How Much Do The Design Features Of Our Snowboarding Gear Matter?
Posted by on Friday, January 15, 2010
A lot of people, and I'm definitely one of them, spend a good amount of time contemplating the different design options available when buying new snowboarding gear. It could be a new board, some boots, an avalanche beacon or maybe just some wax. There are a lot of products out there!
But how much difference do all those features really make?
Certainly, there are big differences between some designs, and these differences have a definite effect on your snowboarding. I view these as enabling designs, or prohibitive designs, depending on which way you look at it. Here are some personal examples:
- My first snowboard: a 157 Burton Clash. A bit of a beginners board, after my first week I felt I'd out-grown it. Tanking it down fresh groomers the board felt unstable at speed. The season after, I traded it for the Rome Anthem. It was a world of difference for stability, base speed and edge hold.
- Stiff boots: the Salomon Malamute. I used to own these Salomons, which were designed as an aggressive, freeride boot. My first few jib sessions on an indoor slope left me with sore ankles. Swapping them for the 32 Lashed boots gave me a snug, controlled fit that also allowed for freestyle-flex. Much lighter too.
- A short, twin tipped snowboard in deep pow. I'm sure there are many out there who shred powder with their short, freestyle boards and have no problems. When the snow was waist deep, I struggled, whilst watching friends float on the top...
Yes, sometimes the difference between kit is as clear as night and day, and therefore it's important to choose the right stuff.
But what about the smaller differences, or the latest design ideas? These tend to be the choices that we, or myself at least, spend the most time debating. How much do these matter? Should we pay attention, or just pick the one we like the look of and get on with the snowboarding?
Again, some personal examples.
- Bindings. I spent a while trying to choose between 4 bindings, arguably all pretty similar. Burton Missions, Ride Deltas, Union Contacts and Union Forces. Some would say that the Deltas and Contacts are a good deal softer; but how much? There were differences between my old Burton Missions and my Drake MLBs, but not the kind of enabling differences like those above. I could do the same stuff in both.
- Reverse Camber. To be honest, I might be naive in saying that this doesn't make much of a difference, given that the banana'ness of my T.Rice is slight. That said, I didn't feel much difference riding that reverse camber board.
- Weight. Some products make a big deal of how light they are. Sure, if you pick the heaviest option for every bit of kit, you're gonna feel it. But for a single set of boots or bindings? Will 100 or 200g make a difference?
It's fun and interesting checking out new equipment, new models, new ranges; but for gear that's in a similar category, like choosing between two, twin-tipped freestyle boards, maybe we shouldn't worry too much about making the wrong decision? Once you get the board, for example, you'll adapt to its design features and if something felt a little weird to begin with, you'll probably grow to like it.
Pick the one that fits well, that's comfortable, that you like the look of, or the one that comes in under budget. Get it and ride with it. Don't sweat over the minutia of the technology or the latest and greatest design features.
Is that fair, or asking for trouble? I'll still get interested by the new stuff, but once I've picked, I'm not too worried.
So what's your take? Is a board a board, or is it important to get the highest grade sintered base? Are there too many examples of yourself or friends buying gear that turned out to be bad, making you careful what you select? Or do you just get on with it until your gear's worn out?...
Labels: equipment
Are You Wearing Protection?
Posted by on Saturday, January 02, 2010
I was looking through the stuff that they pack inside the Neverland DVD case, and a Slytech brochure caught by eye: both Romain and Wolfgang ride with the Slytech back-protectors. Slytech are one of the sponsors of Absinthe's Neverland; I guess their advertising has kinda worked in this situation :)
That doesn't mean that I'm gonna rush out an buy some snowboarding protection - I'm not. But it did get me thinking about it.
The very first week I spent snowboarding, I went and bought some wrist guards in resort, after the second day or so. As a beginner, I fell a lot, often putting my hands out and hurting my wrists. The wrist guards seemed like a good idea.
However, it wasn't long before I stopped wearing them. First off, I stopped falling in the way that beginners fall, so I didn't feel that I needed them. Second, there was the risk that a nasty slam would just shift the damage from the wrist/hand to further up the arm. And finally, they were a pain to wear under my gloves...
Fairly early on, I also started wearing impact shorts. Trying out new freestyle moves, even really small ones, often ended with my landing on my ass. I found that once I've had a hard slam on my behind, the next time I fall, even lightly, it really hurts. You can still ride, but the thought of falling isn't good!
But I've stopped wearing them also. I decided their benefit no longer paid for the feeling of wearing them: restrictive, encumbered. And they never look good. I do pack my impact shorts in my bag, just in case I need them, but I can't remember the last time I wore them.
The only protection I do wear is a helmet. I don't rock it all of time, but I'll often put it on if I'm going to be riding park or off-piste. Park for the increased slams and off-piste for the potential rocks. If I've cruising around I probably won't wear it.
That said, I do find that a helmet offers some goggle advantages in addition to head-protection. If you slam, your goggles probably won't come off if you're wearing a lid. That greatly reduces the chances of your goggles getting filled with snow; and there's nothing worse than un-clear goggles! I also think the goggle vents are more likely to remain un-covered/un-blocked if you're wearing a helmet, which keeps the ventilation working and therefore reduces the dreaded steaming up.
So what about you? Do you wear any protection? Or is the discomfort not worth it? Is it a style-decision? Yet more expensive kit to buy? Perhaps you feel you just don't need it...
Labels: equipment, injuries and fitness, slams
North Face Hedgehog Trainers/Hiking Shoe
Posted by on Sunday, October 25, 2009
Adam from Fitness Footwear sent me over some North Face Hedgehog trainers to try out. This was pretty good timing because I've been wanting to get a shoe of this kind for a while now...
