Hello everyone!
I've been reading the forum for a while but only created an account just now (coinciding with my recent harboot premiere).
In short
I am having troubles learning how to ride my new hardboot setup (total beginner). I'd like some input on what to do here. It would be awesome if someone who went from softboots to hardboots and struggled could shine some light on to how they got over the initial 'hurdles'.
The long version
Me: I snowboarded for two seasons back when I was 14 (so not a lot). I've been skiing for all my life and now when I am 29 I bought a hardboot setup after seeing some [really cool] youtube videos. I'm 187cm tall and weigh in on 75ish kg.
My new setup: A Virus tantalus 176cm with a 17cm waist. UPZ RC 11 boots. Powerlock III bindings (57 degrees on the rear and 63 on the front), 1 really small riser pad on the rear heal.
I bought this setup late december but due to work I've only been able to ride it on 4 separate occasions (yet ). Three 1-day trips and one 3-day trip.
Yesterday I got back from riding my board over the day with a friend who is on a classic freestyle snowboard with softboots. Since I have very little snowboard experience I thought it was going to be an uphill battle and it has. I can ride fast (well, at least I get down as fast as my friends) and I'm fairly stable at high speeds, probably thanks to the board. But man I am a long way from nice clean carves... And I feel really unstable in some situations and like I am about to crash and die at times. Basically I don't feel like I have total control over the situation and I try to stay far away from other people in the slopes so that I don't crash into someone.
And that's maybe fine since I am new to it?
But.... I tried my friend's freestyle board and I killed it. I don't ever remembered being able to carve when I was 14 but sure enough I could get some carves with in with 0 skid (not many but they occurred every once in a while). I felt really stable and riding was super easy and fun. I had total control and was never afraid of crashing, even at high speeds. Sure the board didn't hold an edge like my tantalus, which feels like a knife compared to the freeride spoon, but it looked like I had been riding for years when I was on the freeride board while on the tantalus I look and feel like a crash about to happen.
So, is there someone here who can give me some pointers on what I am doing wrong (from your own experience perhaps?).
I was up last night thinking I've made a bit of a mistake in buying my whole hardboot setup after watching a bunch of youtube videos... maybe I should have bought a wider board allowing for lower angles? And maybe a shorter board? I don't know... I just feel like I enjoyed the freestyle board so much more yesterday (even though I'd like to have something made a bit more for carving).
Really thankful for any input from you guys!