The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2015-2016 season

Snowboard touring with a board that splits using all the usual snowboard boots & bindings

These days the bindings are designed for splitboarding.

[thanksfully] Gone are the days when you just bolted your normal bindings ontop of Voile plates & pucks – nowadays the likes of Spark R&D and Karakorum make bling bindings, but the technology is still evolving

I went for the DIY method so it’s my old binding on Voile plates at the moment to see how much use I get out of it, but I think I’m hooked so some Sparks might be on the cards soon.

Snowboard touring with a board that splits using all the usual snowboard boots & bindings

Wow, never heard of it. Learn something new every day….

Wow, never heard of it. Learn something new every day….

The technology isn’t as established or as mature as ski touring, but it really has come a long way in the past few years – it’s now fairly rare to see a snowboarder with snowshoes which make glacier travel easier as well as you don’t have to be roped up as often when skinning up … 😉

Cheers swavis and Digby – I can understand the regional variations, as although “the hills are free” (in some places at least) I guess quite a lot of the time you are in-bounds and benefiting from ski patrol and avalanche control etc, which all needs to be paid for.

I know you don’t need to be an expert skier to splitboard, but I’ve literally never tried skiing. I keep meaning to, but never want to “waste” a day that I could be snowboarding. 🙂

you don’t have to be roped up as often when skinning up …

I’ve seen lots of boarders “skinning up”. Even on the chairlift 😉

I’ve literally never tried skiing. I keep meaning to, but never want to “waste” a day that I could be snowboarding

I’d been splitboarding for a few years before I had a ski lesson. >99% of the time you are going up and for that <1% when you need to descend a short distance when split you can just straight-line it ‘clench your buttocks’ and prepare for the comedy fall and ridicule; step down sideways (easier said than done); or just point your tips together and snowplough …

The sense of freedom, being in the ‘wilderness’ away from the crowds in resort is worth it! 8)

I’ve seen lots of boarders “skinning up”. Even on the chairlift

Aye – a fairly regular occurrence – especially in B.C.

Slight claim to fame – once bumped into Kenton Cool in the Vallon de Berard and seeing we were all on snowboards he said [very poshly] ‘snowboarders eh? shouldn’t you all be smoking a spliff or something’

I’d been splitboarding for a few years before I had a ski lesson.

Hmm… Interesting… though from the photos on here, your skill levels are somewhat, ummm, more advanced, than mine. 😳

Hmm… Interesting… though from the photos on here

Didn’t think I’d posted any pictures … 😳

Quick Question: have looked on thread and cant really see an answer. Have a 10 year old board, Burton Twin. Stiff, cambered. Rides well. Keep getting told that a new board will just be much better as newer tech (will it) and a rocker will also be a completely different ride. I am just not convinced. Mainly riding piste and don’t mind charging about,. Can ride switch pretty well and would class myself intermediate. Are new boards like night and day or is it similar to the difference between a 26″ v 650b (in my view noticeable but negligible). I haven’t got the opportunity to demo that easily.

Anyone any experience of this. (going away in 6 weeks)

I prefer my Jones camrocker to my old Volkl camber board – more forgiving while still turning just as crisply, better in the soft stuff and probably faster.

Others prefer camber.

You have to try them to find out I think. If you’re near a big fridge, then ask TSA nicely and they let you borrow them.

MW – some discussion here on a very similar question:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/snowboarding-board-decisions

+1 exactly what Margin Walker said.

I have a 10yr old + Scott with the old rolled top style of construction.

Im happy bashing my way down the piste on it, but do I need to check out the new stuff?

I’d suggest at least trying a few new boards.
Try demoing some at the local snow dome or at the resort – see how you go.

Technology has certainly moved on a bit: new board profiles, new materials, stringers etc. Plus a 10 year old board might have lost its pop.

But then again you may be just fine on the board you have.

Watch some Every Third Thursday shows and you’ll see guys who could out ride most of us on a board made from an old tree and record player. 😀

Stoner – yes you need to check it out. No you don’t have to buy it.
(It’s not like you’re going to try a board for a day, hate it, and feel you’ve lost a sixth of your year’s snow)

Try new snowboards? No, no, no, no, no. Don’t be telling me that! 😮

LOL

I’ve got some “borrowing” or at least cheap demo options in the village so might well check out some of the new styles. I’d hate to think I was missing out on some pistes coming alive….

I’ve got some “borrowing” or at least cheap demo options in the village

How’s that going Number 6?

Stoner looking confused over too much board choice..

Plus a 10 year old board might have lost its pop.

do they lose their pop sat in the wardrobe or is it from use? genuine question and no, I have no idea what pop is.

