2010 Omatic Extr-Eco Wigglestick

I've been dying to get on an Omatic for a while and today the opportunity finally presented itself in the form of this year's 154 Extr-Eco Wigglestick.  With bindings mounted and Bear conjuring up another bluebird day, it was off to the races.

This late in the season, Bear Mountain starts with crusty corduroy and becomes virtually un-rideable slush towards late afternoon, which gives me a chance to put boards through a variety of conditions.  The Extr-Eco Wigglestick was quite an experience; let's start with B.S. Technology.

Though Omatic will make a pun out of it any way possible, B.S. stands for Bowed Surface.  The Extr-Eco Wigglestick is flat between your feet with slight reverse cambering at the tips; in addition, Omatic thinned the base up near both edges, making for a playful ride not only tip to tip, but also edge to edge.

Look through the Omatic tech page, and you'll find the word "stable" several times.  For cruising groomers ranging from crusty to fairly slushy the Extr-Eco was just that.  Reverse camber is already famous for increased control, but combined with that thinning of the base the response from this board is astounding:

In the morning crust the Extr-Eco grabs on tight edge to edge and as things soften up the board remains playful and easy to maneuver; slush didn't slow it down.

As far as speed is concerned, I broke my personal record for distance down a hip on a board slightly shorter than I'm used to within an hour of riding it;  That says it all for stability in my book.

I slacked on hitting bigger kickers today so I can't give you the full low-down on the Extr-Eco jump wise.  I didn't go too much bigger than 10 feet, but I could see this 154 (with me being 175 lbs) stepping up to 20 or 30 feet.

What I will tell you is this stick pops; no load necessary.

Jibbing comprised most of the day, and the Extr-Eco annihilated in that department.  Keeping the deck flat between feet lets it lock on to boardslides, and of course the reverse camber initiates presses painlessly.  What really stood out again stems from thinning the base near the edges, which lifts the edges free and clear of dreaded hang-ups.  I even managed to make it out of a frontside board on a corrugated tube.

Overall I really enjoyed riding the Extr-Eco Wigglestick. I admit there are boards that have taken getting used to, but this was not one.  I took to it quickly and it performed in every way I wanted.  I could see using this deck as my overall park board (cruising, jibs, mild jumps), and I'd probably end up bringing it everywhere else (trees, powder) as well.


Click here for more information on the 2010 Omatic Extr-Eco Wigglestick.

Patience Is A Virtue...

 Earlier this season my 2009 Nitro Swindle ran into a bit of a mishap. It was a warmer day, so things were turning into slush. I came up to a flatter spot in Snow Summit's Westridge park and speed was crucial, but lo and behold two kids doing heelside falling leaf between features.

One of the kids veered left leaving the down rail open... or so it seemed. As I entered the ramp and crouched to ollie, the kid changed directions and managed to clip my tail. I fell back and my trusty Swindle took the front of the rail head on, possibly sparing me some serious pain.

SNAP!

There I sat, staring at the insides of my board spewing over the topsheet, with only one thing going through my mind: Why did I go?

Yes, I fell because the kid clipped me, but my board broke because of my decision to hit the rail.  These kids shouldn't have been the park, they made that blatantly apparent, yet I ignored their inconsistent, unpredictable riding and assumed they would not run into me; Well, we all know what happens when you assume.

Of course mistakes like this happen so we can learn, and since then I have really slowed my roll in the terrain park.  Like those kids, once upon time I barely had control of my turns, but I'm glad the more experienced riders kept their patience with me. Everyone deserves their shot at some features, so I make sure to give less experienced riders their space on the hill these days.

And it turns out that patience can really pay off!

Most of the time the park ends up clearing out and I get all of the features all to myself; Plus, not having to worry about other riders around leaves that much more focus for tricks, which makes for a better day of riding all-around.

Video Post 2010 #2

Time for another video post already!? Well, when your morning routine consists of sorting through 10+ fresh-out-the-oven shred videos, all of which happen to be bangers, the footage starts piling up. Gotta post the new stuff while it's still hot or some sick videos end up getting lost in the woodwork; so without further ado, video post 2010 numba' two...

TWSNOW has run this Sunday in the Park series out of Bear Mountain for several years now.  What keeps it alive are two things: the Bear Mountain terrain park--always changing, never the same--and the Bear Mountain team riders with their insane style and creativity.  Lately, Bear has been capitalizing on a long string of bluebird days (likely to last through the season) to film for their next annual promo video. This clip is worth watching for the tandem tail tap alone.

