Pigbrogg: Board:
22CC+FAF WARP
I've wanted a Thirst board for a couple of years, but finally snagged one late this season.
I'm mostly an intermediate carver who prefers soft boots, I just can't handle hard boots all day! Over the years, I've owned a bunch of soft-boot boards, from the Oxess to Asian brand like Gray and ENO. If you're also into soft boot carving and considering a Thirst, hopefully this review can help you out!
First Impressions & Test Conditions
I got the board earlier this month and tested it at Brighton in typical spring conditions. Sadly, my alarm betrayed me, so I hit the slopes after 12pm with softer snow than expected. It wasn't super smooth, but still a good test of the board's handling.
My Thirst is a 22CC+FAF165 WARP RFF custom made for me with a 25.6cm waist, 358 flex index, and the Halftone fade topsheet. Honestly, it's the most beautiful board I've ever owned, and the build quality is exceptional – better than Frank's Virus (sorry Frank, still love your boards!).
For this test, I paired it with my Ride Trident boots (with Deeluxe ankle hardness) and bindings – Flux CV in the front and SP Mountain in the back. Mark did set the edges to 88 degrees on the side and 1 degree base, I am used to a 87 side and 0.5 degree base.
The Ride:
My first run down Snake Creek was a revelation! This board effortlessly reached the apex of each turn. Unlike a titanal Oxess, which demands effort to exit the turn, the Thirst almost magically guides you out. It's incredibly nimble, reacting instantly to the slightest input, and the edge hold is unreal.
People rave about Thirst's smoothness, and now I get it. This isn't the sluggish feel of some overly damped titanal boards. It's stable, yet with just the right amount of feedback. I felt some chatter on uneven snow, but never lost control. This board feels alive! I know that sounds abstract, but if you've ever tried a Thirst, you know exactly what I mean. In short, this board offers effortless riding, complete control, and instant response.
The closest board I've ridden to the Thirst is the Virus X Carve Zylon 2 which is another favorite of mine. Both are fast and nimble, but the Thirst is surprisingly more forgiving. If your technique isn't perfect, the Thirst still has your back and won't spring you out of the turn.
If you're a softboot carver looking for a playful, responsive board, the Thirst CC+ could be your dream ride.
Customer comments and reviews
What our customers have to say about their boards.
Pigbrogg: Board: 22CC+FAF WARP
I've wanted a Thirst board for a couple of years, but finally snagged one late this season.
I'm mostly an intermediate carver who prefers soft boots, I just can't handle hard boots all day! Over the years, I've owned a bunch of soft-boot boards, from the Oxess to Asian brand like Gray and ENO. If you're also into soft boot carving and considering a Thirst, hopefully this review can help you out!
First Impressions & Test Conditions
I got the board earlier this month and tested it at Brighton in typical spring conditions. Sadly, my alarm betrayed me, so I hit the slopes after 12pm with softer snow than expected. It wasn't super smooth, but still a good test of the board's handling.
My Thirst is a 22CC+FAF165 WARP RFF custom made for me with a 25.6cm waist, 358 flex index, and the Halftone fade topsheet. Honestly, it's the most beautiful board I've ever owned, and the build quality is exceptional – better than Frank's Virus (sorry Frank, still love your boards!).
For this test, I paired it with my Ride Trident boots (with Deeluxe ankle hardness) and bindings – Flux CV in the front and SP Mountain in the back. Mark did set the edges to 88 degrees on the side and 1 degree base, I am used to a 87 side and 0.5 degree base.
The Ride:
My first run down Snake Creek was a revelation! This board effortlessly reached the apex of each turn. Unlike a titanal Oxess, which demands effort to exit the turn, the Thirst almost magically guides you out. It's incredibly nimble, reacting instantly to the slightest input, and the edge hold is unreal.
People rave about Thirst's smoothness, and now I get it. This isn't the sluggish feel of some overly damped titanal boards. It's stable, yet with just the right amount of feedback. I felt some chatter on uneven snow, but never lost control. This board feels alive! I know that sounds abstract, but if you've ever tried a Thirst, you know exactly what I mean. In short, this board offers effortless riding, complete control, and instant response.
The closest board I've ridden to the Thirst is the Virus X Carve Zylon 2 which is another favorite of mine. Both are fast and nimble, but the Thirst is surprisingly more forgiving. If your technique isn't perfect, the Thirst still has your back and won't spring you out of the turn.
If you're a softboot carver looking for a playful, responsive board, the Thirst CC+ could be your dream ride.
K.: board: Thirst 9SW
I got to demo the 9SW today. It is a gentle giant. 195 length, 18.8 waist (or close to that). The easiest, most forgiving big carving board I've ever ridden. There was 1-2 inches of fresh over groomed, with low visibility. I found myself doing a beginner run (which I would normally avoid) 4 times because it carried so much speed that I was able to link turns where normally that would slow me down too much in these conditions. It ate up runs that had been rutted out. It floated in 2-3 inches of fresh in a wide gully. It was easy to skid and slow down. As you would expect with a board of this length and width, crowds and narrow cat tracks were a little sketchy, any thing under about 10 mph. was sketchy. But, you don't have to go 40 mph. to initiate a turn. I straight lined a few sections and it felt completely stable with speed (as expected). It accelerates like crazy if you let it, but you don't have to. I was a little intimidated at first as 188 is the largest I've ever ridden, but after 2 1/2 hours non stop, I couldn't stop smiling.
