Lay one out?

[Guest hudlenutz]

Alright fellas,

I have a question or two for the experts out there. I've been snowboarding freestyle for about 3 seasons. Last year I made the switch to plates. I have a Burton Ultra-Prime, bombers, and size 11.5 burton boots(half size too big). I can get pretty low, and feel really comfortable on it. The only thing is, I can't seem to lay down a really hard carve. I always pop out. I was thinking either one of two things is happening: 1) I suck, and just need to spend more time on the mountain. 2) I'm getting toe drag below a 40 degree angle. I was thinking smaller boots, but that's not going to get me very much. There doesn't seem to be much on the market in the way of wider carving boards. If I increease my angles, it gets really uncomfortable: 75-80 degrees.

Any thoughts on how to fix the problem?

Thanks,

Aaron

--have snow, need carve.

[Guest Ken B]

If you are running angles around 40 degrees, you will have boot out problems. 75-80 is a bit steep, but you will need to get the anles up to the point where neither the boot or the binding overhang the edge of the board. The Ultra Prime is a bit wider than most carving boards, so you should be able to settle on angles around 60 or 65 degrees. You should visit the Welcome Center on this site for more info on set-up.

Once you are set up with no overhang, you will need to learn to ride with these angles. Binding cant and lift as well as boot lean and alignment can help you get more comfortable at these angles. Remember that at the higher angles you will be riding with your body facing forward and your shoulders square to your stance, some suggest shoulders square to the front of the board. Either will start you on the right path.

Getting low is a matter of angulation and proper technique. Laying out a carve is about keeping the board in the snow and keeping some weight on the board while laying into the hill. Laying into the hill is not proper techniqe, but we all do it when we lay out on the snow.

Good luck.

-Ken

[Weasel]

I know I will get crucified on here for saying this but a little toe drag won't kill ya. I ride at about 60frt 57rear and unless I am attempting to foolishly impress someone on a sheet of ice my toe drag only make the trench a little bigger. If however you do happen to encounter some of that "firmer" snow here in the east just remember your boots don't have edges.

Cant also help

-Weasel-

[Guest Pre School Rider]

"The only thing is,I can't seem to lay down a really hard carve.I always seem to pop out." Yup,you'll have that.... What's going on there,booting-out issues aside,is that you're TRYING TOO HARD. Relax. Let the CARVE come to you,don't force it. Think of it this way;Your board is very much like a Diving board-It's a big,long,leaf spring. The Harder you PUSH on it,the more it'll bend.Once you've bent it,what's keeping it from trying to flex back to it's normal shape? Two key things;Your weight,in a dynamic mode. And,The Resistance of the Snowpack against the board's base. If you "pop out",there's too great a load on the board,and as a spring,it reforms to it's normal shape,usually in mid-turn. Sorry,but the snow WON'T adjust it's tension on the board for you.You can ride somewhere ELSE,and maybe find "better" snow.Yup,that'll work for a day or so,might even give ya a nice tan,too. But YOU are the other spring system here,and if you "Pop out" of a turn in an uncontrolled manner,then it's the Tension You put Into the board that sets up the blowout.Back off,relax,ride low + loose,but still tip it up on edge. The looser,lower you are Early in the turn,the easier it is to get WAY up on edge.Apply pressure,sure,but do it only a bit at a time. As the board 'hooks up' in the turn,it'll bend,and as it crosses the hill,it'll feed pressure back up at You;It is a Spring,after all.You then become a 'Shock absorber' to the board being a "spring",at least until you start the next turn...

[Jonny]

Oftentimes a rider relatively new to hard boots, especially an athletic one, will try to get low by trying really hard to get his chest/shoulders low - reaching for the snow with the upper body. What this does is flatten the board and disengage the edge. If you commit to being really calm, letting your body respond to what the turn requires of it, you can add the thought of stepping onto your front foot and then getting your HIPS low. This creates a really strong but progressive engagement of the edge. You'll probably find that your body stays close to vertical, while your legs/hips are almost in the snow. As you do this at higher and higher speeds you whole body will start to lay out in response to the force the snow is sending up at you.

That, and believe everything PSR tells you.

[Fleaman]

I had the same problem 2 years ago, untill I was surfing on the net looking for some tecnique info. I learned that to lay down a huge carve involved squatting into the turn then pushing away from the board as you turn to keep it in the snow then letting it come back to you as you complete the turn.

http://www.extremecarving.com/tech/excarving.html

try this link, it should help, it even has videos.

[Fleaman]

I had the same problem 2 years ago, untill I was surfing on the net looking for some tecnique info. I learned that to lay down a huge carve involved squatting into the turn then pushing away from the board as you turn to keep it in the snow then letting it come back to you as you complete the turn.

http://www.extremecarving.com/tech/excarving.html

try this link, it should help, it even has videos.

[Guest hudlenutz]

Thanks for all the help out there. We've got the start of a good season down in Colorado, so I'll be headed out next weekend with all the tips in mind. The basic trend seemed to be 'relax' and research some setup.

thanks,

Aaron