jetkin

Very funny, spot on send-up of Nihonjinron. That said, it's certainly true that many Japanese people's legs are shorter in proportion to the rest of their bodies. When I lived in Tokyo I'd often find myself sitting next to somebody, looking them right in the eye, only to find I was half a foot taller when we stood. I'm not a good enough carver to have a worthwhile opinion about the Japanese arm waving, but doesn't it make sense that their technique would reflect differences in their body proportions?

She has a horn on her board!

LDP is a fantastic discipline - - those folks cover huge distances, moving fast, and occasionally uphill, without ever setting foot to pavement. But the equipment is very specialized. If you're looking to incorporate pumping into general campus cruising, you probably don't want to go that route . . . yet. Gessemer's article is a classic. Shorter is easier too, but know that any setup that turns well at a slow speed can be pumped - - it's just a matter of efficiency. I'd suggest you start on a slight grade, and practice sustaining a rhythm of tight cross-under turns. Then start to put more energy into it and feel how the turns add speed. Next take it to the flats, and try the same thing there (with a push or two to launch you).

about those cateks

Pat - Many thanks for sharing that. Knowing where something comes from definitely makes it easier to understand what it is.

I look at the fantastic carving in these videos and I see all the stuff I read about here (but can't do well): cross-over & cross-through movement, angulation, forearms in the snow, smoothness & speed, etc. But what is it that makes this "surf-style"?

I'm driving to Camelback from Brooklyn tomorrow (if anybody want a lift).

On the NY Times site. Not carving, but fun to spend some time with all the same.

email sent re hooking up for a ride from Brooklyn.

indys and freerides are a great combination - - i have them on my Earthwing boomerang. post another picture in the spring once you've dirtied those boards up a bit!

The guy who gave me my first job (as a programmer 25 years ago) eventually told me it was because I had put "ultimate Frisbee" on my resume. Since then whenever I'm looking, I always put my outside interests on there. As a manager, I've hired fiddlers (another interest of mine) and at least one skateboarder. I've yet to see a resume from a snowboarder.

Does anyone have experience with the SP Fastec bindings that Catek is promoting/selling on their website?

. . . with your downhill hand?

retro freerides are a great all around wheel, especially the limes (80a) which grip enough to carve just fine but are smoothe when you break them away. at 72mm, big enough to roll over cracks, small enough to accelerate well. i've ridden the harder lemons & oranges, easier to slide for sure.

Thanks for posting. I've got to get to NM someday - - maybe Ditchslap 2010. Just wondering, minus the banks, how steep is Indian School? In other words, if you just got in a tuck at the bottom of the ditch and didn't use banks at all, what kind speeds would you hit? How would that compare to some of the gnarlier ditches ("the Bear")?

Your form definitely progressed through the video - - you stopped grabbing the rail between your knees, and started laying your rear leg down along the board - - that's great. Beyond the good advice others have given, I'd say find a easier spot, like a nicely paved, slightly sloped parking lot, to practice. On a narrow road you have to be concerned about heading into the ditch, when you should be concentrating one how to initiate, how much weight to transfer to your hand, the feeling of your wheels breaking loose, etc. All the articles/posts about learning to carve a snowboard include something like: "Pick a nice wide run without much traffic . . ." Same deal with this.

If you live in the County of Kings, change that Location in your profile to say so! :) I'm a terrible carver, in soft boots, but I have car with a board rack and would be happy to get in on some ride sharing come next season. Also if you're ever interested in carving some asphalt (longboard skating) in Prospect Park, let me know.

The cheap cleaner is anhydrous isopropyl alcohol - If you don't already have some, you can buy much more than a lifetime's supply for a few bucks at a hardware/paint store. Cheap lube is another matter - Depends on your definition of "cheap" and how often you grease your bearings. I use Bones Speed Cream, under $5 for a 1/2 ounce bottle. You only need 3 drops per bearing so that 1/2oz goes a pretty long way, but there are probably cheaper options.

Original Skateboards also deserves mention in a discussion of carve-oriented boards. They've been making fantastic carving trucks for a while - - definitely different feeling from anybody else's, and a bit of an acquired taste. Lately they've come out with some much-improved decks too, and their prices are good.

There's a lot of good information in this thread, but I think you really nailed it in your observation. Personal preference accounts for strong opinions about longboarding equipment. I happen to like Loaded. My vanguard (w/randals & abec11 strikers) is my "goto board" - - the one board I'd bring to that hypothetical well-paved desert island. But that's a matter of taste. I have a stiffer board with Indy's and that's a great ride too. Earthwing is a fantastic maker also (if the weather holds I'll be riding with their crew in Prospect Park tomorrow night, whoot!!). But you need to learn your taste. Spend $200 (+or-) for a complete board from a reputable vendor like Daddie's or Mile High Skates. Ride it. Find your local longboard scene and try other people's rides. See what you like. Silverfish is a good place to sell/buy other stuff if find your preference leads you to want something else and can't afford or don't want to start a longboard quiver.

I've been to this CERN site, but I can't find any animations or instructional materials. Am I in the wrong place? Do you need to be member, or could someone post the correct link please?

seems like the basic technique of ripstick is counter-rotation and twisting. i'm just a skater who comes to this forum to learn about snowboard carving, but from what i understand, those aren't tendencies to be encouraged on the snow. a ripstik simulates the action of turning by sliding the back end of your board. i can say that if you want to carve asphalt, a slalom board, or any decently turny longboard is more versatile, more fun, and offers a much closer approximation of the edges of a snowboard. imho you look a lot less stupid too.

I bought a 164 Pureboarding Two a few weeks ago. I've never ridden hardboots, don't own any yet, probably won't until next season. I notice that the specs for this board are nearly identical to a 164 Donek Razor, which is designed to be a softboot carver. Would it be nuts to put my catek FR2s on the Pureboard? Has anybody tried this?

Do any of you ever go to Camelback? Is MC a lot better?

That's rough - I'm about 5'11", 190lbs and can't carve with antlers less than 305cm!