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The long planned £1 billion “sports village” in Welsh capital Cardiff has received planning permission. The complex will incorporate a 10,000-seat indoor arena and a snowdome and loads more.
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Snowboard Tricks
Boardslide- A slide where your board goes sideways down the rail. Keep your snowboard across the rail with each side of the snowboard sticking out of the rail evenly. This grind is more dangerous as the chances are larger of your board losing/catching an edge. So keep the base of your board flat to the rail and get your body weight centred and low.Now employ the same theory to practise dropping into the frontside wall with the intention of hitting the backside wall…Good luck Frontside boardslide - Turning onto the rail so that your heel edge faces downhill during the slide. Backside boardslide - Turning onto the rail so that toe edge faces downhill during the slide. 50:50 - In skateboarding, this is a grind where both trucks are in contact with the rail. It is exactly the same in snowboarding except without the trucks, so the board rides forwards down the rail. Bonking - Is slapping an object with your snowboard. You could for instance pass a box and hit it with the nose of your snowboard in mid air. If you slap an object with your nose it is called a Nose Bonk when you use your tail it is called a Tail Bonk. Bonking can be a fun way of drawing attention but just make sure not to bonk other snowboarders... or at least agree to bonk them before you do it.
Half Pipe Drop In-The first step to really riding pipe is learning how to drop in. Most would feel comfortable starting with the backside wall with the intention of hitting the frontside wall. The absolute key here is commitment. Hesitate and you may gain too much speed (you’ll be travelling downhill just before you drop in). Now before you try this make sure you can ride into the pipe from the flat bottom and have a few goes at riding up and down the walls getting used to what it feels like. It’s very easy to carve up and down the walls, so do that for an hour or so, then hike back up and get ready to drop into the pipe from the top of the transition: the platform. 1. Ride parallel to the lip, about a foot away from the actual drop, all the time focusing on the point where your board and the lip will meet. Take about a 10 feet run up. 2. Still focussing on the lip, think about getting your body position right with arms open for balance and weight over the centre of the board. Try to stay relaxed and fluid. 3. Approach the lip and look into the pipe at this point. 4. Getting closer to the lip, you will be thinking about and starting to lean into the pipe. This is the commitment phase. The more you lean the easier it is. 5. Keep the board on target. 6. Make any last second adjustments to your body shape. Keeping very low is a good idea here. 7. Ok the lip of the pipe is coming up. And you’re ready to meet it. 8. As the board goes over the lip, your body should already be over the pipe. This is the point of no return, but it’s fine. Enter the pipe at a very acute angle – your board should not be far off parallel with the lip - definitely not riding straight off the lip directly into the middle of the pipe. 9. You’re now dropping into the pipe keeping as low as possible. The board will follow but in order to keep centralised over it, you need to go from being vertical when riding on the platform, to being horizontal when riding down the vertical wall of the pipe. You can do this by letting your body ‘drop’ into that horizontal position. Basically, falling into the pipe. 10. Suck up your knees as close to your chest as possible as you move over the lip, and then extend them slightly to meet the wall of the pipe. Basically, absorbing the lip of the pipe. 11. If the angle is right, you can now push against your board and feel the vert wall of the pipe. Everything you do here must be gentle as you are in effect ‘weightless’ and still dropping down the wall. 12. If it’s all gone well the transition should have ‘caught’ you. You can now start to push against the transition and basically start to stand up tall. 13. When you’re at the flat bottom of the pipe, simply start to look up for the next wall with a smile - you’ve successfully dropped in. Now employ the same theory to practise dropping into the frontside wall with the intention of hitting the backside wall…Good luck
