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{1.0}  WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL SNOWBOARDING & SKIING MEGATHREAD FOR THE 2012-2013 SEASON Whether you’re thinking about trying skiing or snowboarding for the first time, a lifer raised by their grandparents on lift rides, a ski-bum at heart working a 9-5 to afford all the new fly gear, or anything else across the spectrum… Welcome to your thread for the 2012-2013 season and beyond. Put on your boots, set down your bullshit, and let’s head for the lift line. IMPORTANT: This is a "feel good" thread. The world at large is pretty loving dark and lovely place, and snowsports provide a way to escape the crushing reality of our terrible jobs, crumbling relationships, and the more-than-likely-unavoidable impending global economic apocalypse. We will not tolerate any kind of ethnic/gender/orientation slurs, etc. in this thread. This is your warning. Yes, this is a thread on the somethingawful.com forums, a comedy website that is certainly no stranger to crude/shock/offensive humor. There are other threads for that, this is not one of them. Thank you and enjoy.AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION IS ENCOURAGED! This year, we are trying to do a 'survey' and establish what we know collectively about the industry, brands, gear, etc. Send me your stories of awesome/terrible customer service, great purchases, or spectacular gear failures here: singleplanker(at)gmail(dot)com Table of Contents
{1.2} Taking A Lesson, or The First Day of Your New Life
{1.22} What to Bring {1.23} How to Prepare {1.24} List of Coaches ITT
{2.11} Bindings {2.12} Boards {2.13} Outerwear {2.14} Helmets, Hats, & Head Coverings {2.15} Gloves, Socks, and Soft Goods {2.16} Is this gear right for me?
{2.22} Tricks &c.
{2.32} Park Overview {2.33} Tree Shredding Overview {2.34} mushi's Back Country Overview {4.0} Link to Eejit's Ski and Snowboard Resort Guide Meagathread {5.0} FRIENDS: Snowgoons listing by region
{5.2} Midwest {5.3} WY/MT/ID {5.4} Colorado {5.5} Utah {5.6} Cali & PNW {5.7} Canada {5.8} Japan {5.9} Europe (5.10} Southern Hemisphere {7.0} Miscellany
{7.2} horseblow.avi's Snow Tire post {7.3} bawful's 'La Nińa y El Nińo' post {7.4} Moot .'s 'find your dead rear end in the backcountry' site {1.1} Introduction I loving love snowboarding. I learned to ride when I was 13, bought my first set up and season pass at 16, and started teaching at 18. I got into snowboarding because it looked fun and exciting, and the challenge of trying to guide that stiff Rossi rental board with step-in bindings certainly proved to be both. I was so excited on my first day, even if all the gear was still a complete mystery to me. I took a beginner's group lesson, then spent the next 4 trips beating the poo poo out of myself. I would mousetrap, scorpion, slide out, slam, and crash with a smile on my face, pick myself up, figure out why I fell, then keep riding. On my fifth trip (ever) with the school ski club, I was able to ride smoothly down the bunny hill without falling. Over the course of the next two trips, I found myself riding black diamonds with the resort's PCS seal-of-approval, having a loving blast and knowing that the door to rad times had been kicked off the hinges. Snowboarding, for me, has transcended good times and excitement to become a way of life. Once I was buying season passes, I started going to the mountain (okay, 900' tall Greek Peak) whenever I could. I originally got into teaching because I thought "Hey, they could be paying me to be here AND I'll get a free pass." and haven't paid for a season pass since that day in 2003. I've continued to teach because I love being involved in the sport, I've met people and made friends from places as far away as Oregon and Chile, learned a shitload about myself, life, people, and riding, the potential for progression is enormous, and it provides a way for me to INVOKE THE STOKE; to share my love for the sport that's changed my life with other enthusiasts, and new comers looking for thrills, to try to get new riders hooked so I can ride until I'm dead, and have a direct, hopefully positive impact on the lives of others. So, suffice to say, I loving love snowboarding. It's why I get out of bed every day, it's why I worked two jobs this summer, it's why I changed majors in college, it's WHY. And that's why I'm here. So if you're still interested, let's start talking about what snowboards can do, and what we can do with them. There are 5 things you can do with a snowboard...
•Twist: twisting the board to engage one front of an edge in the snow while keeping the back of that edge unengaged •Pivot: pivoting the board under your body. You can make a bowtie-shape by pivoting over the center of the board, or use the next “rule” to change the pivot point •Pressure Distribution or Flex: changing where your center of mass is over the board, or using your legs to actually distort the shape of the board •Movement Patterns: EVERYTHING you want to do on or with your snowboard is done by combining the previous 4 rules (or Board Performances) in what is known as a “movement pattern.” Think of it as a sequence of events. So there are actually only 4 things you can do to and with your board, and everything else is an extension of it. Backside 9's come from toeside turns. Ollies are all about shifting your weight over the board. Flying eagle heelside slashes are all tilt. All of this will be in your grasp once you take the first step: take a lesson from a coach. Having a friend or significant other teach you (or more likely, try to teach you) has ruined more relationships than it has made good riders. It's a better investment of your time to experience the frustration and joy of learning a new skill with a neutral 3rd party (or stranger) that's received training on how to teach you to snowboard. {1.2} Taking A Lesson, or The First Day of Your New Life Find a resort near you that offers lessons which include rental equipment. Typically, this package is marketed as a "Learn to Ride" experience. This is more than likely going to be a group lesson, so you'll get to meet some new people who also want to try the funnest thing ever. Private lessons are more expensive and typically don't include an equipment rental, but in general you will have potential for a more successful experience. You get focused attention and the staff should be among the best the resort has to offer. Figure out what you're willing to spend, how far you're willing to travel, then pick a date. Depending on the resort and other circumstances (i.e., holiday periods), you may or may not want to purchase your package in advance to "reserve" your spot. Now we can move on to the next step. {1.21} What to Expect First and foremost, expect to be very tired and sore before the day is over. Expect to be challenged, to struggle, to fall down, and to sweat. Prepare to be frustrated, and make a plan for dealing with it accordingly; try not to ruin everyone else's day. Regardless of location, any good beginner's lesson will cover the following topics: Safety, Awareness & Etiquette, Equipment, Vocabulary, Skating, How to Make Turns, How to Traverse the Slope, How to Stop, How to Link Turns, How to Ride & Dismount the Chairlift, and lots of time to practice all of your new skills. Throughout the lesson, your coach should be providing you with feedback on what you and the board are doing, and the focus of this feedback should be providing you with a safe, fun, and successful experience. If you're in a group lesson, expect the presence of at least one sandbagger; you can help make your coaches job easier here by being willing to practice on your own, and asking for guidance on what to try. The lesson should end with a recap of all the things you tried today, and the best coaches will provide individualized guidance to participants on how to continue their progression after the lesson is over (this is different than in-lesson feedback which is more "short term" in focus). {1.22} What to Bring
