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

What did you go for?

I’m still using 15yr old El cheapo drakes.
*wonders about upgrades *

What did you go for?

Does it matter? He’ll still look like a middle aged ball bag just like the rest of us!

Harsh but true

What did you go for?

Some Flow jobbies, ex-display from Absolute-snow, felt ok while snowboarding on a parquet floor last night anyway. Certainly comfier and lighter than my previous ones.

Oh , that does matter . Flows! Noooooo

Skier throws snowboarder 25ft off chairlift 😯

How can people get so stressed in the mountains?

I dunno, maybe they’d forgotten their phone to post some more pics or their tandem paraglide had been cancelled.

(Read that story a few weeks ago…if it’s true, Jeez!)

So they didn’t have the safety bar down… the snowboarder didn’t try to grab anything or fight not to be thrown off… sounds like utter bs to me.

Flows

hur hur hurrr.

You know you’re not going to be allowed to blame your bindings when you make a tit of yourself next month 🙂 At least you have the coming trip to work on your snow-covered-gallic-shrug….

I remember reading with surprise on the TGR forums that in some US resorts they consider putting down the safety bar to be a noob/gaper thing. 😕

Others, like the one in the photo accompanying that article, don’t have safety bars at all:

Love my Flows. Keep trying other things, but for piste work, they’re quick getting off the lift and comfortable all day.

but for piste work

Which, next week, is pretty much all I’ll be doing… 🙁

Am off again in March with a couple of asshats who aren’t up to much to be honest, one big clumsy eejit who isn’t sure whether he wants to board or ski and one who hasn’t skied for around ten years, so I’ll probably have to spend some time on my own getting some quality stuff done. I’ve heard they’re a bit painful in deep stuff, but I don’t think I’ll be seeing too much of that.

Australians dont put safety bars down. FACT. They see it as weak and not manly. Like holding doors for others.

Apologies Aussies

but I don’t think I’ll be seeing too much of that.

every thing’s deep when your chin is only 3ft off the deck.

US / Canada – common not to put the safety bar down. We had it loads when biking in Whistler in the summer too…

And yet they were the first ones to insist that everyone wore a helmet.

Go figure.

My experience is based on Australians in Canada , of which there were many …. A heady mix of bravado

Had flows for a while DD. They were great, apart from trying to start anywhere away from bashed piste.

Mine were old and heavy though being from about 2003 and the newer models look pretty good now but I went back to 2 straps and haven’t regretted it.

They were great, apart from trying to start anywhere away from bashed piste.

Yeah, I can see how they would. These ones have the option of side entry if needed anyway – they certainly tighten up like traditional 2-straps.

That’s good.

It’s always nice to have the option of rear entry, but sometimes that can be difficult to slip into and a more traditional approach will get you there faster.

Fnar, fnar.

Do they ratchet from the front then? The tension adjust was all in the flip up lever on the back in my pair, could be adjusted from the front but not ratcheted tight.

I loved them for piste stuff as I could slide off the lift and put my foot in and go at the same pace as the skiers I was with.

That’s why I used to love step-in bindings back in the day: with practise you could step in literally as you slid off the chairlift or drag and be heading down the piste before the skiers had got their poles untangled.

Do they ratchet from the front then?

Yep. These are dem.

Ah, very good. Seem like a decent all round option then. Flows were definitely more comfortable on the front of the boot but the slight movement at the back took a bit of getting used to. Boot dependant of course.

Never went down the route of “board-spd” GrahamS. Didn’t you need to use proper stiff boots for that?

Yeah the boots were stiff and heavy (though not by ski boot standards) some had ratcheting heel straps on the boots. And you needed the right boot for your system (Switch, Burton SI, K2 Clicker etc).

I used the Switch Special X system – so my boots had little metal bars on each side which fitted into the clips. It was Crank Bros level of simplicity though – a nice open design that was self-clearing.

This shows it in action (though the guy must be new to them because he fluffs the first entry completely):

This explains the system better – but appears to have been filmed with a potato:

Wouldn’t use them these days obviously!

Changing the subject to skis 🙂 I am skiing a couple of times a year these days, but am struggling to justify buying some. The cost of them initially, the cost to take them on planes, the ongoing upkeep, the hassle of lugging them around etc against turning up and hiring a pair in perfect condition every time and for not a huge amount either.

Thoughts?

I think the provision in resorts is far better for renting good skis than it is for renting good boards.