Jibbing tricks- This is probably your starting point in the world of snowboarding tricks. It is better to learn basics such as spinning on the surface of the slope rather than 5 feet above the slope. Here are some of the most common jibbing tricks increasing in difficulty: 1) Riding Fakie Riding fakie (switch stance) is simply riding with your front foot at the back and your backfoot at the front. Sounds easy? Well it is not! Everything you have been working so hard to master such as edge control and carving turns is suddenly totally new again as everything you do is suddenly the other way around. Riding Fakie is very important however in learning tricks. It is often the starting and/or ending stance of a trick and it will help you when you are unable to finish a trick and must land halfway. Learning how... 1) It is best simply to dig deep into your snowboarding history and go back to where it all started: traversing a slope and slowly learning how to make skidded turns while riding fakie. Simply go back to the Beginner Course as mentioned on this site and do everything with a switched stance. Once you are comfortable with riding fakie you can mix it up in your normal riding and take turns in riding/turning fakie and regular. 2) Ground Spins - 360s Up till now you have made turns that were probably 180 degrees at most. With this trick you keep on turning until you have turned a complete 360 degrees and keep on boarding in the same direction. Learning how... It is actually the same as any regular toe-sided or heel-sided turn. You just need to keep on turning and as your board turns uphill it will stall at a certain point. At that moment you will need to switch edges and keep on turning until you are completely turned around. As your skills improve you can make ground spins at higher speeds and while riding fakie. Try to master spinning both frontside and backside. Wheelies A wheelie is riding with one tip of your board facing up, loose from the surface. Building up the power and technique to lift either your nose or tail will prepare you for more advanced tricks. Learning how... Tail wheelies with your nose up on the air are easiest to learn for most snowboarders. On a gentle slope try to lean backwards and lift your front foot. As you practice you will notice how you are able to pull your nose up higher and keep it from the surface for a longer time. Once you have learned Tail Wheelies you can try to perform them switch stance on your tip. Variations... Blunt Nose Slides are wheelies that are performed sideways. Start riding sideways, put your weight on your front leg and pull your back leg up. You will be sliding sideways on the front third of your snowboard with your backfoot and tail in the air. If you perform this trick on your tail it is called a Switch-stance blunt nose slide.
5 steps "how to drop cliffs"- This is quite literally as easy as falling off a log. We’re not going to beat around the bush, the cliff drop is the classic measure of everyone’s balls. Look at it and decide you can do it, or shit yourself and stroke your chin for a while before making excuses about the state of your ___________ (insert name of dicky body part here). Balls are what is going to make you want to attempt the cliff in the first place, however it will be your experience and mental judgement that will stop you clattering over the rocks or putting your knee through your lower jaw. Cliff drops are all about your judgement and physics of snowboarding, which comes with a lot of experience a bit of natural talent. The only real skill that you can practice and bring to the table to raise your chances of success is a solid ability to stomp landings in powder. Controlling your board in a steep fast powder landing situation is pretty much the name of the game when it comes to riding out of cliffs and make no mistake it is almost the hardest part of the game to learn as any pro worth their salt will tell you.
Handplants- Once you are pretty skilled in Halfpipe Snowboarding you can try to make some handplants. These moves also originated from skateboarding and now using the lip of the halfpipe you can perform them with your snowboard too. These are some of the most popular handplants in the game: Two-Handed Inverts These are easiest to learn and the beginning of learning hand plants. As your snowboard leaves the lip and goes airborn, cartwheel your body toward the halfpipe. As you hang upside down plant both your hands on the lip. As you drop back down into the pipe, rotate your snowboard under you and push both hands of the lip. Centre your body over your snowboard again and make your landing Layback Air The easiest of one handed plants. Ride up the wall with your toe edge, as your snowboard passes the lip plant your backhand on the lip. Keep your snowboard going upwards and let it pass your head. Arch your back as you fall back into the pipe and push off with your backhand Andrecht As your snowboard leaves the lip, plant your backhand on the lip and grab your snowboard with your front hand Sad Andrecht Andrecht with a Nose Poke Eggplant As your snowboard leaves the lip, plant your front hand on the lip and grab your snowboard with your back hand Miller Flip Plant your front hand on the lip. Let your snowboard fly over your head and grab the toe edge of your snowboard between the bindings with your back hand, spin the board 180 degrees as you come back for the landing.
