Eric Brammer aka PSR

Unless you have very early (1993-1994) Burton plates, you should be able to use any newer Burton disc except those used on the Lil' kid's bindings. The ones you want are 4" across, and there's even the 'unidisk' that fits (with limited hole-sets) both 3-D + 4x4 inserts. A 'regular' 4x4 disc should have four oval slots, giving 5 positions to mount the disc to the board, so that's an inch of 'play' away from the insert's center-of-square. If you use a Burton cant at the rear, look for the oval slots to be arranged at 45 degrees, so that the disc can mount fore-aft along the board's centerline. [ Just don't use the 2-slot type that's on channel boards, as those only allow for two screws (I don't trust this, btw, but it seems not to be a concern in the industry). ] The little, older disc ('93+ Tot's model) measures only 3-3/8" across, and in 4x4, only had four holes, not extra space for moving the binding fore/aft.

Four questions to throw at a bootfitter in regards to TF's; "Have you done these before?" , "Do you use a air-convection oven?" , "Do you have [foam/wet-suit type] toe-cap mini-socks?" , and , "If this doesn't work this attempt, what's the next attempt going to cost?" . 1st query, will help you decide whether to employ this person/shop for this. 2nd query, if yes, will keep you from over-cooked toes or shins, as turbo-convection ovens heat more evenly than even turkey-baste-bags do, and if a spot or 3 get too hot, you'll not like the mold-up process so much. 3rd will help keep the toes from getting too scrunched by the mold-up pressure (I recommend thin smooth socks, but also those foam 'tween-the-toes pads found at pharmacies. Unlike Skiers, we want the toes to have just a lil' bit of wiggle room!). 4th is obvious, because, these can get re-molded, but success isn't guaranteed on the first try. Be sure to ask about footbeds, and don't mold-in cork ones, as the cork's bonds may well crack in the mold-up. If doing this for yourself, be sure to talk it over with someone here who's done this, and, have an assistant who knows how to fasten boots reasonably quickly to help out. There's only about 3-4 minutes time from oven to foot-in-boot, with a good 12-15 minutes of foot-in-boot cool-down, with buckles only 'just snug'. DO NOT max out on any buckle, as you'll need the compressiblity later for a secure fit! It is something that's do-able at home, but I believe if you find a decent bootfitter, you'll be pretty happy, or happier, anyway. I've been in TF's since '93 (that's 9 pair in hardshells, 4 in softies), and have had only one pair 'go south' where the foam inside actually sheared at a flex-point (softboots, btw), although 4 pair eventually lost the inner cloth sock when I was Instructing on an everyday basis. I highly recommend them!

While going shorter, and usually having a tighter sidecut are good benchmarks to go by for a steeper-trail board choice, don't forget to think of flex, and, width. A shorter-than-what-you're-on slalom board might turn quicker, and even take a tighter arc, but, being a Slalom board, may just turn that arc with a cleaner, faster exit speed! So, a board that BENDS enough is really what you want (But, not if you lay-down on every turn! Hence, I find some EC board awkward to ride.). Edge security is a good thing, but not if it causes you to accelerate too much. Width, while usually considered the obstacle to quick turn initiation, isn't as much of a factor in one's timing as some would have you think. It's far more important that you have the angle-of-stance that's comfortable for you. Everyone's feet are different in length, legs are different in effective stance, and people just Move differently.. (Warren Witherall, ski-fitting-Guru and I had a great conversation once on 'stance' on a snowboard; He concluded it this way- "I wouldn't want to You, trying to tweak a student's stance to fit them. There's just too many variables!) But a board that's the right width can do wonders, as it can eliminate boot/binding drag at high edge-angles, and yet still deliver good edge response. It also can let you 'fluff' the edge as you need to to get around the corner in time. So, pay attention to the board's sidecut, then flex [torsional flex as well!], and then length, keeping within the more fixed parameter of the board's width, in regards to your preferred stance angles and given foot size.