North Face describe them as a lightweight speed hiking shoe. Nice. The upper is a fully breathable, waterproof Gore-Tex membrane; that sounds good. The bottom is some kind of lightweight, compression moulded compound... blah blah and some weird made-up tech terms... I took one look at them and thought "grips", just what I need.
You see, over the past few years I've been away for a weekend, or longer, walking somewhere in the hills; probably amounting to a handful of times. Each time I've been walking around in some skate shoes - not good. Slipping all over the place and normally ending up with a blister. When I return I always tell myself I should get some decent walking shoes...
These puppies are much more suited to the job. I've been wearing them for a while now and they're certainly comfortable - light too! I haven't put them through a long walk yet, but I'm confident.
They'll also double up nicely as an in-resort trainer, for similar reasons. Tip-toeing around in some skate sneaks with flat soles can be, tricky. It's almost always wet feet too. I've been wanting a better option for a while now, and I reckon the 'hogs should be a big improvement. I'll update on that next time I'm in resort...
Labels: equipment
Level Camo Pro: Snowboard Gloves Review
Posted by on Thursday, October 08, 2009
This is a quick review of my last set of snowboard gloves, made by Level. Unfortunately I'm not totally sure what model they are. I won them in a competition (Onboard Snowboard Magazine) - so didn't get any of the packaging. The inside label reads "Camo Pro", so maybe that's it. But after checking out their site, I couldn't find them; perhaps they don't do them anymore...
The main reason for writing about these gloves is that all of my previous gloves have been poor. The majority of my first snowboarding trips were filled with cold-hand-days. Never fun on a chairlift. Seriously, I couldn't seem to find a decent set. I'd had some entry level gloves by Burton, some expensive gloves from Rome and some Grenade mitts. None of them were up to the job.
I did buy some mittens from Drop: full Gore-Tex with heavy insulation. They've always been bone-dry, and super warm. But that's the problem, they're often too warm. Then, by chance I randomly received some gloves for free, and they turned out to be awesome!
So what's so good about them? Here's the list:
- They're under-gloves, my preferred design, fitting easily under your jacket cuff.
- They've got that handy wrist-strap, combined with being easy to whip on and off, so accessing stuff with your bare hands is quick.
- They're not too bulky, so zips and other not-so-small items can be worked.
- They've been durable. Admittedly I've torn mine - but that was not on the hill...
- Most importantly, they've kept my hands warm and dry. Only on the coldest days have I opted for my mitts.
In a nutshell, they've been great. Tech-wise, the wrist strap is that membra-therm stuff (is it like neoprene?). Don't know much about it, but as under-gloves, which do make you more vulnerable to snow (up the sleeve), they've kept my wrists dry. They've also got some vent holes on the top of the hand - which may have contributed to the good performance...
Job done. I did look on the Level site to see if I could find them; I couldn't. There are loads of gloves on there though, and quite a few of them look good. Worth checking out.
I've actually just replaced mine with some Dakine gloves: the Cobra model. They're another fairly-light under-glove (I've still got the Drop mitts) and I've heard good stuff about them. Hopefully they'll be as good as my old ones...
Burton Custom Smalls Snowboard Review (and Some More)
Posted by on Thursday, February 19, 2009
The Custom has been marketed as "the snowboard that does everything and some more". The Custom gets so many good reviews, it sounds like a legend and Burton keep bringing out new versions with improvements every year. After reading about the Custom I was expecting good things!
Gavin and I did quite a bit of research into boards before we picked the Custom Smalls. In fact there were three of us on the case: myself, Gav and Arran (Gavin's brother). I am 5ft 1 and 47kg so I am on the petite side and need a board suitable for my size and build. After a bit of investigation we realised that there is not a great deal of choice for petite women; well, it's not easy to get hold of all the boards available. See the post on snowboards for petite women.
Arran then suggested that I consider a kids board, great idea. A kids board means that you can get a nice short length and as long as the weight range is ok I don't think it matters that it is labelled kids.
Background
I have purchased two boards since learning to snowboard and hired one. My favourite board by far has been the Youngblood, which strangely, was the hire board. I got the YB when my luggage went missing and I had to get a hire board for a few days. They say everything happens for a reason. Well, I was pretty disappointed to hear that all my snowboard gear was in the UK and I was in Laax, but ridding the youngblood made me realise what I was missing. I found the Forum board really fun to ride, it was a new lease of life. When my luggage finally arrived I reluctantly took it back...
When I took my Destiny out (my first board) it felt like I had bricks attached to my feet. I hadn't realised until then that I don't like heavy boards, they sap your energy. It's not always easy to know when you start out what you want and what you need. I think it was at this point that I started to get a feel for what I liked.
My destiny is very stiff, great for blasting around, but way too stiff and tiring for me to jib on. My Second purchase the Santa Cruz, is the complete opposite. The SC is good for jibbing around and in the park but horribly unstable at high speed; it really chatters. It's also the slowest board that I have ever been on, it makes shallow trails a nightmare. So after riding the youngblood I decided to look for a new board, one that was stable at high speed and fun to jib on. And so I bought my Custom Smalls, well actually Gavin bought me a Custom ;-).
What was it like?
The custom feels really light and poppy. It's got a nice flex and is easy to ride. I found it really fast and stable at speed, it didn't chatter like some boards that I have ridden. My destiny was a fast board but I think I've probably progressed more with the Custom. I could tear around and not get tired. I found the destiny hard to ride all day as you have to be quite aggressive; the custom is easier to ride and feels more responsive. I was always nervous going fast on my SC and felt like I was going to bale spontaniously. With the custom I just went for it! I don't know, maybe I was just in a good mood ;-) or maybe its natural progression. It felt good and gave me the confidence to relax aand have lots of fun.
