 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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I *HIGHLY* suggest Salomon bindings. They also make great boots. Flow bindings are loved by many, but often develop problems later on. Salomon bindings are comfortable, responsive, duable, and almost as fast on as flows. As for a board, you wouldn't go wrong with a custom, though you would pay quite a bit of money. Other boards to consider: atomic alibi, never summer premier, unity pride, arbor mystic, lib tech emma peel. Also I would not chose burton bindings over salomon or flows.
As for your foot pain - a good boot/binding combo will feel great, even if they are not flows. Also, you may want to checck out Illuminati snowboards. They make great boards, and sell them with technine bindings (very good bindings). Best of all you can get them quite cheap, and they deliver to the uk. I posted about them here: http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=5511
But if you suddenly decide to spend a bunch of $, my suggestion is that a NS premier with Salomon spx7 bindings is pretty much the best setup for freeriding with the odd jump.
And last but not least, if you can only afford one item, then yes, make it boots. Make sure boots are comfortable, durable looking (especially around the toe that you unstrap), and prefereably have lace-up liners. Your foot should not move around at all inside the boot.
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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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She said she had a boyfriend but did you ask if it was an open relationship?
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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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Boots are the most important item, spend good money and take time in the shop to make sure they are right for you. Bad fitting boots will lead to a world of pain on the slopes.
Bindings - It is nonsense that you need Flow boots with Flow bindings - I have used Salomon Dialogues perfectly well with Flows for 2-3 seasons now. Never a problem. Fellow Snowhead Tony Lane has just got some Vans BFB's which he says work perfectly well too.
Everyone has a strong opinion when it comes to straps or Flows. Try them out for yourself is the best option. I personally luv em but thats not too say their right for everyone else. I do believe the people who benefit from the control difference that straps afford would only be the Pro riders and not the average 2-4 weeks a year person.
Board - Burton Custom is a recognised great all rounder but you can get a equally good board for cheaper. Assuming you would purchas in the UK I would recommend looking at any of the following aswell as the Custom.
Nitro Suprateam - Nitros equivalent of the Custom
Ride Theory - An all mountain version of the Timeless
Ride Timeless - All time great freeride deck.
Ride Havoc
K2 Instinct
K2 Disciple - (in transworlds top 10 "good wood" listing)
Nidecker Megalight - Another all time great freeride deck.
GNU Carbon Highbeam - probably best value for money board out there!
Lib Tech Emma Peel - Awesome graphics
Lib Tech Pacifier - Awesome graphics
Option Redline - Great value for money all mountain deck
Option Vinson
Sims Fader - pornstars in the graphics...nuff said.
Sims Chaos
Enjoy your purchases! 
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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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| Philip Prior wrote: |
Everyone has a strong opinion when it comes to straps or Flows. Try them out for yourself is the best option. I personally luv em but thats not too say their right for everyone else. I do believe the people who benefit from the control difference that straps afford would only be the Pro riders and not the average 2-4 weeks a year person.
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If you are getting a chance to try different bindings then definetely try some bindings with either cap straps (on most Burton models) or Baltimore straps (Technine Montoyas). I used to have an issue with my foot cramping up if I had tightened the toe strap up a little too tight. I've spent over a week on the snow now with cap straps and that particular problem has disappeared. If anything the cap straps offered better control than a normal toe strap as well. I wouldn't buy a set of strap bindings without them.
Incidentally in case you are wondering cap straps and baltimore straps are the same thing. Burton and Technine both developed the straps at roughly the same time and instead of waging a legal battle to determine who invented it first they decided that they would share the patent.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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for choice of kit, I would agree with pretty much everything that Philip said. Boots are number 1, the Custom is an institution - a classic all-round board that you'd be unlikely to grow out of - but there are cheaper boards by other makes that are just as good.
As for bindings, I use Flows but I do like the look of the Burton cap straps. If I was buying bindings now, I would want to try those and Flows to see which I preferred. I wouldn't even think about "normal" strap bindings now. However, I have heard that Salomon are bringing out something similar for next year. Their bindings are well made and so the addition of cap strap by a different name would be interesting.