Once you are pretty skilled in Halfpipe Snowboarding you can try to make some handplants. These moves also originated from skateboarding and now using the lip of the halfpipe you can perform them with your snowboard too. These are some of the most popular handplants in the game: Two-Handed Inverts These are easiest to learn and the beginning of learning hand plants. As your snowboard leaves the lip and goes airborn, cartwheel your body toward the halfpipe. As you hang upside down plant both your hands on the lip. As you drop back down into the pipe, rotate your snowboard under you and push both hands of the lip. Centre your body over your snowboard again and make your landing Layback Air The easiest of one handed plants. Ride up the wall with your toe edge, as your snowboard passes the lip plant your backhand on the lip. Keep your snowboard going upwards and let it pass your head. Arch your back as you fall back into the pipe and push off with your backhand Andrecht As your snowboard leaves the lip, plant your backhand on the lip and grab your snowboard with your front hand Sad Andrecht Andrecht with a Nose Poke Eggplant As your snowboard leaves the lip, plant your front hand on the lip and grab your snowboard with your back hand Miller Flip Plant your front hand on the lip. Let your snowboard fly over your head and grab the toe edge of your snowboard between the bindings with your back hand, spin the board 180 degrees as you come back for the landing.
OK, here’s the all time classic pipe trick – The Haakonflip! The Haakon Flip was invented (surprise, surprise) by Terje Haakonsen. He came up with this beauty one day and has decided to stick his name to it. Broken down into it’s most basic form, it’s somewhere between a switch three sixty with a backflip and a half cab McTwist. To start learning these, you are going to need to be able to ride a pipe comfortably switch and be happy doing inverts. Those are the two most basic prerequisites you will need to even think about learning this trick. That said, there are always ways to build a trick from scratch. The first thing that you are going to have to learn is riding into transitions switch, so find a fairly steep hip that you can ride into without having to rely on your edges (as you do in the pipe). Learning switch frontside rotations (one eighty, three sixty etc) will prepare you for the spin, and then finally you will have to get used to switch backflips. The key to this trick is commitment. Your head and shoulders are controlling and directing the spin, and during the rotation you are watching the lip to spot for your landing. When you attempt this trick the ideal conditions will be a soft pipe, so that you don’t nail yourself too hard, and you should have a clear mental picture of what you are trying to achieve. It’s a very difficult trick to visualise, so don’t even think about attempting this until you can at least work out in your head the first part of the rotation. Approach Spot your take off point and anticipate the pressure on your toe edge. Do not try and ride straight at the wall; approach it at quite a shallow angle to maintain your speed. Transition As you ride up the wall, try to gauge your speed so that you can judge how hard you will need to throw your spin as this is directly related to how high you are going to go. Your shoulders should start to unwind into the trick, but your weight is still centred over the board. Take off Commitment point, what all folk fear. As you reach the lip, you should open your shoulders up and throw your head into the spin. Your back leg is bent to allow your weight to fall slightly over the back of the board and you should try to look diagonally back up the pipe. This is the point of no return and it is also the point where all the work is done so if you get this right then the rest should fall into place. Air Miles Now that the hard part is done you must control your rotation. The first part of the trick is to get the board rotating one hundred and eighty degrees before you get fully inverted. From here the inverted part of the trick will rotate parallel to the lip and you should be watching the lip as it passes below you. It is here that the last one eighty begins. This is probably the most confusing part of the trick as both axis of rotation merge to make one of the most difficult re-entries to judge. As I said though, if you have done the work on take off this part will take care of itself. Landing The one advantage that you have here is that you can see the lip and that allows you to stay tucked up and land smoothly at the top of the transition. All that is left is to pump out of the transition to the adoring cries of your fans. Congratulations! You are now a pipe master…
Different Layers
Intro- As you may know the ideal way of clothing for every activity is to use different layers. The keys to a successful layering system are, in order of importance, warmth, weight, moisture management and packing the right number of layers. Generally the 3-layer system is applicable. The last layer is the outer shell which protects against wind and rain. The middle layer is general clothing or a fleece jacket. The first layer is the base layer which consist of underwear. One of the advantages of layering is that you can add and remove layers during the day according to the weather conditions and how you feel. However, when buying your Snowboarding apparel, be sure that you manage the following problems: sweating, controlling of body temperature, protection from elements, chaffing and blisters. Also, avoid clothes that are too large or too small, otherwise the benefits of the latest fabric technology will be diluted.
