ohiomoto

Also, at some point it's a matter of commitment. What I'm saying is sometimes you have to lay it over and carve the crap out of it and ride that carve until you really finish the turn. Turn shape will help get that bus back under control. And don't feel bad you are not alone. I've been ridding a few days each season since 95 (I mostly ski) and I'm still not all that comfortable when the speeds pick up. Our little blacks out here are no steeper than your blues and it's all I really want on a board at this point in my carving career. I go anywhere else and I'm crying for my skis! I put in a few extra days this season and I feel like I'm on the verger of having a break though so it probably won't take you too long if you put some time into it. Try the steeper angles and learn how to finish the **** out of those turns and you start to feel better.

Whao!! Sorry about the book I just wrote. I guess I still have some instructor in me and you brought back some good memories. Thanks! :)

Cool story! I bet if you had actually read that stupid manual you would have scored higher on your teaching! :) (Just messing with you. lol) I had a similar experience when I did the PSIA thing on skis about 10 years ago. I had to learn how to dial back my skiing. They wanted me to skid!! I was like "I just spent the last 10 years trying to figure out how to carve these things and now you want me to skid!?!" lol Really, it did make me a better skier and expanded my skill set. By time I did my level 2 I was really making huge strides with all of my skills. Some of the low level movements required such fine motor skills that it was much more difficult than just ripping down the hill. I swear, doing a perfect PISA level III wedge Christie is every bit as difficult as laying out a perfect double carved turn. Honestly, the Wedge Christie would be harder for me to do these days. The biggest thing that I gained was learning how to teach. Mainly being able to adjust my teaching methods to different leaning styles. I got out of the racket before I took any board exams, but the teaching methods worked equally well on the boards or skis. Heck, even my basic lesson plan for beginners and intermediates were very similar for both skiing and snowboarding. Even though I wasn't totally into the whole PSIA thing I really did learn a lot more that I though I could and it was a positive experience. I just hung it up because I found it to be too expensive and a little too political at Level III and above. My ego didn't need to stroked like a lot of these guys. Once the egos got bigger, I just didn't enjoy that environment. I guess I'm just not that competitive. Level I and especially Level II were a blast though. Sometimes I wish I would have pushed harder because it would have been fun working with people at a higher level. Teaching beginner and intermediates got old and I just quite. To this day I want to grab some of the better skiers at my area and share some stuff I've recently learned just to see if it works for them. But now I'm mostly just teaching my kids now. Back to the beginner/intermediate routines. lol

Sure 0 x 0 works fine. It's a matter of preference. Some people like an edge bevel some don't. Some like the edges a little sharper, but it's not "extreme". If you hit something hard enough or skid (on ice) enough to lose the edge at 1x3, it will do the same to a 0 x 0. If your already running 1x3, I wouldn't try to go back to 0 x0, you'll waste more edge to get it back to 0 x 0 than it's worth. If you are really worried about durability, the I would recommend "progressively" tunning your board back to 1x1. Leave the base at 1* and then go with 2* on the side the next time you need a tune. Then cut it back to 1* on the following tune. Then you'll be at 1x1 which is 90*. You'll be maximizing the life of the edge that way. It would take me at least 2-3 seasons before I would need to put 2 full tunes on my skis or boards and I ski the same pair of skis almost every day in the winter.

1x3 is only 88 degrees. It's not extreme at all. I run 0.5x3 on my SL skis and only need to tune them about once each season. You are talking about a very small amount of material on an edge that small.

I agree with you on the softer flex. Even the newer race boots are softer in the forward flex these days. Todays shorter/shaped skis changed what we need from our boots. We need to be able to flex into the boot in a way that allows us to stay balanced and pressure the ski evenly. The super stiff race boots of yesterday have very little margin for error on todays skis. Too much forward pressure and you over power the tip. Not enough and you get in the back seat. Of course the shape of the ski will compensate for some of this, but the softer boots allow you to keep pressuring the cuff without over powering the ski tip. Now, pressure is distributed more evenly across the longitudinal axis of the boot allowing for a more even fore/aft pressure distribution, more overall power, and improved balance. Prefect when combined with the modern ski. Even though I just recently purchased my first snowboard boot, I think I will eventually try a newer ski boot on my board. I would like to be able to make the switch from my skis to my board more often and not have to take two pairs of boots to do it.

Oh yeah, while I was at it, I even experimented with moving the the knee from toe to heal and then towards the tail. Sort of felt like a bowlegged position (I'm sure it didn't look that way considering the forward lean I had in the boot). This seamed to really add a lot of power/pop to the finish of the turn. It loaded up the tail without me having to sit back on it. I think this kind of goes along the lines of the "lower angles/outward cant" thinking. Does anyone else do this or even messed around with it? Did it work well for you? Pros and cons?

