New to snowboarding…maybe some of you guys can help me with some questions:

[zland]

I have been skiing for years & recently tried soft boot snowboarding for a day in which I learned the basic transitioning turn from edge to edge. I watch most snowboarders throw their tails around & I already know I prefer to be carving turns rather than what I see 90% of snow boarders doing on soft boots. Being I am 52 years old, carving is more fun & a safer for me. Here are some questions (yes I read the “Alpine Snowboarding F.A.Q.)”:

1.Considering I love to ski the steeps & powder, would alpine snowboarding be the better choice than soft boot or is their limitations to alpine snowboarding compared to soft boot in powder & other places? Am I better off skiing the trees & powder & only alpine snowboard the groom runs? I am assuming someone skis & alpine snowboards as well & can give me some feedback.

2.I am hesitant to spend a lot of money for all the equipment to try alpine snow boarding & find out I do not like it. I ski mammoth about 50 days a year. Is there anyone that alpine snowboard’s mammoth that can give me some feedback regarding if there is any place that rents alpine snowboarding equipment in So. Cal or in the mammoth areas?

3.Is there much difference in making transition turns on alpine snowboarding vs. soft boot snowboard or is the technique totally different?

4.Any suggestions on getting started would be helpful.

Thanks,

[KingCrimson]

I have been skiing for years & recently tried soft boot snowboarding for a day in which I learned the basic transitioning turn from edge to edge. I watch most snowboarders throw their tails around & I already know I prefer to be carving turns rather than what I see 90% of snow boarders doing on soft boots. Being I am 52 years old, carving is more fun & a safer for me. Here are some questions (yes I read the “Alpine Snowboarding F.A.Q.)”:

1.Considering I love to ski the steeps & powder, would alpine snowboarding be the better choice than soft boot or is their limitations to alpine snowboarding compared to soft boot in powder & other places? Am I better off skiing the trees & powder & only alpine snowboard the groom runs? I am assuming someone skis & alpine snowboards as well & can give me some feedback.

2.I am hesitant to spend a lot of money for all the equipment to try alpine snow boarding & find out I do not like it. I ski mammoth about 50 days a year. Is there anyone that alpine snowboard’s mammoth that can give me some feedback regarding if there is any place that rents alpine snowboarding equipment in So. Cal or in the mammoth areas?

3.Is there much difference in making transition turns on alpine snowboarding vs. soft boot snowboard or is the technique totally different?

4.Any suggestions on getting started would be helpful.

Thanks,

There are all-mountain carvers made by several manufacturers that are reputedly fantastic in any conditions, groomed, pow, or slush. Coiler AM, Coiler AM-T, Prior 4WD, and Donek Axxess are all popular AM boards.

Check out the Ride Board section lower down..There's a few hardbooters that ride Mammoth. Nekdut, GaryJ, and a few others come to mind.

I don't really remember what softbooting was like, I spent a lot of time developing on hardboots.

Seeing that you live in Oceanside, you may want to try riding at Snow Summit. There are a number of fantastic carvers that go there fairly regularly, they might be able to scrape up some gear for you to get started in.

Great to see more people getting into hardbooting!

Theo

[shawndoggy]

1. Answers to that question (pow on plates) can go on for days. Both hard and softboots can work for pow... though you'll want to choose the right board for the job. A GS stick will probably suck in the pow. If you are an accomplished skier in your 50s, it's likely that you won't be riding what you can ski for a while. For me, that's been good (it has made my "boring" local mountain hard again), but you'll probably not want to sell off all your ski gear just yet.

2. Not really an answer, but... if you buy the stuff and hate it, you can sell it all back here without being substantially out of pocket. I got this advice when I was starting out and I still went the "cheap" route (crappier equipment) and wish I would've just ponied up for the good (or at least modern) stuff from the get go.

3. turning is sorta the same, but you are facing a different direction and it's not nearly as easy to skid an alpine board turn (it can be done, sure, just not as easily as softies). But the basic concept of "tip it over and it will turn" holds true on both setups.

4. For getting started, get boots first. Ones that fit. Then look on here and on the SoCal ride board for people going to mammoth who would be willing to let you demo a spare board. Gives you some options on trying different stuff out.