Base layer- Thermal Body Shirt Depending on the temperature (be sure to check this) you will want to use thermal underwear as a first level of clothing. This snowboarding apparel will keep you warm and dry by transferring moisture to the next layer. Thermal Pants Depending on the temperature (make sure to check this) you will want to use thermal underwear as a first level of clothing. It will keep you warm and dry by transferring moisture to the next layer. Snowboarding Socks It is important to use thick socks to keep your feet warm, dry and padded against hard impacts. Preferably, buy special snowboarding socks that will give you more specialized features
Second layer- Fleece Jackets or Sweater As a second layer you will want a Fleece or a Wool sweater. The fleece is the key component to remaining warm. Generally though, it does not offer protection from the wind or rain. However, it has thermal properties that enable the body to breathe by allowing perspiration to evaporate through. Snowboard Pants Snowboarders, especially beginners, spend a lot of time in the snow on their knees or their behinds. With this, having snowboard specific pants are essential. Snowboarding Boots These are special boots that will Work Together with your Snowboard Bindings to keep your body connected to your board. Snowboard Boots come in all regular shoe sizes. However, different boots of the same size usually vary in the way they hold your feet and ankle. Quality snowboard boots can last for a long time so take time to consider this when buying one.
Third layer- Beanie, Hat or Helmet Do not expose your head and ears to extremely low temperatures, protect them with a comfortable hat or beanie. For optimum safety protect your head with a Snowboard Helmet. Goggles Protect your eyes from sunrays, snow and ice with goggles Snowboarding Jacket Finish off your upper body layering with a waterproof and windstopping jacket or top shell. Gloves Protect your hands from snow, ice and impacts with padded gloves.
Snowboard Info
Intro- A large part of the existence of a rider incontestably revolves around his/her snowboard. So before you start hitting the slopes, you must first become acquainted with snowboarding's primary piece of equipment - the Snowboard. Moreover, you must know what a snowboard consists of, what its different elements are, and how it works before you should even try to ride one. Knowing all about Snowboards is a first step to choosing the appropriate board for you. In this section, we are going to teach you all there is to know about the Snowboard - from its materials to its maintenance:
Types of snowboard- There are three different types of snowboards available on the market today: Freestyle, Freeride (All Mountain), and Alpine (Carving) Boards. Each board has a unique Construction Technique and Materials, Shape, Flex Pattern, and Size. The type of board you ride should correspond to the Style of Riding that you like to do, or aspire to. Freestyle, freeride, and alpine/carving boards are the three basic types of snowboards. It is easier to ride on a soft-flexing, twin-tip, gradual side cut, all-mountain board. On the other hand, it is harder to ride a stiffer-flex, directional, aggressive sidecut alpine board with scores of combinations in between. Always remember that the type of board you ride should correspond to the type of riding that you like to do, and that both freestyle and freeride boards are good board types for beginning snowboarders.
