lordmetroland

I rode Loveland today and was cruising to the base area and stopped to unstrap (I'm on a 200 Hazelwood, softboots in +21/+9 angles) and a 30+ year-old guy carrying a snowboard comes up to me and says, "Do you skate?" I told him I did and he says, "I thought so. I race skateboard downhill in the south and I'm trying snowboarding. Do you know how to adjust these bindings, 'cos they're killing me." He had a rental board that had been set up with about a +15/-15 stance. I suggested that, as a longboard racer, he ought to at least try both positive angles. He went off to adjust the bindings. I later switched to a 170 LibTech with +18/-6 angles and get stopped by a 15 year old girl at the top of the hill. She says, "Can you switch this board to regular?" Again, it's a rental board with about a +15/-15 stance and she had noob written all over her. Once we determined which end was the tip of the board, I set her up at +15/0 and suggested she give it a go. I have NEVER been asked for tech help on the hill in my 20+ years of riding and it happens twice today. Both nubians, both with angles that aren't working. And one who clearly knew it wasn't right for him. Laziness or dogmatism in the rental shop? Not sure which. But thought it was kind of interesting, given the thread we've been weaving here. When it comes to stance angles, I started experimenting with a duck stance last year for the first time because I'd never had a board that was wide enough to accommodate it without going like +35/-35, which may be less duck and more hieroglyphic. Once I got the LibTech ultrawide, I gave it a shot. This is after about 20 years of running about +35/+25 in softboots (and about two forgettable years in hardboots). The funny thing is I don't notice a whole lot of difference going from +21/+9 to +18/-6. I also don't have a good wine palate, so I may just not be very sensitive to differences (the place I really notice a difference is when I don't detune a board. Learned that lesson recently), but duck vs. positive? Not so much. Maybe it's a product of having learned and ridden my first 100+ days on an impossibly unresponsive and crap setup that everything else now seems magical, regardless of the stance?

Longboarding is a lot like snowboarding in that it can take some experimentation to learn what you really like. Oh, and like hardbooting, you can spend as much as you want on a setup; the sky seems to be the limit. I have four setups that get varying amounts of use, none of which are tuned for pumping, slalom or downhill; I'm more of a slow carving, "dancing" guy. The feel of a deep, slow, well-executed cross-step or Peter Pan is pretty close, neurologically, to a deep carve. At least for me. The Loaded Longboards' videos "School's Out," "Propeller," and my favorite, "Wu Wei" are emblematic of the riding I like, though I'm woefully inferior to these guys. As a bonus, Loaded's videography is sublime. Full disclosure, on the snow, I'm a softboot devotee with relaxed angles that prefers long boards, partly because I think it's funny to ride the same terrain on a 200 that guys are riding on 155s. I mostly seek out soft lines and steeps, but try my luck with carving as well. I'm 6'3" and about 195-200. Given that picture of me, here's what I have and my experience of it: Loaded Dancer (discontinued) 55", with Paris trucks and Otang wheels - twin-tip, monster, inch thick bamboo slab with a spongy, damp feel. Perfectly flat - no camber, rocker, concave, nothing. The 1970's Town Car of longboards, good for little else but dancing, but a very plush ride. They should never have discontinued it, but the market went a different direction and the deck alone was like $270! Loaded Bhangra 48", Surf-Rodz RKP trucks with Otang wheels - Dancer put through a shrink ray, but a little rockered with some concave. More versatile, less spongy, a mellow platform. Longboard Larry DK Penguin 45", Devil Rey trucks and Duval Hurrithane wheels - twin tip, unforgiving, rock maple freestyle deck. Big kicktails, concave with pockets for controlled slides. A very responsive and versatile deck. Has enough rebound to pump, but pumping it long distance would be a chore. I love this thing. Bustin Boombox, Surf-Rods Indeesz trucks with Volante wheels - Quite similar to the LBL, but smaller kicktails and more forgiveness. Versatile, but nothing special. Doesn't do anything great. But I can beat the hell out of it without guilt. I've also had - and sold - a Loaded Tan Tien, an Arbor Fleetwood and an Arbor Koa Blunt. The Tan Tien was fun, but too squirrelly and short for my taste. The Fleetwood was a near-pintail. I'd never get another pintail. Great for lazy cruising, but not much else. They don't slide well, you can't do kickflips, they're underengineered for pumping. The Blunt was just a dumb board. Corey's comments are spot on; you could get into interminable debates on wedge angles, bushing durometers and something called "rake." I only know what I like and what feels good. I'm not that interested in dissecting the whys. Here's what I've concluded: I like boards that are generalists, not specialists. Paris trucks give a great turny feel, but I often bend the hangers (lifetime replacement warranty). If I didn't, that would be my only truck. Most precisions trucks are a waste of money, but Reys are comparatively cheap. I've had good luck with the Loaded/Otang family. Bushings do interact with trucks, so a great bushing set up may not be portable. It's a lot more fun to ride than discuss. So go and experiment. For specific information, silverfishlongboarding is a great source. True, there are a ton of teenage wannabes, but there are also gear nerd engineers that would give some of the Bomberonline folks a run for their money. So you may have to plow through a bunch of stupid crap to get to the real gems.