Yeah, I'm limited with the TD1s, but I think going flat in back, which at least eliminated the inward cant helped. I'll either upgrade next year or mess around with what I have some more next season. Still, I think the biggest thing that I realized is that I'm so use to skiing that I always go forward and side to side in against my boot cuff. So even a pure lateral move against the boot cuff to the healside still moves towards the tip of the board. See what I'm saying? I never really go to my heals! I never pulled my legs straight back against the cuff. I need to move more toe to heal in the boots which is really "edge to edge" instead of side to side (which is "edge to edge" on skis). My brain has been stuck on skiing for years. I've gotten really good at it, but I've totally neglected the technical aspects of riding.

Just wanted to thank everyone for all of the help. Our hill was able to open today and the conditions were actually pretty good. I was able to sort out the healside a little. I did move the disks so that I was at 3 front / 0 rear, ran very little forward lean on the front boot and full lean on the rear. I cut down on the rotary, lined my butt crack up with the edge, fed the board out, etc... Every thing helped a little, but I could still feel that pressure building up in the front foot on some of my healsides. Then I started messing around with the back knee. The last time out, I found success by driving the back knee towards the snow on my toeside turns and wanted to figure out how to make the knee work for my healside. I did my old tuck the knee behind the front leg, then I tried to take the knee straight across the board from edge to edge. That was better. Then it dawned on my that I could work the knee back as I went across the board. BINGO!!! Pull the back against the cuff. The pressure goes to the heal and the cuff gives you the power. It's so simple...Duh!!! I think my forward/lateral skiing ways were getting in the way, but now I opened up a whole new dimension. Our season is done here, but this should keep me busy next year. We'll see how it goes, but if today was any indication, I think my riding is headed to the next level. It should be fun. Thanks again for all of the tips and ideas.

Just a guess, but I'd bet your wife would rather get diamonds! :) As for the board, I'd just mount up a set of ski bindings and use a leash. I would put the bindings as close to the edge as possible, but make sure the fore foot of the boot doesn't overhang. Booting out sucks and I bet it's worse when the only edge is the inside edge! I'm just pulling this info out of my ass, so if it sounds all wrong, then don't take my advise. Anyway, this whole thing sounds crazy! I think mono boards are STUPID (like all things 80s), but what you're talking about sounds really COOL! I mean you're bringing SIDECUT into the equation!!! DO IT!!! And if your wife likes it, let us know. I'd try it. I have the bindings, all I need is the right board.

I have the same ankles and heals plus a knob on the back of each heal. OUCH!!! Luckily, I've been able to find boots that fit well and I have access to a shop so I can fix anything that needs done.As far as boot fitting goes, I do all of my own (again, I have access to a shop :) ). No matter who does the work, YOU have to take the time to diagnose the problem. A boot fitter can help you if you need it and they can help find the solution, but they can't feel your feet so it's really your job to figure that part out. One other thing to consider is adding footbed if you don't already have one . Often that will take up a little volume and put your ankle a little higher in the boot, closer to the tongue. You can even go to your local running store and buy off the shelf insoles with various amount of support if you don't want to pay for a custom insole. One thing to keep in mind if you go with the off the shelf insole is that most boots have a bit rise to the heal. Sort of like a women's shoe with a low "heal". If yours does, you might experience a high spot just in front of your heal/through the arch. This will cause you pain after some time on the slopes. The more Gs you pull, the worse it will hurt! lol (Some boots have a straight ramp angle and this is not a problem). The other area of concern is the inside of the arch. Boots are stiff. It you have too much material against the side of the boot it will over-support the arch. To avoid such pain, it's very important that the insole interfaces properly with the boot. I've experimented with Sole Brand insoles in my ski boots with great success, but it took some time on the belt sander to get them to work in the boots. If you go this route, send me a pm and I can clue you in on how to make them fit right. It's not hard, but there are a few things to look for before you even put the liner back in the boot. It would be best to see an experienced boot fitter and go from there. Good Luck.

Start with a boot that fits! :) Okay, just kidding. You might look into adding a shim or some sort of padding to the tongue of the boot or putting a pad around the back of the leg around the Achilles tendon. Basically, you need the more hold around the 2nd and 3rd buckles and that will hold the heal. Any good boot fitter should be able to help.

I guess I should clarify. I'm not suggesting to lock into the lowest possible stance and park it. I do ride with flexion and extension as well as up-unweighting (pulling the board up to unweight) through my transitions. When I said to stay low, I simply mean keep the CM close to the board. If you extend or stand tall throughout the turn, you are more likely to lose your balance and fall to the inside of the turn. This would be especially true at slower speeds. The taller you are, the further your CM will be from the board. The further the CM is from the board, the easier it is to lose your balance. This has worked for me, but I like I said, I'm not the expert here.

I think you should be okay. I'm a 29.5 and ordered a 29.5. I have plenty of room in the toe box. Others can confirm of deny this. I think we just talked about how true to size they run. It might have been either in this forum or maybe the classified forum. Search UPZ and you will find a few recent post on the UPZ RTR and RC10 boots. If you go with the RTR, be prepared for a painfull breakin period with the liners. Once borken it, they are pretty nice.

