JamesAndrew Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 Between 1992 and 1995, I always had two boards, a freestyle, and an alpine. My last race board was a Mistral Ecstasy asym which I regarded to be one of the best boards out at the time. Back then, asymmetrical was the only way to go. For various reasons, I haven't been riding hardboots since then, so it was really surprising when I found out that asym boards are considered to be relics. Maybe it's because I have not ridden a newer symmetrical board, but I carved that board pretty aggressively and never noticed the problems that I read about. My question is, How foreign will a symmetrical board feel when I first ride it? Will I have to re-wire my brain to learn a new carving technique? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timinor Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 There are those on the forum that feel you have been permanently damaged by riding that asym... :lol: However, the reality is that the transition to a symmetrical should be smooth and painless. I made that transition back in 1993 and what I remember is not that the symmetrical board (Nitro Scorpion) was different or needed to be rode differently...it was just that the symmetrical board was better and easier. It was a positive and no "re-learning" necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest toddflyingdog Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 If you can carve, you can carve. Equipment has improved though, so you may be surprised how little the adjustment is... oh yeah, I might suggest riding something shorter rather than longer. The new boards don't have to be as long to get the job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dano Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Heel side carves. I started with a 159 Kryton asysm in the mid 90's I had both my bindings close to 45* front and back, Mostly from getting used to it with the old burton 5-hole pattern bindings on previous boards. I could pretty much rail on the toeside but on heelside I was like a freerider on softees or a surfer. If I tried to rail heelside my butt would hit the snow. When I got my first asym it was so narrow I was forced into higher binding angles to avoid boot out, so I changed from a freecarving surfer on heelside to more or a single-waterski sort of style. I used the sides of my boots more on the heelside and eventually could face more forward as well so I could get much lower and now I can rail it on heelside as well. I have no regrets and had the best times EVER with that old asym, but now heelsides are much better. I still ride surf style in pow and love it with low angles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Man, I used to love heelsides on the Asym; really smooth round turns; it was the tight radius on the nose on the toe side, that I didn't like; back then I got some gears from Nitro, and the original EFT and then later Epics both would kick up a little snow into your face on toe sides in some conditions.... Switched to the scorpions and didn't really notice any great difference, although of course the boards suddenly for the same length felt a lot longer and a bit stiffer on the heel side; which after a while meant my riding probably got better.... but about that time I stopped riding much. The feeling on the heel side on the asym is that the board would carve really tight right back underneath you, with or without rotation or good technique. The sym required a better technique, but also meant you could vary the radius of the turn and so on a bit more. Depends how much of a shift there was on the asym; a few like the aGGRESSION had such big offset that for sure it would require rocking forward and back from toe to heel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Don´t need to change. Check out www.pureboarding.com. They still make asy-boards. /mats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipuppy Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 The Two looks like a very very sexy board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Tinklers are asyms too ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 After several seasons on an asym, the transition was VERY smooth and easy. I was actually fairly resistant to making the change at the time, but was glad when I did. As was stated above - some good riders out there still rippin' 'em (read "pureboarding"). Still a place in the hardboot world for asyms! Had to put that out there for Jack :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Tinklers are asyms too ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 no theyre not...not in the sidecut profile or shape. I believe its more the flex? or maybe Im wrong. But Ive seen a few of em and they certainly dont look it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 no theyre not...not in the sidecut profile or shape. I believe its more the flex?or maybe Im wrong. But Ive seen a few of em and they certainly dont look it Perhaps Pokkis is referring to the way the Snow Stix are mounted. I recall Bruce V. (Coiler) saying he detunes his edges in an "assymetrical fashion" as well, FWIW.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Perhaps Pokkis is referring to the way the Snow Stix are mounted. I recall Bruce V. (Coiler) saying he detunes his edges in an "assymetrical fashion" as well, FWIW.... yup, the dampeners are mounted asymetrically from what B told me...but Im pretty sure the sidecut is the same on both edges, and Im certain the shape is symetrical Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 yup, the dampeners are mounted asymetrically from what B told me...but Im pretty sure the sidecut is the same on both edges, and Im certain the shape is symetrical .... thus the wink-eye at the end of pokkis's post... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 .... thus the wink-eye at the end of pokkis's post... oh come on Im way too serious to notice and process a wink-eye! sheesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokkis Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Try to mount bindings goofy to regular Tinkler But seriously these are awesome bords, more of that later on this season film Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 Don't be fooled by Jack's apparent dislike of the ASYM... I was just at the Donek site and downloaded the spec sheet (see file attached). He's had a custom FC made in ASYM!!! :) nice try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 I was looking at the pure boarding site and realized that the bindings they are selling are actually burton plates with a different name on them here they are, for sure the same binding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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