JJFluff

I was one of the others riding Corkscrew that day. Absolutely incredible. There is nothing like slapping the heelside edge down, above your head. If you know what I mean. Hopefully this year the same will apply.

"Amen, Alleluia...where's the tylenol?" -Clark W. Griswald

I chose my setup 17 years ago. No exageration. I found a comfortable stance width, I put my bindings on like most, so that I would have little toe or heel drag, and went with it. In fact when I showed up to SES in 05 and wanted to demo gear, I couldn't even tell Fin what angles I was riding at. It wasn't that I didn't remember, I didn't even know. My point is that comfort is really all that matters. Of course if your way to narrow, there will be problems and vice versa, you should know when you find that comfort level. At that point totally focus on technique. And try not to keep changing angles, and gear. Otherwise it will be tough to keep moving forward. I've been on an alpine board for a long time, every day I find new movements, although slight that improve my riding. They allow me to go faster, ride smoother, or just feel something new. I know I have a different style than most, but so does most of us. But at least keep the gear somewhat constant so you can work on the riding. Thats how I look at it.

Hey Geoff, that has got to be one of the coolest signatures I have ever seen.

WB- the more I read your posts, especially these posts on this thread, I really feel you and I are on the same page. I always have described it opposite though, in a way. Meaning, from body down to the board. Just because I feel it is important to put the body in the right position so the board will react favorably. I understand that different board angles, speed, and terrain effect where the body needs to be, but I think of it by putting my body in the right position first, so that the board does what I want it to do. Do you follow me at all? As far as moving the board below you, under a centered mass, that is so right on. I've always done it, and tried to teach it, but never had a solid way to do so. Your suggestion about standing in the flats and moving the board below you forward/and back at different speeds will help a ton, thanks. I really use the drive near the end of the turn to create the "snap". So on large radius turns, the body is centered througout the turn, until nearing the end of the desired arc, the board is excellerated below the body, driving it forward through the turn, to aid in transition, and the fun/factor. It is the snap that makes me believe body first is important, especially on cross through turning. Because with transitions being done in fractions of a second, usually in the air, the body needs to be in a good position as soon as the next edge is engaged. Now, on tight radius turns, much more focus is on the board, the body stays much more upright, and movement changes, especially knee down for me. To create the same edge angles while allowing my body to stay in a much more upright stance. Now the drive is constant, toe to heel, toe to heel, and don't get kicked on your arss. I do all this with little angulation, or BATH. I would be curious to see a photo of yourself riding, to see what your style consists of.

I tell you what, they do a great job both making great snow, and grooming it just right. With the snow we are getting tonight it should be a great morning to rip the hard stuff, even if it is 10 turns at a time. I was out at Cascade mountain this evening, and there snow isn't anywhere close as nice as Sunburst. I just got home 30 minutes ago, with the snow the drive took over two hours. Brutal road conditions.

I ride at a local hill called Sunburst Ski Area. You ever ride there? It is just north of West Bend off of hwy 45. I am a trainer/instructor there so I am there a lot. I'll probably be back out on Saturday morning for a few hours before the crowds get crazy. Jon

Where exactly are you. I live in the Milwaukee area.

You don't neccesarily have to change your angles. I ride 5, -5 and can carve my soft board just fine. The key is to get your body working well just like trikerdad said. In time, you should be able to jump on any angle and get the board to carve, it just takes mileage. Don't be so quick to constantly change setups. Find something that feels ok, and then work on it. Getting your body in the right positions are the most important part to hold an edge. One thing though, on soft setups, you always need to be mindful of heel drag with lower angles. I have size ten boots, so my heel drag is minimal at near 0 angles but still present. But even with some drag the heel edge hooks up just fine. Make sure on the heelside that you are opening up your body into the turn. I try to teach this by making sure you are visually looking at the direction your body is traveling, not down the fall line. Try making a single heelside turn and actually end up pointing up hill. Make sure you feel yourself following the radius of the turn with your eyes as well. So you should be looking uphill when your finished. By doing this, it helps to keep your entire body inline, eliminating any old habits of counter-rotation. Which will always destroy the second half of any carved turn. So in review, look in the direction you are traveling, not downhill. This goes for heelside, or toeside.

I am driving the board on both toe and heel side turns. I do not ride passively, but with good body mechanics it looks like I am. Because I am not contorting my body in three different directions. I wish I could explain it in words better, but I can't. I understand that on the race course, it is a different world, but I am not trying to get down the mountain the fastest, nor and I being told where to turn. If your not practicing racing on every run, why ride like your on course? Unless thats what you like. Than more power to you. I just find that when riding with the style that has me bent at the waist to move my COM closer to the board, although edge hold is increased, it greatly restricts my ability to be mobile, and loads the board more than it needs to be. With the more linear body positioning, I can easily change pressure applied to the deck to when and where it is needed.