•Snowpants (for the love of Ullr DO NOT WEAR JEANS... at all) •Money & ID (not necessarily a wallet, but you may need ID if you prepurchased your package. Food costs much, much more at the resort than it does "in real life"; however alcohol prices are pretty standard (relative to bars)) •Food & Drink (if you can store it in a locker or your car; seriously, it's out-of-control expensive) •Jacket + layers (Jacket should be warm, windproof and waterproof; you will be sweating at some point and might want to lose layers) •Warm Socks (Wool or Smart Wool, maybe a fresh pair for aprčs or the ride home) •Boots made for Trudging(there's more snow in the parking lot than you imagine) •Gloves/Mittens (warm, windproof and waterproof like your jacket; think Gore Tex, knit gloves will let you down hard) •Hat or Helmet (Helmet should fit snugly yet comfortably, available to rent @ most resorts) {1.23} How to Prepare Activities such as cycling, hiking, climbing, anything lower body intensive will never hurt; swimming isn't a bad idea either as it's excellent cardiovascular as well. But that's more long-term preparation. In the short run, properly hydrating yourself and stretching (twice daily, or whatever) will help you get ready to learn a whole new sport. Consider getting some regular cardiovascular exercise as well if you can, you need more air thank you think to shred. Ample rest always helps in preparation (and recuperation). It is very difficult to prepare for snowboarding as the sport centers around isometric contractions which require strength and endurance in equal proportions. It always takes me 2 weeks give or take to get settled back into my legs. {1.24} List of Coaches ITT If you don't see your destination listed, feel free to post in the thread and see if any of us know someone nearby. If you're interested in taking a lesson from a goon, you should contact them for more details on the arrangements. Snowboard Coaches
•stormrider (most of CO) •Varg (Shawnee Mountain, PA) •horseblow.avi (Mammoth, CA; also knows people in Tahoe)
•Gorilla Radio (Breckenridge, CO) •RocktheHawk (SLC area) •TrueChaos (Fortune, Edelweiss, Cascades, etc.) denereal visease fucked around with this message at Nov 1, 2012 around 19:00 |
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{2.0} The Mega Technical Post {2.1}Equipment {2.10} Boots The single most important piece of equipment you can buy. DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON BOOTS. You must always try boots on with the socks you plan to shred in to determine proper fit. A good fitting boot is snug without pressure points, and has zero-to-minimal play/excess material beyond your big toe. Yes, really. A lot of people will downsize, or wear boots smaller than their street shoes, in order to get better response & control (myself included). The padding inside your boots will compress (or "pack out") over time and conform to the shape of your foot better. Further, bootfitters can make more effectively make a boot that's too small fit better than trying to shrink a boot that's too big. The two primary parts of any boot are the liner and the outer shell; some liners are removable, some are not. The liner should have some kind of draw closure system to tighten the liner, and a velcro strap closure at the top about mid-calf (somehow, this still isn't a standard feature). I prefer traditional lace up boots, but there are a few options for closures on the outer shell. BOA boots using a cable and coil system (or systems, on the nicest models) to draw the boot's outer shell closed around the tongue. Speed lacing systems (like Burton's SpeedZone, Rome's PureFlex) use two or more cords drawn through locking blocks (they're small, don't worry) to set tension in the cords and close the boots. The tradeoff between Laces vs. Other Things tends to be microadjustability (lace up boots permit varying tightness across the boot; BOA/Speedzone less so) vs speed/convenience (best thing about BOA: loosening boots for the lift ride). Generally, you'll want your boots as tight as you can get them without losing circulation or causing pain. If you tie your boots too tight, you can and will have parts of your foot go numb (not gonna have a good time); you’ll want to fix this ASAP by untieing/loosening the boot. Your personal preferences for how tight you want your boots and how they close will only be discovered through experience. {2.11} Bindings All bindings are comprised of 5 major components working together. The high back is essentially a padded foam-backed panel that rests against the back of your boot, providing leverage. The ankle strap goes over your ankle, and is primarily responsible for making sure your foot is loaded snugly back into the binding while the toe strap holds the front of your boot down into the binding. Both straps will have ratchets on one end (most riders prefer their ratchets "outside" closer to their tips than "inside" their feet) that the toothed ladders feed into. The length & position (higher/lower) of a strap can be adjusted on the end opposite its ratchet; different companies use different systems, but most manufacturers use bolts. The baseplate is "body" of the binding that all the other parts connect to, and includes the heel loop and toe ramp. Finally, the mounting disc fits into the teeth at the bottom of your baseplate, sets your stance angles, and provides options for stance locations. The vast majority of bindings use reinforced plastic composite materials for their baseplates, high backs, and heel loops; however, Union uses an aluminum heel loop with plastic baseplate while Ride & Rome both make hybrid plastic-and-aluminum baseplates. With bindings, higher price tags mean you're paying for lighter, stiffer materials and technical design. Any manufacturers most expensive binding will pretty much always be a teched out, super stiff freeride binding. Speaking from experience, any bindings costing less then ~150 U$D are entry level or beginner equipment that tends to be softer and easier to use and set up. The mid level exists around 180-300 U$D, and you can find bindings for every riding style at this price point. Above 300 U$D, you’re really just paying for advanced materials (reinforced with powdered unicorn horns) and construction (handmade by Japanese robots). There are a few oddballs that need to be mentioned. Flow Bindings use a padded megastrap that covers the entire top of your boot, and has a rear-entry system intended for speed and simplicity. It can be a headache getting these bindings adjusted properly, and they can be difficult to get your foot into in deep snow. Also, the entry process for these boots isn’t as easy as it seems, especially for uncoordinated new snowboarders on unlevel terrain. Step-in bindings are similar to "clipless" bicycle pedals, in that they use a post feeding into a locking gate to secure the boot to the binding. Step-ins universally suck since the locking mechanisms typically have a lot of play in them, which muffles the response. Don't buy step in bindings. Another new fad is a hinged baseplate to allow you to tweak things more, but this pretty well comprises the integrity of the binding. Actually, there were a few pro riders back in the day who mounted their bindings to their boards with hinges to get sick with it. {2.12} Boards There's quite a bit that can be said on the subject, so we'll organize this a bit. Types of Boards The most important factors about buying a board are where you plan to ride it, and your weight (height doesn't really matter). Boards come in a spectrum of styles, typically arranged along the lines of Big Mountain -> Pipe/Groomers -> Park -> Street ranging from stiffest to softest, and likewise strongest freeriding performance to softest jib board. Do you like to drop off the back of the mountain and explore unmarked terrain? You're a back country (aka Big Mountain) rider, and may want to consider powder-specific boards like split tails or tapered boards. Do you ride primarily on-piste, that is, does corduroy turn you on? Hate tricks, and the jib-monkeys / knuckle draggers that do them? You would want a freeride board; these are by nature stiffer and bigger (hehe) than every other type of board. Like buttering your board around, sliding on metal/plastic, hitting jumps, or otherwise riding on things that aren't snow? Park boards would be better for you, as they generally have a softer flex for pressing easily and are generally shorter. Street boards are really a subclass of park boards, but will be the softest boards in any line. Ride a little bit of everything? You're hosed. You'll pretty much have to decide whether you ride more park or more trails, and lean towards softer, shorter boards for more park or longer, stiffer boards for freeriding. dv’s $0.02: As I progress, I tend to gravitiate towards softer boards. The NeverSummer Evo has handled everything I’ve asked it do: park laps to powder, tight trees to groomers, high speed carving to low speed cruising with newbies. There's a lot of room for personal preference in board stiffness no matter your style. For example, park riders hitting mostly jumps above 35ft might want to consider stiffer park boards (inc. positive camber) versus a jib monkey buttering every box in sight riding a wild park rocker. An intermediate rider thinking they might want to play in the pipe soon might lean towards a stiffer, positive camber stick. How can you select a board with the the degree of stiffness you want? Research.We're primarily concerned with the longitudinal (tip-to-tail) and torsional (twisting) properties of our snowboards. We'll also mention bases here while we're getting technical. To break it down...
