Snowboarding

[charlesr]

I'm just back from Les Gets in France. Massive powder dump just before I got there, so a good few days of decent off-piste.

Got my board up to 50mph on a Red. Nuts. It was like going to "ludicrous speed". Driving home last night and I was looking out the window thinking... "I was going THIS fast???!!"

I also spent a lot of time thinking about how to actually turn the board, so here we go. The definitive guide:
Initiate turn:
(By raising one ankle and lowering the other) Twist the board so that the front tips towards the direction required. So if turning right, the front right edge needs to cut into the snow. The harder you try and twist the board, the faster you start turning.
Stabilise turn:
Once the board is tipped over and in the turn, stop twisting and instead change the BACK ankle to doing the same thing as the front ankle, the harder the better.

Ignore any guide that does not talk about the above.

All the other up/down/forwards/backwards body movements I mentioned in an earlier post are bonuses to make it easier.

[Brad]

nice instructions Charles :-) Glad you had fun.

How do you pack your board for travel? i have an unpadded board bag at the moment. I was gonna put some pipe lagging round the edges, pack a few clothes in there and forget about it. Any tips? oh, bindings left on or take them off first?

[charlesr]

I have a Dakine bag - takes 2 boards. It's fairly sturdy, but not really padded. I leave the bindings on (remember to check them every morning before you head out on the slopes! I lost a bolt!). I pack snowboard pants on either side as a bit of padding for the surfaces.

[Brad]

Cheers. Yes, I'll make sure I have my binding tool with me all the time too. This is the first time I'm going fully equipped with no need to rent anything but other than that I'm on a tight budget (i'm still sporting the same jacket I had 15 years ago!) I've nabbed myself a Flow board and Flow bindings so no more ratcheting straps on the slopes for me, love that quick release system.

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

I'm just back from Les Gets in France.

So come on Charles ol chap, I want to see some youtube footy of you tearing the slopes up please

[charlesr]

I don't have a bullet cam
I have an HD hand cam, but last time I tried filming with a camera like that, I caught an edge and slammed it into the snow, rather expensively never working again.

I was thinking of changing from my all-black clothes to something a bit brighter. I was thinking bright blue jacket and bright orange pants. I found the ideal pants, but they were ?220.... I'm still rocking some black Quicksilver ones I got 10 years ago for ?30.... they still work perfectly so it doesn't seem right to change. And the Bonfire jacket is still great.

Oh, FSW: take a screwdriver for the morning checks. Binding tools are normally for emergency slope tightening rather than actually getting them tight.

[charlesr]

Will be interested to know your thoughts on the Flow bindings. I've been advised not to bother if I'm used to the normal bindings.

[Brad]

Yeah, normal bindings are fine. Just a bit slow. No big deal really. I wouldn't have forked out for them but they're just there now and I did always notice how hassle free my mate seemed to find it getting his board on and off.
9 Sleeps to go.

[charlesr]

http://new.livestream.com/wsc2012/semifinalswomenslopestyle

[charlesr]

[Rossco]

I'm in Norway right now and have been dying to go boarding but can't really justify the risk considering how I've been picking up injuries left, right and centre for the last few years and if anything happened with one fall on the slopes I'd be done for. And also would be out of work over here which can't happen!

I'm home in 2 weeks though and considering just going next weekend, won't be working again for a month after that so would give me time to rest if something did happen... So tempting as the slopes here look just sublime and anyone whos been has loved it. Plus I've never boarded properly yet, only been indoors!

[averybluemonkey]

That LED stuff through the trees is scary! I would never do that in the dark.

Got to ride fresh powder for the very first time this year, absolutely amazing . They had to shut the runs halfway through the day because visibility got so low but loved it while it lasted, best day's snowboarding yet.

To be honest Rossco as long as you wear the protective gear like helmets, wrist guards and perhaps impact shorts and something to give a bit of damping to your knees you'd probably be okay. One guy last year I met had full on body armour stuff under his clothes, I haven't seen that many people get injured really.

[Brad]

Just back from Schladming. Great week. Got hot as I was leaving and I feel sorry for anyone who's just arrived cos all the snow was melting like crazy when we left. Photos and video links to follow (we had a 720p 60fps helmet mounted camera - not checked footage yet).

[koopatroopa90]

Awesome. If I ever go again I want one of those.

[charlesr]

Which camera did you have dude? GoPros are too expensive and too hires (no need for 1080p I reckon), but 480p isn't quite enough.