Free ride or all mountain board- Of the three snowboard types, the freeride board is the most popular. Accounting for half of all snowboard sales, this type of board is a good all-mountain, park and Pipe board that is designed to float well in Powder. You can enjoy carving, catching air, and basically all riding aspects with this type of board. Freeride boards have a directional shape and are meant to be ridden primarily in one direction. Having a directional shape means that the board's tip is different from its tail. In freeride, the tail is generally more narrow, shorter, and flatter than the tip of the board. With this, the stance on freeride boards is usually offset toward the tail of the board. Still, freeride boards can be ridden Fakie, despite their directional shape. Freeride boards generally have a stiffer tail/softer nose construction, designed for floating through powder and holding a fast turn in hard snow. This type of snowboard bridges the gap between freestyle and alpine carving. However, it isn't as stable as a carving board and it isn't as agile as a freestyle board.
Free style board- Freestyle boards are wider, more stable, and more forgiving to ride. Also, it is shorter, lighter and (compared with freeride boards) softer in flex, which makes them handle better in the bumps and easier to turn. These characteristics make freestyle boards very responsive to the rider. Consequently, it is the best choice for the beginning rider. These boards are built mainly for performing tricks in terrain parks and half-pipes (e.g. spins, air, grabs and riding backward fakie). Still, freestyle boards have limited edge grip and stability, and are not good for carving turns or cruising fast. Most freestyle boards are either twin tip boards or directional-twin boards. Twin tip boards have a centered stance with a tip and tail that are exact copies of each other, making them symmetrical in shape. Both ends of a freestyle board have a shovel, and freestyle boards with twin tip design makes it easy for beginners to ride both forward and backward (fakie). Directional-twin boards are similar with the regular twin tip board; only, its tail is stiffer than the nose.
Carving, Alpine, or Race Board- Carving boards are narrower than freestyle and freeride boards. Their long, narrow, stiff constructions are configured for higher speeds and cleaner carved turns. With this, carving boards allow quick edge turns, swift, superior edge-holding power on hard snow, and good stability for speed. Also known as alpine boards, these snowboards almost look like an enlarged Ski. They are made in both symmetrical and asymmetrical styles and tend to only have a shovel on the nose. Similar with freeride boards, carving boards are made to ride only in one direction. While carving boards offer a higher level of performance, they are more difficult for the beginning rider to use and are generally reserved for more advanced riders. Alpine boards are mainly preferred by snowboard racers for a great day of fresh unridden pistes. Keep in mind that alpine snowboards are configured for riding and carving downhill, not for doing tricks.
What is a Snowboard - A Detailed Look- Before you start hitting the slopes, you must first become acquainted with its primary piece of equipment - the Snowboard. Moreover, you must know what a snowboard consists of, what its different elements are, and how it works before you should even try to ride one. In this section you will learn that snowboards nowadays are highly technical feats of engineering. If you already have a snowboard, take time to identify the following elements: Base This is the bottom side of the snowboard, the part that touches the snow. Getting bases to glide faster is the perpetual quest of any serious tuner or racer. Most snowboard bases are made from a polyethylene material called P-Tex. These bases are either "sintered" or "extruded" type. Extruded bases are melted and cut to shape. They are long lasting and easy to repair. However, the extruded type of base is the slowest and holds less wax than the other types of bases. Sintered bases, on the other hand, are first grounded into powder, heated, pressed and then sliced into shape. A sintered base is superior to the extruded base - it's more durable, faster, and holds wax better. Even so, it's more expensive and difficult to repair. If you're looking for high performance, opt for a snowboard with a sintered base. Then again, if you're on a tight budget, an extruded model will do. Another type of snowboard base that is better than the sintered P-Tex base is a "graphite" base. The graphite base is the fastest type of snowboard base and has a higher capacity to hold wax. In a graphite base, graphite is added to the polyethylene pellets that are used to make the base. This type of snowboard base is always deep black and found mostly on