The custom smalls is twin tip and has the option for a wide stance. Actually it has a super wide stance. I normally use the widest stance possible but when I measured that setting compared to my two other boards it was about two inches wider! I decided on the second widest setting. I haven't ridden the adult's custom so I can't really compare them, but from what I have read they sound pretty similar. There are a few top pros who ride it, Mads Jonsson, Heikki Sorsa, Mason Aguirre, so it can't be bad!
Powder
Despite that fact that it's short and light I managed fine in powder, in fact I got some of the best lines I think I have ever had. I felt like I was floating! I used my SC last year in Fernie and combined with my inexperience with the pow I spent most of the time sinking or rag dolling... I was a fully trained gymnast after two weeks. I think the fact that the nose on the smalls has a decent scoop helps slightly. The snow in Avoriaz was slightly different to Canada and probably no deeper than 30cm.
Base
If I had to find fault I would say that the base is not great, it's not the same as the adult's board, which perhaps contributes to the low cost, who knows? The glide of the board has always been an issue for me. I have never had a board that's had a good base, indusive to speeding across the flats. I did hope that my next board would have better tech... But now that I have thought about it, it's not that important. The time I spend on flats/shallows is few and far between. Even If I had a better base I still don't have the weight to glide well. So really it's not that high on my list of priorities.
Graphics
I must admit I am not especially bothered by board graphics, I see them more as a bonus rather than a necessity. I do like the graphics on the custom, they are bright and... I love bright colours... But, had the graphics been horrible I would have still bought the board!
Summary
All in all I am totally pleased with this board, I have ridden it in Powder, on the piste (groomed and choppy), in the park, and it ticks all of those boxes. I didn't think it was possible to get a board that was good to ride around and in the park, but I am pleased to say Burton have proved me wrong. Who said you can't have everything!
It's ideal for me, and at a fraction of the cost of an adult's board it meant that I had some change left over to buy a new jacket, perfect ;-)
Labels: ciara, equipment, review, snowboards
Lib Tech Travis Rice Snowboard Review
Posted by on Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The T.Rice is an awesome snowboard. I wanted a soft-flexing, freestyle board, that I would ride in the park and around the whole mountain. I was willing to compramise on out-right powder performance. The Lib Tech passed with ease.
My previous board was a Nitro T2 (review), which performed well in the role that I've stated above. However, after the board got banged up riding snowflex, and I suffered in the deep freshies provided by Fernie (trip diary), I decided that I'd opt for a slightly shorter, softer flexing freestyle board, with a view to add a powder stick to my collection.
I bought the 153cm, blunt T.Rice, with Banana Tech and Magne-Traction. After riding this Lib Tech for two weeks on a variety of conditions: park, rails, piste, some ice, soft snow and roughly 30cm pow, this is my review.
Jibbing & The Park.
The T.Rice is great for jibbing around the piste. It's certainly not as stiff as I'd feared; a lot of the magazine gear reviews seem to rate this board as a fairly stiff freestyle board. I don't think that's the case. The bend-the-board-by-hand-in-the-shop test was the first clue. But after riding it, I'd say it has a lovely freestyle flex. It's not as soft as something like a Kink, but it's closer to a DH than it is the T2. It butters well, almost easily but not quite, it's lively, producing nice ollies, and it's easy to move around.
It's got smooth pop. It's not the type of board that you need to put a lot into before you go anywhere, but it doesn't give it up freely either. It's springy. I say smooth because the board seems to respond well no matter how much you put into your ollie.
I ride rails and boxes, but I don't do big gaps/transfers on, so the rail lock that I'm sure is important to some people isn't that much of a factor to me. It doesn't feel much different to the other boards that I've hit rails on, but like I said, I don't really push it that much. No problems here.
Directional Twin & Stance
Before buying the T.Rice I kind of had it my head that I wouldn't compramise on a true twin setup. Obvisouly I did, as the T.Rice is a directional twin. Similar to the Rome Agent, I can't say I ever noticed a difference in riding switch, and I'd say I spend almost as much time riding switch as I do regular. The stance is centered so there are no problems there, and on that note, there are a lot of holes to choose from. Max stance on the 153 is 25", then 23.5", 22" and I guess 20.5" (I didn't bother measuring the narrowest, centered stance). It rides well in both directions and good stance options is a definite plus.
Banana Technology (BTX)
Compared with some of the other boards in the Lib Tech range, the amount of bend to the T.Rice banana is slight. Whilst it looks noticably different from a conventional camber, I can't say I ever noticed the difference when riding it. That statement does come with a few caveats:
- I thought the pressing the board/buttering felt nice. This could have been in part due to the banana tech
- Despite being relatively short I didn't have any problems with the nose diving into fresh stuff. This could have been helped by the reverse camber
- It was the only board I rode for the two week stretch, so there were no immediate/direct comparisons with a regular board
Magne-Traction (MTX)
I had one or two doubts about the serrated edge design; I guess I wasn't sure that I was going to like it. However, similar to the Banana Tech, I can't say that I noticed that much difference. For example, lining up for jumps, gliding in a straight line, and, I'm fairly sure, riding down regular pistes, felt quite normal.
It seems kinda strange to me that such a different design wouldn't feel any different? Well, I didn't notice one difference. Towards the end of the two weeks the slopes started to get a little icy. As I mentioned above, I didn't perform any kind of board comparison, but from memory, I'm confident in saying that the Magne-Traction helped with edge hold in the icy conditions. For example, it felt better than the T2. That was impressive.
On regular pistes, I didn't really feel it. I'd say the T.Rice has good edge hold, but not fantastic. Similar to the T2, but not better.
