frunobulax

I'm sorry I don't have any personal experience I just remember talks on this topic on the extremecarving-forum. Go there and use the search function (Völkl) there you can read something about that. Maybe it's only an issue with the pre-2000 boards. It may also be that the one who complains ("tigger") only got better through the years and the board which was ok for him at the beginning seems now limp just because he himself became more aggressive. On the other hand a friend of mine uses them Völkls for racing and is very fond of them.

1. prove that the 4 screws by which the heels are fastened to the boots are tightened correctly. They tend to loosen a bit and then the binding won't release. 2. try tighter and/or looser settings for the shoe size fitting (?). There is always one setting that works best. Had this problem for a long time, then found out about the two things mentioned above, never had any problems since then.

I've heard the Völkl RT's tend to lose camber quite rapidly. Maybe this is better with the new ones but sorry no further information about that. Maybe you should mail Völkl and ask if there are changes in the construction.

I don't think the BX is designed as an all terrain board. More like a freecarving board with a wider waist. Never rode one, but a friend of mine uses it that way. And Frank from Virus sold me a board which he called his "newest worldcup BX model" but which is in fact a (highly recommendable) highspeed racecarver. So I guess if you want to go for a Virus all terrain board have a look at the Virus Avalanche or call up Frank, I'm sure he'll have something for you.

I'd say if anyone can call the SP a soft board he must have ridden a post 02/03 model. There must have been a change with the stiffness since my 02/03 172 SP was among the stiffest boards I've ever ridden. Why anyone should mount a conshox on it to increase stiffness I don't know. So it sounds paradox to me that after 03 they reduced the stiffness and at the same time said no more conshox needed. It's a fine board though (on hard surface) but I don't think F2's got a clue which way to go with the SP.

Is that true? On a catek binding you can change the cant within seconds? Impressive..

Could it be possible that the amount of inward/outward cant needed for a comfy/aggressive riding position depends also very much on the board you ride, esp concerning stiffness and flex pattern? e.g. on a long GS board with a stiff middle section you would need inward cant whereas on a turny freecarver with a more constant flex curve the middle section of the board would bend so much under pressure that outward cant is needed.

First of all, hi everybody, I believe it's my first post in this forum. What I have to say is I fully agree with Jack that from a certain skill level on locking your knees together will have a bad effect on your riding esp. concerning shock absorption and reacting to surface changes BUT I made the experience that every time I taught basic carving lessons to new carvers I could have told them everything about rotating the upper body, felling compact, shifting the weight and so on but the biggest improvements (esp. with heelside turns) were made when I simply told them "Get those knees together!". And heellift would certainly help with that. And that's how I learned it myself, locked knees until I eliminated skidding on the heelside, and then as I became better I gradually "forgot" about this knees thing because it wasn't necessary any more, and at the end I threw away the cant/heellift. Hmmm, outward cant, interesting idea...