jjue
10-08-2009, 09:33 AM
Interesting developments over the last several years in skiboarding as a sport . What has become overwhelming clear to me is that the best view of what skiboarding is as a sport and where it should go in the future is the vision that has been defined by one retailer . More than any skiboard manufacturer or retailer . G has stayed true to a vision that is good for us as skiboarders and great for the sport as a whole . It is about defining a sport as different and unique from skiing or snowblading .
He has stayed true to a vison of skiboarding that encompasses a huge range of products, in a variety of dimensions , but all of which have the tight turn radius and short twin tip shape that define skiboarding as different from skiing , , and have the inserts that allow use of either fixed skiboard bindings or riser mounted release bindings. While it may be cheaper to produce boards that could be drilled to allow direct mounting of cheap alpine bindings , he has remained true to a vision of skiboarding that has boards that allow the use of insert compatible riser mounted release bindings , or insert mounted fixed bindings for the 110 and below boards . G has remained true to a vision of skiboarding that allows the best and natural flex of skiboards by supporting a uniform insert standard.
There is nothing to prevent other release manufacturers other than Spruce to produce insert compatabile riser mounted release bindings as Exclaim has shown ,nor other manufacturers of skiboards to use the 4x4 insert pattern or other manufacturers of longboards such as Lacroix has done to use the 10x4 insert mounting pattern . What has been most useful to the sport , is that there is one retailer who will not sell longboards that do not have the 10x4 pattern for riser mounted release bindings , nor 110 or below boards that do not have the 4x4 pattern . ,
It is also useful to the sport that there is one retailer that will not sell short skis or snowblades and knows the difference between a longboard skiboard and a short ski and the difference between a skiboard and a snowblade. A certain length does not a skiboard make .
A good example of how a retailer defines his vision of the sport is the Snowjam 99 with the premounted releasers. G does not sell that Snowjam product nor does he sell the Snowjam Beach or Zuma short skis , even though he sells the other Snowjam products. G is defining the sport by what he chooses to sell . He does not allow a manufacturer to define the sport for him .
There has been much discussion as to when is a skiboard a ski . G and Sbol has been quite clear bout this .. they have created a new category of over 110 cm skiboards called longboard skiboards that have the skiboard characteristics of the shorter skiboards, retain the skiboard feel and have riser mounted release bindings as the only binding option . G and Sbol do not sell twins , nor do they sell twins and call them skiboards.
I have spent a lot of time in the past thinking about what is and is not a skiboard. Now all I have to do is look at the product offering page on SBOL and I can say .. ah yes , that is a skiboard ! I can look at products that other manufacturers sell that are not sold by SBOL and if they have similar specs and design and offer inserts like the boards on SBOL , I can say , yes that too is a proper skiboard .
SBOL , more than just an online retailer of skiboards. , for me , has become the standard that defines a new encompassing vision of skiboarding and skiboards, what skiboarding has become and where it should be going .
Thanks G. ....
He has stayed true to a vison of skiboarding that encompasses a huge range of products, in a variety of dimensions , but all of which have the tight turn radius and short twin tip shape that define skiboarding as different from skiing , , and have the inserts that allow use of either fixed skiboard bindings or riser mounted release bindings. While it may be cheaper to produce boards that could be drilled to allow direct mounting of cheap alpine bindings , he has remained true to a vision of skiboarding that has boards that allow the use of insert compatible riser mounted release bindings , or insert mounted fixed bindings for the 110 and below boards . G has remained true to a vision of skiboarding that allows the best and natural flex of skiboards by supporting a uniform insert standard.
There is nothing to prevent other release manufacturers other than Spruce to produce insert compatabile riser mounted release bindings as Exclaim has shown ,nor other manufacturers of skiboards to use the 4x4 insert pattern or other manufacturers of longboards such as Lacroix has done to use the 10x4 insert mounting pattern . What has been most useful to the sport , is that there is one retailer who will not sell longboards that do not have the 10x4 pattern for riser mounted release bindings , nor 110 or below boards that do not have the 4x4 pattern . ,
It is also useful to the sport that there is one retailer that will not sell short skis or snowblades and knows the difference between a longboard skiboard and a short ski and the difference between a skiboard and a snowblade. A certain length does not a skiboard make .
A good example of how a retailer defines his vision of the sport is the Snowjam 99 with the premounted releasers. G does not sell that Snowjam product nor does he sell the Snowjam Beach or Zuma short skis , even though he sells the other Snowjam products. G is defining the sport by what he chooses to sell . He does not allow a manufacturer to define the sport for him .
There has been much discussion as to when is a skiboard a ski . G and Sbol has been quite clear bout this .. they have created a new category of over 110 cm skiboards called longboard skiboards that have the skiboard characteristics of the shorter skiboards, retain the skiboard feel and have riser mounted release bindings as the only binding option . G and Sbol do not sell twins , nor do they sell twins and call them skiboards.
I have spent a lot of time in the past thinking about what is and is not a skiboard. Now all I have to do is look at the product offering page on SBOL and I can say .. ah yes , that is a skiboard ! I can look at products that other manufacturers sell that are not sold by SBOL and if they have similar specs and design and offer inserts like the boards on SBOL , I can say , yes that too is a proper skiboard .
SBOL , more than just an online retailer of skiboards. , for me , has become the standard that defines a new encompassing vision of skiboarding and skiboards, what skiboarding has become and where it should be going .
Thanks G. ....