Got a burton revolver (wide – as I’m a big footed oaf) board no idea what sort of board it is and don’t know where to look, anyone got any ideas?
(Black base with orange writing, green top with a pic of a smoking revolver – burton don’t seem to have a previous models section on their site)

do they lose their pop sat in the wardrobe or is it from use? genuine question and no, I have no idea what pop is.

At a resort, they buy in new skis / boards and then hire them out for 16 weeks in a good year, so a new ski/board would be good for at least that number of weeks.

I have a 7-8 year old Magnetraction – have things moved on much in that time?

TBH, it’s fine for what I do as it’s definitely not the board limiting me these days (about 4 days on snow in the last 2 years)…

do they lose their pop sat in the wardrobe or is it from use? genuine question and no, I have no idea what pop is.

A board probably won’t lose its ‘pop’ if stored in cool, dry conditions. i.e. not the garage, cellar or attic!

The shape/camber/rocker etc of ‘most’ snowboards relies on a wooden ‘core’ being pressed into shape.

Use, heat, humidity, storage conditions and damage etc over time can all compromise the wooden core causing it to flatten/warp and lose its ‘pop’. The older a board the more likely it is to have warped

Is It the twin with the he two girls on it, or the larger two crowns one? Both classic boards from 2006. They will be heavier from the current offerings. Also a small thing but they came with limited binding holes which can make a difference if you want to alter stance

I think newer boards are better , last 5 years high tech stuff has trickled down, (carbon etc) and there is a lot more variety in boards . However if you are happy with yours stick with it

D0nk check out Burton Vault

Also a small thing but they came with limited binding holes which can make a difference if you want to alter stance

Burton have a lot to be thanked for regarding the history and development of snowboarding, but Jake Carpenter deserves a kick in the arse for never adopting 4×4

a rocker will also be a completely different ride

Yes, it will be different, but not necessarily better. It will depend on your riding style and how you like a board to feel. Personally, I much prefer a cambered board, although the rockered boards I’ve ridden are definitely more forgiving and ‘playful’. You really need to try one before you buy.

We took junior to Font Romeu and had a skate around for a couple of hours.

Changed my K2 Nemesis (2004) for a Jones Aviator this year and the difference between the two is definitely noticeable. Jones is so much more responsive and is A LOT lighter.
Just need to get a sneaky holiday in to use it (extensions at home and another little girl on the way may scupper my plans).

TSA let me try a few boards at XScape for a deposit which was returned with a purchase. Quidco works in Ellis Brigham.

TSA charge a deposit now!?! Ouch.
I always used to prefer borrowing a board from them to using a hire board at Xscape.

rockered boards are on their way out of fashion now, making room for experimental / retro / weird shapes. I rode my 10 year old Trice cambered magnetraction board on Sunday and it was great. construction hasn’t moved on that much – a high-end 10 year old board will still be pretty nice these days.

shape though – the ‘new’ freeride shapes are a bit nice. I got a burton landlord for a 40th pressie from my wife. early rise (rockered) nose but camber everywhere else, tapered shape. DESTROYS powder and rails turns on the piste. There are a lot of these kinds of things about now, all in varying extremes. the landlord, burton Flight attendant, Yes PYL, lib tech Swiss Knife, Gnu Mullair… I think these shapes make a lot of sense for a lot of people. Going to get something else along these lines when the sales kick in soon.

Add most (not all) of the Jones range into that list of cambered boards with raised /rockered noses.

I’m a big fan of the Bataleon TBT/3BT profile – it’s a hybrid of traditional camber and rocker:

When you are stood centrally on the camber the contact points are off the snow:

It’s a lot of fun. Just made me giggle when I first tried it (at a big demo day in the snowdome).

http://www.bataleon.com/3bt

Obviously the solution is to have more than one board

It’s the wisest solution really.

what’s that D-Day like? one of the Never Summer ones?

Squeaky bum time is now un-squeaked.

My passport is being posted from the embassy in London tomorrow. It was looking shaky until sometime yesterday afternoon. 😡

Am getting moist again.

Nice quiver HYD1! 😉

Alas it is an aspirational quiver 🙂 I have the dead card though and it’s amazing in powder , but literally untouched powder. Any hint of tracks and it starts flipping you off .

I read a funny quote on a snowboard group I follow :

I love the look I get when someone sees me on a different board the same day and goes “geez how many boards do you have?” and I reply “187”

Can anyone recommend a way to stop my glasses from steaming up please. I’m out in Deux Alpes and it’s fine if I keep my speed up but if I fall etc (a common occurance) they steam up and I can see bugger all. I’ve got OTG goggles if that makes any difference?