Hello and welcome to my Arbor Coda Rocker snowboard review.
In this review, I will take a look at the Coda Rocker as an all-mountain snowboard.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Coda Rocker a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how it compares with other all-mountain snowboards.
Overall Rating
Board: Arbor Coda Rocker
Price: $599 (USD recommended retail)
Style: All-Mountain
Flex Rating: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Flex Feel on Snow: Medium-Stiff (7/10)
Rating Score: 83.7/100
Compared to other Men’s All-Mountain Boards
Out of the 37 men’s all-mountain snowboards that I rated:
- The average price was $542(USD)
- The average score was 83.0/100
- The highest score was 91.0/100
- The lowest score was 71.7/100
- The Coda Rocker ranked 21st out of 37
Overview of the Coda Rocker’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Coda Rocker’s specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | All Mountain |
Price: | $599 - BUYING OPTIONS |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Feel: |  |
Turn Initiation: | Medium-Fast |
Edge-hold: |  |
Camber Profile: | Continuous Rocker (Arbor's System Rocker) |
Shape: | |
Setback Stance: | Centered |
Base: | Sintered |
Weight: | Heavier than normal |
Sizing
Length (cm) | 154 | 156 | 158 | 157W | 161W | 163W |
Waist Width (mm) | 250 | 251 | 252 | 260 | 262 | 263 |
Rec Rider Weight (lb) | 116-196 | 122-202 | 126-206 | 122-202 | 130-210 | 134-214+ |
Rec Rider Weight (kg) | 53-89 | 55-92 | 57-93 | 55-92 | 59-95 | 61-97+ |
Who is the Coda Rocker Most Suited To?
The Coda Rocker is the kind of board that is consistent across all areas. It’s one of those do-it-all boards that isn’t amazing in any 1 area, but has no major weaknesses either.
So, if you like the idea of having a board that you can take you anywhere and ride any style and only want one board to do it all, like something that’s on the stiffer side of medium and like a centered stance (centered along the effective edge – so essentially centered until you’re in deep snow and then you’re setback 10mm along the length of the board – as the nose is 10mm longer than the tail), then this board might be the one you’re looking for.
Too stiff for beginners, IMO, but a strong intermediate rider and up would be great for this board.The Coda Rocker in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Coda Rocker is capable of.
Demo Info
Board: Arbor Coda Rocker 2019, 156 (251mm waist width)
Date: March 5, 2018
Conditions: Cloudy with flurries but visibility was mostly good – a couple of times it went fuzzy but mostly good. Nice medium-firmness to the snow. Not soft but not hard. Off groomer doable and groomers nice.
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Stance width: mm 540mm (21.25”)
Stance Setback: Centered
Width at Inserts: 264mm (10.39”)
Weight: 3000 grams (6lb 9.8oz)
Weight per cm: 19.23 grams/cm
Average Weight per cm: 18.21 grams/cm*
*based on a small sample size of 24 boards that I weighed but still heavier than most of the 2019 boards I demoed.
Flex
I felt it at a 7/10, which is what Arbor rates it as. For the feel I got from it, that’s about right, IMO.
Powder
I didn’t have any fresh powder to test in on the day I rode the Coda Rocker, but based on the specs and the feel I got from it, I’d say it would float reasonably well.
There’s plenty of rocker going on and has a reasonable sized nose in terms of length and the nose is a little longer than the tail. Not going to be a powder machine, compared to some boards, but decent enough. It does have a centered stance, which goes against it, but for a do-it-all kind of board, not too bad.
Carving & Turning
Despite all that rocker and no camber to speak of, the Coda Rocker actually felt pretty good on a carve. It is relatively stiff, which helps, but was certainly more than I was expecting from an all-rocker board. A better carver than the Arbor Whiskey that I rode on the same day.
Skidded turns are fine, which was expected, though probably not as easy I had expected for an all rocker board. Still certainly a board you can skid your turns on, but not as easy as some. Not as easy to skid as the Whiskey.
Edge-to-edge it was pretty quick but not lightning fast – a little slower than the Whiskey in that sense.
Edge hold felt really good on this board in harder areas.
Speed
Again, I wasn’t expecting too much in terms of speed – but I was again pleasantly surprised with the speed and stability at speed of this board.
Uneven Terrain
It felt a bit chattery when the snow got messy. Not super-chattery but not super damp either.
Jumps
Though not super-poppy, I found the Coda Rocker was still a fun jumping board that landed solid and was all-round fun to hit jumps and side-hits with.
Switch
It’s not a true twin, but it is centered, and whilst it’s not a true twin, it’s a directional twin (nose longer than the tail otherwise the shape is the same in both directions) and it feels almost as natural going in either direction.
Jibbing
Not a jib master by any means but I felt comfortable enough going over jibs. Too stiff, IMO, to be a great jib board, but definitely doable.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | SCORE WEIGHTING | |
|---|---|---|
POWDER | 3.0 | 9/15 |
CARVING | 3.0 | 6/10 |
TURNS/SLASHING | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SPEED | 3.0 | 6/10 |
CRUD/CHUNDER | 3.5 | 7/10 |
TREES/BUMPS | 4.0 | 8/10 |
SWITCH | 4.0 | 8/10 |
JUMPS | 3.5 | 7/10 |
SPINS | 3.5 | 3.5/5 |
BUTTERS | 4.0 | 4/5 |
JIBBING | 3.0 | 3/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 83.7/100 |
Overall the Coda Rocker is a solid do-it-all ride, that has no major weaknesses but also no major wow-factor. A solid ride that you can’t go wrong with though, especially if you’re looking for a relatively stiff rockered board.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you want to learn more about the Coda Rocker, are ready to buy or want to research prices and availability, check out the links below.
