I have had a Madd 158 sitting around for way too long; this board found it’s way to me with a big black circle in permanent marker around one of the front inserts and may be the reason it sat for so long. I really was not that excited to ride the board because it was a bit smaller than anything I take out daily. I had considered putting in some time on it with my wife; it seemed like it could be fun on some mellow groomers. But that damn insert reared its ugly mark of failure as soon as I began to mount it. The Madd got thrown back into the quiver to be lost for a few more years.
I had ridden the 170 many years back; it was on some classic hardpack, fast and firm snow. I was a bit of a board snob at the time, only riding long custom lengths made just for me. I had just put a few runs in when a bail broke so I ran back to the shop. As I searched for a new part, the only bail I found was mounted on a Madd 170, no doubt belonging to a friend of the shop. After some quick hellos I found myself walking out the door with the bail I needed - only it was still mounted on the Madd 170. I never could just say no, especially when it came to my favorite question, “Would you like to ride this?â€
As I mentioned, it was long ago that I rode the 170 and that’s why this review is really about the 158. I do remember being very pleased with the 170 even after just coming off a board with a lot more length. The 170 felt nice and stable with great edge grip through the whole turn, tip to tail, with a good release off the tail and onto a great deck to stand on. I logged a few runs and bumped into some friends, one of which had an extra bail to lend me. It was not crowded and I went back to the bigger board, not because the 170 was not fun, but because I was having a good time going very fast on one of my favorite rides of the time.
Last year’s off-season, BOL’s forum was filled with debate about the Madd 158. Perhaps the reincarnation of both sizes started as just that. (elaborate on this “reincarnation†statement) A few riders were pimping a board they had been so pleased with that more riders wanted a chance to share the stoke. Following the forum discussion of the Madd product, I was ready to break out the 6 mil tap and try to reincarnate the 158 I had. I’m glad I did.
I like trying out new pairs of boots on an SL stick. I enjoy the fast response and direct feedback of a shorter stick to work out any quirks in a fresh pair of shells. When Dave and Mikey walked in the shop with a Deeluxe box, I was glad I had mounted the Madd 58 with my tried and tested TD1 Intecs. It took a few minutes to set up for the new boots. When Dave broke out the new camera we had bought for the site, I considered going to a bigger board for some good powerful shots. Luckily, we were in a hurry and out the door we went.
Dave spent the first part of our lift ride obsessing over how “cute†the Madd was. We both joked about the little nose and tail and I began to get excited for fast SL turns. Dave and I decided to warm up before breaking out the camera. Mikey was just stoked about shooting photos. It was his 3rd day on plates and the fact we would have to stop often made him very happy. But that also means this will be the only uninterrupted run all day. Using that as my motivating factor, I am determined to treat this Madd like a race stock SL board. I always think SL turns work out best when you are angry so that’s what I got….MADD!
I had flexed the 158 for years in my basement and was now ready to bend it under my feet for the first time. I railed a big, powerful heel side and pumped aggressively into the next toe side. The Madd kept up very nicely under my new Indys and for the next few turns I took some time to separate the response of the board from the feel of the new boots. I had ridden the AF700s in the past and felt real comfy in the Deeluxe boot after just a few more turns. It shocked me to discover how steady this little 58 felt as I tried to feel the boot. Most SL boards are very tricky to ride, especially on the first few turns. You usually spend some time looking for the sweet spot between the tip and tail and then try to limit your fore and aft movement to within the generally small balance point. This is perhaps the biggest difference between the Madd and almost every other SL board out there and may be the best characteristic of the little 58.(what characteristic?) After 25 or 30 fast, aggressive SL turns, I started to drag out the shape and really stand on the board. I was pleased with the smooth initiation and positive response into a more freeride style turn. The somewhat dead and almost boring response under heavy SL style input was not what I expected. But although the board had felt a bit slow in a heavy forced SL turn, it began to shine in a turn shape just a little bigger. As the pitch began to increase, I welcomed the simplicity of input needed to rail the smooth Utah packed powder. After only a few high angle turns, I felt cocky on the little Madd and the Jibber in me slipped out as I spun it around to the flat nose. I could really feel the firmness of the tail as it became the nose. Again the board felt much longer than it truly was. It was small and nimble and I found myself spinning from forward to switch several times with just a few short turns in between. We soon reached the bottom and started shooting photos. As Dave and Mikey discovered how to work the new camera, I spent time learning to work the little Madd. I would sit and wait for them to get set up, thinking about the benefits of such a fun little stick. Since it was our first day shooting we spent a few moments trying to capture several styles of turn. From laid out Euro style to fast and low alpine and even a trip in the park and pipe. The 58 held up well to any style of turn and landed very smoothly.
This big feel from a little board really allows the rider to push aggressively through the whole turn and even drag out the little SL radius into some sweeping GS style arcs. Without a doubt this is why this Madd 158 is a favorite among hard charging experienced riders who may have considered removing any thing shorter than a 175 from their quiver. While the platform is ultra solid for a 58, it does sacrifice some SL feel. Again, I really tried to pound the board into some tight aggressive quick turns and found my self a little disappointed in the lack of a snappy hookup. This is the style of initiation I am so fond of on a SL stick. This massive dive or bend into an aggressive short turn is the energy you try to carry out of the tail on most short sticks. It is this same energy that can snap you off the tail, sometimes 2 feet or so from the snow, forcing you to make quick corrections to maintain control. While the Madd will provide a similar turn, due to its stiffness it requires a massive amount of input and angle to achieve the same result. This amount of input definitely removes the older 58 from a great SL specific shape and feel. It does, however, blend a not so tight SL feel with a stable free ride of a longer board that is very uncharacteristic of a pure SL stick. Without a doubt this is why the 58 gets the props it does. It forces you to push and drive in the turn no matter what the shape, but as you decrease the pressure, the board increases the arc while remaining stable. While many SL boards start to “swim or twitch†at speeds above 25, the Madd holds steady under an experienced riders feet, well into speeds that may be beyond many a rider’s threshold. This board would be a great ride for an aggressive alpinist plagued with crowds or a tighter trail system. It is a tight turning SL style board that carves a wide range of shapes from a loose SL turn into a tight GS turn. It may not provide the smooth cruiser feel of large GS stick but if you are going to carry only one short, stick this may be the one filling a larger size gap than a board of similar length.
Less experienced and intermediate riders may not be prepared to put in the effort to make this board work and might want to look for a softer, milder board. I have heard many intermediate carvers discuss the overwhelming effort needed to ride a board of this caliber. Most riders in this category should continue honing their skills on a milder ride. Any rider who has no problems with aggressive linked turns on challenging pitches may find this board the link to the next level, provided they are willing to work for it. With a price above many stock boards, the Madd is a bit scary to get into. With the new inserts, these boards should last a long time. I could see many boards in the 160 to 175 range staying home more often as your Madd gets more hill time. If you would like to have just one sub 175 length or you just can’t find a short board that holds up under your feet, this may be the board for you.
Billy Bordy
