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The Dark Side

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
So I'm a decent skier, but something to do over the (summer) holidays and some bargain deals has led me and the OH to do the Snowdome Indoor snowboard lessons, starting next week.

I'm aware of the limitations of indoors for practicing a lot of skiing, although have got great benefit out of indoor focussed sessions with the likes of Inside Out. Anyone got any tips for boarding on them? I've done a few sessions at Swadlincote dry slope many years ago on a board, can fall over, get back up and slide on heel and toe edge much like side slipping on skis, but no 'carving style' stuff. Hoping that will come with lessons and practice indoors though. How different is the surface to the dry slope when the skills are far from autonomous?

It won't be a full move to the dark side (sorry), but something for fun indoors mainly.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I can't really help with the difference between a dry slope and a dome, I've never been on a dry slope on a board. I imagine it'll initially feel a good bit faster and slightly less grippy, probably a bit less consistent too. I think surface conditions are more important on a board than skis, one edge on ice equals a one way ticket to a sore ar$e, on skis at least you've a second balance point. However it'll all become clear on your first powder day. I promise there's nothing like it. Cool
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I would suggest going early in the morning.

Before all the snow gets scraped off the piste and you are left with the hard stuff underneath.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
I learnt on dry slope in norwich and now living in York catsleford xscape is my local piste. So i can tell you that the two surfaces (especially during your learning stage) are very different. Old school dendex cross dry slope was very slow and could be tough to learn to turn on, the newer dryslope matting is somewhat better, but still in comparison to an indoor slope very different. Dryslope can be good because its slower and you might find it easier to control yourself, where as an indoor slope is real snow so its quicker and more likely to lose an edge and slip.
But everyone is different and takes to things differently.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I learnt on dry slope at SSK and the first time I went on snow I thought "OMG it is so SLIDEY" Much easier to turn. But you go faster. I think it I much easier on real or indoor snow than on a dry slope.
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Not really - indoor snow is pretty much like artificial snow outside, in my view. The main thing is that the slopes are small, crowded and not steep, so it's a bit like riding on a bunny-hill. If you're using gear designed for a mountain then it may be too stiff for indoors. Many people who ride indoors use tiny soft boards, which you can rent there. The lifts are extremely slow and the slopes tend to get crowded..

The snow has less friction than plastic, but the slopes are mellower, shorter, and busy, so you may actually be slower on them.

It's harder to crank a board around on plastic as there's more resistance from the surface. Turning a board like that would be ugly, but you'll see it a lot from self-taught people indoors.

It's easier to edge a board on snow as the snow banks up behind the edge, providing more support than plastic will give you. So you need sharper edges and better edge control to turn well on plastic.

Personally I prefer plastic slopes - I feel I can ride faster and harder on them, where as indoor slopes seem badly policed and expensive.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
So we both passed out first two levels today. I'm aware this ain't much and was stuff we had covered about 6 years ago on the dry stuff. My first thought was that indoor was much faster but at the same time easier to turn on.

I'm not sure if the difference was the slope or if in the meantime as I've become a fully fledged intermidiot skier rather than never having been on a slope before that the concept of sliding down hills, edging principle and also how a bit of speed can make it easier (not too much though).
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