Lib Tech Golden Orca - Review: Travis Rice's Orca for Every Day
Lib Tech Golden Orca is the Orca for every day: Travis Rice's directional C2X board that handles deep snow, icy groomers and some riding switch (with the other foot forward) without changing boards. Who it is for: a rider who likes Travis's series, mostly rides in one direction and wants one board for the whole mountain. Here is Doychin's opinion from the video, Mervin's facts and the comparison with the Orca, T.Rice Pro and GNU Upgrade.
-20%- Delivery in up to 2 days
- Shop at 6A Golo Bardo St., Sofia - since 1997
- Size advice:
+359 887 800 575
The Golden Orca is the answer if you want an Orca but not as a second board
The regular Orca comes with a caveat at our shop: it is for big snow days, not your only snowboard. The Golden Orca is the opposite. Doychin says it in the first sentence of the video: if you want an Orca that does not sit in the garage until the next deep day, this is it. A better all-round board, and in his words your board for every day.
The idea comes from Travis Rice himself. Mervin says he combined what he learned from the Orca with his dreams of top-level freestyle riding and merged two of his boards, the Orca and the T.Rice Pro, into one. We would put it more simply: an Orca that rides in both directions.
The Golden Orca appeared on the Lib Tech site in early 2021 in three sizes, 153, 157 and 161, with a flex of 7 and artwork by Mike Parillo. Mervin ties it to Natural Selection, Travis's natural-terrain competition, and the slogan later became "Natural Selection - the winning perfection".
For 2025/26 the range is seven sizes, from 150 to 164. The flex has become stiffer: 7 remains only on the 150, and from 153 up it is 8. The construction is Firepower Hemlock: a wood core of 60% hemlock (Makah Hemlock) and 40% Paulownia, triaxial fiberglass and Carbon X, with an Ocean Bound PBT top sheet. The artwork is by Toby Grubb, the starry sky you see in the photos. The shape and profile are the same as at the start.
Directional C2X: float up front, grip on hardpack, pop from both ends
Hybrid directional C2X: a shortened rocker between the feet and extended camber zones toward the nose and tail.
By Mervin's diagram the profile is a hybrid directional C2X: a shortened rocker between the feet and extended camber zones at the front and back. The rocker in the middle lifts the nose in deep snow and makes the turn light. The long camber zones hold the edge in carving on hardpack and give spring when you take off from a natural feature beside the run.
Magne-Traction is here too: the wavy edge helps when the run turns to glass in the afternoon. The base is the black graphite sintered base (faster, holds wax) Knife Cut. Doychin is firm in the video: "don't run from it". It is one of the stiffest and fastest bases the brand makes, and for him the best.
Snowboard Science ep. 3: C2 hybrid profile - what rocker and camber do together
Narrower nose, 8 m turn radius and a kicked tail: faster than the Orca on the groomers and rides switch
The difference from the regular Orca shows in the numbers. The Golden Orca 157 has a 30.9 cm nose and the Orca 156 has 31.7 cm. The turn radius is 8 m versus 7 m. The setback is 1" versus 2.5". Doychin describes the effect like this: more upright, a faster radius, much better suited to hard groomed terrain and even the park. The nose is still long and the tail still shorter, but the difference between them is smaller.
One discrepancy: Doychin says the Golden Orca is not in the short and wide category, and compared with the Orca that is true. But Mervin lists it as a volume-shifted board (shorter and wider for the same volume), 1-3 cm shorter than usual, versus 3-6 cm for the Orca. So it sits in the middle.
The most interesting part of the Golden Orca is the tail. Mervin calls it a powerful kicked tail, good for riding switch: on hardpack it works short, strong and springy, and in soft snow it floats when you take off and land switch. Doychin explains what that means in practice: you come out of a jump with a 180, make a few turns switch and get back into your line, on hardpack or in the deep. On the regular Orca that is much harder. That is why Doychin says the Golden Orca suits riders who ride in one direction "like me". It is not a true twin (identical nose and tail, rides the same in both directions), but it lets you play.
