Sims Dealers Choice 2018 Review
The Sims Dealers Choice is a mid flexing twin shaped park board, that has an easy to ride camber profile.
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Features of the Sims Dealers Choice
Being made in the Never Summer factory, the features of this board have all the same ridiculous names of Never Summer features.
- Twin Freestyle
It has a twin shape, which means that even if you are riding it switch, it will ride and flex the same as it does riding it in the regular direction. - Shockwave Camber Profile
Overall the board has a low camber profile, that ends right after your bindings, and the changes from flat to rocker for a more forgiving ride. - Vario Power Grip Sidecut
There are a few different radiuses, which are combined to give the board extra contact points, so you get better edge hold. Out towards the nose and tail, there are deep radius sections, which change to shallow radius sections, then to a straight section in the middle of the board.
- Mid Flex
Soft enough that you don’t need to put in a lot of effort to press the board, but it still holds up well for fast and bump riding. - Matte Topsheet
Nothing special, it just isn’t shiny. - STS Pre-Tensioned Fiberglass
Never Summers description – The world’s best snowboard fiberglass, period. Our STS Pre-Tensioned Fiberglass is an advanced, pre-hardened, pre-tensioned, layered laminate that has added elastomer stringers, between the 9 degree and 0 degree glasss fibers (the length of the effective edge). This produces a stronger bond between the individual glass laminates giving our snowboards unmatched strength, edge hold and performance. - +/- 45 Fiberglass Laminate
- Bi-Lite Fiberglass
This has some of the strength features of the STS fiberglass, but is much lighter. - Quad Carbon Dynamics
- SIMS Hybrid Wood Core
- RDS 2 Damping System
There are three narrower laminated damping layers, that are made to get a combination of vibration, absorbtion and stability. It is made to get a nice mix of stability for freeriding, and liveliness for freestyle riding. - Elastomer Underfoot Stabilizers
Under the bindings are areas that are made to absorb vibration, keep the board stable at speed and help reduce foot fatigue (by getting rid of vibrations). - Sintered P-Tex Sidewalls
P-Tex sidewalls have the advantage of being able to handle colder temperatures compared to ABS sidewalls, that can crack. - Durasurf Sintered 4501 Base
It is a high density base material that is fast and durable. - Low Profile Tip/Tail
Low profile (thinner) tip and tail keep the highest amount of board touching the snow – which helps for float, pop for ollies and nollies and gives you more stability when your landings aren’t perfect, while keeping the weight down. - P-Tex Tip/Tail Protection
P-Tex surround the ends of the wood core to protect it against impacts, and help to reduce vibrations.
Sizes Available:
- 151cm
- 154cm
- 157cm
- 155X cm Wide
- 158X cm Wide
How the Sims Dealers Choice rides
Board: 154cm
Bindings: Burton Malavita
Boots: ThirtyTwo TM-Two
Angles: +12 -9
Stance: 22″
Weight: 150lbs
Height: 6′
The snow was quite hardpacked, windblown at the top and a bit softer at the bottom of the hill.
Flex & Camber Profile
Overall the board rides like a broken in camber board, that doesn’t have a catchy feel. From riding it I wouldn’t have guessed that it has such a large rocker/flat section on the profile, because it felt very stable to me.
The medium flex is easy enough to press and hold, but still feels solid an reliable if you are landing a jump with too much weight on your tail.
Edge Hold
If you have ridden a Never Summer board, you will know the feeling that you get when you turn their boards, the edge dig in hard and hold well through the whole turn. Although this has a very different profile from a Never Summer board, turning feels very similar – most likely because of the same Vario sidecut. I was riding it on hardpacked snow, and the board felt solid through every turn.
Shape
Being a twin, it rides and turns just the same switch as it does when you are riding it regular.
Speed
Riding fast feels nice and solid on the board. Although Sims ratings say the opposite to me, I would say that it felt like quite a damp ride. High speed on hard snow through chunks felt solid, I didn’t feel or notice any chatter on the nose and tail of the board.
Pop
I wouldn’t go as far as Sims rating as saying it is “snappy”, but that isn’t to say that it has bad pop. It has a very smooth flex, and ollies and nollies push back nicely, once you get used to the board, the feeling of ollies feels very reliable.
Overall
Overall the Dealers Choice is a really good all around board for my sort of riding. I definitely favour mid flexing twin park boards. One of the best things about Never Summer boards it the edge hold that they have through the turns, and this board turns just like them.
The camber profile has all the good parts of camber, nice pop, is stable but mixed with the flat and rocker sections keep the board fun if you are messing around, or not getting your spins around the whole way.
The price is higher, but it feels like you are riding a quality board.
Pros
- Nice camber profile
- Strong edge hold
Cons
- Like Never Summer boards, it isn’t cheap.
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Sims Dealers Choice Specs
| Size (cm) | Waist Width (cm) | Effective Edge (cm) | Sidecut | Tip / Tail Width (cm) |
| 151 | 24.5 | 115 | Vario 740 | 28.7 |
| 154 | 24.8 | 117.5 | Vario 767 | 29.0 |
| 157 | 25.0 | 120 | Vario 796 | 29.3 |
| 155 X (wide) | 25.8 | 118.5 | Vario 776 | 30.0 |
| 158 X (wide) | 26.1 | 121 | Vario 808 | 30.3 |
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2017
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