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Snowboarding for Geeks

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Re: Snowboarding for Geeks

#191

Post by jammur »

chickenbane wrote: post #145

Surprised such a comprehensive guide for geeks didn't get into bluetooth headphones! As a rider for a few years now, I've had good luck with the headphone inserts which fit into most helmets. Riding with your favorite music truly feels like playing the best of games and sports combined.

Not a fan of riding with headphones for one main reason. You won't hear other people yelling for help. This is especially important when you ski off piste at west coast resorts. I never want to accidentally miss something yelling for help or blowing their whistle in a tree well. If you're an east cost skier, this is probably less important.

Also, it's infrequent, but I have avoided a few collisions because people yelled out at me when I was popping out of the trees onto a piste.

Re: Snowboarding for Geeks

#192

Post by mmartinson »

bane wrote: post #186

Lots of great comments here about snowboarding so I figured I'd provide my two cents. I tried skiing a couple of times and ended up just not having much fun. Eventually decided to try out snowboarding. It felt like I had gotten hit by a car the next day. But there was something about it that seemed promising, so I stuck with it. The initial learning curve is really steep. I was a far better skier after far less effor…

Interesting. I snowboarded for 18 years before switching full time to skiing last year, and I've reversely similar experience to yours in loving the nuance and subtly of the new skill. I wonder if there's something about combining a base fitness and aptitude with a beginner's mind.

I love the symmetry to skiing, and the experience of begin square to the fall line.

Re: Snowboarding for Geeks

#193

Post by beezle »

todd8 wrote: post #159

You will fall on your butt more times than you would like the first time you try it. Knowing this plan accordingly. Schedule your first lessons for a day with good, firm but not hard snow, snow that is a bit like solid styrofoam. Falling on snow like that doesn’t hurt, but beware of a fresh dusting of flakes over hard packed icy base beneath. I found that once you’ve learned snowboarding that it works really well on…

First, too many boarders do not wax their boards frequently enough, if at all. It is really easy to do and unless the snow is super sticky spring stuff you can fly by skiiers on flats and traverses (or course, know how to hold and edge before doing that and don't pass without being sure you have room). Catwalks, speed just not a good idea.

You really need to get out there and learn to do moguls. It will improve your boarding considerably. Start with a lesson or two and target days you know the bumps aren't ice boulders. Technique varies but common is always keep moving (you'll learn to hate the skiers who stop every four turns in front of you).

Re: Snowboarding for Geeks

#194

Post by beezle »

JeremyBanks wrote: post #30
rbreve wrote: post #12

Wear a helmet! I had some nasty falls learning!

I was going recommend also wearing a mouthguard, because I've always felt like they reduced the head trauma I experience if I fell, but a quick literature search indicates that their efficacy for that purpose may not be well-validated. :/

If you are in the park or pipe, that is a good idea

Re: Snowboarding for Geeks

#195

Post by jammur »

bane wrote: post #186

Lots of great comments here about snowboarding so I figured I'd provide my two cents. I tried skiing a couple of times and ended up just not having much fun. Eventually decided to try out snowboarding. It felt like I had gotten hit by a car the next day. But there was something about it that seemed promising, so I stuck with it. The initial learning curve is really steep. I was a far better skier after far less effor…

I mean no offence, but I think a few of these opinions are probably because of your skill level on both a snowboard and skis.

> It works far more of your core muscles and your quads and hamstrings that skiing does, so it takes some time to figure out how to control all that with the precision.

If you're skiing hard, the core and quads are fully engaged. Especially in deep snow. In fact, I suspect that you need more engagement on skis.

> The key for me was to really understand that the board itself wasn't something I rode on top of, but instead of was a living vessel I was part of, and that I could twist, rotate and otherwise manipulate using movements in my legs, subtle shifts in center of balance and core muscles. Once that started to make sense it became much easier and I found it far easier and more rewarding that skiing for me.

Everything you said here about snowboarding applies to skiing, however it takes longer for that to click on skis because there's more to coordinate.

