Eric Brammer aka PSR

GV Scores! he gets INTACT Grell binders that are SO RARE!, and some nifty stickers on an olden Sims plank. Dude, really?! Makes me think of those other 'barn-finds', as seen on TV...

Sandy, gotta start looking for Reto's! You need the one with the girl/bikini melt-away base! Oh, and an '02 LSD 164! Tsk tsk...

Wednesdays, non-holiday, are $41.50! Almost Affordable!

When I was Teaching, I have "Busted" folk who've decided that 1' was a 'safe' passing space. I carried Clipper-Pliers just so I could 'snip' their pass! I've been hit well over 40 times (usually herding a class down Open-Slope at Okemo; I wasn't an Instructor, I was a "Goalie"!! ) , but my fave was when I was 'out of uniform', but on my Nitro EFT Asym, and had been ripping 120*+ carves all the way down World Cup, but had a 'shadow' Skier following (lurking), at the edge of his skills (I'd see him, every Toe-side Carve!!). I pulled WAY OVER, and KNELT down, facing uphill, and watched this fool try to Pass by me towards the shoulder of the trail. I stood, Hopped UP the hill (2 hops), and we Collided. I put my feet into it, and stopped Both of us from going off the side of the trail. Then, I announced that I was a Mountain employee, Clipped his Ticket, and told him he could talk to My Supervisor (Gordon Robbins) if he had any complaint. That afternoon, Gordon asked what happened, I showed him my (then-new, but now scratched-up!) Nitro. He took my word, and my board back down to Ski-Patrol, and told the 'customer', "Go Home Today, the proof is in my hands"... After that, we were advised to report 'unsafe' skiers/riders' to Patrol, and, IF we had clipped a Ticket, write an explanation. I filled a lot of those 'explanations' out in those next 4 years there, and brought that ideal/process to Bromley when I was Supervisor there.

So, when you see THIS, JJA is lettting the REAR LEG Propel Him (at the waist/torso) FORWARDS, into the Turn's Transition Zone! I've been alluding to this (and, as such, been NOT a Fan of front-toe-lift, nor Excessive canting, but, rather, the idea of Fore-Aft pressure control!) for 25 Yrs. It all comes down to being either AHEAD of the Board, or, being Behind and Catching-up-to the Board! Which is Faster?! I know! Being Late, LOSES!

Hey, My, one-season-student is in 8th. Bring the Smack on! (OBTW, I'm not Coaching him now- "that's 1 season, 1 Only", so like +-20 days. I Suck as a a helper)

At this point, you might want to see if you've any 'small-works' machine shops around? If you take an intact part in, they can measure the basic specs, and make a replacement. Be sure they use a quality metal, though!

Funny, that!! As both Chuck Barfoot and Tom Sims split up their partnership, both looked into having a 'ski' company build boards. Chuck kept his production to himself (w/ Ernie DeLost's ideas included {which we see in new Jones boards,like the Hovercraft}, so his volume was small), and when Sims first tried this (using a Ski company-'89), the response from their designers was that the Sidecut was Too Radical/Deep in curvature to be of use! Hence, we had to wait, until '90 for deeper sidecuts from the Sims brand.

The deck may be only a 'wall hanger', but you've got Highbacks! that're INTACT?! OMG!! They do/will, crack, whenever they wish to, but, WOW! Oh, btw, using Nidecker 800-900 series highbacks works, no extra holes needed (something i only discovered 2 yrs ago! Doh!).

Or not? Well, I tried... Please, whoever gets these, pay the shipping + buy! These need to be sold, and were worth a good % more than the asking price to me. I've own two sets, sold both to aspiring/needy Students. One huge 'benny' is the 'LDS' system that elevates the footbed, by putting the 'cush' under the binding. About as solid as you'd ever want!

So, many years ago, I addressed this by way of; Carpet Riding in front of a full length mirror. From a head-on, into-a-mirror perspective, you can SEE which leg actuates against the boot, boot against which binding, binding against the board's edge/flex/camber, in a full cycle of actuation (as long as you DO NOT fall thru the glass-topped bench-table that's in front of the couch! Yeah, Don't!!). But the ramp angles of boots do, indeed vary. When I talked with Warren Witherall, about a 1/4 century ago, he concluded that a 'snowboard alignment' calc. sheet couldn't be done, it had Too Many Variables! Which, is likely why I'm still here. I figured a smidge of it out.