However, you asked one question that everyone has ignored so far - whether you should buy at all. If you don't have the funds to blow £650+ (at full retail price) on board, boots and bindings in one hit, I would definitely say get the boots and then hire decent kit when you need it. Finding decent hire kit is not easy but my impression is that it is getting easier than it was. Ski shops can buy lots of current year top end skis and know that they will get the money back by the end of the season. With boards, most boarders own their own and so most rental kit is aimed at the beginner market and has been trashed to death for numerous seasons (lots of 10 year old Rossignols with rubber bumpers - yuck). However, if you search around a bit, most resorts will have something decent available for rent.
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some other questions that you asked:
TRICKS: I am pretty useless at doing impressive things in the air but I do quite like doing those cool things that make you really feel in control of the board, such as:
1. buttering (which is when you make the transition from switch to normal by pivoting on the leading edge of the board, until it becomes the trailing edge and you then put the board flat on the ground again. you only need lift the other end by a few inches but it feels great to do and looks very cool)
2. riding switch (becomes straightforward with lots of practice. it feels counter intuitive to start with but it is just like learning where to put your weight all over again. really useful skill as it means that you can ride into or out of 180 tricks)
3. 180 jump turns at full flight (spot a bump on the piste, hit it, just get a few inches of air, spin 180, land, ride off. if you rode in switch, great. if you rode in normal, now choose when and how to get yourself back to normal - either do another 180 or try buttering. for full versatility, practise spinning frontside and backside and both into and out of switch)
4. half-pipe jump turns (find a nice run with a high bank of snow - cattracks through the trees are good for this. ride up the bank, jump turn to ride down it, just like when in a pipe, but without trying to get proper air)
All of the above can be done just by forcing yourself to do it. On my next trip this season I will probably have some time by myself and am thinking of taking the opportunity to have some freestyle lessons to do some more stuff. It certainly passes the time when there is too little or too much powder!
STRAPPING IN AFTER LIFTS: most boarders just put up with this as being the payback for being able to enjoy what comes next. I have even heard people claiming that it is a beautiful ritual thing that adds meaning to their run. But while they are busy philosophising on their asses, I'm off down the run having taken 2 seconds to get my back foot strapped into my Flows  I can usually beat skiers who have to sort out poles. But the main reason that I wear them is that I find that my feet are comforrtable all day and that my last runs are not ruined by foot ache.
Some strap bindings are quicker to do up than others. Salomon bindings have a captive toe strap so that the two bits stay connected and you only have to flip up the strap and tighten it. They'll be changing the design next year to be more of a cap-strap idea but I expect that they will combine it with the captive strap idea.
I reckon that the cap straps must work in the same way - that you don't need to undo the toe strap, you just lossen it and pull your foot out.
Of course you can get step-ins but that would just be stupid 
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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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Tony can you butter the Timeless. It's a stiff board! I do need to work on my tricks a bit.
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Don't totally write off "normal" strap bindings. If the toe strap/boot interface is well made, you can tighten the toe strap nice and tight without cramping your foot. It all comes back to trying things on and seeing what feels best for you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Philip Prior, my trick riding improved massively while I was riding the Dominant for a few days in January, but once I got back on the Timeless I found that, having improved my technique, I could still do the same tricks (although maybe not quite so easily). That said, my buttering is still at a basic level and a bit rushed - you see some guys who are so smooth and almost seem to pause with the lifted end hanging out sideways before they finish the move
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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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B00thy, don't worry about riding with skiers, most of my snow pals are skiers and we ride/ski together quite happily. Also, you don't need to worry about having to 'learn' to ride powder 
Flow bindings always seem to generate strong opinions. I have been using them since 1998 and am now on my third pair, yes I have had some reliability issues a few years back and yes they don't give you the the last 5% of performance you might get with a good pair of straps but for most mortals that is not a huge issue. Like Tony Lane I am often away from the lift before the skiers and I'm comfy which is probably the most important thing (you absolutely don't need Flow boots btw).
