Mike Tokar

I think boards have tended to become softer vs 10 years ago, at least based on the boards that i rode then and what i've demo'd the last few years. I think the theory is to make the middle softer to allow easier turning and better grip on ice while maintain a decent amount of stiffness in the nose/tail so the board doesn't chatter at speed or wash out under pressure. My personal trend has gone from skinny stiff boards to wider softer ones for better versatility and more fun. I love my Coiler AM. Enjoy the hunt. MT

As of now, it looks like you're already 87% of your goal. Great idea with the raffle! Mike

Hey! Had a great time. Great to ride with you guys. Chubz - Thanks for putting it all together, and for letting me take a million pics with your camera. Also, thanks to all of you for putting up with my constant stream of rants and verbal diarrhea. Equation of the day: Giant coffee + 5 hour energy + BMES = me turning into the great cornholio. Hope to do it again next season. Mike

I'm heading up in the AM, despite the threat of rain. Looking forward to seeing you guys. Coming up with another HBer, just came to the dark side this season. MT

on a 21.5 wide Coiler AM 177, size 10.5 feet.

to mwtokar@verizon.net. I'm in PA, but get up to CT a few times a month. Thanks, Mike

If you're interested, I have a Killer Loop 158. It was never ridden, and has cap construction. I have 3 friends that are riding the same board, and love the snap and flex. I prefer longer boards and longer sidecuts, so I'm willing to let this one go. Please e-mail me at mwtokar@verizon.net if you're interested, and I'll include photos, etc. Think snow!!! Mike

I picked up a 181 a few years ago with the intention of riding it in pow with softies ($200 on e-bay). I didn't use it until last year, and rode it with race plates and hard boots. It was great in pow, and when the stuff got cut up it was really forgiving in bumps, too. My favorite board is a Coiler 177AM that's pretty stiff, so it's much faster and handles crud a lot better, but the SM was FUN. I took it out later on some non-powder days, and it got up on edge and railed great. yes, it's got some noodle tendencies so you won't be going too fast on it, but the board brought me back to my youth, and got me looking for trees, bumps and everything off the groom (in hardboots). The board with race plates is significantly lighter that my alpine set ups, which made me want to play around a lot more, too. Would I pay for a new one? No. Would I prefer a Tanker? Probably. It's fun for some people to bash the big B, but you have to appreciate their history in getting us lift access. But then, I'm just a geezer that thought that the Backhill blew away the Snurfer... MT

Thanks, and good luck.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160072818880&ssPageName=ADME:L:DBS:US:11 Looks like there are a lot of good choices out there. Enjoy the search, MT

Are you trying to ride the longer board in the same style as the SL board? My experience with longer boards has been to let them run, and make fewer turns, just as a GS or SG course would have the gates spaced further apart than a slalom course. If you feel like you're 'in the back seat', adjust your bindings accordingly to get your weight centered. There are drills you can do to see where your body should be in relation to the nose and tail. If the 'back seat' thing is more self-imposed as a reaction to increased speed, try changing your perspective on things by looking further down the trail than you normally do. It slows things down a lot visually that way. Hope this helps. MT

Getting back to the functional vs. collections, and the area in between: I like having the 'collection' boards to admire and to show people where the sport started. (Snurfer, Backhill, Performer Elite with concave base at the tail section, Safari, and Kelly Slopestyle) The functional boards all have a specific use (SL, GS, SG, DH, FC, AM, Powder. Most will be 'collection' boards in 5-10 years. I'll still take out the Safari to sledding hills with the kids, because the 3-strap bindings are easy to use with hiking boots and the thing works great in powder. The Kelly Slopestyle is not rideable anymore, but because CK was the man, and that style board (starting with the Air) spawned the explosive growth of the sport, and the top sheet has that cool, ,subtle artwork, it's essential to have in the 'museum'. The functional side of things includes boards that were at one time my 'go to' boards that still have tons of runs left in them, but don't often get ridden because my Coiler AM177 is so damn good at everything. My Alp is my first alpine board, and although I don't ride it anymore, will remain in the quiver for friends that want to try alpine for the first time. My Aggression (Volant) 173 is like a shiny steel exacto knife, and still makes it out to the slopes. My yellow FP 185 was my main board for years, and is still fun to ride occaissionally, but it also has value as the board seen in the Nagano Olympics, so has some museum quality aspect as well. The Coiler PR196 is a sick, SICK speed stick that I've used for speed events and on Tuesdays with no one on the runs, but doesn't get out much. I have a 181 Supermodel that remains unridden, but will soon be taken to Utah for powder runs. It's basically a larger version of the old Burton Air, but I'm a larger version of my old teenage self. I have 2 Killer Loop 158 SL boards, one of which I'll sell, the other will remain in my quiver for me to use on a crowded PA slope, or to pass on to my son. God I love this sport, and this east coast weather has been torture!!! Think snow!!! MT

Dave Morgan has some awesome DIY instructions that are probably on his YYZ Canuck site. I paid too much for Suzukas at a shop outside Stratton in order to have their 'expert' do the fitting. The next day on the hill was really painful for me. A friend and I re-molded them at home later on, and it felt much better than the pro fitter job. I agree with Trikerdad about not over-tightening the buckles when your foot is cooling in there. I'd also make sure to make a nice pocket for the heel by pounding the heel on the ground when you first put your foot in the hot boot.

Thanks for the advice. I'm psyched to hear that the Supermodel worked well with plates. Do you normally ride in SV? That's the best place I've ever seen, mostly because some of the runs are like natural halfpipes. The Snowbasin map shows a few 'natural halfpipes' on it. Any experience with those? I can't wait to get out there. The weather on the east coast is just sad. Think snow! MT

...and I'm guessing you don't have to shovel walks and driveways. ;-) I only got a few days on the slopes this year, and the closest place to me just announced it's closed until the temps drop and they can make snow again. I'd gladly get out and shovel. This warm weather is killing me.