Kurt Swanson Posted November 21, 2010 Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 After 23 years of snowboarding and being disappointed with the lack of rigidity and support in "soft" boots I saw the light last year and got into riding hardboots. Had I known, I would have started 15 years ago! But since there was no equipment available to try or purchase, it made it difficult to get started in those days. Depending on where you live, it doesn't seem to be much easier now. So my question is how do you get the equipment out to people like me to tryout before purchasing? Is it possible (or feasible) to get vendors to send out boots, boards and bindings to various locations and have maybe some local people to give some basic carving instructions? I live in Michigan and would probably travel anywhere in the state if I knew I could checkout new equipment and get some carving tips. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bora20 Posted November 21, 2010 Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 I bought cheap used stuff from this forum last year and rode it for a season. I actually rode hardboots and plates on my 160 softboot board and loved it. Total cost for boots and bindings, about $250. I then sold them on the forum for $250 after the riding season. I bought all new gear (boots/bindings online) (board in person at Prior factory) for this riding season. I also bought a really stiff softboot board for powder days and have the alpine board for groomed days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted November 21, 2010 Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 I think it's a real problem. Check other threads here - there are people who'll lend you stuff, and then there's the "Berkshire East" thread: those guys have demo gear. In Europe it's easier - there are rental shops and demo gear is available if you know where to look. In my country there are probably only a handful of people who ride hard gear. "Snowboarding" here is more like skateboarding, with people moving on to skiing when they're bored with the park. Those people don't even know about hard gear, and they don't see it as an option for them. The start-up equipment costs are huge, and it would be a complete shot in the dark for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.T. Posted November 21, 2010 Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 To be blunt, take a vacation and travel somewhere else where you can demo alpine gear. In the Denver area there are All Boards Sports and Bomber who have demo gear. Near SLC you have Hard Booter. Yes the availability of gear is an issue, but it's not going to change anytime soon. While having a company ship demo gear around the country to interested parties sounds like a good idea, the logistics would be a nightmare... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted November 21, 2010 Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 I hear you! I had almost quit snowboarding when I rediscovered hardbooting, which completely renewed my passion. I got the parts off Ebay and here on Bomber. I think my first setup was ~$250, and I sold it for ~$200. I have a shorter board and clip-in style bindings in case I find anyone else nearby that wants to try it. They'd have to supply some ski boots, but that's still worlds better than not trying alpine at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjvircks Posted November 21, 2010 Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 Hey Tsunamibay! Been There, Done That... it sucks. Flatland carving is tough. Perhaps the worst aspect of all is the fact that we try to teach ourselves and in doing so we learn bad habits. These bad habits become so ingrained that they are 'right' for us. When we have the opportunity to be coached in proper techniques it feels all wrong and we have a lot to unlearn. If you are serious about this... make a commitment to yourself to head to one of the carving meccas and spend a week. Get in touch with the locals via Bomber and arrange to meet up on the hill. I do this whenever I go anywhere... and it always feels great to have ready-made friends you just haven't met yet! Super group, no matter where in the country you go. If you can avoid it... do not try to split your time between carving and other activities. I have found that trying to carve with the guys and then ski with wife and/or kids means I do not do justice to either. Regarding your gear availablity issue... fact of life for a flatland carver. Boots can be a real pain to get right. Every foot is the same, just very different. So far there's been no tried-and-true method for demo'ing gear for us other than buy-n-try or find a kind soul who is willing to lend out gear if we are willing to pay shipping both ways. Good Luck! Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Swanson Posted November 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 Yeah, I can easily picture myself going out to one of the SES events in the near future as my riding continues to progress. I was hoping to find a way to bring the equipment out here to other people who would like try carving. It seems to me once you get tired of the half-pipes, railslides and terrain parks, carving would be a natural progression progression for a lot of snowboarders. I'm 46 and that seems to be a fairly typical age on this forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgassizSkidder Posted November 21, 2010 Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 Being brand new myself I found the biggest obstacle was the wife not understanding why I needed to buy and look at boards and boots all the time. I have been able to sell the items that didn't work for me for what I paid and it has been worth it so far. Just start with cheap stuff until you have an idea of what you like and read everything. Kinda like dating all over again :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Swanson Posted November 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 Hmmm.... What about a mini SES event? Let's say you post an invite in the regional forum near where you live. Set a date and location, invite everyone in the area to bring out their equipment. We try each others boards, give out pointers and then carve up the hill. I need to make this happen. Of course for most of you this is probably a typical weekend. Lucky... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieran Posted November 21, 2010 Report Share Posted November 21, 2010 i suspect i went about it the wrong way. after witnessing some fine hardboot action at one of the resorts here, i got a pretty good end-of-season deal on a complete setup, and set about converting. i've only been on a 26m wide, 200m long indoor slope since june, and i can't imagine the number of bad habits i've developed. otoh, i'm pretty skilled at keeping on edge and carving over a stupidly choppy surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMU Alpine Boarder Posted November 22, 2010 Report Share Posted November 22, 2010 Hmmm.... What about a mini SES event? Let's say you post an invite in the regional forum near where you live. Set a date and location, invite everyone in the area to bring out their equipment. We try each others boards, give out pointers and then carve up the hill. I need to make this happen. Of course for most of you this is probably a typical weekend. Lucky... Actually, this is how we do things here in the Midwest... There is a pretty strong contingent of riders in the Minneapolis, MN area... Every year, they put together a Midwest Expression Session in Jan. or Feb... They've also got a good contingent of racers going through their local USASA program as well... Great group of people... Several of them have helped me out through the message boards and/or e-mail on several occasions... There are also several smaller contingents of riders throughout the Midwest... There are several riders in Central Wisconsin, and some regulars in Lower Michigan as well... Most of the carvers here are more than happy to ride with others who share the interest if they see them on the hill... Just watch the ride board, and you'll get a feel for where most people are hangin out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knoch Posted November 22, 2010 Report Share Posted November 22, 2010 Hey, where exactly in Michigan are you, and where do you ride? I frequent Crystal Mountain all winter, but live down in the Ann Arbor area. I noticed the same problem you have with the lack of available equipment around Michigan for people to try out who show an interest, so I usually carry 4 board and binding set ups with me whenever I hit the slopes. When people ask me about it and show interest, I offer to let them try it out. As long as ski boots are available in their size I can make it happen. I actually spent an entire day on the slopes with a skier who wanted to give it a shot two years ago. NMU Rider is right about the carvers here being more than happy to ride with others they find on the hill. I do every chance I get, because it doesn't seem like the opportunity presents itself very often. I remember a day several years ago I found myself with 7 or 8 other alpine boarders. I'm not sure who knew who, if anyone did, but that day was the most fun I had ever had riding hard boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Swanson Posted November 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2010 Knoch, I'm in Grand Rapids and I normally ride at Caberfae, but I will be planning trips to Crystal and Boyne this year as well. I'll have to post on the ride board before I hit those slopes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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