Andy and Miller Switch play around day from andreas gidlund on Vimeo.

When the season makes it this far and things start getting stale, that is when you've got to throw in some switch-only days and put some spice back into life.  This video is inspiration for the switch rider in all of us...

Windells Trick Tip, with Pat Milbery from Windells on Vimeo.

We all hate hearing but it's the damn truth! Summer will be here soon and it's never too early to start planning your summer snowboarding trip.  Here's a preview of the breathtaking views, stellar terrain parks and excellent coaching found at Windell's up in Mt. Hood, Oregon.  Milbery spends the better part of his year passing on knowledge hungry shredders, and I'm sure he's got a few tips to help you out as well.

Meanwhile, somewhere else on the very same mountain.  Jed Anderson films an entire part using High Cascade Snowboard Camp's main park.  Jed loves rails, which there is no shortage of at camp, but did you see the minipipe, jumps, and skate park?  This all took place in only half of High Cascade's facilities! Visit HighCascade.com to find out more.

Whistler Lap from Family Tree on Vimeo.

Last but not least, another location soon to be summer snowboarding headquarters, Whistler, Canada.  Take a look at what our neighbors to the North finally get to enjoy now that the games have cleared out.  Snow pack actually looks pretty good out there, so if you won't get your chance to shred Whistler during winter season Camp of Champions is sure to be poppin' off this summer.

Counter-Rotation

I remember when my trainer explained counter-rotation to me, adding now that I knew what to look for I would see it everywhere...

Sure enough, chairlift ride after chairlift ride I see about 80% of riders using this technique--and yes it is a technique--the wrong way.

What is counter-rotation? As you probably gathered from the name, it's rotating one thing one way (your shoulders) and another thing the other way (legs and torso).  For general riding and even in the park counter-rotation is just a plain bad habit.

When riding think of your shoulders, hips, knees and ankles as a single unit.  You initiate turns with your knees, hips and ankles, while your shoulders come along for the ride.  Another way to think about it: Your shoulders and hips should keep mostly parallel with the board through your turn.

Riders who most commonly display the symptom of counter-rotation are new, self-taught riders.  You will see them on the hill twisting their upper bodies to create momentum for kicking their back foot, creating a "turn".  Why is this ineffective?  Your weight never stays over the active edge, and you end up with very little control over your snowboard edge to edge.

If you find it difficult to make quick movements, or turn at high speeds, you should look to your shoulders.

In the park, this exaggerates the danger for a number of scenarios.  We've all hit that jump where we flail back onto our ass.  Guess why it happened? Your shoulder was going one way--probably back--while your lower body was getting tossed by the jump. 

The same is true for jibbing; if you counter-rotate during your approach, you lose control over the board as it touches the feature and this time either your face or your tailbone will land on metal...ouch!

I did label counter-rotation a technique, and there is one area of riding where you can slay it if you master counter-rotation: quick, narrow tree rides.  Here, counter-rotation is used to pivot the board in a small space, shaving off speed to maintain control, while the shoulders continue to lead in the direction you wish to go.

This same technique is used in the park to shave speed without throwing your shoulders out of alignment.

I wanted to point out that counter-rotation is very different from pre-winding.  In freestyle riding, you pre-wind by using your core and shoulders to create tension in the opposite direction of a spin.  Pre-winding does slightly change your shoulder position, but ultimately your shoulders, knees, and hips stay parallel with and centered over the board.

And now you know how the pros stay controlled when they huck those 1260s.

2010 Skullcandy Smokin' Buds

When Apple's iPod headphones just can't cut it, the first company snowboarders (and lately the whole world, it seems) turn to is Skullcandy.  With sleek styles and loud colorways, Skullcandy offers the perfect audio accessory for complementing your own steez.

So it's clear that Skullcandy makes pretty stuff, but how does it hold up?

The biggest problem for most riders when it comes to headphones is they just don't stay in/on.  If you wear a helmet like I do, that eliminates everything in the over-ear category, so you are left with two options: integrated audio for your helmet (integrated audio packages for most helmet models can prove costly--$50 or more, if available) or in-ear buds.

Skullcandy Smokin' Buds are made to stay low profile, though as mentioned there is no lack of themed colorways available to add your own possibly glowing personal touch.

All of Skullcandy's in-ear buds come with three sizes of ear buds to customize your fit, but what sets the Smokin' Buds in a slightly higher price range than others are an in-line volume control and special thread coated wires for added shielding and durability.