Who it is for: a settled rider with one board from Japan to icy Europe
In the video for the 2026/27 season Doychin describes the exact person: they want Travis's series, mostly ride in one direction, are a bit more settled and want one board for everything. They take it to Japan for the deep snow, then wear down the icy run in Europe without checking the forecast.
It is not for a beginner. Flex 8 and a long camber need confident riding and enough weight to load the board. Mervin gives from 70 kg for the 155 and 157. It is a collector's board with the brand's top materials, but it is made to be ridden every day, not kept.
- Travis Rice
- directional
- hybrid C2X
- setback 1"
- powerful kicked tail for riding switch
- 8 m turn radius
- volume shifted, 1-3 cm shorter
- Magne-Traction
- Firepower Hemlock construction
- sintered Knife Cut base
- flex 8
- groomers / deep snow / freestyle
Size: 1-3 cm shorter than your usual
Mervin advises the Golden Orca to be 1-3 cm shorter than the board you usually ride. The waist is 26.4-26.8 cm, enough even for a big boot. Enter your weight and boot size and we will mark the size in the table.
| Size | Effective edge | Waist | Nose / tail | Turn radius | Flex |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 155 | 112 cm | 26.4 cm | 30.8 / 29.9 cm | 8 m | 8 |
| 157 | 113 cm | 26.5 cm | 30.9 / 30 cm | 8 m | 8 |
| 159 | 114 cm | 26.6 cm | 31 / 30.1 cm | 8 m | 8 |
| 164 | 116 cm | 26.8 cm | 31.2 / 30.3 cm | 8 m | 8 |
-20%- Delivery in up to 2 days
- Shop at 6A Golo Bardo St., Sofia - since 1997
- Size advice:
+359 887 800 575
Golden Orca vs Orca, T.Rice Pro and GNU Upgrade: the middle of the series
The Lib Tech Orca is the wider and more extreme sister for big snow and the trees; see our Orca review. The Lib Tech T.Rice Pro is the other parent, a true twin that rides both directions the same; see the T.Rice Pro review. And the GNU Upgrade is Doychin's own comparison: the more budget take on the Golden Orca, in his view even friendlier as your only snowboard.
The table compares the Golden Orca with its three relatives by profile, shape, turn radius, flex and role. The yellow column is the board from the article. On a phone, swipe right →
| Golden Orca | Orca | T.Rice Pro | GNU Upgrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Profile | hybrid directional C2X | directional C2X of the Orca | C2 | directional C2X |
| Shape | directional, setback 1", kicked tail | directional, setback 2.5", Whale Tail | true twin, setback 0 | directional twin, setback 0.75" |
| Turn radius | 8 m | 7 m | 8 m | triple radius |
| Flex | 8 | 7 | 6-7 | about 7-7.5 |
| Role | one board for everything, mostly in one direction | the second board for big snow | park and the whole mountain in both directions | one board for everything at a more reasonable price |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Golden Orca and the Orca?
The Golden Orca is narrower up front, with an 8 m turn radius instead of 7 m, a 1" setback instead of 2.5" and a kicked tail that lets you ride switch.
Can the Golden Orca be my only board?
Yes, that is exactly what it is made for. Doychin recommends it to a rider who rides in one direction and wants one board for deep snow, groomers and natural features beside the run.
Is the Golden Orca short and wide?
Not in the sense of the Orca. Mervin lists it as a volume-shifted board and advises a board 1-3 cm shorter, versus 3-6 cm for the Orca.
Is it good for riding switch and the park?
For switch turns and 180s off a jump, yes, the kicked tail is made for that. For the park every day, a true twin like the T.Rice Pro is the better choice.
Which size should I get?
1-3 cm shorter than your usual. If you are not sure, write to us.
How to choose and where to try it
If you want an Orca and want to ride it every day, from morning deep snow to afternoon ice, the Golden Orca is your board. If deep snow is the only reason, the Orca. If you ride both directions equally, the T.Rice Pro. If you want the same idea for less money, the GNU Upgrade. Come to our shop at Golo Bardo 6A in Sofia or call us at +359 887 800 575. We will show you Travis's series side by side and choose the size together.
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