 Poster: A snowHead
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Grateful some advice for a beginner boarder. It seems standard practice to ride chairlifts with only the front foot in the binding, but if I have room, I generally try to get my second foot in either when waiting for the chair, or on the lift (Flow bindings help). The only time I have ever felt that a snowboarding fall injured me (as opposed to just hurting like hell) was when I fell getting off a chair lift, with just my front (left) foot in, and the board really dug in the snow and put far too much leverage on my knee. Ouch. I have fallen other times without the same result - but all told, I feel that my legs are much less vulnerable when I have two feet in. What do more experienced riders recommend? I have no problem clipping up the second binding waiting for a button lift - but should I bite the bullet and learn to ride better with just the one foot in?
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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'm not very experienced, but when I've had lessons the instructors say it's better to have just one foot in. Not entriely sure why, but I think you should get used to doing it. If you do have a spill at the top it's quicker to get out of the way if you've only got one boot in.
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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 should indeed bite the bullet and learn one foot - it gets easier quite quickly, and soon you will be at the point where you never fall getting off the lift. This is a useful skill to have, because often on flats you need to unstrap a foot and get around. Furthermore, you may find that after getting off certain lifts, if you are strapped in you will get stuck on a flat, have to unstrap, get to the top of the hill, and then strap in again. An uneccessary pain in the ass, even with flows.
Also the being able to get out of the way if you have a spill at the top is a good thing too.
Side note - tips for riding with one foot:
Begginers often put too much weight on their back foot. While you can get away with this on easy slopes with both feet strapped in, in any other situation this is terrible for your riding. Try putting more weight on your front foot when getting off the lift, and at all other times for that matter. Also, when getting off the lift, stomp the board down and stand up hard and fast. Once you are on the board it is easy to ride away, but you can easily put yourself off balance if you try to get off the lift too tentatively and slowly.
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Similar question, but regarding drag lifts....I've seen people with one foot loose, others with both in their bindings....and or course I've seen the super kids going fakey, constantly changing direction to amuse themselves while I cling on for dear life! Any recommendations?
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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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Quite a few resorts now insist that boarders ride on drag lifts with the back foot out of the bindings. The reasoning is so that you can get out of the way if you fall off of the drag.
I found drags knackering when I first tried them on a board, not to mention the cut off circulation on lond drags, but you soon toughen up and get used to it. At many resorts it opens up a lot more options for you if you can comfotably do drag lifts on a board, so get on those pomas and tough it out!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I refuse to use any kind of lift that does not invlove some sort of chair 
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pam w, i would certainly advise learning to get off a chair one footed. In my view you are a potential liability to others if you ride a chairlift with both feet clipped in because you have no means of propelling yourself, and it can be difficult to maintain your balance if you have no momentum. If someone cuts across your path while getting off a chair and you have both feet strapped in you will have no option - you will have to fall over or take them out or both. With one foot loose you can scramble out of the way and then shout your abuse at them safe in the knowledge that you are entirely blameless.
I sometimes ride drags with both feet in but usually i still prefer to have my back foot loose just incase i do happen to get out of sorts on the way up.
As ponder says, it gets easier with practice. Chairs will soon become no problem, although drags will always inspire a certain element of uncertainty.
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Thanks very much for the advice - will try to bite the bullet! I don't care about falling over, in the normal course of events, it was just that bad fall when the board dug in which made me wonder. Stomp down and stand up sounds exactly right - I will say that to myself just before we arrive! However, I'm not sure I agree about being able to get out of the way quicker if I fall off a drag with one foot out. I find that even being elderly, I can lift both legs and sling the board over pretty quickly with both feet in, if I'm scared enough of whoever is coming up behind.
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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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When you ride with only one foot
slide your back foot so it is tight against the back binding .