Rode Loveland today. I was on chair 2 and at the bottom of Home Run saw a kid who couldn't have been more than seven or eight wearing a full face helmet and just ripping little carves. Steep on his edges in his little soft boots at what looked like 30/20 angles. It was amazing. Hope for the future! Then a guy at the top asked me about my Hazelwood and said, "That's a big board. I was out here Tuesday and there was a dude on a 240. Big old twintip." He didn't seem to notice if the dude in question was in hard boots, but I immediately thought it had to be one of you LCIers... Who the heck else would even consider a 240 at Loveland?

Not to exhume the corpse, but in searching for input on Bomber Power Plates, I came across a review on Snowboardingforum, with a posted video from a self-identified instructor. He busted the same Crouching Tiger/Child's Pose toe sides as the guys in this video. I ride soft boots. Maybe I have the same form and simply don't know it? Is the frontside carve so intoxicating that one loses all sense of physical awareness? I remember feeling a lot better looking and graceful a long time ago after a handful of martinis...

http://denver.craigslist.org/spo/4420707343.html Step in bindings, plus Raichle 23.5 boots. No asking price. Looks cool for the right sized, regular footed person.

Yes, yes, yes! Now you've hit on another variable in the equation. If, say, there was a company known for quality, simplicity - and maybe most relevant to this question - solvency, that offered a rugged-a** substitute for the FR2, I wouldn't be paralyzed by doubt. I'd be riding on it! If only.... Oh yes; and I would be a willing guinea pig too!

I have, indeed. They factor into my indecision over the Cateks. It's the extra 3 pounds of metal that's giving me pause. I'm not a weight weenie; the board is pretty heavy to begin with.

I've been reading up on the Catek FR2s - good and bad - and may be interested in buying a pair. They'd need to be size large, my boots are 13s. Currently on Ride El Hefes, which I really like, so the lack of replacement parts and the probability of vanishing hardware for the Cateks is a bit spooky. But I might want a little better control over the Exxon Valdez that I recently christened. So, I'm a bit unsure but interested to see what's out there. Thanks!

I'd second this suggestion. I haven't ridden the Raptor X but was disappointed in the max length of 169. I just took delivery of a Donek Hazelwood 200. I'm 6'3", 195 lbs, size 13 soft boots. I came off a Lib Tech Skunk Ape HP ultrawide 170 (28.5 wide). Fun, lively board, but chattery at speed, and I don't think I'd trust it in hard boots. I had the Donek built at 28.7 width, slightly stiffer than typical for soft boots. It's frightening. Didn't think I ordered the hyperdrive option. It gets moving quickly. It pounds through everything and has plenty of pop between turns. And lays down a nice line, though I don't know if I'd be considered a competent carver. No regrets.

I know next to nothing about board construction, outside of what I've seen on the web. I'm baffled by the construction of your new Tinkler. How is the split formed without exposing the core? Clearly it wasn't a Sawzall...possibly the laser table in Goldfinger? This is going to bother me until I'm informed! It is a sweet looking ride. In my mind, I keep wanting to see a tripod-mounted Gatling gun on the front.

