Variable conditions and Powder riding questions answered.

[akira523]

Well I just got back from Tahoe in 4 days of depp powder and variable conditions. IE: Powder, ice, slush all in the same day. I recommend riding steeps if its powder, as blues are crowded, and greens have no speed. So get rid of your fear and go for it.

IN POWDER/VARIABLE:
1. If you can ajust your bindings to the farthest back stance, do it. THe more your tips are up, the better. If your boards are under 90cm, forget it, or youll have a rough time.
2. Be fearless down steeps! Thats where the pow stashes are and the riding is great just lean back point those tips down and you'll start flying, or make some tight turns. Both these methods work, and will help you maintain speed. Stay on what your comfortable with, if you go on a steep and make huge carvs, you'll loose speed and fall. Not to mention it is a nuissance to everyone else and can be tough to get up for some people.
3. On moguls or places with thick bumps of loose, fresh snow, when leaning back keep it stong, youll probaly be leaned against the slope if you have a good carve with enough speed. If you do you'll rip right through and bumps
4. If you end up in a place where the snow is thick, try to get some speed, but dont turn. You will find your speed to deminish super fast and getting it back will take along time.
5. In variable conditons such as what i expierienced. IE: Powder and Ice. Keep leaning back even if it seems subtle, cause the ice will cause you to eat it really hard or bail. Ice=cement. Cement=pain. Ice patches appear out of no where, especially around trees, early and late season, even on perfect days like the ones i had. Also on ice try to get your edges to dig in, cuase unless your a die hard ice skiboarder that sharpens your edges like a razor its not that safe. It can also cause you to fall if you transfer on to it unexpectedly in a chute, like i did :(.
6. If this occurs on a steep run go to the corner so you can get more untracked stuff, and better snow.
7. On skiboards the turning radius is crazy. Go through glades and trees and youll find this out quickly, its way fun.
8. Youll find that Steeper turns at a faster rate become easier in powder once your tips are up.
9. If you see your skiis infront of you, dont be afraid. Alot of people who skiboard slow down cause they think they might fall, but really this is what you want. In deep snow you ride on your tails and you have good manuverability.
10. In powder condtions the odds of falling lower. Why? The snow is thick but you if one foot get stuck at a good speed you can muscle out of it easily. Today i had 5 expieriences like this on all double blacks, and when one of my skiboards was in the air i was still able to make the turn in the powder.

Last things: Know your limits. be daring, have fun, cause that short adrenline rush doesnt last long. You'll want more.

[Roussel]

i find having your bindings set soyour boot's center point is right in the middle of your bindings works better actually.

it gives you more tail to lean back on plus your right in the center of the sidecut which is the best for carving and the park

never had trouble with powder and im on 90's, mind you we dont get too much powder here, max 1 or 2 feet.

[akira523]

When mine was centered on my 90's i still got through powder but when landing off cliffs and deep powder jumps(at a steep landing) i found that the tail wasnt digging in enough. But BOTH ways work as long as you lean back. I was riding in untracked so rear stance was good. Heres a pic of untracked deep snow, thats the kind im talking about.

[Ian.cap]

I mostly ride backcountry and keep my bindings set back as far as they can go. There's definitely a difference in the way they handle and float. At least for me. I'd center mount if you're in the parks at all though.

[slackercruster]

Have you tried long boards 105 to 110? Although I've never tried them, was wonder if the longer ones would do a better job in powder?

Dan

[Ian.cap]

They most certainly do make a difference. I first rode on 90’s and when I switched to 99’s it made a world of difference in deeper snow. I rode ALP’s all last season with no trouble in knee deep powder. I’ve only been out a few times this year on the Revolts but not in anything too deep though. The wider base makes it a great choice for backcountry/powder. Now if the weather will finally go back to winter up here I could get a better feel for them in powder.

[Roussel]

^ seriously, slush and ice everywhere sucks

ian i sent u a e-mail dude.

[vertaqua]

I've found that as well as all the stuff listed above(leaning back adjusting your bindings etc) if you keep your boards closer together you'll get more float then keeping them shoulder width apart.

[drink300]

Last year, I had a day in Wolf Creek, CO, that I never want to re-live. It snowed 2 feet the night before and they were already on a 9 foot base. I only had Snowjam 90s at that time, and the riding was horrendous. I am pretty decent on powder (set my bindings back and lean back), but there was just no getting through the stuff, even making quick carves on the steeps.

There are some things skiboards are not meant for and this is one of them. Now, I just got a pair of Spruce 120s for this very reason. I expect them to perform MUCH better if I ever encounter those circumstances again.

drink300

[Mark]

my quads get really tired real fast in deep powder cause i have to lean back so much. i have mike nick 89cm's though... i hit the park too much to move the bindings back, i dont really like that idea much personally.

[Ian.cap]

I mostly ride woods and for years always set my bindings back to help with floating on powder. I recently set my Revolts to center mount and even in the knee to waist deep powder I was hitting earlier this week I was riding just fine. I think it really depends on the boards whether you "need" to set them back more. Plus matching a board for your height/weight is going to keep you above powder. I'm 6' and about 200 pounds. I used to ride 90's and while it's still fun to pull them out once in a while I wouldn't think of using them in deep pow anymore. Unless I wanted a good leg workout of course.