Having used other models in the line, I can say that the Smokin' Buds have much more solid connections from the wire to the phones and input jack; it doesn't feel you might accidentally snap the wires if the phones get jerked a little--I've given my pair some pretty hard yanks with no sound loss. 

Audio quality is another area where the Smokin' Buds earn their higher price tag.  Now, I don't profess to be an audiophile and I'm sure Skullcandy makes some junkies' heads want to explode, but I really enjoy the deep hits these tiny speakers produce.  These phones get a much broader range of highs and lows, and an all around more immersive sound than lower-end models in the Skullcandy line.

And if I'm making these phones sound expensive, they retail for only $30!

I have to admit, even though these are in-ear headphones, they won't stay in much better the Apple iPod phones when you're riding unless you wear a balaclava to hold them in place...  I've come to the conclusion that falling off is simply the nature of headphones and motion-based activities.

Terrain Park Progression

Each time you get off the lift you see the same sign, “Terrain Park”, like a beacon beckoning you to get gnarly…

This time you give in. Instead of the usual cruiser run, you strap in your back foot, give your snowboard a few hops and glide towards another attempt to slay jumps, rails, boxes or whatever else your local park has in store.

When it’s time to start upping the ante, a little bit of patience and common sense can go a long way in leading to a progressive and injury free season in the terrain park.

Warm Up 
Take a lap; take ten laps, why not? Ride switch, do some ollies, try some flatground tricks. Give your body a chance to realize that it's riding before you huck it off booters, it'll thank you.

Scope it first
Even if its a park you hit every day, snow conditions change daily. Check all the features. Cruise past jibs and take a look at the ramps and landings; do some speed runs up to any bigger jumps and get a feel for how the snow is moving that day, the speed you'll need clear, and feel out the angle of the landing.

Start Stock
New tricks can wait until you know how everything hits. For the first few runs you want to do the tricks you know you can land first. This is where you dial everything in; work out the kinks as it were. Clear all of your jumps and slide all your features to the end so you can try some new tricks without any surprises.

New Trick, Old Feature
You are in the park to learn tricks, but remember to pick a feature appropriate for learning a trick on. Most riders didn’t learn how to 360 off the sixty-foot jumps, and it’s a safe bet that you shouldn’t either. The opposite goes for trying new features; always use your stock “I can land this 10 out of 10 times” trick for first hits.

Know When to Back Off 
Instincts are a really big part of the park game. Know your limits and recognize when they are being pushed too far. Nobody gets better at snowboarding laying on their couch injured, so try to get all gung-ho Joe out there. Of course you can’t get better if you chicken out all the time either; here is an entire post that covers what fears to heed and what fears to overcome.

Safety First
We’ve all heard this cliché phrase used thousands of time, either in the schoolyard or the workplace, but who would have thought it applied to snowboarding too? Be aware of other riders. It’s your responsibility to make sure features are clear before you hit them; call your drops and use signals to communicate with others. Respect gets respect, and being conscious of yours and others safety is all part of enhancing your own progression.

Video Post 2010 #1

The internet eye candy circulating through my reader has been pretty sweet lately.  From Bear to Breck to Germany, everyone and everything is in the best shredding shape of the season and here's your proof:

Nike 6.0 The Farm from NiKE 6.0 on Vimeo.

Take Nike 6.0, two custom rail courses, 20 of the best jibbers worldwide, and $10k; throw them all on an abandoned farm in Munich, Germany and you have our first video.

Butter Knife 7 from casey wrightsman on Vimeo.

Closer to home, Knife Show has been doing a short video series dubbed Butter Knife in and around Bear/Southern California all season long. This is just one more fun edit in the bank, check out the rest...here!

32 Boots has been running a video series call Spot Check, cruising from mountain to mountain and filming their team riders. The Mammoth feature is choice because of one Tyler Flanagan, who dominates pretty much the whole clip with pure park decimation. The kid is on fire this year.

BrekenNinjazz from Sean Ryan on Vimeo.

Some Special Blend teamsters head out to Breck. Found this video while trying to get a peek into Breck's park setup without paying for a plane ticket. Definitely not as fun, but these guys sure got to enjoy it.

Bangers at Breck from Zak Shelhamer on Vimeo.

Last but not least, Eric Willett. This guys name is popping up in all kinds of places, most recently as European X-Games slopestyle champion. If you want to grow up to be a hucker you should put this video on repeat and stare at it for a few hours, maybe some of the steez will stick to you.

The Business of Snowboarding

What is really at stake when it comes to retail pricing?

A recent upset in the retail realm has opened the eyes of the masses as to the deeper issues behind product pricing, leaving some butt-hurt and many relieved...