This will give you a lot more control
also fit a stomp pad if you board does not have one.. this will help your boot
stick to the board instead of slideing off..
good luck 
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Always use one foot, a lot of resorts will not let you on with two feet anyway, but it is highly dangerous getting onto any lifts with two feet esp drag lifts. Take JC's advice get a good Stomp Pad ( i find Rubber or Neoprene ones give most Grip) and stick you spare foot up against the binding. This is also a useful Technique when riding around on Flat Parts! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I always keep both feet in the bindings. I know I am in the minority on this and many places do not like you doing it. I undertsand their point of view if you fall over cus you stuff the whole system up but if you are competant enough to stay upright it is the only way to go on both drags and chairs. This is because you are so much more in control, you can shoot straight off at the top, carving easily around the other riders sitting on their back bottoms making the whole place messy and tripping up skiers. If you know your resort, you can usually gide straight to the lift queue and onto the lift with minimum effort. hen it comes to cable cars and the like, I recommend both feet out of the bindings
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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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Just a quick tip for t-bars if you must take them, as you sometimes have to - face inward, with your strapped in foot uphill, the t-bar between your legs, and your hands holding on wherever is most comfortable. Keep the majority of your weight over your uphill/strapped in foot. Stay loose.
As for rope tows, I refuse to take them, as they wreck my gloves, costing me money.
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I have step-in bindings and can step-in on the lift itself but I find that once you get used to riding drag lifts, it is actually more comfortable to ride with the back foot free. You can have a narrower stance, standing more upright and get a bit of a breather.
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You know it makes sense.
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"strapped in foot uphill" and "back foot free" are actually the same thing
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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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| ponder wrote: |
Just a quick tip for t-bars if you must take them, as you sometimes have to - face inward, with your strapped in foot uphill, the t-bar between your legs, and your hands holding on wherever is most comfortable. Keep the majority of your weight over your uphill/strapped in foot. Stay loose.
As for rope tows, I refuse to take them, as they wreck my gloves, costing me money. |
Don't ride them alone would be my top tip, I find riding a t-bar with another boarder much easier than alone, this isn't really the case on skis.
As for one foot/two foot, either you're in control of your board or you're not. I can ride moderate distance and moderate speed with only one foot bound and the other weighting the board via the stomp plate just as I can ski on one ski over a moderate distance and moderate speed. Having that sort of balance, pressure and edge control are reasonably basic skills that help your technique all over the mountain anyway.
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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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Masque,  Having just mastered the tow at the dry slope you are all beginning to scare the sh*t out of me. I think I shall have the whole chair to myself even if it’s an 8 seater! Perhaps a large L strapped to my back maybe in order!
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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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ise wrote
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As for one foot/two foot, either you're in control of your board or you're not. I can ride moderate distance and moderate speed with only one foot bound and the other weighting the board via the stomp plate just as I can ski on one ski over a moderate distance and moderate speed. Having that sort of balance, pressure and edge control are reasonably basic skills that help your technique all over the mountain anyway.
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Incoqskisno wrote
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Having just mastered the tow at the dry slope you are all beginning to scare the sh*t out of me. I think I shall have the whole chair to myself even if it’s an 8 seater!
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It's precisely because I am all too aware of not yet being "in control" that I asked the question in the first place. The standard ise describes might be a reasonably basic level of skill for him, but not for me, and apparently not for IncoqSkiSno either. But we will keep trying to reach that masterly level....
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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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ise, I ride regular and will occaisionaly pair up with a goofy boarder. I don't think I've ever been up a t-bar on the wrong (i.e. right) side before.
IMHO the best t-bar partner is a shorter skier. She/he finds it much easier to steer and is much harder to push over. Armed with a tame skier, I have been up a t-bar in a tiny ski lift in Rothenthurm that was so steep that the t bent alarmingly under our weight.
Mind you boarding t-bars seems fairly tame now compared to skiing up one with 2 small children.
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Masque, Thanks - I will certainly give it a go at xmas; can't wait to try boarding on 'real snow'. Not sure if I'll be more of a danger to myself or to others! 
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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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| Masque wrote: |
| La Rosiere is one of a number of kermit resorts that’ve been a bit lax on this front . . . though it’s got a way to go before getting as bad as Risoul (or was . . it’s been five years) |
I think Risoul's Ok now from what I remember - went a few years ago and it was mainly Chairs think I only used a drag a couple of times. Pretty nice resort - will have to head back there one day.
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Board4Life, It had only two chairs when I was there, every thing else including one that was a complete ****** was button or Tbar. Pretty little resort though
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FAQ
Then, we arrived at the front with the usual 30secs to departure when he mentioned he'd never seen a T-bar before and I gave him the crash course, we rode up no problem at all and I was on a aboard as well that day.
