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I like heal lift in my softie bindings when riding my Donek Incline at 18/9 angels (I use Ride LX bindings). Healside is really tough on at low angles without a little lift. So I just went to the hardware store and got a piece of rubber pipe connector (3/8 inch thick), and cut it so that it fills the whole heal area and slightly overlaps the disk (but does not block the base screw) and used contact cement to hold it in place. I like it a lot. Improves response tremendously and allows you do healside inclinations without having to keep your legs so super straight. The dampening effect was really welcome too. Oh, and definitely grind off all of that stupid toe lift on the LX binding as possible. This combined with the "hardware store" heal lift put you in a much better stance for heal/toe carving at low angles. sic

Yup, that's the Burton Balance alright. And that is what I like so much about it. It can carve up a storm or you can tuck a mogul field with it. And I don't mean gracefully. I mean, full on motocross, skipping over the tops on your way to being first down the hill. Only the Balance does that for my son and I. Anyway, wild ride for sure. Not for everyone. till next year, sic

I ride a Donek 160 incline and a Burton Balance 157 (pipe board) when in soft boots (identical bindings, identical stance). When put in context of your question its not even remotely close. The Burton will eat the Donek for lunch in those conditions. And I mean for lunch! The Donek is a tad better on groomers (with softies) but then again if you start dragging body parts the Balance catches a second wind and is better at really extreme angles of inclination. And believe me I know, my 23 year old son also rides the identical Balance and if I am not on mine,,, well, things get painfully obvious real fast. Again, only for extreme terrain type of riding at speed. Donek: tons of fun really. A bit, just a bit clunky to maneuver (which is your ticket to the hospital if you are playing with unforgiving obstacles). So "slightly" becomes "a lot" when put in context of thick trees, big rocks and snowmaking pipes at speed. Compare the shapes sic

this should explain it. my friend did it too. its a LONG heal. sic

I'll be there as usual.... I'll look for the plater crowd and join in the carving fun for a few runs. Then back to my spring moguls on the west side (need to pick up the right mindset for next season's sport). But you know, I can't think of a worse mountain to learn to hardboot on. It will tire you quickly trying to survive on the narrow steeps or when dodging clueless tourists in the flats. But its a GREAT mountain for sure ! sic

Depends on the rules of the motard organizer at the track you have in mind. Most have an introductory class to attract riders. In my district its called "sportmoto" and you can run your YZ250 bone stock and you don't even need riding leathers (or remove your knobbies for that matter): Rules for NY metro Motard I race a YZ250 in motocross every weekend from now till November so I know the bike well. And in 2003 I rode my brother's KTM after he got a titanium rod in his leg and still wanted to see his bike compete. #8 KTM 450 (6 speed) Issues are this: The YZ250 will eat the KTM450 for lunch in an acceleration contest. The problem is roll on power. Motard is all about front brakes and being able to roll on the power early while you are still all healed over. The YZ250 will be too abrupt. Rideable, of course, but ultimately not competive as no matter how hard you try (with skill and/or engine mods) the back wheel will always try to walk sideways on you as you try to roll on power in a turn. So you can probably ride your YZ250 stock (with sprocket and tire mods) as an introductory class bike. But don't even bother getting more serious with it. That KTM, you see above, has $4,000 worth of gear, tire, rims, brakes and suspension mods on it. You don't want to do that to a YZ250 and find out 6 races later that the bike will never "cut it" no matter what you do. sic

That pic is just awesome SWriverstone. You get kudos from me for the best pic I've ever seen posted here. Must be a great sport. Always promised myself I would do it some day. sic

sic

I really don't think that "push-pull" is cross-under that's for sure. Cross under does have the push-pull motion but it does not keep your center of mass in equilibrium. Anotherwords, without another cross under you would high side (or be right on the ragged edge). Its the motion of repetitive, "linked" cross unders that enables the bodies mass to center between two carves (yet not be in equilibrium with either one). Certainly not a factor in the P&F push-pull turns at Zinal. Also, a key part of P&F style push pull is timing to the board's position on the fall line. The push has to occur in the "free zone" where the board will never blow out. And the pull has to occur in the "payback" zone where the pressures for a blowout reach their maximum. Cross-under can be done anywhere. It creates its own virtual fall line that has nothing to do with the actual slope you are on. When I ride using push-pull I have to talk myself into "putting the board radically on edge and pushing" when the board is perpendicular to the fall line or better yet, doing a slightly uphill track. and that is not a natural feeling that's for sure. It has to be TAUGHT and I thank the EC website for that instruction. sic

I guess some of you know him? sic

I'm glad Bordy made his ranting, inflammatory post on this topic because it clearly shows that his recent evaluation of the Swoard product (on hardbooter.com) is coming from a hopelessly biased, maybe even angry source. sic

