 Poster: A snowHead
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| Lizzard wrote: |
The rack was a medieval instrument of torture. Wrack is seaweed. Being smacked about with a piece of wet vegetation might be unpleasant but it's hardly waterboarding, is it?  |
Waterblading perhaps?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Lizzard wrote: |
| harriet, that's like insisting that your Electrolux isn't a hoover. |
Lizzard, Are you implying that both Snowblades and Hoovers suck? 
Actually, some years ago (early 1990s) I had a pair of Kneissl Big Feet, like Harriet.  As laundryman says the Big Feet (and I guess skiboards in general) are good practice for ensuring that you have your weight centred correctly.
clarky999 There were a few advantages of the Big Feet:
You could do very short radius turns,good fun on piste.
Easier to do skating steps on the flat.
Easy to carry
They fit into a suitcase so no need to pay extra for ski carriage
However, I should point out that I had by then had a couple of years holiday ski school skiing experience by then and was most certainly using them in control. 
Some disadvantages:
Not as fast as "proper" skis in a schuss
Bloody hard ride on icy boilerplate pistes!(no cushioning effect like on "proper" skis.
Not very good in powder (although I found that by having my weight back on the heels I could ski powder - this may be a bit like the method Tom From Austria uses on his RAX skis.
Absolutely crap on breakable crust/crud snow - I was once going across some and because of the small surface area they broke through the crust,my feet stopped dead and I was pitched forward into a magnificent headplant,much to the amusement of my companions!
I still have the Big Feet, but it's years since I've used them, I prefer Telemark gear these days. 
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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?
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| Can someone please explain why you would choose blades over skis, I can't see any advantage. |
The only 'advantage' is that people who lack the ability to learn the most basic techniques on skis can use them which is why you see threads on them here and not any other ski forums.
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See that's what I thought!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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narc, agreed. The only time I've ever used them was with an instructor in about 2000, who put us on them for an afternoon session to show us how to do basic carving (which i still dont think i have got grips with..), but he pretty much told us to never convert to them (my interpretation).
I do, however, think they are a good learning device for early intermediate skiiers in learning to find where the edges of a ski are, but if you can ski at all, I would have thought very boring and far too easy/slow/anyone can do it
Twin tips are great, apart from if you're trying to follow windymiller down the slope!
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snowgirl123, You haven't seen the Enforcer roosters... the tails turn up close to a right angle
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| Lizzard wrote: |
The rack was a medieval instrument of torture. |
Or a rather kinky hobby 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Scarpa, argh!!! Who's are those, will make sure never to follow them down the slope....Tryig to follow jamie was the most difficult thing ever (probably half due to wanting to mirror his style on piste)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well no-one (inc any of the bladers) has suggested anyhting they're better at other than tight turns, and frankly a proper slalom ski should have a small enough radius for anyone, so there would appear to be only the one conclusion to draw...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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clarky999, really, if it gets someone enjoying being up 'snowsporting' on the mountains, then fine, very good. The argurment, i think, is that a lot of 'bladers' think they are very very good, as it is very easy to turn on skis of this length, when in fact, if you put them on 'proper' skis, which required some degree of control and ability, they would be utter cack.
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moffatross, well, I can't imagine you get many mountain bikers suggesting busting out a BMX/stabilizers on their forums - if the experts are saying they're dumb...
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You know it makes sense.
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snowgirl123, I have Nordica Enforcers... the tail spray is becoming a little infamous 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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DaveC, no I don't suppose many 'expert' mountain bikers would give that advice to their newbie mates but I reckon there'd be a few pretty good ones who'd enjoy tanking down their favourite routes on some less conventional kit from time to time and wouldn't give a monkey's about what their mates were thinking.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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DaveC, mountain biking seems more dangerous, yet also more accessible (geographically rather than economically speaking) though. I went for the first time on thursday night (nowhere difficult, probably the equivalent of a green run), on what may have been the equivalent of a BMX. It was bad and painful, yet fun  (but will probs won't do it again in a hurry - untill my shins and knuckles stop hurting)
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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?
