bobdea Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 Bob, don't you have anything better to do than trolling around the Skwal thread? nope, just bored and figured I'd have a bit of fun and make a point too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel45 Posted February 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 just bored and figured I'd have a bit of fun and make a point too. This thread is not a dumping ground for the intoxicated, aggressive, bored, or semantic fun seekers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Forgive me, but I've lost my patience . . . this thread is not a dumping ground for the intoxicated, aggressive, bored, or semantic fun seekers. says the guy who's talking skwals on a snowboard site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufty Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Grow the **** up, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel45 Posted February 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 For the carving community . . . Source: Nommam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi one Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 I'm using a pair of Raichle SB324 boots. Trying to figure what is the best flex, walk mode or locked? Or a variation, e.g., locked front boot with back boot in walk mode. I realize this probably based on personal preference but interested in your opinion to provide a starting point. So, here are the options: - both boots in walk mode; - both boots in locked mode; - front/back boot mix; - unthought variation; - or, prefer the BTS (yellow, blue, red) spring kit Interested in all thoughts on what works best. bearing in mind that boot configuration is personal I would suggest: 1) both in locked mode 2) the back boot would have a few more locked flex degrees than the front boot (test: put your feet in-line and check visually the anckle flex differences, no stance between feet...respect that flex on boot locking) 3) use a cant (6 degrees) to rise up the tip of the front foot and a cant to rise the heel of the back foot) obi one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi one Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Can't you tell the difference between ski poles and snowboard poles? Why do some of you disdain my ability to use tools in my hands? They enhance my riding on a skwal, alpine board, powder board just as much as alpine skis, tele skis, xc skis and mono skis.I can ride/ski w/out them but why should I have to:confused: Closed minds blow mine. Sorry for the thread jack... and now back to your regularly skinnied program yep, ski poles to skwal are cool...and when you skwal powder they help a lot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel45 Posted February 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 I would suggest: 1) both in locked mode; 2) the back boot would have a few more locked flex degrees than the front boot (test: put your feet in-line and check visually the anckle flex differences, no stance between feet...respect that flex on boot locking); 3) use a cant (6 degrees) to rise up the tip of the front foot and a cant to rise the heel of the back foot) Great stuff, again, thanks a bunch Obi One! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwalguy Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Thanks Ace! Hope you are enjoying my Donek! Here is a shot of your board from the weekend! http://bigmtnphoto.smugmug.com/Whitefish-Mtn-Resort-February/feb/PM-snowboarders/Ptar-Bowl-PM-3247/1194180858_mkbkQ-L.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 You certainly seem like you are infeceted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwalann Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I'm having withdrawals... I ripped threads out of the inserts under my front binding. Carving on a board isn't the same... I feel like I am riding a mac truck down the hill instead of a ferrari :( I hope I get it back from the shop soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabestian Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I feel like I am riding a mac truck down the hill instead of a ferrari :( Well said! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwalann Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I think I need to buy another skwal so that things like this don't take me out of commission. :| Has anybody here ridden one of the Donek Skwals? I am sure they are great since he makes such great boards. Just wondering as compared to a Lacroix Skwal or similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexx Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 It is can be 100% custom. Donek'd made one for me due to my data. 180 cm,SCR 13m, waist 11cm, stiffness 8,5 (one of the stiffest, special for my 92kg). I ordered the speed and stable machine for aggresive carving with good icehold ability. And I got it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel45 Posted March 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Wondering if others noticed that they are stronger (more comfortable) with a preferred direction of carve. Seems a right leaning carve is okay for me, having trouble feeling comfortable leaning into left sided carve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwalann Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Wondering if others noticed that they are stronger (more comfortable) with a preferred direction of carve. Seems a right leaning carve is okay for me, having trouble feeling comfortable leaning into left sided carve. I used to have that problem a lot... Now it's an occasional problem and my heel side is the strong one when it happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi one Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 Wondering if others noticed that they are stronger (more comfortable) with a preferred direction of carve. Seems a right leaning carve is okay for me, having trouble feeling comfortable leaning into left sided carve. Hi mikel45, which foot is the front foot for you, left? which part/phase of the left turn you are not comnfortable with? engaging the turn? the leading phase?, or the final part, the disengagement? general exercise: 1) increase the right turn (end the right turn with the skwal nose facing the full side of the slope...or even more ..that is nose going over the side of the slope) 2) close the left turn earlier (to get more confortable) ...and lock the nose of the skwal below the side of the slope. do 1) and 2) in sequence obi one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel45 Posted March 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 which foot is the front foot for you, left? which part/phase of the left turn you are not comnfortable with? engaging the turn? Hi Obi, Yes and yes - left foot and engaging into turn. I suspect it might be associated with back foot being offset 5 degrees - as an experiment, I've re-adjusted the back foot so that it's inline with front foot, let' see if that makes a difference. I also noticed that as the day progressed I was getting more comfortable, not crouching, instead standing tall, which seemed to lessen the apprehension into the turn. Your previous suggestion, "imagine leaning into bicycle turn" helped immensely. I'm thrilled with my progress, thanks much for your continued support - much appreciated. CHEERS! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 Everyone should read "The Inner Glide: The Tao of Skiing, Snowboarding, and Skwalling" by Patrick Thias Balmain. Lots of good technique discussed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obi one Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 Everyone should read "The Inner Glide: The Tao of Skiing, Snowboarding, and Skwalling" by Patrick Thias Balmain. Lots of good technique discussed. yes Ace! that's the book to have...to me, any skwaler or skwalinette should have read it once at least :) ...Thias explains also when and why skwal was born in the the early '90ies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Skwal USA is online and from what I gathered from their Facebook page they are currently testing two prototypes in Aspen. Looks like good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queequeg Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Skwal USA is online and from what I gathered from their Facebook page they are currently testing two prototypes in Aspen.Looks like good stuff! Nice site, and some nice photos of you in there. The freeride video is pretty cool too. One of the things that I've never understood about (most) skwal riders is the extremely narrow stance. Why is it that so many skwalleurs (sp?) prefer these insanely narrow stances over something a bit wider that would distribute pressure further out and more evenly out to the tip and tail of the skwal? In a lot of the videos I see the tip and tail of the boards are bouncing around like crazy and I often wonder if the comination of a very long deck + a very narrow stance is the culprit. All of that noisy bouncing around of the tip and tail seems like it would destabilize the board and make for a louder ride. I've noticed that you ride a much wider stance than most skwalleurs (though seemingly not as wide as people riding "regular" carving decks and lower angles), and I also notice that the tip and tail of your board do not flail around the same way that I see in many of the skwal videos, and that you are a *WAY* smoother rider than other skwalleurs that I see in videos (err or pretty much anyone I see on the mountain). That really makes it hard for me to understand the preference for such narrow stances amont skwalleurs. My initial guess is that maybe a lot of skwalleurs come from a skiing background or a monoski background, and thus have a natural preference for narrow stances, whereas you come from an alpine snowboarding background so a wider stance makes sense? I assume all the guys with the narrow stances are on ski boots? It just seems to me that such narrow stances rob the rider of stability and the ability to pressure the tip and tail so they seem odd to me. I of course, know nothing about skwalling, though back when I was riding super narrow boards in the 90's I did ride some really high 70+ degree angles ... and super narrow stances were de rigeur back then. (This is not an attempt to start a poop-flinging contest, I am genuinely curious). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Nice site, and some nice photos of you in there. The freeride video is pretty cool too.One of the things that I've never understood about (most) skwal riders is the extremely narrow stance. I have very little skwalling experience, but I did acquire one and play around with it for a few hours about 3 years ago. It was a fun ride -- very fast edge-to-edge -- but it made my knees ache, so I couldn't stick with it. On that particular board (I think it was one of the Thias skwals with the panther topsheet), the bindings didn't offer enough heel/toe lift to get a wider stance. I think the bindings were screwed in (ski style) rather than inserted, so I didn't have the option of trying a different stance even if the toe/heel lift had accommodated it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertAlexander Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 I will be trying skwal for the first time this week. The board is presently in the press. Stats are 172/10.7/18/14/18. Much thought went into insert placement. I ride alpine. I mounted the skwall bindings on a 2x4 and tried different dims to see what it felt like on the rug. of course everything kind of feels ok on the rug, but ended up choosing a 15.5"/17" adjustability.I think I will try 16.5 to start. That leaves about 4.5" of space in between my 27 mondo boots. I will post pics of the board as soon as I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Thanks Jose. I have to talk to the guy about that photo actually. It was taken by Sean Martin and therefore might have some legal copyright issues... I tried that really narrow stance when I first started to Skwal and I had to change it after the very first run! Without a doubt it helps with stability, and I think is a major reason why you see most people in the videos that look like they are just along for the ride, not balanced or comfortable. A wider stance also makes it SO much easier to get lower, way easier to bend your knees. Canting is another big reason why people don't go wide. I like to be canted 3* on each foot when I am spread out, being flat doesn't work so well for me with a wide stance. Thats why I ride Bombers. The older Thias SnoPro bindings had no cant adjustments, and like Dan said, the earlier ones were screwed in like ski bindings. I will be trying skwal for the first time this week. The board is presently in the press. Stats are 172/10.7/18/14/18. Much thought went into insert placement. I ride alpine. I mounted the skwall bindings on a 2x4 and tried different dims to see what it felt like on the rug. NICE! I am in the process of building a press myself so I can start pressing my own ideas. The dimensions of that board sound great. *MIGHT* be a little hooky, a very small ammount of taper will help that, so maybe like 17.5cm in the tail. Interested to see what you turn out. *my custom is a 175/9 18/12/17.5 Twin-tip with decambered nose and tail, metal. All that new alpine tech, ie: metal, decambered nose, etc works just as good on the Skwals...just to let you know when you are designing your new boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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