Snow Sport

 

Archive for May, 2009


What Is A Freeride Snowboard?

Published May 25th, 2009 in Snowboards | No Comments »

A sort of snowboarding that refers to a basic snowboard style that encompasses just about any environment and situation. The snowboards used are so versatile they can be suitable for beginners and veteran riders equally. The philosophy behind freeride snowboarding is to basically get out and slide down the hill. It epitomizes the laid-back attitude of the sport

The type of snowboard you will need to buy will depend on a lot of factors such as your weight, height or your foot size. It will also depend on the kind of snowboarding you are proposing on doing. There are 3 broad categories of snowboards. Freestyle boards, aka technical boards, Alpine boards which are on occasion referred to as carving boards and finally freeriding boards, also called all-mountain boards.

Whether you have heard about Sims snowboards and would like to try out one from their range or simply know that you want a wide snowboard there is much research to be done.

Freeriding snowboard are the most accepted types of boards and are probably the kind of snowboard you are handed if you are snowboarding for the first time and have lobbed into a hire shop. The freeride board is a good multifaceted snowboard that will allow you to accomplish some basic tricks and will also give you good speed down the hill. In other words this kind of board has been intended to suit the widest range of snowboard skill as possible.

In general, the freeride snowboard is an average sized snowboard with average rigidity neither soft-flexing nor stiff making them apt for a range of snow situations. They are also designed with the tip and the tail somewhat turning up making it possible for them to be ridden forwards or, for over brief distances, backwards (which is termed fakie) if that’s the kind of thing you want to do with your board.

If you are hoping to buy a new snowboard you must first think about the kind of snowboarding you’re going to want to do and then buy the type of snowboard that suits that style. If you plan on simply enjoying the diverse types of snowboarding options to be tried at a ski resort} then possibly a cheap freeride snowboard is the board for you.

Early Snow In New Zealand

Published May 20th, 2009 in Snow | No Comments »

The New Zealand ski resorts are preparing for an early start to the ski season with harsh weather warnings in the region of Otago and the Southland being lifted soon after a cold snap that has brought a good deal of snow to the area. Around the Queenstown area, the ski field operators have jumped into action in preparation for a strong early season.

Ski fields in Otago such as the Remarkables Ski Area have previously received around 2 feet of snow before the official season opening on June 20. Snow has fallen and is lying on the ground down to approximately 700m. Ski resorts such as Coronet Peak has had some good dumps and is looking good for its June 6 opening with snow machines likely to be in operation from May 22.

It’s a promising start to the season but with opening day still weeks away, ski field operators aren’t getting too animated just yet. However you’d prefer to see snow and colder temperatures now than not.

A Sidecut Varies from Board to Board, But Why?

Published May 18th, 2009 in Snowboards | No Comments »

In many of the catalog descriptions that you read when explaining bits about a snowboard, such as a Rome snowboard for instance, is the sidecut of the board. It all depends on what the snowboard was intended to be used for and how maneuverable it needs to be.

The sidecut of a snowboard refers to the degree of curve in the contact edge of a board. The depth it is calculated by is the radius of a loop in meters should the arc in the side of the snowboard be extended. This gives you an idea of the turning circle that the board is intended to make if it follows the curve of the boards arc. The difference concerning the nose and the tail width compared to the waist width of the board is an added way of specifying the board’s dimension.

As stated earlier, the difference that the size of the sidecut makes from one board to the next is in the radius of the turn that the board is capable of making. The shorter the radius, the tighter the turn and this will quicken the board’s turning reaction in the snow. On the other hand a wider sidecut will give the board a wider turn.

This then translates into the type of snowboarding you’re keen to try out. If you want to go pipe riding or carry out tricks you will need a snowboard with a low sidecut. Somebody who wants to go mountain riding will be more apt to select a board with a deep elliptical sidecut to give them more constancy at the faster speeds they are possibly going to be going.

Several assorted snowboard manufacturers set their boards up differently and keep to separate designs. Some of them will prove more fitting to your riding style than others consequently you will have to shop around to find the board that performs best for your body type and weight.

There are many factors to ponder when buying a snowboard and finding the type of board that is suitable for you is a decision that could take some time, although there are plenty of good used snowboards to choose from.

Snowshoes

Published May 13th, 2009 in Snow Equipment | No Comments »

There are many pieces of specialized footwear for travel over snow and ice. One of the needed innovations that was required to save lives in such regions was the snowshoe.

The examples for the first snowshoes came from local animals whose feet were adapted to the setting for over-land travel. A snowshoe rabbit’s hind feet were motivation for a pair of distinctive styles of snowshoe.

For those who like categorizing objects the snowshoe can be broken down into 5 basic categories: Ojibwa, Yukon, beavertail, bearpaw and Western. This doesn’t take into account the various different sizes or overlaps in regional names which can blur the lines between the various types.

Snowshoes can be made either as wood-framed or the more modern metal-frame. Early models were webbed with animal hide and were made to look like animal tracks such as those made by the bobcat or lynx. Some were also made to be like bear tracks, although bears left much deeper tracks than those made with snowshoes.

For over-land travel through soft, deep snow, there was not anything that could beat a well made pair of snowshoes.

A Snowboard Leash Is The Safe Way To Go

Published May 11th, 2009 in Snowboards | No Comments »

As opposed to wearing skis snowboards have a tendency to slide away if they are not properly attached to your boots. A piece of safety equipment that is essential for snowboarders to wear at all times is the snowboard safety leash. You might ride a Lamar Snowboard but that doesn’t make you immune.

A safety leash is a strap that is fastened to the snowboarder’s lead leg and is designed to avoid runaway boards if your bindings let go for any reason or if you let go of the board while you’re buckling or unbuckling the bindings. The snowboard leash is designed to be worn at around knee height which will mean the snowboarder can keep it attached while hauling the board back up the slope when walking.

