SWriverstone Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Just a random question 'cause I'm curious. :) Let's assume for the moment that your goal is to ride 100% on edge, 100% of the time. Can you do this? (Do you do this?) I'm talking "silent running" here—no skidding at all—nada, zilch. No "scrapy" noise. Nothing but clean, pure, edge carves all the way. I ask because...rightly or wrongly...this is the standard I hold myself to. And of course I fail miserably as a result. LOL Every time I go downhill, I want nothing but 100% clean edges all the way...with pencil-thin trenches all the way. for me, it's never happened...but then I'm also an intermediate at best. So I'm wondering for you experts out there, the folks who lay out on the snow on every single turn no matter what, all the way down the hill...are you literally on edge 100% of the time? Or is there ever even just a little tiny bit of skarving going on? Just a little tail washout...or someplace where your trenches get a little wider than pencil-thin? (And like I said, let's temporarily set aside the idea that sometimes you might want to skarve or skid, for whatever reason.) I'm just wondering how far I have to go to reach that 100% skidless nirvana...or if it's even possible? Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 People here place too high a standard on carving. There, I said it. Carving is just another tool to use in the snowboarder's bag of tricks. To be on edge 100% is: a. Impossble, and b. limits you in what you actually can do on a snowboard. Skidded turns can be just as fun as carved turns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 he's right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 He is right, i carve as long it is safe, if small kids front or any other unknown objects, then it is time to do some slow safe slides to kill speed and safely pass them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWriverstone Posted December 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Yay! That's what I want to hear, 'cause it makes me feel better when I'm not on edge 100% of the time! ;) Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Caring is definitely the most fun way down the mountain, but rarely the safest. I carved maybe 10% of the time yesterday, but still had a big progression. First day I didn't fall (except when I got hit). Knee hits the snow on toeside now too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortcutToMoncton Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Is that really the goal – pencil-thin edges, silent running, no "scrapy" noise? That sounds to me like the board isn't being carved aggressively enough. :D greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp1 Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Scott, "No scrapy noise" = a Western Trip !! Riding on the Ece Coast at smaller resorts (with narrower 'trails') don't always fit the radii of the sidecut we are riding, so 100% Carving would NOT be an easy task. Specially with hundreds of 'moving obsticles' thrown in just to keep you 'on your toes'. Anything is possible, and a lot more probable not on a Trail but out in a Bowl, somewhere with about 4' of 'real snow' and Natural Terrain (I'm thinking The Hoebacks @ Jackson Hole). I didn't hear a 'scrapy noise' for a week, thought I was going death, had a SMILE ear to ear & was hooting like a giddy teenager the whole time! SES beckons............Unfortunately for me this season, so does the new job. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronG Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Yep, what Jim said too. Here in over populated Southern California the slopes do tend to become crowded at times. Carving would be downright impossible if not totally dangerous to do. Look at this photo taken last weekend at Snow Summit here in Calif. Do you see room to carve?? I think not. While I would like to carve 100 % of the time it is just not possible. If I want to carve more I usually jump onto a pair of skis, that way you can carve to your hearts content. One other thing I experienced last weekend was leg fatigue. I know at the end of the day I was skidding my as* off just to make it down to the bottom of the mtn. Usually I never have leg fatigue, should've been on the bike more during the off season!! OVR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingCrimson Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Is that really the goal – pencil-thin edges, silent running, no "scrapy" noise? That sounds to me like the board isn't being carved aggressively enough. :Dgreg Well, if you have deep enough snow that isn't more than 2 days old so that the crystals are small, it's quiet. If it's warm and turned into potatoes, then you're pretty much stuck doing 1950's ski jump turns. Fresh completely man made base and tops are so strange because they are DEAD silent and you hear your roostertails hitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valsam Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 If the run is only 4 or 5 turns and empty sure i can carve 100%! Most of the time i look for open space to hit a couple and do it over and over again because of the danger (once while doing a fast layd out one a skier hit me really bad but he got hit worse ,he did 3 somersaults and landed on his back)and the fitness I'm in that sucks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Do I carve 100% of the time? Hell no. I love powder too Now on "carving days" I do tend to carve most of the time, except when I'm stopping, avoiding someone or something that can't be safely avoided while carving, approaching a congested section, etc. In all those cases, safety first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shrederjen Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 Its much more fun to Surf in pow pow, rather than carve it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 I agree with Jim, but I do try to fully carve a run if all of these conditions are met: there are no other interesting features on the trail besides cord; I have the energy; the trail is wide enough for the board I'm on; the trail isn't solid ice, the trail is uncrowded or there is a break in the traffic (I'll sit and wait for a break rather than skid down with traffic). Sometimes on my 158 I'll aim for the solid ice patches just to see if I've got the mojo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotts.Scheinman Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 my simple answer: no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 anyone who answers yes is either lying or doesn't know enough to recognize when they aren't carving. I love laying out an arc as much as anyone, but there really is no better feeling in snowboarding than throwing a big slashing spraying turn...especially when you douse your spouse (or even better your child) with the spray...and you can't do that carving :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 What is this carving thing you speak of? Does scraping down the hill on my heelside edge count? I can't carve 1% of the time, let alone 100! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEJ Posted December 27, 2008 Report Share Posted December 27, 2008 I agree with Mike T. I try to carve 100% when the conditions allow it safely. This doesn't mean I'm capable of carving 100%. I always hockey stop, or side slide in crap, don't carve meat gates, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpyride Posted December 29, 2008 Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 Only carve when I'm forced to, but it's entirely enjoyable when there are no other options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Dahl Posted December 29, 2008 Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 Only carve when I'm forced to, but it's entirely enjoyable when there are no other options. But you should see what he does to a mogul field!! Anyways, if you think you carve 100% of the time, you are lying to us, or you need to get out more often...on steeper narrower stuff. Excluding of course, human pylons, which make it difficult, too...but fun! Hey, oldvolvosrule, I see a great line through that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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