•Cores: Determines the board's overall feel. Made primarily from wood, different species with different grain orientations can be layered and profiled to create any type of ride. Reinforcements like carbon fiber I-beams in the tips, stringers laid out in an X centered on the board (my favorite), or even kevlar weaves can be also be incorporated into the core to change the ride. Positive core profiles are thicker under the insert packs for poppier tips, while negative core profiles have are thinner under the insert packs for pressability. Even core profiles maintain the same thickness through the board. Most profiles taper off towards the tips to reduce swing weight. Nicer models will have wood grain oriented perpendicular to the edge to amplify response to turn initiation. Again, try to figure out the geometry of any reinforcements and the wood grain. •Bases: Extruded bases are forced through a die that causes the polymer chains to line up, resulting in a stronger and more elastic base. Sintered bases are made by fusing pellets together, creating a more porous and brittle base. Extruded bases are tougher, easier to repair, and cheaper, but sintered bases are always faster and hold wax better. Manufacturers As far as manfuacturers go, pick whatever you think looks good as you'll be looking at that topsheet everyday. If you're eco-conscious, Arbor snowboards would get you wet, but just about everyone makes a "green" snowboard these days (CAPiTA's Green Machine is pretty sick though). Every company's line is going to feel different from another's: Burton boards will always be stiffer than similar boards from other manufacturers, on the other hand Rome boards tend to run a little soft, NeverSummer has a reputation for being heavy, etc. It really does not matter what company's board you pick, but you should try to support a company whose image, business practices, and pro team you like (this part is called being a responsible consumer, and voting with your dollars). Board Shapes Essentially, a snowboard will be one of two shapes. Tapered/directional/"anything with the word directional in it" boards have a nose that is slightly 'fatter' than the tail. What I mean by 'fatter' is that if you were to measure edge-to-edge across the board at the engagement points of the nose & tail, the nose would measure wider. This makes turning easier; an analogy to longboarding would be that directional boards ride like the front trucks are looser than the back trucks. This also makes carving a bit easier. Directional boards are also popular with backcountry-exclusive riders because the shape floats a bit more in the deep stuff. Directional shapes are also commonly found on beginner-oriented boards as make finishing turns a bit easier.Twin/true twin boards are shaped such that the nose & tail are equally 'fat'; if you cut the board in half at the exact center across the board edge-to-edge, then lined the halves up, they would be symmetrical. Twins are usually ridden by park riders, or anyone advanced enough that they go in & out of switch a lot. I'm sure if we polled all the most advanced riders in this thread, they'd be on twins (unless they're powder jocks). If you've been riding for a few years and want to take things to the next level, buy a twin and ride switch. "Directional twins" also exist, and can be directional shapes with centered stances or twin shapes with a setback stance depending on who makes it. Always do your research, and when in doubt, contact the manufacturer. Camber Most snowboards have positive camber, that means the middle of the board will not touch the surface without you strapped into it. The idea is that during turning, your center of mass applies downward force to this area, flattening it out so that the edge contact makes greater contact with the snow. Negative camber (rocker, reverse camber) boards are the opposite; the middle will touch the snow surface and the tips would not if you could ever get the board to balance perfectly. This construction has been getting a lot of attention in the last few years, as it makes riding park (specifically rails/boxes) and powder a lot easier, both in terms of skills required to make the board do what you want and in terms of how tired you will be at the end of the day. You can also find hybrid camber boards that have negative camber between the insert packs but positive camber outside them; akin to that classic "sea gull flying into a sunset" drawing everyone does as a kid. This profile blends the other two options, highlighting the strengths of both camber profiles while suffering a few unique drawbacks (such as a weird balance point on board slides). Edges Magnetraction is an alternative edge shape that looks like a serrated knife; developed by LibTech & GNU, they have licensed it to a few other companies (Smokin’ Snowboards, for example). Rather than one smooth edge, Magnetraction can behave like a series of edges with different sidecuts, and it loves to plunge into the snow surface if you set a high edge angle. Depending on who you talk to, this is either the best loving thing ever or another excuse for people to be lazy. Some people think this technology magically makes them able to ride on ice. I've tried it but I didn't like the way it made the board behave during turn initation. Burton has Pressure Distribution Edges that look kind of like "bumps" in the edge, except that there are only 2 per edge: one at each of the contact points. It’s almost like a toned down version of Magnetraction. Never Summer uses their Vario Grip variable radius sidecut; the radius is tighter towards the contact points, mellower inside of them, and they lay a straight edge along the middle. If the product description doesn’t refer to a specific edge technology, it’s pretty safe to assume it’s a single radius, parabolic edge. Bevel Bevel refers to the angle between your edge and the base of your board. Freeride & pipe boards have 0° bevel which means that the edge & base meet at a 90° angle. You can also get 1°, 2°, and 3° bevels from different manufacturers on a variety of boards. A 3° bevel is very park oriented so you won't get "hung up" on rails or metal edging of boxes, and obviously the edge and the base make an 87° angle. 1° & 2° bevels are basically baby steps between "omfg pipe/piste" and "unnnh rails." {2.13} Outerwear Outerwear is the last layer between your skin and the outside world. Some people can get by with just base layers and outerwear, some people need mid layers; it’s all a function of where you play and how your body works. Experimentation is required to figure out what works for you. There is loads of room for personal preference here, so I’m going to keep this concise and to the point. As outdoor-winter-shitlords, we are primarily concerned with how waterproof and breathable our gear is. Waterproofing is a goddamn lie if you take it literally, water-resistant is more accurate. Garments are normally rated on a scale of XX,XXXmm of resistance. This number represents a not-at-all-the-real-world lab test where you place a 1” diameter column on the garment, and see how high the water level gets in said column before it starts leaking through. That means if you’re jacket is rated to 20,000mm you could in theory submerge it under 20m of water before it starts leaking. In theory because a real world garment will have seams, openings, and other ways to start getting wet before the 20m mark. We usually see stuff rated between 5,000mm and 20,000mm for snowports. If you see something that just states 5K, that means 5,0000mm and so on. Taping also exists where seams are reinforced with a strip of material to enhance leak resistance; it exists in both ‘critical’ (a bullshit term that varies manufacturer-to-manufacturer) and ‘fully taped’ (which should be self explanatory). Breathability is a measure of a garments resistance to making you stew in your own putrid, alcohol-soaked sweat. Because water vapor particles are much, much smaller than water droplets, we live in a world where jackets can keep rain/snow/sleet out while letting the sweat escape. It’s typically measured in g/m2 per unit time (24hrs is the norm). You’ll find it listed as XX,XXXg in descriptions. Bigger is always better. So what you should you wear? Snowpants and a winter jacket. Doesn’t matter if you got it from the Salvation Army or overpaid for Burton’s crappily built poo poo rear end-basket outerwear (the AK line is good however). dv’s $0.02: I like gear from Bond Snowboarding because their “top down sustainability approach” means I can feel less guilt about paying $200 for snowpants (come on, you know I didn’t pay that much). All their shells are made from recycled material, as are all the plastic buttons and pulls. They use coconut husks as a wicking medium, and buy enough carbon credits to be certified as Carbon Neutral. Plus they use a 5-point powder skirt system. And the poo poo is actually stylish. Heikki Sorsa  and Eddie Wall ride for them.{2.14} Helmets, Hats, & Head Coverings I am of the opinion that everyone should wear a helmet when partaking of downhill snow sliding. For years, I did not wear a ‘bucket’, but finding a comfortable helmet removed a lot of fear/anxiety/hesitation with respect to trying new tricks (and riding in tight trees), as is the experience of many people. The most important part of helmet selection is making sure it fits snugly without causing pain, discomfort, or headaches. If you can find several helmets that fit right, then you can fuss and fret about features, colors, and styles, but your first concern should be enhancing your personal level of safety. Remember: the helmet is there to protect you against things you do not / cannot anticipate.
