The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2013-2014 season

I’m going to try boarding this year due to my ankle injury. It just hurts too much to turn right on skis. I am hoping boarding will put less strain on it.

I did learn at Tamworth snowdome about 10 years ago but havn’t done it since. Any tips from anybody before I get to the top of the fridge and throw myself down hoping to be able to turn?

Well, if I do go away this year, it will probably have to be a solo or chaps only mission, leaving Mrs CFH at home. She’s not going to be skiing again this year. For the same reason as last year, but slightly different timing.

Which is rather excellent news, if you ask me. 😀

I am heading off on Friday for the Val D’Isere opening on Saturday.

Can’t wait 🙂

Another sprog Flashy?

Congratulations.

It’s snip o’clock Flash! Congrats 🙂

Yep, very much tying a knot in it now! 😀

There was a good “snip” thread on here a while back.

Congratulations by the way…

For the same reason as last year, but slightly different timing.

Which is rather excellent news, if you ask me. Congratulations from myself and nbt.
It’ll be so much fun when you finally get out on the slopes with the family – giggles all round 🙂

Agreed. Being chased down a red run by my 6 year old who was chattering 19 to the dozen year year was wonderful.

Now if he could give me more than 6 inches clearance on the turns…

I_Ache – worth giving snowboarding a go as the different mechanics may indeed solve your injury issues.

Be aware though that snowboarding is ALL about ankle flex!

She’s not going to be skiing again this year. For the same reason as last year, but slightly different timing.

You’ve done the double? Back to back? You fooooooools!

Oh.. and Congratulations old boy! 😀

Stevo its hard to explain, I have a certain amount of flex, enough to ski, but it’s pushing through the ski when turning and the independent twisting over rough surfaces is what hurts it when skiing. I am hoping my good ankle will provide a reasonable amount of support via the board, I think it helps that my good foot is my leading foot.

I skied as a kid, but did my knee (hill walking – don’t do it, it’s a dangerous extreme sport) in my twenties.

A board is fine, but as well as the ankles (which I don’t have any problem with) it does strain the hips a little.

Note also, my wife who has done her ankle a few times, has no problem with a board, so it may be the particular ankle injury.

If you can find a Swiss trained coach that might help. The French types all talked to me about pedalling the board, whereas the Swiss were into body position.
Both have their place but with an ankle injury body position is going to be an easier place to start.

Also – worth a trip to one of the fridges to see if it works before you go?

Edit: my earlier post was sent sober, but doesn’t read like it. I’m now back in gone hotel, but I think I’m getting away with sounding far better than earlier – no?

Yea I’m going to go to the fridge at Tamworth in the next couple of weeks tosee how it goes.

Having watched a couple of vids this week people just moving their centre of balance look smoother and more fluid. Then there are others that like to kick the back of the board out and every corner, these guys look like they are going to fall over at any second.

Kicking the board around using counter rotation is the equivalent of snow ploughing on skis.
I’d say at least 75% of resort riders do this as after a couple of days of lessons or taught by their mates they can get around and they never get any better. The “handbag arm” is the classic symptom.
Foot pedaling is keeping the upper half still with shoulder in line with the board and using your feet to control the four contact points. Once mastered it makes any terrain easily rideable.
I good tip is to hold onto the seat of your pants and ride, if you can hold on, your on the rght path, if not your using your upper body to turn.

^what russ says….much more eloquently than I was managing. Having your strong ankle as your leading fault will definitely be a good thing!

Can’t say that I like Tamworth. …its basically solid ice! Chill Factore gets a bad press and isn’t without fault, but pick a quiet time and it is infinitely better than tam imo.

Congrats flashy…pretty potent stuff you’re packing!

I will no doubt start toying with the idea of new boots in the next few weeks, ill delibarate for hours, try a million pairs on then ultimately sack it off as an unjustification for 4 days a year.

i bought my currebt boots in Meribel in 2004. still going strong tbf. retro.

Highly recommend “Go Snowboard” by Neil McNab.

It explains the foot-pedalling weight-shift stuff very clearly with a good accompanying video.

@I_Ache – go see a physio and try a wobble board. If you think it’s useful you can buy one for £20.

@CFH – congratulaitons, time for a thread on the “Big V” perhaps ?

What skis for post-snip skiing? 🙂

Thanks all! Thought we’d have them close together, and it certainly seems that the ammunition store is well supplied…! 8)

The entirety of Christmas and New Year will be spent not far from Aviemore, plus the week beforehand, while the missus is still working, I may well venture down on a daily basis… Followed by the same at Easter.

Unlikely to be an overseas trip this year due to work. 🙁 Unless I can scrape a long weekend to visit a mate who lives in Innsbruck.

