softbootsurfer

Wow, just unreal Style...:)

I noticed yesterday as the sun melted snow on the top of my board riding up the lift how much water was flowing into the channels to just sit there...also one of the Burton E-Mails asked if I used a roof rack to transport my board as my pics indicated rust type discoloration on the T-Bolt I broke while boarding...I believe the major fault of the Channel is WATER sitting in it and corroding the bolts that hold the bindings to the board. Say you snowboard 10 times a year but drive around with your board locked on your roof rack to look cool...the third season should be enough time to rust through the bolts and cause a you a major problem...just a theory

Steering is to me Intent...IMO Either I am Leading the Board or the Board is leading me...

Looks like your "Session" was a complete success

They Post advertising Photos on Line for anyone to see... She took a Picture of her computer Good Timing Angie...and nice Turn Too :)

Friday 7:30 A.M. 4" on railing and supposed to Snow most of the day as well... It is never really crowded here...:p

I sent the Pics and my concerns to Burton through E-Mail 2 Days ago... Less than 24 hrs. later I had been contacted by Tony Berry of Rider Services then Chris Cunningham who runs the Binding Div. at Burton called me to go over what happened and to request that I send the broken bolt to them for a complete analysis. They informed me that I am the FIRST person to shear a Bolt while Riding and that they understand that my confidence in their products could be shaken, and that I could have been seriously hurt. Both offered up sincere apologies and the desire to make sure it does not happen again! I just received another E-Mail from Tony saying they are sending 20 sets of Channel Hardware with extra disk as well...I replaced the Bolts after the Break and yesterday put on the Malamutes and Rode Non-Stops on Spar trying to Break another One ...no luck...

I have 65 days on this system with an average of 5 hrs. a day. I have had to tighten one screw twice in that time frame. Using a magnifying glass I looked at the broken T-Bolt and blame the break on a bolt that was of poor quality. As a way though to keep my peace of mind I will change out the bolts after 30 days of use regardless. My 45 deg. angles F and B are certainly not applying as much torque as a duck stance of 17 F / -9 B such as my Son rides. I think long term Burton will need to re think this system or insure the quality and hardness of T-Bolts they are supplying their customers...

Once you realize where you are... Roll over on to your Stomach or front side edge...sometimes a real task :) Now you can get up and continue...

Well, looks to me like a Bad T-Bolt and 65 days of Riding made it snap... My binding of course stayed on the Board, but had a nice FREE SPIN effect to it Our Son works at one of the Snowboard Shops so it was easy to get replacement bolts I think I will just replace with new bolts, after 30 days of use in the future. Having been in Construction for many years, this type of metal bolt failure is just not that uncommon as quality of the general Bolt population has been degrading for years...

I had a T-Bolt shear off on my back foot this morning allowing the binding to spin freely... I managed to avoid the trees in front of me and bring it to a safe stop... I have just sent this Pic along with my Friendly Comments to Jake... Just Glad there are at least 2 Bolts and not just one...maybe 3 would be better? or 4?

Good Vibrations...not the beach boy song I keep getting this image of my Guitar strings when plucked... Tight direct bottom string lead Guitar is very little Lateral Flex Pluck that Top string and feel that lateral flex go Twang...:D

I don't Know....with both feet at 45 deg. the forward flex and lateral flex are a combo...0 to 90 deg. cut in half? really at any angles the Forward and Lateral flex are a combo...Duh! wether it is in the boot or the binding Lateral Flex is one of the major keys to Good Carves ? Is Play really another term for Slop ? Who Da Thunk? The Season is To Short!

Thanks Sierra Snowboards...:) I Love watchin the Ravens ride the Winds at the top of Tiehack 163 Supermodel...with Ravens on bottom

