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Skwal Riders General Discussion


mikel45

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  • 2 weeks later...
All in a week here in bomber land - Lacroix 180, Plazma and radical skwal carving video - feeling the vibe yet?

...together with the skwal vibe ... some news to the interested skwalers in skwal technique...

The english version of Tecnica-Skwal for advanced level is on-line: go to <!-- w -->www.skwalclubitalia.it<!-- w --> , select "Tecnica-Skwal" and select "english version" under "Livello Avanzato"...

this is my effort and proposition to intermediate advanced carvers...

let's the skwal vibe begin in us

ps-looking forward for the US Skwal site.....

Obi One

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For those that might be interested . . . from a non-boarder, solely a skier - first day ever on a skwal. Started off on magic carpet (bunny hill) to learn how to point and track the board under limited speed. Move to tow rope (larger bunny hill) to increase speed. Moved to triple chair, learned mighty quick how to depart chair, initiate turns and more importantly how to stop!! Ski poles used throughout. Also, let be known, all was not accomplished without a few rolling windmills. All before noon.
Overall conclusion
,
skwals are a blast
-
highly recommended!!

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1 base and 2 side, more aggressive (for real hardpack snow): 0.5 base and 3 side

We surely have hardpack around these neck of woods, but I think I'll stick with the standard 1 base, 2 side - thanks much.

Instruction: Obi One videos

Obi One, I really enjoying watching your videos (
&
).

When twinned with your
they provide a beginner a good starting point to learn how to skwal.

I particularly found the start of the 2:59 minute mark of
to be very insightful.

A great example of tilting of the arms, compression and shift of body weight. Again, thanks much!

What size is the Xrace?

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We surely have hardpack around these neck of woods, but I think I'll stick with the standard 1 base, 2 side - thanks much.

Instruction: Obi One videos

Obi One, I really enjoying watching your videos (
&
).

When twinned with your
they provide a beginner a good starting point to learn how to skwal.

I particularly found the start of the 2:59 minute mark of
to be very insightful.

A great example of tilting of the arms, compression and shift of body weight. Again, thanks much!

What size is the Xrace?

Hi!

remember this question:

"how do you perform a turn with a bike at a moderate speed?"

...think about the natural positioning of your body to ride the bike and... there you go!...a skwal turn is the same : )

xrace skwals:

the xrace skwals come in two sizes: 173cm or 183cm

I ride the 183, but even the 173 is real fun...the former is "for real work" to latter is a "wonderful carving toy"

obi one

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Being based in France helps, there seem to be more here than anywhere else. Could have got myself a second SK200 as well, but the guy wanted more for that than the Panther... http://www.leboncoin.fr is the place to look.

Had to wait for 2 years before one came up at the right price, though. Took it out this morning. Most amusing.

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Today was my first two hour day on SK200, first time on a skwal, too. This thing is a fekkkkin rocket! Absolutely love it. After 1 hour of trying to figure out how to step in these bloody Elfgens and how to stand without tripping over I suddenly got it and I can carve all the blue and red slopes in the resort. :1luvu: Now I need something with smaller SCR, the snow's on fire! :eplus2:

tufty, thanks for the link. Too much of a hassle to try to translate it for me.

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tufty, thanks for the link. Too much of a hassle to try to translate it for me.

If you're in Poland like your profile says, your best bet is probably ebay or the polish equivalent of leboncoin (which is a French free ads site *not* linked to frickin' paypal, but most people don't wanna ship, so you have to look locally). Or, if you can afford to pay for a new plank, there's a few online shops dealing with skwals (http://shop.skwal.eu/ is the european skwal association's shop, they sell Lagriffe boards direct - if I had the money that's where I would have gone, the Lagriffe boards rule).

There's always a few chancers out there, there's one guy on leboncoin who regularly advertises a "snow-skwal" at ~150€ which is, in reality, a fat, straight, 1980s ski with elfgen snowboard bindings screwed to it (it has a radius of >50m, but he doesn't advertise that).

If you're up for trying to organise shipping, here's an auto translated (french-polish, change the "tl=pl" to "tl=en" for french-english) link to leboncoin : http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=pl&u=http://www.leboncoin.fr/annonces/offres/rhone_alpes/occasions/%3Ff%3Da%26th%3D1%26q%3Dskwal

the other option is the skwalzone.org forum personal ads.

The SK200 is a fantastic board, but massively fast with a big radius. Like you say, a rocket. To learn on, you might do better with a 173°F or 183°F, although carving at Mach 10 on the SK200 is insanely addictive once you've got a handle on it.

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Sabestian, thanks for sharing.

Yesterday, my second day out on skwal - one run without poles was a bit of disaster balance-wise. Finding being shot out like slingshot at the ends of carves a bit un-nerving. I've decided more comfortable with walking mode boot flex for slope entrance into carve. Presently experimenting with stance distance and back boot angulation.

What are people using for back foot angulation? Never even thought of this possible variation:

cour03.jpg

Source: Snowgo: Riding the Skwal in Courchevel

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The SK200 is a fantastic board, but massively fast with a big radius. Like you say, a rocket. To learn on, you might do better with a 173°F or 183°F, although carving at Mach 10 on the SK200 is insanely addictive once you've got a handle on it.

I *think* :eek: I can handle it. Perhaps I shouldn't have written that actually :boxing_sm , now it will probably kick my arse! I am being thrown in the air between curves, all that with control (after 90 minutes on skwal). All the ObiOne's teachings clicked into place. Awesome feeling, I think I'm in love. If this is what an oldie like that is capable of doing, I can't even start to imagine what a modern skwal can???

Thanks for being so helpfull, this is really encouraging. I am thinking of buying the Lagriffe RS176 Titanal with Piokka bindings of the shop.skwal.eu. This, I believe, would be a slower, tamier and more versatile skwal. Perhaps I could even throw some extremecarving into it? :confused: Question is, is it going to be stiff enough for my 90kg (with gear, boots etc) and 180cm?

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