[Closed] Snow Blades

Friend don't let friends use blades. Just do it properly and get some skis

Good fun and easy to carry for a walking / climbing day in Scotland, you can then ski back down to the car rather then trudge back...

Remember if you are going to do it properly you need to be wearing jeans as well.

Have you given any consideration as to how you're going to break the news to your parents?

People will mostly be thinking you’re a ****t.

If your ok with this then carry on.

If there is one thing that will never fail to unite skiers and snowboarders it is this.

You do look at bit silly but they are great fun. If the snow is good then it's a bit of a waste but if the snow is wet and heavy they are brilliant.

I think 'fag-blades' is the correct term.

They're great for half a day as a learning tool to help make sure your balance is centred.

Further usage though is not something I'd personally contemplate.

Not used them for years but used to love 'em on a nice wide open piste. Anyone who tries to ski them on the base is missing the point and looks ridiculous. Keep them on an edge and carve out those 360s

I did a beginner's course at the Snowdome in Birmingham a few years ago. Prior to that, my only skiing experience was flailing round like Bambi on ice on a dry ski slope when I was still at school.

Inside of a couple of hours I'd gone from 'how to stand up' to confidently whacking down the slope as fast as I could, in full control and having an absolute blast. Dunno why they've got such a negative reaction here. They might not be appropriate for all terrains, but they're a right giggle.

Certainly based on what I saw at the 'dome, I've no desire to join the snowboarding ranks; bunch of arseholes who thought they owned the place. Their favourite game was to wait until all the nervous first-time bladers were standing wobbily in a line being taught, and then ride over the front of everyone's skis.

...or find some deep slush, point straight down the hill and lean back until you are almost lying down.

EDIT

but they're a right giggle.

That said, we've had good snow for the last few years so I've not been near them.

Snow blades are fantastic fun if you stay out of the powder.

The first time I've ever looked down at a very steep, black, icy, mogul field with relish and jumped in was wearing blades, something I'd ski around with normal skis if I wasn't in the mood.

[b]mos [/b]

I think 'fag-blades' is the correct term.

Never heard that term before. Is it one just your friends use?

[i]Their favourite game was to wait until all the nervous first-time bladers were standing wobbily in a line being taught, and then ride over the front of everyone's skis.[/i]

Yes, that is exactly what ALL snowboarders are like. And all cyclists go through red lights too.

(Snow blades do look shite though)

They're great for half a day as a learning tool to help make sure your balance is centred.

eh? Not sure which sport you want your balance centred for.

P.S. blades in powder are hilarious - for those watching

Not sure which sport you want your balance centred for.

skiing. HTH. HAND.

P.S. blades in powder are hilarious - for those watching

Yes, that is exactly what ALL snowboarders are like.

I did caveat that by saying that I was commenting purely on the boarders in the 'dome that day. But feel free to make up your own versions of my posts if it makes you feel good. Might I suggest a Daily Mail subscription too?

Got an address?

Yes thanks.

Good fun and easy to carry for a walking / climbing day in Scotland, you can then ski back down to the car rather then trudge back...

This is what I have mine for and it's easy enough to modify the bindings to fit them to b3 boots. I've used them on piste one day like this and my ankles didn't thank me afterwards. Imo they're no more cockish than snowboards (so pretty bad) but skies are much better if you're using lifts.

skiing. HTH. HAND.

Unless you mean side-side, you'll be wanting your weight forward

No, I meant centred, thanks, as in "over the middle", although that does go for side-side as well as front-back. I'm not a racer or an instructor, but I can get around pretty competently. I certainly haven't ever been taught to get my weight over the front of the skis, although I've done many exercises to stop me "sitting in the back seat". If you can tell me why getting weight forward is a good thing, I'd be keen to hear it.

And if you try either of those on blades, you'll soon find out about it, hence being good for getting your balance centred.

I suggest getting a lesson or two. Racing has nothing to do with it, boots and skis are designed to be driven through turns using forward pressure. Either that or 15 years or getting coached really was a waste of time, my ex-British champ girlfriend will be really pissed off too 🙁

I see what you're getting at, but forward pressure on the shins is not the same as "leaning forward". You still need to be centred over the ski.

Unless you mean side-side, you'll be wanting your weight forward

Whilst I see this descending into pedantry, I agree with what nbt was trying to suggest by "...make sure you balance is centred". When you're told to keep your weight forward on "proper" skis it is mainly because it is very easy to lean back, letting the tails of the skis hold you up. You soon get out of control though, hence why you're always told to move your weight forward. You're actually moving into a more balanced position, not moving forward from a balanced position. The ski should not be holding you up, hence you are "in balance".

