Carving is NOT sliding, right? Aren't they mutually exclusive?

[1xsculler]

I am not going to consider myself a carver until I make the tail follow the nose with zero slippage throughout the entire turn, back and forth across the hill, perpendicular to the fall line, i.e. not down the fall line, for at least a dozen consecutive linked-up turns.  I ain't there yet but I am committed.

It's relatively easy to link carved turns when you stay in the fall line but unless you're on the bunny hill you will be going really fast really quickly. Linking those pure carved turns while crossing the slope perpendicular to the fall line is the challenge. I'm basically just thinking out loud as most of you already know this.

Edited April 5, 2017 by 1xsculler

[BlueB]

It is true while learning and perfecting technique. On high level, it becomes a bit blurry again... 

[QReuCk]

Depends what you're talking about. Yes by nature, carving is avoiding slippage. And yes you can't really call yourself a carver until you can link quite consitently carved turns, start to finish. BUT, being a carver doesn't mandatorilly mean you are exclusivelly a carver. Just to avoid a name who is a user there and purposefully choosing another exemple, I have no problem calling Dylan Gamache a competent carver. Yet the fact his riding style includes several other aspects, some of which featuring "slipping" doesn't turn him into a "non carver".

Snowboarding is supposed to be fun. If you have fun carving then fine. If you have fun slipping, then that's fine too. If you have fun doing both, guess what? Still fine.

[1xsculler]

I totally agree.  Thanks for the perspective.

[Pat Donnelly]

Have someone capture a video of you riding then post it up on the forum for some helpful tips to expedite your linking consecutive turns.

Edited April 5, 2017 by Pat Donnelly

[Jack M]

You are correct.  Many snowboarders and skiers, including some here, refer to any act of turning with the board on the snow as carving, but they are wrong.  Slicing the edge cleanly through the snow, no matter what the equipment, is a distinctly different activity with a higher skill level and it needs a unique name, thus, carving.

[LeeW]

Well, way I see it... I turn around and look up to see how my lines are. If it's the width of a pencil, it's carving to me. If it's like parabolic (pencil width to wide bell), I need more work. This is recreational carving for me, personally. Racing is entirely different ball game. There are times I miss racing. Nothing beats the heart beating in the ear as I haul ass through the gates to the finish line.