[Jack M]

check out the links below, many answers there...

[Loc]

I have a Prior ATV 171 all-mountain board you can test the waters with. I don't have any trips planned until the end of this month so you're welcome to try it out. I live on Santa Ana so it's just up the 5 to the 405.

[kjl]

1) IMO: I don't believe that hardboots in powder or trees is the right tool for the job. There are certainly a ton of people here who can make it work, but for me: softboots in trees/powder/moguls/etc., hardboots on the groom. For you, maybe hardboot snowboarding on the groom, skis in powder and trees.

3) You can still kick the tail out on a hardboot setup, but the "correct" carved turn is different technique, but one that you can bring back to softboots for vastly improved riding. If you can drive clean, powerful carves on skis it should probably come faster for you. (I have no experience with this personally, I have just seen some snowboard carvers hop on skis for the first time and start railing on them basically immediately).

4) Probably the best way to get into it would be to come to Aspen in Feb for the SES09, where you can demo the equipment and as an added bonus watch or ride with very good alpine carvers, as well as take a quick clinic with other beginners.

[Hotbeans]

I second Shawndoggy's post..

Boots being #1 priority as they'll make it or make it painful.

There are always all-mountian boards posted in the classifieds. I started my carving fetish on a Limited freeride board and could lay down some pretty decent turns by actually reinforcing the tip by bracing it with my hand while in the carve. Not that I'm suggesting anyone go THAT route, but my bet is that an AM board will stand up to either soft boots and hard boots, depending on what you gravitate towards. At least that way you can decide on the hard/soft boot issue yourself...and have the flexibility to go hardboot + groomers or softboot+powder.

I also will put my 2 cents on the table that going from skiing to carving w/ hardboots much more difficult than from carving to skiing.. I only say this because I went from a 20yr skier to a floundering carver!

[zland]

I have a Prior ATV 171 all-mountain board you can test the waters with. I don't have any trips planned until the end of this month so you're welcome to try it out. I live on Santa Ana so it's just up the 5 to the 405.

Loc, thanks for the offer. It sounds like an all mountain board might give me a wider range & allow groom & powder skiing. I e-mailed you so maybe we can work it out so I can borrow/rent your board to see how I like the alpine experience & get a reference to the type of equipment I should use?

[zland]

1) IMO: I don't believe that hardboots in powder or trees is the right tool for the job. There are certainly a ton of people here who can make it work, but for me: softboots in trees/powder/moguls/etc., hardboots on the groom. For you, maybe hardboot snowboarding on the groom, skis in powder and trees.

3) You can still kick the tail out on a hardboot setup, but the "correct" carved turn is different technique, but one that you can bring back to softboots for vastly improved riding. If you can drive clean, powerful carves on skis it should probably come faster for you. (I have no experience with this personally, I have just seen some snowboard carvers hop on skis for the first time and start railing on them basically immediately).

4) Probably the best way to get into it would be to come to Aspen in Feb for the SES09, where you can demo the equipment and as an added bonus watch or ride with very good alpine carvers, as well as take a quick clinic with other beginners.

I would love to go to the SES09 but being a teacher, I got the week off AFTER the event thus cant pull it off.

[zland]

I second Shawndoggy's post..

Boots being #1 priority as they'll make it or make it painful.

There are always all-mountian boards posted in the classifieds. I started my carving fetish on a Limited freeride board and could lay down some pretty decent turns by actually reinforcing the tip by bracing it with my hand while in the carve. Not that I'm suggesting anyone go THAT route, but my bet is that an AM board will stand up to either soft boots and hard boots, depending on what you gravitate towards. At least that way you can decide on the hard/soft boot issue yourself...and have the flexibility to go hardboot + groomers or softboot+powder.

I also will put my 2 cents on the table that going from skiing to carving w/ hardboots much more difficult than from carving to skiing.. I only say this because I went from a 20yr skier to a floundering carver!

Being a newbie, I have no clue...can you alternate bindings on a single board between soft & hard boots? My guess would be no but then again I dont know much....

[AaronG]

Zland, what size shoe do you wear? I have some extra hardboots mondo size 27.5, I also have a Burton Coil 172 cm that would make a good starting out board. You are welcome to give them a try to see how you like it. I am in Redlands( near San Bernardino). Let me know.