On Blades there is no such safety net. If you lean back too far you'll fall over backwards because the short length of Blade behind you simply cannot keep you upright. Ditto if you lean too far forward. It's just physics. As such Blades teach you - nay force you - to stay in a position where your "balance is centred".

Granted nbt could have used a slightly better description but I think most of us knew what he meant, eh? Just keeping the thread going 😉

[EDIT] - I see now my contribution was not actually necessary, but I see it is looking like a semantic argument anyway. As you were...

STW, home of the pedant since 2002 😀

And yes, that's exactly what I meant, thanks for explaining far better than I did 🙂

And now that's out of the way -
Blades - Just say no, kids. Just say no.

No.

They're fun.

I would guess that freestyle skiing will require you to be centered on the ski a lot more...

You know what this reminds me of? The Rock Band argument.

"Why don't you go and play some proper instruments? Those plastic toys are just stupid. And you look ridiculous. God damn it, STOP HAVING FUN will you!"

1.Blades are for people to dick about on and have no place in the world of serious skiing / boarding. They will do nothing for your technique.

2.you should always have your weight forward on skis (unless your in powder).

They will do nothing for your technique

Ooh, I [u]strongly[/u] disagree but not sure I have the commitment to the cause to argue my case

1.Blades are for people to dick about on

I believe that's ostensibly the point I was making too.

No-one's managed to tell us yet why that's a bad thing, though. We've had passive homophobia, been called something ending in 't' which has five letters in it (no, me neither), several comments along the lines of how silly they look, how it's ephemerally 'just wrong' or 'not proper', and so on. Anyone care to have a stab at explaining why they're a bad thing, or shall we just carry on reinforcing the skiier and snowboarder stereotypes for a bit longer?

I've no particular allegiance to any of them, incidentally. I've bladed once, and really enjoyed it, and skiied once or maybe twice when very young and equipped with the hand-eye ability of Stephen Hawking. I was just kinda hoping for some reasoned discussions beyond "well, blades smell of poo, innit."

Blades, as has been said make you look a wally, but they are excellent for improving your balance on skis and also for teaching to carve well - you have to carve at speed on blades otherwise you wont be able to turn - ever heard of speed wobble!
Anyone who says they will do nothing for your technique has clearly very little skiing experience.

I used a four letter word that defaulted to ****t when i hit send, don’t know why?

FYI it starts with a T and has a W, A and another T in it and ends in s for pleural.

I can’t help you with the origins of the animosity for blades amongst serious skiers / boarders but its there. I spent three seasons in the Alps working with some top skiers / boarders and generally they were regarded as the lowest form of entity on the mountain.

Not sure why that won't work. Doing this one on my phone.

Anyone help?

I can’t help you with the origins of the animosity

I was under the impression that there was a sort of intolerance triangle going on; I didn't realise that the skiiers and boarders got on particularly well.

generally they were regarded as the lowest form of entity on the mountain.

Isn't that the purpose of the exercise?

Snow blades - you may as well just roll down the mountain on your side like you used to when you were little.

Sure its a bit of a giggle so don't worry about the people you plough into as you fall down the hill out of control.

But.. but.. they help you to learn how to carve. No. They may be easy to carve but they don't require proper carving technique so you won't learn anything applicable to proper sized skis.

But if you still think they are a bit of a laugh then go ahead. Just don't forget to take your poles so that you look proper cool.

I can’t help you with the origins of the animosity for blades

So why nurture it? At least have a reason if you're going to be intolerant.

Anyway, back to the OP, yes, they are great fun and (IMHO) will help your technique. Have a go, make up your own mind and ignore the haters.

They wont teach you to carve on their own, no, but its a good way to learn about weight transfer to get the ski's on the edge. To say they don't require proper carving technique isn't really true, carving is really just getting the ski's on the edge and holding them there on modern carving ski's. Its surprising how many people cant actually do it though.

they don't require proper carving technique

😯

You can flail about without any degree of control if you don't carve them, but the whole point of Blades is that you HAVE to keep them on an edge and carve them to have even the slightest hint of style.

I've never known a thread (without TJ) that has had me with such a polarised opinion to some of the contributors. Maybe the difference is that I could ski well before I tried Blades.

Just don't forget to take your poles so that you look proper cool.

I didn't realise that the skiiers and boarders got on particularly well.

Depends if you're a seasoner (tolerant) or a Billy (one-eyed eejit) generally speaking, although things may have improved since my day.

still tortoise +1

I spent a day on some many years back. They're great fun. Wasn't sure I'd ever try them again but seeing the amount of distaste people seem to have for those on blades I might make a habit of it now.

It seem to me that 99% of people on patinettes use them because they can't ski. The reamining 1% can do amazing things on them. I can't find the video I wanted but his will do:

Don't know why the last effort didn't work, but there it is. Probably fitting that it came after a "serious" blading vid, as it's taking the piss out of the vids (10 years ago) radding the whole thing up than the activity itself.

