Snowboards...
David M. LaRocque
in the northeast have allowed snowboards on the
slopes. It's also the first time I've had the
opportunity to watch them in action at any length.
They look like a lot of fun, but I have a number
of questions. Intuitively, it would seem to me
that using a snowboard is easier than downhill
skiing. One has only one board to control instead
of two. It also seems that the turning motion is
accomplished primarily by raising up on the toes and the
heels of one's feet, and not through the process of
unweighting. I'm interested in hearing
from someone who is accomplished in both downhill
skiing and snowboarding who can compare the two.
I've also noticed that the average snow-
boarder goes at a much higher rate of speed than the
average skier and since there are no binding
releases on snowboards, they seem far more dangerous
than skiing.
-Dave LaRocque
laro...@crd.ge.com
********************************
Glen Baker
>It also seems that the turning motion is accomplished primarily by
>raising up on the toes and the heels of one's feet, and not through
>the process of unweighting.
Watch the *good* snowboarders...there's definately an unweighting much like
in skiing. The beginners tend to use more upper body rotation to just twist
the board beneath their feet. It's pretty easy to tell the difference, the
good boarders actually carve turns while the beginners tend to slide
sideways all the way down the hill.
>I've also noticed that the average snow- boarder goes at a much higher
>rate of speed than the average skier
Someone pointed out to me that snowboards turn much easier when they're
travelling faster...it's real hard to do a "step" turn on a board!
>since there are no binding releases on snowboards, they seem far more
>dangerous than skiing.
The court is still out on this one but IMHO you're probably correct. Squaw
started allowing boards last April, and is now allowing them all year. As
yet we don't really have enough statistics to indicate whether or not the
snow boarders have a higher per-capita injury rate than the skiers, but
the injuries themselves seem to be quite similar (i.e. mostly knee injuries
followed by the usual thumb/shoulder/etc stuff). So far we haven't seen too
many collisions...let's hope it stays that way!
>-Dave LaRocque
glen "certified squaw fanatic" baker
Erik Wettersten
> in the northeast have allowed snowboards on the
> slopes. It's also the first time I've had the
> opportunity to watch them in action at any length.
YEAH!
> They look like a lot of fun,
Definitely, I haven't touch my olin's in two years.
> but I have a number
> of questions. Intuitively, it would seem to me
> that using a snowboard is easier than downhill
> skiing. One has only one board to control instead
> of two. It also seems that the turning motion is
> accomplished primarily by raising up on the toes and the
> heels of one's feet, and not through the process of
> unweighting. I'm interested in hearing
> from someone who is accomplished in both downhill
> skiing and snowboarding who can compare the two.
Easier? well, yes and no, groomed turning is mostly toe-heel transitions
(like you said) with some fore and aft/ up and down weighting. Bumps are
another story... I find bumping on a board is probably one of the toughest
forms of exercise around (not to mention my favorite). To keep your shoulders
right on the fall line while popping the board side to side requires more
effort than the same act on skis(IMHO). The board has to travel the farther and
the energy is initiated from the quads (which are busy absorbing the bumps too),
- wereas a skier's leg-abuse is spread more evenly. Bumping on board is like
jumping back and forth over a ditch while trying to keep your shoulders
centered over the ditch ...really, really fast.
The one board vs two is a factor, not necessarily in control, but rather
the 'feeling'. You first notice this when you see a skier leaving his(her)
car carrying boots poles and skis, and a boarder wearing the boots and
carrying only one board. This same freedom is experienced out on the slope
and is probably the reason for me being partial to boarding.
Conditions make a big difference, boarding on ice basically sucks, a skier
has a definite advantage on the hard stuff. On the other hand, powder on
a board is about three times as fun as it looks (wereas skiing is only
two and half times as fun as it looks). Boards are also great for crud;
- corn-snow, death-cookies, and crust-on-powder conditions are actually fun
on a board ...believe it or not, I've been in conditions were *expert*
(aka US freestyle quality) skiers couldn't touch a boarder, ...of course
I've seen it work the other way too 8-) ...all too often (same skier,
hard bumps).
Learning to board is not much different than learning to ski (that is,
the process not the act). ...except for the first day. To similate day one
on a snowboard, tie your legs together, and attempt to stop trucks on an
icy road using only your head and butt. ...but fear not, it can be done. Be
sure to pick a day with at least 2-4 inches new, on top of packed powder
(NOT ICE!), and find someone to give you pointers, ...the most important
of which is to keep your weight forward (about 75-80% on your front foot).
Oh, and don't give up without a good fight, plan on about 4 hours of
rugby-on-ice before you start feeling like your having, dare I say...fun.
Oh, ...and wear knee pads, ...and a butt-pad if you can find one ... I'm
not joking.
> I've also noticed that the average snow-
> boarder goes at a much higher rate of speed than the
> average skier and since there are no binding
> releases on snowboards, they seem far more dangerous
> than skiing.
The speed, well er, probably, -some of this is due to a certain attitude that
a lot of boarders have (and some, unfortunately, are a little too proud of
and have given the sport a bad name). Remember that there is a minimum
speed below which a snow-board does not turn (except by 'throwing ). ...this
is part of the reason learning is tough, ...you can't learn by doing slow
turns working your way up to fast turns...
Danger, yes, it exists, probably about the same as skiing. In talking
to a 2nd-cousin-in-law-twice-removed-whatever doctor-relative of mine, the
injuries tend to be more in the ankles and back, were-as skiers go through more
knees. This is what I've observed too, I've known of a few broken and
fractured ankles and a lot of tendonitis in the legs (from boarding),
and I've met former skiers who can't take the knee twists of sking but
can board because the non- releasing bindings keep your knees in the same plane
...which is nice.
I wouldn't doubt if the above mentioned boarder-attitude might be responsible
for a few of the more interesting injuries.
Whew! perhaps I should write a book... (...perhaps I just did).
Anyway, good luck! snowboarding is a blast, and I personally prefer it
to sking any day... your opinions may vary, ...but I've taught
several people to board w/in the last two years and only one (my *former*
girlfriend) still skis more than boards ...but what does she know anyway ;-)
- Erik W.
_O_/__
/\ |/ / "To air is human,
' `77/ to shred... -divine."
/ /
(_/