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There wasn't any French in the Chamonx Valley last time I checked. Full of le putain anglais.
Had my first day of the season on the planks on Monday! Skinned up the local closed pistes at Sappey en Chartreuse twice. Great snow in the Chartreuse. Not that that will mean much to most (any?) of you.
Have fun all. It has begun!
Edited because of Glitchy bump
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/mods-can-you-fix-the-new-page-glitch-please
Does anybody service their own Snowboards? (Or Skis)
Is it easy and what kit do I need?
Normally I have had it done by a shop but because this year I'll be going every week I will need to service more often and I'd rather do it myself.
ned - totally jammed over New Year. Could do a good deal for the week of 6th Jan though. Only a few spaces left.
Does anybody have any experience with Rolling Road Airport Transfers? They seem the cheapest transfer company I have found so far.
Does anybody service their own Snowboards?
Of course.
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Is it easy and what kit do I need?
Screwdriver for removing bindings.
Cheap clothes iron (that you will never use on clothes again!)
Wax
Pan scourers
Structuring brush
Big plastic scraper
Edge file
Base cleaner (or just use a citrus degreaser)
Ptex candles for ding repairs
Big glass of Port
Loads of guides on YouTube and the like but a basic wax and edge file isn't very hard at all. Just don't let it get too hot (no smokey wax, no burny hot board) and don't put on too much wax at once or you'll be there all night scraping it back off.
Courchevalski is full of Ruskies , even the bubbles have instructions in Cyrlics.
Chamonix.- English and Low countries mostly when i went .
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Something defo wrong with that picture..
Since when did snowboarders wax their boards whilst drinking red wine?
Worlds gone to the dogs.
(and you should try to find an iron without steam holes)
(and that snowboards got dry rails and has been ridden by a girl.) 😉
Something defo wrong with that picture..
Yep. Just WTF is that tablecloth!
Friend of Dorothy, Graham? 😉
Since when did snowboarders wax their boards whilst drinking red wine?
Port, dear fellow. LBV natch.
you should try to find an iron without steam holes
If you can find one yeah. I've never found it to make any odds at all though.
You can splash out on pro wax irons of course. That one cost me £4 from Woolies.
that snowboards got dry rails
Yep that's why I was waxing it! Sadly Bataleons need constant waxing. The edges go white like that after one or two days!
(Newer Bataleons are better for this apparently)
Just WTF is that tablecloth!
Wait till little Flashy is 2. You'll have a disposable plasticy pink tablecloth too. Or possibly Thomas the Tank Engine.
😀
Wow GrahamS ... I've not seen a uPVC gingham pink table cloth for years! Respect! 8)
Nothing wrong with having a drop of red whilst buffing up your base, but 'igrf' is right I think (unless is the light/glare/refelction from the table cloth) - those rails look a tad peely-wally & dry.
+1 for an iron without holes. The Dakine wax iron is recommended (as is there wax tune kit.
Also find it useful to have a ski/board tuning stand/vice as it means you can scrape the base and tune the edges without the skis or board wondering about.
I use an old clothes iron cause I'm tight but it works ok.
RIGHT. Deadline time. I have until tomorrow morning to tell ski Bartlett whether I want k2 coombacks or prophet 98's as they are keeping them by for me.. Got whistler and Japan this season, then Europe next year so I'm going to leave it up to youze to pick em for me.
I love the powder/touring capabilities of the k2 but for longevity I think the 98's have better compromise for on piste for the next few years. Help.
those rails look a tad peely-wally & dry.
I know! That. Is. Why. I. Was. Waxing. It! 😀
This is the BEFORE shot. The AFTER shot has two shiny sleek boards, a table covered in wax shavings and an empty bottle of Port.
Dakine wax iron is recommended
Yeah but it is £60. Mine was £4.
Also find it useful to have a ski/board tuning stand/vice
Yeah but that's another £80 minimum.
Nice to have but I don't think either are essential for someone like dafoxster who is just thinking about servicing for the first time.
Yep. Just WTF is that tablecloth!Friend of Dorothy, Graham?
Either that or a dyslexic follower of Korean pop music
Gah!! Mate's sister in a real bad way in Chamonix. Send out some posi thoughts for her!!
[url= http://www.natives.co.uk/news/snowboard-accident-in-chamonix-leaves-british-student-fighting-for-life/5953 ]Here.[/url]
ratswithwings - Member
Gah!! Mate's sister in a real bad way in Chamonix. Send out some posi thoughts for her!!Here.
Nasty news.
*Sends positive waves....*
Nasty. Read about that earlier today in the papers and wondered if anyone might know her.
Sounds like a really simple slackcountry accident too. Scary.
Good luck to her and her family.
