Sinecure Posted October 15, 2006 Report Share Posted October 15, 2006 This month there's a segment of Couloir mag that's focused on what people use for backcountry snowboarding. Some guy named Zach Davis put in his two cents. Of course, we've all had plenty of opportunity to benefit from Zach's input since he often stops by here to enlighten us. But its always cool to see TD2s in a magazine. Here's the best I could do with a scan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derf Posted October 15, 2006 Report Share Posted October 15, 2006 He says in the article that he removed some excess material to make the Bombers lighter. I'm curious to know what he did exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Dahl Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Even those of us who have pestered him for the info are STILL waiting for that info.....c'mon Zach, spill the beans! Or Fin, post up some details, you did the work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 I should come clean on this but Zach is a sponsored rider for Bomber. He did an incredible trip up Denali and we supplied him with the bindings. His TD2 bindings are the Ti model with some material cut out from the base plate and center disk. I cannot remember the weight savings but it was not huge. However, when climbing Denali every gram counts. His trip was amazing and Maybe we can talk him into posting some pictures here. Come on Zach! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Fin ever think about doing low profile 0* ? seems like the 1/2" or so could be shorter always wondered what they might be like...would there be strength issues? Obviously not much weight there, but the lower ride might appeal to some. It seems even the 3* might be able to be lowered without risking the plate hitting the board? curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinecure Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 I should come clean on this but Zach is a sponsored rider for Bomber. He's very upfront about that. I didn't think it mattered really. Knowing Zach, he wouldn't ride it if he didn't think it was the best. Consider yourself cleansed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 How does this work? He climbs with the approach skis and the Donek strapped to his back? Then, he packs the skiis and rides the Donek down? Seems to me that the skiis on his back would be unwieldy. How long are those things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zach Davis Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Works quite well, actually... The skis are not so long that they are "unwieldy." They are also veeeeeerrry light. I was working with Donek on some collapsible approach skis, but tinkering has proven that the idea may just be too complicated. Plus, experience with a single-piece ski has proven that you don't really need the skis to fold down. There has been sooo much hype sorrounding splitboards for a number of years, that I spent a good amount of time on them. Ultimately, as I became more and more enamored by the hard-boot riding style, I found that I simply could not get the angles and stance-widths that I wanted out of the Voile mechanism... plus, simple biomechanics suggests that it is dramatically more efficient to carry weight on your hips (backpack) than extended laterally from either end of your feet (splitboard). Sinecure is right... I use Bomber bindings because they are the best. They are not the lightest option, but they WILL NOT break, if taken care of. When I go to high altitude, I cannot be worried about brittle plastics and cheap manufacturing. Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Zach ever considered taking a total newb up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zach Davis Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Always happy to introduce someone to bc snowboarding. Are you in the Tahoe area? This winter, I will be getting out, mainly in the middle of the day. I have clients in my gym between 6AM and 9AM, then again at 4PM most days. I am about 25 minutes from the Mt. Rose trailhead. Zach Also, if you're in Reno, and you don't want to get smoked on the way uphill, you should come train with me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 collapsable touring skiis... like these? http://zigzagtour.de/index2.htm sorry, its all in german Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy T. Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Always happy to introduce someone to bc snowboarding.Are you in the Tahoe area? This winter, I will be getting out, mainly in the middle of the day. I have clients in my gym between 6AM and 9AM, then again at 4PM most days. I am about 25 minutes from the Mt. Rose trailhead. Zach Also, if you're in Reno, and you don't want to get smoked on the way uphill, you should come train with me That sounds very tempting! Is your gym in Gardnerville? If so that's a little too far for me to drive for training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zach Davis Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 No.... We're in Reno, just behind Trader Joe's... Guess I need to adjust my profile. Check it out: www.trainlikeitmatters.com Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 I'm curious Zach, do you ever have problems with the skis hitting the snow on your descent? How are they positioned on your back? Might I ask what length they are? I'm hoping to do get more into bc this year, and I've been weighing my options, but this sounds the best so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zach Davis Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 I know the skis are somewhere in the 120cm range.... not very long. When I have a minute, I'll go look at the Karhu site. I took off the stock bindings and replaced them with Dynafit toe pieces and Voile heel risers. A note about this: Your best bet is to find t-nuts that you can mount all of the hardware with.. t-nut through the base. You won't be "skiing" them, anyway. If you don't, and you just drill the skis, the bindings may come out under hard use.... happened to me a few times. I may run a design by Donek that has a slightly strudier core, where it would be drilled for Dynafits... We'll see... I ended up not doing much in the "snowboarding" world last year: new baby, new business, etc... so, i didn't stay as in touch with my sponsors as I should have. As for hitting the snow on the way down: hasn't happened yet, and I can't imagine how it would... mmmaaaaaayyybee on very firm corn or high-altitude chalky snow. But, in those conditions, I tend to be on my feet instead of on skis. If you run high angles, approach skis are the only option in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinecure Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 It doesn't look like the skis would be a problem: Zach, what constitutes high angles? 55? 60? 50? Is the limitation because of the Voile hardware and mounting pucks on a splitboard? The more I consider doing more BC riding, the more I start to think that I need to dramatically expand my quiver of boards, skis, snowshoes, crampons, splits, AT Boots, AT Skis/Bindings, Avy gear, etc. - depending on conditions, location, partners, trip length, trip origin, etc. Hmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zach Davis Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 ooooh baby... that was a good day.. on my Incline 168, no less I'd say anything over 35 degrees becomes a problem. Prior claims to have solved this with the ATV splitboard, but I tested one and wasn't able to get those angles without running a 21" width or greater. With the Voile system, you also have to deal with the lack of cant and/or lift. Here's what I have seen: - Tons of pretty damn good snowboarders using soft boots and splitboards, for moderate/local backcountry - 3, maybe 4 REALLY good snowboarders using splitboards and soft boots for more dangerous descents... still in what i would call local backcountry. - 100% of the high-end, snowboard mountaineers that I've met use Alpine Touring boots with plate bindings. - I've heard rumors of and seen 1 claim online of someone using soft boots above 17,000 feet, but it seems pretty dumb to me.. good way to loose toes. - I also know of the story of the French guy (can't remember his name) who had a sherpa carry his soft-boots to the summit of Everest, up the South Col route. He put them on, on the summit and dropped into the North Face... never to be heard of again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Dahl Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 When I rode the Voile 178 Swallowtail at splitfest, 35 degrees on the front foot was about all I could manage, and I typically like to ride 50f/45r on more freeride oriented boards. Cant was a bit of an issue, but I made do for the day. On my homemade split I've been able to kick it up a little from there 38f/30ish rear. If you go too much higher than that you run into issues. Eric (Mr.E on splitboard.com) modded his Mt. Gun to get some really steep angles on it, but it looks like it was a lotta work. There may be some value to a setup like a (ugh) Burton Vapor and short approach skis, using TD2's and Dynafit TLT4's. It certainly would be the least effort for the most bang. I too have been thinking of going this route myself(maybe not the Burton though!). Seems to me that getting the weight down is important. Just my $.02 Amero...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave* Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 This is my solution Karhu Kruzer approach skis, 99cm long, junked the soft boot attachments, built my own adaptor plates to hit the right center of gravity that bolt to the three stock inserts with the riggings from a junked voile split board tee nutted to the adaptor plates, voile plates on that. See attached mini pics. Plans include full skins and maybe some homemade rip offs of the voile climbing "teeth" that attach to the articulating bar, and some " leashes" for the big voile pins . Question for Zach- What pack using? Best way to carry to avoid cracking head, getting hung up etc? I have been stacking them and carrying diagonal with tips over left shoulder to right hip to avoid dragging on heel sides and minimal helmet contact, have tried vertical stacked, separate vertical, horizontal , X ed etc with less success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 zach Im nowhere near Reno but its one of the places Ive considered moving to. thanks for the offer though. I was just seein. sweet site on the training, too. If Im ever in the area maybe you can get my old ass back in shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zach Davis Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Nice set-up Dave... I like my skis just a little longer, but I'm also big on deep powder. I've been using an old DaKine pack for a while now... I think it's the "Guide" model. I've got a friend who makes these packs: www.cilogear.com I'm going to be using one this year... they have a ton of attachment and strap options, without a ton of weight... and, they're a lot less expensive than other packs on the market. zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terekhov Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Zach, yet one question: why skis and not snowshoes? I try to make decision which way to go for backcountry next season, and all people around are favoring snowshoes. please elaborate if possible. PS I'm hardbooter and didn't like split idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zach Davis Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Snow shoes are: 1. Anatomicaly dis-advantageous - they force a lot of stress on your groin, especially when carrying a pack 2. Approach skis float better on powder.... unless you have enormous snow shoes... which are heavy 3. Approach skis glide on top of the snow, just a little, at the end of each step... more distance for less work. A lot depends on your snow conditions, though... if you tend to have a lot of firm, windpacked snow; snowshoes work well enough to be attractive, especially considering the lower price. Zach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crucible Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 I agree 100% with Zach on approach skis being the most advantageous in the long run. It is especially true if yoyu do a backcountry trip with a mixed group of skiers and boarders. Approach skis allow the backcountry boarder to maximize their use up the up-track made by their fellow skiers - travelling in this track on snowshoes or a splitboard is more work. The skis also work better on uphill traverses than snowshoes, with the possible exception of Vert snowshoes. Unlike splitboards, they also keep the integrity and lateral stiffness of your board intact. It also means transitions from climbing to descent are smoother and quicker. In 12 years of backcountry riding, I have gone through the whole gamut of approach tools: Sherpa snowshoes, homecut splitboard, Vert snowshoes, factory made splitboard, and now finally 125cm approach skis with the Dynafit bindings, like Zach. Live and learn, live and learn.... George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Dahl Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 How are the approach ski people dealing with late spring/summer approaches? You know, the kind were you hike in for a mile or so then hit snow sporadically till the snow gets useable. Is schlepping the skis/board combo a pain? How do you lash it all down? You've almost got me converted, almost.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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