The Marker Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Hello bomber online forum! I met a gentleman at White tail resort in PA this past weekend (Sunday 7JAN) and was amazed by his alpine board. I had never seen such a thing My questions for the forum are: Where can I go to get a basic understanding of alpine boards? Looking at the bomber store there seems to be lots of technical pieces like plates that go beneath the bindings as an example. How does all of this make sense? Where can I go for used equipment? The price of new gear is sort of totally a deal breaker How hard is it to transition from soft boots and regular snowboarding to hard boots and alpine boarding? Oh my god how fast do those things go? Seriously, standing still they look like they go faster than I can think. And the pictures and videos both intrigue and terrify me. This question sort of goes hand in hand with the question above. I would rate my skill level as intermediate I weigh in around 178-183 I have no desire for speed. I want sweet carving and to be able to use the whole mountain Thanks for your patience with my newbie questions Adios! Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 There is a lot of information in the newbie guide. To answer some of your immediate questions: plates are extra pieces that are not used by most people and especially beginners. Used gear is found in the classified sections here, there's a pointer in the guide. I found it easy to transition to hard boots, others found it harder. Utilizing The Norm (pointer in the guide) or better yet getting some help from any hardbooting locals in your area will speed the process. Alpine boards aren't inherently faster. They allow you to go faster but if you point an alpine board and a freeride board downhill, they'll both soon be going faster than most would like. The thing is, once you learn to carve a turn you are no longer scrubbing much speed in the turns. To control speed in a carved turn, you have to make more complete turns than most do, which is why many Alpine riders use up so much of the hill in their turns. That, plus it's fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Welcome to Bomber, Marc! Neil nailed it. Speed is up to the user, some like to go fast, some prefer slow. Some very general tips: 1. If you aren't a speed demon, stay with shorter boards and/or tighter sidecuts. An average 12 meter radius sidecut is rather medium, a 10m or below is tight. Anything below 10m is cartoonishly tight. It's amazing how slow you can go and still carve with a tight sidecut. 2. Keep it simple to start. Get a board/boots/bindings that are decidedly average. No 185cm or 155cm boards. 165 or 170 is probably a good start, assuming you ride narrow East-coast runs. Most important is to find a board that's for your weight range. Don't try some 250-lb guy's board. 3. Find a local to go ride with. Learning isn't hard, but it's not intuitive either. The biggest issue is breaking the 'sideways' habit after years of low binding angles. Try to face the nose of the board, especially with your hips. An experienced rider can cut months or years off your learning curve. As a bonus; most hardbooters are eager to help others learn our fringe sport. They may even have some gear you could try if you ask real nice. Have fun! I was about to quit snowboarding when I discovered Bomber. It changed my future for the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Neil and Corey's posts are spot on. If you happen to own an all camber softboot board I would suggest at least turning your bindings directionally so that you have little or no overhang and go out and ride. Try the norm and other drills in the newbie guide. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 (edited) Welcome to the dark side! Edited January 9, 2018 by Dan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st_lupo Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 6 hours ago, Dan said: Welcome to the dark side! We have cookies ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st_lupo Posted January 9, 2018 Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 You know this question always seems to come up. Maybe the tech article section should include some reference material to outline a minimal hardware overview for absolute beginners? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Marker Posted January 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2018 Thank you all for your quick responses! Seriously, my experiences have been people in specialized sports are d*cks. Seriously, if you have ever gone into a high end bike shop with a regular bike looking for help... you get what I mean. Super thanks and see you around the forum! May gravity be kind to you... Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Donnelly Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) Might want to try to carve some arcs on your current gear. There was a soft booter riding at our local hill today making some nice lines. He had both bindings forward around 40 / 30 (guessing). Edited January 10, 2018 by Pat Donnelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piusthedrcarve Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Welcome! Please post your next trip on the above thread. It’s for gathering and conditions report. I usually go up WT on Friday night (5-10). It’s ok not to have alpine gear yet. I do enjoy softboot carving too. Let us know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st_lupo Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 3 hours ago, matthew said: Don’t worry about plates and don’t be intimidated by high cost of new gear. There’s a robust market for used stuff. It only gets expensive when you realize you actually need 7 different boards just so you can figure out how they’re different. Yeah, this.... It sounds like an exaggeration. It is not *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aracan Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 ... depends. I have been riding alpine for 20+ years. I have one board that I use, and while I sometimes do ogle boards, the urge to get another one is very weak. Reason: My board does not perform optimally in most conditions. But it performs well in almost all conditions. I am just not interested in the hassle. I want to ride boards, not lug them around, because look, the morning groom is gone, I need to get my next board. I love snowboarding, but not to the point where I would have to work more to afford more boards. I'd rather work less and have more time to ride the board that I already have. Bottom line: It is possible to be a carver with one board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 Haha, I feel so decadent when I leave one extra board locked to the ski rack at the base and one or two more in the car. Sometimes I'll ride one all day, sometimes I'll swap at lunch time. If it's a boring hill, changing boards can bring some nice variety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 (edited) 6 hours ago, Aracan said: ... depends. I have been riding alpine for 20+ years. I have one board that I use, and while I sometimes do ogle boards, the urge to get another one is very weak. Reason: My board does not perform optimally in most conditions. But it performs well in almost all conditions. I am just not interested in the hassle. I want to ride boards, not lug them around, because look, the morning groom is gone, I need to get my next board. I love snowboarding, but not to the point where I would have to work more to afford more boards. I'd rather work less and have more time to ride the board that I already have. Bottom line: It is possible to be a carver with one board. Yeah, I'm with you. I upgraded a couple of years ago to 2 boards, one with a pure carving focus and the other all-mountain. I usually ride either one or the other for the whole day. Maybe if I lived near the mountains and rode a whole lot I would have more alpine boards, but I would be far more likely to add a softie setup, some skis and maybe an AT rig. Edited January 10, 2018 by Neil Gendzwill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breeseomatic Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 On 1/9/2018 at 6:47 AM, The Marker said: Hello bomber online forum! I met a gentleman at White tail resort in PA this past weekend (Sunday 7JAN) and was amazed by his alpine board. I had never seen such a thing My questions for the forum are: Where can I go to get a basic understanding of alpine boards? Looking at the bomber store there seems to be lots of technical pieces like plates that go beneath the bindings as an example. How does all of this make sense? Where can I go for used equipment? The price of new gear is sort of totally a deal breaker How hard is it to transition from soft boots and regular snowboarding to hard boots and alpine boarding? Oh my god how fast do those things go? Seriously, standing still they look like they go faster than I can think. And the pictures and videos both intrigue and terrify me. This question sort of goes hand in hand with the question above. I would rate my skill level as intermediate I weigh in around 178-183 I have no desire for speed. I want sweet carving and to be able to use the whole mountain Thanks for your patience with my newbie questions Adios! Marc Welcome to the forums Marc. My approach is different to the rest, so take it with a grain of salt. Equipment and settings does not equal technique. Don’t buy or try any “alpine” equipment yet. Ignore all advice to change your angles to some arbitrary number. (I can carve on a reverse camber twin tip board with duck stance.) First you need to stop sliding your turns and learn to really really carve on your current equipment. Ryan Knapton has a couple of videos on how to do this on YouTube. Once you can carve in your existing gear, that may be all you need/want. Hard boots limit your mobility. Hard boots limit your ability to absorb shock. Hard boots are a going to make you go much slower in conditions where the snow is less than perfect. If you just have to try hard boots, try them with your existing board, assuming it’s stuff enough to handle what the boots and bindings will allow you to do. A typical freestyle/park board will not be stiff enough, an all mountain board like an Arbor Steepwater would work. Slowly build up your skills, watch a ton of videos, don’t ask too many questions on the internet because you’ll get more confused with everyone’s radically different answers. Most importantly, try to have fun and build upon the new skills and technique you acquire. It’s going to take a while, and it’s worth the time and