Yes Basic Women’s by Jordan

Size: 149
Days: 2
Conditions: Early spring PNW conditions, ice, pockets of shallow powder, soft groomers, tracked off-piste.
Riders: Jordan (size 7.5, 135lbs, 5’6″
Boots: K2 Kinsley
Insoles:Custom
Bindings: Union Trilogy, Now W’s Conda
Redundancy: Strapins in case boots or bindings break.

Jordan’s Set Up: 20.5” Wide.  Stance Angles +15/-9, +15/-15, +18/+6. Close to Reference on groomers and Set as far back as my stance width will allow on powder.

Similar Boards We Like (but not the same):

Jones Twin Sister, Gnu Velvet, Capita Space Metal Fantasy

Approximate Weight

(We don’t put in the exact weight because, with wood cores, there is no consistency in a board’s weight)

Sizing

Sizing is all about balancing what fits your boot size and your weight for how you like to ride. If your boot is too wide, you can’t turn it; if it’s too narrow, you get the dreaded Toe & Heel Drag. Your weight is a close second to boot size because it determines how the board will feel under your foot.  Height comes in a distant 3rd. Some prefer control, so matching the boot size is the priority. Others prefer dampness over control and like to size up.I would stay close to the brand’s recommended weight ranges for weight. If it comes down to boot size or weight, I would ensure it fits your boot first and then your weight a close second.

Shape

The Yes Basic features a true twin shape with a disrupted edge and mixed camber profile.  It feels like a true twin with a narrower waist width and quicker turning capacity than more traditional freestyle twin boards.

Camber/On Snow Feel/Ability Level

The Basic has a CamRock camber profile of 3-3-3. These numbers indicate the measurement of camber to rocker from tip to tail. This board has mild camber past the feet and mild rocker in the tip and tail, giving the Basic a friendly feel when base gliding and initiating turns. The rocker in the nose and tail keeps the board slightly above the snow and allows the rider to maintain control as the conditions change. The disrupted edge can feel catchy at times when transitional from heel to toe at speeds, but overall the board feels easy to ride and easy to maneuver. I would recommend this board to Beginner to intermediate riders who are developing their skills in turning and want a board that will progress with them. 

Edge Hold

Yes boards incorporate a variation of disrupted edges on most of their boards. The W’s Basic has the disrupted edge or Underbite directly under the inserts. This edge adjustment intends to give the rider more contact points during a turn without requiring speed or rider weight to flex the board. Combine these disruptions with the unique CamRock profile, and this board has exceptional edge hold for the beginner to intermediate rider. I did notice that at higher speeds and with more laid out turns that the underbite would feel catchy, as if it wanted to pull me into the turn before I was ready. A quick detuned of the edge from the nose and tail to the underbite reduced this reaction. 

Flex Personality

I rank the Yes Basic as a mid-soft flex leaning more toward a medium flex. I found that it performed well for a user-friendly board. The board did not feel like a hard charger that could handle tucking down a run or maneuvering through variable conditions at high speeds, but I was able to get it up to moderate speeds on smoother conditions, and it performed well enough. I did not find it to have much pop, and it required some effort to Ollie off the base. However, when ollieing off the edge, it performed much better.

Uneven Snow

The riders’ experience on the Basic in uneven snow is going to be largely dictated by their skill level and speed. At higher speeds, this board tended to feel loose underfoot when transferring from smooth to uneven surfaces. It required on-the-spot adjustments to maintain speed and control. At slower speeds, the camber profile lifted the front of the board and helped it track through variable conditions without losing control.

Speed

This board was intended for the all-around rider, including the beginner rider. Any time I get on a board that is meant for a wide spectrum of riders, I try to ride the board as fast as I can to see if it is limited. In this case, it is. It performed great when traversing a cat track, when riding down green and blue runs with low-angle slopes, and when transferring to uneven terrain at lower speeds. Once you took it to higher angle slopes at higher speeds, it began to feel insecure and chattery. If you are an advanced to expert rider, this board will leave you wanting more

Base Glide