In the world of snowboarding, the Lib Tech Orca and the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero are two boards that have made a significant impact. Both boards are designed for 2024 and are packed with features that make them stand out in their own unique ways. The Lib Tech Orca is a resort-ripping, pow-slashing, do-everything board that is playful and fun, while the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero is a versatile all-mountain board that excels in powder, carving, and maneuvering through trees. Both boards are designed for intermediate to advanced riders and offer a unique riding experience. However, the Orca is not ideal for switch riding or park tricks, while the Hometown Hero is not the best for switch riding or park tricks either. In terms of performance, the Orca is known for its playful nature and excellent float in powder, while the Hometown Hero is praised for its fast and responsive ride. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on your personal riding style and preferences.

Lib Tech Orca Snowboard · 2024 summary

The 2024 Lib Tech Orca Snowboard is a resort-ripping, pow-slashing, do-everything board that is designed to be ridden three to six centimeters shorter than your regular board. It features a super-wide shape with a narrow waist, which lends itself to that sidecut, and then it also has a setback stance with a big nose. This design makes it an excellent choice for deep snow conditions.

The Orca is not your traditional true twin snowboard, but it does well in many resort conditions. It has a pretty short sidecut, meaning it wants to make short, fast turns all over the mountain. The board has a seven-meter sidecut, making it great for tight turns or when you need to make short, concise turns.

The Orca has an easy turn initiation, and the turns it wants to make are pretty short, so it will want to pop in and out of every turn. The edge hold is pretty good with the Magne-Traction and the C2X profile, which will give you a decent bit of camber but also have rocker in the middle to help you initiate that turn.

In terms of freestyle snowboarding, the Orca is a good board if you’re looking for a paddleboard as a park rat. But if you’re spending a lot of time in the terrain park, it won’t be your board of choice. It is rated as a seven out of 10 flex, and it really was pretty easy to butter and pop off of different things.

The Orca is a great board edge to edge because it is nimble, despite being wider. Given that the Orca is very maneuverable, it worked well in trees. You can get into some tight spots and, with the Magne-Traction, be confident that you can stop on a dime, avoid what you need to avoid, and just play around through all the bumps.

Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero Snowboard · 2024 summary

The Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero Snowboard is a versatile all-mountain board that is designed for intermediate to advanced riders who love to go fast, carve through tight trees, and tackle any terrain. Its directional shape, directional camber, and flex provide a smooth and lively ride, while strategically placed glass stiffens the nose and tail for added power and response.

The Hometown Hero features a hybrid rocker/camber profile, with a rocker nose and tail and camber underfoot. This profile provides excellent float in powder, while still providing good edge control and responsiveness on hardpack. The 3D contoured based allows for additional edge hold and float in powder.

The Hometown Hero is a Freeride directional shape having a slightly longer nose than tail, rocker in the nose and camber underfoot allows for a responsive deck that can tackle everything you throw at it. This is an all-mountain shape designed to tackle the deep pow of the backcountry and also the tightest of trees.

The Hometown Hero is a board that can handle itself well on groomers, chunder, pow days, side hits, and even pipe, jumps, and rails. It is the most well-rounded board out right now. The board comes with Burton's 45-degree carbon highlight fiberglass which makes the board lightweight while responding super fast. The board also has a twin flex meaning if you find yourself riding switch in the trees, you won't have to worry about how it will perform.

Similarities

Both the Lib Tech Orca and the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero are designed for intermediate to advanced riders who are looking for a versatile all-mountain board. They both feature a directional shape and a hybrid rocker/camber profile, which provides excellent float in powder and good edge control and responsiveness on hardpack.

Both boards are designed to be ridden shorter than your regular board, which makes them more maneuverable and playful. They both have a pretty short sidecut, meaning they want to make short, fast turns all over the mountain.

Both boards also have a twin flex, meaning they can handle switch riding in the trees. They both have strategically placed glass in the nose and tail for added power and response.

In terms of freestyle snowboarding, both boards are not the best choice if you’re spending a lot of time in the terrain park. However, they are both rated as a seven out of 10 flex, and they are both pretty easy to butter and pop off of different things.

Differences and Who They're Good For

While both the Lib Tech Orca and the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero are versatile all-mountain boards, they each have their unique strengths and weaknesses that make them suitable for different types of riders.

The Lib Tech Orca is a great choice for riders who love to play around on the mountain. It's playful and fun, with a super-wide shape and a narrow waist that lends itself to that sidecut. It's great for deep snow conditions and is nimble edge to edge, making it a great choice for riding in trees. However, it's not the best choice for switch riding or park tricks.

On the other hand, the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero is a fast and responsive board that excels in powder, carving, and maneuvering through trees. It's a great choice for riders who love to go fast and carve through tight trees. It's also a great choice for riders who love to tackle any terrain. However, like the Orca, it's not the best choice for switch riding or park tricks.

In conclusion, the Lib Tech Orca is a great choice for riders who love to play around on the mountain and ride in deep snow conditions, while the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero is a great choice for riders who love to go fast, carve through tight trees, and tackle any terrain.

Analysis on Who’s the Winner

When comparing the Lib Tech Orca and the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero, we can look at four key dimensions: versatility, performance in powder, carving ability, and freestyle capabilities.

1. Versatility: Both boards are versatile all-mountain boards, but the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero edges out the Lib Tech Orca due to its fast and responsive ride that excels in powder, carving, and maneuvering through trees.

2. Performance in Powder: Both boards perform well in powder due to their directional shape and hybrid rocker/camber profile. However, the Lib Tech Orca's super-wide shape and narrow waist give it an edge in deep snow conditions.

3. Carving Ability: Both boards have a short sidecut, meaning they want to make short, fast turns all over the mountain. However, the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero's added glass in the nose and tail for power and response give it an edge in carving ability.

4. Freestyle Capabilities: Neither board is the best choice for park tricks, but they both have a seven out of 10 flex and are pretty easy to butter and pop off of different things. However, the Lib Tech Orca's playful nature gives it an edge in freestyle capabilities.

In conclusion, while both boards excel in their own ways, the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero edges out the Lib Tech Orca in versatility and carving ability, while the Lib Tech Orca has the upper hand in performance in powder and freestyle capabilities.

Conclusions

In the end, both the Lib Tech Orca and the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero are excellent choices for intermediate to advanced riders looking for a versatile all-mountain board. They both offer a unique riding experience with their directional shape, hybrid rocker/camber profile, and twin flex.

The Lib Tech Orca stands out with its playful nature and excellent performance in deep snow conditions. It's a great choice for riders who love to play around on the mountain and ride in trees.

On the other hand, the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero shines with its fast and responsive ride that excels in powder, carving, and maneuvering through trees. It's a great choice for riders who love to go fast, carve through tight trees, and tackle any terrain.

In conclusion, the choice between the Lib Tech Orca and the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero will ultimately depend on your personal riding style and preferences. Both boards are top-notch choices that will surely elevate your snowboarding experience. So, whether you're chasing storms with the Orca or becoming everyone's favorite Hometown Hero, you're in for a thrilling ride!