ExcelsiorTheFathead

I ran into Mr. Alexa Loo (Ari Goosen) up in Whistler a few months ago while I was in one of the shops asking about liners and footbeds. He gave me some advice because he could see that I was a hardbooter and obviously lacking in clue. Seemed like a nice guy, and I wished him well with his then bride-to-be. He mentioned that they were trying to get an alpine ski/snowboard business going at loosports.com. I haven't seen it mentioned much online, but it looks like they are trying to move some SG and Donek boards.

It has been noted in this thread that exaggerated arm-waving is an unnecessary and purely cosmetic aspect of the Japanese “short turn” carving style. We dispute such observations and cite scientific research on the unique Japanese muscular-skeletal form from which this style arose. The arm movements occur organically in resonance with the more compact Japanese physique and thus enable the full-body pendulum effect not demonstrated by riders of any other nationality on YouTube or any other video site except maybe for that one Russian guy who is clearly intoxicated. We disavow all connections to the Russian hunched-over “gorilla” short turn style. Foreign observers will be excused for not being able to appreciate the synergy between form and function in the Japanese style. North American riders, particularly Americans, with their “differently” shaped bodies and unrestrained consumption of Mad-Cow Disease-ridden American beef are particularly unqualified to judge this unique development in snowboarding. Just as the Japanese digestive tract is unsuited for dry-farmed Californian short-grain rice, research indicates that our citizens must be protected from unsuitable foreign imports of alpine carving gear. To be enacted immediately, all carving gear manufactured in the USA or Canada will be subject to a 100% duty until they can be adapted to the right-handed Japanese snow crystals and the tighter tolerances of our micro-polished alloy binding screws. A testing protocol will be developed to certify boards suitable for import. Manufacturers will submit each model in each length for testing in order to obtain a license to sell during the next season. The fee for testing will be One Million Yen per board, per year. We are also developing a Short Turn Carve instructor’s permit that can be obtained by those who can demonstrate the appropriate arm-based skills. Requirements include Japanese citizenship, so no gaijin need apply. Happy for your enjoy carving life. Fathead Produce Since 2007.

I got to Japan in early 1988 and lived that year in Mishima, Kanagawa-ken. After that I lived in various places in and around Tokyo until 1999 when I came back to Seattle. Never spent much time down in the Nagoya area except for a couple of trips to meet with Toyota people. All those years I was either too broke to do anything like snowboarding, or far too busy to get away from the office. The highest up I ever got was to one of the lower Mt. Fuji stations wearing a garbage bag as a parka. Even though I lived in that country for so long, I am poorly traveled there. I’ve seen more of Germany than Japan. Back around 1990 I did some voice-over work in a TV commercial for the Victoria ski store chain, so maybe that is the closest link I have to Japanese winter sports. Never been to Hokkaido. Never been much further north than Niigata.<o></o> <o></o> Anyhow, from watching these and many other videos, I’ve come to believe that the oscillating, arm-flailing, wasabi-in-my-pants short carve fad is truly a Japanese phenomenon and an identifiable style. Just like the Swiss have Extremecarving, the Japanese seem to have what is described as “Short Turn” carving or even “Short Rhythm” carving. What is up with this? Is it a Gifu thing? Do Tohoku and Hokkaido carvers think that it is stupid? Will it take hold in Korea? I was first intrigued by this when I saw the Kagayaking 2 video last winter and did my best to copy their moves even though it was only my second season of snowboarding and the first in hardboots. Now I think I’ll work on it some more this coming season, with the goal of getting so good at it that people run up to me and ask: “Dude, are you from Japan? Or are you too brain damaged to complete a full carve?” I even found a cool series of Snowboard “umatech” tutorials by askkachan, including this one on doing the Short Rhythm on the steeps.<o></o> <o></o> <o> </o> <o> </o> <o></o>Japan has freecarving competitions? I was floored by this shot at Ciao Ontake that seem to show a semi-formal “technical” competition. So this is all about technical carving? I wonder how points are scored.<o></o> <o></o> Is there any place in the US that has a competition like this? I doubt it. How common are these in Japan? Japan has its own magazine devoted to snowboard carving? Otaku! I used to read Rajio Raifu to learn about phreaking ISDN phone booths.<o></o> <o></o> <o></o>Good to hear from someone that lives there. Ever run into Pico Iyer? I wonder if that guy really lives in Kyoto. <o></o>

I found a couple more that are worth watching, and have more hardbooters. Not just more hardbooters, but more girls who carve. More girls that carve, great food, great booze, wide groomers and a hot bath. I lived in Japan for 11 years and never saw a ski slope once. Looks like I missed a lot. Too bad I can't ride an Ogasaka in the US; I'd like to try one.