Most helmets will come with velcro tape and extra padding allowing you to customize the fit, which you should. Sometimes, the included extra padding will be of different thicknesses allowing for even further customization. I have seen one person remove all the extra padding from his Bern so he could fit a hat under it; guess what, his helmet slid all over his head. Make sure the helmet fits, do what you need to with the extra padding if you get some. Experimentation may be required to dial in the fit. Vents Just about every helmet on the market offers some kind of venting, since the human body loses most of its heat through the cranium. Some helmets, like most of Bern’s line, come with vents that are always open. Most helmets will have a sliding plastic cover for the vents, which typically opens/closes all the ventilation holes at once. Usually, there is an option for an intermittent, halfway setting. Fancier helmets, like the Smith Variant, have zones; that is multiple sets of vent covers. The Variant splits the vents into leftside/rightside zones, some helmets make have front/middle/back, or some combination thereof. dv’s $0.02: always opt for adjustable vents if possible. Putting poo poo under your Helmet Wearing a hat, bandana, &c. under your helmet isn’t a great idea for one reason: it will affect the helmet’s performance, and most likely compromise it. If you’re sneaking a hat under there, your helmet will likely slide around atop your head, meaning it may not be where you need it when you need. Thin skullcaps are an exception to “the hat rule”. Bandana’s are lesser offenders, and I became a fan of using one to cover exposed flesh between my goggles and helmet once I didnt have enough hair for that job. Wear it pirate style to cover your whole dome & add heat, fold it like a G if you’re just trying to cover up a bit. Whichever you choose, make sure the knot (if you make one) sits outside/below where the straps come together at the back of the helmet. We don’t want a big clump of fabric pressing into the base of our skulls, not gonna have a good time. Hats Wear whatever is comfortable and warm for you. Have a friend or loved one knit one for you, buy one at the gas station, find one at salvation army or on the ground. Most people will think you look like a loving idiot (hint: you do) if you wear one of those god drat earflap-faceflap-pseudo-Russian hats. That’s all I have to say about hats. {2.15} Gloves, Socks, and Soft Goods Gloves Spend money on brand name gloves if you want to be bummed out about overpaying. Many of us can share anecdotes: I killed 3 pairs of Burton gloves in 3 short seasons (<60 days), then switched to Grenade only to find them of even lower quality. Hestra makes gloves that several posters swear by; while Daughter had a negative experience with their warranty department. The only thing that we can all agree on is not spending too much on gloves: buy a pair of insulated, leather work gloves for under 20-25U$D if you want a supreme happiness-to-dollars-spent ratio. Someone posted a link last year to a group that was selling slip-on covers to replace the finger tips you destroyed on some sweet grab; if anyone remembers what they’re called I’d appreciate a reminder. But they were selling at like 15-20U$D, which is what you payed for gloves because you’re smart; buy a roll of duct tape for patching gloves, pants, bags, etc. and save the day. Socks Don’t wear more than one pair of socks! Many are surprised to hear this, but you can actually make your feet colder by cutting off circulation by wearing “sock liners” or having those sock(s) get bunched under your foot. Just don’t wear two pairs, ok? Pick a nice, heavy wool sock that fits comfortably in your boot; as an aside, you should have been wearing these socks trying on your boots before you bought them. Spend money on SmartWool if you can & you like it; SmartWool doesn’t seem to work well for me. dv’s $0.02: Wolverine wool socks are easy to find on sale, and have always worked for me. Hand & Toe Warmers Use ‘em if you need ‘em. You can find these in bulk packs at Dick’s Sporting Goods and other big box stores. Toe warmers will sometimes have a peelable adhesive backing for sticking them to your socks (above or below your toes, it’s your call). If you want to feel  -as-gently caress, ghetto rig toe warmers by duct-taping them to to your sock, wowee-zowee  Face Coverings Face coverings are one of those things where something can be better than nothing, but nothing will be perfect. Bandanas are inexpensive, widely available,and can be used for a couple of different things, but they are (usually) made of thin cotton, so they get wet quickly and then they’re no fun. You can buy some neoprene duckbill looking thing that lets your nose poke out, or you can skip the duckbill and get the neoprene face wrap that has perforations in it. The neoprene masks tend to be a little thicker, and might keep you warmer longer. If you like supporting goon-run endeavours, check out stormrider’s F2Outerwear, where SA10 (I think) gets you a discount @ checkout. Base Layers These days, the larger shred companies will have branded base layers for sale in multiple weights, prints, and fits (cough, Burton). Other brands like UnderArmor are out there, and may or may not be more expensive than “outdoor-specific” gear. Places like a TJ Maxx or even thrift stores on a lucky day can help you save a few (tens) of dollars. Doesn’t matter what you buy as long as it’s not cotton and actually keeps you warm. I get by in off-brand cold weather tops and fleece pajama pants. {2.16} Is this gear right for me? If you can, demoing equipment is the only way to figure out if you like it, or if it might help take your riding to the next level. Try to find out if/when there will be demo days at your local mountain, or anotherresortnearby. You can also ask your friends to trade boards with you for a run. Last time I did this, my friend & I switched back within 300m because the other guy's setup wasn't working for either of us. You can also ask the thread about equipment suitability. If you really want good feedback on this question, you need to supply some additional information...