Sorry to read that. Sending positive vibes....
Sounds like a really simple slackcountry accident too
Yep, we've all been there, haven't we?
terrible situation ratswithwings.
Fingers crossed for a positive outcome!
Ah I think its looking really bleak as my mate said. Think they'll be turning the life support machine off at the weekend if no change. The brain has been starved of oxygen for too long.
Really sad for them all.
Brings home the reality of solo riding in a way aswell. Bikes, boards or skis - soloing has its risks. I've solo boarded around Burbage and stanage when all the roads have been blocked with snow. Had to walk from Norfolk Arms - no one else around. Always in your mind that if you come a cropper out there then you are seriously screwed.
That's really grim news. Thoughts to family & friends.
Captainflash, you will know John, the chef at the Plein Sud then... Did a season with him in the kitchen at another Hotel in Serre Che about 16 yrs ago! Bumped into him last season on my first return there since. It's one of my faveorite places to ski.
ratswithwings - that is horrible news.
I agree totally about solo snowboarding or skiing. Try and stay with friends.
The only time I went off on my own was in Scotland, Cairngorm mt. A thick mist came in and I could just make out a lady a head in a pink jacket, so I just followed her. Somehow we made it safely down. At the time I was quite scared.
The PDS all opens on Saturday - woop! Went out last weekend and had a really nice day. Roll on.
PS Rolling Road are fine.
Transfer Companies I recommend are
www.getawayvans.com
www.powdercab.com
www.skiidygonzales.com
http://www.natives.co.uk/news/mimi-watts-dies-five-days-after-chamonix-snowboarding-accident/5955
Really sorry to hear about that ratswithwings - awful.
I stayed in a chalet in St Anton a few years ago and there was a family there - young girl fell off a steep edge somewhere off the side of a piste, and her father went to try and rescue her, I think both of them were killed.
Does bring it home to you sometimes that these fun activities can have consequences.
What a horrible accident. Agree about solo skiing, but that piste is the run to the car park from bottom of the main area. You could spend the day doing risky stuff carefully with mates, and if you had to be down earlier than your mates, you'd not think twice about going down Pierre a Ric on your own. Even if you are with mates, it's a one-shot, see-you-at-the-bottom run. Nowhere to get lost, nothing really to find if you go off the side, other than a hike back up. And generally always busy, can't remember ever having it to myself.
You can do everything right and still come a cropper. Fingers crossed hard.
More here:
http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/lavenham_chamonix_bleak_outlook_for_snowboarder_1_1740476
Could happen to anyone. She wasn't alone, unbelievably unlucky to be flicked unconscious out of sight.
I ski alone quite alot - it is not significantly more dangerous if you are skiing in a controlled manner - accidents are pretty rare so I wouldn't let it put you off something which can be great fun.
However, the report I read was this unfortunate girl was not on her own, she was at the back of her group as she was the most capable and unfortunately no one realized she had gone missing until too late. Dreadfully sad.
EDIT: I see no one said she was skiing alone - apologies.
Sad news. Thoughts to friends and family. She was obviously a popular, much loved girl 😥
You can do everything right and still come a cropper
Sad news. Thoughts to friends and family. She was obviously a popular, much loved girl
Agreed in full. Terrible news.
To all those going to the slopes this season, do this - One piste for Mimi. Take one piste, ski/board it hard. For Mimi.
That's really sad news.
Nearly went ahead and booked to go at Easter. Found an excellent deal, but the OH suggested we hold fire and will probably miss out on the deal. Probably for the best, shouldn't really be booking this early for Easter just in case conditions are dodgy. That's what I'll keep telling myself.
I'm so sorry to hear about your friends sister, I read about it on the plane on the way back from Innsbruch yesterday, nasty accident, she looked a really cool lass, I hope she comes through OK.
Bit late igrf. Sad news.
It's raining. 🙁
Shall we run a book on when this glitch gets fixed?
I'm going for Q3 2015.
Never.
How high up are you Edukator?
Not high enough, a warm front is heading through France and is currently washing away snow here in the Pyrenees. In the Alps it'll be +2°C in Val tomorrow so go high if you want good snow this weekend. Temperatures fall again as of [url= http://france.lachainemeteo.com/meteo-france/ville/previsions-meteo-val-d-isere-5635-0.php ]Sunday.[/url]
That glitch gives this forum "character" 😉
Snowed here yesterday, will be 8C and rain all weekend. Better snow (or at least be proper cold) before Glühwein session on Tuesday.
Tom - Administrator
Bump
You're doing it wrong. You have to give it a witty, somehow associated name rather than just "Bump". So, here, we have the glitchymogul. Skiing related, you see?