I too initiate at the hip. But I ride with much less BATH. -(I can't stand BATH) The rotational alignment that Rob speaks of is exactly the way I feel it needs to be done. I feel that keeping the body more inline linearly allows me to be in a much more athletic position to make small changes quickly. Try recovering from a lost edge with your posterior sliding on the snow, and your upper body directly above it. <a href="http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f400/jonjansen15/?action=view&current=SoftCarve1bw.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f400/jonjansen15/SoftCarve1bw.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I am definately not knocking this forum, I love it. I love talking about snowboarding and so on. And I totally agree that different boards create different results. Just so everyone is clear on that. Also, if I had the means, I would love to be able to have a huuuuugggge quiver. But I don't so I manage. That being said, my point, and I think Shred Gruumer agrees, no matter what is on your feet, you can make it work, if your ability allows. Granted some may be easier to learn on than others, race with, go fast, etc. etc. My point, in time you can do all of the before mentioned on most boards. If I were a sponsored racer I would probably be on the latest too, it's free.

I've been riding alpine stuff now for 17 years. Not having tons of extra cash has made buying a new setup every time I can't "master the old" impossible. I was able to demo a couple of great boards at the SES in 05 and will be able to do the same this year,luckily, because I am able to get back again. When riding doneks,priors, coilers, nothing changed. I put my body in the same positions, adjusting slightly depending on each board, but ultimately the same mechanics turned the board. I realize that having 8 different boards with 8 different SCR's would be cool, but not needed. Because I can make my board act like it has 8 different SCR's. Just like I'm sure metal rides different than wood, etc,. What I've noticed since finding BOL is that people are more worried about what the specs are on there equiptment than riding itself. Of course that doesn't apply to everyone here, but some. SCR, waist width, stiffness, and construction? These don't turn the board, you do.

I absolutely love my burton t6. Tons of SNAP.

I know, just playing around,but......with good photoshop techniques, you can make very good changes, without damaging the photograph. But thats besides the point. Do it right from the beginning so you don't have to fix it in the first place.

here you go jack.

Well guys, sorry to rain on your parade, but after we take care of the Giants this coming Sunday, the Pack will be more than happy to beat either San Diego or that sorry excuse of a man Tom Brady come Superbowl Sunday. thanks for playing though.

I ride both setups. I think working on both setups helps the other out as well. I know riding the alpine board has made me that much better carving the soft setup. These days ripping it up on the softboot setup is just as fun as with the hardboots... Plus, I've been really focusing on carving it up switch to the point where I can't feel a difference in either direction. My newest project is popping up out of a toeside, spinning 360 directly into a heelside on the soft setup. Than trying to move it into the hardboot setup. Keeps things interesting out here in wisconsin.

Expanding on what Pow just commented on. It sounds to me that you're counter-rotating in your turns. So like Pow was saying, by looking in the direction you want to travel in your upper body will be able to stay aligned with the lower body. That way you won't feel the board trying to kick you out of your turns early. You should be able to jump on most boards and stay on an edge as long as you want. As long as you put yourself in a good position to help the board move in the direction you want it to. A good drill to feel this occur is to start in a straight run, than apply edge pressure, toe or heel, depending on the turn and run the edge until you turn uphill, having gravity end the turn.

I ride a 167, not sure the sidecut, its the only alpine board I ride, I can turn any radius on it. I spend all my time riding on 214ft of verticle, and 35 skiable acres. It's big mountain riding.

The plane tickets have been bought. It's official. Myself and a friend will be out for Monday thru Saturday, staying at the Moritz. Wiconsin has been hit with constant cold and snow all December. It's shaping up to be a great season.

I love carving on my T-6. I Ride with 0 angles on both front and back. I wear size 10 boots so the smaller feet help. I have slight overhang but not much. It holds you back some but the moral of the story is you can ride a nice carve at any angle. I ride knees together as many know. Especially on the heel side. Go with what feels good than work on it. Don't feel that if it doesn't work immeaditely you need to change something. <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f400/jonjansen15/SoftCarve1bw.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

I ride burton, and think this is one of the most idiotic things I have ever seen. How embarrassing. If you don't think this is the wrong way to go about changing things. Grow up.

I think Sorel should get into the snowboard business. Make a hardboot. I don't know about you guys, but that was my first pair of boots for riding.

My quiver consists of one alpine board and one freestyle. That expendable income for a new board always gets used to go out west once a year. Unfortunately for me, I can't afford to do both. Better to use what I have, then get something new, than not be able to use it in a proper place. I ride my boards nonstop, countless runs. Right now, I am riding a Burton T6, and It is truly the best freestyle board I have ridden hands down. Ton's of snap, and except for slight toe drag due to my softies, rides like an alpine board, no exaggeration. Total, "-snap", if you know what I mean. I highly recommend it. Can't forget about the PJ hanging on the wall. Probably around 10000 runs on that.