•Your gender. No, seriously. Women's equipment is made explicitly for women by any reputable company by considering legitimate anatomical differences between men and women; which is to say it will work far better, you will have more success and in turn more fun, if you buy women's specific gear. •What type of terrain you ride a majority of the time: on-piste/off-piste/park/??? •Style of riding. Do you ride aggressively (high speeds, big air, short radius turns, etc.) or are you a cruiser (slow speeds, large radius turns, easier terrain, etc.) {2.2} Brocabulary Here's an incomplete list of some terminology you'll hear during your lessons, out on the hill, or read here in the thread. We'll start with the basics... {2.21} Basics
•Leash: The retention strap that connects your board to one of your boots (usually). The leash typically is affixed to the bindings, and clips onto your shoelace or a keyring threaded onto the shoe lace. Other leashes buckle around the boot around-or-above the ankle. Most resorts “require” you to have a leash connecting your board to your body should your bindings fail; this is to prevent your equipment from going “run away” since snowboards don’t have “brakes” like skis do. In the real world, if you ever have to rely on your leash to keep your board from getting away from you, you most likely having bigger concerns than losing your board. •Edge(s): The metal piece that runs all the way around the outside of your snowboard. This is the guy who makes all the magic happen. Typically made of stainless steel, edges are sometimes made out of bronze as it’s a softer material more suited to park riding. •Toeside: Conveniently enough, this is the portion of the snowboard closest to your toes. It's used to refer to the toeside edge, toeside turns, and is found in descriptions of movement patterns for freestyle manuvers. •Heelside: Likewise, this is the portion of the snowboard closest to your heels, and is also used to refer to the heelside edge, heelside turns, and is also found in descriptions of movement patterns. •Bindings: These guys keep you attached your board, and as stated earlier, help control your board along with your boots & your body. They come in two major varieties, step-in & strap-in; but there's also strep-throughs, which are generally preferred by people over 40 who have a lot of friends who are skiiers, or really impatient people. {2.22} Tricks &c.
•Backside (BS) Rotation: For a regular rider, this is a clockwise rotation. For a goofy rider, this is a counter-clockwise rotation. For a more thorough explanation, click here.Here's a handy diagram to explain goddamn near every grab you can do with a snowboard.  Click here for the full 1440x423 image. •FS rail trick: Any rail trick where the feature is in front of the rider as they approach it. •BS rail trick: Any rail trick where the feature is behind the rider as they approach it. Frontside & Backside DO NOT in any way refer to the orientation of the rider's upper body to the feature, nor the direction they are "facing". •50-50: The board is aligned parallel to the rail/box/tree/small child for the entirety of contact. •Nose Press: Same idea as the 50-50, but only the front half of the board is on the feature. The rider "presses" the nose into the feature such that the back half of the board isn't touching the feature. •Tail Press: Same idea as the 50-50, but only the back half of the board is on the feature. The rider "presses" the tail into the feature such that the front half of the board isn't touching the feature. •Boardslide: Front foot goes over the rail/box, board is oriented ~90° to the feature. •Lipslide: Rear foot goes over the rail/box, board is oriented ~90° to the feature. •Noseslide: Like a board/lip slide, except only the nose of the board is on the feature. The general rule is binding-to-tip contact only; if the feature is in between your bindings you're probably boardsliding it. •Tailslide: Like a board/lip slide, except only the tail of the board is on the feature. The general rule is binding-to-tip contact only; if the feature is in between your bindings you're probably lipsliding it. {2.3} Intermediate to Advanced Riding Topics Reading this information is absolutely not a substitute for receiving real life instruction on the following topic areas. Stop being a cheap gently caress (we know you can afford it, you are snowboarding after all) and take a lesson from an AASI-certified coach (ideally L2 or higher for these topics). {2.31} Bad Riding Habits: For switch & normal riding A couple years ago, someone asked me what I consider to be the most common “bad habits” among intermediate-to-advanced riders. If you come to me for an intermediate & up lesson with no specific goals or learning objectives, I will try to coach you out of the following behaviors…
•"Open" shoulders: The rider's shoulders aren't directly in line over their tips; that is, the upper body is rotated to face the direction of travel. Pretty common among people crossing over from skiing. This is a big one for switch riding, and something I still need to work on in switch & at the limits of my personal comfort zone. There's an easy and fun fix for this one though; if you're leading shoulder is open, take your leading hand and grab the bottom of your jacket on the opposite side of your body (open shoulder in regular: left hand grabs bottom of coat on right side). That forces you to keep the leading shoulder over the nose more. With younger riders, we pretened we’re pirates/ninjas ready to draw our pistols/katanas. •Hunching / Bending @ waist: More common in younger riders; especially when you tell them to get closer to the snow surface. Your core should be pretty much vertical when you're just cruising around. This keeps your weight centered over the board more, allows you to react to conditions better, and provides for more freedom/opportunity to bust a move when and where you decide to. Younger riders, especially kids under 6, tend to have a higher center of gravity (due to their proportionally oversized heads) so the negative impacts of this behavior are exaggerated in their riding. If you can get them to look up (that is, downhill & in the direction of travel as opposed to staring at the board/their feet/the snow, this will usually correct most of the problem. •Not Finishing Turns: If we want to be super technical and nit-picky, a turn can't truly be considered finished until your board is pointing back up the hill; i.e. you're beyond perpendicular to the fall line. A lot of people struggling to make it down steep sections or who have trouble controlling their speed (going too fast for comfort) are more than likely not finishing their turns. This one however is kind of situational; there are times where you won't want or need to travel back up the hill. Making sure you finish a turn properly will keep your speed much more in check, and will not only make you look like a better rider, but you'll actually be one (yay!) and be safer overall. •Using pivot to start a new turn: Again this one's situational as there may be times or circumstances in which pivoting is unavoidable. A good rider will twist the board to start the new turn. As an example, as you're finishing a heelside turn, twist the board using your leading foot to engage the toeside edge while the heelside