The Snowboarding thread

[Teggers]

After all the other MTB etc related threads and knowing we have more than a few snowboarders on here; thus was born the snowboarding thread.

Pics of your board, specs, riding style, recommended destinations, anything snowboard related is in here. Skiers are grudgingly accepted too I suppose (I haves ome good mates who only ski - useful for a tow on flat bits )

The only real resort I have been to is Morzine but with 650-odd km of piste, loads of parks, half-pipes and acres of off-piste (much more fun!) I don't really want to go anywhere else! Apart from anywhere in NZ and Canada...

My board: 2003 (I think) Salomon Provider 157. More than a bit battered with the base being more P-Tex than original. Pic from a few years ago. Has a few stickers, many more scuffs and different stomp-pads now.


IMO, off-piste is the place to be. Nothing I have EVER experienced (almost )can beat the feeling of fresh powder on a crips sunny morning and standing at the bottom of a slope looking back up and seeing yours are the only tracks on it Bestest feeling ever!!

[FIGJAM]

Morzine gets my vote, I go back most years but stay in Avoriaz as its a bit nicer. Done most of the big Italian resorts and its always my fave.

I have a few boards some old A boards (if you remember them) a 159 for fun and a 163 for speeds as well as a nice soft Salomon 161 with bindings and Salomon F boots.

Love it but looks like this year I have to try and save some cash.

[Teggers]

Most of mine and other halfs friends/relations live in Morzine/Montriond/St. Jean D'Aulps so thats generally where we are. Thought about Avoriaz but looked at the size of the apartments and they are like shoeboxes! Would rather have a bit more space and take a cable car for 5 mins

Bindings - forgot about these (need another coffee) I use Forum Team for most use and some Flow (unsure what model) ones for lazy days. Boots: Salomon again - blue Synapse. Really comfy and have done me well for 6 years (1 full season and numerous holidays )

Could do with a new board really but can't really jusify the cost when my current one is ok for the time being. It does everything I ask of it apart from go really fast. Bex can leave me for dead if she decides to speed off - she rides a Salomon Daniel Franck pro-edition board.

I'll probably get a new one next year - likely an Endeavor board as I've always fancied one of those! The Paavo if they still do it!

[Jord]

I started snowboarding this year at MK and Castleford, mostly in preparation for our holiday in January. Me, the missus and another couple are off to Les 2 Alpes on the 9th Jan. I CANNOT WAIT.

I've been on skiiing holidays twice before but never boarding so we did two 3hr private lessons @ MK in October and I've been going practicing every other week since and I'm loving it! I can ride switch now, turn in switch and 180 in and out of switch. Can't 360 ollie yet though, I can only get around about 290deg.

Can't wait to get out on the mountain and enjoy myself. Les 2 Alpes has a 'park' section too so I'm sure an injury* will follow.

Still renting at the moment but if me and missus get on OK in Jan I'm going to buy my own boots for sure .

*I've already bust my shoulder and bruised a rib from an earlier episode at Xscape.

[Cloudy]

Been snowboarding on and off since 97, mainly into free riding but starting to get the bug for a bit of free style. Before that I was into my skiing but got bored.

Board - 97 GNU Stupid Cap - Love it, still in great shape but need to get the threads re-done.
Boots - Vans Danny Kaas III
Binding - Salomon - Can't remember the spec but err they look nice!

Been to...

France - Chamonix, La Cluzaz, Les Deux Alps, Trois Valleys, and others which I can't remember. Have to say best for me was the Trois Valley.
Italy - can't remember the name of the resort!!
USA - Stowe (Vermont), had some great trails and a ton of snow.
NZ - Ohkahune (SP) on the north island. It was Okay didn't get to use the slopes that much as the 3 days I was there the weather was awful and with the wind chill factor -10! Wanaka (south island) - I can't remember the name of the actual area but it was fantastic just for the drive up to the slopes. Queens Town - again can't remember the slopes/resorts but both great if not a little small.

[Ed]

Not been for 4 seasons now But I will hopefully get away this year

I started about 12 years ago, but its been on and off, so not actaully done that much

Current setup is a Morrow board with Flow FL2 bindings.

Morzine/Avoriaz gets my vote for sure

[kam]

Me, the missus and another couple are off to Les 2 Alpes on the 9th Jan. I CANNOT WAIT.

No way, I fly out on the same day

[nash`s]

Been snowboarding on and off since 97, mainly into free riding but starting to get the bug for a bit of free style. Before that I was into my skiing but got bored.

Board - 97 GNU Stupid Cap - Love it, still in great shape but need to get the threads re-done.
Boots - Vans Danny Kaas III
Binding - Salomon - Can't remember the spec but err they look nice!

Been to...