[PureVenom]

I gotta say....anyone who says the MNP's arent good in powder is crazy. I was riding untracked powder between the trees all weekend last weekend and even some waist deep POW! I keep my bindings right in the center and man was I surprised at how insane they handled it. Major leg workout...could barely walk for a couple days but SO worth it. This was my first time hitting powder that deep on skiboards. So much fun.

[shatdatty]

Originally posted by PureVenom
I gotta say....anyone who says the MNP's arent good in powder is crazy. I was riding untracked powder between the trees all weekend last weekend and even some waist deep POW! I keep my bindings right in the center and man was I surprised at how insane they handled it. Major leg workout...could barely walk for a couple days but SO worth it. This was my first time hitting powder that deep on skiboards. So much fun.

Sorry, I'm new. What are MNP's and how long are they?

[Mark]

Mike Nick Pros, no longer manufactured they were 98cm, skinny and super flexy.

[winterparkrider]

I ride some of the deepest pow out there and go real fuckin big in the backcountry.I have never adjusted my bindings.if you want to know the key to floating through powder its this simple ,wax for temp and humidity and of course keep thsoe feet togeather,stick your ass out a little and keep you nose over your toes and a whole new world of deep pow skiboarding will open up for you

[akira523]

Originally posted by winterparkrider
I ride some of the deepest pow out there and go real fuckin big in the backcountry.I have never adjusted my bindings.if you want to know the key to floating through powder its this simple ,wax for temp and humidity and of course keep thsoe feet togeather,stick your ass out a little and keep you nose over your toes and a whole new world of deep pow skiboarding will open up for you

Great tips, last time i rode backcountry in CO was when i was a big boarder, i still take out my powder gun to ride if the occasion calls. When i wrote this 99cm was the longest skiboard i think, not sure, light powder was awesome riding, but heavy powder was hell (saturated with water).

Last year i got my hands on the ALP, i rode park city 5 days total, 2 days of which i hiked jupiter peak. Canyons i rode 3 days, 1 of them i did a monstrous hike to drop in the huge bowl to the left of chair 9990 for the fresh, the tree riding was also phenomenal that day.

Im looking forward to your signature skiboard, hopefully it is stiffer than the ALP, and the mid section is wider. My ALP's are basically destroyed beyond repair from hucking and variable conditions. Looking forward to the condor.

I might do more AT skiing this year than skiboarding depending on conditions, but we shall see

[winterparkrider]

I was under the impression no one was going to see the line up until sat but thanks. I have been waiting a long time for a pro model skiboard and now I have it. the dementions are sick. I bet it will be an all mt board. I bet they will just fly on the groomers. All that surface area and the side cut well, lets just say they should be fast. Greco really hooked it up this season. watch out for those boards in fakie downhill and boarder-x. we should have skiable snow in a month or so . I will up load video as soon as I get it . and as soon as I get the boards. Hope you like em. Brett

[tyberesk]

yea dude to me it sounds that the condors are where its at ..:)

[hn03076]

We've gone through some really nice pow in Steamboat, Crested Butte, and Copper Mountain, thigh high In the trees tearing up stuff skiers and snowboarders couldn't even get to.

[winterparkrider]

I grew up in VT where in new hampshire do you live. and how often do you get to CO.

[Manlenium]

I want to see the Condors on the fakie downhill. Bet those things fly. Post a vid when you can.

[hn03076]

Originally posted by winterparkrider
I grew up in VT where in new hampshire do you live. and how often do you get to CO.

I live Pelham, and I'll actually be hiking in Beaver Creek in a couple of weeks. But usually get out west each year for a 5 day trip. However, this year will probably be Whistler instead of CO.

[winterparkrider]

There will definitly be video of the test runs. Kinda my own video review. I live about 2 hours from beaver creek. I even worked there a couple years ago.

[tyberesk]

am i gunna see you going huge? all the surface areaaa lol

[winterparkrider]

I will be doing a variety of things this season. But yes I will be going huge. Condors have to fly dont they?

[Filnominal]

Iam gunna get a taste of Sum Champagne PoWpOw this year kids here at school already given me shit for being a snowlerblader/skiblader/retardskier..... hahaha boy this year will be fun when iam zig-zagging trees that 170cms can't make turns for : )

[winterparkrider]

Not only will you get to experiance the unreal powder that steamboat gets but you will also get something most people dont even think of until it happens. You get, are you ready for this? Your first winter without a drop af rain. You will not be sitting on an Ice covered chairlift. You will not get to the bottom and look like you just shattered. Even if you dont get that much snow all the time . It will never fall as rain.

[Filnominal]

I can vouche for that! havent seen rain since back in the CHI jan 5th when it was 63.. and not here in Da Boat since the middle of October!! Its been dropping clouds all week here cuz its -4-10 (clouds = POW) had to ride my 175cms cuz the snow was too dry and deep for the Boards, i need to invest in better waxes...

