Mr.E

Might try sticking on your easiest board for a few weeks until the legs come back. I'm resisting the urge to jump on the harder-to-ride boards untill I get more time to loosen up.

I'm not much help but: a) I'm sure any aditional squats helped b) I'm sure my own quad burn is more technique based than pure strength based.

Good times, and I thought the distance and mask use was suprisingly good considering my other interactions in CO (likegetting groceries). Loveland did a great job of ensuring good coverage on their one open run. Looks like early fall over the rest of the hill. I'm hopeful (although extremely doubtful) they will give us access to the Basin trail the racers are on. Still waiting for full feeling to come back to all my toes, but looking forward to getting back out when the pigglys wiggly.

How busy has it been? Tempted to get it while I can.

If you end up going mid week, holler. I'm going to see if my toe can tolerate being in a boot tonight.

I'm letting a stubbed toe heal, but also not stoked on a single run on a weekend. That said, post up if you guys are starting to get together.

If you don't isolate the for and aft springs and you run them next to each other, they are going to act aganst each other. So that pretty well takes away common spring weights

Sean will get you going. Either of those decks are good. Boot wise, both the 325 and 700 should work as freecarving boots. The fit is a little different, but just in pure flex it's not night and day. Sean should be able to help you with that based on your foot shape and weight, too. Most folks buy boots too large, so don't be afraid of going a little tighter in the fit. Also, when stuff comes in you can mount it all up as a dedicated alpine board, or you can mount the bindings and boots on one of your freeride boards to get a feel without changing everything you are used to. I'm not sure if you are currently carving, but working on getting your soft gear up on edge will all help transition into alpine riding.

Might be worth tracking down a good fitter. If these work for you, awesome, but I think I'd rather full length foot support and then do some shell work to buy you the room you need where you need it. No shortage of good boot fitters in this part of the world. I've had great luck with Larry in Boulder. Surefoot can do shell work and garantees their footbeds, and they there are enough of them in the world you'd be set up.

Err- sort of? This is clearly a reworked Atomic. I'm guessing he's bringing in shells and doing all his normal Atomic upgrade mods on a direct to consumer platform. It's cool, and I'm not taking away from it at all, but it's not really a new boot.

That's funny- adding longevity to the board is the opposite of what I would assume to happen.

I like the concept of being able to pick your tools, but magnets, titanium tools, no tool lock, etc makes it a pass for me. I could see it being popular, though.

Yup to Ikon, most likley Loveland (they extended their buying period for renewals). Both look to have plans if the season is a no go.

Is Apex still in the snowboard buisness?

Bwahahahaha- then my big boy should raaaaaail.

Pretty sure there are more boot and board options I want to ride now than I did in 1995, a similar number of bindings and generally better riders. I think at this point we need to reassess what "thriving" means. I'm totally content, and with kids coming up I'm not worried about the sport when the greys stop ripping.

My point was that we've been lementing the death of Alpine since at least 95, and... well... still not dead yet a quater century later. Good to see folks can still get riled up on the internet, though.

Nabbed from Facebook:

1*base, 2* side, slight detune tip and tail. I've tried others, but in western snow I've never lacked for edge grip, can run comfortably base flat, and get more years out of edges without having to cut way into the sidewall

Stuff I rode this year.... 145 Sushi*- fun, but not by bag. Sold it. 155 Prior SL- Zippy, no taper. Semi nestogia ride. 155 JJA Molina small and mounted with my own plate. Fun to ride with new folks when I'm putzing 163 JJA Cyress/ system- what a suuper fun board. Feels like a race board 169 custom Donek Incline - 22 waist, 11-13 side cut. Great getting my legs back under me, and great all arounder 171 Prior glass WCR*- predictable, but in an inbetween size/ sidecut range. Sold it 178 Coiler NFCE Ptex top*- lots of fun. Great board to help me push towards higher angulation at lower speed 180 Stone Swallow tail*- got a little riding, but we closed right at peak powder season 183ish (marked 185) JJA Cypress/ system- my current benchmark GS board 185 Oxess RG17*- super fun for me, very stable, very predictable. Sold it to mix things up 185 SG Titan*- Replaced the Oxess. Lots of fun. Added a Bomber plate. 185 Virus UPM WC*- I have a couple of days on it. Unlike any other 185 race stick I've ridden, I look forward to getting to know it more. I also had the pleasure to demo a 180 Liberation GS board, older 185 SG Titan and a 169 Stranda Shorty. All fun, and I'd be pleased as punch to own any of them. *I had the good fortune to sell a few and bring a few in this year. All great decks.

Looks like Loveland emptied out there food services to hook up their employees with take-home boxes. Pretty rad.

I'm sure they sell plenty of boards, but their camber profiles just generally turn me off (again, for my tastes and use). Sean is making some pretty sweet boards, so I'm cool.

I've not ridden it, but looking at that board I thought it would benefit from a standard camber. I'm really not interested in rockered decks for my main uses.

No plans, but I'll let you now. Hoping to get some runs on it, frst

Ah. Yup, a big heel or toe lift is going to be similar regardless if it's above or below the base plate.