The idea of the leash is to reduce the dangers that arise from runaway snowboards. Getting into and out of the snowboard bindings can occasionally put the snowboarder in an awkward spot chiefly when attempting to do so on a steep mountainside so the likelihood that the board will slip away is more real than some people will credit. A runaway board can harm an unsuspecting person below or can be scratched itself if it runs into a solid object.

The wise option is to take out the risk of injury or damage completely by wearing the proper snowboarding equipment. In some cases you won’t have a choice with some resorts enforcing a no leash – no ride rule.

When you go out to buy a snowboard you should seriously consider putting the snowboard leash on the list too. They’re fairly low-priced and they could wind up saving you a lot of money in the long run.

Preventing Wrist Injury While Snowboarding

Published May 6th, 2009 in Snowboards | No Comments »

Areas of the body such as the wrist, knees and ankles are all prone to getting hurt either from a fall or a hard landing while snowboarding. Though snowboarding is a very agreeable pastime the truth is that there is a distinct possibility that it can end in injury regardless of whether you use Ride Snowboards or any other quality snowboard for that matter.

There are ways to avert injuries as well as prudent protective equipment to use and wear, but regularly no matter how aware of the dangers you are, on occasion accidents just occur.

There’s no suggestion that you ought to avoid going snowboarding. On the contrary it is still quite a safe winter sport. As with all activities the more care you take the less likelihood you’re going to get injured.

The most usual types of injuries you can get while snowboarding are wrist injuries. For people who are new to snowboarding, falls are usual and the most common are those where you fall backwards and instinctively put your hands out to lessen the impact. When you fall, try to get into the habit of not catching yourself with your hands, but rather keeping your hands out in front of your body and allowing yourself to fall onto your elbows. Your elbows will be able to soak up the impact a lot more readily than your more fragile wrists.

An answer that is even safer is to try to keep your arms close to your body and allow yourself to hit the snow and roll with the force. By going with the fall there will be a lot more surface area with which the force will be dissipated. Sure, you’ll get more snow on your body but your wrists will remain safe.

If you don’t think you’ll be able to stop from throwing out the hands to catch yourself get yourself a pair of wrist guards. Some gloves are made with wrist guards built into them, but if you have some skating or skateboarding guards, use them beneath the gloves. They are the best technique for preventing wrist injury and if it’s an image thing you’re nervous about no-one needs to know if they’re under your clothes.

For the first week of snowboarding in particular you ought to be very aware of the hazard to your wrists. A modest bit of deterrence could save you weeks or months of pain as you find yourself laid up and recovering from a break.

Cross-Country Skiing

Published May 5th, 2009 in Skiing | No Comments »

Two types of skiing dominate the interest of snow sliders around the world with the most popular being downhill skiing which is also known as Alpine skiing. Getting to the top of long hills and mountains is made easy thanks to ski lifts so it’s just a matter of pointing the skis downhill and pushing off.

The other skiing discipline is the original type of skiing that was enjoyed before mechanical ski lifts made Alpine skiing accessible. This type is called either Nordic skiing, otherwise known as cross-country skiing.

Nordic skiers enjoy travelling over flatter, longer distances as well as uphill allowing them to take in the backdrop and getting wonderful health benefits from the exercise provided. The skis used for cross-country are dissimilar to the skis used for Alpine skiing in that they are longer and narrower. Also, the bindings and boots required for cross-country skiing differs. The heel is not fixed to a cross-country ski which allows the skier to pick up their feet in a walking motion when climbing hills.

Cross-country skiing is as fun as it is a useful way to cover long distances in the snow. It is a great way to open up some lovely scenery and the skis and boots have been particularly crafted to cope with any snow-covered landscape.

Generally the varieties of cross-country skiing can be grouped under three categories: ski touring, track skiing and backcountry skiing.

Examining the Meaning of Snowboard Flex

Published May 1st, 2009 in Snowboards | No Comments »

If you’re after a new snowboard, whether it be in a real shop or on the Internet, you will come across a few evocative terms about the boards that may be a little perplexing. No matter whether you’re after something from Arbor Snowboards or not, you’re going to have to learn the meaning of a few words. One of those words when referring to a feature of a snowboard is flex.

Flex is the measure of how hard or easy it is to bend a snowboard when you try to bend it along its length. You will find that some boards are stiffer than others and it takes more force which ordinarily means the board has a thicker core. Boards that are harder to flex ordinarily grip the snow better and are more stable. They exert better force on the surface of the snow.

Because of the larger grip and maneuverability they provide, racers and heavier riders will have a preference for stiffer boards.

On the other hand, softer-flexing boards are more matched to lighter and less aggressive riders as well as the type of snowboarders who enjoy performing freestyle tricks. Boards that are softer flexing have thinner cores and are normally lighter.

The term flex pattern is also derived from the overall flex of the board, although this is talking about the total make up of the board. It is actually talking about the amount of flex that the snowboard is capable of at several points. A board may be soft at the front and stiff at the heel or vice-versa. The arrangement of the various flexes to the board is the flex pattern. The different types of materials used in the production of snowboards allows for a mixture of flex patterns and thus there will be a noticeable difference in the way one board performs compared to another.

First you should work out what type of rider you are – non-aggressive or aggressive, light or heavy – and then the style of snowboarding you want to do – Alpine freestyle or freeride. Factors such as these will help you in agreeing on the type of flex that will suit you in your new snowboard.

There are numerous snowboard manufacturers in the industry so the task of buying a snowboard could be hard to do. Snowboards HQ presents a few of the makers out there as well as the range of snowboards obtainable for sale.