is it worth splitting a good powder board ?

[DjulezD]

I am planning a touring trip in the alps with fellow skiers and for that I thought about either a swallow/longboard with approach skis or a splitboard. I don't have the budget to go for both and I was thinking a middle way could be to have a good powder board, like a 3800 or 4807 customsplit. Unfortunately, I have never been on a splitboard and can't say how the board would behave after having been sawed.

Any feedback, recos ? I searched for a while the forum and found out splitboards have a lot of supporters, but could not find exactly what I am looking for.

In short, as anyone riding feedback on a powder board before and after split ?

[Buell]

I have a 166 Spearhead and a 166 Spearhead splitboard (factory split). The split is noticeably heavier while riding and will hardly carve on a groomer due to the lack of torsional stiffness. The solid SH carves fine on groomers (although its short effective edge definitely limits how hard you can push it). Once split, you will likely only use a board for splitting.

For a trip, I would strongly consider taking a board that will handle any snow condition. Swallowtail splits (if you ride a swallowtail everywhere, disregard the following opinion) will only work well on great snow days and if you trip has scheduled dates you could encounter a wide range of snow conditions.

I have never used approach skis. I did find when considering them, unless someone is building them again or you have a lead, they are hard to find. Several riders here have used them since they allow you to ride any board down (generally Tanker riders).

Split boards have a much greater surface area than approach skis and I would assume travel much better through soft snow and uphill. It is also nice to have a split board on your feet rather than a solid board on your pack and the skis on your feet going up. Due to the weight and length of the approach skis I would prefer to not have them on my back for the ride down, but others do not seem to mind.

I consider snowshoes slow and hard work for soft snow, but if you tour is in spring conditions with firm snow in the mornings and supportable corn in the afternoons, they actually work quite well (though you board is on you back going up).

You likely know this, but Splitboard.com is a good place to ask questions and learn about splits. There is a poster there, Monk151, who will split solid boards for you if you do not want to do it yourself and cannot find a used one that meets you needs.

Good luck, have fun!

[crucible]

For a route in the Alps like the Haute Route, a factory splitboard would be passable, but I suspect a home-split one wouldn't be the best option.

Pushing a splitboard in touring mode up the ski tracks in the Alps is hard work, as well as too wobbly for side-hill traverses.

Personally, I would put Dynafit TLT alpine touring bindings on a small pair of 125 kids skis and wear a Dynafit compatible alpine touring ski boot.

This set-up would allow you to skin up the ski tracks put in by the alpine touring skiers in front of you, as well as get some control over the glacier traverses that dot routes all over the Alps.

I have used splitboards on long ski traverses in BC and in the Rockies and I am convinced that approach skis are the better option.

YMMV.

Geo

[Buell]

Pushing a splitboard in touring mode up the ski tracks in the Alps is hard work, as well as too wobbly for side-hill traverses.

Personally, I would put Dynafit TLT alpine touring bindings on a small pair of 125 kids skis and wear a Dynafit compatible alpine touring ski boot.

This set-up would allow you to skin up the ski tracks put in by the alpine touring skiers in front of you, as well as get some control over the glacier traverses that dot routes all over the Alps.

Geo

Yes, if you are not making the skin track, what I said about the splitboard skinning better in soft snow than approach skis, is completely irrelevant.

I actually Dynafitted my splitboard recently and picked up some AT boots to make skinning easier and to eliminate the traversing issues. Spark R&D just introduced adapters that make it simple. They also sell just the Dynafit toepiece. I will get to test them as soon as I heal up from a skinning related overuse injury.

[DjulezD]

Thanks for this. The tour involves long traverses and it will be with top notch skiers. Looks like the best option at this point would be to find a good board to ride in plates on mostly all conditions (tanker 172 or 182 I guess) and approach skis (I had this side glance at my daugthers' skis...). This gear question is important because you don't find as many splitboards in Europe as you do here, for sale or for rent. Maybe the terrain explains it.

Thanks buell for the info on the splitboard forum and customsplitboards. I had a look at their website and thought I could give it a try on an old powder board before considering splitting a swallow. Doesn't look like the best thing to do, though.

[Jon Dahl]

I've split several of my own, and the torsional thing doesn't seem to bother me. All mine have ended up being fairly narrow boards when done, which may be a factor in that, the last at 23.8 cm. Still a pretty wide set of skis. Snow conditions dictate the best tool. Steeps, narrow couliors, open slopes, deep pow? Split a swallowtail and you would feel the flex torsionally. I think the Dynafited skis might be quick and simple, fit the existing skin track, and be ok as long as you don't have to break any trail. Easy to get skins for, get some fixed crampons for them, G3 climbing bars, be set for climbs, too. Small Tanker (167 Wide, or a 172) would give you the best freeride and pow stick combo out there. Have Dynafit boots already? TLT4's are pretty good, lite, too. Zzero's are light, but stiffer. Several others that are compatable. The only snowshoe I'd consider, and only for fast, steep, straight up climbs is the Verts. I've had mine with 2 plus inches of tails out of the snow, with my knees in soft snow, and they climb well. Mine have aluminum crampons added to the front, and set up with plate binding toe/heel blocks to go direct to my boots. Adds a bit of height, eliminates the straps. Good luck finding any.

If you like narrow boards, get a Venture Divide (Storm model, but split) in a narrow, up to a 179 length with a 24 waist. Have it built with Dynafit toe pieces (or use the Sparks adapter), G3 dual climbing bars, get Bomber Splitboard bindings and some Dynafit compatable crampons made up for it, and be done with it. More up front money, but less in the long run, really.

[Dr D]

I have a set of shorty approach skiis I would let go cheap. complete with skins and bindings. PM me if interested.

Rossignal free ventures 99cm sidecut 113/93/101

I have a voile splitboard swallowtail in the 195 range and it is rideable on groom but not desireable. If there is no groom then don't worry about it.

[DjulezD]

Many thanks to all for the Input.

Dr D, too bad I missed your approach skis, but I guess I will find a way (I am thinking of Junior skis).

As far as SB is concerned, I now tossed aside the splitboard, mainly because following skiers' tracks would be too much of a pain.

I am thinking of taking three kind of boards : an atomic radon split-tail, versatile enough to allow for many snow conditions and to handle Pow decently, shorter for couloirs also ; a long board like a tanker 172 or a long freeride board (I will try out soon an old Palmer Shape 174 I found on ebay) ; a Dupraz D1 179, more Pow specific than the Radon but still able to handle various types of snow and conditions.

[bumpyride]

I have both if anyone is interested.