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.... mmmm .... amazing how ones view or snob level changes as one becomes an expert seems that maybe there is a transition benefit for those who have now become gnarly experts
| DaveC wrote: |
they're fun, you can kind of bundle your way down anything on them - but be warned, ski forum users love the chance to jump on the evil snowblader  (generally because small children/idiots are also attracted and give them a bad name) *edit* how similar are full length twintips to blades adam? |
| DaveC wrote: |
Hiya - just a quickie.. Had a quick session at Castleford on tues, started on my blades and boots felt fine and responsive, etc. Tested some 1080 foils from E-B and everything went to pot bootwise - felt like my ankle (actually, my right ankle.. left wasnt so bad) could lift a fair bit from the boot - entire thing just felt a bit weak and noticable. Wondering if this is down to my boots liners being used to the thick tube socks I had them fitted in, as I've just switched to smartwool/really thin tech socks? Or perhaps just wearing heavier skis that I'm not used to threw me?
Cheers, Dave |
| DaveC wrote: |
in all honesty, I don't know how good my "real" skiing is, after gaining confidence/technique blading not on full length skis - went with family when i was 13-15, didn't really like it, had no confidence, went back at 18 on blades and learned to worry less, can now carve competently and confidently on blades, going to relearn to ski on full lengths this season.. feels like a small interim period where buying boots to match my ability is daft when hopefully my ability will catch up with what I can do on blades very quickly.. I hope that made sense!
What's swingheight, fwiw? My boots do feel really comfortable and "right" in blades..  |
| DaveC wrote: |
| thing is, i'm looking for "big kids blades" - is it still easy enough to mess around on 182cm of ski? I imagine them being really heavy and difficult to do little things like spin backwards on the ground to ride switch? |
| DaveC wrote: |
| Nop, for carvers/twintips. Biggest problem with my current boots is that with big heavy skis they flop about and suddenly feel pants - they're fine and respond to ligher skis (ala blades). Hence, new boots |
| DaveC wrote: |
| Going out for an 8 week trip this season (1 in Fernie then 6+ in the Alps, fwiw) and after spending every day at work reading ski forums, managed to peer-pressure myself into ditching the "gayblades" (though I still like them!), I decided I really want to transition to full length skis. Dave |
| DaveC wrote: |
FWIW, I'm in the same situation (coming off blades to big skis).. I bought Salomon Streetracer 10's without really looking into it (my blades are salomon and they're dead turny, clearly the big version of turny skis will be what i want...). Bit concerned I've bought the ski equivilant of a lemon, but reading threads over at epicski will probably do that to any purchase. Anyway, what I'm saying is, hopefully 174cm carvers will be like blades  (A wee bit of a threadjack - anyone with experience of SR10's reckon it'd be better to keep them and try them this season or flog them on ebay while they're still new?) |
| DaveC wrote: |
| .... I switched back to full lengths while in Fernie cos my poor blades felt a bit overwhelmed by steep and deep stuff - actually preferring full lengths at the mo but I feel like blades advanced my skiing a lot very quickly |
http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=471647&highlight=#471647
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rayscoops, wow, such remarkable forensic skills, and at 3.30 in the morning to boot! It wouldn't be surprising, would it, that a person's view of their equipment would change as they became more skilled and therefore more able actually to judge the job that their equipment was doing? That's not snobbery, it's knowledge. Or maybe I'm missing something. 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ah, not 3.30 in the morning, any more than it's 4.50 now.
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Hell, if you guys want to go skiboarding then carry on, there's too many good skiiers and boarders shredding the Zillertal these days anyway! It's funny that the majority of skiboarders you hear about or see on the slopes are failed skiiers or boarders for one reason or another? It could be physical, say they believe blading will be easier on their knees, or attitude ie too impatient or lazy to learn a technical sport such as skiing or snowboarding and settle for the immediate results without seeing the intrinsic limitations of skiboarding? As far as riding the park is concerned it's far more difficult to learn many of the aspects of freestyle (apart from flat land) on skiboards, they don't have the stability for big kickers (or small ones for that matter), don't have the speed or edge to allow you to progress in the pipe. You might think rails are in but you need to detune your edges for rails and with a ski or board you can do this and still keep a level of control on the run back to the lifts due to the longer running area. Off piste riding in any form is easier on something with a greater surface area.