Sorry, no such photo.. However, using stock lumber (2x6's and 1" dowels), what you want to do is cut the 2x6 about 6" longer than the board to be placed on it. Then find the exact center. Put the first, center, dowel in there. Don't go all the way thru in drilling for the dowels, but leave about a 1/2" of w ood. Use a 1-1/2" sheetrock screw to anchor the dowels from the backside of the 2x6. Be sure to pilot-drill both the 2x6, and the dowels, or you'll have splits in the wood. After you know your board lengths, you want to hold them about 1-1/2" inches in from the tail (this with 'flat-tail' carvers; if it's a BX or freecarver with a turned up tail, put the dowel in board of the lowest-cambered spot by about an inch). With the nose shapes out there, well, look for the end of the camber arch, and go inwards about an inch. I typically placed the end pair of dowels a good 1-1/2 inches apart (1/2" for each dowel, 1/2" between from centerpoints of the dowels), and used the paint-stirring sticks to shim between board bases. At the center dowel, I actually made thinner, and thicker shims to fit between the center dowel and the board's center-of-camber, as not to over-stretch any board's core. Temperature changes can do odd things to your boards, so don't 'stress' them too much in the rack, just support the curvatures they have. The board that inspired this rack was my 205 Safari long-comp, as it had a complex shape of more than one camber point. My rack fit that board, and, just barely, the 187 Gnu RaceRoom under the 205. It then became a set of 5 2x6's,of differing lengths to fit some of my quiver (ah, 1991, I had 27 boards, from Backhills to Barfoots, spanning over a decade of board shapes; If I'd kept them all, I'd be Ebay-rich by now!), as I had at least ten boards, from the 150's up thru 180's that were cambered and used for racing and teaching. Living in apartments (thanks to the Ex!), I've found that putting the boards flat, straight-up, but with a little 'camber' bar works o.k.. With that, I use the dowels, now 1-1/2" as cross-bars holding the board near the nose, and tail, pinned to the closet wall using short screws thru the outer parts of the dowels. Landlords hate me...

Here's a post I put up 16 years ago. If I still had the house/barn, this would be how I'd still put 'em up over the summer. At the end of the season(ours in the Northeast is almost done),I put my boards on a camber rack for the summer.This helps boards hold their shape,both in terms of camber,and in terms of twist.It's fairly easy to make,using 2x6's,and 1" wood dowels,roughly 1' long.Each 2x6 gets five dowel rods,one at the center(centered in regards to length and width,draw a lengthwise centerline for reference),and two each at the ends.I cut the length of the 2x6 so that it's +or- 6" longer than the boards that'll be mounted on it.The dowels at the tip and tail of the board are placed 2" inboard of the nose/tail curvature.Space the end dowels so that there's a gap of 1/2" between them(3/4" from centerline of the 2x6 to the center of the dowel holes),and that one dowel is directly above the other,with regards to the centerline.The dowel placement should look a little like this, : . : but with the center dowel up to the true midpoint of the 2x6.Small shims can be used to cure any gaps(Asyms are a challenge!),or to set the right camber for a given board,And paint-stirring sticks are ideal here.Set your boards base-to-base on the rack,matching lengths whenever possible(try to stay within 10cm of difference between any two boards on a rack),and shim only enough to keep the current camber,as a thick shim can actually stretch a board's camber over the summer.Store your boards in a dry,tempature-stable area,away from direct sunlight(most garages are o.k.).Don't forget to wax them before storing,and be sure to cover the edges with extra wax to keep rust at bay.I hope this helps the more serious riders keep the quiver in shape during the off season.

As a machinist, this is an easy 'parts upgrade', mechanically. The issue, for an improved market product that fits Catek, Bomber, F-2, and possibly others, would be in the hands of lawyers; As If They understand a MM from an Inch!, Oh well...