fast racing boards. Camber This is the gentle arch the board makes when you rest it on a flat surface. Camber is closely related to flex - the higher the camber, the more pressure the board puts at the nose and tail. A Flat camber indicates that a board may spin easily, which can be good for certain freestyle moves. In a used board, however, it may also be a sign that the board is worn out. In most new boards choose a slightly springy camber that helps stabilize the board at higher speeds and on hard snow, and also makes it easier to turn. Contact Points These are the points at which the board contacts the snow without the pressure of the rider being displaced on the board. This is also called the board's "wheel base". Contact points can be found by placing the board on a smooth, flat surface then sliding a piece of paper under the center of the snowboard. Slide the paper toward the nose or tail until it stops. Edge This is the metal edge on the snowboard. The "toe edge" is the edge at the toe side of the snowboard. Accordingly, the "heel edge" is the edge at the heel side of the snowboard. Effective Edge The length of metal edge on the snowboard which touches the snow is the effective part that is used to make a turn. Consequently, it does not include the edge of the tip and tail. The effective edge is in contact with the snow when the board is in a carved turn. A longer effective edge makes for a more stable, controlled ride; a shorter effective edge makes for a looser, easier turning board. Flex Point The flex point is located between the two bindings. This is the point where the board begins or ends its flex, and allows for sidecut radius contact. "Stiff torsional flex" allows a board to grip hard snow and ice. On the other hand, "soft torsional flex" makes a board less responsive, but more forgiving to the rider. Lighter riders and beginner riders usually prefer boards with a softer flex which handle better in the bumps and are easier to turn. Freestyle boards are the softest among the three types of boards. Next are Freeride boards. Carving boards are built with fairly firm flex and stiff torsion. Nose/Tip This is the front end of the snowboard. If your snowboard has a similar front and back side, the side that is turned up higher is usually the nose. Alpine boards often have a pointier nose. You need a higher nose or tip for higher speed alpine riding to keep your snowboard from digging itself into the snow. Nose/Tip Length This is the length of board from the widest part of the board's nose to the tip of the nose. Nose/Tip Width The widest part of the board measured across the front tip or nose area of the board. Overall Length This is measured from the tip of the board to the tail, and is usually referred to in centimeters (cm). Sidecut Radius This is the measurement of how deep or shallow the board's cut is along the effective edge from the nose of the board to the tail. The sidecut radius helps the board turn. Thus, the smaller the sidecut radius the tighter you will be able to turn. In contrast, a board with a larger sidecut will make big arching turns. The radius of the circle is responsible for the hourglass shape of the snowboard and, accordingly, how it is defined and measured. Stomp Pad A stomp pad or nonskid pad is a rubber mat that you can stick on top of your snowboard next to your back foot binding. This is used when you need to slide only with your front foot bound to your snowboard (e.g. when you are exiting a lift). Without a stomp pad you could slide off your board, catch the snow with your back foot, and even pull your legs apart - this could be very painful. Tail The tail is the rear end of the snowboard, opposite of the nose or tip. Generally, the tail is flatter than the tip, with squarer cut. Some alpine boards have a split in the tail for more turning power and coordination in high speed turns. Freestyle boards often have similar tips and noses to make it easier to ride fakie (with the front foot in the back). Tail Length This is the length of board from the widest part of the board's tail to the tip of the tail. Tail Width The tail width is the widest part of the board that is measured across the tail's tip or tail area of the board. Top/Deck Opposite of the base, the top of the board is where the bindings are mounted and the rider stands. Most boards have mounting holes in the deck where the bindings can be screwed into. These holes enable you to connect your bindings to your board in different angles and stances. Waist Width This is the narrowest point of the board. The waist width is normally at the middle of the sidecut, located between the bindings. Waist width of a board should be relative to the size of your feet. Boards with narrow waist width are quicker from edge to edge. However, you should choose the width of your board based upon the size of your feet.