BUT, did you CHECK YOUR BASE and EDGE?!! Note; I'm usually THE 1st To Jump in with a bit of 'RIDER CORRECTION', as THAT's WHAT I DID for a quarter century! Did I? No, I watched everyone take my spot (Chuckle! and, nice jobs, unpaid Coaches, but, at least, I know you've been reading/watching/listening! so, nifty, nonetheless.) BUT, I noted; YOU'VE an unexplained differential in BOARD Performance; That's not quite 'On You'.It seems to be "another" thing. Please, look at the 'another-things', first. Then, after that, maybe your Toeside habits can be looked into?! BTW am quite happy with 90% of the feedback I see posted here; it mean that you ALL, as a Group, are Learning, and perhaps even out-performing the 'Coaches/Instructors' that require $90+/yr. to listen to their version of being "qualified" into their Little Click of Snowsports. WE should, at some point, have a 'ride-off', Them in Hardshells, us in softies, down 3 courses of different features, and see who's left standing. Maybe in Anchorage, AK?!

But, who made those 'stainless' t-nuts? Are they really, or are they Chinese (with far less nickel content, and, NO STRENGTH RATING)? Deregulation, it sucks. With "Regulation', you get "CRAP" from posers who think you can't tell what you just bought from Home-Depot! I've heard of entire floor systems within a shopping mall fall apart due to this EXACT IGNORANCE, which is 'WHY' I'm totally "Anti-Ignorant" in regards to things of Metal (that which we use to build with, Btw) being 'Trumped-Down to Chinese "standards of production", which are a bad Joke when held up to any perceivable "standard" set by European/US Standards over a Century Ago. Buy any parts with DUE CARE!!

Yup, got it today! Gorgeous! Snowsurfer was a generous, polite, respectful, and as truthful as anyone I've ever dealt with! Nevermind that board was in great (better than advertised!) shape. And, no, I wont use plates on it (even though the Drake Plates would look/ride Awesome!). This will replace a W.W. 165 or Tanker 167. 2 decades is about all I ask of a 'freerider' that's used for special days, from even high-end builders. I've been blessed with being on boards that good for awhile, but, I know, that level of Quality will be a rarer thing, very soon. But, I suspect my Boy will grow into this rig b4 I'm done with it!

Right there is a Niche product that F-2 has blatantly ignored for decades... Worse, Sno-pro builds the damn cants into the toe/heel blocks, Without lifts... Missing my tooling right now (it's in storage), and wishing I could fix what's eF-ed-Up on those Sno-pros. My Son tried Hardboots, but the knock-kneed stance totally messed with him (and he lives in Alabama, so it'll be months b4 he can try again). A shame, because the kid carves pretty well, in his softies.

You note that 'this doesn't happen' on the Coiler, using the same binding setup?! Then, it sounds like one edge on that Proteus is in need of a good looking-over, by a Tuner. One thing to also have looked at is whether that Proteus is actually Base-Flat across the beam.

McMaster-Carr, for your bolts/washers.

Yeah, well, I've been in the 'ski industry' long enough to know that one should move both Higher, and Further inland!!, Oh, and, if possible, closer to the Poles. However, once the 'POLE SHIFT' hits [again!], it's anyone's guess as to where to go?! As a former Surveyor, I know quite well, the 'shift' will hit again; the proof is in the rocks. But, the Mag-Lines 'Curve', so, it was a likely a bending of rockbed, such that the crust 'twisted' into it's configuration, from a previous lay. One cannot determine the time-span this occurred within, only that it was Molten upon such a turning-point, and wasn't as sudden as, say, Peru's Seacoast going 6000 Ft. UP, some 8000 yrs. ago! Earth-Changes are not beyond prediction, IF, but only IF, we KNOW the Predictor's Values, and perhaps their Causes?! WE DON'T KNOW. And, likely, will be Duped until it's far too late. But, meanwhile, we can guess.... Like Atlantis once guessed it's fate

Oh, and sorry, photo is from last Spring, Last Run, same hill, same board. '89 was a damn good year...

