kipstar

Ok so now I am on a roll pestering u guys for advice. As part of the change to a slightly softer setup I am trying to remove the racetongues on my indys and change back to std. This means undoing the allen key screw, and one boot was easy. Second boot. Not easy. I believe the nut inside the boot the teeth which grip into the plastic must be snapped as the whole thing spins when turning the screw. Wd40makes no difference and it is almost impossible to get any tool onto the recessed flange nut on the inside. One option is to drill it out, but I cannot easily get replacements screws particuklarly the one on the inside. Other option might be to get a slot into the. Bolt but as I said cannot get a replacement There is no chance of finding someone locally who is a boot fitter. Should I stick with the race tongues and blue spring bts or is there another way? I used to ride in ski boots so at the beginning the indys seemed soft but now as I get older and if I go to a new board I am thinking maybe softer is better.

Dear Alex Are you about to come out with a new issue of the carving mag? Due to the shipping cost, if you are, then perhaps a way to go would be to charge 25 Euro for each issue, or 45 Euro for the first 2 issues together, which would manage the shipping cost for you a bit better (i did some mail order business in the past, the 2nd mag will be costing not much more than the first). If you can advise, then I will decide when to place an order....any advice appreciated. Also agree, buyers guide; interviews with some of the Euro worldcup guys, analysis of stuff, how to section, travel, getting fit. Not sure why ads should be free, I am sure the advertisers are quite happy to pay something given the high value they receive. It all helps.

Dear Bomber-ers A friend of mine are both in a similar position of wanting to buy new style boards and I want to ask on Bomber since we will likely need to both buy without seeing the boards or demoing them in advance. Both of us are similar size (me185lb him 175lb) similar height (6 foot) similar feet (me 27.5, him 26.5) both of us now have TD3s although I also have a couple of sets of F2s for some reason as well (I am called the gear vacuum for some reason). He currently rides an oxygen proton 168 which has probably reached the end of its life; I have the longer oxygen 178, nidecker 177 and an oxygen 185, would probably sell off the 185 and the 178 and keep the nidecker as an early season board, but you can never have too many boards or too much gear, especially when you ride as little as I do :_) Our requirements are fairly similar; a carving board to be ridden mostly at what I describe as medium speed (probably similar to what most freecarvers do rather than GS racers do), doing the full variety of turns, cross through cross under cross over (no EC style), short medium long radius, from steeps to flat, riding in the variable conditions and mostly harder snow of NZ/Korea up to the much softer hero snow you guys get in Tahoe and Colorado. In my case, I may do some racing in Korea, USA and NZ (I have also raced at a club/university level in the past), he probably won't. Neither of us want to ride plates, at least not yet. Our skill level is probably quite similar; would describe as advanced but not expert. I have a bit of a fitness issue since I hardly ride (not since 2006) and have a health problem so I suffer from fatigue pretty quickly (although this is manageable) so probably a board that is crazily difficult to ride is not ideal for either of us. So in other words: - versatile - very good edge hold on manmade/icy conditions and spring freeze - capable of handling less than hero snow - enjoyable to ride but not a massive handful (so a little lively, quite damp) - most likely new, but would consider an ex demo or last season's graphics I think we have a reasonable idea of what we need. - probably a carving board, rather than a raceboard designed to be ridden with a plate - modern shape, possibly metal - probably 175 - 178 in length - sidecut probably somewhere around 12-14m but might be a quadratic or variable sidecut but you get the point, reasonably turny - need to be able to deliver it abroad probably (NZ, Thailand) - needs a waist at least 190mm to ride the angles we are used to (and what you need in NZ IMHO) - Ideally to fit with our Eurofag lifestyles, with bright neon jackets, headbands, red bull logos on our pants and fake swiss accents (ok this one is joke) I love everything about the Rev, and they are cheap at the moment ($600) for ex demos, but no point to get a board that is designed to be raced with a plate if I am riding without, according to Mr Sean (which I agree and understand fully). I don't know much about priors. I have read enough to think that metal boards no longer have the issues of falling apart that they used to and most people claim they reduce fatigue a bit as they are just a little less effort to ride; is this really the case (I think you get what you put in, but would be nice to be able to take the foot of the peddle sometimes)? These are the shortlist and all contenders too narrow already taken out as well as boards that are long waiting lists (e.g. coilers), and this is where I really appreciate (we really appreciate) comment beyond the reviews from people who have actually ridden them. - SG full Carve 175 (waist 190mm) (non metal) - Donek full metal free carve 175 or 178 (waist 200mm) (metal) - SG full race titan 175 (waist 190mm) (metal) - Oxess RG race non metal 178 (waist 196mm) (non metal) These are listed in price order from lowest to highest (price difference of the first 2 is quite a lot lower than the last 2). Personally I am maybe leaning towards the Donek firstly because it's the one that is widest at a reasonable price, it's metal, plus the owner has shared a bunch of info and I've seen how they test the boards on the little youtube clips at least, which is something akin to how I see myself riding (only a fair bit worse) rather than doing day after day in the gates with a plate. I know my friend is leaning towards the SG full carve, partly because of the price and partly because, well it is a frigging good board on paper. What we are both wanting to know...is have people actually got more to comment about these specific boards? If there is something missing on the shortlist then feel free to suggest it as well. Or if you think I won't notice much difference to my oxygens then feel free to say so.

