Helvetico

Will these uncool boxes accomodate the rear spoiler on the Outback's hatch? This is what I'm talking about: http://rackattackportland.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/outback-2010-boxter-5.jpg A quick look at the Kamei website reveals nothing that will not obstruct the hatch, which means not getting it open.

Haven't got tired of watching it yet. Great cinematography and evocative music:

Amazing footage: a real-life horror movie.

Wow, lots of useful responses! No Yakima racks available here in Switzerland, so I'm focusing on Thule. I should also mention that I'm limited by low garage height: lots of indoor garages here have clearances at or just above 2 meters, so I have to measure and re-measure everything carefully, or I'll end up destroying not only the roof box, but low-hanging pipes full of God-knows-what. I've already screwed up once trying to take the cheap way out and buying a box from a giant local hardware/do-it-yourself chain: had to take it back after wasting time trying to install it based upon the advice of a clueless clerk. Going to have to go to a local specialist and lay out serious cash to get it done right. I like the kids-in-the-box threat, too. On the carrot end of things, I find double-DVD players hooked up to earphones do a fine job of shutting them up.

Definitely helpful. Thanks.

Got a pair of Yakima fat cats on the Outback and they're great, but the kids are starting to ski, so the equipment is accumulating. I can barely cram in all the stuff on long trips. Tried to get a box on before, but I can't find something that will both fit the car and accomodate my 200 cm Tanker. Yeah, it gets used only every great once in a while, but I love it. So I'll probably have to opt for a shorter box that fits the strange hatch on the OB and carry the Tanker inside the car. So here are my questions: besides more cargo volume, and greater theft-proofness, what are the advantages to boxes? Will keeping road grit and salt off the skis/boards reduce edge rust? Would appreciate replies from anybody with experience with both, especially a harried parent.

http://www.ralphcastelberg.ch/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218:real-longboarding-2011&catid=8:snowboard-videos&Itemid=32

Since moving to Switzerland six years ago I've seen these cult boards around: all of them are made of carbon fiber. Got my eye on a Virus Lightning Team Edition, but I have to try Radical's freecarver first. Anyone ridden one? http://www.radical-sports.com/english/frame/f-snow.html

I understand titanal, or titanium, or whatever the nomenclature is: great damping and good ice grip: got me one of them boards and it works goodly. Can anyone out there explain explain the advantages/disadvantages of carbon fiber boards in layman's terms? Is this a replacement for or an addition to titanium?

+1 Level gloves. No problems in two seasons. I wear the full Biomex wrist guards under mittens on hideously cold days. I'd look into lower body protection if I were you: coccyx, hips and all that.

Rented the board at Sport Riml in Soelden and had a great day on it. turns on a dime (17.something waist width) upturned, rounded nose maneuvers well in bumps, crud and moguls stiff camber returns energy well, but doesn't overdo it Just for fun I compared it to two other boards. The first was a Kessler 168. Squared nose made it too grabby in mixed spring conditions. Effective edge feels a lot longer than the Virus. Great on packed powder slopes, I would imagine, but that's it. One-dimensional. Heavy. It's like lead, only denser. Tried the Virus 168 Lightning, which I liked the least. Grabbier than the Kessler, and less damp. Too much camber. I weigh 85 kilos (187 lbs), so this is saying something. I should have a third point here for the sake of parallelism, but what the hell. The Rocket required a little more alertness than my all-mountain board, but really, what's the point of being on the slope if you're going to tune out? Virus is a great builder with an obvious passion for hardbooting...and quality.

Why not start with hard boots on your current board? That's what I did before switching to an AM board. Be warned, though, the edge pressure could end up pulling the board apart. BTW, I live in Switzerland too...across the Roestigraben...and had Joerg at PB do my boot liners. He's good at what he does, but has some pretty fixed notions about what constitutes good equipment and what doesn't. What works for him may not work for you, so don't accept his biases (or mine) as empirical truth. Go out and try whatever you can get your hands on and decide for yourself. Check out your local Valais makers at Swoard (are they still around?) and our north-of-the-border friends at Virus.

Haven't had the softies out this season. Does it make sense to bother now that everything's granular?