[kjl]

Being a newbie, I have no clue...can you alternate bindings on a single board between soft & hard boots? My guess would be no but then again I dont know much....

Yes, all snowboards (except Burton still?) have a standard 4x4 insert pattern, so you can put on and swap out any snowboard binding, hard or soft, easily with a phillips head (posidrive?) screwdriver usually for soft bindings and then something else for hard bindings (e.g. 5mm allen wrench for bombers)

I first learned how to carve with bomber hard plate bindings on my old Never Summer Premier (soft boot all-mountain board).

[KingCrimson]

Interesting you bring up Pozidrive, or more aptly named Ezeestrip.

I've replaced everything with stainless flatheads. I can tighten the screws with anything in a pinch, and clearing snow from the heads is much much easier

[nekdut]

Interesting you bring up Pozidrive, or more aptly named Ezeestrip.

I've replaced everything with stainless flatheads. I can tighten the screws with anything in a pinch, and clearing snow from the heads is much much easier

If you use the right size Pozidrive bit, it is pretty strip-proof and is almost as good as an allen head.

[KingCrimson]

If you use the right size Pozidrive bit

Me? ;)

[zland]

Zland, what size shoe do you wear? I have some extra hardboots mondo size 27.5, I also have a Burton Coil 172 cm that would make a good starting out board. You are welcome to give them a try to see how you like it. I am in Redlands( near San Bernardino). Let me know.

I wear a 10 1/2 to 11 shoe. I believe my ski boot is about a 325mm or 335mm boot. They are in a friends cabin in mammoth right now thus I am not 100% sure. How does that translate to the 27.5 mondo?

[zland]

Yes, all snowboards (except Burton still?) have a standard 4x4 insert pattern, so you can put on and swap out any snowboard binding, hard or soft, easily with a phillips head (posidrive?) screwdriver usually for soft bindings and then something else for hard bindings (e.g. 5mm allen wrench for bombers)

I first learned how to carve with bomber hard plate bindings on my old Never Summer Premier (soft boot all-mountain board).

Great news! So it is possible to get an All Mountain board & flip between soft boot & hard boot bindings. I like the idea of flexability. Will the typical hard boot bindings fit a ski boot until I am willing to put the cash towards a snow board hard boot? Sorry for the newbie questions but that is where I am at for now...

[nekdut]

Great news! So it is possible to get an All Mountain board & flip between soft boot & hard boot bindings. I like the idea of flexability. Will the typical hard boot bindings fit a ski boot until I am willing to put the cash towards a snow board hard boot? Sorry for the newbie questions but that is where I am at for now...

Most of the standard template AM boards from the big 3 (Coiler, Donek, Prior) are too narrow for most softboots at 21.5cm side. Prior makes the ATV which is wide enough for softies at higher angles. Your other options are wider non-standard template AM boards (some are 23-24cm) or BX boards (Madd BX is an excellent choice for either soft/hard). The Donek Razor is another great one to consider.

[AaronG]

Mondo is your foot size in centimeters. Stand on a hard surface, place a piece of paper under your foot, mark the ends of your feet and measure. I wear a 10.5 street shoe and wear a 27.5 boot.

[BlueB]

I also jumnped on alpine board after 30 years of skiing... I guess I could try to ansver few of your questions.

Sole length of 325 would probably trnslate into mondo 28 or 29 ski boot, depending on the model. Pull the liner out and look on the number engraved on the LOWER part of the shell,

inside, that's the mondo no. Also, step barefooted on a piece of paper, contour your foot and measure the drawing in cm - that's your real mondo size.

With those bigger boots, you would need a wider board to ride soft boots with bearable angles (below 45). So, a typical AM alpine board won't do, with most common waist width being 21.5cm. However, there are few wider AMish options, like ATV, Tanker and few BX boards. I don't quite see why you would go the soft boot way, as you are a skier, so well

used to the rigid shells. Just ho hard and have fun!

AM carving boards are great to start on and are indispensable part of the quiver.