edge is finishing its work on your last turn. •Fighting a Fall: If you're going down, the worst thing to do is try and fight it. You can put yourself in a worse situation by trying to influence the board when you're not in complete control of it. Don't put your hands out to try and break a fall! One of my wrists is permanently hosed up from this bad habit. My hand works just fine, but my wrist is cock-eyed and my hand cramps up if I have to write a lot. The best thing to do when falling is give in to it but try to protect your head. I'm trying to develop the habit of bringing my hands up over my head as I fall this year; that way, if I ever get into the back country and take a digger I'll already be prepared to protect my noggin {2.32} Park Overview forthcoming {2.33} Tree Shredding Overview forthcoming {2.34} mushi's Back Country Overview THIS SECTION IN PARTICULAR IS ABSOLUTELY NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A REAL AVALANCHE COURSE. STOP READING THIS RIGHT NOW, GO REGISTER FOR AN AVALANCHE COURSE, THEN COME BACK AND READ THIS. READING THIS IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A REAL AVALANCHE COURSE. IF YOU DECIDE TO GO INTO THE BACKCOUNTRY AND INJURE/KILL YOURSELF OR OTHERS IT IS 100% ON YOU. AGAIN, THIS IS IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM A SUBSTITUTE FOR REAL LIFE INSTRUCION. YOU ARE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR DECISIONS AND ACTIONS, AND IN THE BACKCOUNTRY THE CONSEQUENCES CAN BE DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A REAL AVALANCHE COURSE. As you will see, we are all pretty well on the fence about even putting this on the front page and may decide to remove this information. mushi posted:Anyway, so don't go out-of-bounds if you don't understand that you could die and you are significantly increasing the risk involved in recreating on a snow-sliding device. I'll leave the rest of the post here because I spent a long time typing it up and I'm sure it will be lost after we get to the next page anyway. denereal visease fucked around with this message at Nov 1, 2012 around 19:03 |
| # ? Oct 31, 2012 23:35 |
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{3.0} Eejit's OP for SkiersEejit posted:Since DV has snowboards covered, here is some love for you skigoons. denereal visease fucked around with this message at Nov 2, 2012 around 20:44 |
| # ? Oct 31, 2012 23:36 |
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op 4.0
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| # ? Oct 31, 2012 23:36 |
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{5.0} FRIENDS: Snowgoons listing by region Post in the thread if you want to be listed. Information can be removed or modified at your request. If you want to be added to the listing, please please please post in the following format
{5.1} Ice Coast (proving that it's bullet proof)
•EPICAC •c355n4 (Mt Snow, VT) •Hoopaloops (Killington, VT) •ChromeGnome (NoVT) •davebo (DC area) •Crusty_mabiba (Boston) •Streeb (Killington, VT) •problematique (WV/VA) •Varg (Poconos, PA) •HomersBBBq (Jay Peak & Mad River Glen, VT; Cannon, NH) •GonadTheBallbarian •Cerebral Assassin (MD/VA/PA) •LurikeenNightshade (NE OH & Western PA) •h3r0n (NE Ohio & Western PA/NY) •gozer (NYC weekend-warrior) •AtomikKrab (knee injury) •Carta (Cannon Mtn, NH)[ •synftw (Waterville Valley, NH & Sugarbush, VT) •TMonsta (Cannon Mtn, Boston Ma) •moww (Bretton Woods/Cannon/NH/VT/MA, Boston) •tiananman (Bolton Valley) {5.2} Midwest (the land of tears)
•Raze (Detroit, MI) •cmorrow001 (Bittersweet) •RizieN (Cincinnati) •Baby Rose (MN) •mAlfunktion (Perfect North) •Quabzor (Grand Geneva/Wilmot/Alpine, WI) •OniPanda (Ann Arbor area) {5.3} WY/MT/ID (also the land of tears but not always as many)
•Sanzuo (Bozeman) {5.4} Colorado (mining or some poo poo)
•Snap Your Fingers (Summit County) •marauderthirty (Copper) •heatx (Vail) •stormrider (Steamboat) •ironlung (Aspen) •Gorilla Radio (Breckenridge) •raggedphoto (Aspen, CO) •19o'clock (Breckenridge) •xsuperkidx (Tahoe) •spwrozek (Epic Pass) •Moot . (Telluride) •mintskoal (Epic Pass) •telarium4 (Beaver Creek) •MC2552John (Epic Pass) •Mishra (Epic Pass) •deong (Summit County, Epic Local) •gmilo (Epic Pass) •Eejit (Epic Pass) •I LIKE COOKIE (Epic Pass) •vanilla slimfast (Epic Pass) •Stinger (Rocky Mountain Super Pass( {5.5} Utah (BYOB)
•Spudalicious (actually in AZ) •rds (Brighton & Deer Valley) •Nichole (Cottonwoods) •hunter x az (SLC) •Lord_Xar (Snowbird, SLC) •RocktheHawk (SLC area) {5.6} Cali & PNW (wet and wild)
•highme (Mt Hood) •Dexter Stratton (Eastern WA) •Necropasta (Washington state) •Beefheart (Alpental, Stevens, Crystal, Baker) •Ethereal (Stevens) •perabyte (Mammoth) •inkblottime (Snoqualmie) •AtlantisMantis (Oregon) •Eyecannon (Mt High, Big Bear, Baldy) •Wombot (Snoqualmie & Baker) •Steve French (Squaw) •Braincloud (Crystal, Baker) •surf animal (Bear, Summit) •avidshatter (Tahoe) •tank9900 (Spokane) •TheJetCityFix (Baker/Snoqualmie) •mushi (Oregon / Mt Hood) •horseblow.avi (Mammoth) •Whiteboy (Sierra @ Tahoe) •Advent Horizon (Eaglecrest, AK) •Glumwheels (Stevens / Crystal) •Maxwells Demon (Mt Bachelor) •ArchivalQuality (Alyeska/Chugach, AK) •rubipy (Mt. Spokane, WA) •ANGRY_KOREA_MAN (Stevens Pass, WA) •SUPER HASSLER (Mt Bachelor) •Sierra Nevadan (Sugar Bowl) •Daughter (Mt Baker) •Conan the Librarian (Heavenly/Northstar/Kirkwood, Cali/Tahoe) •fnkles (Northstar, Kirkwood, Heavenly) •Rotten (Snoqualmie) •BigShroom (Stevens, WA) •gotly (Seattle area) {5.7} Canada (moose jibbing itt)
•ante (Whistler, Cypress) •Thref (BC) •HAmbONE (Sunshine Village, Lake Louise) •enzeen (Ontario) •Troysfalling (Marmot) •tomato pancake (BC) •Xenoid (BC) •Landsknecht (Alberta) •canadianclassic (BC) •kidhash •big cheese (Kicking Horse, BC) •IKillForePie (Sunshine/Louise/Castle/Fernie , Alberta) •Rated PG-34 (BC) •maws (Revelstoke, BC) •Ruckusmode (Lake Louise/Sunshine, Alberta) •RocktheHawk (Ontario/Quebec) •Math You (Mont Ste Marie, Tremblant) •True Chaos (Ontario/Quebec) •teriyaki (Cypress, Whistler, Baker) {5.8} Japan 
•zmcnulty •Bobsledboy {5.9} Europe (pro. 'Yurp')
•ray_finkle (Far East Russia) •Mickey Eye (Norfjell, Tryvann, & Hemsedal, Norway) •CancerCakes (Weardale, UK) •Froist (UK) •Soulex (Germany/Bavaria) •nippythefish (Germany) •doombaboon •Maxwells Demon (Chamonix/Monts Jura) •Ghetto Blaster (Sainte Foy, France) •The_Maz (Stuttgart, Germany) •Man with Hat (Axamer Lizum, Austria) •zen63 (Sierra Nevada, Spain) {5.10} Southern motherfuckin Hemisphere 
denereal visease fucked around with this message at Dec 1, 2012 around 09:54 |
| # ? Oct 31, 2012 23:36 |
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{6.0} Here's some teasers for this last year's new videos
•TGR's Jeremy Jones' Further •Yes Snowboards' It's A Movie Too •Standard's 2112 •Absinthe's Resonance •Burton's 13 denereal visease fucked around with this message at Nov 12, 2012 around 23:56 |
| # ? Oct 31, 2012 23:36 |
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{7.0} Miscellany This is where all the assorted information goes / will go, as well as content generated by other posters  {7.1} This is really loving expensive  Snowsports have a pretty high "cost-of-admission" which is one of the things that bums me out about them. There are a lot of things you can do to help keep your own personal costs down...