Chopping board nylon material is a probably one of the easier to work with materials; just figure out the geometry, and use a rasp to hand fair it, or bribe someone with some tools to grind it to shape.

I find the only major problem with the indys I have other than the lousy buckles, fairly inappropriate fit for my feet (solved by going down a size then blowing out the front, moulding and then smashing the hard spots with a hammer to paperthin to pack them out) and RAB jamming (fixed by changing to the BTS) is that the sole appears to distort and bend...if you had a ski boot type sole on them, then the base would be a lot more solid, with the flex happening from the ankle up rather than throughout the boot. So this could be pretty interesting. I am not sure how much walking around on the soles can be done, given that the indys come with a crazily soft rubber sole that would last a couple of days walking up and down the road at Whakapapa...so no matter what you need to only use the boots on snow or soft surfaces...so is the rubber sole actually useful? Maybe useful in generating a slight amount of movement in the binding/boot connection, but wouldn't that be better to be designed into the binding or boot than using a hack solution of a soft sole?

I will send a PM to excarving...that's a great plan! Ah Methven...that's heaps choice aye! Chur bro! I do worry Dec is too early, but the miles will expire end of the year, so maybe the best plan is mid week 17-21 Dec and hope the crowds and queues aren't too bad, the last time I was in Yong Pyoeng I was doing runs straight up straight down on an advanced lift basically alone the entire day....on a friday....when the queues on the beginner slopes were 10-15 min. Coming from North Island NZ I can handle icy; last trip to Korea was pretty 'firm' as it had rained the week prior. You are right, Japan probably is better but won't be able to handle the cold there in Hokkaido ( at a guess) plus anyhow the miles needed for Japan are a lot more than Korea. I hear you on the gear....will stick with my budget oxy and numerous sets of bindings for now, and buy when I am stateside in March then I guess.

Hello all Been a long time since I was last on the snow (2006) as I got a bit distracted with sailing....now with miles about to expire....no more! It is time to get back into it. So my plan this year is a week in December in Korea at a newish resort called high 1 (recommended to me by Asiana airlines and the guy sitting next to me on the plane as I flew to Korea a week ago and they didn't know about my card counting exploits back in the day so it wasn't casino related) then all going well a boat delivery and snowboard trip combined back to my old stomping grounds in MidCal (Mammoth, Tahoe, it's not really Socal and it's not north cal so...midcal?) in March. Japan is too cold coming from the tropics. Also, it would be about time I used some of the 4 sets of bindings, 3 pairs of snowboard pants, and 3 boards I have purchased and never used since the last trip. So anyheeow.... - anyone here from Korea willing to comment on High 1 (as opposed to Yongpyeong or Muju the other 2 likely choices?) - what is the availability of the new breed of race gear over there? (might consider a new board, hell why not) - is mid Dec too early to get snow? Bit hard to get more local info when the only Korean I can speak is a few of the words to Gangnam style.... any advice much appreciated.

Carving - turning snowboarding on its side Bomberonline - where the hard edge of snowboarding meets the power of the carve

most of the advice you get from a man won't work; women have a lower COG (mostly) so the technique to get up on the heelside seems more problematic; I know my ex GF (carver) used to really have an issue getting up on the heelside side. Obviously flipping around is one way. Another is if you try to get into a bit of a ball; grab the edge of your board (or thereabouts) with your rear most hand, and this will get you into a more forward roll position, look across the board down the slope, and roll forward while also pushing up with your lead hand. Seems to work for getting up, and once you know the position, then you don't need to grab no more.