I've watched this thread{s} unfold, and I am convinced now that the Burton/Head boots just didn't fit Your Foot, likely at the heel, where they're a tad wide. So, first, find a bootfitter, and preferably one who understands Intuition Liners [known also as Thermo-fit Liners], and has experience in footbeds that are not Only made with Cork (cork is nifty, but 'crunches' under high pressure, where-in, with Boarding, the toe-box goes to hell).I would recommend something along the lines of a Peterson footbed. You are needing a good fit, and while 'pure' snowboard shells are a choice-limited item, there are many Mountaineering (I mentioned them before as "Coaches" boot; DIN, but with Vibram Soles) shells, but they are hard-to-find. With Snowboard hardshells, you can likely exclude Head/Burton at this point. UPZ is a possibility, but fits wide at the toebox, though snug at the rear, in width. Raichle/Dee-Luxe would probably work best, though, heel-hold would be my worry. Of course, the big "if" is getting your foot into the right boot! So, demo whatever you can find, or at least plug your feet into some to feel it out. Ask the bootfitters about TF liners, too. Be also checking into footbeds as you go. One thing to avoid, though, in molding up TF liners, is have too little toe-space. Heel-hold, and shin comfort are the key selling points, but be sure the toes have wiggle-room (TF's are re-moldable, so, you've got 3-4 chances at perfection). If a "pure" snowboard shell of mondo 27 or 28 works, be sure to also look into the 'spring kits' on the forward lean. This isn't 'mandatory', as the 5-position lean [drink+drive lever] lean usually fitted is often enough, but a spring kit would let your ankles flex 'just enough' to reduce fatigue. Just so you know where I'm from, kinda; Been riding since '78, using hardboots since '91 (often-ish,that is), teaching since '88, bootfitting from '92 thru '06, and, well, been around awhile... You're on the right path here, you just need a reasonable boot-fit, and then a few days with Beckmann on snow!

If you are considering going from the F-2 into a burlier binding, the Sidewinder is the better choice. F-2's do 'roll' a tad underfoot (check the wear spots on the interface of the bails/toeclips and your shells sometime! Eek!? But, don't freak, everything still is keeping you onboard, usually..) as you move from turn to turn. The Sidewinder 'lets' that happen, on a pivot axle that's also cushioned. That's key, as the 'roll' here is quite controlled, and dial-able to fit how You power up the nose/tail of your board. When I first put [17 years ago?!] foam/abs/foam bits under my T-1's toe/heel blocks, Fin wondered 'what-the-hell?' (he had the same reaction to the rubber-band holding the heel hoops up, but, hey, now there's Springs to do that- Ah, progress!), but I noted the lack of flex/cushioning, and he then worked out the Sidewinder awhile later. What I like in the Sidewinder is the elastomers are changeable and given different stiffness ratings. In temperature changes, you can actually keep the 'flex' similar by using a different elastomer; or, you can change up between Racing or Freecarving in flex. We are talking only a few MM of movement here, but that extra 5*-8* of lateral flex means knee movement fore/aft of several CM, enough to let you 'lead' your hips into a turn, or 'delay' leaving a turn. I guess it depends on whether you always try to 'stay on center', or whether you 'work it fore-to-aft' as you carve. If you're focused on staying always calm/centered, then forego the Sidewinders, and get TD-3's.

Yo, born in Chewelah, but a Vermonster. I'm now across the river in N.H.. When it does snow (like it did last season), the stuff just off-trail is where it's at, just bring a hacksaw...

A Rear-Entry boot is a bad choice, even if the shin-cuff feels all comfy. Why? Well, there's no decent means to hold your heel down for toeside turns, and trust me, once you get that HUGE blister on your heel, you'll understand! In terms of adjusting forward lean [other than the cuff adjusts as they are], any padding added to the rear of the boot will affect fit and closure. Lastly, that era of ski boot is old enough now, I wouldn't want to risk blowing apart the shells (and, like, I'm known for riding on 'antique' stuff... Don't trust those boot's plastic under high stress, they'll break!). Snowboard plate bindings, and the forces you are putting on the boot, are not really good for the heel area on these. A snowboard specific boot is certainly better overall, with fit features, and flex adjustments that are better for riding than what the SX-91 offers. Also the sole length is shorter (and rounded) on most Snowboard boots. If having the option of skiing and riding, in the same boots is what you want, look at some of freeskiing boots out there, or perhaps a 'coaches' boot based on a mountaineering shell.