To all those going to the slopes this season, do this - One piste for Mimi. Take one piste, ski/board it hard. For Mimi.
Will do . A few words 'upstairs' first obv, then proper hard , full on carving at warp 9, winding up the windows and everything.
There might be dust that gets in the eyes down near the bottom.
Great idea but I'm not sure I will be capable of skiing hard and I certainly won't be able to carve. I will however give it as much as I can.
Just got a Siteadvisor warning bar pop up as I opened this thread.
Odd.
Well this thread has a lot to answer for! I've re discovered my love of skiing.
Me, Mrs Camster and the boys are off to Meribel at the end of Jan, sod the expense!
Kit wise, I'm thinking of retiring my very old retro Salomon Force 9 boots. Any recommendations for replacement boots for a good intermediate?
Also any recommendations for a helmet and goggles please? I've never worn a helmet (had about 15 years off before anyone wore helmets) but it was apparent when we went 2 years ago most wear one. Is it best to have goggles with interchangeable lenses?
Any suggestions for seeking out a guide for the free mornings whilst the family are having lessons?
Cheers, fab thread btw
Ta! It's a joy of a thread, each year!
Boots - go to a good fitter, then decide! Where are you located? Am sure we'll know somewhere
Helmet/goggles - buy as a pair. They need to both fit your head and work as a unit.
Guiding? Two days of lessons. Develop your skillzzzz and learn good places for your level.
Have fun!
I have three helmets. I only wear the third I bought cos I hate the first two. They are like boots - make sure they fit and you get on with them, same as a cycle helmet really. Then buy the goggles as some will fit that particular helmet better.
The basic amber lenses are fine for most conditions. The fancy mirrored etc lenses are more expensive and typically most suitable at the extremes such as very bright or very flat light. If I recall correctly, pink lenses are also ok for most conditions but with a slight lean to flatter light than amber(?). I tend to go with pink.
I only know about snowboard brands, which might matter to you, but Electric and Anon do have models that come with two lenses for similar money as those that have only one.
edit: I have two trips this year: Tinges, France and Jasna, Slovakia. Yay
Sitting in the airport ready to fly, bring on the pow pow!
Cheers CFH & Jamiep
I live in Worcester. I gather there's a Snow & Rock in Gloucester. I was going to get the boots and then head over to the dry slope to break them in!
I tried goggle once and really didn't like the feeling of wearing a goldfish bowl. I may stick with shades until I make the jump to powder from piste. I guess I'll try a few with the helmet and see how I get on.
Thanks for the advice gents!
Peeps might be interested in this, a link to a thread on a pal's snowboarding forum. [url= http://www.darksnow.co.uk/forum/snowboarding/sr-shiribeshi-stories-hokkaido-201213 ]Loads of powder in Japan[/url]
Sunglasses and helmets give me headaches .
The side bars push into the side of my head and put pressure around my ears.
You might be OK , but its a deffo no-no for me .
Keep a pair of sunny's in your pocket for terrace use though .
Cheers Singletrackmind both very good points!
I much prefer goggles with a helmet. They're warmer and keep the wind out, also as stm mentions, the arms of glasses rub inside.
edit: I have two trips this year: Tinges, France and Jasna, Slovakia. Yay
Did we talk about this already? When you going to Jasna and who you staying with?
Have you been before?
Me and a mate are going last week in Feb. looking forward to it.
Did we talk about this already? When you going to Jasna and who you staying with?
Have you been before?Me and a mate are going last week in Feb. looking forward to it.
Yes mate. I emailed you last year when you were planning your first trip. I'll be there March.
There's another big new lift this year, opening the whole other side of the mountain! The area will almost double. Only ever managed to get over the other side twice before because the one access lift would never be on
Ahhhh right. Cool. Sorry this thread and external emails are getting so long I forget who said what to who. 😀
Yeah looking forward to the new lifts. I follow Propaganda on Facebook and they've been posting frequent updates and photos (some of which I've reposted here). We made it over once last year but it was blowing a gale.
We're staying with Dan and Clare again at Chalet Slovakia. Really looking forward to it.
Travel is a bit more hassle this year as RyanAir aren't doing Edinburgh flights so we're travelling back via Krakow.
Being a first time skier will i need a waterproof backpack? as i have never been before im not sure wht to expect, i guess i will need some water and maybe somewhere to strip off/on layers?
i have an alpkit gourdon i use for mtb, so that should be ok for 2 people?
forgot to say getting bloody exited now 🙂 5 days to go!!!!
My ageing heli pro isn't waterproof.
Just put anything you want to keep dry inside a small dry bag.
Never used a backpack here - except when hauling camera gear.
Just layer sensibly.