I know little of the ins and outs of racing, but I do know that I'd start researching replacements for the Missions even while riding them. I found them to be a bit flexy, that is, until the baseplate exploded under my feet. Then they were shard-y. Never seen anything like it. Dozens of little bits. Upgraded to Cartels, which were an improvement in the not-catastrophically-failing-at-warp-speed category. I then left the Church of Burton entirely for the aluminum chassis Rides. At 200 pounds, I'm probably not a good sample match for you, but it suspect that flexy/breaky isn't ideal for racing at any size. The Apex sounds nice!

My plan is to make it my go-to. More of a smorgasbord; something for all conditions. Set up with softboots.

200cm length, 28.7cm width, 1050-1250cm VSR. Slightly stiffer than typical softboot setup. Extra helping of mojo.

For one reason and another, it took awhile, but the Hazelwood has landed. I'm very excited to get it out on the hill, but may have to wait a week or so. Definitely way beyond the Doughboy or Big Gun I was originally seeking, but with a little of their spirits channeled. I think this one's going to rip! I hope I can keep up.

200cm length, 28.7cm width, 1050-1250cm VSR.

I know the Hazelwood got dropped on you this week. Have you had a chance to take it out? Would love to hear first impressions!

I may change my answer if someone tells me this is uniform for the "Pushing a Shopping Cart Filled with All My Possessions" Event.

"Does this open up another slot on the olympic team?" Unfortunately no. '' Chas Guldemond and Sage Kotsenburg will represent the U.S. in slopestyle" Wait, aren't those the two guys from Hamlet? Snowboarding is confusing.

That's chock full of awesomeness! Nice to see a snowboarding video that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Having been watching the evolution since the late 80s, I'm convinced the snowboarding industry hasn't done itself any favors by promoting an increasingly narrow image of snowboarding. Let's say Ford Prefect returns to Earth to update his entry on winter sports. Given his normally spotty research habits, he'll learn that snowboarders ride wide, duck-foot stances on short boards with detuned edges optimized for riding on everything but snow. This set-up seems specifically designed to make carving a pure turn a near impossibility, thereby robbing new riders of one of the true joys (and advantages) of snowboarding. In a sense, the narrow view that the industry has chosen to promote makes it more difficult to learn how to actually snowboard. You can make it down the mountain, but you may scrape off most of the snow with you. It's rare for me to see duck-foot, wide stance riders - even those with obvious experience - set a firm edge and hold it through the turn. The soul of snowboarding has been somehow lost to dumb marketing. And younger riders may not even know what they've missed. Had Ford Prefect made his return in the early 90s he would have had a much harder time pinning down what being a snowboarder meant. The variety of styles - and absence of industry dogma - made for more experimentation and well-rounded riders. At 46, I can still feel the thrill of a nice turn, even though the days of high-flying antics are in my rearview mirror. At 46, what will the park rats be doing since they didn't get the foundations? Full disclosure, I'm a softbooter with a 22", +18/-6 stance.

After all this, i opted for the 200 Donek Hazelwood. Thanks to all who responded, especially Bryan and Mario for trying to work out a deal for the Heli-Cat! The Hazelwood will be ultrawide to accommodate my big boots. I'll still keep an ear to the ground for a Big Gun 195, but otherwise, this thread's closed!

Thanks for the offer, but I think I have to pass. I had the Skunk Ape 180 last season and found the base a little soft and sticky for me. I switched to the HP, which feels harder and faster, but maxes at 170, which is why I placed the ad! I love the big Libs, but think I'll probably be going in a different direction.

Yop, seems like this is the direction I'm headed as well. I've had two independent sources recommend a RadAir 187 Heli-Cat, a board so rare and elusive that Google can't seem to locate a verifiable image, yet mocks you with a map of the lucky bastards who possess one. It's precisely stuff like this that led to the Occupy movement. Luckily, Donek is local, built to spec, and has a great reputation in this fine community. I'm pretty excited!

A-frame is sold.

Thanks for checking on the Grocer, but I'll have to pass. Had the 180 Skunk Ape last year and still not quite enough length! Width, with my size 13s, is also a qualifying factor...