[jjue]

I mostly ride woods and for years always set my bindings back to help with floating on powder. I recently set my Revolts to center mount and even in the knee to waist deep powder I was hitting earlier this week I was riding just fine. I think it really depends on the boards whether you "need" to set them back more. Plus matching a board for your height/weight is going to keep you above powder. I'm 6' and about 200 pounds. I used to ride 90's and while it's still fun to pull them out once in a while I wouldn't think of using them in deep pow anymore. Unless I wanted a good leg workout of course.

I wanted to update this thread a bit . Ian cap's point from back in 2006 is well taken . I used to be a firm believer in set backs in deep pow . What most of us have found with the new big floaty skiboards is exactly what Ian points out . If you match your weight with the proper board , you can ride center mount boards very well in pow without a need to set back your bindings and without burning out your quads by assuming a way rearward stance . One of the best things for me about the new generation of big floatier skiboards , is that there are boards now that allow us to ride comfortably center mount in all conditions with a neutral stance with just subtle changes in weight distribution and without having to assume awkward stances or fiddling with binding locations .

[HarleyQuinn]

Hey guys! I ski in Massachusetts where conditions are often pretty icy. I was wondering something: are skiboards made to handle icier conditions better than normal skis? How similar are they to the way a snowboard can carve and does that have anything to do with ice? Do they do better in powder or on icier slopes?

Also,
I just got my Mary Janes this past December but I didn't wax them or get them waxed. Is this important? What does wax do? And how can I fix that if I need to?

[mathyogi]

Hey, I'm new. I just went twice this week. I live in Colorado and went to Monarch Mountain both times. I went Sunday (got injured jumping off a ski lift), and yesterday. These were my first two times. Yesterday, I got stuck in knee-deep powder. I would, turn-fall, and turn-fall. I just kept getting my edges stuck. Maybe I wasn't keeping my tips up enough? Or was I turning too much? Skiboards too little? Snowjam 75's. Also, I noticed both times I went that I was the only skiboarder. Is skiboarding not popular in Colorado? Is it because of all the powder? We get tons of it. I love skiboarding, but it did make me wonder if it is only good for groomers. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm going to learn to ski or snowboard next.

[MitchK]

Hey, I'm new. I just went twice this week. I live in Colorado and went to Monarch Mountain both times. I went Sunday (got injured jumping off a ski lift), and yesterday. These were my first two times. Yesterday, I got stuck in knee-deep powder. I would, turn-fall, and turn-fall. I just kept getting my edges stuck. Maybe I wasn't keeping my tips up enough? Or was I turning too much? Skiboards too little? Snowjam 75's. Also, I noticed both times I went that I was the only skiboarder. Is skiboarding not popular in Colorado? Is it because of all the powder? We get tons of it. I love skiboarding, but it did make me wonder if it is only good for groomers. Everyone keeps asking me if I'm going to learn to ski or snowboard next.

Bigger would help in powder.

If you look at many of Jjue's posts, you'll see that they aren't just good for groomers, he spends more time in backcountry pow then many of us do on groomers or in terrain parks. There's a good chance that you were having trouble with keeping the tips up and that was causing your problems in the powder.

As for skiboarding in Colorado not being popular, it really isn't popular anywhere. Unless there's an organized meet up, most days you'll go without seeing anyone else on them, though you might the odd time.

[mathyogi]

Yeah, I'll try keeping my tips up, and I want to upgrade my boards. What will happen to all of us if the sport is not popular? I like skiboarding, because I'm a skater. It was very easy for me to take to. Do you think there is a future for us, or we'll end up having to switch?

[jjue]

Yeah, I'll try keeping my tips up, and I want to upgrade my boards. What will happen to all of us if the sport is not popular? I like skiboarding, because I'm a skater. It was very easy for me to take to. Do you think there is a future for us, or we'll end up having to switch?

No need to switch , just upgrade to more flotation in your skiboards if you want to ride powder ... i spent a life time skiing long skis . , gave them all to good will, just ride skiboards now .. . way more fun ... .. mostly i hike and ride the backcountry .... i weigh 195 lbs and carry a big backcountry pack ..
my condor skiboard floats me in EVERYTHING including the deepest pow ...

[MitchK]

Yeah, I'll try keeping my tips up, and I want to upgrade my boards. What will happen to all of us if the sport is not popular? I like skiboarding, because I'm a skater. It was very easy for me to take to. Do you think there is a future for us, or we'll end up having to switch?

I'd say with Greco around running this site, and the high quality boards produced by Revel8/Spruce/Allz, Skiboarding isn't going anywhere soon. It's just not a mainstream thing, not all that many people really know about it. I'd say that's more the reason for it not being popular then the fact that people dislike it.

[Spyder53]

I like being odd! I'd like to see it grow but im fine if our numbers are small. Who cares what's popular and what anyone thinks. I'm sure there will be newer and wierder things in the future. Popular things are started by people doing the unpopular or unfamiliar.
Like snowboarding. Then all of a sudden it's hip and everyone's doing it. Then something new comes along.