Gentemstick Barracuda Snowboard Table Video and Written Review Review by The Good Ride

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Welcome to an older but still relevant review of the Gentemstick Barracuda.

I really liked the feeling of this ride compared to the Rocket Fish and Rocket Fish HP.  It’s really poppy and light but still a little bucky in some uneven terrain but it’s much more livable. It’s a great choice for those that like to slash that tail hard but it can also make back foot heavy surfy turns in powder and on groomers. Not bad for a carve either as long as there is lots of weight off the tail. It’s pretty expensive though but at least it’s very unique.

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews. We do make money from the “Where To Buy” links, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.

Size: 158.6
Days: 2 For Me and 20+ Days For Grant
Conditions: Pretty decent groomers with a little powder going on too.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-195lbs)
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV,
Insoles: Footprint Insole Technology Gamechangers Lite
Bindings:  Burton Genesis X
Set Up: 22” wide 18 front +3 back and close to reference for being so wide.

Similar Boards We Like (but not the same): Korua Dart, Korua Café Racer, Weston Japow, Moss Jellyfish, Gentemstick Barracuda, Soul Shift, Nidecker Beta

Approximate Weight

The Gentemstick Barracuda feels very light for its specs. (We don’t put in the exact weight because with wood cores there is no consistency in a boards weight)

Sizing

Here are some ideal US boot sizes for the Gentemstick Barracuda. You can of course go bigger or smaller depending on your riding style and boot’s footprint, but these work best for not turning the board slower than it should be and not having the dreaded Toe & Heel Drag.

158.6: 9-11

For weight it works with riders in the 180-200lb range but its best for 150-170ish riders best.

Shape

You have a very tapered, very directional and very set back swallow tail shape. There is 42mm of taper…that’s massively tapered but it doesn’t feel that tapered/washy with a posi stance. You are riding way back on the tail but not as far back as many of the Other Gentemstick Fishes. Those feel like they have no tail but the Barracuda feels like there is some there which for me is a little reassuring.

Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

You have a very set back directional camber with basically camber under the tail. Then you have a long mellow early rise from the front foot to the nose. It’s forgiving but still pretty stable like most hybrid camber rides going past your front foot.

Flex Personality

The flex is medium stiff but more medium in the nose and pretty easy to butter. There is soo much spring out of the turn and so much pop on an ollie. This is a very light, springy, and dynamic board.

Uneven Terrain

So I thought I would not like this because of its bucky and bouncy nature. It didn’t bother me as much as I thought and it still felt pretty good. The new Barracuda with ABS Sidewalls instead of bamboo will be less bucky but also more reliable too which makes me want this board even more.

Edge Hold

Competent grip in smooth hard snow but hard microbumpy snow it’s hard to keep the edge settled.

Speed

Not a bomber. It’s just not for that kind of riding.

Base Glide

Exceptional! Gentemstick makes some of the best bases I’ve ever tried.

Turning Experience/Carving

So this has a lot of powdersurf appeal but this can absolutely rip groomers. It does like a little more of a back foot weighted turn but still does best set up posi like +27/+9. I would love to get back on this again and ride it after learning soo much more about how to ride this. The spring out of the turn is pretty special for how little back foot camber there is. You would be missing out on a complete life if you just got this for powder.

Powder

Such an easy floater. In the 6″ on top of about 12″ I rode it in the Gentemstick Barracuda wasn’t even trying. Grant got this in super deep snow and said it handles just like many dedicated powder rides. At a 22″ stance width set all the way back you can get over 10.5″ back from center of board. That is massively back on the tail. Then you throw in 42mm of taper, all that early rise starting before the front foot its clear its an exceptional floater.

Final Thoughts

It’s been many years but this is one of those special rides that I still think a lot about. Especially after spending some time on the Gentemstick Barracuda HP and getting to know that narrower ride. It made me want to re-do this review.

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