Why aren't you riding newer gear?

[kinpa]

I have been told many times that I could probably excel if I had a newer board, BUT.... (there is always a but!)

Yes, snowboarding has been a long time passion, but alas.... it seems other things in my life take priority.....

My 9 year old daughter both skis and snowboards and if I could somehow stop her from growing, I guess she could use the same gear for a few more years, but that doesn't happen. Even now, the gear she's on is a bit small for her. Told her it would have to do this year. I told her that new skis or board wouldn't do any good if we didn't have gas money to get to the hill! (As an instructor, at least I've got my pass and hers pretty much covered!)

I also do ski and got new skis at the end of the season before last. Much easier to find good deals on new skis than new boards. Yes, being on bomber you can find good deals on used stuff, but new (or newer, for that matter) boards are still going to cost ya!

My other passion in life is my horses. And yes, they pretty much get the winter off, but they still need to eat! So, money gets dumped on them year round!

I'd love to someday get a custom board, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. My son is starting to ski now too and luckily I saved my daughter's old skis that he can use.

[newcarver]

I can only buy what I can get away with. Wife will kill me if I bought $2000 worth of snowboard gear. I can get away with $500 easily. Already have to spend $3000 on passes and club dues for kids ski club. Hard to justify thousands more on new board. Planning on upgrading by selling my older boards to fund purchase of 1 board. Still having hard time parting with older Burner, Proton, SG, Donek, etc. All are still fun and I like having a variety of boards to choose from. One day I'll make the switch though.

[STP]

The cycle has been every two years for a new board. The last two boards I basically ordered the same custom board from Donek 185FC with increasing lenght and stiffness to compensate for my increased weight. I have been getting 80+ days per board and you can definitely feel that the board is worn out and looses some of its stiffness and spring when you jump on a new board with similar dimensions.

Not sure if new school technology is metal, but the glass is perfectly fine for my style and have not had anything that the board doesn't do:1luvu:. I just wish there were more riders in the northwest as I have been up 12 days this year and have not seen another hard booter or their ruts!!!

[Maciek]

$$$ and Idiocy

I guess first is $$$. Being a very avid golfer, I see people are starting the sport by acquiring general equipment from mass chain stores like Kmart, Dick's, or Sports Authorities for less than half of what they should spend for clubs.

Secondly, Idiocy (uneducated thinking). I do recommend that beginner should get 'Game Improvement' set with newer technology in brand name. THEN, most importantly, get FITTED by professional (Preferred PGA pro, not salesmen from Dick's). Now checking basic determining factors of choosing right equipment such as swing speed, flex, launch angles, ball speed, or club face angle are widely available at less than $200.

Then people excuse themselves by saying that they will do that once their swing gets proper shapes or they become good enough to get customized. WRONG.

By getting right stuff from the beginning, one can achieve that moment way earlier and excels.

I'v done that for golf equipment (pretty much every few years again and again). For alpine snowboard, I'm testing out new shape and newer construction to nail down what I really want. (still in processing). But once I figure out what I want, my credit card will be charged at one of board builders in North America.

Yes. We have seen this in automotive sports. Some novices got their proper Subarus, Evos and Corvettes. Some of them even got feel and smell of concrete wall or armco rails at speeds;) They were generous and smart guys... not like some idiots with "less proper cars"... who eventually beat crap out of them ;)

Having that said I would guess that some "proper" elements might be in place while others are not. I consider for myself (restarting carving after 6 years of break) one of those new binding plates... but on older board with older boots and Bomber TD1' that I still enjoyed last Wednesday on slope.

... and yes it is about $$$

Have good runs.

[Maciek]

erm...mortgage and girlfriend :)

Wait until you get married... you will be carving your slippers down your stairs :D

[Hilux]

Wait until you get married... you will be carving your slippers down your stairs :D

:lol:

[trailertrash]

Wait until you get married... and give your balls away, you will be carving your slippers down your stairs :D

Fixed it for you.

[sabestian]

Yeah, it's quite a high price for free sex, I learned that the hard way.

[Kirk]

erm...mortgage and girlfriend :)

Ha! I'll do ya one better: mortgage, marriage + kids(X4)

No new boards, plate systems, TD3s or the like in my near future, and I consider carving an "A" sport for me (though I'd like to think my '08 WCR Metal is 'newer gear' ;)). At this point in my life, I'm happy to just get some time on the hill. Last season, I think I logged 5 days (record low for me :o), but that's how $ was and that's life. BUT, I enjoyed and savored EVERY single minute making turns w/family and friends. And for the few days I log in this season, I'll enjoy those even more!!

