I'd never ridden one before, in fact i had a go on two really different boards, the one a 154 rocker and the other some sort of twin camber with surf rocker after the guy I'd been riding with fell from it quite badly, which was understandable given it was a bit of a bitch if you weren't experienced enough to be aggressive with it.
Anyway, back to the camber board, which started off super easy, edge to edge, no problem going up T bars (I hate T bars and since most often these rides are off season and i end up on Glaciers it's usually riddled with em) no catchy edges, so not having ridden for a couple of years, it was a lot easier than i thought it was going to be. The board was a proper twin, I'd set it up almost zero zero, bit of a freestyle thing, anyway all was well until I went down the hill a bit where it had gotten a bit washed out icy, they don't like ice, I'm on my ass, so be warned they're a dream in good conditions but a nightmare if it's a bit icy, wash straight out.
Ironically the other board which was a bit of a tough call up top working it, was a lot more reliable over icey washed out stuff..
Oh and don't go to Austria if you don't like smokey bars, I'd forgotten just how crap it is to walk into a room full of smokers..
Oh and don't go to Austria if you don't like smokey bars, I'd forgotten just how crap it is to walk into a room full of smokers..
Strange. My recent trips to Austria I've found the bars to be pretty much smoke free - I guess it depends where you go.
As for the snowboard, a rocker board working much better in soft stuff than on ice is surely a given - no weight on the tips, hence no bite.
Conversely the equally strange-shaped TBT used by Bataleon is pretty good on ice. Edges are raised so less chance of accidental catches and when you move to an edge it tips and locks on quite aggressively.
GrahamS - TBT makes no difference whatsoever once you're on-edge Shirley? ❓
Can't say I've tried one, 'cos I just don't get it (other than for park rails). Why would you want to make your board slower from edge-to-edge?
stevomcd: it makes the actual engagement of the edge much more "definite" as you feel the board tip from the base onto the side. It [i]feels[/i] like you can then put more pressure through the edge as your weight is further over (but that may well be placebo effect 🙂 )
Can't say i notice it being any slower edge to edge, but then I'm not doing slalom on it! 😉 I'd definitely recommend trying one if you can. I got mine after demoing a bunch of new boards at the Big Bang Snowboard show the other year. The minute I tried it I just thought it was a really fun board. It was the only board I tried that made me giggle 😀
I got the Goliath which was the right size and flex for me. My mate was at the same show and picked up the Evil Twin. And he's just bought a Jam as a second board. The only downside of them is that the bases need a LOT of waxing.
Yeah, I need to have a go on some of the new shapes - would like to try a rocker board certainly. Kind of stocked-up on new boards just before it all really blew-up, so I need to trash a couple of boards before I justify a new one!
Current quiver:
Burton Air 161
Burton Option 161 (replacement for the Air after it got annhialated, I never liked the Option quite as much and my local snowboard guru performed a miraculous repair on the Air, so I now have 2 very similar boards!)
Burton Fish 156
Burton Supermodel 167
NeverSummer Titan splitboard 169.
(Oh yeah, and Movement Couloir 187's with Marker Barons... 😳 )
Not actually a Burton fanboi - rode other brands for years, but seem to have ended up back on the big B!
Hmm.. thinking about that edge-to-edge thing... I guess cross-over turns you have to shift your weight a bit more as it is a more definite movement to leave and engage an edge.
But I think the TBT base encourages you to do cross-under turns a lot more. The shape means you can push it under very easily (and lazily) as soon as the carving edge disengages, without having to suck your knees right up.
It's always just seemed to me like it's taking an ordinary board and putting some extra material on the base which would just get in the way (hence slowing the edge to edge transfer).
Putting a big base-bevel on a board is good for beginners and for rails, but never seen any advantage for a good rider.
Like I say, never tried one 'cos it's never appealed.
Putting a big base-bevel on a board is good for beginners and for rails
Beginners (at least the ones I know) hate it, because the lack of edge makes the board feel squirrelly on the flat.