France - Chamonix, La Cluzaz, Les Deux Alps, Trois Valleys, and others which I can't remember. Have to say best for me was the Trois Valley.
Italy - can't remember the name of the resort!!
USA - Stowe (Vermont), had some great trails and a ton of snow.
NZ - Ohkahune (SP) on the north island. It was Okay didn't get to use the slopes that much as the 3 days I was there the weather was awful and with the wind chill factor -10! Wanaka (south island) - I can't remember the name of the actual area but it was fantastic just for the drive up to the slopes. Queens Town - again can't remember the slopes/resorts but both great if not a little small.

iv been to stowe aswell, awsome place

[Jonny]

Just about to book 2 weeks in Solitude, Utah

Been to:

Canada

Fernie - supposed to be awesome, but I was a noob on our first ever boarding holiday so only ever saw green runs... Would love to go back.
Banff - Lake Louise / Sunshine / Norquay. Fecking cold, but really nice place

USA

Lake Tahoe - really good - some of it it very commercial, but there's plenty of other resorts locally which are a lot less touristy. Been a few times as it's close to work's US office in cupertino
Steamboat - really loved steamboat - nice atmosphere, quiet, good snow
Jackson Hole - Awesome : Best powder ever - about a metre a night. Got me hooked

France - Courcheval. Really nice but it was foggy and the snow wasn't that great while we were there.
Switzerland - Verbier. Another blag while I was working in the vicinity Again, I was a noob so didn't see all of it, but it's a really nice place
Austria - Ishgl - Another good one. They even have a travelator under the mountain to save you walking from the town

Overall I prob prefer the US to europe as it's a bit more civilised - not as much carnage in the lift queues...

Equipment wise - I've got a 4 or so year old Arbor Element, old flow Pro Carbon bindings, ThirtyTwo Focus Boa boots

[zeppelin101]

I've only been once. Went to Morzine last year and learnt with my sister and her mates.

Awesome fun! Would love to go again but just haven't got the money to

Getting the hang of the lifts was a little tricky at first

[Jord]

No way, I fly out on the same day

To Les Duex? Where are you flying from, East Midlands?

[Johnny]

Overall I prob prefer the US to europe as it's a bit more civilised - not as much carnage in the lift queues...

^ this ....... if only they could move the French Alps to the US it would be the ideal place

I suppose Whistler is a good compramise to this

[kam]

To Les Duex? Where are you flying from, East Midlands?

Yep! Flying from Birmingham though. Mates are going out a week before in a van and taking all my gear too
Can't wait!

I'm with 3 decent boarders (I ski) if you fancy a good blast one day

[Jord]

I think fly from Brum too actually, I need to check. 7am flight?

How weird would it be if you were staying in the same chalet as us [which one are you in?!] Should hook up for a session though! Although we are all relative beginners.

[kam]

I think fly from Brum too actually, I need to check. 7am flight?

How weird would it be if you were staying in the same chalet as us [which one are you in?!] Should hook up for a session though! Although we are all relative beginners.

Yeah, exactly the same flight too
I think I'd recoginise you from BDC, i went to most of the rounds with Martin Richards.

We are staying in a 4bed apartment, that part of it i don't know, i haven't organised it. We are all quite advanced, but that can be good in a way, will push you

[Jord]

Haha thats weird!

We have three of the rooms at Chalet Chartreuse. Hot tub, sauna, three course meals inc. wine all prepared by hot, naked* live-in chalet girls.

http://www.neilson.co.uk/Snow-France...formation.aspx

Deffo hook up for some sessions and drinking too I think .I'll give you a shout nearer the time!

*I can but hope.

[kam]

Awesome, I'm slumming it, cause the other guys can't afford much. Only cost £250 for a week & lift pass.

See you there
*I'll take the naked girls off your hands free of charge!

[eloise]

me the missis and kids are off to bulgaria on the second of jan. this will be the 4th time there cause im a scrooge and wont pay the french lift pass prices lol.

my board is an omatic boron, its quite good for the money and a bit of a jack of all trades, will go off piste and its ok in the park etc.
the boots are 32s cant remember the model and the bindings were just cheap ones but are light and stiff.

the other halfs stuff is all burton gear cause she has to have the best lol

[ferretca18]

^ this ....... if only they could move the French Alps to the US it would be the ideal place

I suppose Whistler is a good compramise to this

WEhistler is amazing. I've not been in the winter yet, but the summer wwas exceptional. I had a job offer for the winter but ithe wages wouldnt cover living and my loan payments

I have mates out there that ski and a mate that boards, they guy that boards used to live over here, but went to do some instructing over there and never came back, he now has a long term girlfriend and now has his permanent residence permit He used to go to the alps all the time but went to Whistler and loved it. I think the lack of a language barrier helps a lot and also there is a lot of other things you can do over there as its so close to major cities as well

I used to board years and years ago, only really got into noob status tho, had a generics true board (cant remember the sixe) but i was a better skiier than boarder (despite having about equal time on both, i could ski down pretty much everything but blacks but could barely get up the lifts on a board...)

I'd love to get into it again as a lot of my mates board/ ski

[Jonny]

I suppose Whistler is a good compramise to this

I've never been - I know people that have and have rated it quite highly. I tend to favour smaller resorts rather than giant commercial ones, which in my mind at least is what I perceive Whistler as.

My fave resort in Tahoe is Homewood for this very reason - it's not got the elevation or the facilities, but it's got a really nice atmosphere and is really quiet

It's going to be packed in Whistler this season due to the winter olympics..