Carv digital ski coach

[SunSurfer]

https://getcarv.com/

Anyone tried this for skiing or borrowed a setup and ridden a carving snowboard with the technology?

[Beckmann AG]

Have not.

Closest was the use of a digital gait analysis unit for boot ramp tweaking back around '97.

 

Would you like an opinion on efficacy?

[lowrider]

I can see it now someone hits you and the cops want your boots. How did this become something people will crave ? Wonder what happens if i go telle ?

[SunSurfer]

1 hour ago, Beckmann AG said:

Have not.

Would you like an opinion on efficacy?

Pretty clear from multiple on line video reviews from a range of sources that the sensor system is able to give accurate pressure distribution, direction, angulation, acceleration and location information. Android and i-phone versions of the app are available. The product has been developing over a few years now.

Their website FAQ section that there is no snowboard version, but I suspect they haven't thought about the niche area of alpine carving snowboarding.

So how useful would the app be, given that we ride with our boots off the axis of direction of movement, with both boot lift and sometimes boot cant?

I suspect that the data, even with the app setup for skiers could provide useful data to an instructor or racing coach for an alpine snowboard rider. The tech will probably appeal to at least some of the engineers here! @Corey
 

Conjecture is of limited use. Someone who can carve well actually trying it would be illuminating.

@Jack M
a different type of review?

[Corey]

I previously worked at a place that made fabric-based pressure sensors similar to what's likely in that footbed. We could map pressure distributions before and after orthotics were in place. Or wheelchair cushions, or prosthesis sockets, or whatever. Combine that with a IMU unit and you have more data than you know what to do with! 

I'd go see Mr. Beckman first, as the output of the above system is directly related to how they interpret the data. 

[lowrider]

Doesn't matter what it's designed for i think just comparing the data from any good rider will give pretty good data to compare with a beginner. If nothing else it could prove my theory that everyone peddles.

[Beckmann AG]

15 hours ago, SunSurfer said:

Conjecture is of limited use.

Conjecture is guessing.

I'm not guessing.  

The system, as described and as I understand the presentation, will 'tell' you 'what is'.  It will not, however, tell you 'why is', at least not in the kind of mechanical terms that will serve to remove actual obstacles to progress.

For instance:  Balance on skis is a lot more than where you are front to back. If a skier trends toward a 'back of center' location (as many do) there will be several distinct reasons for that. Simply reminding that skier to 'get forward', or to feel contact at the fronts of their shins, or the balls of their feet, does nothing to resolve why they were back of center in the first place.

What it does do, is encourage that skier to adopt a contrived posture that fits a particular visual mold, one that has been widely accepted as a mark of 'good skiing'.

Having more data on what's going on underfoot, being on skis or snowboard, is a good thing. The problem comes in how you make use of that data.

If you want to make yourself look like what consensus says is a good rider, then filtering the data toward that goal will most likely get you there. 

I suspect, however that you'd prefer to 'know' definitively what's going on under your feet, and would like to overlay that on your Strava map, to see how and when things were changing.

That kind of information will be useful in the 'right hands'.

 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Beckmann AG

[scottishsurfer]

Never used anything like this but i would be very intrigued to know the know the kind of forces im putting through a set of bindings i get the feeling the loads are way higher than what most soft boot bindings are tested to....

I'm not entirely sure it would be better from a training point of view than say video analysis of watching yourself back in slow motion video. but i guess if you dont have someone to film itd be better. Tech like beckmann says is really usefull if you know how, I used to use a gps watch when practising mtb DH where id use it to work out timings, cornering speed and what line choice was better than another since sometimes the line that felt fastest wasnt .