I got out on my trusty, rusty Gordo Sym/Asym this weekend past, and it was so easy to jump on it and go! I ride it stiff softies, with winged highbacks, as It strained my left{back} knee the last time I used plates on it (it's frippin' quick to edge, despite the width!). I kept up with my friend on his Prior 170+ and even when he was on my 182 Tanker (though, I was out-run on flats) . It's a stiff pup, and really wants you to engage the edge, but it'll tire you out by mid-mountain, making you take breaks for Oxy when you'd otherwise cruise on thru. I'll have to get back on one of the Rad-Air Souls or the Nitro asym I've got to compare as an Asym, but it still won't be quite fair, as the Gordo is a twin-tip, with different, but equally centered, sidecuts. Anyhow, it'll have to wait until next season....

Looking at Jim's poster-pics, all I can say is "YUPP!" . I ride whatever, where-ever when the snow is ready... Hell, I ride stuff from 38 years ago, and yet ride the entire mountain yet (although, modern rails/kickers are Frippin' scary now!, and a few I've just said 'NO' to; anything beyond a 50* UP departure are SKI Jumps, and kinked-gapped rails are not within my agility skill-set, even if I made the first "S" rail in '91...) [ Ok., well, used a whole paragraph within parentheses ,hmm, need editing, do I !?? ]. Anyhow, I defer that we, as 'go fast' riders need to put our 'style' out there a bit better. Carving is indeed the core of our riding, but is it the only goal here? When I watch Damien Sanders, Tom Burt, Mike Jacoby, Martn Freinadimetz, Peter Bauer, Mark Fawcett, or Jim Zellers, I know that much of their riding was possible because of their use of hardshells at key moments. Not that that was the ONLY boot system they used, but, maybe it was the system used were and when it mattered. What's the performance gain then? THAT'S THE SELLING POINT!! Hint, it isn't jibbin rails, nor tweaking a grab. BUT, those moves are SO 90's, and don't fit in with where Skateboarding has been trending this last decade. As Yetz (a contemporary of Spiro's) said to me a quarter century ago... The skill cycle goes from tricks, to more tech tricks, to more tech and bigger tricks, too either more tech, or bigger, then re-boots when one gets to be too much...The Overlap is clear, if you step back a few decades, look back, then forward... Deja vu, I have said this before, again.

Swallowtails? I've still never seen anyone ride Monashee heli powder two days in a row on one. Sure, I could do it, but I would not want to waste the vertical. Those things are better for wall decorations, IMHO. [This posted prior by PhilW] Below, my reply.... Hmm, while I had my Tanker 200 in Argentina, I also had the Madds BX, and O-Sin 4807 along, too. The O-Sin got quite a workout, not just from me, but from the crew I was coaching, too. I was the only one on the Tanker, probably 30 or so runs in 5 days, one out-of-bounds Cat tour. The O-Sin was out way more than that... Last year, where we had 88 inches at this time (vs 24.5" this season), the O-Sin was my second-most ridden board, my 1985 Performer got the most days in (more than it ever saw in it's 30 years prior, as well!). I even got it to Whaleback within a day or two of it's being the 3rd Board to ever use the lift there (and had a Ski-Patrol escort on the lift, as it was back then..). WALL HANGER?!! Hell NO!! Both of those (and others similar in type) will continue to be ridden, with Style, swiftly, in the appropriate snow conditions (which, for the O-Sin, is any old day). If you lose touch with the Roots, you lose touch....

Well, Phil, many just HATE to make skidded, sloppy turns, so a 'perfect' hill becomes the mantra. It only has groomed wide blue-square trails, no lift lines, and 1$ burgers with .50$ beers!! [in your dreams, mate!] I say, carve what you can as you can, and if it's powder, break out the Swallowtail! But most of all, show the flow, Style you turns, be in control (even IF it feels fuzzy, Own It, the hill only gives you what it has, You need to make it look smooth!), and don't go to slow!! When I see a good rider, it's very obvious. Boards just have more power on edge than skis (although, good skiers, nowadays, look pretty good in terms of arc + lean), and when a rider can link carves down the slope, it's noticeable. More-over, what I really notice is Flow. That might be a hangover from my pipe-judging days, but if a rider is in good control on the way down, I'll note it. This Friday, I watched a former student, now Instructor, working his spin-to-revert-carves (toesides) while I was on the chair going up Stratton. He was great at those,btw, but I caught him at the bar later, and asked him to up his highback lean, as his butt was stickin' way out on heelsides. He was surprised to hear my critique, but a few 'porno turn' (Um, hip thrust,, toe-to-heel, very unflatterring looking!) bar-side demos convinced him to think it over! This 'kid', whom I taught when he was a teen, is a 'Jibber', but still knows that carving has a place in the skill set. So, 'Style' isn't beyond the mindset of the current generation, it's just that the focal point shifted from turns to spins-in-the-air and Jibbing. The re-introduction of the Surfing Turn may change that focus, but all the progression that's occurred also must be considered in the mix as well!