I want to say, my equipment is MY Equipment...It is what lets me FEEL the SURF/SKATE connection that I have pursued most of my life...I have always had or made my own SB 3 strap bindings for 25 years now. They are not better than HB and can not come close to HB for edge control...lots of Lateral Flex is not a HB thing. When riding the HB the other day, as well as 15 years ago, the last time I tried them, it was the ease of pressuring the edge I noticed the most, If I tried to ride my set up like that my board would not even respond as I have to over angulate to compensate for the tremendous amount of Lateral Flex in my set up. Your term EXOskeleton is correct as that is what my interface FEELS like with a locked HiBack and added top strap. I have also always ridden with High Angles as well...look at my Avatar pic from 1964, see that stance ? that is what I have used since I started years ago. There were NO HB riders here then, no one to emulate or learn from, I taught myself and developed the Style I have on my Own as a composite of all those turns from both Surfing and Skating over a lifetime. Regular SB bindings are ALL ANKLES which I can not stand, yet I seem to be the only one that can not stand them. :) My set up is very close to HB on forward flex yet miles away when talking lateral flex... I doubt there are any here that would enjoy my set up or feel like it even works I am not pushing my equipment here, OK. I live in Colorado, and ride primarily at Buttermilk which of course is basically a deserted Carving Zone :) The snow here is Hero for 95% of a season that is around 130 days in length. Buttermilk is also mostly all Greens and Blue runs, which is great because my set up is dialed in to those runs and begins to Fail on Black runs. My set up Surfs blues and greens as well as the HB I had on 2 days ago, yet I must Skarve my turns on Blacks and I am OK with that. I am stoked to see the Lateral Flex innovations such as TD3 SW that fin has developed yet I also understand and confirmed again the other day that HB with 60 deg. angles would be compromised with to much Lateral Flex and the advantage of all that control with pressuring the edge would be lost. I know that Jack, JG, Ray and most HB Carvers want that DIRECT PRESSURE APPLIED NOW, not wait for some lateral flex to suck up energy. So I am not pushing everyone hop on the Lateral Flex train either...:) I am a FREAK with FREAK gear and that is OK. Please note that Pow is Pow and my set up works on any Pitch and any depth.:) I hope to use HB more often in the Future, and they are the correct choice for Carving all types of Groom conditions and or Pitches.

Hopefully your friend had a Helmet on ?

There was one free demo day offered for all season Passholders...:) Joreg (sp) of PureBoarding left Boots and Boards at Buttermilk sports for people to rent... Wanted to try his PureBoarding equipment... also wanted to compare a HB set up after 15 years to my current SB set up. Perfect Blue Bird Colorado day, Perfect Groom and no one on Tiehack...:D

Think this maybe should be in Off Topic ? The Boots were just comfy, yet from the ankle up reminded me of my ski boots...after the Blacks, I think I had imaginary shin bang...really no discomfort at all or pressure points, fit was just great. The bindings were Ibex ? I think we were around 60 f 55 b at around 18" with some cant on the back foot. Have to say I felt right at home though my reg stats are 45 f 45 b at 19". There was no, this feels weird at all! The forward flex on the Raichles was a tad less flex than my current set up. The only Major difference was Lateral Flex... There is no lateral flex with HB's, I assume that is why the super high angles are needed ? My normal set up has a ton of Lateral Flex and I think TD3 SW are a good idea. There is no doubt that HB's make Carving easier, and the more pitch the better. There was really no differences riding this interface on the Greens or Blues but I can not Carve on Blacks like that with my normal set up. I am glad I tried them as I needed to compare once again after so many years... If I made some Bomber Brothers smile by hopping on HB's then good... I would also like to say that Carving in SB's with high angles for the last 25 years made the Transition easy...being unemployed for over a year would limit any new set ups at this time...so Softbootsailer remains Softbootsailer for now...:)

so....15 years ago was the last time... Where should I post now? SB's HB's or No Boots ? :) Thanks for the Demo, Joerg 1 Hr. of Greens, 1 Hr. of Blues and 1 Hr. of Blacks with the Blacks being the only major difference from my current set up. I can not Carve like that on Blacks with my gear... HB's are Great... This is First Run down Buckskin, took 6 or so turns to dial in...:p

I see Carvers that go 50 mph...then crank a big turn to a stop ( photo ops ) . I also see Carvers on boards that do not work until they reach 25 mph or so, (Hi John). Other Carvers are those that do non-stops and maintain a relative constant Speed no matter the pitch, Cliff of (pure Carve) is a perfect example for me at least. So, Does your equipment force you to pass up a bunch of slow turns...on the way to that big one ? No Greens or Blues for You, gimme da pitch Brudda! Are GS boards that are for Racing such as in the olympics what You use for having fun at your local hill? What is the Speed needed to be considered a Carver?

Perfect Form...showing those Cookies whose Boss...:)

Then I built a Halfpipe in the backyard...:D and...then showed him the Ocean... Cold Surf is headed into the Future !

Well, I taught him to Carve his turns right from the start... and Now? Well, I showed him some of my Secret Colorado Lines...

12345

and why I am signing off...