•Carpool with friends: not only will everyone save on gas money, but it will help keep winter alive •Watch for deals: buying a season pass at the end of the preceeding season will almost always save you at least $100, generally more at nicer resorts. •Social Capital: There is something of an art to developing a connection that can net you a proform, and you'd be surprised where they can turn up. Running into a sales rep at a bar, getting in with a store owner, knowing sponsored/connected riders, not to mention most companies gladly offer them to employees of shops selling their gear. Additionally, lots of companies will offer proforms to coaches (and some resort employees) if asked nicely. DO NOT BE A SHADY FUCKER AND USE PEOPLE FOR PROFORMS. It is also considered very poor taste to disclose any prices offered to you through such a program, and could get your privileges revoked. Using your proform(s) to buy gear for others is considered an abuse of the privelege, and you will lose the discount probably for life. Sometimes & only sometimes manufacturers will let you use your pro-deal to buy a limitied number of gifts for others, and they tend to notify you of these types of promotions; usually it's a limited selection of the line and for a limited time only. It's very likely that high-end companies keep records of proform abusers, and quite possible that the industry as a whole has a "black list" of proform-abusers. •Equipment:
•http://www.steepandcheap.com • • •http://www.bantler.com <-multi-site aggregator •http://www.the-house.com •http://www.sierratradingpost.com •http://www.departmentofgoods.com (not winter specific, but usu. awesome prices here) •http://www.liftopia.com/ •http://www.solsticesupply.com {7.2} horseblow.avi's Snow Tire post horseblow.avi posted:Most people don't know what makes a good snow tire, including tire shops and people who live in the snow. Soulex posted:This video should show you exactly the difference between summer/all season/winter tires. On an ice rink. dv's $0.02: I drive a Subaru and throw dedicated snow tires on it for the winter. Currently using a set of Bridgestone Blizzaks that work fine. {7.3} bawful's 'La Nińa y El Nińo' post bawfuls posted:http://forums.somethingawful.com/editpost.php?action=editpost&postid=396571394 [b][u]{7.4} Moot .'s 'find your dead rear end in the backcountry' website Moot . posted:What is our site, you say? From our 'about' page: Check back for more stuffy stuff for stuffers who stuff stuff denereal visease fucked around with this message at Nov 2, 2012 around 21:21 |
| # ? Oct 31, 2012 23:37 |
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Welcome welcome shredders new & old. It might take me a little bit longer than it has in the past to get all the content back online as I'm moving yet again. Denver kicked my rear end but I will be back. If you need to be added, removed, or updated from the list it's going to take a while so I apologize in advance. Goals for the year: hit 20 days, ride in a real park, get life together
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| # ? Oct 31, 2012 23:39 |
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'12-'13 - Feels like I'm wearing nothing at all, NOTHING AT ALL Nothing at all Nothing at all
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| # ? Oct 31, 2012 23:41 |
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Haha well maybe it will just be regional webcam suicides. We can livestream ourselves in Denver ending it all at a brewery if it comes to that. Always figured "too drunk to live" wouldn't be a bad way to go. Update me to Denver with the Epic (when you have time). Will put up some bragging pictures of the new gear I will never get to use tomorrow. E: That's half a lie, I did already get half a day on my new boots. EE: The resort guide "megathread" fell into archives. I can dig it out if there's enough interest, but even in full swing last year we only had 3 or 4 entries. Eejit fucked around with this message at Nov 1, 2012 around 00:03 |
| # ? Nov 1, 2012 00:01 |
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Should have been Snowboarding & Skiing Megathread 2012-13: Pizza... French Fry!
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 01:14 |
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drat fedex! My bindings are already in my town yet the scheduled delivery date is in 2 days. Are they just holding them for a day to have fun with it?? Need my set NOW (even though I won't be skiing for a while) Apparently the next big ish storm for PNW is in 2 weeks or so. Can't wait.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 01:32 |
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Hooray! I was starting to think we were just going to cannibalize last year's thread for this season Colorado native, this'll be my...5th? season on the snow. Skiied the whole time, I tried snowboarding last season and while I got the gist of it, I also hosed myself up something decent (pretty sure I bruised or fractured a rib). I'll try again this year over winter break (music student, can't risk breaking any wrists/arms during school and failing piano class) but for now I'm sticking mostly to skiing. Proud holder of an Epic Local pass, already went to A Basin a week ago last Saturday (snow was decent for early season, lift lines weren't terrible either) and planning on going to Keystone this weekend. Can't wait!
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 02:57 |
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Goon input required. I live in the PNW where it's constantly cloudy and/or foggy and snowing when I snowboard. I cant see poo poo through my current goggles in these low light conditions. I've been sussing out these: http://www.smithoptics.com/products...Series/IO/view/ with a Red Sensor Mirror lens. Are these good in low light? Has anyone tried them? Tell me what to do Goon Think Tank.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 03:34 |
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I hit up Loveland last Saturday. It was great to be back on the snow but I'm feeling pretty rusty. The next day I was so sore I could barely get out of bed. The snow was not so bad after the recent dump but it started getting pretty scraped out about half way through the day. This Saturday I'll be heading up to Copper, which will have over 20 park features set up opening day.  HUZZAH FOR WINTER. e: Any other Colorado goons here mourning the loss of Echo? Steezy Skunk Tamer fucked around with this message at Nov 1, 2012 around 04:03 |
| # ? Nov 1, 2012 04:00 |
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M.McFly posted:I live in the PNW where it's constantly cloudy and/or foggy and snowing when I snowboard. I cant see poo poo through my current goggles in these low light conditions. I've been sussing out these:
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 04:29 |
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M.McFly posted:Goon input required. Anything near $175 for goggles is an insane amount of money. I have been nursing a few sets of Oakley A frames with persimmon lenses for ages. I know they aren't mirrored and rad looking but the persimmon lens is great for all weather conditions in my experience. edit: I'm sure that Smith makes a lens that is similar to the persimmon lens edit2: If you're going to splash out I'd go for the photochromic lenses. I have had those for motoX and for sunglasses and they rule. n8r fucked around with this message at Nov 1, 2012 around 04:35 |
| # ? Nov 1, 2012 04:32 |
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Sensor vs Red Sensor is a 10% difference in light transmission... if you think your eyes can tell that much of a difference then buy the Sensor, otherwise buy whichever one you think looks better. Personally I use the Sensor for low light and it's fine. I'm sure the Red Sensor would also be fine, I ski with plenty of people who use it.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 04:34 |
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 Genius
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 04:34 |
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Awesome, I was waiting for this! Thanks OP. If you happen to make a list of what goon skis where, I will be working and riding at Sugar Bowl near Tahoe in PNW Region Looking forward to the updates! Sierra Nevadan fucked around with this message at Nov 1, 2012 around 04:40 |
| # ? Nov 1, 2012 04:37 |
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ironlung posted:Sensor vs Red Sensor is a 10% difference in light transmission... if you think your eyes can tell that much of a difference then buy the Sensor, otherwise buy whichever one you think looks better. 10% is a pretty huge difference for sunglasses.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 04:37 |
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Smith lists them both as lenses for "low/medium" light conditions. it's negligible.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 04:52 |
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Steezy Skunk Tamer posted:I hit up Loveland last Saturday. It was great to be back on the snow but I'm feeling pretty rusty. The next day I was so sore I could barely get out of bed. The snow was not so bad after the recent dump but it started getting pretty scraped out about half way through the day. I was able to Ski the race course up at Copper today cause I won the VIP package. I'll be going up on Saturday as well. Eejit - I didn't see your post as I was already on the road at that point so I couldn't go around bothering them. There were not any big name pros there, just a bunch of young ski team people who go assigned as tour guides. It was still a lot of fun and the food was great too! I took my Moment jaguar sharks out and had a blast on them. The top half of the course was quite soft and hard to tell it was man made, however the bottom half had some recent snow-making done to it, so it was hard/chunky in areas. According to my run tracker app (which has been quite accurate in the past) put me at a top speed of 55 mph, a speed I would have never approached on my S3's. All in all it was a great day and I still had some time to make it to work.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 05:15 |
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Sierra Nevadan posted:Awesome, I was waiting for this! Thanks OP. Since when is Tahoe considered part of the PNW?
