Aracan

I am quite content with UPZ, because I prefer a lot of fore/aft flex and can work around the ramp angle with a wedge under the front binding. To each their own, I guess.

My jacket is day-glo orange around the shoulders. Most people give me enough room.

Same as last season: The Contra 174 Bruce built for me at the beginning of this year, and the trusty old PB Bastard for when there might be rocks.

It seems the FIS rules only specify a minimum width of 16 cm for all SB competitions (14 cm for boards shorter than 135 cm): https://assets.fis-ski.com/image/upload/v1656567669/fis-prod/assets/Specifications_for_SBFSFKSX_clean_28.06.2022.pdf

Wow. Gotta love those pants!

Still at it since 1994. This winter doesn't look very promising, what with 12°C outside at the moment. But who knows …

It is definitely happening. Glaciers are disappearing fast, the first glacier resorts have ceased operations here (probably for good). Where I grew up, there wasn't a single Xmas without snow at least until the mid-90s, and I remember winters with 6'+ snow in my parents' backyard (at an elevation of 2,600 ft). Now it's a coin toss between white and green on the 24th. We are also having an extremely warm autumn. We used to buy season passes at a discount in November. This year I doubt we would get our money's worth.

Level are nice and all, but they don't hold up to dragging your hands in the snow. As dredman said: rather pricey for something you have to work on every season. I ended up laminating fiberglass on mine in places. I have been using Thor gloves the past season, curious to see how they will hold up. Given the current temperatures in these here parts, they will probably last very, very long.

I think after your unfortunate experience we can agree that "bought without doing the shell test" is half a step above "sight unseen" at best.

I seem to be missing something. The shells are way too large for the OP's feet, no matter the numbers on the underside. They were bought sight unseen, and they don't fit. So you pass them on. Most of us have been there, I'd wager.

Spent the whole vacation at the weekend home. We were very glad we didn't have to spend time at airports or drive anywhere hot. Once we biked over to Hallstatt, had a drink and watched the tourist hordes, went home even gladder. Changed the broken speaker on the wife's Jeep. Did some swimming, drinking with the neighbors, gaming, and reading. Very nice.

Are those F2? The plastic handle on the front bails seems to be the same.

I remember that scene. At the time I assumed that while an EMP would probably fry the electronics of the HDD, it might conceivably leave the magnetic disc itself readable. But that is definitely not my area of expertise. Then again, I do know quite a bit about the baroque era. I found the Baroque Cycle very well researched, but I did not enjoy it as much as Stephenson's other works because I did not learn a lot I hadn't already known. So it seems he usually does his homework.

Out of curiosity: Would you mind elaborating?

Of the PB boards, I have only ever ridden my Bastard. But based on what Jörg tells me, the Two might fit the bill even better, as being more oriented towards former softboot riders.

I do rotate, but I'd have to learn to skate first

Unfortunately, I don't have the binding before me right now, may take a week or two before I can supply a photo. According to my wife, who is an engineer and knows her way around materials science, there was no necking or anything. I also check my bindings regularly, because the nuts on F2 bindings are a known point of failure. I ordered new front and rear bails for all three pairs in the household.

As you can probably guess, I got a reminder about this the other way: F2 front bails, beefy though they may look, will not last forever. My rear one broke in its 7th or 8th season. Thankfully it was on a moderately pitched slope with soft snow. Better to replace them before you are less lucky.

On a wide board it's worth a try to set more splay. Assuming 40° is the lower limit for the rear binding while still avoiding overhang, set the front to 60° for a try. Don't forget to bring a screwdriver in case you don't like it.

Just discovered this thread after finishing the Patrick O'Brian canon for the third time. Before that I reread the classic noir novels by Hammett and O'Brien. Also recently read: Drop City by T.C. Boyle (very funny!) My Early Life by Winston Churchill, which I can highly recommend.

i ride what is probably the most usual tune: 88° lateral and 1° base, which, as the OP correctly states, results in a slightly acute angle. I never have problems with edge catching, and the grip is good.

Never heard of them. "Made in Austria" is not saying much, I'm afraid. Many brands had and still have their boards manufactured here (see the Capita plant, where among others SG are made, if I am not mistaken).

After years of lurking in these threads it has finally happened to me: "What's that?" "My snowboard." "No." To be sure, he was not a native Alps dweller (they usually have some idea of what that is), but an Israeli tourist. Still, a first for me.

Good to know! I just had to replace the second buckle on the other boot, so I'll just see how long the other one lasts and then get a wire-style buckle.

That is an interesting solution. Heel lift is not an issue for me, so maybe I'll just look into moving the second buckle a bit higher on the cuff.