Powder
Like any 153cm board (for me), the Lib Tech isn't going to excel in freeride conditions. However, in the two weeks that this review is based on, I did have 3 or 4 powder days, so how did it perform?
First up, let's talk about the pow itself. It wasn't especially dry or especially deep. I'd say ranging between 20cm and 40cm. In these conditions the board did well. I was loving every turn and not digging in. Nothing like the problems I had in the deep Fernie snow with the T2. All's good.
Was it because the snow wasn't too deep. Am I a little better riding fresh than I was then? Does the nose profile have a better scoop? Does the slightly wider nose from a directional shape help? The Banana Tech? All of these little things contributed I'm sure. The board did well. I was still riding twin stance, 22.5". I didn't witness a huge dump of snow, but I sirfed the resort pow nicely.
If you're packing a beeper, shovel and probe, and hiking for fresh lines, you're probably not in the market for a short, twin tipped board...
Summary
I love this board. I'm sure I'd have been happy with a DH, which was probably what I would have bought, but I have no regrets. I would say that it's the overall board that impresses me, the flex, the pop, the ride and the feel, and not something specific like the Banana Tech or the Magne-Traction, although those features obviously contribute. I was attracted to the board in the shop because of how it felt in the hand - it seemed to ooze quality. It's exactly the same on the hill.
Labels: equipment, review, snowboards
Go Dad!
Posted by on Monday, January 05, 2009
A couple of months ago, I mentioned that I'd seen a lad at the skate park with a rather useful looking camcorder handle. I decided that something similar would be really handy for filming snowboarding, so decided that I'd sort something out before I go away.
Well my dad has gone and beat me to it :)
Check this out, simple but effective!
Not bad, eh? I'm going to be constructing one this weekend, but I won't be using an additional strap - I don't think it's needed. I'm expecting these handles to work really well... I'll review them after use.
I've done quite a bit of snowboarding with my dad - which I think is pretty cool. It's good to be able to share something like this; something I enjoy so much. We actually learned at the same time, although I'd say our respective curves were a little different :)
Some of you will know that my old man is going to be shredding with us in the Portes Du Soleil in a couple of weeks time. Well he hasn't stopped with a camera handle... fresh for this season he's hooked up a vehicle for half of the group to make the road trip from North East England to Morzine. Naturally the regular seats have been removed in favour of Recaros.
He loves snowboarding. Go dad!
Labels: digital and electronic, equipment
Proporta BeachBuoy: Review
Posted by on Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Proporta BeachBuoy is a waterproof case designed to keep small devices and valuables safe from water, sand, dirt, dust, and... snow?
As it's name might suggest, along with the information that comes with the case, I'd say the BeachBuoy was designed mainly for use on the beach, or situations where you're around water. However, I decided to take a look at one, and review it's usefullness to snowboarders.
But first up - does it work?
Waterproof to 5 meters
The instructions that come with the BeachBuoy advise a Tissue Paper Test. Test it on something that's not valuable, and shows wet'ness easily. I thought that was a little timid - so opted for the Twenty Pound Note Test. I sealed it up, dunked it in the sink, waved it around a little, and then tested the dryness of the note.
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Bone dry. Phew.
I then moved onto my mobile phone. Same routine. Same result. The phone was dry and working after being submerged under water. Nice one, it's waterproof!
Making a call
Proporta also say that devices can be used whilst inside the case, for example, making a call. Easy enough to test. I called someone, asked if they could hear me, asked if the call sounded any different. The response was "it's fine". I could hear them, so I'd say that works. Obviously device use doesn't extend to earphones, as this would break the seal on the case :)
Ease of use
The first couple of times I tried to seal the BeachBuoy I was thinking, wow, that's a bit difficult. The case has two grip-seals, and getting them fully closed takes a bit of finger-work. Then you fold the top over twice, a bit tough, and stick down the velcro flap...
But once you've done it a couple of times, it becomes easy, and the result is a waterproof seal.
So at £10, the BeachBuoy provides a cheap, light-weight case, that's handy for keeping stuff dry and clean on the beach and/or around water. But should you go and buy one ready for your next winter holiday?
The BeachBuoy and snow
My first thought regarding its use on the mountain was well it's nice, but I don't think I'd use it. I don't like to carry too much stuff around with me, it feels a little big to go in a pocket, and besides, my pockets are waterproof... enough. For example, my phone has never been damaged, and I take a bank card out from time to time.
If I am taking more stuff up with me, then it'll be in my backpack, and again, that's reasonably waterproof. Enough for me to not worry about stuff.
But the use of a phone whilst inside the case is compelling. I tend not to make calls whilst on the hill, and I'll avoid getting my phone out if it's snowing hard. But I'm sure there are people out there who make a lot more calls than I do when snowboarding/skiing. And if you're one of these people and you value your phone, a cheap, light-weight and waterproof case could prove really useful.
And as I think about it, the Euro notes do sometimes get a little damp, and what if you needed to carry something like valuable like a passport (which does fit, just)?...
Summary
I'll take this with me next time I'm away. I might not use it very often, maybe not even at all, but it may come in handy. Others, perhaps heavy phone users, might make better use of it. But for me, it doesn't really fit with my on-the-hill setup, it won't be an essential item. I reckon I'll use it more at the beach.
Snowboards For Petite Women
Posted by on Sunday, December 14, 2008
OK, so I could have said snowboards for short and light women, but I think petite is perhaps a nicer description. Ciara and I are looking for a new snowboard (for her), and it's nowhere close to being as easy as it is for me to pick a new board. But before I talk about why it's difficult, let's look at what she's got already.