I used to do a lot of triathalon; even that would be struggling from what I saw (in NZ and in Thailand) to match the participation of women as we see out on the snow, being overall that ski/snowboarding is a family sort of a sport; triathalon is a competitive sport (basically you are either training or racing, there's not much of a cruising around doing bricks for fun part to the sport, although much of the off season training really is fun and not so much hard work). I began snowboarding on an icy mountain in 1990, after which the asym thing went relatively big at the same time that soft boots really were very average; park didn't really exist and halfpipe was still a bit lame 1991-1993. By 1993, the halfpipes and grooming had improved, the park thing started to develop, the soft boot interface improved, and the racing side of things meant riding hard boots put you squarely in the carving/racing side; prior to that people actually rode freeride boots in hardboots; once that interface was lost, it became super niche as 95% of people on a board or skis don't know what the sensation of carving actually is (personal guess). Coolness factor sort of came out of that, as USA snowboard scene dominated, the park/freestyle culture became the face of snowboarding; I hardly recognise the sport I started in the 90s now if i pick up TWS; almost all of it is guys launched super high and jibbing stuff. And for people who want to carve, now skiing really does have that carving feel and has also gone huge in the pipe/park side of things too. Again, have no idea how guys get that good. Never really thought about going back; I would guess many of us here come from that same era. Funny though going to Mammoth or NZ now, and being one of a handful, literally, of carvers, when there were far fewer snowboarders overall 16-20 years ago, but probably more in number actually in hardboots. I've had my 5 min of fame outside of snowboarding, couldn't care less what people think of me on the snow. Not sure I would have said that when I was in my teens, but maybe. I think the biggest factor is like some others mentioned earlier, lack of access to the gear, and so the thing that drives it now is functional (you need hardboots etc pretty much to race, or to carve properly, racing is the common thing for young ppl, carving is for old coots like us).

I'm left handed and ride goofy, do almost everythign left handed. Training regular stance in Muay Thai and windsurfing has helped me get more adept at right handedness, but I doubt I could do much regular stance as well as standing switch. That said, I feel way more comfortable standing in the southpaw/switch/goofy stance for almost anything than the other way. When i did lasik surgery and they operated on the right eye first, meaning i had better sight in one eye for a period of 3 months between the two operations, I did find myself getting a little confused sometimes; I think your left eye leads and that supports the rest. Music wise I played drums, piano, trombone all as per normal (i.e. right handed way, not an odd opposite way), but none of those have a substantial penalty for hand use; at an early age my mum was told not to give me a violin, because it would almost impossible to play at a high level being so strongly left handed (string instruments like guitar etc are reliant on 'handedness' it seems, whereas piano arguably is less so, since more challenging pieces often require decent skills in both hands). Mouse is right hand, only because I am part of the pre mouse generation, when they introduced that it was on the RHS, so I used it there. Mostly use keystrokes shorthand anyhow so am not a regular mouse user in MSoffice where i can help it. Even sailing, I steer most of the way around the course with my left hand, running the extension across my body on one tack and not the other. Windsurfing is about the only sport where i am pretty even riding both sides; I would guess that kiting if I ever bother doing some might find to be the same, whereas snowboarding feels inherently better standing switch/goofy as you aren't doing anything else other than standing there (windsurfing/kiting you can fiddle around with the harness and so on).

Thank god for that. it wasnt elegant but it was a fair result. 24 years!!! Allee r u a sailor as well??

yeah, the Welsh could have won the game many times, but anyhow, I hope i don't live to regret saying this, but the Northern hemisphere semi final I don't think either team would have been able to get away with playing like that against either NZ or Australia and not seen a blow out in the score. Final is on Sunday to squeeze maximum revenue out of the tourists I guess...dunno. Maybe more of a gap from the 3rd/4th playoff? Anyhow, i don't think i ever heard the crowd roar like that (on TV) from Eden Park...hoping to see more of the same this coming weekend...assuming the entire city of Bangkok doesn't end up going 'waterworld' in the next 2 days (as is predicted)...

