sabestian

Is really stiffer - better?

Not that I am an expert, but I think you get boot-out (at 0 deg) sooner than a binding-out. The first clasp on my Raichle would catch before anything else.

You lost me there, mate.

It may all depend on boots' setup as well. Some time ago you mentioned that you prefer stiff boots, and I ride my Raichles with ACSS spring system. [Yoda] The softer flex the boot is, the more tollerant to the lifts it becomes, perhaps? [/Yoda] :D

Thanks, that is what I heard. On the other hand, on my SK200 I have 3deg front and back and all is comfortable. I fabricated a wedge like the one here: http://www.phksnow.com/uk/skwa_uk.html (I believe it's you, isn't it?) but in 3deg flavour, I made it from polyethylene. If this technology proves itself, I will post how I did that. I like doing things myself...

Agreed, but... you have to know who to listen to. I am self-tought hardboot carver since early 90', with a gap due to an accident. My progress had been poor throughout the years until: 1. I came accross extremecarving.com (stoked - and tried to follow their instructions) 2. Had a two days course with a hardboot instructor (to get rid of bad habits - and that includes the ones I got from extremecarving.com ;) ) 3. Tried a skwal :D Which one was most influential? Lemme see... Wanna buy some alpine gear?

Downloading the video... cannot wait! BTW What is the common knowledge on heel/toe lift? I am using 3deg both feet, but I have been thinking of changing to 6 deg (both), but that means that I have to fabricate the wedges myself. Obi One, have you experimented with this? Is 3deg toe front and 6deg heel back beneficial in any way?

Toe sides more difficult than heel sides... That's our alpine habits playing up. You're trying to initiate the turns like it was an alpine board. Which it is not. I think the problem is that the skwal is percieved as an alpine board because it looks similar. Your body does not necessarely recognize it as something different and tries to adapt to it with a known technique. And that creates missunderstandings and errors. One should start from scratch and forget most of the alpine technique. Try to follow these excellent explanations by ObiOne: http://www.skwalzone.org/forums3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3396

Mate, you have to be able to ride the skwal, to actually say that you have tried it. Again, sorry for stating the obvious.

If the stance is not a problem for you (I find a wide stance on a skwal awkward and tiring, plus they require lots of heel/toe lift) than there should be no problems with setting these bindings to zero... I think it is your obligation to try this as a skwal. It is the right thing to do.

I don't think you'd be able to ride that board like it was a skwal with these settings. Too wide stance and alpine angles. But I've heard about riders that use wide stances on a skwal. Also, there are wide skwals for powder and softboots. The Virus has both narrow alpine boards and skwals in the offer. Perhaps we should ask them what they think is the difference? I was actually well surprised how large was the difference in riding with this couple of centimetres missing. Much bigger than I anticipated. There must be some kind of a treshold, a border to your setting, crossing which changes the way you ride a board from alpine to skwal technique. It's a small adjustment (i.e. front binding at 0deg(90deg)? I donno) that changes everything.

Actually... yes, I do! But that's not the thing that makes me pick up the skwal over my board almost every time. It is rather their immense edge grip. Erm... no. And the mechanical advantages become quite obvious when you start riding them. For one, the way you can dumpen the bumps with your knees without disturbing the edge grip or becoming unbalanced is absolutely unbelievable. Sorry for stating the obvious, but you just have to try a skwal for a few days (just enough to get some control over it ;) ) to understand. The rest is just speculating. Simple as that.

Well said! :)

Hi, I haven't received your email! Could you re-send it please?

badly. Preferably with 6 deg disks! Mail me please. You can use: sebaldt at gmail dot com

I *think* I can handle it. Perhaps I shouldn't have written that actually , now it will probably kick my arse! I am being thrown in the air between curves, all that with control (after 90 minutes on skwal). All the ObiOne's teachings clicked into place. Awesome feeling, I think I'm in love. If this is what an oldie like that is capable of doing, I can't even start to imagine what a modern skwal can??? Thanks for being so helpfull, this is really encouraging. I am thinking of buying the Lagriffe RS176 Titanal with Piokka bindings of the shop.skwal.eu. This, I believe, would be a slower, tamier and more versatile skwal. Perhaps I could even throw some extremecarving into it? Question is, is it going to be stiff enough for my 90kg (with gear, boots etc) and 180cm?

Today was my first two hour day on SK200, first time on a skwal, too. This thing is a fekkkkin rocket! Absolutely love it. After 1 hour of trying to figure out how to step in these bloody Elfgens and how to stand without tripping over I suddenly got it and I can carve all the blue and red slopes in the resort. Now I need something with smaller SCR, the snow's on fire! tufty, thanks for the link. Too much of a hassle to try to translate it for me.

Where? How?! I mean the Panther, not Mubarak.

After two long days spent on the board I can say that it stays in my quiver for longer. Very damp, excellent edge hold on ice (probably because of these serrated edges?). Carves very well, I actually layed my first turns on it, and that in much less then perfect conditions. Thumbs up! All I need now is a piece of advice on how to sharpen this edge without destroying it...

Wow! Good work. I wish I could see the fron assembly (with the slider) in more detail. I think this part (and what materials are used) is crucial for longevity and friction free work of the system.

Yes, inkaholic, it looks the same as Nidecker's invention. Perhaps that's why it was not advertised?? I am planning on trying the board on piste tomorrow, will report back!

Let me guess...to you? :D Why wasn't it advertised then...?

The seller claims that the board is brand new and never ridden/never tuned. I have no reason not to trust him but he may be missinformed... And yes, it is symmetric on both sides and there is this 'factory' feeling to it. The easiest way would be to put it on the machine and just file it down and 'forgetaboutit'. However, it may be some sort of a limited production board manufactured with testing in mind and I may be ruining something rare here. I don't want to butcher it but on the other hand I want to ride it and not to get killed!

Yes it does, at first I thought these were just leftovers from factory edge sharpening or whatever, but there is more to it. The protrusions are at regular intervals of approx. 5-6 cm, each is 12mm long and they stick out to the side about 0.5mm. It seems like the same concept as Magna-Traction, strange that there is no info on it at all...?

Hi all, I've recently acquired NOS Oxygen Proton GS, seams to be a very nice board (for the price!). Anyway, the edges along the base have a weird pattern, they are sort of serrated, a bit like a saw. Please see the picture. As I have never had a new board before (or an Oxygen for that matter) I am not sure what is it, what's it's purpose or what to do with it. I have googled to no avail. How to sharpen such an edge? I have usually done that myself, but here... Thanks!