Most of all for me though it comes down to style, flow, steeze call it what you want. Skiing or boarding gives you the platform to lay your own style down on the mountain, make your own mark on the hill if you like. Do you flow down your chosen line, pick the best route and play with the natural shape of the hill, bully your way down or ski with controlled aggression. You don't have to do this, maybe just aspire to it? Although I'm usually jibbing or freeriding, style goes all over the hill, there's pleasure in seeing a good gate basher carving it up on boilerplate, a freerider shredding trees or a park rat laying down a steezy switch zero in the park, and skis or boards will give us the means to imitate your heroes, push your boundaries and take the experience to a whole new level of intensity and enjoyment. And thats it isn't it, if you dont mind the scorn of everyone apart from some 50 yr old Germ's and Jagermeister swilling tourists and you're content with spending your time sliding down a hill like a monkey with digestive issues then carry on doing it, enjoy yourself, there's nothing actually wrong with it, it'll just keep parts of the hill free for the rest of us.
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rayscoops,
| Quote: |
btw I have noticed a worrying trend of your replying to my posts (whereby they have not actually been directed to you or you had not previously been involved in the debate) more than any one else on the forum, actually probably more than the replies I receive from every one else combined
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Good grief, do I now need your permission to join a thread? That is a truly paranoid post. For the record, I tend to join threads either because I've got something new to add (rare - I'm not an original thinker, most lawyers aren't) or because I agree with something I've seen or because I disagree with something I've seen or simply to chatter. You might care, or not, to apply your forensic skills to my replies to your posts: that will, presumably, afford the answer to your own question. Good luck.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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rayscoops, rest assured I have no interest in stalking you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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so the problem isnt really even with what equipment is being used but because most skiBOARDers are lazy and cant ski well on normal ski's ? i never went straight to bigfoot i was on long ski's my level is probably average brit skier i think? ( neither good nor bad just "intermediate" ) my boyfriends cousins boyfriend lent them me for 2 days because they looked like fun and i loved them , i cant think of anything bad to say about them other than the faffing about with the non release bindings after comming out of the bar etc etc (but my boyfriend is my man servent so i guess that only applys when you dont have an andrew with you )but you can get releaseable bindings with other skiboards like grown up skis
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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rayscoops, I just grabbed a number off the top of my head, but yeah, I actually worked it out to be approx 85 weeks on snow now total. Not quite got the same massive urge to spend my life trawling through old threads and trying and score points with old contextless quotes.... but given that about 10 days have been spent trying blades out, and a fair few of those weeks instructing or training myself, I'd guess I (unlike the majority of people debating blades, fat skis, whatever), actually have a reasonably informed opinion
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rayscoops, I also really like arguing on the internet I wouldn't really call them "cheap shots" at snowblades, overly rude and direct perhaps - I'll accept that - youthful enthusiasm, or a lot of passion for the sport perhaps. Given that I spend a lot of time thinking about skiing, either mine or other peoples when teaching, and trying to increase my understanding of the sport - it's not like the fat ski threads (another favourite) where it's an argument of tradeoffs, to me skiboards/snowblades are like arguing for photography with the lens cap on, or golfing with just a putter. Sure, you'll improve in certain aspects - but severely limit others. That's where I can't help but jump into theads with people arguing for snowblading offpiste or in powder being easier - it has a lot of levels of wrong, it's going to mislead people and it's frustrating to see.
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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?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
or golfing with just a putter
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That pretty much sums it up, I'll remember that one!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Well after a serious leg/back injury (wiped out by a boarder) and extensive treatment for cancer my confidence and fitness was pretty shot. Desperate to get back to skiing someone suggested I try salomon axcess 120's as a stepping stone, I used them for about 4 weeks and they did the job for me. Now 2 years on I'm skiing with far more confidence and (I hope) style, I don't think I'd have got there without them.
I say each to their own, why should people be ridiculed for using them if they're not hurting anybody and having fun. There are bad/dangerous/selfish snow users out there on boards, skis, blades etc.
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FAQ