If cruising the groomers/staying in bounds/on piste then no backpack required I reckon - they are awkward & cumbersome when riding the lifts and if heavy they can alter your COG and therefore impact technique - especially when learning.
If off-piste/backcountry, then yes, carry a backpack with shovel, probe, water, food & layers etc
As above, i never use a backpack on piste. Never really needed to strip off or add layers. Water will freeze in a camelbak pipe. I just stop for coffee break and lunch, and make sure fluids are topped up then (especially if up on a high glacier!).
I took my bike bag with me last year, it isn't waterproof which didn't matter. I found it quite useful for sticking layers and stuff in. I got a neoprene cover for the hose and this stopped the water from freezing. It was a bit of a pain on lifts if I had clothing in it but I soon learnt what I needed to wear so that wasn't really a problem.
If cruising the groomers/staying in bounds/on piste then no backpack required I reckon - they are awkward & cumbersome when riding the lifts and if heavy they can alter your COG and therefore impact technique - especially when learning.If off-piste/backcountry, then yes, carry a backpack with shovel, probe, water, food & layers etc
Agreed. Cards/phone in a drybag in a zipped pocket. Camera is waterproof anyway, but is in an outer pocket and secured with a mini-karabiner. Other kit in pockets? Well, always a lip balm and small tube of sun cream (Serre Che gets very sunny!). Sunnies for lunchtime [s]ogling[/s]posing. Spare goggle lens in goggle pocket, but only if weather looks changeable, otherwise I stick the right one in for the day and go play.
Oh, and one of these - http://www.wipeoutstore.eu/Serre_Chevalier_Wipeout/p494374_2524907.aspx
Brilliant thing to have! Piste map and goggle cloth combined. Of course, being an Oakley fetishist, I only ever use the real cloth, but these have a major advantage over any other piste map - They don't fall apart when wet, they don't blow away on a lift (Clipped on to goggle cloth clip in jacket) and are just all round brilliant. Money well spent, IMHO.
Being a first time skier will i need a waterproof backpack?
I'd try and avoid skiing with a backpack if I was you tbh!!! It can throw your balance and weight distribution way off, which is key to learn well. Maybe bring one up with what ever extras you need and leave it in a locker which are usually around the gondolas somewhere?
*adds to cart*
Rucksacs are for getting stuck on chairs with; you now have to wear them on the front on some chairs in my local resort after a monitor with 35-years experience got hooked up and dragged under the chair breaking several ribs.
It's been a little icy. I heard shouts and looked up to see a fallen boarder gaining velocity. I wasn't directly below so joined in with the shouting and watched as board and rider shot past, and parted company (no leash obviously). The board continued base down heading for the people hanging around the park. Those in direct line weren't wearing helmets or headphones and scuttled out of the way. The deaf ones just stood there oblivious as the board then rider flew past.
watched as board and rider shot past, and parted company (no leash obviously).
How the heck did they manage that????
Double catastrophic binding failure? Or just not strapped in properly to start with?
(haven't worn a leash in years btw)
Maybe he was using those crappy qr bindings?
Or, in France, it could have been one of these;
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Awesome carving, but so much fail! Helmet and glasses? Gaper...
Helmet and glasses works for me on occasion.
I bought my helmet this summer while in Morzine, luckily I had my Crowbars on me which I swap out the lenses for the white stuff. Fits like a glove 😀
What Crowbars do you have as I didn't think snow lenses fitted dirt goggles?
It wasn't QR bindings as the heel cups were clearly visible as the board went down. I suspect he wasn't strapped in properly and got caught out by an easy blue going to very steep red scraped down to ice. He was falling for long enough to have the released the board if he'd wanted to. I can only speculate on the reasons but the fact is that after about 200m of high speed fall, board and rider parted company.
CFH that photo almost looks photo shopped! How the bloody hell is he gonna be able to transfer into the next turn 😐 .
I_Ache, your right they don't make snow lenses for MX Crowbars. I just remove the tear off pins for my Ski lenses.
I prefer the fit of the MX versions with my lid as they don't have the slight peak in the middle of the goggle. Plus the lenses are at least 50% cheaper.
he was falling for long enough to have the released the board if he'd wanted to.
That would be a very stupid thing to do! (But quite possible if he was a noob idiot)
Konastona so you use the std single unvented lenses for skiing? Don't they fog up?
I_Ache
No fogging issues as they're double layer and the frame is vented. It seems that you can only get clear now but I have 2 Persimmons and some kind of Iridium ones that I bought with the goggles (2008)
Bucketing it down in Les Gets
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Mmmm... That's where we'll be I_Ache, but not until March.
Still they claim to have 65/160cm already and expect another 50 over the next two days - so shall we call that a decent base.