Fat Old Bastard

Just something I found Googling Catek. This guy owns a Donek so he must be cool ! Some nice photos. http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hige-g/yokonori/index.html http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hige-g/yokonori/gallary/frame.html

Isn't your problem with racers (or others) buying gear cheaply outside Canada and then privately importing it with the intention of reselling ? It would be another story if Blue is selling and shipping directly to customers in Canada. Just trying to understand.

RJ is the importer.

Swingbo :lol:

Downhill-halfpipe Just have to build a halfpipe on a downhill ski race course. No restrictions on equipment. But all contestants must sign a waiver (and their last will & testament).

Sounds like you got all the right gear and have really put your heart into getting better. Way to go ! We need more posts like yours !

I was a late starter in the early years (November 1982) but as I recall it was called snowsurfing. I don't think I heard the words "alpine" or "carving" until the late '80s or early '90s. It is a real pity that any division exists between the various styles of boarding and I think it's up to each individual rider to be friendly to everybody else on the mountain no matter how many planks they are on or how they choose to ride. Mind you there are two kinds of boarders that annoy me: 1. People who run over my board in the liftlines, 2. People who sit down to strap up and block the exit ramp at the top of the lifts; and 3. People who are unfriendly. (Yes that's 3 types). The only point of going boarding is to have fun !

If only I had more money to buy (and more time to ride) because it sounds l like should buy both. Decisions, decisions

Well said ! You have to carve and you have to be totally committed. Pipe is difficult. Too difficult, scary and painful for this old codger. I have a lot of respect for the boarders and skiers that rip in the pipe. It takes real skill.

Has anyone ridden both boards ? Which is best ? Which is fastest ?

Do you have a link to the TWS response ?

I will probably be shot for saying this but a quality softboot program that teaches *good* freeriding technique could be appropriate (depending of course on what level of rider you are). I think that the immobile upper body technique taught by some freeride instructors is quite similar to the Swiss EC technique. No substitute for learning directly from a good hardboot instructor but if you are a relative beginner or low intermediate then in my opinion you can learn something useful about carving turns from a *good* softboot instructor.

As you say they make good bindings. I can't comment on the P1 but my C14s are sweet and I was also happy with the Customs before them. Not to mention Torques and Flex. Also I owe my introduction to the whole sport to a chance meeting with Jake Burton Carpenter way back in 1982. As a consequence for years I always bought Burton and was happy from Backhill to Cruzer to M6. Also had a Twisted and a Custom. Custom was a very fun little ride but I bought too short at 156 and the tail washed out. Of the current lineup I like the look of the T6, Custom X and Triumph. And the couple of Burton people I had a beer with one time in Tokyo were good people. For all I know maybe they were marketing guys ;-) My only serious gripes with Burton are that they dropped alpine and that they refuse to change to 4 hole insert pattern.

... how is Velcro going to gouge the offender's base ? Nice idea though

... that this is cynical MBA marketing genius driven fake bad attitude. That's my cents anyway.

Couldn't find you a Safari but here's a sweet Air: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Burton-Snowboard-with-Nordica-boots-and-Figl-Bindings_W0QQitemZ170011447249QQihZ007QQcategoryZ21250QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wow ! Now that is getting low on the snow EC style !

It chomps off the front of their board or skis !

Check out the ultimate alpine board: http://cgi.ebay.com/Oxygen-Black-Snow-Snowboard-w-Bindings-51-Inches_W0QQitemZ270007769227QQihZ017QQcategoryZ36297QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

on the tail. Or gluing a pad of light microcell foam. It really used to bug me and I was forever giving people the message to keep the #$% off my board. I honestly don't understand why people can't maintain control in a queue and respect other people's property. So I guess I'm a grumpy old B ;-)

I've read the reviews and both boards sound good. But which is better for a 200lb 5'9" lazy unfit rider craving easy all-mountain cruising ?

If I remember correctly my old Burton Cruzer had that kind of shape in the tail.

I'm only guessing but I think it would be around 1995 or so. But maybe more recent than that. Nitro used to have very good people racing for them so I think they must have made a decent alpine board.

I vaguely remember that Morrow but never rode one. But yeah the Bataleon is going to be a real problem to stonegrind. If I understand the design it's only the nose and tail where the edges are raised above the snow. The mid section is flat like a normal board. I'm not rushing out to buy one, but it's good to see a company with the courage to experiment with something different.

http://www.bataleon.com/site/technology/triple_base_technology