[Buell]

You don't have to state you views John, I already know that your an elitist a**hole cubicle carver. Shall I share some of your recent emails for confirmation? Ride what you like, if it happens to be a 12 year old race stocker from Burton or a new fangled metal offering from Donek, Prior, Coiler ect ect who cares? Mabey for you John, the ease of rideability of new tech will help offest your meager riding skills and help you ride like a champ rather than a chump.

Think Snow!

It is a good thing you don’t have any issues snowman.

Where does this end? I happened to see the long and absolutely insane rant you posted against Beckman a few weeks back, before it was all deleted by the mods.

I know John a bit. He is a good guy. Smart and opinionated, not elitist. He has newer but not new gear. He rides quite a few days a year. Oh, and I don’t think he spends much time in a cubical.

Hopefully the mods clean up your mess again and we can get back to this good thread.

[Mellow Yellow]

Just to spite all of you elitists, I'll be bringing my older F2 to the SES.....

Proud cubicle carver since '96

[tex1230]

Surprise, Surprise...the civil conversation goes to sh!t when snowman shows up...

[Bullwings]

... Tex, are you sitting in your cube posting on a computer provided by your employer?

Think Snow!

I am :lol::lol::lol:

It's so sweet getting paid by your employer to do cubicle carving. I also do cubicle car racing at the other forum I frequent quite a bit.

I've won both a gold medal in cubicle carving AND the 24 Hours of Le cubiclllleee Racing.

I'd do cubicle jerking off too, but I think I'd be pushing my luck and get fired for that one.

****Sent from my cubicle with pride ;)****

Glad to have a job... hehe

[pow4ever]

wow... alcohol and internet forum shouldn't mix.

Maybe it was meant to be a friendly jib; but seems very very mean spirited.

I have meet Tex(ECES)/Eric(Sugarloaf)/TT(Sugarloaf) in person.

I can't say enough nice things about them. They don't look down on me cause I am a noob; they take/spent their precious slope time to welcome me to this wonderful sports that we all shared.

I am a talentless cubicle posting hack; that's why I post; but why are you posting? isn't that like the keettle calling the pot black?

--

David

[Helmut Karvlow]

Snowman.......... keep shooting!!

did any one else notice the dancin-poo is now a Christmas Cookie:eek: I think that is a-s backwards......should be a cookie then dancin-poo????? no???

[tufty]

I am especially curious about the people for whom snowboarding is an A-list activity/passion, or even a lifestyle, and yet they still go bargain hunting for gear.

I'm more curious about the people who would state that they consider snowboarding to be their A-list activity / passion / lifestyle, and yet somehow manage to make enough money to be able to afford a multi-thousand-dollar investment in equipment every season. After all, if you're living a snowboarding lifestyle, surely you're on the slopes riding (or doing something else related), and not sat on your arse in an office earning enough to pay for a new board.

Personally, I ride older gear because it's good enough for me. Having $NEW_METAL_TOYS isn't going to make me a better rider, and I can live with the extra tenth of a second it takes me to get down to the bottom of the lift on my "crappy" board compared to what I might hypothetically be able to do on a spanking new board that I'm afraid to crash or even scratch.

For me, snow is my life, and alpine boarding in particular. That means I jacked in the high paying IT career in the City of London to move to the alps, and I now spend my time driving a chairlift for slightly above minimum wage. This, combined with a mortgage, wife, 2 kids and all that goes with it, means that blowing megabucks on gear isn't even a question for me. My entire setup cost less than most poseurs are willing to spend on a frickin' pair of bindings.

Yes, I said "poseurs". I meant it, too. Not that there's anything wrong with treating yourself to something nice, but don't pretend having $NEW_METAL_TOYS is gonna suddenly turn you into Serge Vitelli. New toys are nice, but it's what you do with them that matters.

So, whilst you're carefully steering around the tiniest bit of gravel in the snow, avoiding bumpy stuff in case you fold your new toy up, and being paranoid about leaving something that's worth more than my car stacked against the wall of the restaurant in case it gets stolen or even knocked over, I'll be digging enormous trenches with some old Hot Logical / Blast or similar, and you won't be able to wipe the smile off my face; if I rip out an edge or someone is stupid enough to steal the board I'll just pick up another one for next to nothing and do it all over again.

