First Time in Hardboots in about 15 years.

[jonbass]

Our hill finally opened today and I got a chance to try out my new set up. Over the past decade I got out a couple of times a year on a rental softboot setup and I decided it was time to go back to what I loved!

I was really rusty and the hill was pretty icy. My wife took some low quality video on our digital camera so it is pretty hard to tell what is going on. Sorry.

I really found that I was skidding all my heelside turns and fighting my set up.

I am riding an Oxygen APX 165 with TD2. Front foot 3 degree toe lift at 55 degree angle. Back foot is about 5 degree heel lift with 3 degree outward cant at 50 degree angle. Stance is 19" set back 1/2". It was pretty cold out and I was riding with my wife so I didn't spend any time on the hill trying different binding angles.

I felt like I was struggling to get my weight forward onto my heelside edge to get it to dig in and the board just didn't want to turn up the hill. Once I turned the board up the hill the edge would release. This would happen both toeside and heelside and resulted in shallow skiddy turns. Every once in a while i linked a couple of carves together but it was inconsistent.

I think that the outward cant on the back foot doesn't work for me. I was pushing against that cant all day. I didn't mind the angles. I also think i may need to narrow my stance a bit. I have a 31" inseam. Would it help to move my bindings forward on the board?

I think it all came down to first time in a long time, icy conditions and awkward canting.

That all being said, I had a blast. I love the feeling of hardboots. My boots were really comfortable and toasty warm on a cold day. I can't wait to get out again.

Anyways, here is some blurry dark video (it was actually recorded at noon but we are so far north that the sun doesn't make it that far off the horizon). If you can see enough to make some suggestions or give advice on set up and technique I would appreciate it.

I also realized I'm to old and fat to be wrestling with my bindings and trying to get up! :D ;) Intec is on my wish list!

[CarvingScooby]

Don't play too much on the set up...have a few runs to adapt...

You have a shorter board, need more work out on it every time you do the turn. Lower your centre of grafity by lower your self. Try do the "Push - Pull", bend your knees bit more, "Rear" knee face forward, more weight on the nose...and don't forget to enjoy...:)

Cheers

Roy

[b0ardski]

3* outward is lot. I'd back off that or even start neutral and work it up from there. Is your back foot all the way out to the edges? a bit more splay (difference between front/rear angles) may help. Stance width is in the ball park.

Don't change more than 1 or 2 things at once so you know which change does what.

a little time dialing it in & you'll be trenchin it up & shopping for a longer board:biggthump

[Hotbeans]

Pretty damn good for "being rusty".. I always forget to feed the board through the turn and get exactly what's happening to you.. washout towards the last half of the turn. Might try "feeding" the board through the turn so that as you're completing each turn, your weight is shifting back (or board moved forward), centered over the edge. I'm guessing as your balance becomes more precise, you'll be able to keep that board up on edge longer.

I'm jealous..not even a hint of snow out here yet..

***oops** didnt read all of your post.. I'd center the bindings, and, since I'm bowlegged, the 3* outward cant is one I use! I've got a 30" inseam and have a 18" stance. While this all might work for me, you'll find that you might like something very different. Get up on that edge!

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

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WOW!! Excellent Jon!!!.

The good news, you are aggressive and not afraid of speed I.E. "Getting after it".

That will make a huge difference in the speed at which you improve.

Oddly, I would suggest you slow it down a bit, hold onto the carve longer, and use more of the run (side to side). You make quick transitions , however you are jumping right into a skidded turn, continue to make quick transitions yet try to just roll the board on edge and let IT come around. Try to resist forcing it to turn. This board has a really a small radius. It should (if pure carving) come around quick and take you back up the hill to check your speed. Slow it down by riding the edge longer and letting the centrifical force carry you around. (back up the hill and across the hill's fall line)

You are doing great.

Only video 3 turns above and below the camera person. The others are too far away without zooming.

Keep up the great work!!!

[jonbass]

Thanks for putting the video link up Bryan.

The main thing you couldn't see in the video was the giant grin on my face. :D

I think you are right. I was trying to be aggressive but with very little efficient output. Unfortunately I have gig in Alaska next weekend so I won't be able to get on snow til the weekend after to put it to practice. Visualization exercises!:D

The only thing I really feel like changing a bit on the set up is the outward cant. It doesn't feel comfortable.

I really appreciate all the input. Thanks for the ideas and keep it coming. It makes sense.

When I get out there I get excited and just want to give'r :D

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

The main thing you couldn't see in the video was the giant grin on my face. :D

I can see it right through your face shield!!

[inkaholic]

Good job Jon!

As others have said, keep your feet moving forward from the initiation of the turn, roll the board into the next turn, and slow down your descent by bringing the board back across the hill. A big reason that you are dropping the fall line is that you are looking down the hill and don't use your head to project where you want to go. Start looking treeline to treeline to bring the board across the hill like Bryan suggested. This will allow you to stay in the turn longer therefore bringing back the muscle memory from earlier years much quicker.

Keep it up and welcome back.

Ink

[shawndoggy]

Every bit of advice in this thread is good. But it's a lot to think about in a quarter second. So I'll leave you with one thing... get lower and get your weight over the front of the board as you turn. As hotbeans mentions, move the bindings up at least to the centered position.

Sounds strange but I've found even moving up or back one set of inserts makes my board ride totally differently.

[jonbass]

So I've been reading up on technique and it can be a lot to take in. I am trying to simplify things (I'm a music teacher! I can only count to 4 and know the first 7 letters of the alphabet)

In really simplistic terms is the push pull method;

Crouching down at the beginning of the turn when you are initiating edge contact, pushing yourself into a standing position in the middle of the turn, then pulling yourself into a crouch at the end of the turn as you prepare to change edges.

Sort of like this;

I pulled a couple of pictures from this thread that went way over my head

http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=8540&highlight=push+pull

I don't know who to give credit to for these pictures but they show a carving sequence pretty well.

[/ATTACH]

[inkaholic]

These are two totally different styles. The bottom shot shows more of what you describe. The racer shot has a lot more going on. The simple explanation is that the racers will project their bodies down the hill to the apex of the turn. In doing this they are more extended through the upper part of the turn and lower (crouched) at the apex then extending up again to finish the turn. This is the opposite of what you diagram.

Ink

[jonbass]

I noticed they were very different. Almost opposite.

Is the push pull method sort of what I diagramed or do I have it wrong?

[Loc]

These are two totally different styles. The bottom shot shows more of what you describe. The racer shot has a lot more going on. The simple explanation is that the racers will project their bodies down the hill to the apex of the turn. In doing this they are more extended through the upper part of the turn and lower (crouched) at the apex then extending up again to finish the turn. This is the opposite of what you diagram.

Ink

Thanks for pointing that out. Do racers do this to maintain speed and/or control?

[inkaholic]

Thanks for pointing that out. Do racers do this to maintain speed and/or control?

Both. Watch the RTTC video of Jasey Jay Anderson to see all of this in action. The nice thing about BoosterTwo’s videos is that he plays them full speed and slo-mo for dissecting.

What JJ is doing is engaging/setting the downhill edge up high in the turn, feeding the board all the way through the turn to accelerate the most while in the fall line and having a solid platform to stand on at the bottom of the turn so he doesn’t blow out.

The pic in post #39 from http://www.bomberonline.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=27571&page=2 which shows the ski line and the center of mass line is what I am talking about. The center of mass takes a straighter line to accelerate down the fall line while the board travels further to make the gates.

If needed or line dictates you have the ability to adjust turn shape or speed rather easily with the slarve move that Snowman often talks about. You can see JJ doing this in the vid also.

Unfortunately I have gone completely away from Jon’s post of helping with simple things to work on.

Back on topic.

Ink

[jonbass]

Unfortunately I have gone completely away from Jon’s post of helping with simple things to work on.

Back on topic.

Ink

Actually. This explanation really helps. You made it very clear. I think I am starting to identify different styles and what makes them different. This awareness will help with my own self awareness while riding I hope... or I'll forget everything and do the same things I always do!:D

[inkaholic]

Actually. This explanation really helps. You made it very clear. I think I am starting to identify different styles and what makes them different. This awareness will help with my own self awareness while riding I hope... or I'll forget everything and do the same things I always do!:D

Well OK then Jon, I am glad that this helps you to find the style that works for you. I also recommend watching the T32 vid and the Good Carve vid. Both of these show the movements that should be done when carving.

Ink

Oh yeah, keep those knees apart. :)

[jonbass]

I WAS CARVING! :D:cool:

I managed to get out for a half day today because I have to drive to Skagway this afternoon to play a gig. No video as my wife just got off night shift and was sleeping.

I really tried to take it easy and let the board do the work and I was getting some nice carves. It started to Feel good and then I started pushing and working the board once I got a feel for it. I had a blast! I started out carving more like the racer example, Compressing through the turn and keeping my body moving downhill. By the end of my day, I was trying to extend my body out... definitely not an extreme carver yet :).

I was really crouching and that made a difference, especially heelside.

I can't really tell yet why I end up turning the board tight one time and more open another. That'll take time.

I grinned all the way home! If I didn't have this gig I'd be out tomorrow too.

I spent a lot of time on an easier run that I have avoided in the past because it has some really flat sections. It made a difference in helping me control the speed and concentrate on the carve. At speed my APX just skids. Maybe I need to add more board to my quiver!

[crucible]

Uh Oh....the hook has been SET HARD on this one!

Have fun expanding your quiver jonbass, you're in for years of enjoyment- and maybe an advanced education on racking and storage systems...

Geo

[inkaholic]

Good to hear that things are working out. A stiffer board sounds in order.

Ink

[jonbass]

Got out for for an afternoon ride, I found another hardbooter in Whitehorse! He was riding a Prior 4WD 174 or 176. He had old burton bindings and wanted to try the TD2s. I'll let him try them out next time we meet up. I know there is one more so there are 3 of us up here. It's practically a scene! :D

I also rode with another teacher who is a softbooter and he is really interested in getting into hardbooting. I directed them both here.

It was fun to ride with other boarders.

I didn't set up my new to me hot blast yet. I figured that it would be pretty crowded and I didn't want to get used to the bigger SCR when it was busy. I'll do that on Monday!

The hill was pretty crowded so I was a bit hesitant to really carve and turn up the hill but I had some good runs. I am starting to get some heel lift in my boots as they pack in. I tightened them up and they were ok. I also tried riding my deeluxes in powder mode for a bit. I'm not sure if I like that play in the boots.

I got a little too relaxed at the end of the day and caught my downhill heelside edge and went for a tumble. Thank you helmet!

Overall a great day!

[jonbass]

I think I'm in love! She's about 176 cm tall, has a thin waist and needs lots of attention. Her name is Hot Blast...I think its a European name! :p

I had a great time today. It was really cold, about -25 celsius so there was no one on the hill which was perfect for testing this new big turning board. I actually felt comfortable on this board. The hardest thing to get used to were the steep angles (65 front, 62 back) due to the narrower waist. I would like to lower the angle on the back foot a bit, I think. I really could carve this board and it turned tight...sometimes. I started out pretty easily and then pushed it more. I wouldn't ride it on a busy saturday but when I have a lot of open space, this is my kind of board.

It was too much board by the end of the day though. My legs were pretty tired. I played hockey last night and probably faced 50 shots so I didn't have a lot left today. The last couple of runs I just couldn't crouch and work the board. I started falling over on toesides and touching down.

I ran into a friend at the end of the day and he videoed me but it was getting pretty dark by 3 and I just wasn't riding well.

Here is the link. Fourth day on the slopes. First on the Hot Blast.

[BlueB]

Awsome Jon! Seems that you are having a Blast ;) Keep up the good work.

Here's your vid embeded:

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Try to push the rear knee towards the snow on the toe side. Do it early and it might prevent "falling" into the turn. Lift the trailing hand/shoulder up instead of dropping.

[Transistor Rhythm]

GS Hot Blasts are great boards, they can take a LOT of abuse. Ride it aggressively, you will be rewarded :)

[jonbass]

First day at Alyeska in Anchorage Alaska and I got my butt kicked by the mountain! I took out my APX because I didn't want to try to ride an unfamiliar place on my bigger board. This place is steep, narrow and lumpy! I really couldn't find any good wide groomers to carve. I don't think I could even take out my bigger board here.

I'm going to turn my angles back so they are less steep so I can slide some turns. :D ...I kinda wish I had a big wide powder board and softies here! ;)

Man things have changed since I've been at a bigger resort. Radio activated lift cards, conveyor belts at the lift loading areas, people talking on cel phones as they go down the hill. I'm feeling like a geezer! :D

[BlueB]

I'm going to turn my angles back so they are less steep so I can slide some turns. :D

Try "surf stance" - 15 to 30 degrees splay between bindings. Front boot to the edges of the board, or small under-hang, rear boot with small overhang. You might want to modify the rear heel lift to heel lift and some invard cant.

...I kinda wish I had a big wide powder board and softies here! ;)

Powder board with h/boots is the word ;)

I think that I have one with your name on it...