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 05:32 |
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On PNW "can't see for poo poo days" the Oakleys w/ high intensity yellow are the only option. The rest of the time I use my Smiths with the Sensor Ignitor/Mirror (I don't remember which).
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 05:35 |
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So I don't want to get too indepth but last time (and the first time) I tried snowboarding I just fell over again and again even though I had watched a bunch of videos, got the beginner lessons, read advice etc. It probably didn't help that I was on some awful, icy, artificial late winter northern Illinois slopes. But is there anything I can do to make my next time better?
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 05:44 |
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bomblol posted:So I don't want to get too indepth but last time (and the first time) I tried snowboarding I just fell over again and again even though I had watched a bunch of videos, got the beginner lessons, read advice etc. It probably didn't help that I was on some awful, icy, artificial late winter northern Illinois slopes. But is there anything I can do to make my next time better? Take a lesson.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 05:44 |
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What is this tracker app you are using stinger? Also take a lesson. It's not very expensive and it is imperative that you start with proper guidance for ski/boarding.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 06:06 |
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bomblol posted:So I don't want to get too indepth but last time (and the first time) I tried snowboarding I just fell over again and again even though I had watched a bunch of videos, got the beginner lessons, read advice etc. It probably didn't help that I was on some awful, icy, artificial late winter northern Illinois slopes. But is there anything I can do to make my next time better? Snowboard has got a pretty mean learning curve unfortunately, the first few days will mostly be spent falling over. The good news is that once you get past that it starts to get really fun really quickly. Don't get disheartened, and maybe take a day long lesson so you're getting lots of useful advice. From a Eurogoon perspective, do we want to recommend who to have lessons with? Up until 2 years ago ESF (the main ski schools in all French resorts) required snowboard instructors to have ski instructor qualifications and be able to snowboard. It meant that on the whole, ESF snowboard instructors were pretty poor and some were terrible. This might have changed, but I regularly saw snowboarders in ESF uniforms who were pretty lovely at snowboarding. As for low light lens choices - I think most goggle brands will do a rose, yellow or pink lens; just pick the brand you like.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 06:15 |
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Pity me for I am an Ohio skier. Here's hoping that this seasons it's more wintery than last year. I know there was snow on the hill, but I just didn't feel like driving to Bellefontaine or Mansfield when it was like spring. I need to get out of this state.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 06:35 |
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I'm a self taught snowboarder with around 18 years experience and I just took a lesson last year to clean up some small things and it was worth every penny. If you are just starting out or have never had a lesson or clear instruction take one as things only get much better.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 06:45 |
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washow posted:What is this tracker app you are using stinger? Ski Tracks for iphone.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 06:46 |
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I took a snowboarding lessons once last season and I didn't learn poo poo. The instructor seemed like a long time boarder but the guy was lovely as hell at teaching. Been skiing since I was 6 and always thought snowboarding would be super easy to learn but it wasn't the case haha. Oh well, it got me more into skiing thanks to that experience.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 06:48 |
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Since the last time I went boarding, my eyesight has gotten poorer to the point where I pretty much wear glasses all the time now. Anyone able to shed some light on glasses + ski goggles? It seems to me like it would be impractical and I'd be better off going to get some contact lenses. But even then i'd be worried about them getting jarred out or something (does this happen? iunno). What do you semi-blind ski/board goons do?
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 07:33 |
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NtotheTC posted:Since the last time I went boarding, my eyesight has gotten poorer to the point where I pretty much wear glasses all the time now. Anyone able to shed some light on glasses + ski goggles? It seems to me like it would be impractical and I'd be better off going to get some contact lenses. But even then i'd be worried about them getting jarred out or something (does this happen? iunno). I wear contacts and the have an extremely hard time coming off your eye. http://www.smithoptics.com/products...+The+Glass+OTG/ There's also these goggles, but sometimes you have to deal with your glasses fogging.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 07:47 |
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Seconding contacts. Bailing with glasses suuucks. Haven't lost a contact yet.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 07:52 |
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Put me on the list for Bavaria region, Germany. Can't wait to start doing poo poo. Been looking forward all year long. This years goals: go to Austria and hit a mountain, the Zugspitze, and make Nippyfish come board with me. I also might go back to Grosser Arber. That place was always powdery.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 09:43 |
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this is kinda fun/funny: http://www.powdermag.com/stories/ski-town-throwdown/ We got completely screwed in Aspen by being put up against Jackson in the first round, however. Terrible seeding imo, how the gently caress are Jackson and Alta (or SLC or whatever) not 1 seeds? ironlung fucked around with this message at Nov 1, 2012 around 14:24 |
| # ? Nov 1, 2012 14:21 |
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SlipUp posted:Seconding contacts. Bailing with glasses suuucks. Haven't lost a contact yet. Also just the general freezing/fogging up problem. I'd never ski with glasses. washow posted:
This looks to suit my needs perfectly but drat that's a little pricey.
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 14:56 |
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| # ? May 24, 2013 16:44 |
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Just booked a week at Mont Tremblant! Jan 4th through the 10th. By far my favorite mountain in the Northeast. I can't wait!
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| # ? Nov 1, 2012 15:06 |
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