144 Volkl Destiny. This is a high-end all mountain freestyle board. The season that we bought it, it didn't have a sintered base like it does now. The problem with this board is that it's quite stiff for freestyle progression (learning new jibs etc.) and it's also a little long for Ciara to be freestyle-oriented. Plus, the base dries out really quickly and it's got very bad glide...
141 Santa Cruz Rebel Series. This is actually a junior snowboard. It's ok for playing around and jibbing, a bit fun, but that's about it. Ciara doesn't rate it at all for all-mountain usage, which is fair enough because it's not designed for that, but no good if you a board that does both. It rattles at speed and the base is horribly slow. I have at times encouraged Ciara to ride faster over flats to not get stuck. The response is, it's not me, it's the board. After a near-argument one day in Avoriaz, we swapped boards at the top of a run through the town, and there goes Ciara gliding past me with a big I-told-you-so smile on her face, whilst I'm coming to a stop. That's me told! The board is slow.
So when I look for a new board, the choice is almost endless, it becomes difficult narrowing the search down. But it's the complete opposite looking for a board for Ciara. She's 5' 1", and weighs around 47kg (yep, I did ask permission before publishing this data). She wants a high quality, all-mountain, freestyle board. Something that's twin, or a directional-twin, has a good base, handles the whole mountain but also has a smooth, freestyle flex.
I've got options like the Rome Agent and the Ride DH to name two - but there are many more. The problem for Ciara is the length of board that she needs. Our thinking is a board around 140cm, maybe 141cm, but definitely not longer than 142cm. Some of the women's boards do go down to these lengths, but shops and websites tend not to get the shorter boards in stock.
So we've also considered kids boards, or youth boards. In fact, as well as the Santa Cruz mentioned above, Ciara has also ridden a Forum Youngblood Mini, at 140cm, and rated it highly, better than both her other boards. But it's hard to find.
We also like the look of the Burton Custom Smalls. It's supposed to be very close to the full-on custom, but given that it's a fraction of the Custom's price tag, there will be some differences, and one of them is the base. I'm not sure that this is a deal breaker, but it would be nice to get a good, sintered base. (The smalls has their light speed vision base... I don't know what that actually means).
Ciara likes the look of the K2 Fling. It might not be promoted as all-mountain freestyle, it's described as a park board, but it sounds close. I hear it's like the women's version of the Darkstar, which is a good thing. It's got a good base and has ok size options, 138 or 142. It's an option, and I have seen both the 138 and the 142 available on the web...
Obviously I spend more time looking at guys' boards - so maybe it's just that I don't know the women's options that well? But getting the right board at the right length isn't easy.
Girls: what board do you have and what's it good for? What length is it? Where did you buy it?
Labels: equipment, snowboards
New Shred Stick: It's A Lib Tech!
Posted by on Sunday, November 09, 2008
I bought my new board this weekend. It's pretty sick; I like it a lot.
You might have my previous post which listed the 8 boards I was considering. From that collection, I'd made a short-list in my head: the DH, the Skate Banana and the DC MLF - and maybe the T1, but it's hard to find.
Well the board I bought isn't from the short-list; it's not even from the long-list. So how come I ended up buying it?
Because I wanted to!
Each year my local snowboard shop has a slightly different line. Some board manufacturers are present each season, but some come and go. You can always find a Burton for example, and they like Nitro a lot; a couple of years ago there were quite a few Rome options, now there are none.
When I made my first visit about a month ago, I was hoping that there would be some boards from my-list - given the option I'd prefer to buy here and support my local shop, they're worth it. Well they had the skate banana, the DH, and even the pro-model version of the T1 - but none of them in sizes that I wanted.
I couldn't help but notice they had a wide selection of lib tech boards: the skate banana, the Jamie Lynn, the trs and the t.rice. And they all looked so good; just oozing quality. Plus it was the first time I'd seen the magne-traction edge-design in the flesh; and a rocker design also for that matter. I was drawn in.
I waited for a few weeks as there was a chance they'd be getting the 152 skate banana in, and that's the one I wanted. But after going back a couple of times I found myself considering both the Jamie Lynn (154) and the Travis Rice (153).
It was the third visit, this weekend, when I had the cash in my pocket, that I decided I want it. I bought the Lib Tech Travis Rice, 153.
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It's probably a little stiffer than I was after and it's not a true twin (it's a directional twin) - which is something I normally insist on. Plus, there's usually something that holds me back from getting a pro-model; like, it's designed for the pro, rather than the general rider... But that all went out the window. I just wanted to buy it.
153 is a perfect length. It's got magne-traction and a rocker-base, both things I'm keen to try (although I accept I might not like them). I really like the blunt nose, it's got great stance options and it feels like it's got lots of pop. It feels like a good board. The 20% off that was on offer this weekend didn't hurt either!
I can't wait to shred on it. In the meantime, I'll just prop it up against the wall and look at it...
Labels: equipment
New Dakine Luggage: Split Convertible & Tour Bag Review
Posted by on Monday, November 03, 2008
For a while now I've been intending to move away from having an all-inclusive, wheeled boardbag (e.g. Burton Wheelie Locker), to using two pieces of luggage: a regular case plus a smaller board bag.
I've now completed the transition, pairing a Dakine Tour Bag with a Dakine Split Convertible. Despite having more first hand experience with Burton luggage products, and being impressed, I opted for Dakine for 3 reasons: 1. price, 2. availability/choice and 3. confidence in their products.
The Tour Bag is considerably smaller than the Wheelie Locker, but as you can see, it still holds a lot of stuff. In the picture above I've got my board and bindings, my boots, my lid, snowboard pants and jacket, some impact shorts, a change of street clothes and a few other smaller things like socks. This is going to let me keep bulkier items out of the case as well as distributing the weight - think airport weight limits and their cost structure for extra bags.
