lafcadio

My understanding from reading the forums and tech articles is that you should pretty much use the same strategy with each board. It depends on the width of the board and your boot size. Use the lowest angles possible that allows you to mount your bindings without any kind of boot overhang. On a wider board like the Axxess you'll benefit from lower binding angles than on a board with a really thin waist. I have 25 mondo size feet and ride my Axxess at 50/45, although I have a tiny bit of toe overhang on my rear boot. I should probably increase the angles slightly to 53/48 or something. Edit: Also, you may want to try a slightly wider stance width on the all mountain board depending on what kind of riding you'll be doing.

After seeing myself on video with arms flying all over the place, butt sticking out on heelside and bending forward at the waist on toeside, I started playing around with placing my hand on my boot cuff, as described in one of the tech articles. Turns out, I really like this position. It totally calmed me down and I feel way more balanced. My carves are much smoother and consistent. Is there any downside to just riding like this all the time?

Please add me to the list. At this point, I'm not sure if I'll be there both days, but I'll at least make it for Saturday. I can't wait to finally get to meet and ride with other carvers! -Michael

For OS2 step-in conversion kit, you might try Performance Downhill in NH. The inventory on the website looks out of date, so I would email Eric (the owner) directly. See link above for contact info. On the other hand, I recently switched from OS2 standards to TD3 SIs with Fin-Tec heels and couldn't be happier. At first, it was difficult to believe that the TD3 SIs are stiffer than the Catek OS2 standards, but I was able to adjust quickly.

Last season I had issues with my rear boot slipping out of my Catek OS2s. Happened multiple times even after I tightened things up. The cause turned out to be a poorly adjusted toe lever set screw. (I didn't figure this out until I finally lost the screw!) This season I was ejected from my front binding (I think front is worse than rear). I wasn't able to pinpoint a cause, but the boot or binding seemed to be affected by quickly dropping temperature. On that night my boot just didn't seem to fit right in the binding. I had some kind of lateral pivot motion (yaw) that I never had before in my Cateks. TD3s and Fintecs just arrived and I try them tomorrow for the first time. Can't wait.

+1! Couldn't agree more. This is the path I choose when I started last season. After being able to carve my existing freeride board in softies, I invested in some hardboots and bindings and used those on my existing board. Once I was used to the boots and bindings, I mounted them on a Donek Axxess and never looked back.

I'm definitely no expert in this area, but from talking to bootfitters and a podiatrists friend, my guess is the answer will depend on the individual as every foot is different. What may be right for my feet, is probably not right for you. In fact, on some people, the difference between the left and right foot is significant.

I'm planning on coming for the day, either Jan 1 or 2, depending on weather and schedule. I'll send an update next week. Looking forward to hooking up and getting some pointers! ;-) Happy Holidays to all! Michael

One thing I noticed today is that instead of turning my head to see uphill half way through the carve, it works much better to keep my head and body in position at the beginning of the turn and throughout. Not only did this give me a better view of where I was going and allowed me to see what's bombing down the hill on toe side, I had a much smoother, consistent ride. No more flat spots in my carves.

Same here. Have no idea what the red ones are. I never even tried the orange/yellow ones.

I don't have this problem (on heel side), but not because of any great wisdom or technique. I got into the habit of looking over my left shoulder into the turn on heel-side because I'm paranoid of getting hit from behind. The problem I have is on my toe side. Each time I glance over my shoulder on toe side, I blow the turn. If I don't look, I make nice half circles. But each time I glance up hill, I leave "flat spots" in my carves. Annoying. I haven't been badly hit yet (knock on wood!), but I'm still paranoid about it. I've had enough close calls.

