Rusty Edges

At 56 years young some of my old customs are becoming unrideable... The modern boards are wider and much better construction/shape/design for flex. As much as I like 65/60 on my old a Hot Blast 170. The more relaxed angles are easier for all day riding. Softboot carving at 27/15 lets me ride all day. Snow soon...

When Craig Kelly was Da Man we all had cants inside our soft bindings. Knees jammed together... Shaved plywood wrapped in duct tape was the universal choice for cants. A royal pain in the ass when you lost your back foot cant half-way through the day... Snow Soon...

Rude Boy!!!!! RIP Terry Hall. I saw the Specials at the Commodore in Vancouver back in 2019. Opening night of their tour. I've never seen such a tame Mosh Pit. A full house of 40 and 50 Somethings. The entire crowd was channeling their teenage skate punk. The outfits were spectacular! Thanks for the memory. ***First Refusal when you decide on a new board.

I think they may work better inserted between the liner and the outer shell.

I've been running Malamutes with Flow NX2 bindings on my Pentaquark and Endeavor Carver. I like the internal ankle hold-down strap in the 'Mutes. You can soften up the upper lacing but still have good heel hold for softer and pow days. Just picked up a set of Power Ride insert tongues to try this year. Cheers, Trev

I think soft-boot carving will make you stronger at both. Despite plastic inserts and power straps there is a great deal more strength involved in smooth consistent soft-boot carving. The foot/ankle support just isn't there. Your whole body is involved in the soft boot deep carve, see Korea/Japan "Carve Yoga". This translates to a much more controlled and efficient carve when I return to hard-boots, but sometimes more rigid. Conversely. When I feel my hardboot carving becoming lazy, I switch back to soft-boots for a few runs or days to remind myself of the finesse and extra muscle control required for smooth clean carves. Does a run count if your skidded a turn??? It is a different carving experience. Longer free-carving and race hard-boot boards can blast through imperfections in the groom with a somewhat locked-in edge carve. But this edge can be difficult to get off of quickly. Whereas the soft boot carving board require a more dynamic style to absorb or quick edge changes around obstacles and the inevitable "two-planker"... I agree with the wipeouts. Soft-boot carving wrecks seem to be less punishing on the body than hard boots. Although, it may be the change in board size. I've been on hard-boots at my local bump since they allowed snowboards. I get more questions from the regulars when I'm not in hard boots or on the longest "plank" on the hill. Snow soon... Cheers, Trev

My go to every day ride is the Amplid Pentaquark 160 model. It can do it all. The Amplid Surfari has my interest and has gotten great reviews but there are few in north america to demo... If I know it will be corduroy all day I go with the Endeavor Hammer Head 163. I wish I could find the smaller version for smaller hills and busy days. Snow Soon....

You might try to track down some mountain board wheels. CarveBoard made near slick pneumatic tires/wheels as well. I have a BMW Street Carver or a Loaded surf skate for when the urge to carve on the street raises its head... Strapped to that board in hard shells is another level. Pics/Video or it didn't happen.

I find that more forward lean in both boots makes my ankles feel more locked in without excessively tightening my boots or binding straps. To counter the forward lean I have toe lift on the forward binding and heel lift on the rear binding at 60 - 55 angles. This also has the side benefit of allowing a wider, more stable, stance. The trick I have found is having both knees centered laterally on the board. This seems to balance any toe side - heel side bias. This has been my starting point for years with little adjustment required. Your mileage may vary...

Any idea how I can get a BC Stream DR161 SQ landed in Canada?

White Christmas here in North Vancouver... Heading out for a few turns on Seymour this morning and then maybe a "Snow Ride" this afternoon on the Fattie. Then let the eating begin... Happy Holidays to all. Cheers, Trev

All good points above. Link one turn at a time, carving back up the hill to control speed. The transitions will come as your comfort zone expands. Read and reference The Norm. One thing to think about on transitions is to show the base of your board to the uphill riders during transitions. This ensures you are on edge early and in better control as you cross the fall line. The description above of "pouncing" on the turn is a great hint. This technique requires an amazing amount of faith that the board will catch you before you Face Plant (or Butt Plant). But it will do wonders for controlling the run-away train that is your first carving experience. Stick with it. There is no shame in throwing in the odd "Slarve", even the best do it occasionally. Just know when to stop and begin again if the run turns into too many slarves in a row. Always, always, always, take a look up the hill before you begin and during any toe-side carve. Straight-liners can appear out of nowhere...

Malamutes.

Paddle and pump back up on the next wave. It is a tough sport to learn, these guys make it look way too easy. For an interesting pumping video try Wake Theif on Youtube.

That last shot is Pre-School surf foiling. Snowboard boots and bindings to keep you attached to the board. Laird and Dave were pioneers in wave foiling... We've come a long way since then.