It's much more distinct than a bevel, the base is three different sections running longways. This video explains it well:
..never seen any advantage for a good rider.
Well that part I really can't comment on 😳
Like I say, never tried one 'cos it's never appealed.
Demo one if you get the chance. You might hate it but knowledge is power 😉
Yeah, I didn't write that very well!
Better explanation - with a flat base, there's 180° from edge-to-edge. Add the uplifted edges and you're going to maybe 200° from edge-to-edge which seems to me like it must make the transfer slower. Also, on the general assumption that more edge angle = more grip then you will need to achieve more angulation of the board to get the same amount of grip.
Need to try one - try anything once, then say it's rubbish! 😉
I ride a K2 Slayblade these days. The base is totally flat, no camber or rocker. It is ace.
Yeah , see what you mean. I guess you're probably right on the first point. I can't say I notice it being any slower a transition myself, but I'm not exactly pro. (I'd put myself in the Advanced/Intermediate lesson if I'd ever had any)
For the point about grip, the extra transition means your weight is left further over the edge with less effort (or at least it feels that way) so I'd say you get a bit more grip - but it's hard to judge. Certainly it has a feeling of being "locked on" when carving.
One word - The Jones Flagship
[url] http://jonessnowboards.com/index.php/product/flagship [/url]
stevemcd - rocker is tip to tail - not edge to edge.
I have a question about flat and rocker boards having not tried them yet: do you still get the "pop" as you unweight?
My current board is ~8yrs old and is a bit saggy so doesn't pop much now and I imagine that's how a flat or rocker might feel. I rented a couple of boards last season for short trips and the pop was there and I liked it.
freeridenick - duh! Talking about Bataleon's TBT, not rocker. 😉
Would like a go on the flagship, but it has rocker and taper, neither of which I'm big fans of.
buzz-lightyear, yes, some people think that rocker boards don't offer as much pop (or grip) as traditional camber. I haven't got enough experience of them to offer a personal opinion, but it does seem logical.
Wish I could remember its name, but the first board was like tha Bataleon. The second was some whole other deal with twin cambers and a centre flat. It seems a bit of a minefield these days so you kind of need to try these different types. My regular board is a Ride TMS project which tbh is a bit soft, previously I rode Nitro Shadows or the Natural which were both a bit stiffer and more reliable all mountain all condition one board does it all types.
Nitro Natural was lush. Had the Shogun as well - best board I ever had.
That Shogun just ruled, I should have but left it then they stopped doing it, gutted I was riding a lot more then, don't get away much these days last Monday was just a cheeky one.
I bought one, broke it then bought another identical one. Broke that too - they were a wee bit fragile. 🙁
I'll stick with my Dupraz D1 ta !!
Amazing board and the thought that has gone into it is fantastic
Bought it as a powder board but use it for everything as it just works so well....
D1+ or ++ would be better carving on piste as they are stiffer but to be honest, the standard D1 just copes with everything from champagne powder, to chopped up crud and ice really well...
You get some funny looks as the board is 6' or 179 long and I'm only 5'6" !! But the effective edge is the same as a 155 so it's not an oil tanker like most powder boards.
If you get the chance to demo one I would take it out for a day, you may never look back, I didn't 😀
Www.dupraz-snowboards.com
use it for everything as it just works so well....
How well does it work switch? 😉
Dupraz are lush, only had a quick shot on one though.
Actually works fine switch ;o)once you get your head around it !!
If you ride hard, you can't beat a normal cambered board...
All mervin MFG boards are available with magna traction and banana tech (reverse camber)which helps cut through icy conditions.
The no rocker boards with slight rocker from under teh binders are incredible fun for raisl and kickers though. (Like the slayblade)
As I've stated before reverse camber isn't anything new. was around about 10 years ago too.
It faded away into obscurity before and I suspect it'll do the same again.