The Tour Bag is well padded so your board is going to be safe. Plus there are separate compartments for boots and bindings - though you can use them for whatever you want. These separate pockets have waterproof lining, so they're good for anything that's wet and needs packing.
The smaller size (and cost) means no wheels - but I reckon these are designed to be used in addition to another case (most likely wheeled), so the shoulder strap fits well - wheeling two items can be tricky. It's going to be in the region of 10 - 15kg, so carrying over the shoulder shouldn't be a problem.
The Split Convertible is one of the larger cases available at 120L. I'd have been just as happy with the more common Split Roller, but I was able to pick mine up in a sale, which made the change worth while.
As it happens though, the convertible design is actually quite handy. Both sections can be used separately, so you can down-size to a smaller setup; although I'd say it's more practical to use the bottom one, as it has the wheels and the handle. If you're using the bag in it's completeness, I'd say it's unlikely that you'd ever want to split it up at the airport so that you can check in two separate bags, as per the Dakine blurb. However, you might find splitting it up handy for squeezing into a restricted space, like a small car for example...
The bottom part of the bag is a single, large compartment. The top bag, as shown above is split into three main compartments, plus the two sticking up on the top; all good for organising your gear.
My one question is the coupling of the two separate bags; they are joined with 4 large clips/straps. Although I haven't used the case in earnest yet, say, taking it through an airport, it does feel sturdy and durable. I don't anticipate any problems and I'll report on this after the first proper use.
Price: 2 bags vs. 1
Personally I much prefer the flexibility of a case and board bag vs. one large wheeled board bag - but does it cost more? I've only owned one of the large do-it-all board bags, the Burton Wheelie Locker, so I'll compare the price of two separate bags against that. The Wheelie Locker retails at around £170. The Tour Bag sells at £40 and the Split Roller 120L at £100 - making the pair £140. If you want the Split Convertible specifically, it's another £30, I think, which is quite a bit more: I'd recommend sticking with the roller as I'm not sure the convertible design is worth it.
Those are full prices though. One of the great things about getting a Dakine bag is that there are plenty of them around. Do a quick search on google and you're almost certain to find one in the sale. I got my Tour Bag for £28 and the Split Convertible for £80 - so a pretty good deal!
Dakine Heli Pack: Review
Posted by on Friday, September 14, 2007
The Dakine Heli Pack is one of the first bits of snowboarding equipment that I bought, way back in 2003. At the time I was just looking for a bag to carry things in on the hill. The bag's still going strong now, but my requirements have changed a little. Here's the review.
Features
The Heli Pack is slim design back pack, with 11L capacity (as per the website) and some handy features:
The vertical snowboard carry works pretty well - I've used it quite a few times. It's dead easy: you put the two straps either side of your bottom binding, one above and one below. Once tight, the board is pretty secure. There's definitely no problem walking around with the board in this position - it works. It's worth noting I haven't had the fortune of trying this feature out in really deep snow - and you can't use the back pack to carry your board horizontally.
The pack also caters for ski carry - but I don't know anything about that!
The expandable helmet carry. Helmets do fit within the external flap, which keeps the helmet in place. However I've got to say that I've never used this feature for real on the hill. Most of the time I've got my helmet on. At the few times that I've been riding and carrying the helmet - I've just clipped it to the bag, rather than using the helmet carry. You see, if the bag's quite full, using the helmet carry can be a bit tight, and clipping it on is real fast. That said, from the pictures on Dakine's sight it looks like the newer models have slightly longer straps for this feature, which should help. If you think you might make use of it, you can always check it out in the shop!
Hydration. There's an internal sleeve to hold your hydration pack and a hole at the top for the tube to extend through. Then, one of the straps has clips on it to carry the tube over your shoulder whilst keeping it in place. The newer design has an insulated external sleeve, which is one better and will help to stop things freezing up when it's cold!
Apart from the main compartment, there's a small pocket at the top and another on the helmet flap. The pocket at the top is pretty handy for stuff like a small camera: it's easy to access and it's a relatively safe-none-squash place.
What can you fit in it?
The pack will take a two piece shovel no problem. On a back-country day I've had my shovel, my video camera bag, a small still camera, a small bottle of water plus small snack, an extra layer and some warmer gloves. That's quite a bit of gear and it fits... but it is tight. If this is the extent of what you want to put in it, or you envisage taking less, then you're set.
My only problem with the bag is that it's not quite big enough for what I need now. The gear in the above example did fit, but getting things out was a hassle because the pack was right at it's limit. But this is not a criticism of the pack itself: it's designed to be small and Dakine have larger packs in their range. I just need a bigger option.
Overall
The Heli Pack is a great low profile pack. It's certainly durable. Mine is still going strong after extended use on the hill, use as carry on luggage through airports and day-to-day use for work. It's even survived a pavement crash or two from my skateboard. The straps are good, there are two that come around to the front and the shape of the pack fits the back well. If you're looking for a small pack on the hill, this fits the bill. Great.
Ride DH vs. Nitro T2: Quick Comparison
Posted by on Friday, March 30, 2007
I consider the Ride DH and the Nitro T2 to be of similar designs. Both are freestyle boards, both have a twin shape, good in the park, yet offering a wider scope than a pure jib board...
