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Icon vs Copperhead Strike

Icon vs Copperhead Strike


  • Total voters
    17

Matt N

CF Legend
Hi guys. Out of Mack’s launch coasters, I’d argue that Icon at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Copperhead Strike at Carowinds are possibly two of the most comparable. Both rides are around 80-90ft tall, both rides have a top speed of around 50mph, both rides have two launches each and both have fairly twisty layouts, with lots of rapid-fire left-to-right transitions. So I’d be intrigued to know; if anyone here has ridden both Icon and Copperhead Strike, which one do you prefer? The rides do differ a bit, despite their similarities; Icon is more sprawling and twisty while Copperhead is more hangtime/inversion-based.

So, I’d be really intrigued to know; which one do you prefer?
 

CanobieFan

Strata Poster
Gonna go make a guess that you're probably not gonna have a big sample of people who have ridden both... 😐

Having ridden only Copperhead, I liked it but its not earth-shattering, its not even top 3 in the park, haha... But I guess I'd still say its my favorite Mack launch of the 3 I've done so far (Manta/Slink)
Icon looks cool though and I'd love to make it back to Blackpool someday to try it, somehow it's been 15 years since I've been there and it kinda kills me.
 

HeartlineCoaster

Theme Park Superhero
Very close call for me. I preferred Copperhead, just, because it does a few more weird and wonderful things with those inversions, namely the out of station one and 'floptime' in the loop. In terms of the content of the two halves split by the launches, it isn't as well paced as Icon and it never quite matches the airtime of back row 'Jr. Immelman' (the thing after Icon's second launch apparently), but it's just a little bit more fun overall. A little bit. Both fab.
 

CrashCoaster

CF Legend
I've only ridden Icon, but CHS looks like a fundamentally better coaster in terms of layout and execution. Icon's layout is more unique to it's location but it's kind of an uninspired design, not many inversions or intense spots besides the odd few moments and quite a few dead turns and meandering in between. CHS just looks better paced, better themed/landscaped and a more unique ride in general.
 

Howie

Donkey in a hat
Apart from @HeartlineCoaster, do we have anyone who's actually ridden both? 🤔
I'm gonna go with Copperhead Strike, even though I haven't ridden it. It just looks like a more varied, interesting layout with more unusual elements. Possibly a bit more speed and intensity too.
I wonder if it's anything like Icon in that it has to 'warm up' significantly to give a good ride? It's well documented that Icon gives a somewhat sluggish ride experience on a cold morning, but is noticeably faster and more forceful by late afternoon. Is CS the same?

The thing is though, @Matt N , if you're looking for that Icon-like, Mack Rides coaster experience but better, there's really only one place you should be looking at. You know the one I mean. 😉
 

Matt N

CF Legend
The thing is though, @Matt N , if you're looking for that Icon-like, Mack Rides coaster experience but better, there's really only one place you should be looking at. You know the one I mean. 😉
Are you referring to Helix, by any chance?

I thought that Icon vs CS would be a good comparison because they’re quite similarly specced rides, and have quite similar twisty layouts. Helix looks like it’s more focused on inversions and hangtime than airtime and rapid transitions.
 

JoshC.

Strata Poster
As a basic Brit who hasn't made his way to anywhere in America, I've only done Icon. But this seems like a great excuse to use the formula I came up with for predicting coaster rankings in the Top 10 thread last year...

I currently have Icon ranked as my 59th favourite cred. My current formula says that Copperhead Strike would be my 60th favourite cred. Much excitement.
From what I've seen of Copperhead, I think I'd enjoy it a bit more than Icon though.

How inconclusive.
 
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