Cool. Do the Doneks ride the same? Are the materials exactly the same, or are they a close approximation?

I wonder how it compares to a Kessler...maybe more forgiving of less-than-perfect conditions. It's the last snowboard on the right: the alpine one entitled "freecarver." http://www.radical-sports.com/english/frame/f-snow.html

She's an intermediate who likes her Head "Hot Thang" 163's, but they're getting a little old and losing camber. She likes slaloming down pistes and is really getting into carving linked turns. Not interested in hitting maximum speed, but is searching for more control on hardpack/ice. Since we live in Switzerland, and the Franc is in our favor, I've been looking at Kessler's Pandora http://www.kessler-swiss.com/en-US/products/ski/thePandora and these skis from a local company called Radical http://www.radical-sports.com/english/frame/f-ski.html.

Thanks. I'll steer toward the Uli. Want to have fun in the waves.

Will be in Florida this summer and am looking for a fun, physically challenging water sport, but don't want to purchase a massive longboard. There are no waves to speak of, anyway, so I need something I can paddle around on and the kids can play with. Need something portable. Uli looks like the best, but it's pricey. Any other brands worth considering?

Looking for slopeside accomodations so the wife and I can alternate babysitting with skiing/boarding. Intermediate cruisers with easily poachable piste-side powder (I should be so lucky) highly desired. So far I'm looking at Les Arcs and Les Menuires, in the Trois Vallees. I'm favoring Menuires because it looks less crowded and has more lifts than the entire state of Vermont (joke). Any input, positive or negative, would be greatly appreciated.

Well, for the most part, at least. Here's what I did: 1. Cropped the front 1/4 of the custom footbeds, leaving the stiff arch and heel areas intact. 2. Bought Smartwool ultrathin socks. 3. Bought neoprene "boot glove" covers. My toes were so warm and comfortable after riding for hours that I kept tromping around in hardboots I would normally be dying to take off. Mind you, this was all in relatively warm (zero celsius or a couple below) weather. We'll see how things turn out when I try really cold conditions.

Thanks for the great info, SVR. Logistics of traveling with a dozen extended family members made it impossible to get down there, plus I don't think there was enough powder to go off-piste without seriously damaging the board or myself. Hakuba was fun but it's obviously been in slow decline since the ski boom of the eighties and the Olympic investment. If I ever make it make to Japan, are there any other places on Honshu I should check out? Shiga Kogen, maybe? Or should I just head straight for Hokkaido?

Anyone recommend a good place? I got a kick-ass loaner from Tom Krembs in Nagoya which i intend to put through its paces on the pistes, but am unwilling to go off-piste in. It'll likely sink in shallow areas and I'll likely get my lift ticket cut and tossed out of there for violating mountain rules. Anyone rent big 170 (cm plus guns) around there? Cheers, Helvetico

I ride up to a 200 cm. Tanker normally, but could manage a shorter, wider board despite my mondo 27 size feet. Any shop recommendations? Been already hooked up with a great piste board for hardboots during my holiday stay, but wondering if I shouldn't upgrade to the massive-ive-est plank around in the event of lots of powder. Grammar and style leave room for improvement, but hey, don't be so judgmental, man.

I've been using the BOSU ball upside down for bodyweight squats for a year or so, and have been pleased with the results. I also built my own Indo board using PVC pipe and plywood...good fun, but it's starting to get easy. I'm thinking of getting a wobble board. Anyone out there care to share their experiences on these things? How about sphere-and-ring designs such as the Balance360 or the Surfball? http://www.balance360.com/servlet/StoreFront http://surfball.net/ There are guys on Youtube balancing surfboards on gym balls, but that looks downright stupid and reckless to me.

If your Eliminator is anything like my old Rad-Air Reto Lamm, a stiff BX board, then it has little business in powder. The stiff nose wants to catapult you over the front, not bend and form a boat-like bow. Go with the Tanker. The 182 is a good length for venturing just off-piste. It's still manageable on the slopes, too. For real unsinkability and the capability to cruise shallow angles, go with a 200. If you have particularly large feet, get a 187 wide.