Earlier this year in Laax, I was riding the '05/'06 T2 with MLB bindings, and Martin was riding the '05/'06 DH with Burton Missions. Both 155cm. We decided to switch setups and then compare notes. After one, long run, this is what we thought:
- The T2 is lighter than the DH
- The T2 has a much lower nose and tail, although this may have changed with newer models
- The sidecut on the T2 is more aggressive than the DH. The DH therefore has a wider waist
- The T2 is a little more stable at speeds
- The DH has a smoother feel, a nicer flex
- The DH has more pop, or at least, it's easier to pop with the DH. In just one run I noticed some much nicer ollies...
- Both have good sintered bases
Both really nice boards, I'm not sure which one I prefer more.
Labels: equipment, nitro t2, review, ride dh, snowboards
Nitro T2 Snowboard Review
Posted by on Thursday, March 29, 2007
The Nitro T2 is a great board. I was looking for a true twin that I could ride both inside and outside of the park. All-mountain freestyle. A single board. The T2 delivered.
I've got the 155 Nitro T2 from the 2005/2006 season. I've ridden it for three complete weeks on a variety of terrain: park boxes and kickers, slushy slopes and icy pistes, fresh corduroy and some powder. It's difficult for a board to excell in every category when used across the whole mountain. Floating effortlessly in powder is pretty much guaranteed to come at the expense of short, twin, flexy rail action. But the T2 ticks a lot of boxes and I'm confident with it being the only board in my bag.
So who is going to benefit from the this review? Well, if you're looking for a pure jib-stick, I don't think the T2 is for you. Likewise if you're mainly interested in freeriding, the T2 is likely to fall short. But if you're in one of the following categories, as I was, read on:
- You like jibbing and riding in the park, but you'd like to try something a little stiffer and slightly longer to be more rounded.
- You're in the market for an all-mountain board, but you'd like it orientated towards freestyle.
Jibbing & The Park I found the T2 quite nice for jibbing around the piste. Sure it's not as soft and playful as a jib board, but it's definitely light, with a snappy feel, which makes it agile. You've got to put a little more into ollies than with something like a Ride Kink or a Ride DH, but when you get it right, the T2 has great pop. It's not too stiff. It felt nice on kickers.
If you follow the weight ranges, the T2 is also a little longer than a jib board. For me, a jib board is in the range 150cm - 153cm, but the T2 I ride is 155cm. For some, this might feel long, but I didn't really notice it. Maybe the lightness helps here? While the little bit of extra length may make the board feel more cumbersome on rails and boxes, it comes in handy around the rest of the hill.
When it comes to rails and boxes, I'd say you can tell the difference between the T2 and a pure-jib board, but it didn't stop me hitting them. The T2 has a nice twin shape, with good stance options, 23.5" being the widest. It still felt like a good setup on the boxes, no real hang ups. And besides, the T2 is Eero's choice for rails after all...
Although I've hardly ridden any pipe with the T2, I'd say that the little extra lenght and good edge hold will help with the transitions.
Riding the piste The T2 performs well. Whilst it's not a freeride board, it does have a pretty aggressive sidecut on it compared with something like the Ride DH. And although it's lack of directional-shape may hinder its out-right performance on the piste, to me this is a design benefit. I like to ride switch as much as I do regular, so the twin shape is perfect. The result is good edge hold going in both directions.
I also think the T2 has a pretty fast base, that seemed to maintain wax quite well. It certainly stacked up well against the other riders in our group. The additional length and stiffer flex over a pure jib board adds to the stability, especially at higher speeds. It's a confident and solid ride, encouraging you to rip up the piste.
Powder Not really the T2's domain, but it did ok. The '05/'06 model has a fairly flat nose and tail which didn't help one bit (I think they changed this with the '06/'07 model). Cruising flat bits at slow speed or traversing at slow speed was a little tricky, with the nose having a tendancy to dig in. This caught me out quite a few times. But once your gliding, or even better, riding some steep stuff, it's fine. The T2 felt nimble in the powder.
A friend in the group was riding around on a Burton Fish, which is a different story altogether. But hey, the T2's a twin tip and I was riding it with an even stance, 23.5" apart, it's not going to float like a Fish. What's important is that I didn't really feel held back by the board, I didn't have the urge to try something longer for a run or two to test the difference. I didn't even bother setting my front foot back. It was still fun riding.
Overall So is the T2 a compramise or just the right mix for a board?
I'm towards the great mix end, I think this is a really good board. I wanted to try something more versatile than a pure jib board, but not going as far as an all-mountain board. A little bit longer, a little bit stiffer, but still freestyle. Still twin. I know that I could easily enjoy something with a similar design aim but a little softer - like the Agent or the DH - but the T2 has a little more bite, and I like that too.
Labels: equipment, nitro t2, review, snowboards
Burton's Tool Free Lenght-Adjustable Binding Straps
Posted by on Monday, March 26, 2007
Mini Review
Fairly recently I bought a new set of Burton bindings (not for myself). I was intruiged by the "tool free" adjustable straps so thought a few words here might be useful...
I'll be honest and say that the first time I looked at the straps I didn't see how the mechanism worked. To me it just appeared to be a plastic cover over the screw that is used to adjust the binding strap length: there was still a screw that required a screw driver of some kind. As the bindings weren't mine, I gave it no further thought at that point...
It wasn't until I was on the hill in Flims that I, or we I should say, put the tool-free adjustment to good use.
A friend (with some new Burton Missions) and I decided to swap setups for a run to see what the other's board was like. When I strapped into his setup I couldn't get the straps tight as they were too long. Half way down we stopped to take a look at them. You're supposed to be able to set these without a tool aren't you?...
It's actually very simple. You just flick the cap up and then use the cap itself to tighten/loosen the screw. Bingo. The screw stays within the cap which makes it real easy to take the screw out, change the length and then get the screw back in again without losing it. In no time at all I was securely strapped in and getting a good test of a different board.