I found this on a link in somewhere about AF700 boots I think; it is just awesome, and brought back a few of the memories of living in a ski town. It's mostly skiing, and has a lot about Shane Mcconkey who it seems died prior to the movie, so this is some sort of tribute to him (he is some sort of celeb skier it seems out in Squaw) The Mammoth section is just awesome. http://unofficialnetworks.com/gnar/

SBW put about the same intent into it than the tackle from the Welsh; started it, then yanked the power from it, but in both cases, the right decision was made to send the bloke off. In league that sort of thing would be fine....in union these days, it's stupid and pointless (in both cases). The Welsh tackle was unfortunate, because once he'd sent the guy up, he didn't force him into the ground; however he chose to put the guy up there....so he has to accept he screwed his team over by not playing the game by the rules. he owes his team mates; this was probably their shot at making the final. Exactly the same applies to SBW - idiot move and I hope that we aren't going to keep throwing money at the guy to stay around. Send him off to play club rugby in Europe, is where he belongs. We were just lucky he did his typical idiot move, only 2 min from time. Allee - the ABs played with heart, with passion and with a mindset of letting nothing go past; I have not seen that much blood in a while; bleeding from bone crunching tackles. They also took points each time they could; it could easily have been a bit more of a gap but Weepu was a little off kicking wise (had the flu) but played like the man he is.

yeah, didn't seem like it would track too well. Did it also have a shifted camber? I know the NZ designer who went to Apocolyse (David Partridge? I think was his name) made his with an asym core including the camber; so did nidecker (I think). Still reckon it looks like a beast; would be fun to ride nowadays but probably better to think about it than actually do it :-)

"someone needs to pull argentina in with you lot and make a southern-hemisphere quad-nations. " Without looking down on anyone, it would be 10 times worse than putting Italy into the 5 nations; Argentina are outclassed by the trinations. Would be better to have them (and the Pac Islands) in the super 14 via a club competition, and then have more regular tests against them. The havenots are the big losers in rugby at the moment for the good of the game they need to stop pilfering players from the pacific and actually encourage some sort of Pacific Island league participation somewhere. Argentina vs. Samoa, Tonga, Fiji....arguably more interesting contest. As for Wales, I hope they win; ABs will clean out Wales for sure if they make it through; for some reason the French are a lot more of a bogey team and so are more scary. Can't get ahead of ourselves yet though.... still a big game to go!

It's because Ireland beat the Aussies unexpectedly; otherwise would have been Ireland against SA and Aussie vs. Wales (I think). That's why the tri nations are all clustered into the 2nd half of the draw; stupid Aussies for losing against Ireland; if there is ever a problem in the world, then it is safe to assume an Australian is causing it :-) (said with love as a Kiwi). Well done to the Welsh though to dispose of Ireland; when we consider that Tonga beat Wales and were actually competitive in the 2nd half against the ABs, but dropped that game against Canada, then we can see that some of the accusations of the Pac Island teams is true; they are excluded from professional regional competition; they don't get regular tests against decent opposition, so they end up being feeder countries for ABs, Australia and Japan! I'd personally much rather watch Tonga, Samoa and Fiji play more regularly, than more percentage game rugby....but anyhow it's all to do with cashflow. I think the ABs vs. Aussie will be fiercely competitive; it isn't going to be a formality to get through them; they are excellent at peaking at the right time; they are coached by the best rugby nation in the world (New Zealander Robbie Deans); they are able to prepare without northern hemisphere time lag/distractions of burying heads between Kiwi chick's breasts....it isn't going to be easy. Seems like destiny though to repeat 1987...NZ vs. France for the final.....

I get the point on SBW; i think it is the style of play; very non planned; very fast and adaptive, focus on attack rather than defense....a lot of the Island players prefer to play this way; they are naturals at most sports and use their talent. The more average players with less talent have to get there using skills and planning. Also, I think the average League player has fewer options to deal with in attack and defense, so they mark a lot further forward man on man. Each few seconds they get to reset. Not so much in union these days, except when northern hemisphere teams get the ball and immediatley just kick it ;-) So on some level league it's almost the better game for that style of player. Also, going through poor schools league is bigger (at least in Auckland) in some cases. I played a bit of league. You need to be a lot tougher than I am to do any good at that sport.

