Koura Cafe’ Racer Plus Written Review Review by The Good Ride

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Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews and this is our unfiltered opinion. 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.

A Breakdown Of How It Rides And Who Its For

How This Koura Cafe’ Racer Plus Review Happened:

Borrowed this for an extended demo and sent it back.
Size: 159
Days: 8+
Conditions: We got this at the end of the season.
Riders: James (Size 9, 5’10” 185-190lbs), Davey (Size 12, 240lbs, 6’4”)
Boots: Ride Torrent, Ride Fuse, Burton Ion,
Insoles: F.I.T. Gamechangers
Bindings: Union Atlas, Union Force
Redunancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.
Jacket: Jones Mtn Surf Anorak, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Jacket, Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Tusk Jacket, Volcom Guide Jacket, Burton Gore-Tex 3L Treeline Jacket, Jones Peak Bagger Jacket. Burton AK Helitak Gore-Tex Jacket
Pant: Jones Mountain Surf Bib, Jones Shralpinist Stretch Bib,  Burton AK Gore-Tex Pro 3L Hover Pant, Burton AK Gore-Tex 2L Swash Pant, Burton Gore-Tex Ballast Pant
Helmet: Smith Maze
Goggle: Smith 4D Mag
Gloves: Burton AK Clutch Mitt, Burton AK Tech Leather Glove, Drop Tahoma Mitt,

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

James’s Set Up: 21.5” Wide. Sance Angles +27/+9, +24/+6, +18/+3, +18/-3.  Close to Reference.
Davey’s Set Up: 23” Wide. Sance Angles +18/+3, +24/+6. Close to Reference.

How It Was Tested

Every day I took out the Korua Cafe’ Racer Plus I took out the Classic model with the same boots, bindings, stance width, stance angles, often took the same run and made the same kind of turns. It’s not what most people like to do when snowboarding but this is work for me and I love my work.

Approximate Weight

Koura Cafe’ Racer Plus doesn’t feel as light as the other plus models. It feels in between the regular plus models and the Bullet Train’s construction.

Sizing

So the Koura Cafe’ Racer Plus comes in one rather wide size but surprisingly it fit my size 9 boots much better than I thought and handled my 185-190lbs very well. Same for my 5’10” frame but that’s less important. I do feel a lot less control in uneven snow than Davey did with his 12’s though.

Here are some ideal boot sizes but this isn’t set in stone. You can go narrower or wider depending on how you ride and your boots footprint.
159: 9-11

For weight I this board isn’t a typical plus and it can handle your weight all the way up to the top of the recommended weight range.

Shape

Same very tapered, very directional and very set back on board kind of shape. It has that surfboard feel where you definitely feel like you are more at the back of the board despite the sidecut only having a -20mm set back.

Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

The Koura Cafe’ Racer Plus has more camber than most Korua boards but still a little early rise that keeps it from that old school super catchy camber. That being said it’s a good bit more than their float camber. You have a pretty locked in catchy ride but it tracks super well one footing and flat basing.

Flex Personality

Very stiff! The nose is a little softer but still pretty stiff but surprisingly I could butter ok for how stiff it is. The spring out of this board takes some work but it is next level compared to the classic.

Uneven Terrain

What I found interesting about the Koura Cafe’ Racer Plus is the board could handle uneven terrain super well for a plus model. The regular model doesn’t have the pop but absorbs chatter/vibration much better. If you want the plus model for all day riding it isn’t going to shit the bed on you.

Edge Hold

These edges do sink into harder snow much better than you would think for a sidecut without any disruption. I found it did better in harder slightly uneven snow than the other plus model boards I tried did.

Speed

You can point it a little better with the Cafe’ Racer Classic in more uneven snow but Korua Cafe’ Racer Plus wins in clean conditions.

Base Glide

I love the plus bases and the Koura Cafe’ Racer Plus is no exception here. Exceptional glide here.

Turning Experience/Carving

This Korua Cafe’ Racer Plus is on another level when it comes to directional surf style carving. The more you put into this the more you get back. What is cool about the Koura Cafe’ Racer Plus and Classic is both allow you to set this up and weight your turns any way you like and it will carve equally well. With the Pencil and Dart it requires more of a posi front foot weighted turn.

Powder

The Koura Cafe’ Racer Plus is known for it’s exceptional groomer performance but it can float very well in the deep stuff. I know because I got the Classic in waist deep pow and it was almost there with boards like the Pencil, Dart and Pintonic. It doesn’t have as much early rise but it still has a ton of taper, a massively bigger nose and a lot of surface area in a longish length. It handles low angle pow (most challenging float wise) very well.

At a 21.75” stance width you can get -6.875” back from center of board on both models. That is massively far back. Both models have the same shape/design/float. The Korua Cafe’ Racer Plus just has a better base and more pop.

Final Thoughts

I was really excited to try this different plus construction and I wasn’t disappointed. I like the Plus models because I run on the heavier side of most recommended weight ranges  and ride uneven snow often. This comparison between the classic and plus was very close. I just barely chose the classic over this plus model just because it’s a little more damp but I keep second guessing myself because of how springy and powerful it was on clean groomers.

One thing that surprised me is most of my friends that I let try this preferred it over the Pencil and Dart on groomers but had no complaints in powder so it’s a very underrated board in Korua’s line.

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