Mike Tokar

I'd be afraid of a smaller radius board being too squirrely in most situations, so I'd opt for the longer sidecut, longer length and REASONABLE amount of flex. (That said, I'm an older, heavier lazier kind of rider that would tire quickly on an SL board.) I'm sure flex characteristics could be debated by a lot of people on this site - first a consistent scale by which to measure it (thread on the old site?) and then the 'black art' of where the board flexes most. I think Bruce V has done some refining on where the flex is best to provide both stability at speed and flex when/where you need it. Hence the term - SBT (SuperBoard Technology) I've seen Dave Morgan do some beautiful carves on a narrow steep trail on an SBT board that I think had about a 14M sidecut with somewhere between 180-185cm in length. That combo seems ideal, but it's just my preference.

Even though it's 177cm, my Coiler All Mountain seems to have no problem with tight radius turns due to the relatively small 11.5m sidecut. Most of the time I'm riding in PA on 1000' of vert, and crowds are part of the equation most of the time. It's also stiff enough to handle the speed when I'm trying to keep up with friends on longer (and longer sidecut) boards. Even though I'm the stereotypical quiver-haver, my other boards are getting used less and less. I feel like my next board will just be another All Mountain, (maybe a little less stiff?), because I love its' versatility so much. What's typical for a sidecut range for slalom vs. GS? I figured a GS would be around 13-14m, Super G around 15-16? I'm sure flex makes a big difference in the equation also. MT

Good idea. I'll try to get there on Sunday the 22nd, and will let you know as we get closer to the date. Mike

I have 3 people coming up from PA, looking to round out a condo for Wednesday night through Sunday AM. Anyone interested in those dates? E-mail me if you're interested. Mike

In response to lonerider: Good guess! The rail was about 15 feet long, and placed right after the jump, and about 4-5 feet high off the ground at the end. It was in the terrain park, fully marked, and my friend even warned me about it before hand. (I was kidding when I said someone put it in the middle of a perfectly good ski slope) I was all excited to be out having fun, had a 'sudden loss of cabin pressure' and forgot that the rail was there. (No monkeys were hurt during the filming of this memory, only an old guy that aged another year in one fall) I like the discussion, and enjoy reading rants, but some people are taking it way too seriously. It's fun to goof on people, and to goof on yourself, also. I'm going to re-tune all the boards in my museum now, since I'm wasting a Sunday NOT riding, and missing the speed race at Huntah today. Think Snow, MT

I'm a fun-hog, you're a fun-hog, wouldn't you like to be a fun-hog, too? Older carvers, park-monkeys, skiers and golfers all like to have fun. It's human nature after the Maslow hierarchy of needs is satisfied, even though some of us would give up food and shelter to have more fun. All the "I'm a uniter" crap aside, let's examine evolution: Most of the older riders here probably started on a snurfer (or an older Burton) and used to skateboard in half-pipes and do silly things. Then they got older, got more bruises, more money, acquired more toys and techniques and kept having fun, but a little differently because they also had more responsibility and more at stake to lose. They/we ended up with a 'quiver' of boards that are like museum pieces acquired over years of riding, proudly displayed like war-time memorabilia. Most were bought because they were great boards and great deals, but then there came a new favorite after a season or two, and if the older boards were well maintained, it would be silly to think about getting rid of them. You don't throw away an old friend, and may even take it for a ride from time to time. So begins the tuning obsessive, museum collection stereotype of the older carver, wincing when he sees an unthinking kid abuse a board on (and a body) on rails, steps and pavement. Like the commercial says, "Silly Rabbit, Tricks are for kids". Someday, the kids will grow up and out of the park, and maybe more onto carving gear. It'll be interesting to see what the next 20-30 years bring to having fun on snow. Who knows, maybe the next generation will think it's stupid to have a competition with arbitrary scoring about the sickest nose press rail slide McFlipmeoff and may just want to see who the fastest person is. (Besides, I practically broke my A$$ a few weeks ago when I took a jump with too much speed and landed on a rail that some kook put in the middle of a perfectly good ski slope.) A grumpy old fun-hog, MT

I agree that it's almost impossible to not hit a rock. It usually happens to me carving up the sides of a trail that looks like it has good coverage, and finding a rock hiding just underneath the snow. I've tried to take good care of my edges and base, but if you try to get your edges perfect, you'll take off so much material you'll wear out the board too fast. I've taken the advice of honest tuners and "settled" for imperfections, in order to keep as much edge and base material on my boards for as long as possible. Obviously, I'll use a deburring stone first to take off the major damage, and after deburring, use the coarse, medium coarse and then fine diamond files for clean up. You probably already know that the steel becomes tempered by heat from friction when riding over a rock, and that you have to start with a stone first because the steel on the edge will be harder than a file. If anyone has other ideas or techniques, I'l love to read them. MT