I used to regularly do the park nights/jumps and rails at Tamworth or Manchester so it was nice to have my own board as it got regular use. I reckon if you only use them once or twice a year they are definitely a luxury.

I wouldn’t say the same about boots though.

I think the provision in resorts is far better for renting good skis than it is for renting good boards.

Yep. I use whatever the shiniest rental option is. Helps when I know to shop, but haven’t been let down yet! Great choices in Montana last year, for example.
No service, no storage, no travel issues, etc. Plus, trying new stuff and changing with conditions.

Unless you’re skiing five times plus a year, can’t see the point.

If I was a skier, I’d definitely rent. My experiences with rental boards have all been a bit crap – y’know, not awful, but the bases have always been absolutely wrecked; whereas Mrs DD’s rental skis have always been fine.

the bases have always been absolutely wrecked

Ah fond memories of doing a “Ski To Door” on rental boards after a few steins.

It wasn’t meant to be a ski-to-door you understand, but as long as you leant back a bit you could make it across the tarmac roads…

I think the old buy or rent dilemma depends on loads of factors. I have my own skis and did whilst my other half rented his, I don’t know whether it was bad luck but he did get given some junk from shops.
I hate the rental shop on changeover day especially if its a package holiday and everyone in the hotel is there at the same time. Also, when you are outliers on the normal distribution curve (ie me – short and him – tall) the choice can be limited.
Some ski shops are just great though, my other half was renting, thought about buying and they mounted brand new skis for him to try, if he hadn’t bought them they would turn them over to team rental team. Great service.
Own skis are a bit of a faff but for me they are worth it, especially as both pairs fit in a dakine board bag. Costs £30 ish to take them and 25 euros for an edge and wax 1 x yr. I’ve also been pretty lucky selling my old skis and a pair of salomon Xreams cost me £300 and I sold them 4 yrs later for £100…they were incredibly popular when they came out.

Buying means you get to keep them and display them in your man cave

Shocked about someone being pushed off a chairlift.
We’ve skied a few Utah resorts including Alta, where there are no safety bars.

safety bars are a funny thing. you’re sat in a seat, angled backwards. How are you going to fall out? It’s almost certainly going to nobody’s fault but yours. And I’m inclined to believe that’s the case with chappy who’s claiming he was pushed off.

It’s nice to be able to lean on something while you talk to your mates 2 seats away, and it’s much more comfortable to have somewhere to rest your board/skis than having them hang, but your safe without a bar.

Euro bars are better than US ones as they usually have a ski/board rest on them as well. Nice to take the weight off tired legs!

Not as true with children Ned. Particularly our 5 year old (but also our 9 year old) slides forward as his thighs are shorter than the seat. The safety bar (with the flappy additions or upright parts) is very useful

nedrapier – Member
safety bars are a funny thing. you’re sat in a seat, angled backwards. How are you going to fall out?

Never been on a chairlift when they’ve done a proper emergency stop then?

Yup, all fair points!

Wife rented a board in St Anton. She loved it. Capita Birds of a Feather.

Umming and ahhing between getting her one of those and some solid bindings, or some Spark Surge bindings for her split and some K clips to tighten it up for resort riding.

Both options would cost about the same, after you factor in the crampons.

Solid board and bindings would be better for resort riding, but would still leave her a sloppy split, and heavier, ill-fitting split bindings. (originally mine, I’m size 10, she’s size 6)

Compromises… can’t really justify both.

Anyone fancy buying some Spark Ignitions and with Mr Chomps and spare pins?

Btw, harking back to the “what board bag for mincers/gapers/middle aged ball bags/international stationery sales reps business development managers?”, I eventually went for a Snokart…available for similar money to the DaKine LoRoller and Burton WheelieGig (which I reckon are the two most popular) if you hunt around.

It’s very nice indeed! Very well padded but still light enough (which is a consideration with Sleazy’s 20kg limit). Has taken:
Board (which being my length, is pretty light anyway…)
Boots & Bindings & socks (compartments either end for those…with plenty of room to stuff base-layers, gloves around.
Helmet, goggles ( 😀 ) ski/board gear, baselayers for two and tools in the main compartment (bindings are attached to boots as advised by someone intelligent ^^^ up there somewhere).
All in at 19kg. 😮

One niggle: the wheels are massive…which might make for easier rolling but more chance of them being shagged by baggage handlers.

(Bear in mind that the 20kg weight limit applies if this is your only bag. If you have two bags booked in, you can make it up to 40kg any way you want as long as any one isn’t over 32kg.)