Since this thread is shot already, am I allowed to shout out "Yankees SUCK!" ??? :) Okay, back on topic! rpmk104, Don't feel bad about items 5 & 6 on your list. I have been riding hard boots on a limited basis (mostly a skier) since 1995 and I still have trouble with those two. Welcome to the club! lol

Bump for a nice boot. I'm not a Solomon fan when it comes to skis, but their soft boots rock! My wife has a pair. By far the nicest softboot out there IMO. I wish they fit me! lol

To follow up with what ur13 said about the board. I'm 6'3" and well over 200lbs up to 230 right now :( ). I have a K2 Skinny 167. It's old, it's soft and it's short, but when I first got it back in 1995, it was still way too fast for me! Now, I can make really tight/finished turns on it and keep my speeds down, but when I first started, I couldn't do that. My turns were big and fast. I'm looking for a bigger board now, but to be honest, I doubt I want anything bigger than 180 for the small hill I ride on. A shorter board might serve you well until you get more comfortable.

I am not the expert here, but a few things that have helped me (6'3"). 1. Once I get into my (carved) turns I stay very compact. The closer you keep your CM to the board, the better your balance will be. Think about making yourself as "short" as you can by flexing your ankles and knees. Don't keep you legs straight and bend at the waist. 2. Try to keep your shoulders level and angulate at the waist. This should keep your CM over the edge and help with balance. 3. Hang on tight and try not to hit anyone! (Just kidding, well, not really! lol) 4. Try to use your lower body to create angles needed to tighten up the turn radius. The more inclination you have below the waist the more the board will flex. 5. You can move your front and rear legs independent and twist the board to further manipulate the flex. For example, I find that the more I drive with my back leg towards my front leg, the more I can flex the board. But I'm begging to learn to use my back leg to increase the angle of the board and I'm finding that to be effective. 6. Practice your skids. Try popping up and pitching the board sideways. This will be your safety net if you need it. 7. Practice making short/side-to-side turns in quick succession. I use these to change my line if I see something I don't like. For example, I might be completing a toe side and decide to make 3 quick turns while traveling across the fall line before I go back into my heal side. I find this better that just going straight. I recently found this link: http://www.bomberonline.com/articles/tech_articles.cfm There is a ton of great stuff in there. Many of these things I learned the hard way over the years. (You don't want to do that!) Once you get better, read them again and you might find something else that you missed the first time. They have really helped me pin point areas that I need to work on. Good Luck!

I never sit down to get in my binding. I just dig the board in on a relatively flat spot and bend over. (I do the same with my soft boots.) Also with the TD1 I got so sick of dealing with the heal bail that I put my leash on it. The leash is attached to the back bail on one end and my front boot on the other. I just put my boot on the plate, pull the on the leash to bring the bail up and lock down the front. Sure I look stupid with the leash between my feet, but it works.

Bumpers are on the way. Thanks Washington!

Agreed and if you are short on tools or parts, any decent shop should be able to fix you up in a jiffy.

I agree, but I think a "soft" race boot of 130 flex or below would work fine. As a matter of fact the Dobermann boots I'm skiing right now would be prefect if it had an adjustable forward lean and a BTS. There are four t-nut/bolts that hold the upper shell to the lower shell. Two at the pivot point on either side and two right above the heal that runs along the Achilles tendon. These can be removed to allow for a softer flex. If you remove both, the boot will pivot forward freely. The lower shell has a shelf that keeps the boot from moving rearward. That could be ground down to allow a more up right stance. Now if it were possible to put a BTS on there I think I would have a boot that would be pretty soft compared to the RTR I'm in now. Hell, I could even chamfer the bottom of the the toe and heal to make it look like a snowboard boot. :)

Got it and sent a reply! :)

Anyone remember Dynasart Omoflow skis? These were the first pair of new skis I ever had. They had a hole in the tip with a plastic piece over it that directed air on to the topsheet for better snow contact. As if the skis were capable of speeds of 20mph or more. lol It was the perfect solution for their piece of **** foam core construction!! I snapped the tail off of one of them skiing bumps. I think they came out around the mid-1980s. Not much good ever came out of the 80s except for maybe Reaganomics. lol

Great shot carvedog! This is why I poo poo the poop pants stance. I about 10 years ago I got roped into giving lessons at my local hill becasue at the time, I was the only instructor who was there in the morning that actually rode a snowboard. I was PSIA level II at the time so I already knew how to teach people and run a lesson, I just didn't what to teach. So I got the abbreviated "how to teach snowboarding" less from a couple the "real" snowboard instructors one night and off I went. One of the things they taught me was how to use rotation to initiate a turn. I had never done this myself at the time. I was self taught and was using 100% angulation. I was surprised how well it worked for me and my riding improved dramatically. So I showed my wife and a few other friends how to do it (all on soft boots) and they looked much better. BTW, I was on plates for every lesson I ever taught! I hardly ever got to put the back foot in the binding (mostly beginner lessons). I'm pretty good at riding with on leg on my alpine board! lol Now that I actually have soft boots, used them to teach my six year old son how to ride. I didn't even bother putting the board on until we got to a lift. I just pushed the lazy **** up the hill and sent him down. :) I was just easier for both of us. :rolleyes: He started riding on his own last night, so those days are over. :)