New gear? Hmm… Will be loaning touring kit from missus’ work for the duration and they’ve offered me some Salomon BBRs. Whether those work out or not, a touring set-up of some kind is on the cards…

Pistes, as well as lifts, now on Google street view. New to me anyway 🙂

ambalaya – Member

@I_Ache – go see a physio and try a wobble board. If you think it’s useful you can buy one for £20.

A physio is not going to be any good I’m afraid. The problem is with the talus not anything soft. I might get a wobble board just to help with balance, good call on that.

Thanks everybody for the other tips, I’m definitely going to the Tamworth fridge for some practice. Despite the crap surface its only 15 mins from home so I can’t justify going elsewhere.

well I just dived into Lidl and bought some really nice quality gear.

One pair ladies white trousers
One ladies turquoise jacket
two helmets
one par of ski socks
one balaclava
One snood

£85 total….get in there! 😀

Pistes, as well as lifts, now on Google street view. New to me anyway

Lifts were a few weeks back.
Pistes were in the last few days, I think.

If someone is a timid novice skier and concerned there might be too many Red runs, then click the google map to Terrain View, and Red/Blues turn in to Blues/Greens 🙂 😉

Still some lifts and pistes missing in areas that have been included, and apparently some old lifts still there that aren’t still there IRL, so don’t rely on it for navigation. Oh and the piste names need to be sorted imho.

CaptainFlashheart – Member
What skis for post- performing the snip skiing?

FTFY

Hello Thread
Booked 2014 holiday #1
12 Jan St Anton again . We went in MArch last year and didnt have any powder . Mostly sunny days with some flat light .
Scored a flight , transfer and catered chalet with sauna for £350. Not my best deal ever but not expensive either.
Warth – Strocken is now linked from Lech with a new lift so an even bigger area covered by the Arleburg lift pass.
Something to look forward to next year .

Singletrackmind – good deal on that!

I’ve just bought a Mammut RAS 18L airbag for 490 euro with cartridge 😆
Should come in handy for the season in St. Anton!

I thought Chill Factore was pretty cool, wider and longer slope than xscape at castle ford.

Hoping to get up to Aviemore maybe twice this year, possibly before xmas if things work out.

Hoping to make the mainland twice as well. Thinking of Tignes or Innsbruck.

boarding in chamonix 1st week of jan 🙂

a touring set-up of some kind is on the cards…

Davetrave – for my money the only skiing worth doing in Scotland requires touring kit.

Anyone had any experience of Salomon Shoguns ?
Currently have Head Monster 88’s ( Shoguns are 101 ) . Always on the lookout for any off piste available and usually take a pair of Salomon streetracer 10’s for super carving on cords ( 12m radius )
Apparently a ‘1 ski does all ‘ almost as well as a dedicated powder / groomer ski .

Geneva airport. How much is that doggie in the window. Never fails to make me giggle.

Anyone had any experience of Salomon Shoguns ?

A mate of mine in Whistler had a pair for most of the season and was very happy with them for everything, I skiid with him a fair bit and he was pretty handy. He had the green/brown/black/white ones.

Apparently a ‘1 ski does all ‘ almost as well as a dedicated powder / groomer ski .

Agree and disagree. There’s a similar crossover in comparison for all mountain bikes, they’ll always struggle in certain areas. Main thing I noticed was that it feels like it takes way longer to get them on their edges when carving on groomers, but I don’t do that too often when free skiing anyway. There was a few times when I wanted wider skies but overall a 100mm ski or so copes very well in everything. Mine have a 98mm waste btw.

Apparently a ‘1 ski does all ‘ almost as well as a dedicated powder / groomer ski

Not familiar with the particular model but as pointed out above this does not exist. It physically can’t exist as powder skis are wider and so slower edge to edge.

That said there is a growing consensus that the sweet spot is somewhere around 100mm under foot – enough float for powder days and nimble enough on the piste.

Heading to Val Thorens on the Edinburgh uni ski trip just after New Years – mega excited! Done a bit of boarding in Scotland, but never in the Alps..

Looking for a half decent pair of medium black ski pants, and some medium/large gloves, if anyone has anything suitable for sale?

Cheers, Duane.

Nothing medium.

Couple of serviceable (ie useable, they’ll work functionally, but pretty beat up – in particular cuts in the back of the right leg from having my trailing foot out) extra large pairs if anyone is interested. Postage plus karma points.

If you’re looking at cheapish new, then Surfanic are doing their full price jacket, trousers for a pound deal again and they email you a five pound voucher as part of he receipt (at Cas Xscape at least, don’t know about other places) – team up with someone else if you only need trousers.

Dunno if you have a local Aldi, but they are doing their cheap ski range around now.

Is Surfanic kit any good?

Skiing is more fun than snowboardering. This is a SCIENCE FACT! 😉