I'll send it to your e-mail, and try to get my camera to talk to my computer to send you a proper picture later. This is the Agression 173 (actually 175) and it hasn't delaminated on me yet. Think Snow! MT

I was in Hermosa and Manhattan Beach Thursday-Sunday, and although the waves looked awesome, they also looked like they could be painful. Rather than curling off to one side or another, they built up almost straight, held up for a while, and then crashed. I was thinking that you'd really have to have your timing just right to come out in one piece, and if you don't, you're getting Maytagged. If a ski trail looks too steep, icy or bumpy, you can always choose another way down or even decide to walk, but there's no escape when you're in the waves or on a raging river. I just elected to cruise the strand on my longboard instead of trying to survive the water. The thing that makes snowboarding great is the thrill to safety ratio. You can go faster, for longer, with less dire consequences than surfing or skateboarding. Think snow, MT

I tried to get fancy with varying bevels, and 0 degree base bevels, and eventually just settled for 1 base and 1 side. It works, it's easy to remember, and I read somewhere that a 90 degree angle will stay sharp easier than an 89 degree. Questions for the experts: How much sharpening is too much, or how often is too often? How much is a reasonable amount of imperfection in a 'flat' base and when should you bother with a grind? I though one of my boards was base high and brought it into a shop. We went down the base with a true bar and where I thought it wasn't right, the tech guy thought was OK. I appreciate your opinions, even if they stink! MT

I'll be up there at the same time, and my group is still getting things together, get back to me in a week and I'll let you know how things look. Mike

I'll be there with another carver on 12/18. If anyone else wants to meet, send me an e-mail and I'll give you cell/frs #'s. I like the grooming and trail layout, as well as the laid-back atmosphere that's a bit mellower than Hunter. That said, everyone in the NY area on this site should check out the Hunter Mtn Speed Weekend. It's a fun race with a speed trap at the bottom of the run to give your mph. It's cool to get a feel for how fast you're really going. and how tough it is to NOT turn. It's open to skis, boards, mtn bikes, sleds, shovels and anything else you want to ride down the hill (a slight pitch NASTAR hill with a nice starting mound), and a great festive atmosphere. It's going to be done on 1/24-25/04. The 70mph barrier has yet to be broken on a board at this race. Think Snow! MT

I wouldn't bother with in cold conditions, but it definitely makes a difference in warm wet snow. Another use I read about in the Tognar catalog is to coat your edges after riding to prevent rust spots. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like a good idea. They even double-branded it as NotRust on the catalog heading. When I first read about Zardoz, they said it doesn't stick to anything, which is why it's great on wet snow, but it can hang out in the nooks and crannies that make up the grain of a sintered base. According to the package instructions, it lasts days, but I'd concur with the others that say it lasts about a half day on wet snow. This warm beautiful weather in PA is bringing me down! Think snow, Mike

Ski Windham is about 20 minutes from Exit 21 of the NY Thruway, near Hunter Mtn. Check them out at http://www.skiwindham.com/ I prefer Windham to Hunter for a few reasons. 1. Fewer crowds because it's about 20 minutes further away. 2. Grooming is phenomenal. They really pay attention to detail, and the level from one groomer pass is the same as the next. (Hunter has seams as high as curbs between groomer passes sometimes.) 3. Trails are laid out in a way that avoids a lot of multiple trail intersections, and most have a steady pitch down the fall line. (Hunter has a huge open space in the middle of the hill where a lot of trails come together and then go out again - on weekends it can feel like driving in Times Square) If you like bumps, Hunter's great. They also have a cool Speed Weekend event in February that is a great time on a race board, mtn bike, shovel or anything else you want to ride. No gates, just a speed trap. If you're driving up from Pittsburg, you may want to try Plattekill. I've never been there, but I've heard good things about the place. Think Snow, MT

Any idea how many trails will be open? I just checked their site and they didn't even say when they plan to open. next time you're heading there, post a note. That's my favorite place within a 3.5 hour drive. Good to see guys from PA on the forum. Any of you know Dr D of Wicked Wax fame? MT

I was working on pressuring the downhill edge most of last season, and it both helped my technique and was a ton of fun. PSR said it best when he described the process as pushing the snow up the hill. If you make the edge change while going across the fall line, you're riding on the downhill edge. The trick to carving steeps is increasing the amount of upward pressure you have to apply to the downhill edge. It feels almost counter-intuitive, and it's like the negative "G" yin to the multiple "G" yang of the feeling you get at the bottom of the turn. It's almost as if you start your body falling down the fall line and then the board comes around to the catch you. Dave Morgan drew some cool stick figures that demonstrate the process on the old forum. I think the thread was about carving steeps, and reading the posts helped me a lot. Can't wait for opening day! See you at Stratton Friday 11/28! MT