I've stayed away from this for awhile, and, likely, won't step in again unless asked... Look at the Madds' topsheet. It's Carbon, well, that's cool, but... It Forks out, at an angle, for resonance reduction. Metal can do this, until you get to the pointy end, where it'll need rounding off. Metal sheeting can also be 'planed', by a metal buffer (used to remove oxidation, usually), but that's costly, and perhaps not as precise as what's wanted here. "Perforation" drilling, while effective in bendable areas, presents random stress areas, and costs as an extra step in process. Also, the voids need to be filled, so Vacuum Pressing becomes more likely (and possibly expensive). So, we've a chunk of metal we want to use, but can't fit into the jig=saw puzzle! Routering the wood core is likely a key (yet another step, but very repeatable once it's in the process) to put the flex at the right points. Using strips of Carbon-fiber can also enhance dampening/flex, and varied glass thicknesses can help with 'snap' and stiffness. Once the wood core has been shaped in 3-D, by router, then contoured areas can be used by combining the 3 'extra' stressor materials I've noted. One needs only look at the Reto LSD or Hayes Bros. boards to see what I mean. Keep in mind, both the glass and carbon weaves can 'mold' to the core contours easily (even without vacuum presses) to increase rigidity. Moreover, metal sheet can also be 'brake pressed' into formed contours with relative ease, although that's yet, another step, and could really affect stiffness in a bunch of ways.Lastly, Titanal might not be the only metal that can fit this bill (although, it seems to be the best found for the cost), so there is the possibility of a 'replacement' metal, but it will likely involve more R+D yet to be included in the materials list. I know that Aggression didn't translate Volant's Steel-Skis over to boards with a lot of success (TB's hitting a lift tower from the downhill side not-with-standing! Bent Shnoz!), and the weight was an issue there too. Overall, the issue, to me, seems how to fit this thicker metal into the boards, in the right amounts, to get the flex and dampness wanted. Again, think of the cores, contouring around the wood form, then the uses of supplemental materials, and then don't put the thicker metal where it'll load-up into a kinked form. I'm no Engineer, just the son of one (and someone who's made a paper-bi-plane able to to fly 24 seconds, indoors, which, is stuck in the rafters of a roller-coaster hangar..). The solution is almost in hand, and the big issues are production costs and R+D with materials. I wish all the best of luck.

Now, I am NOT a Skwal fan, nor rider anymore. But, Gordon Robbins put me on a La Croix some 26 years ago, on Sno-Pro bindings, and me in (at first) in Kolfach moutaineering [think Damien] boots. THE 1ST thing I did after my run up+back the base double (now quad B) at Okemo was to reverse the cants to push my knees AWAY from each other! Despite my Austrian Ski Instuctor's advice as a child, NO, The Knees do not need to always be Together!! [sorry Hansi, and put those damn 'whipping poles" away, my knees were BENT enough, thank you! God,I used to Hate it when he would smack the back of my knees when I was skiing! ,, that's Child Abuse these days...] Secondly, I switched out boots, to Dachstein Exetrem's , which were stiffer overall, and had the 'drink+drive' hinge for Tele-Skiing or hiking, before I'd go past the lower two chairs at Okemo. Those two changes (and later, much shorter poles) let me figure out how to get this thing to work while not carving. The Carving was easy, just lean, angulate, and stretch slowly. Going slow, dealing with chalk or ice, well, that required the 'softer knees' I could get by releasing the locked back on the front Extrem, and canting outwards gave my knees room, to flex out Over the edges, softly. Being lower in body position overall made life much easier, though more tiring, as the 'bone-on-bone' structure of a French ski/ride style was subverted. I never did use this in bumps, and never will. If I ever get on a Skwal again, it'll be with very short poles, multi-forward-lean boots, and then, only on perfectly groomed snow. Nice ride, while it lasts, but Not too versatile, imho.

Meanwhile, should you want to keep riding (not that it's wise..) on the binding with the parts as they exist, you can try to 'offset' one of the screws holding the heel block down. So, instead of two screws in the 'outer' (or conversely on the 'inner') holes , you'd put one screw in an outer hole, one on an inner hole, thus backing off by a half hole-set. Doing this does skew the block a tad (like 3mm), but can keep you from over-stressing the toe lever. Check the inner plastic holds under the heel block, too. If this is deformed, the bail could get loose enough to 'pop' out. If you heat the bail, go lightly on the heat source. Mapp-gas would be perhaps too hot, but propane would be o.k., just don't soak the part in the 'blue' part of the flame, and, DON'T QUENCH IT! And, Yup, Replace that pup when you can.

WHAT!? I mean, it takes awhile to dig thru the closet (or in my case, 3 storage units), then you find Your Board was already tossed up onto the alter at a lesser price! Whew, boxes of stuff exhumed, w/ no result... Bah, Humbug... BTW, there's a Burton Stat 5 on ebay, not mine (mine was the F-2 no one bid on). Go Ride, it's RAINING AGAIN here.

Nice!! I'm stoked to see you could trust a 'short' board to go Fast! In racing, here out East, I've often found that running a slightly 'short' board let me stay at the right tempo through gates. I could keep it a clean, high arc (vs. sluffing speed by re-directing the nose), and If I had that extra moment between turns, I'd step on the tail for a pumped boost. The disadvantage is, of course, getting too far ahead of, or behind of, the shorter board's edging. Having a tighter arc, though, is nice on those twisty New England trails found around here.

Wow, that's as skewed as Dowd's Aggression from '92 !!

I'd take the Donek AX, in any of it's forms, over the Burtons, just on build quality. The Alp, well, early on ('97) was interesting in it's tight-turn control, but having split the cores (lenghtwise) on 2 of the 3 I owned along the Toeside Edge, um, nope, don't go there (only my re-inserted M-5 asym split like this, after being a teach-hack for 4 seasons). Turn radius would be the factor to think over. There, Donek has it ALL OVER Burton... The UP is a good board, but not a board I'd buy. It has a sidecut that pushes the rider to center, so moves towards the nose just wash-out, and power to the tail is weakened by loss of grip. So, it quickly becomes a one-two-trick Pony that can't Gallop.

Well, I was Born this way, so...

Well, on top of the rental/demo issue, is who's going to teach the technique? When we had 4-5 hardboot willing/able Instructors and Demoes nearby at Stratton, the demand wasn't all that great, but at least that resort had a 'Posse' of riders. Stratton itself didn't really take notice for, oh a decade or so (and when they did, it was shortly after my departure; somehow Jack-from-Maine got credit, yet I was the one there for 9 seasons?!) in any of it's advertising. As it is, I think there's only one or two Instructors there that would even put hardshells back on, and probably not to teach from. I don't know of any Race Coaches using plates there now... So, Inclusion, cost, awareness, equipment, coaching, and venue all issues that preclude Freecarving from being accessible to the general snowboard populace. The ECES, however, has kept the flame alive over the years. Once it quits being a presence [not saying that it will], the East Coast will likely be without a rallying point for Carvers. Events like this are really about the only time new riders get to see what and who all is out there. If some promotion isn't considered by the industry, we could see an end to carving as we know it within 6-8 years. The up-start Bomber Ski [not this, well established Binding company, but dudes from NY.] company may hasten that greatly if they want to continue using 'bomber' as a marketed [and they may want it monopolized] name, as they've got deep pockets...

I'll be there tomorrow from noon on... look for Red beard, yellow/grey jacket, black helmet + pants, blue boots, black Tanker (or red Reto) board. I'll stay on Bonanza/Chase for 2-3 runs. It'd be nice to carve with someone there, as all the Jib-kids there just ride base-flat and go straight...

K-dog, go get that board! $40 is a deal. Oh, and with the Clickers, they're fun with snowshoes, as they're super easy on/off, but the downside is occasional cold feet (lots of metal underfoot in the boots), and finding said boots.