What's your perspective/objective?

[Jack M]

I got to thinking recently about how sometimes discussions here can get a little, shall we say emotional.  I think this is due in part to the fact that a lot of people approach alpine snowboarding from different perspectives and with different goals.  Then we all try to have one big conversation in the same room.  I think it would be helpful for all of us to try harder to discover what someone else's goals are before answering their question or giving advice.  Cool?

Then that made me think of doing this poll to see just how diverse this group is.  If your primary objective for visiting this site is different than your primary objective on the hill, please choose your primary objective for visiting this site, i.e. what are you here to learn/talk about?  If you aren't doing any of these things yet, which one do you want to learn about most?  Responses are public.

Thanks!

[workshop7]

I lean mostly toward the first option, to get maximum carving performance in hardboots.  However, I truly come to this site because I like to read about, discuss and sometimes help others with all things carving.  I can’t get enough of it on the hill, my friends and family don’t want to talk about it as much as I do and , if I can offer any of my experiences as help for someone else it’s all good. 

I have gotten more out of this site than I have given, but I’ll keep trying to even that out.

Edited January 9, 2018 by workshop7

[Corey]

Can I pick the first three, plus a generous helping of the 2nd last one?  ;)  

If I lived in the mountains, I'd probably use softies off the groom.  My day-after-ATC powder day was the best day of snowboarding I've had in my life and made me want more.  But for 99% of my riding, I'm on hardpack trying to carve better.  

[barryj]

I'm like Corey.....can I pick the first 3!  but  I'm the 1st option + POW in hardboots + talking Carving!

Edited January 10, 2018 by barryj

[bigwavedave]

Combination of the first two, although I voted for #2.

[lonbordin]

I, too, went #2 although I feel I waiver between 1 & 2 and other.  Other being if I lived somewhere where there was pow and actual groom I'd ride that but really most of my home hill riding is "all mountain" due to local conditions.

But I come here to learn what I can, better myself/improve and pass on nuggets to those who come after us.

I've been fortunate to meet/ride with many BOL members and I can say they all suck are really great people. 

[Neil Gendzwill]

I'm the lone #3 guy so far. 

[TVR]

#9? 

All the cool kids hang out here?

[Jack M]

Thanks all.  Just remember primary does not mean "only".

[st_lupo]

Ego and ambition makes me want to pick numero uno, but realistically I know that I'm never gonna race and that most people here would wipe the floor with me.  So dos it is.  Also the social aspect of BOL cannot be overestimated.  There might be some contentious topics off and on, but I think that is just people talking about something they are truly passionate about, and it is no where near the crap slinging that goes on in some of the other snowboard forums.

[Mike T]

I "voted" #2 because that's the main reason I visit bomberonline...    but as far as snowboarding goes I'm pretty close to a 50/50 hard/soft split... mostly depending on snow and weather, but will occasionally ride opposite of what the snow might suggest when a given weather pattern settles in for an extended period of time. Last year was more soft-booting than hard with all that freshie especially in Dec/Jan when it was real powder.   This season so far, almost exclusively hard boots. 

[Rusty Edges]

I voted #2 but should include #1 and #7.  I think we all aspire to be as smooth as possible when carving.  Be it through the gates or on an open stretch of "corduroy".  For me nothing is more satisfying than seeing perfectly linked "trenches" while riding the chair back up to write my name on the run one more time.

Other than Extreme Carving, this is the only site that caters to snowboard carving with hard boots.  The amount of information and experience on this forum is astounding.  Thanks to FIn for keeping the stoke alive

Trenches for All

Edited January 10, 2018 by Rusty Edges

[SkoonyMcGroomer]

I like the term "Soulful Carving" because when it all comes together, it can feel like an endless series of bottom turns. #carvingthewhitewave

[scottishsurfer]

no:4  coming from a racing downhill mountain biking background for me its turning hard and fast but i generally do it with very little thought. I used to get lost in the feeling of flow and rhythm when i used to race to the point there was almost no mental thought going on id start and after 100m in id mentally disappear into some sort of adrenaline fueled trance where i would just be riding on auto pilot until the bottom of the course. Snowboarding is almost identical in this respect for me unless i'm purposely taking it easy, riding in a group of friends or I have tone it down due to the conditions. I've been told even just riding down a mild blue or green i ride like I'm attacking an invisible gated slalom course my mental dial is just stuck at 11 i guess

[softbootsurfer]

to Surf down the mountain... the Track is our signature 

Edited January 10, 2018 by softbootsurfer

[dhamann]

4 for sure. 1 is becoming a close 2nd though. Whatever tool is best suited to rip the mountain, regardless of the existing conditions (except skiing). A lot less crowds in less than ideal conditions. If the motivation is there, I take that as an opportunity to self teach if nothing else. The "bad" days help you appreciate the truly "good" days. Sorry for the cliche. (I.e. No such thing as a bad day snowboarding...) I must say though that hardbooting has saved my ankles tremendously. Knees tend to be a different story. 

 

Softboot carve perspective and objective on hill. I just wear hardboots sometimes. 

[BlueB]

Where's "park in hard boots" option ;) ...kidding, or not? I really try to do it all. Multiple choice would be more fair. 

I voted the no3, just so Neil doesn't feel too lonely... 

[st_lupo]

Maybe there should also be a category for wanting to look like the lone freak on the mountain?

[Corey]

6 hours ago, dhamann said:

If the motivation is there, I take that as an opportunity to self teach if nothing else. The "bad" days help you appreciate the truly "good" days. 

You just described my last day on the snow. A ski race team had been practicing on my favorite run, leaving icy patches and ruts all over. It was a fun challenge to try to carve that run after they pulled the gates. 

1 hour ago, st_lupo said:

Maybe there should also be a category for wanting to look like the lone freak on the mountain?

Umm, isn't that any of the first three? 

People: "That looks fun, have you ever tried snowboarding?" 

[philw]

I voted #3, but it's not broad enough.

I'm not interested in cruising "motorway" piste. I'm not hugely bothered about soft/ hard boots - I'll use what works, and when hard boots die (or become useful only for motorways), I'll use something else.

[Beckmann AG]

Court appointed community service.

[Erik J]

I voted 3, but...

There's nothing but groomers nearby so that is my main focus. If I'm at another mountain I don't seek out groomers. I like to ride everything in harboots on a dedicated carving board. 

[cin]

I'm yet to start my hardbooting career, but my eventual goal is to ride beautifully. I want to make the carved turns look like they require no effort at all. So I guess that puts me in box #2.

But yeah, looooong way to go!

[Jack M]

A bit surprised by Neil and ErikJ, since you both seem to ride like #1!  Never seen Neil in person, but ErikJ is one of my favorite carvers to watch.  Shred nicknamed him "Boing!" at an ECES.

[slopestar]

2/4

i ride the fence. With my jacked up wrist I’m going to be riding more alpine  over the next month