If you want to see how the Coda Rocker compares to other men’s all-mountain snowboards or want to check out some other options in that category, check out the next link.
Hi Nate – back for one last question if I may……so I might only have the option of the Coda at this point (of the Arbors). If so, do you still think it would be a nice compliment to the Explorer? Or should I look more to the JMT? And how is the Coda stability? I see you have it in the mostly stable but slightly loose category. Is Element similar stability if I can still obtain? Thanks again!
Hi dd
Firstly, yeah I would consider the Element Rocker as a similar feeling of stability as the Coda Rocker. If anything the Coda Rocker marginally more stable.
I would almost be leaning towards JMT, but in the 2021 model if you can. Just because the 2021 model is a little more playful than the previous models – a little more buttery. The JMT is really easy to center up too, so if you want to be centered for freestyle riding (which I personally prefer and a lot do) that’s easy to do. Like on the Coda you’d still have a slightly longer nose than tail, but overall pretty close to a twin. The JMT is a little softer flexing than the Coda Rocker and I think you’d appreciate that for your more freestyle-focused board. But since you’re going for last years boards, then it would be the 2020 MT. I think I would still go for that over the Coda Rocker for your purposes, if it was me, but the 2021 model would be just that little bit better for what you’re going to be using it for.
Of course there are lots of freestyle focused all-mountain rides that you could consider, but between those I would go JMT over Coda.
Hope this helps
That really helps Nate, thanks very much!
Hi Nate –
Thank for the great review. I’m considering this board vs the Iguchi Pro Rocker and wanted to get your thoughts on how the two compare and on sizing.
I am 5’7″, ~180 lbs, and ride a 20.5 to 21 inch stance. I rode the Iguchi rocker at a demo event in a size 159 and a Shilo in 158. Both 2020 models. They did not have the Coda available unfortunately. Based on the flex ratings from the Arbor, the Coda should feel more like the Iguchi in terms of stiffness. Would you say that’s the case? The rep at the demo event was comparing the Shilo to the Coda. I was not a fan of the Shilo at all (too soft, not stable in a straight line), so I’d like to hear from someone who has risen both the Iguchi Rocker and Coda to see how they compare so I can make a decision between the two.
Also, what size do you think makes sense for my specs? I have a 156 Iguchi camber and will be using this when the snow is more than 3″ or 4″ deep. Not a dedicated pow board, but I want to make sure it can float and still provide stability at speed on groomers.
Thank!
Hi edp22
The Coda Rocker is closer to the flex of the Iguchi Pro Rocker. Maybe just a touch stiffer than the Iguchi Pro rocker maybe. But I preferred the Iguchi Pro Rocker over the Coda Rocker, so that would be my choice. Not hugely different boards, but just found the Iguchi a little livelier than the Coda.
More specifically:
Powder: Found the Iguchi Pro Rocker a little better than Coda Rocker in powder
Carving: Again Iguchi a little better
Speed: Very similar
Uneven Terrain: Very similar
Switch: Coda was a bit better
Jumps: About the same
Spins: Coda a little better
Butters: About the same
I think for your purposes, I would go with the Iguchi Pro Rocker. I think you would like the Coda more than the Shiloh, based on what you’re describing, but I think the Iguchi over the Coda.
Size-wise, I would typically say 156 for your specs, but I think the 159 is worth considering in your case, particularly as you already have the 156 Iguchi Camber. Going a little longer with the Rocker would give you a bit more float in powder and a bit more stability at speed. It would also be a little less maneuverable and a little less suitable for things like butters, spins etc, but if you’re not going to be doing those kinds of things on that board, then I might lean towards the 159. Since you’ve ridden it in the 159, you will know if you feel like it’s maneuverable enough for you in that size, and if so, then I think going to that 159 makes sense in terms of getting something a little different in size to your other board and in terms of increasing that powder float and stability at speed.
Hope this helps with your decision
Hi Nate – hope all is well. As I look forward to (hopefully..) another season, I’m looking for a twin style board to complement my Jones Explorer. I enjoy the Jones, but also want to experiment with some freestyle type riding (natural features, side hits, etc, but only an occasional park lap). I can get the Arbor Coda, Arbor Element Black, Rossi One LF, or Jones MT, all on good sale from last year. Which (if any) do you think would be the best compliment to the Explorer? While I want it to be freestyle capable, I’d also prefer it also be capable of handling the entire mountain as well. Thanks in advance!
Hi dd
I think the Arbor Element is the most freestyle focused of those and also the biggest difference/best compliment to the Jones Explorer. Would you be looking at the Element Black Rocker or Element Black Camber?
Thank you for the quick reply Nate! I’d be going for the rocker version of the Element if I chose that one. I had a rocker board before the Jones and found it a bit loose, but my understanding is the Arbor rocker (on either the Coda or Element) is a bit more dialed in and not so loose. If I went rocker Element do you think it’s still all mountain OK? I’m not a bomber, but do enjoy some speed. Also meant to say that I value some dampness in a board at my age, so if that changes your suggestion please let me know! Thanks again.
Hi dd
Yeah still good enough for all-mountain stuff I would say, if not out and out bombing. And yeah that Arbor rocker system isn’t as loose as typical rocker boards. Arbor boards tend to have decent dampness. All the Arbor boards I’ve ridden have been fairly damp.
Thank you Nate!
You’re very welcome dd