Allegedly, Sierra Snowboards breached their contract with Burton when they discounted related products far too early and subsequently lost the business of one our industries most well-known manufacturers, plus all incorporated brands (close to ten).  

Now Sierra Snowboards, a heavy hitter in the world of online discounters, is without what are probably their top selling brands.  And how are they spinning the news to those interested? They blame it all on big bad Burton.

Let's look beyond the issue of who is right or wrong and think about what is best for snowboarding.  Here we have a huge online retailer discounting their products earlier than any other online or brick-and-mortar shop.

Snowboarding isn't cheap, and the average buyer would be stoked to get in on some early discounts; therein lies the problem.  If Burton and other companies take a relaxed stance on regulating discounts, the average consumer has no reason not to hold out and buy that $375 board for $199 instead, and in the bigger picture everybody suffers--the online company included.

Picture this:

An online discounter decides to sell their products at their highest discount far earlier than any other shop. 

A small shop is planning to offer the same discounts but much later, as they cannot afford to lose so much money early on and with that much stock. They have no choice but to discount regardless to stay competitive; now they will lose money, which small shops cannot afford to do.

A customer goes to the small shop and sees a board they really like.  They go online and find the board is much cheaper through the online discounter, even though the shop has it on sale as well. The customer buys from the online shop.

A snowboard manufacturer sees that boards are not selling anywhere near their retail price.  Unable to bring in the funds they anticipated, they are forced make cuts in production and ultimately their work force.

The small shop loses some money and places a smaller order the next time to avoid further loss.  Understocked and unable to compete, eventually the small shop closes.

The online discounter does incredibly well, but in placing their next order discovers that the snowboard manufacturer will not be able to match the quantity they want.

Continuing to fall under their projected income as online discounters sell their products far below retail, the snowboard manufacturer makes further cutbacks to stay in business.

One day, the online discounter calls to place an order and is told that the snowboard manufacturer can no longer afford to produce snowboards. Without a product to sell, the online shop is now also out of business.

The customer suddenly has nowhere to purchase snowboards from; in fact, snowboards no longer exist.

This takes it to the extreme, but it does make you think about why products cost what they cost; and for us avid internet shoppers (I admit, myself included), maybe now we will think twice as we type in those credit card numbers.

The business of snowboarding is a symbiotic relationship between manufacturers and distributors; each needs the other to thrive, and online discounters throw off that balance.  Without these pricing models and our willingness as consumers to support what we love, snowboarding hits a brick wall.

Thanks to The Angry Snowboarder for the heads up on this; I encourage you to weigh in your opinions, either down below or directly via the Snowboarding Forum or Sierra Snowboard's integrated forum.

Kombi Olsson Glove

When Kombi asked me what product I wanted to test first, I told them to send me any glove from their line suited to the sunny spring conditions Bear experiences 95% of the season.  The Olsson gloves are exactly what I've come to expect from a spring glove, plus a little extra.

Kombi designed these under-the-cuff fingered gloves with the freestyle rider in mind.  Subtle use of color (the glove is available in Blue, Green or Black) and embossing make the Olsson perfect for those who want a stylish glove without all of the neon flash. Rock this glove if you don't need to glow like a beacon through the park because your riding does all the talking.

As far as warmth and waterproofing, the Olsson is stuffed with 100g Thinsulate insulation in addition to Kombi's in-house technology, Waterguard, a polyurethane insert that lets moisture from sweat escape while keeping snow, rain and wind outside where it belongs.  I've been putting these gloves through the ringer for a week and they are still sealed shut; in fact, they have been so warm they tend to get soaked in sweat by the end of the day.

A goatskin leather palm reinforces the waterproofing of the glove while adding a degree of durability you won't fine in a lot of competing models.  One week of fidgeting with straps, grabbing, and occasionally falling have beaten the glossy newness from them, but otherwise as stated before the glove has held up its dryness throughout.

The gloves' integrated liners--coated with Microban--stay put when it's time to take them off, and after a week of sweat and abuse they remain soft, comfortable, easy to put on and perhaps most important do not smell like week old baby diapers.

Overall, the Olsson glove from Kombi is a formidable opponent in the world of springs gloves; its warmer and tougher than other spring models I've used, and at US$60 they are definitely worth considering if you are in the market for a new pair.

Head over to http://www.kombisports.com to find a dealer near you or to check out more of their gloves.  If you see anything you like, please do drop me a line (DesertsDontSnow@gmail.com) and I'll see if I can test it out for you.