effort. -Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aracan Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 1 hour ago, breeseomatic said: Equipment and settings does not equal technique. Don’t buy or try any “alpine” equipment yet. Ignore all advice to change your angles to some arbitrary number. (I can carve on a reverse camber twin tip board with duck stance.) Yes and no. Definitely DO NOT set angles at an arbitrary number. Definitely DO consider the possibility that carving, especially on the heelside, might come easier with a +/+ stance. I do not doubt breeseomatic's ability to carve "a reverse camber twin tip board with duck stance". But I can also carve a turkey with a butter knife, given enough time and dedication. Given the choice, however, I would opt for a different tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 1 hour ago, breeseomatic said: Hard boots limit your mobility. Hard boots limit your ability to absorb shock. Hard boots are a going to make you go much slower in conditions where the snow is less than perfect. LOL! You trollin' the forum Joe?!? 1 hour ago, breeseomatic said: don’t ask too many questions on the internet because you’ll get more confused... Maybe we should trust the OPs ability to discern what is the right answer for themselves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik J Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 1 hour ago, breeseomatic said: Do what I say, don't ask questions. BTW I carve duck. Sounds legit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 I agree with breeseomatic that step 1 is to learn to carve your current gear. You'll probably need to go down to an easy slope to make it happen, which is fine. The goal is to be able to link carves with no sliding whatsoever. This means rolling the board over at the end of one carve and beginning the next carve on your downhill edge. If this proves too difficult, try forward stance angles. You don't have to get crazy there, the best softboot carver I know is at 27/12. Once you get good at that, then it's time to find alpine gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckmann AG Posted January 10, 2018 Report Share Posted January 10, 2018 2 hours ago, breeseomatic said: Equipment and settings does not equal technique. Don’t buy or try any “alpine” equipment yet. Ignore all advice to change your angles to some arbitrary number. (I can carve on a reverse camber twin tip board with duck stance.) Is directly related to: 2 hours ago, breeseomatic said: Hard boots limit your mobility. Hard boots limit your ability to absorb shock. Hard boots are a going to make you go much slower in conditions where the snow is less than perfect. As a 'newbie' you don't need a lot of mobility, you don't need to absorb shock, and you don't need to go fast. Figure out how a board works, and how binding configuration affects your relationship to the board. It gets easier from there.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTA2R Posted January 11, 2018 Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 If you do try an alpine setup, I think the hill on the left (snow dancer or snowpark?) will be plenty to get you started. You really need to ride defensively at Whitetail, in particular, on a weekend, and esp. on a blue run. I've had at least 1 collision there. I'm a lightweight so I have shorter boards, but the longer boards with larger SCRs - not sure how some of you guys ride those at a place like 'tail. guess you're a lot more skilled than I am! I'll be headed to SRT for the first time in a few years on Sunday (most likely). It's a carver-friendly resort and certainly has fewer people and a more chill vibe, in my opinion, than Whitetail, which can be akin to driving the Beltway in Maryland (every man for himself type of deal) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chouinard Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 On 1/9/2018 at 6:51 PM, The Marker said: Seriously, if you have ever gone into a high end bike shop with a regular bike looking for help... you get what I mean. Been there, done that looking for a front fork shock setup to retrofit my trusty [rusty] 1980's Huffy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcousticBoarder Posted January 16, 2018 Report Share Posted January 16, 2018 On 1/10/2018 at 12:22 AM, Aracan said: ... depends. I have been riding alpine for 20+ years. I have one board that I use, and while I sometimes do ogle boards, the urge to get another one is very weak. Reason: My board does not perform optimally in most conditions. But it performs well in almost all conditions. I am just not interested in the hassle. I want to ride boards, not lug them around, because look, the morning groom is gone, I need to get my next board. I love snowboarding, but not to the point where I would have to work more to afford more boards. I'd rather work less and have more time to ride the board that I already have. Bottom line: It is possible to be a carver with one board. Definitely possible to do one board, but it may take those 7+ boards to figure out how each rides to know what works for you. I have one board I mainly use I had made after figuring out what I liked and didn't from my boards, but I also want another board with a fixed smaller scr. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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