Any skiers or Snowboarders in here? Snowseason 09/10

[Ace-o-fire]

80 days till the mountain closest to me opens! sadly sitting at home watching ski videos isn't making the time go faster.

this year i'll be riding

Atomic Janak Telemark Ski with Rottefella NTN Telemark Ski Bindings

and

Volkl Unlimited AC30 Titanium Alpine Ski with Motion iPT 12.0 Piston Binding.

these next 2 and a half months are going to suck

[Lliandra]

I board but only in Scotland and cause i can't afford to go anywhere else atm ¬_¬

Usually head up to Aviemore Jan-March time when the snow is near enuff guaranteed. Nowhere near as good as anything abroad tho :/

Bit strapped for cash this year but looking to upgrade my current board with a Burton Feather 09/10. Bindings are almost practically new so won't change them.

Always love the start of a new season, time to hunt for new gears :D

[Ishido]

Skiier, though I only really started last season. Don't have any gear yet, though I'm looking to buy soon, hoping to at least get boots this winter.

Picked a shitty time though, my cousin just left Sports Authority where she could get really nice discounts.

[Skjie]

I live within a few hours drive of a number of mountains. Hoping I can get back into snowboarding once I finish classes in December.

[drewbixcube]

fuck yea snowboarding on east coast ice

[Argettio]

I have no plans for this winter yet. I suppose I better start thinking about it.

But last year I went to Whistler for 10 days and had a blast.

Icelantic Pilgrim are my current Skis and I love them.

[zoobernut]

Snowboarding here. Been on the same K2 Fatbob since highschool (13 years) Take good care of it so the base is still pristine.

I will be at Mt. Rose this winter (20 minute drive from my house). Yay sierra cement!

I hope it is a good season.

[Sanoske]

fuck yea snowboarding on east coast ice

That's what I'm talking about.

I actually want to get out this season... I didn't even get to go once last season due to school/lack of funds. Piiisssseeeddd.

Rolling with a Divison 52 board(it sucks but fuck you, it's got a Gundam on it) and Ride bindings.

[Amastacia]

fuck yea snowboarding on east coast ice

I laffed. Then I cried. Because it's so true.

I'll be doing the same, and down-east East Coast ice to boot.

At least I had New England when I was in school, now I'm stuck with the shitty, shitty Poconos.

On the upside, I've got shitpiles of time off in the bank, friends in or around Denver, and snowboard bags can still be checked as normal luggage.

I splurged upgrading last year, going to be riding the same setup for a while yet. I'm not much of a parkrat, wanted a good all-mountain setup, so:

Ended up with all Burton. I'd be complaining hard about overpriced if I'd paid list for anything (yay for sales and borrowed pro forms).

2009 Custom X (156cm)
2009 CO2 EST bindings
2009 Ion boots

[zoobernut]

Anyone have any tips on choosing/finding a new board and bindings? It has been so long since I purchased I totally forget what to look for and what is good these days.

I want a general all mountain board, I wear size 12 shoes which was a factor in the past (hence the fatbob) because my toes have a tendency to drag on standard width boards.

I just have no idea where to start.

[wipers]

I recommend Burton snowboards. They are expensive around 500 dollars for a nice board, but they are worth it. They make boots bindings etc. Also they make some boards wider if you have larger feet (12 size) or more. I've snowboarded for a few years but I don't have the time / money to do it anymore. They make a "general" purpose board called All Mountain Freestyle.

Men's Snowboards | Burton Snowboards

[Ace-o-fire]

Snowboarding here. Been on the same K2 Fatbob since highschool (13 years) Take good care of it so the base is still pristine.

I will be at Mt. Rose this winter (20 minute drive from my house). Yay sierra cement!

I hope it is a good season.

fucking envy you, that was my favorite place last season, i love those chutes only thing that can come close in that area was squaw after a fresh dump and making my way over to silverado

[zoobernut]

Yeah I haven't done the chutes yet on snowboard board but the rest of the mountain is great too. It is a small area but I love the atmosphere there. I do wish I lived closer to Kirkwood too though because that is one of my favorite places.

I live on the Nevada side of the mountains so everything other than Rose is a decent drive away.