When snowboarding becomes about what you're riding as opposed to just riding, you might as well get a pair of baggy pants, mount yourself duck on your full-banana gizmostick and go hang about in the park with the other wankers.

[boardguru]

Well said.

[Jack M]

I'm more curious about the people who would state that they consider snowboarding to be their A-list activity / passion / lifestyle, and yet somehow manage to make enough money to be able to afford a multi-thousand-dollar investment in equipment every season. After all, if you're living a snowboarding lifestyle, surely you're on the slopes riding (or doing something else related), and not sat on your arse in an office earning enough to pay for a new board.

I don't buy new equipment every year, it's more like every 2 or 3 years for boards. But right now I have 2 boards (ideally it would be 3) so I alternate upgrades. I'll be getting a plate because, well, this is my A-list activity, I just have to. My wife and I work so that we can take our family to the mountain and get about 30-40 days a year. Weekends and school vacations.

I can vouch for trailertrash's skills. Anyone with only 6 years under their belt would be thrilled to be riding as well.

Mark, I don't get this. Nobody is attacking you or your skills. trailertrash, Buell, Tex, and others are not going anywhere, I think you should figure out a way to tolerate them.

[bobdea]

I don't buy new equipment every year, it's more like every 2 or 3 years for boards. But right now I have 2 boards (ideally it would be 3) so I alternate upgrades. I'll be getting a plate because, well, this is my A-list activity, I just have to. My wife and I work so that we can take our family to the mountain and get about 30-40 days a year. Weekends and school vacations.

I can vouch for trailertrash's skills. Anyone with only 6 years under their belt would be thrilled to be riding as well.

Mark, I don't get this. Nobody is attacking you or your skills. trailertrash, Buell, Tex, and others are not going anywhere, I think you should figure out a way to tolerate them.

just bored probably........

[DiveBomber]

Ill ride what ever, you can have fun on pretty much any board, its like a guy riding a 1995 sprotbike, a 2010 is nice, but as long as you're out there riding and making turns, its fine with me.

I have a kessler 185, and its an awesome board but its mainly for racing and training.

The reason is cost at the end of the day, Id rather have 3 boards than 1 board. while new boards are better, they are not as big of a difference as a carving board vs a park board, which is why you can ride a 15yo factory prime,, but you'd be crazy to ride a 5yo park board.

A carving board regardless of age is still like riding a motorcycle, vs a freeride board which is like drivng and old truck.

Id love a custom Kessler BX (narrow) but 1700 is hard to justify, then when you spend that much, its kind of hard to have fun on it for fear of wrecking it!

I just bought UPZ's and im asking my self why... I was looking at all the awsome ski boots, and our hardboots just dont even compare...:(

[DiveBomber]

Surprise, Surprise...the civil conversation goes to sh!t when snowman shows up...

this is why hes forever on my ignorelist, I just dont even bother..

[Mellow Yellow]

I can vouch for trailertrash's skills. Anyone with only 6 years under their belt would be thrilled to be riding as well.

.

but does he have the skillzz to pay the billzz?

[Steve Prokopiw]

so,naturally, I thought I'd come home and ruin a good adrenaline buzz by jumping into this thread hehe.

For starters I gotta say I think tufty's post is one of the best of 2010.I'm on both sides of the fence on this one.I have a custom board, but I ride Snowpros and cheap old Raichle Freezone skiboots and I'm on a tight budget.

Dive Bomber,make the leap to ski boots if you feel so inclined.I've got the best of all worlds with mine.Rigid,higher performance sole,flexability, high adjustability,great heel hold and good old BTS installed (not to mention old Technica power straps that I grabbed out of a garbage can in Vail).

I think there a at least a few riders here who can represent the hardbooting world quite well on old stuff.If I suddenly had to ride one of my 1993 Lacroix asymns I would just to be out there having fun.As it is, I jump over stuff or ride through it with my 210 rather than steer around it and it does have scratches on the base that are full length . And I lovingly hand tune it,knowing full well that the results are more organic than scientific.:)

[Bobby Buggs]

I must have $$ to BURN:angryfire.

I ride Every weekend and at least 1 day during the week. There for I buy a new metal board when ever I want to, or when ever I can cut line at Coiler:biggthump

And Snow, you do seem like more of dick than I do lately.

[Bobby Buggs]

Snowman

Banned??

Say it aint so:nono: