What to expect?

[Nessagirl18]

Why Not? I just threw in the towel of trying to find a used pair and brought a brand new pair of boards and to say I'm excited is an extreme understatement. This is my my very first year and I want some tips guys. I know the stand up, don't lean over your boards type thing.

Any things else. What can I first expect when riding? I have skied many years so I know how to do an hockey stop and stuff, But I know that skiboarding is a whole different style. Please give me some tips and insight. I'm a bit nervous because I will be riding on a small mountain. I WILL be the one and only skiboarder. So some tips so I don't make skiboarding look like an idiotic sport. I'm also so excited to be unique. Just pour our your advice peeps that would be awesome.

[FightingForAir]

Well , since I am still relatively new to the sport and did not ski much at all prior to skiboarding, I'll chime in.

Best advice I could give you is ride ... and ride ... and ride some more. When I was starting out, I read everything there was to read here. I also got some good instructional time from some very experienced riders when I showed up to the first year of Shredfest at Tahoe.

For me at least, there was no replacement for developing the kinesthetic feel of riding by doing. Perhaps I am just primarily a kinesthetic learner, but it took me actually doing it to learn it. As I have ridden more and more, the mechanics have seemed to just work themselves out. I can recall the first time I felt a clean carve, that knee dip to the inside of the turn that put both boards on edge and locked them in. I could not explain to someone how to do that well, but I know what it feels like when I get it right (or wrong). :)

Experimenting with body position, edge angle, weight distribution, etc ... eventually it just works out. At least that has been my experience. If you've skied a lot, then your transition will likely be much faster than my learning curve has been. However, if I were to offer one other piece of advice to new riders, it would be to be aggressive in getting the boards up on edge. For about my first full year of riding, I was trying to pivot and smear my boards around too much. Once I really started cranking them over, I found how easy it is to make the boards turn themselves so I don't have to. Again, that deep knee drop was the magic motion for me.

On another note ... I am originally from Idaho ... Boise area. I got my very first snow sliding in at Bogus Basin and had a couple trips to Brundage and Targhee many year ago.

Enjoy the season, have fun, experiment, and don't concern yourself at all with what skiers and snowboarders may think of you riding skiboards. In no time at all, you'll be having far more fun than most of them anyway. :)

[newbie2011]

I'm in the same situation, about to buy my first boards and looking for any info to better understand how it will work out.

There's a thread here with some videos, I don't have the link handy but it should be easy to found.

Otherwise I've seen an ebook for sale on skiboards.com, but I haven't seen any reviews, anyone read that one, would it will be useful for a beginner ?

[CAN]

Hi and welcome to the sport Newbie and Nessa,
I'll chime in too . Like FFA said, riding is the best way to improve. A book can only do so much , and actual time out is your best option. Meeting up with others is also a great way to learn and have a great time. Especially if you have skied before you will take to ski boarding quickly. Go out and try it before you buy the book, I'm sure you will feel like you don't even need it then.

Chad

[tyberesk]

Hi and welcome to the sport Newbie and Nessa,
I'll chime in too . Like FFA said, riding is the best way to improve. A book can only do so much , and actual time out is your best option. Meeting up with others is also a great way to learn and have a great time. Especially if you have skied before you will take to ski boarding quickly. Go out and try it before you buy the book, I'm sure you will feel like you don't even need it then.

Chad

watch alot of videos in the offseason, ride alot during the season, make it a point to ride with people better than you (even if theyre on skis or snowboads). Having people help you, but mainly PUSH you is key.

[slow]

Ride as much as you can with others (get yourself to Shredfest) and do not try to "ski" (smear) your skiboards as others have shared in their reponses. Focus on getting and staying on edge and you will have a great time.

[Nessagirl18]

what do you guys mean by that? I know to stay on edges but what exactly do you mean by smear? Or is it something you can't explain in words :)

[slow]

what do you guys mean by that? I know to stay on edges but what exactly do you mean by smear? Or is it something you can't explain in words :)

Smearing is when you do not get on edge when trying to turn, the bases stay flat to the snow and you end up fighting the skiboards/skis to turn.

[wjeong]

Focus on getting and staying on edge and you will have a great time.

Some skiers I've coached have had difficultly finding the edge on a skiboard. They expect skiboards to feel like skis. Skiboards don't edge like skis which track straight down the hill. If you aren't on the edge, the board will feel squirlly and you may feel you have no control. If this happens to you, bend your knees and with one of your hands, reach to touch the back of one of your boots. You will feel the edge engage and you'll turn on it. Welcome to skiboarding. Have fun.

[Nessagirl18]

okay, I have another question since you are up on your edges won't it be really hard to turn or won't it slow you down alot? I know it doesn't I'm just kinda wondering how you would turn up on your edges like that. I suppose thats not really something you can explain but it must be experienced.

[slow]

okay, I have another question since you are up on your edges won't it be really hard to turn or won't it slow you down alot? I know it doesn't I'm just kinda wondering how you would turn up on your edges like that. I suppose thats not really something you can explain but it must be experienced.

When you get your skiboard up on edge, the skiboards will flex and carve an arc in the snow, as if you were on ice skates. There will be no skidding or smearing of the skiboards and they will turn easily while on edge. Look back at your track, and you will see two parallel curved lines in the snow when you are doing it right.

[mahatma]

I'll go at this by putting the cart before the horse.

I think these are really great questions. I started skiboarding after a lifetime of snowboarding. Never had a pair of full sized skis strapped to me feet until last season. When I started skiboarding I spent the first 3 days on the bunnies. Most of that had to do with getting used to being pointed in the direction I was actually going and my feet moving around independently. But, being skiers already, you guys won't have those little issues. Last season I strapped on a set of full size skis for the first time and boy what a difference. Those first 15 minutes were nothing short of sad. How the hell do you turn these things and what am I supposed to do with these things in my hands? It all worked out. I skied 2 days on the groomers, took 2 days worth of powder lessons and then employed my new toys in the side/back country.

Smearing is just a soft edge. Smearing is one of the great skill you will bring as skiers. The other great skill you will bring is body positioning. Do indeed act as if you have poles in your hands. You won't of course, but, what you do with poles is actually set your body attitude for proper and safe maneuvering. For me, skiing is like finishing school for skiboarding.

When it comes to skiboarding, first know that these comparatively little things can and will do absolutely everything your big skis do. Everything from hardpack to mid-thigh champagne can be done with absolute grace. Your tools will not be the limiting factor. You won't want to believe that at first but as you do more you will see that I'm not just blowing smoke. The great thing about skiboards is how integrated you will be with your terrain. It's not a harrowing, "I have to compensate for every little thing just to get through it" deal. Rather, your tools are such that you will be in touch with your surroundings. You use your body. You are in constant motion. It's much more consuming. The smile will never leave your face. Your face will actually ache because of the endless smile. You'll be up on a hard edge most of the time. You can soft edge or smear but that is just what you are doing. When you want to turn you'll need to set an edge. The Sherpas I normally ride are actually very stable when flat but the shorter boards, like my KTP's get freaky at speed when flat. But, those little 101's are the most vertical fun you will have in anything up to about top of your boot powder.

I sing out loud on KTP's. People have literally come up to me and said "I can't remember seeing anyone having so much fun." It's that type of deal.

It's all about the smile, all about fun, all about the relationship between you and your terrain. You don't have to be anything but you on skiboards so don't sweat it. Get used to setting those edges and everything else just falls into place. Don't worry, I assure you that you will indeed be "doing it right".

Can't wait to see you on the slopes. First cup of joe is on me.

[newbie2011]

great post mahatma, thank you !

[Nessagirl18]

Wow thank you!! I'm so excited! This is going to be great. :D

[Nessagirl18]

alright I was think yet again about trying out my boards and I have another question. When you're riding in powder do you stay on your edges? wouldn't you sink in if you did? And is there ever a appropriate time to stay flat on boards? (not using your edge) thanks guys

[slow]

alright I was think yet again about trying out my boards and I have another question. When you're riding in powder do you stay on your edges? wouldn't you sink in if you did? And is there ever a appropriate time to stay flat on boards? (not using your edge) thanks guys

I am certainly no expert on powder riding, but what others have told me is do not go on edge. Rather, try to keep the boards close together so they act as one and shift your body weight to turn.