That Japanese "Kagayaki Snowboard" group posted a new vid just a couple of days ago. Even though it is primarily softboot, it is worth watching. I showed the last one to my softboot friends to demonstrate the fun they could be having if they learned what an edge is. 2010 Vid at YouTube I'll try an embed:

I'll be riding somewhere up there during these dates wearing an all-black getup, grey helmet and white RC10 boots. I'll be on a white 4WD, a dark blue Donek, or whatever I can demo from the factory. Please send me an email if you might be there that week!

I'm new to the "carving world," but stand firmly with Linus. Things can only get better:

That's me, dude. 2 Arts and 2 Andys in this group. Do you want to try my 169 4WD? I could bring it down with no bindings and you could slap whatever you have on it. It might be short for you depending on your weight.

Mail sent to Andy. Say, could someone who knows Crystal post the names of the best carving trails with comments on their characteristics? I'd like to look at their map and scope things out.

I might be in. I'd be coming down from Kirkland and can meet anybody along the way down to the Enumclaw Safeway. Anyone got space in their car for the final leg?

I currently wear the Seirus Jam Master external type, as currently sold by REI. These exoskeleton things go on the outside of my Marmot ski gloves, and look very much like the type posted in the picture by CarvingScooby. I tried the various types that REI had in the store and found that the Burton R.E.D. and Seirus inside-the-glove types felt too flexy. But now I wonder if those have the "correct" amount of flex, and my externals are too stiff? The Seirus outside the glove model has the downside of holding on to snow and getting wet. On a rainy day, the padding will turn into a sponge. I might re-evaluate internals, or gloves with integrated protection. I can see how people with skills feel that they don't need these. However I sometimes stick (plunge) my trailing hand into the snow on deep toesides because my reflexes tell me that I'm falling over. One of these days the snow will grab back.

If this guy was still alive, he'd probably advise you to wear a helmet: http://www.kptv.com/news/22572593/detail.html +1 on easy to open vents. I wear a Giro Fuse with the vent open/close lever on top. It's a great convenience.

Yeah, I just called Bomber after reading some earlier threads about special-order short bails. But I think that they are only for TD standards and won't work with the SW. I was told to try flipping the front sole block around. I'll lose the hardstops, I guess, but I'll have to see for myself how much of a nuisance that is. I like my UPZs, but they aren't officially supported by Bomber for TDs. Maybe if I end up caring more about having Bomber products than any specific boots, I might have to buy Deeluxe so that I can use BTS too.

I'm 5'7", 145 pounds, goofy 18.5" stance, 57/55 on an 18cm waist Donek FC-I 167. Boots are current UPZ RC10 MP26 shells with F-A-S-T heels. I had been riding with Snowpro stepins until I got my Sidewinders just the other day. This is my first experience with Trench Diggers, and knew that there were some issues with smaller boots, and boots like the UPZ with a short heel. After one day on the snow, I can say that the ride is pretty nice. I have the default yellow elastomers in, and while I can notice the flex while carpet surfing, I don't overtly feel it while riding. For my relatively light weight, I wouldn't see any need to swap in the blues. The slight cushioning effect is a benefit while not creating any slop at all. I just wanted to mention that in order to fit my boots, I had to use the smallest possible adjustments of the heel blocks. I'm using the insidemost set of screw holes, and both blocks are almost at the limit of their inward travel. The blocks are set so far inside that it is impossible to change the stance angle, cant angle, or remove the binding without first loosening the heel blocks. I find this to be inconvenient because the heel block adjustment is not easily repeatable like cant or stance angle. Just a caveat. Anybody have a helpful hint? If one had a UPZ RC10 of MP25 or smaller, the block-reversal trick might be necessary.

I'm new, and yes, quite ignorant. All the threads about VSRs, Schtubbys, and Monsters are intriguing, but I can't find any information on these models at the Coiler website. Are these boards all under the radar for carver word of mouth only? I tried to search the forums but no joy yet. Please help clue me in!

These bindings came with an old slalom board that I recently purchased off of CL. I tried to make them work with my MP26 UPZ RC10s, but they won't adjust down that small. The bases have some built-in cant, use a standard 4-screw attachment, and the tops rotate on a center kingpin bolt. I don't know anything from anything, but they seemed pretty flexy when I tried them on the carpet. I wouldn't recommend them unless you already have experience with them or need parts. Since I haven't actually ridden them, I can't make any guarantees and they are as-is. Are they worth anything? Best offer gets them after a few days.

I'm pretty much a weekday only guy, as limited by my pass. I typically show up when the place opens and hang out until the mid afternoon. I might try nights one of these days? I don't have a good snow car, so I only drive myself up when the weather allows for a front drive with all-season tires.