Justin, If you haven't already, make sure you have some good quality insoles and your boots (shells) fit properly. I had a problem with really cold feet in my Heads. They were always cold, and then would sometimes get numb. After I went to a bootfitter and got hooked up with some quality insoles (ALINE), the problem instantly went away. Now my boots fit better, and my feet are warm and cozy. If you don't have good insoles, you may want to start there before looking at liners. Just my $.02. -Michael

Yesterday was my first visit to Sunapee and it definitely will not be my last. I saw one other carver (much better than me) from the lift shredding the groom in the early hours on Bananza. Was that anyone here? I'm still having some difficulty carving steeper pitch (e.g. Bananza and Blastoff), but after watching some very skilled turns from the lift, it gave me lots of inspiration. My technique is improving and I think I owe some of my recent success to the unknown carver I saw. Thank you, whoever you were! :) By the middle of the morning I was really enjoying making turns on Bananza and Chipmunk until Chipmunk started to get soft and crowded. Around noon, I moved over to Wingding off the Snowbowl quad which was still hard packed and mostly empty - a nice combo! Around 2 it started to ice up and my legs were shot so I packed it in. Overall a great day! Michael

I'll look for you after the holidays. You're racing NASTAR? There are two (sometimes three) other carvers I meet up with regularly. Together with the 6 or 7 you've mentioned, I think it's safe to say Wachusett has never had so many hardbooters on the mountain at the same time!

Yesterday, they had Conifer and Tenth open on one side, and Challenger, Hitchcock, and Ralph's Run on the other. I only rode Conifer and Tenth which had excellent coverage. There are no moguls yet on Tenth, and the mountain was pretty much empty. Just the way I like it!

skimoose, do you still get to Wachusett? I ride there Monday/Wednesday evenings after work, can can easily be talked into just about any night. Any chance I'll see you there one night?

If heading to NH, I'd recommend Bretton Woods over Gunstock. It's just a little bit farther up RT 93 and has some nice carving runs. Cannon is right on RT 93 in Franconia Notch... also just a bit farther north than Gunstock. I really like Cannon when the conditions are right. Good variety and challenging terrain. Btw.... you will definitely find long intermediate cruiser runs at Bretton Woods. Not so much as much at Cannon, but Cannot will have stepper terrain. There is nothing "long" about Wachusett.

I'm not sure about a more forward angle, but depending on your current stance going a little wider (shoulder width or slightly wider) may give you better balance and control. Last season (my first in hardboots), I had a fairly narrow stance (just less than shoulder width) for comfort reasons. This season I went slightly wider and immediately noticed I was more balanced, especially on steeper terrain.

Pretty good night at Wachusett this evening. Not everything is open yet, but still plenty of good riding. I'll be riding just about every Monday and Wednesday evening from about 6 PM til close and occasionally on Thursdays. I'll also try and get a few turns in the morning before work. I really wish they opened earlier during the week!

After a year of hardbooting, I still have a long way to go, but had a mini breakthrough tonight. After inspecting my tracks, I realized I was not finishing one turn before starting the next one. My mantra for the night was "Finish your turns! Finish your turns!" I spent most of the evening concentrating on making sure to complete one turn so I was parallel to the hill, before transition to my other edge and starting the next. Even after I was conscience of this fact, and concentrating on it, I realized for the next few runs, I was STILL not finishing my turns. It took a few more runs, but eventually I started linking turns and making nice half circles down the slope. It felt great! I just wish my body would catch up to where my mind was at the end of last season!

Donek Axxess 168.... because it's all I got right now.

I bought my boots (Head), board (Donek), and bindings (Catek) from Eric at Performance Downhill last year. Eric's an experienced carver and quite knowledgable about equipment and his recommendations served me well, but he's no bootfitter. Most of his business is mailorder, so I would definitely email or call ahead to find out what he has in stock (and whether or not the shop will be open!) before you make the trip up. If you're looking for a bootfitter, I would go with the Starting Gate.

+1! I took my Donek to Mike at the beginning of this season and the only compliant is that I waited until now. With the edges beveled correctly and the newly stone ground base, it's much easier to ride. I will take all my new boards to him in the future.

I'm planning on being up at Sunday River for the day on Saturday. Driving up from Boston. Any chance I'll run into anyone? -Michael

Hey queequeg, Do base edge bevel tools like "Final Cut" need to be used with a clamp or are the clamps only required for side edge bevels? Thanks!