I’m not sure if that’s the issue either — camber with early rise is the correct profile here. also, as the owner of many c3 boards — they are way more just normal camber with some early rise than the sticker on the bottom of the deck shows….this rides a lot like my old emmagators.
best split I’ve ridden so far!!!
Hmmm me thinks you aren’t very talented at putting skins on
Sorry, this is not an intentional troll maneuver, but…if you can’t cut skins yourself with confidence, should you really be in the game of writing reviews where you focus on issues with the skins…I’ve used a number of rcrcr boards without the issues you describe
I would just rather toss the shop guys $20 to have them dialed in. I pay my mechanic to change my oil too, although I can do it. Most likely all the brands making splits will continue to mellow out their profiles.
Then, this Splitboard is better than the Travis Rice models ??
How is it if you compare this splitboard whith the Neo Slasher .
Do you have reviews with the Hovercraft Split or Jones Solution?
Marcos,
The new Lib Tech Split BRD is better than the previous Travis Rice Splitboards from Lib Tech. They most likely are not branding it as his splitboard now as he’s more of backcounty filming dude than splitter. This board and the Neo Slasher are very different. I haven’t tried the Hovercraft yet, they are a little too pow specific for my type of riding. The Solution is a fun board, I reviewed one a few years back.
What are you currently riding?
Thanks for the answer.
I’ m from Spain, I usually ride in the Pyrenees, here there are a lot of days on hard pack, less days of powder.
Right now I don’t have any Splitboard.
I’m 1.80cm height and 80kg weight.
I want to buy the Lib tech Split BRD 159.
I don’ Know if that splitboard is apropiate for me.
I like to ride powder the most.
As Snowboard I ride a Lib Tech Speedodeeps 162, amazing in Powder and the hard pack.
Sorry for my english.
Your videos in Wyoming are so cool , amazing powder that you have there !!!
Marcos,
With splitboards I always recommend sizing up 2-3cm more than your resort board. However, if you are 1.80cm that’s 5’9 correct? If so the 159 is a good size. The 162 you ride at the resort seems big for you, but if you can handle it you can easily handle the Lib Tech Split BRD.
Thanks for checking out the videos. Where do you get boards in the Pyrenees, or online maybe I can help find some other options for you as well. The Lib Tech will be great going downhill, might be tougher going uphill if its icy with the wavy profile
Hey,
Thank you again for the answers
The first thing I want to do is rent a splitboard ( Jones or LIb-Tech maybe) for test and ride it for two days if I can.
Here in the Pyrenees we have a Store where you can buy o rent snowboards and splitboards.
After the end of the seasson I will buy one, when the price is better, right now the splitboards are expensive.
Thank you again for the answers!!