Yes you can use the ski boots on snowbord. However, majority of the people would tell you they are not ideal tool for the job. I transitioned on ski boots, tried few models of

snowboard hard boots, but always went back to the ski boots. Still use them. Softer models work better then stiff race models. Recommended: Raichle Flexon, Dalbello Krypton, Technica TNT, Dalbello CarveX / CRX / Reflex (my favorite), older Nordicas, old Dynafits and

Dachstains with flexing devices.

If your ski boots are very stiff, just don't do it. Or at least set the top buckles quite loose.

Beauty lies in the fact that you can board on perfect groom in the morning and then hop back on the skiis for the afternoon in moguls, without changing the boots!

I do find hard boots easier on steep terrain - my feet suffer less when applying more force.

Powder is personal preference, some go hard, some soft. I rather go hard.

Moguls are a bit easier in softies, but my feet go numb after one steep mogul run. So again, I rather go hard for comfort.

Trees I don't ride well (too chikenish), so I'll refrain from a comment.

I think that for couple of years you'll stick to your skis for pow/moguls/trees, until your riding has really improved. With carving board you'll find a whole new dimension to groomed blue runs. What was boring before would become your favorite playground for many years to come...

Have fun!

[Loc]

With those bigger boots, you would need a wider board to ride soft boots with bearable angles (below 45). So, a typical AM alpine board won't do, with most common waist width being 21.5cm. However, there are few wider AMish options, like ATV, Tanker and few BX boards. I don't quite see why you would go the soft boot way, as you are a skier, so well

used to the rigid shells. Just ho hard and have fun!

AM carving boards are great to start on and are indispensable part of the quiver.

I have to admit I bought the ATV to have the flexibility of using soft boots. But I've only done that once and have chosen hardboots every time since :)

[boarderboy]

For many, many years, I boarded with low-cuff, pretty soft hardboots, the Burton freecarve (no longer made but used ones, later called the Boiler and Earth, pop up fairly frequently).

Currently ride Scarpa Lasers, again a relatively soft, three buckle alpine touring ski boot. I know a number of hardcore BOL'ers use AT's also. At least one of the new-model AT's has interchangeable touring & alpine heel/toepads

AT advantages are great walkability, ease on the knees, and switchability to skis in one boot. The high forward lean and small heel/toe pads of dedicated snowboard hardboots can be a bear, esp. on lodge stairways.

This is the perspective of an admittedly out-of-shape senior, a "let's make it easy and fun" mind-set.

Great groom and many smiles to you!

BB

[Gtanner]

I'm personnally a huge fan of soft boots in the powder/moguls and super-busy days. But it is all personal preference. I do think you are doing the right thing though asking questions and getting clarification on the basics before just going out and buying what your local shop tells you.

I have a Dynastar 3800 board (163cm) that has a 24.5cm waist which would be a good do-all board for you to start on. I'm looking to get rid of it to thin the quiver so I could let it go for $175 plus shipping. Email/PM me for pics (the board is in great condition).

Good luck and welcome to the most addictive sport around!

-Gord

[Dr D]

with as much ski experience as you have you would probably pick up the GS type ride the quickest on a narrow board or a skwal. A skwal rides like a ski you just weight one foot at a time. the stance is forward enough that you could probably ride it in a day. a narrower snowboard with high angles would be an easy transition as well. Probably easier than transitioning from duck and soft boots.

my .02:lurk:

[zland]

Here is what I have learned so far regarding getting into the sport:

1. I should attend SES09 but cant due to work thus best option is off the table.

2. Some of you guys on this forum have been kind enough to offer to let me try out some of your equipment. I really want to thank you for the offer & hope to take you up on your offer within the next month.

3. The Wave - Rave snowboard shop in Mammoth claims they have a binding that can adapt to my ski boot & snowboards that are "more carving oriented" I can rent. This is not of course a perfect alpine board set up but maybe it will give me a taste of if I like it?

4. The ski shop at the main lodge in Mammoth claims I should demo a carving board (Arbor A Frame) with a ridgid soft boot set up (Flux feedback) and rdidget bindings (Burton Ion) they have to get an idea of what a good carving soft boot snowboard set up feels like.

At this point I am thinking of trying options 2-4 prior to going out & spending $1000 + on an Alpine snowboard set up.

Any su