I hope you are lucky enough to experience powder. I rarely have the chance.

[Belle1708]

But, those little 101's are the most vertical fun you will have in anything up to about top of your boot powder.




Vertical fun... ;) I concur!

Having only been doing this for 2 years, one week each year, I say, just RELAX and "feel" it. I tried to study, analyze, and OVER-ANALYZE to ensure I was going to have a good time. I would say that being a skier, you'll be just fine. Can you/do you rollerblade? If yes, and you can manage to blade without killing yourself, you'll be even more than fine. I had never skied, only snowboarded, but was a recreational blader. They truly do feel like rollerblades on snow. The motions are SO similar. I even heard another forum member agree to the similarity so much that he almost did a foot over foot turn on his skiboards (definitely don't recommend that!) because his muscle memory wanted to really treat them as blades. Though I bet on those little InlineSkis, you probably could...

It only took me 2 runs before the $h!t-eatin' grin became plastered on my face. And that was using crappy rental skiboards and rental boots! Having bought my own boots and boards was like a whole new world. Good equipment is KEY! Now, if I could only find a decent pair of inexpensive Revolts to try...

So, just relax, and don't over think it. You'll do great!

[millet]

As the lone skiboarder at a local hill, expect people to ask a LOT of questions.

You'll get comments in chairlift lines and people will ask you about your gear. It just happens. Some skiboarders are really excited to educate people, some like to have a little fun by providing joke answers to see how people will react, some try to dodge the questions (hopefully these people aren't coming off as rude). I end up reacting in a mix of all three ways depending on the day.

This has proven to be the key for me, especially when faced with criticism or feeling people are skeptical because I ride something different that skis and snowboards. I find nearly all riders are cool with you once you a) appear confident and b) perform one ski maneuver that surprises them. The minute you ride a good line down the hill or do a trick they find impressive, they're on your side.

Good luck! Hope you share pictures and videos from your season with SBOL. You're from Idaho? Please consider coming to Shredfest (http://www.skiboardsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11774#en) or the NW Meet (http://www.skiboardsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12269#en).

[Nessagirl18]

thanks again guys

[newbie2011]

This reminded me of a situation I've always hated on skis, and I wonder how this is dealt with on skiboards: you know those connection narrow roads, that connect two slopes together or stuff like that. They are pretty narrow, the snow is in all shapes - parts ice, parts scraped snow, parts moguls, etc. On skis I had trouble turning so often on such irregular ice and narrow space, in order to slow down.

How do you deal with those on skiboards? !

[Gohammer92]

Those areas are the easiest for me to deal with on skiboards. Skis are much harder. On skiboards its easy to do a tiny hockey slide/carve slide to just slow down in any direction, even if you only have a few feet its really easy to do mini hockey slides to the left or right to get the proper speed. On those long cat walks, skiboards are hugely benificial over skis because its so easy to skate with them! On skis, skating is a bitch and takes a lot of energy, and it also kills the quads to skate around with such big things on your feet. However, on skiboards, since they are light and manuverable, I find it very easy to skate and get up to a good speed, even going up a slight incline.

[pinkkid]

I too was a skier, then bought a pair of Skiboards and strapped them on and got on the ski lift and headed up while my husband and brother thought I was NUTS while they were on there long ski's. Well, then I simply... took off... it was very natural and easy I thought, and way more fun than regular skiing! Big difference in the Fun Factor! I felt free. Nest thing I know, I am having to let the guys try them! When we got home, they too bought Skiboards and the rest is history!:D

So, just be relaxed and natural and you'll be grinning ear to ear in no time!
Yes bend your knees some, athletic or gorilla position and head down a familiar hill you enjoy already... you'll get the feel of it, don't worry. You will turn MUCH easier on skiboards than ski's.... you can "turn on a dime". So much fun! Enjoy! :)

[newbie2011]

Wow, it's so nice to hear all this, I can hardly wait to get on the slopes :)