I've never tried it, I'm sure it's fun, I'm sure David Benedek and Jussi Oksanen (very talented pro snowboarders) had a brilliant time making that.

It's just always going to be either

a) a bit of a laugh for conditions that don't allow more fun elsewhere,
or
b) more fun for people who haven't yet been taken by the wider possibilities that other equipment allows.

Bit like microscooting.

Snow blades are fun in that they make you lazy and you don't have to use correct technique. They are just a lazy choice. They will in no way whatsoever make you a better skier. If you want an exercise in keeping your weight centred just undo your boots. Personally I would ram them up the arse of anyone who suggested that they are a good idea but I suspect that they may not touch the sides.

Wow devs. That's quite strong.

Is there something you want to tell us?

Blades have gifted other piste users with people who can go relatively fast but have usually have no reliable ability to stop quickly or avoid other piste users.

I spent three seasons in the Alps working with some top skiers / boarders and generally they were regarded as the lowest form of entity on the mountain.

One of the two things skiers and boarders are united in. The other being that telemarkers look down on both of them.

Blades are fun to muck about on. 1 of my mates uses them solely because for 1 week a year he likes to blast about the hills at speed and have fun. Each to their own. I board because it is more fun for me than skiing.

Having said I will have to strap 2 planks on again when it is time to teach the wee fella. Sure I will enjoy that too.

Its about having fun for most of us who do 1 or 2 weeks a year. We are never going to be brilliant with so little practise.Or learn to Telemark ( my knees wouldn't take that anyway) so why not have fun instead.

Ps there is nothing funnier than watching said blading mate try and follow you off piste and career down the hill out of control punctuated by forward rolls as his blades dig in.

Oh never try to be cool. By definition trying means you aren't.

I don't think there [i]is[/i] a bad way to have fun in the snow. I'd try them.

Is there something you want to tell us?

Nothing other than I've had a pal who was a fairly strong intermediate go and have "fun" for a couple of years on blades only to come back to skiing a complete spacker with all the bad techniques in the book. I had to break a couple of skiing hols down to the basics to build him back up to competent again. I'm sure the odd day may not harm you but that's a day wasted as far as I can see. A day going backwards and not forwards. There is nothing that going on blades can do to improve your technique. I'd rather go out on a monoski or heaven forbid it, even consider a <cough>board<cough>.

I'm glad you guys are here telling me where I'm going wrong. I've only been skiing for about 30 years so I appreciate I've still got a lot to learn.

Where I've clearly been completely barking up the wrong tree is that I've always seen skiing as something I enjoy. I don't go out every time to improve my technique or become a better skier, I just like skiing. Sometimes I'll rag the arse off it, sometimes I'll potter down the hill and sometimes I'll just have a laugh. What an idiot I've been.

There does seem to be a lot more snobbery around this winter sports malarky than I ever remember in my 30+ years of skiing/boarding/monoskiing/snowblading. Have fun, respect others around you and leave the snobbery at home.

If you consider cramps in your calves so bad that strange egg shaped lumps appeared out of the side of them, all brought on by trying to ski on skis the way that the victim had "skied" on blades, the associated ****around of getting them off the mountain and back to resort by various means and expense, the sitting around resort whilst your pals are out skiing over the next few days, the remedial physio therapy, the loss of confidence and fitness over the next few holidays<deep breath> as "fun" then off you go sonny. Enjoy. Me? I was one of the ones enjoying myself on the hill. Snobbery? None here, I just know that you are an idiot if you use blades and have any aspirations to ever improve as a skier. If having fun on blades is what it's all about to you then fill your boots. You're missing out on masses of greater fun. I dare say that riding trails on a balance bike or stabilizers is fun too. Do you do that?

By that argument, I can never go back to Glentress unless I've bought a singlespeed.

They're great fun - in any conditions. We used to hire them for a day in resort but its worth checking UK prices as we hired them for a fortnight here and took them to Canada for not much more than a day's hire fee.

I have no idea about their value as a learning tool.

I think where I'm coming from is, the biggest negative opined here seems to be, "well, if you want to be a great skiier, then they're no good." Which is fair enough, if you want to be a great skiier, but completely overlooks the idea that, perhaps, you just want to go and have fun in the snow once in a blue moon.

Back in my skydiving days, people would sometimes ask about tandem jumps. It's a similar situation; you'll never be a 'great skydiver' if you do tandem jumps, but if you're doing it as a one-off rather than investing in a new hobby and don't want to go through a lengthy 'how to use a parachute' course then it's the way to go.

I dare say that riding trails on a balance bike or stabilizers is fun too. Do you do that?

A unicycle? Though to be fair, that's more the equivalent of telemarking.

