Atom Ant

Please do

Hey chaoticbiker: I don't really have a suitable "starter" board--but I too am occasionally at Okemo (about once a month or so). If you would like to meet up, even on soft boots, I am more than happy to ride. If carving even on softboots is still somewhat "new" for you--not saying it is, I am also more than happy to help you learn some drills / skills that will carry over easily to hardbooting... making the transition much, much easier.

Ok, because I would like the board but as someone else mentioned, your desired trades are really, really rare boards... which of course leaves me crap out of luck unless you want a alpine board. If you decide you would take cash (or a GS board! LOL), please let me know.

Do you want any Alpine boards? I have several.

Response?

you will do fine with a custom X (great all arounder). Wide version is stiffer than normal width, I would recommend the wide be the only consideration due to alpine rider tendencies to actually know how to achieve large angulation. Pending where you are, these are available sometimes for demo. You might want to try a variety of boards to dial in your preference for soft boot stiffness, afterwards, you could always pick up a off the shelf from a major manufacturer or go with a Coiler, Donek, Jasey Jay, Prior and so forth. For the custom route, in terms of all around total mountain boards, I think Prior is the best option (and less so if you primarily want to only carve). mitch

How old are the raceplates? Worried about plastic fatigue.

I have a few... Pm me.

Lincoln. Can't remember the techs name, but he used to tune for Chris Klug, so could do worse!

Sport Thoma does a good job. They are in NH.

He will for sure customize for free to your desired flex. Has done for me. Worth a call!

Why not a Jasey Jay? I have ridden Kessler, Oxess, SG, Donek, Coiler... all great, honestly no one to go wrong with. However, from a relationship standpoint--Jasey is my favorite (aside from Bruce). He remembers who I am every time, knows what I like (helps we have ridden together too) and hits me up when he has new stuff (before it becomes public). Hard to argue with the ride quality too: fastest bases I have ever been on, and he will customize anything you like. I think his boards are just as good as Kessler or SG, but Kessler will send you a "order sheet" and generally that is about as far as the "custom" aspect goes. Good luck getting him on the phone--Jasey will talk to you as needed and is responsive via email. Oxess is great too: but damn expensive for what you get (which is of course great, but less value for your dollar there I think). SG is non-custom, for the plebs at least. Think about it. His SL boards are, bar none, amazing. AMAZING.

@TVR

GS board /plate combo updated...now $600

Happy to help, but I don't have a season pass the Bretton. Where are you located? Have you considered a formal program, assuming your of age?

Mike, I will be a resident of wachussetts this season, but would love to hit the Beast a few times. Please keep me in the loop on your days there.

Sent a PM

Weight Range?

We really do need to build that wall.

Ok all, So believe it our not, this saga has continued over the summer. Since all basic logic was being questioned heavily, as I mention above, I decided to break out the ol' grade school math equations and present an analysis to EICSL to better illustrate the unfair set up of making a snowboarder race skiers in a ski-gate GS course with no adjustments. This isn't perfect, I don't pretend it is, it is meant as illustrative of the overall point. The high level walkthrough: The skier and snowboarder are on the same course, taking the same line, and traveling the same speed. Thus, all variables are held neutral to time aside from the distance a boarder needs to be from the gate itself relative to a skier (so by calculating the difference between the two, we can get an idea of extra distance traveled). Percent extra distance traveled vs. skier = percent slower time under these controlled conditions. I chose a 68-inch skier and snowboarder, and assumed 45* of lean for all gates. I calculated the distance from this from the gate. As skiers "crash" gates with their body, I assumed a 2-inch overlap of skier and gate, while for the snowboarder I assumed a 1-foot "buffer" as we cannot intersect gates as skiers can unless we have exceptional health insurance. So there is a 14-inch difference in distance to gate. Again, trying to keep things relatively simple here. I calculated the difference in ellipse this 14-inch gap creates, and using a pretend course of 850 vertical drop (which is the Attitash Course, by the way) over 20-gates, I calculated the snowboarder rides an extra 9%, roughly, relative to the skier. So he/she should be 9% slower all else being equal. As we all know, 9% disadvantage in a race is massive. This of course does not account for start-related differences (EICSL has perhaps 8-inch starting blocks for me to launch off, and flat starts the skiers skate). It doesn't account for the "slow snow" I have to ride given the extra distance I need to keep from the gates, or that I have to intersect the ruts differently--"fighting them" as opposed to riding them. It doesn't account for the aerodynamic differences as skiers can tuck more efficiently, grip to course with two edges vs. one, and so on... That easily gets us to the NASTAR handicap discount of 20%, arguably more for EICSL as the starting areas for NASTAR are generally better (sometimes yes, sometimes no) and the courses are more standardized relative to EICSL. What I heard back (after they YouTubed a few snowboard GS runs): "Speed boards" as they refer to them, where the rider "faces forward" do not drive as much lean over from the rider to turn. Therefore the above analysis does not relate to "speed board" riders... the implication is that "speed board" riders are similar to skiers in terms of how close we can get to a ski-gate. Snowboarders don't lean over as "when their back is to the gate". So we can get closer to the gate on heelside turns. Again, no difference vs. a skier. I was also told skiers can angulate the same as a snowboarder (even seen an EC turn from a skier?) They claim skiers hitting gates slows them down, and so they are trained to not do this. Bullshit. Ever seen any skier in the parallel races? They hit those gates like their holding a football. Thus the overlap assumption shouldn't be a basis for a discount calculation. "My calculations started at 6%, plus some of my points might bring down your discount percentage – if we continued." This is the portion of the response that irks me the most: that 6% is fair, and that "if we continued" that my entire argument would unravel. There is a pomposity to this I cannot wrap my head around. At it core, EICSL is effectively stating that even when adjusted for differences in the sport, snowboarders are slower than skiers and not as competitive as racers. Period. Control for all differences--we will still beat you because you are of lesser talent and capability. Skiers and thus superior. I am not entirely sure where to do here; if anywhere at all.

I'll work on skidding less this coming season, you can teach me how. Fair criticism.

I assume your referring to the extreme carves, including the double-linked and triple-linked versions? You jelly like a doughnut, brah.

Dave, You are a lovely son of a gun. You and I both know you ain't racing no slalom. That said, to your point the costs do add up but I suppose if someone isn't content with just NASTAR and wants to race in actual snowboard gates USASA is about it. I don't think it is "too serious" as 80% of the people racing are little kids throwing snowballs between heats, but for the Open guys and some age group (18+ age groups) it can get a bit serious. I don't think the cost is prohibitive per se', but the hoops adults now need to jump through along with the potential for total-life ruin is a deal breaker for me. Good God, I just want to run a few gates and hang with some similar-aged riders, and then hit the bar! I am with you, though. Freeriding is where it is at once your past the "making the WC" window of your riding career.

It is just piss poor customer service, assuming there is any to begin with (along with an actual business). I purchased risers from Jasey, who has never given me bad equipment (or advise) and is incredibly communicative. He might miss a few shipping windows from time to time (in which case he always makes it right) but usually that is due to his WC schedule. Highly recommend. Apex should rightfully go out of business based on the majority of respondents to this thread. I hope the don't, of course, but I wouldn't be surprised.

None from me. I also will pass on USASA. I understand the chances of a erroneous accusation is small, but if it occurred it would end my career. Not worth the risk for a few GS runs and the occasion boardercross.