For sure it's nothing ground breaking, and you can achieve the same thing with a binding tool, which most people are going to have anyway. It's probably not a feature that's gonna sway your decision when choosing new bindings... However, I'd say it provides a less-fiddly and marginally faster way to adjust your straps. It's really handy - a sweet litlte bonus!
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Bern Helmets
Posted by on Tuesday, November 14, 2006
I've been keeping an eye out for different helmets - especially those that have integrated audio. I think the helmets on offer from Bern have some pretty nice styling - and the basic models (those without audio or liners) are quite cheap - relative to pure snowboarding helmets. The one pictured here on the left is around £30.
I haven't tried one or, or even seen one in the flesh so I can't comment on how they feel. But, if you're in the market for a helmet I think they're worth a look... I kinda like the one with a peak!
The place to buy them in the UK seems to be StoreTwentyFour.
Labels: equipment
Burton Wheelie Locker Review
Posted by on Friday, June 02, 2006
Ok, so I've booked flights with KLM and I've never flown with them before. This got me thinking about the airline's rules for baggage allowance; how much is it going to cost me to take my snowboard? Now, I've got one of those swanky Burton Wheelie Lockers and I think a review of which will be of use to some people. Here goes...
First things first
I'm gonna start this review by saying that I love my Wheelie Locker. Remember that when you get to the end of the review. Here's why:
- It's huge. You can get so much stuff in there. I've packed three snowboards, my gear and half of my girlfriend's gear into the thing. Everything kept in one place!
- It's tough. The spiel on Burton's website is true. It's built to last and Burton back it up with their support (I've had a new replacement)
- The design is great. Separate sleave for the boards. Separate compartment for clothers. Tough external pocket for handy access. A removable bag for your boots and another for your bindings... If you're a tidy freak it makes it easy to pack; if you just want to chuck stuff in, there's loads of space. See the website and my photos for more on the features
But is it practical?
Unfortunately I think you have to ask this question. I love the idea and I really like the design of the bag - but is it practical for lugging around airports? I'd have to say the answer is no. Read on.
Maximum weight allowance
I've found that most airlines (well, the ones that I have used) operate with a maximum weight allowance of around 32kg, for a single bag. That is, each item of luggage must weigh less than 32kg. I know this to be true as I was called to the front of the line on an Easyjet flight and asked to take stuff out of my wheelie locker. I ended up removing my boots (with their own dedicated bag, sick) which the stewardess insisted would be sent separately. You can imagine my frustration when waiting in Geneva airport, all of our bags collected except the boots...
So, the fact that the wheelie locker allows you to pack so much stuff becomes a little irrelavant as you're constrained by 32kg.
What are you talking about? 32kg? That's madness, you don't need that much stuff!You're probably right. So why have a bag that's that big? Also, don't forget that when you start adding your mates board to save on costs, the extra jacket, the waxing iron - things start to add up. To me, that's the point of the wheelie locker - there's loads of space.
Note also that you don't save on the fact that you're only taking one bag. Explanation. Your friend has his regular suitcase with an allowance of 20kg and he's paid a flat fee to take a snowboard in a separate bag. They weigh this bag to make sure it's not super heavy, but they don't seem that bothered about its exact weight. You on the other hand have you single wheelie locker. Let's say that you're travelling light and the total weight is less than 20 kg. Do they offer you a discount? No. You pay the same.
Forget the airline's weight allowance, the damn thing is heavy!
I'm not the strongest person in the world but I'm not the weakest either. When the wheelie locker is rammed full it is heavy. Simple as that.
So you've flown to Geneva and as usual it takes the board bags ages to arrive. It's getting tight for the last train. Your wheelie locker finally arrives and now you've got to run to the train station...
It's not easy! Dragging 30-odd kg while running is hard work! I'm not being sexist here: Ciara can't lift the wheelie locker when it's full. It's heavy.
It's not just the airport though. Not all apartment blocks have lifts. My first trip to Tignes, we were on the top floor. Having all of your gear in one bag no longer seems like a good idea when you've got to carry it up 3 or 4 flights of stairs. The length then also becomes a problem. Stairwells aren't always wide. At 1.8 meters or so it can be hard to get the wheelie locker around narrow corners.
It's worth adding though that the wheelie locker does have good quality hand holds on the top of the bag, and a shoulder strap.
Other points
- If you take the board out of the bag and leave the rest of the gear in (for whatever reason), pulling the bag on its wheels becomes a problem
- I've found that I don't use the bag on road trips - it's too big for the roof rack
- You can't really use the wheelie locker in other situations, e.g. other holidays
Burton Wheelie Locker vs. Burton Wheelie Double Deck
So what's the alternative? Well, take a regular shaped suit case and a separate board bag. Enter the Burton Wheelie Double Deck. Ciara uses one of these in combination with a board bag, or, sometimes she off-loads onto me and I carry her board as well. The Double Deck shares a lot of the clever design features of the Wheelie Locker and is made to the same high quality.
...And you can fit a lot of gear in this thing too! I'm certain that using a decent travel bag along with a board bag is a more comfortable, easy to operate solution. Also, overall you can probably take more gear (if you feel the need) as you're not limited to 33kg. It doesn't have to be the Double Deck, I've seen the Dakine Split Roller and that seems really good too. However my experience is with the Burton travel gear and I know that it 'feels' really good - that quality comes through.
Summary - So what am I using for the Deux Alpes trip?
I hate the thought of leaving my Wheelie Locker behind, but I'm gonna use the Wheelie Double Deck travel bag, and take my board separately. In comparison, the Wheelie Locker just seems to much of a struggle to move around. I guess I'll let you know the final verdict when I get back.
Still hungry for more? Check out the archives.