Sorry, ain't rich enuff for any Go-Pro.. besides, there's nuthin' to see but Poof.. So, no Proof. I'd usually be able to get 'track' photos, but with 45 mph winds tonite, only me and a Cop in a Stuck Chevy will know, for sure...

Having used F-2's for many years, I'll add this; The Toe buckle; The metal-style isn't needed, just install the simpler plastic strap type. If that isn't an option, reverse the fixtures {as "Teach' noted!}. If That doesn't clear the toe-cilp, add a bit of 1/4" stiff + adhesive foam, to the underside of the toe-clip just about-and-above the end of the 'E' in Dee-luxE, such that it rests on top of the shell. Then TIGHTEN the adjust screws [like 1-3 turns, on an M-6x1.00 pitch threading], such that it WON'T Release by 'incident'. Then, add a short loop (ski-pole straps, cut-to-fit!) into the toe-clip, such that you can use the Added Leverage of the 3" strap to both clip-in, and release the binding. I quit using F-2's when I realized they had gone away from welded bail-ends in metal fittings, and instead used a bigger bail (6mm, vs 5mm) stuck into only plastic blockings, with No Retention other than the FORM of the PLASTIC Block/Hole. That was 1997, btw. Even SG's 'upgrade' binding still has that Failure-point built in. Plastic isn't that reliable over time, and, unlike Metal, gives no 'warning' (nor is there a 'test' for it, except "by Eye"/deformation) that'll it will fatigue to failure. Granted, metals often fail along crystalline structure lines, thus no almost no report of stress, but they'll hold to a sheer tolerance that's predictable and known, where-as, Chinese plastic conforms to, which+what Standard-of-Industry?? Oh, and metal is Mold resistant, although it can oxidize (which, btw, is Obvious).

If only HAARP could keep the eye just off of NJ for another 4 hours... Oh, but, then, Trump's Atlantic-City holdings wouldn't dig out for a week.. Yeah, but, it's a great PR counter to 'global warming'.. And, I'll take it! I hiked Arrowhead for three hours (5 runs), and had over a foot of Freshies for the O-Sin Swallowtail, and Sims 1711 (that's a 29-yr.-old board, that RIPS this stuff!), and a Headwall that's 350 Ft., steeper than Stowe's front 4. Best of all, I found an old pair ('95+-) of Raichle softboots that my thermo-fit DeeLuxe liners slipped into, letting me drive [an '87 Saab, stick-shift] , hike, and ride in the same boots. Had a great conversation w/ a Claremont Cop, @ sundown, who got stuck following my tracks into the base-lodge area (my Saab pushed him out, and TVR, You be SO WRONG about this car! It's not a GM model.), as he was worried I was up-to-no-good, but, when he saw the Sims, understood immediately (he rode in the 90's). Hitting either Sunapee, or Crotched on Friday. Got the Cruzer waxed tonite, too.

Try Runnings Store. The one here in Claremont has those, Stainless M-8's in stock. $ 0.90 each.

So, if you run at angles of 40*+, my question is this; "When do the Highbacks affect your turning leverage?" As in, "Do They?", or are you simply lifting your toes in hopes of putting the board on edge? Also, do your 'softboots' transmit lower-leg motion to the EDGE, or just sag + roll laterally? I have (still?!) a pair of Kemper half-hard boots, that did indeed have a clip-in hardshell/Crampon sole, but they DO NOT transmit any Lateral Motion to a board's edge with any authority. Why? The LINERS BEND. So, then , why does the old 3-strap work, at pretty high angles? Simple, it anchors the lower leg into the rigid bit of the highback by way of wrapping around the boot, at it's top. Thus, a move both forwards and over-the-edge tilts the board with decent authority onto Edge, and the response time is within a second or 3 of a Hardboot shell. A Highback, set in it's normal position, with the binding set beyond 40*, is BEHIND the LEG for most of the turn, thus only giving edging control at a point when 75% of the turn has been committed to, with NO RECOURSE or Adjustment Possible. In Soft Snow, this can work, but the turns are asymmetrical, with the Toeside being the speed control arc.Power-wings only work out into the mid-40* range, and beyond that, your lower leg simply is 'out-in-space', not 'pressing' against ANYTHING to vector turning forces (thus, LIFT those Toes!). So, Bio-mechanically, what I've observed ,proven, and ridden these last 4 decades, kinda holds true....

And... The discoveries were in Photography??