> Skiing is many moving parts you have to coordinate, snowboarding is one moving part with many subtle means of expression.

I definitely agree with the sentiment of one moving part with subtle means of expression, but when you get good at skiing, it starts to feel more like one moving part.

This is my experience as someone who snowboarded for 15ish years before switching to skiing a few years ago.

Re: Snowboarding for Geeks

#196

Post by beezle »

acconrad wrote: post #96

I never thought I'd see a fusion of these two, but I am so happy it's here! Snowboarding has been my connection with nature since I was a kid. When I finished my Eagle Scout project and moved to the city, I was left with this hole for nature that needed to be filled. Now as an adult living in a city, my reconnection with nature is through snowboarding. Once I started riding deep powder in Canada, Japan, and Europe, m…

Boots are very important (certainly your feet must feel good in them) but they can't be viewed in isolation. While I think we are past the days of Herman Munster boots, you still need to be careful to match your boot to both the binding and board. You'll want to be able to take full advantage of your binding while not ending up with toe or heel drag.

Board choice is also important, especially for a beginner. Worst mistake a novice can make is getting a board that is too stiff or (and it usually goes hand in hand) one with too large a turning radius.

Besides don't get step-ins, I would avoid Flow bindings as well. They are convenient until they aren't :)

When buying goggles, ALWAYS BRING YOUR HELMET. If you have only one choice of lens color (because of $) get yellow or the lightest mirrored orange/amber. Bluebird days will be a little bright but there are usually more cloudy days and shadows come early in the winter. Depth perception is the key.

Re: Snowboarding for Geeks

#197

Post by beezle »

danr4 wrote: post #87

If you're a snowboard romantic, I HIGHLY suggest listening to the "How I built this" podcast episode with Jake Burton, the founder of Burton snowboards. It's an incredibly moving and honest look at the beginnings of the sport.

Get or rent a copy of "Lines" It is a board flick about making board flicks but has a ton of historical footage and interviews in there. And any of the early Ticket to Ride's.

Burton deserves many kudos but there are/were a lot of others who did as much to advance the sport. Few have the longevity and balls of Jeremy Jones and it really hurt losing Craig Kelly as just two examples.

Re: Snowboarding for Geeks

#198

Post by beezle »

altec3 wrote: post #115
volkl48 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll note that skiers seem have a much easier time learning to handle difficult terrain/higher typical skill cap in that area. I don't see many boarders who can handle mogul fields without looking miserable. Likewise, when you've got some vertical ice skating going on a double diamond, the skiers usually have a much easier time maintaining control (two edges and all that). I'll also note that a flat traverse is way m…

I think the reason moguls suck for snowboarders is because they're traditionally made from skiers carving.

more specifically, from bad skiers not carving.

Re: Snowboarding for Geeks

#199

Post by beezle »

volkl48 wrote: post #82
lui8906 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A general rule of thumb I've heard many times is: 'Skiing is easy to learn but hard to master, Snowboarding is hard to learn but easier to master'. You're likely to fall over more learning to snowboard but will become competent and able to carve down the mountain faster. Other elements to consider, Skiers are usually able to go faster than snowboarders down the hill. Snowboarders will have to unstrap and strap into t…

I'll note that skiers seem have a much easier time learning to handle difficult terrain/higher typical skill cap in that area. I don't see many boarders who can handle mogul fields without looking miserable. Likewise, when you've got some vertical ice skating going on a double diamond, the skiers usually have a much easier time maintaining control (two edges and all that). I'll also note that a flat traverse is way m…

Most of the boarders complaining about flats do so because they never wax their boards. If you regularly wax with the right stuff you'll be able to fly by skiers on all but the stickiest of spring crud.

And when I say waxing, I mean doing it yourself. Too many shops do really inferior work. If you must use a shop, keep a small structure brush with you. A credit card can be used in a pinch as a scraper. The bane of speed is wax left on the board.

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