[i]If having fun on blades is what it's all about to you then fill your boots. You're missing out on masses of greater fun. I dare say that riding trails on a balance bike or stabilizers is fun too. Do you do that? [/i]

Yeah, of a sorts. I ride singlespeeds and fixed bikes quite a lot. They don't provide optimum performance some of the time but I still enjoy myself a great deal. Sometimes I also ride rigid bikes. Then I'll ride bikes with gears and suspension again. They're all good. I certainly don't feel like I'm missing out on any fun when I try different things but I'd never question why other people don't like doing that.

What I'm challenging here is the assertion that we should always be trying to improve and that by using different kit I'm somehow restricting myself. Lots of us are happy where we are. That doesn't make us wrong or idiots.

Surely the MTB equivalent of snow blades is a £50 BSO that is 2 sizes too small for you.

Sure it may be laugh in an ironic kind of way, but it will make you look like a tool and it will be way less fun than your proper bike after about 5 mins. And you will have no reliable way of stopping.

devs, it's not just blades that can cause injury through bad technique. Put a beginner/intermediate skier on anything "different" to what they are used to and they can end up adapting their technique for better or worse. I've seen skiers crippled (not quite literally, but nearly) by "having a go" on a snowboard. Your vitriol should be directed at people not getting appropriate tuition or not getting fit rather than the tool itself.

Blades have gifted other piste users with people who can go relatively fast but have usually have no reliable ability to stop quickly or avoid other piste users.

[u]Tempted*[/u] to agree with this, as mrs rkk01 was wiped out by a fat middle aged to old blader on last trip. No control / ability to stop on a steep section. No harm done, thankfully

* Only tempted, because this one incident must be statistically insignificant compared to number of times wiped out by other skiiers / boarders.

Does the "otherness" of bladers mark them out for more contempt than they properly deserve?

I love the "great in all conditions" chat. Waist/chest deep powder (the holy grail of snowsports) and blades?

If you want something "fun" why not get some short twin-tips instead?

My son does "stages" a couple of times a year with the "comité". The coach has made top ten in the world and puts the kids on blades and telemark skis now and then. His attitude is that you learn from everything you do and varying the sensations builds experience while having fun.

I think I've made my point so I'll not respond to most except the great skier aspirations thing. That's not the case. No matter what level of skier you are, or what you intend to be in the future, more than a very short time on blades will make you a worse skier. You can't help it. They are "fun" because you don't have to do as much work to achieve similar results on the slopes as skis. Then you get lazy and then you forget how to do things properly. And you look like a complete ****tard too. What's to like about them?

They are "fun" because you don't have to do as much work to achieve similar results on the slopes as skis

My mate and I are at a very similar standard which - to be honest - is pretty sound. I have no problem claiming I have good technique as does he. We used to "mess around" with a set of Blades we'd share. If one of us was on Blades we'd struggle to keep up with the other (on skis) and be absolutely goosed as a result. I really don't know where the idea that they require less work to achieve similar results comes from but at least now I see why I'll never share the same opinion on this as you devs 🙂

I really don't know where the idea that they require less work to achieve similar results comes from

They require next to no unweighting and body position shifts to change direction in comparison with skis. I presume that you just blasted around blue runs? Try a set of blades on a mogul field and compare with skis. If you find the blades tougher then you are some kind of freak of nature! 🙂
They might well be more work in deep snow but to be quite honest if you are using them in deep snow then you aren't quite right in the head.

I presume that you just blasted around blue runs?

Not at all. I took them wherever I'd take normal skis, except perhaps off piste 🙂

I will agree that they make mogul fields pretty easy going, but skiing fast on steep pistes will see leg burn on Blades well before skis. There is no way to rest on Blades, but it is very easy to effortlessly cruise on skis to have a breather.

Anyway, sounds like we need to agree to disagree 😀

[i]if you are using them in deep snow then you aren't quite right in the head. [/i]

I'm with you there. Anything other than hard pack and I was on my face. The rest of the time it's like ice skating down a big hill.

I will agree that they make mogul fields pretty easy going, but skiing fast on steep pistes will see leg burn on Blades well before skis.

This is the bad technique already creeping in that hurts 🙂

As a teaching tool they can be useful. However as has been mentioned in this thread in amongst all the other tosh is that they also enourage lazy behaviours as they are less magnified on blades.

And i love the "I've skied for N years" stuff, i have always enjoyed that. 5 days a year for 30 years is 150 days which is about half what i used to do on an average year working on snow. And I'd say I was a competent skiier and instructor. Context. I used to teach "experts" who skied 2 weeks a year, well actually they flanneled around for 2 weeks a year trying to go really really really fast.

:swoon:

I can ski backwards as well though.

I think you'll find *thats* what makes me an expert.