A few videos popped up on youtube, of the big names in racing in USA of the early 90s...this was about the heyday period of the asyms before they disappeared from GS racing i guess. I think Delaney was riding one of those massively shifted sidecut aggressions of that era; weird looking board that always held a fascination for me (had a chance to buy one for like $50 in about 1997 but didn't do it as by then was well obsolete, have regretted that slightly) Interesting to watch the knees together and narrow stances of that era; looks like a rutty course though! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE7rW2g5E4A&feature=related and other riders can be clicked to as well in youtube. Craig Kelly and some soft booters as well. I was liking this guy Noah Brandon until he carked it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaZ2AM1fEug&feature=related Race experts care to comment on the changes from this era to now? How these guys race is a little like how i ride (throwback to the fact I only ever rode a lot with back to back seasons from 1993 - 1997) except for that odd knees together thing. Bit hard to tell since courses nowadays normally look a lot better than this, plus the amount of power they send through the board to the edge seems more; also they seemed back then to carve their way around every gate; looking at more modern racing style this seems to be changed to carve out of every turn, but setting the edge not carving into another carve but setting the right angle to approach the turn and then setting the edge and carving out. It's all interesting stuff! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb3iVuDnmnM&feature=related

Dan Carter is a critical make or break play maker and until recently, a kicking machine. Not having him play is a big loss. WIth Rugby only a few positions are interchangeable, and very few players can slot into the first 5 role (or whatever name the rest of the world calls it) without considerable experience playing there. You certainly couldn't slot SBW or some other big centre type in there and expect it to work. Actually, the jury is out (at least for me) on SBW; everytime when he isn't making an awesome run (and he has some supreme talent), you see him standing in idiotic places, and doing bizarre things....but I digress....as for his boxing; definitely some people are boxers and some people are toilet cleaners...he's the type that should reach for the toilet duck. That said, I agree Allee - a team should be more than just 1 guy; I am sure there would be equal worry if it was Richie McCaw having problems; those 2 are the most important of the 15 on the field. However, a champion team always beats a team of champions.... let's hope they have the depth to deal with this and any other injury issues; it's not like they are the only team to have major injury worries; this was the whole point of building up a squad with depth (and why Henry wasn't fired after the last WC failure)....now we need to see the performance! Kiwis....whaka yeah....MUST SEE TIVI FOR EVERY KIWI

I have never practised law, but i did study commercial law. I think you would find it is a bit of an issue here to just start offering lessons for pay on a ski area; at least probably breach of contract in using the lifts; potential trespass and breach of the terms of the permit granted for use of federal/state land (as you were not granted the right, the ski resort was). Habeus corpus is principally related to unlawful custody rather than any aspect of what you are talking of, namely perceived or real damages. That becomes part of 'damages' in contract law or could be restitution for trespass, a criminal offence. It's quite an interesting case situation, and typical of studying law to consider such an issue. I for one, would prefer not to be part of it. What would make it more interesting; in NZ you do not incur any of the contract issues if you didn't buy a lift ticket, and instead walked up the slope to teach. In USA this would likely or MIGHT be different. By entering the ski area at Mammoth, perhaps you by virtue of entering private property immediately incur a set of legal obligations including having to adher to certain terms and conditions...if so I certainly cannot recall a notice stating them; but nor do I see a notice in front of my house or a farm, both private property also, so it is legally not needed, but the obligations are there nevertheless! I would say teach for free, if you get a gratuity as a result, then that's nice. No contract/consideration with the client; no breach of ski resort terms and conditions, no trespass. Lessons all care no responsbility and not a legal obligation. I taught my then GF for many days in a row on Mammoth....non issue when it is not for money (no consideration = no contract = no commercial activity)

it's a guy???

yes! that's much closer to the position i think I would ride in; one other suggestion kindly sent through which I iniitally thought might be reliant on the shell plastic but in fact should also work is to simply remove the nut which on pokkis set up is maxed out anyway, and then that sets up the neutral position of the boot substantially straighter than the current position; probably would run a stainless thick washer which i can tap out and then the entire assembly should all work as designed, with the lean I want. Fin - I wish it were that simple; back in the good old days, I could wear my boots all day no pain; now that I have packed on about 15kg in weight in the last 12 months (due to health issues plus inactivity) my feet are noticeably bigger; also the boot packing that increased the size a bit gradually disappears up here in 100 degree heat (farrenheit).... say hello to foot pain again! However, the angles and so on...I have replicated what i liked riding back in the day, and everything else works and feels good, just this fwd lean thing that wasnt how i want....so now it's a matter of wearing the boots, exercise to lose some weight and getting fit...Tahoe 2012 is the goal!