[Amastacia]

Anyone have any tips on choosing/finding a new board and bindings? It has been so long since I purchased I totally forget what to look for and what is good these days.

I want a general all mountain board, I wear size 12 shoes which was a factor in the past (hence the fatbob) because my toes have a tendency to drag on standard width boards.

I just have no idea where to start.

First and foremost, boot sizes are shrinking in a good way. A 12 is still going to fit the same as it used to, but it might well be physically smaller (fit in a binding the same way an old 10 or 11 did). Dunno how much it'll really matter for you & toe/heel drag, but it certainly won't hurt anything if you end up picking up new boots.

I'd say first step if you're totally in the dark is see if there's a good ski shop near you. And by good I mean they carry a bunch of brands (especially name brands) and a variety of gear, including the high-end stuff.

Just spend a day pawing at things.

Take a look at a bunch of boards in and around the size you want. Check their flex, their weight, their build quality, etc. Look at all the bindings that are within your budget, again looking at stiffness, weight, build quality, anything that's instantly noticeable as comfortable/uncomfortable.

In theory, you should wind up with some brand names you like, some models you like, and some adjectives (e.g. stiff, springy) you like. Head online and look for user feedback on what you've found so far. Most "reviews" are just regurgitating the manufacturer's specs, so look for forum posts and whatnot from people who've actually ridden the gear. Especially good are the ones that say things like "I liked XYZ about these bindings, but company ABC makes a very similar pair that are a little cheaper and a little comfier".

Google product search and other similar tools are a great way to find good prices online.

Make sure you check out last year's models as well. Usually year-to-year changes are very small, and you can score some great clearance items that are just as good as the new hotness.

Edit:

In response to an above post...

Burton gear tends to be good, but overpriced. It's worth picking up if you can find it on sale, but never pay retail. You can invariably get something of similar quality for a lot less than Burton wants you to pay.

I say that as a person who rides all Burton at the moment, but I didn't, and wouldn't, pay full price for any of it.

[Ace-o-fire]

Yeah I haven't done the chutes yet on snowboard board but the rest of the mountain is great too. It is a small area but I love the atmosphere there. I do wish I lived closer to Kirkwood too though because that is one of my favorite places.

I live on the Nevada side of the mountains so everything other than Rose is a decent drive away.

Carson City i'm guessing?

if you get in to anything back country, it's worth waking up early to take you car out and hike up for a fresh run especially around rose, just watch out for cars :-p!

[zoobernut]

I live in between Carson and Reno in Washoe Valley.

A couple seasons ago I got a chance to do some snowboarding on 2' of fresh powder before any one else had gotten to it, was the most amazing feeling.

Where are you at Ace? I am guessing Sacramento area? Central California valley? Or maybe up farther in the mountains like Nevada City or Grass Valley area?

[Ace-o-fire]

I live in between Carson and Reno in Washoe Valley.

A couple seasons ago I got a chance to do some snowboarding on 2' of fresh powder before any one else had gotten to it, was the most amazing feeling.

Where are you at Ace? I am guessing Sacramento area? Central California valley? Or maybe up farther in the mountains like Nevada City or Grass Valley area?

new jersey

i make a trip out there about 3 times a year mid November - January and late March

also for anyone looking for discount equipment try
http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/ they have some decent stuff at 70% off, but you may be able to find last years stuff cheaper at local shops

[zoobernut]

Lol I was way off. You just come to visit often? I love this area and the snow is great but I hope someday that I can live somewhere in Colorado for a season or two. The snow there is so light and fluffy and dry compared to here.

[Ishido]

Lol I was way off. You just come to visit often? I love this area and the snow is great but I hope someday that I can live somewhere in Colorado for a season or two. The snow there is so light and fluffy and dry compared to here.

Only problem I have is that all of the best places around here are also incredibly crowded sometimes. I guess school factors into that though, when I was able to go mid-week it was generally significantly better.

[zoobernut]

Yeah I have only been there once. My cousin was living in Breckenridge and we visited her for a week. We went to the main ski area there (I forget the name) and then also to a place called Arapaho Basin or A Basin for short.

A Basin was a very memorable fun place to go. I really enjoyed it and the snow is just amazing there.