Its difficult to give advice about boards (though I have tried). The Burton Custom is a perfectly good freeride board for beginning to intermediate riders but its a Ford Focus with a BMW price tag and you can do better. It is also known for its tendency to 'noodle out' (soften up) quickly. That can be nice and forgiving for a beginner but it will impede your progress later. I would recommend that if you expect to progress quickly you should consider a stiffer board that may be challenging initially but will suit you longer term. Alternatively, consider picking up a second hand board for now. Just make sure that you can see the light of day underneath the middle when you lay it flat and that it still has a good spring in it.
Do spend whatever it takes to get the best fitting most comfy boots you can find.
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You know it makes sense.
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playdreamer, I thought there was a technique variation for powder - weight further back - plus I needed a different (longer?) board. I'm more than comfortable with just piling off into some "near piste" and seeing what happens. At this stage it will only be into chopped or a light dusting of powder as when it dumps big I'll still be choosing my skis for a while I guess.
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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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What I meant was that, unlike with skis, there is no difficult/different technique to learn for riding in powder - its where a snowboard is absolutely in its element and even beginners find it much easier to ride in powder than anything else. You will find yourself leaning back a bit but that does not require much learning! A bigger board will float better in powder (and require less leaning back) but even a regular sized board will give you way more float than skis.
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| when it dumps big I'll still be choosing my skis |
Why? Most of the skiers I know who also snowboard say that they bring the snowboard out especially on powder days.
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Poster: A snowHead
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playdreamer, two reasons:
1. At the moment I am comfortable back country on skis and I am not there yet on a board
2. Some of the areas I go to have quite a long skate and pole out on skis as it is. With a board I will have to say goodbye to everyone when I start walking.
Over time I assume I will have boarder back-country days and skier back-country days
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I used flows in the early days and they were OK but have gone back to straps - various knee injuries meant that "kicking into" the flow bindings was too uncomfortable. My brothers uses them and loves them.
I use Saloman bindings and am a big fan of all things Saloman now. Their products are always very competent be it board, bindings or boots and, very importantly, are very reliable. Burton on the other hand might make great kit but the longeivity of their product is a joke. I pulled the eyelets through on my boots in the second season (that's just 3 maybe 4 weeks wear) and I've not been on a holiday yet where somebody's burton bindings haven't broken.
I've heard nothing but great things about the ride timeless.
Currently I ride a big Santa Crus FW - a very good board if you weigh in at over 100kgs.................
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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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Hmm. Harking back for a moment to the pretty swedish girl I was sitting next to ... I noticed that her BURTON cap straps were odd. She explained that the rear one hd broken and that she had borrowed a binding whilst waiting for a new one which was on order. It does rather support the seemingly commonly held view that there is a question mark over the longevity of Burton kit.
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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: |
| What I meant was that, unlike with skis, there is no difficult/different technique to learn for riding in powder - its where a snowboard is absolutely in its element and even beginners find it much easier to ride in powder than anything else. |
I'm going to have to disagree here. Boarding on powder is easy, but when you first transition from piste-riding to deep powder you will instantly become worse until you learn to ride powder. Turns are simply more difficult. Of course, once you learn to turn in powder its just beautiful, nothing beats the surfing feeling of a board on endless powder.
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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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I'll second that........................just fantastic. My week of fresh pow in Saalbach last year will live with me forever. I had to have the smile surgically removed.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'll 2nd that Mr P.No price could be pinned to a holiday like that.
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there is no need to make a sudden tarnsition from piste to powder. start by cutting a few coners off piste and then coming back on. Powder is much easier than piste because it is so much more forgiving, though you need more gradient/speed to maintain the same momentum. Powder becomes more difficult only when it has been cut up, thawed and re-frozen several times over. Only then it is not powder, it is crud. So, powder rules!
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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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A sudden transition won't hurt you much though. The first run or two will be tricky, but after 2-4 runs you'll probably be riding powder better than piste.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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left nipple, welcome to snowHeads. I think I met your twin, once.
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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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Did you tweak him?
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left nipple, good God, I thought it was a her. 
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You know it makes sense.
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You thought that was bad?
I'm hairy and pierced too!
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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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I thought I was being welcomed because of my relevant and well thought out post, my mistake it was just a lame attempt at a chat up line because I named myself after a nipple
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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left nipple, no we always (almost always) welcome new posters no matter what their gender
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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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laundryman, now who's the tit 
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FAQ