I switched to the 9SW today when the groomers started to get choppy. It was about 42 degrees and the board absolutely drove through everything. Mark, if you're reading this, your plan worked. I'm not giving the demo back. Bill me
Kurt: board: 8RW "Green room"
I finally got to ride my new board in some decent snow conditions (no ice). So here are my impressions:
On a scale of 1-10 my skill level is probably at a 7, and since I keep learning and improving it's hard to compare previous boards fairly. Having said that, the 8RWarp feels so natural and easy to ride for me. Incredibly smooth with fantastic edge hold. I can tell I'm not anywhere close to pushing this board to it's limits... yet. It does feel like it's at least 10cm shorter than it is. This will be my "go to" board for the next few years for sure. Also, I'm thankful I didn't press you to make the topsheet design that I originally had in my head. I like your "surfboard" design much better.
I really liked all the little "extras" you threw in with the board. Stickers, wax scraper, board bag etc... As a small business owner myself, I know that's a small touch that is greatly appreciated.
So, here's wishing you continued success as a world-class alpine board manufacturer.
BWD: board: Thirst tesi8
Uh-oh! Don't tell Mark, but I found this in the back of my car when I got home after 3 days at Schweitzer. I took a few runs on his personal Tesi 8 and was hooked a few turns into the first run. A typical Thirst experience. I knew I wanted it. Not sure if it was the narrower width (18.5cm), the metal, or the whole package. It felt super smooth, damp and nimble. It was 50°+ slush, so maybe not the best conditions to get a real feel for it, but I expect I'll get a chance in the next week after our biggest snow storm of the season passes.
Kneel:
In a nutshell, its everything you would expect from Mark. Buttery relaxed ride, tilt her over and she predictably goes. However, she’s got a dark side. You can curb stomp her, ride the tail, spit in her mouth, this board will turn wherever you initiate the edge and rocket you out of the turn to dig for more. And its SILENT. Not damp. It’s quiet. No chatter. Nothing. It just holds the edge till you release it. Even with his stock tune I have no reason to believe it won’t be an ibex in northeast bulletproof. However…I’ll never find out as I’m leaving it out here in my CO lair. I’ve already hinted at a 166 XCSFm that will stay in the Dirty Jerz, but you know how he is. He probably already has the magical formula in his diabolical little mind, but he’s playing hard to get.
Big M:
Today was probably one of the best days of the year for me, I have finally gotten over the trepidation I was feeling for most of December. Riding my 8rw has opened up a new world for me, transitions are mindless, I think about turning, and it just happens. I see a serious garage sale in my future, enough with the Doneks taking up space in my board rack.
Brad L:
It took me a while to even bring out the 8RW this season as I've been in love with the XCm it really is everything I've been wanting in a board. Damn do I love this XCm. I wonder if Mark would make a 9SW with metal? Muahahahaaha
New Paragraph
BWD:
I think we do agree that there is something about Mark's boards, and it's hard to find the right words to describe it, but I like it a lot. There's is a distinctive sensation you get in a carve....he just might be the Walter White of board builders.
**I might add that all my Thirst boards came with the best professional edge tune I've ever had (.75° base / 2° edge). Sliced my leather gloves just carrying the board. I thought the board bag/sleeve that comes with every board was to protect the board, but maybe it's so you don't cut yourself
Steve H.:
This board feels like dropping into a head high super glassy wave on a favorite longboard.
For the record, Mark Miller is an artist. His workmanship is impeccable, the graphics are just beautiful and how he took 202cm and turned it into an all mountain board that is forgiving, stable, quick/tight turning and super easy to ride is beyond my comprehension. Maybe a little help from a friend...Thanks Keenan!
Russ M:
With the help of @Algunderfoot I’ve added the same board (from BSO)to my quiver; my set up is almost identical to that of @ThePeonsChamp - F2 race titanium binders at 46/48 and Deeluxe 225 boots. I’ve ridden various permutations of Donek Inclines for a number of years so 23.5cm is my sweet spot for board width and as a patroller I stick to the groomers. After my first couple of outings on the CC+ I’m blown away by what Scott Firestone described as the “dialed in, locked-in” feeling of the perfect carved turn….it’s akin to the sensation of riding a smooth curved rail while enjoying the high G sensation. I’m guessing the special sauce involves the board’s overall flexibility combined with incredible torsional stiffness - whatever it is, count me as a huge Thirst fan!
CB:
Holy crap Batman!!! It carves like a razor and I can slarve the slush if I need to, So smooth on the rest. The board is amazing. Light, springy, acceleration out of turns, can track straight, large radius or anything down to short. I'm selling all my other boards (three Coilers and a Burton). It's not even intelligent to keep my little Flight Attendant as a warm up board. The 8RW can do anything. Up next is to buy an XC for slalom, and a PC with a huge miner logo on it. That will fill out the fleet.