I was hoping you could do it. I hit MC at least once midweek but its never before 7. Don't know how good the still digital will shoot video in the dark. But I will bring it to record the event if I can make it by some chance. A full carving 360 on softies is a sight to behold and I'm sure everyone here would like to see it. Well, I guess there won't be much point in trying to record it after this weekend as you'll be riding at Okemo (and its bound to get recorded for all to see up here). I've spent a whole day riding with TonyZ at Okemo and let me just say that you are going to have the time of your life up there. I'll be looking forward to the ride report. sic

When I see you carve a circle around a ski patroller, directing traffic, I'll be 100% convinced you carve almost the same on both setups (and I'll be the first to tell everybody here). You said it a few weeks ago,,, not me ! lol Maybe see you up there now. Gonna sneak up for a few turns. But I won't know how to find you anymore.... sic

the 2x board

When my son was 14 he used to do fully layed out carves like that on his Burton twintip 149 and recover it like it was nothing. We didn't know that was cool at the time and we used to get really pissed off at him for pulling those turns and coming back up the mountain at us and almost killing us all. Now its 10 years later and fully layed out EC carves are the coolest thing in the world. As a matter of fact, in my 10 years of snowboarding I have never witnessed a "full layed out" EC carve except for my son pulling them on his freestyle board. All other body scrubs I have seen are the result of bomber (angulation centric) turns. So go recover it. You are almost there. sic

So sorry to hear about this. You were so amped to get your new board. Stay positive about it. Maybe it can be repaired. Let an expert builder check it out first. What happened to your Donek? Is that gone already? I have a 157 Alp you can use for the rest of the season. I never ride it anymore and its perfect as I just use the Incline now. Only problem is your TD2's won't bolt to it. Creek carving conditions were good today. But it was crazy, nuts crowded. sic

My Donek incline did exactly that after ONE ride on it with soft boot bindings on it. To this date it has never been waxed or tuned. I contacted Sean about it and he said I probably used too long screws on my bindings or overtightened. However, in a test in his shop he tried to screw a binding screw right through the bottom of an insert with a power tool but all it did was snap off the screw once it hit the bottom of the insert body itself. I thought it remotely possible that a "too long screw" could bottom (or bottom on snow packing) and stick up enough such that a stomping boot (while riding) could eventually cause the individual insert to push out the base like that. I also that it thoroughly impossible that the 53 year old hands of a computer programmer, using a stubby screwdriver slopeside, could find the strength to twist a screw through the base of a board --- even if it were a 6 inch long screw for that matter. So, I took Sean's advice and figured it was a lot about nothing. That it would go away with the first base grind and never effect the riding of the board. I too, figured I had a lot more important things to worry about in my life (like rocks) and just put it out of my mind. And just for the record, I never asked for a refund/return on the board from Sean. And to this date the board rides fine and has not gotten worse. I know this is not much help but it is a good example of the exact condition that is in Baka's picture occurring before any heat was applied to the board. sic

will try to get up there about 7. brought the dig cam too so we can get some of your 360's on video for the bomber crowd. sic

Classic "push" part of the EC style.... then as the board aligns itself with the downhill slope (pointing straight downhill once again) begin "pulling" to keep it from blowing out under the high G-load as it swings uphill once again. and then you too can be in the Stoked video. Sic

Awesome ! JT you are the man. I've been up at Hunter the last few Sundays which is probably why we have not seen each other. Might hang out at the Creek this weekend. If I do I'll mount the Winds on the Incline. Hate that Alp. Make sure you hook up with Eric before the season is out. I want to see that showdown. You are both high end riders. sic

Looking uphill at an out of control newby (adult) skier bombing a run with his yo-yo friend. These two try to veer out of the way of a snowboarder, who was in plain view, but just loses more control and strikes the boarder at some 30 mph from behind. All I saw was the boader's body fly up into the air and do end-over-end flips. I caught a glimpse of the base in mid flip and it was one of my own: my 12 year old daughter's. A cat-scan and 2 days in the lake placid medical center and we were finally able to go home. sic

This thread came at a good time. Just yesterday my son and I figured out a new game to play with our excess speed when we approach the main lift line. We power into the flat area and it was my job to pick a group of people to circle. I would dive in and rail around them and a few second later my son would do the same on his toeside (which is switch stance for him) and we both completed circles around the startled group. A little over 180 degrees in a clean carve (to get the uphill slingshot, of course) and then flat base to close the loop and complete the circle and motor on by them again. Its kind of spode move since its not a 360 degree carve. But not bad for soft boots and two old Burton pipe boards. sic

Imagine a base grind with some positive air pressure left in the bladders. Instant tunnel hull. sic

100% surfing term: frontside (toeside): your "chest" to the wave. easiest way to ride one. backside (healside): your "back" to the wave. generally more difficult since its hard to judge the breaking wave -- plus your neck is usually uncomfortably twisted trying to look for the sweet spot of the wave since that section is now located directly behind you. so a regular foot surfer natually likes "right" breaking waves and a goofy footer would prefer "lefts". sort of applicable to snowboarding, especially on steeper trails. sic

Did you know your shadow would be in the 1st pic when you snapped it? sic