Board construction, what are they made of?- There are 4 main construction methods used for making snowboards which create boards of varying performance, durability and weight. Info from: http://www.snowboardbritain.com/pages/techbase/constr.htm SANDWICH A relatively expensive, labour intensive method where resin is applied to each layer before being put together by hand starting at the base. - like making a sandwich ! It's then placed in a mould press to form the board. The board is made up of the P-Tex base, steel edges, separate sidewalls, core material and the top sheet. Both foam and wood cores may be used. This method creates good quality, light and very durable boards. They can also be repaired relatively easily. CAP This is the most widely used method of construction. This also makes a cosmetically better looking board with a one piece top sheet that also forms the sidewalls. It eliminates the need for separate sidewalls during construction and yields better transmission of power through the edge for a highly responsive and lively ride. This method uses a wider core that the sandwich but is essentially the same as the sandwich construction method. There are some variations but the strongest method - full cap - is where the core is completely wrapped, creating a vertical wall of fibreglass to which the top sheet is directly bonded. Sidewalls can be either vertical, which is the strongest or inclined that perform better but are more easily damaged. Edge damage to cap constructed boards is the hardest to repair. RIM This stands for Reaction Injection Moulding. Cheaper than the cap and sandwich methods. This method is where the base, edges, core and top sheet are placed in a mould without resin. The resin is then injected under high pressure into the mould, bonding all the materials together and creating the sidewalls. Creates very durable but slightly heavier boards. They are not a responsive as cap or sandwich methods. PU This is used to make the cheapest boards. Similar to RIM construction but with the core and sidewalls being made during the moulding process. The core is formed by injecting polyurethane - PU - into a mould containing the base, edges and top sheet. This forms the core and sidewalls. Lighter than RIM construction it creates boards that are not very durable and have a tendency to break and lose their performance. Used mainly in boards for juniors and beginners.
Snowboard Boots Info
Soft boots- Soft boots are most comfortable and can be used with highback bindings and flow-in bindings. They consist of two parts: an inner bladder and an outer boot. The inner bladder is padded to keep your feet warm, dry and protected from heavy impacts. It usually has its own lacing so you can tighten the inner bladder independently from the outer boot. The outer boot has a sturdy upper part that allows for ankle movement. The outer lacing allows you to further tighten the boots. In contrast to hard boots and skiing boots, soft boots are pretty comfortable for walking when you're not on the board. Soft boots are currently the most popular type of snowboard boots and are preferred by freestylers and freeriders.
Hard boots- This type of snowboard boot supports your foot, ankle and lower leg firmly, making them best for racing and high-speed carving on hard snow. Hard Boots have a padded inner bladder similar to the ones in soft boots. The outer shell however, is made out off hard plastic and is usually adjusted (or closed) using buckles or ratchet bails. Hard boots resemble the traditional skiing boots. Only, the hard boots have lateral mobility for the ankle. To provide some flexibility, hinges are often built into the ankles. The soles of hard Boots usually have a mechanism that allows them to be connected to plate bindings. Hard boots are often used with plate bindings by alpine racers who want their movement to be directly transferred from the hard boots and bindings onto the board. Still, hard boots are pretty specific and seriously reduces your freedom in choice. If you're planning to buy this, make sure you find an exact match between the binding mechanism and the hard boot mechanism.
Snowboard Bindings Info
Bindings intro- Together with your snowboard and your snowboard boots, this is another essential piece of your snowboarding equipment: Snowboard bindings connect your boots and obviously your body to the snowboard and are thus an essential part of snowboarding. Boots and bindings form a combination where not all kinds of bindings are suited for each type of boot. It is often best to buy them together and you will definitely need to know what your intended riding style is before you buy a combination of boots and bindings. The choice of what Type of Snowboard Bindings to use usually comes down to personal preference and finding the right boot first. Most Snowboard Bindings fall into two categories: strap or step-ins, with or without highbacks. The most popular being strap bindings, which use a baseplate and ratchet-based buckles to tighten your foot. There are actually five types of snowboard bindings available:
Strap Bindings- The Strap Bindings is the original and still the most popular binding system in snowboarding. This is because strap bindings are not only adjustable and very secure, they are also comfortable. Moreover, this type of binding is nowadays designed to be lighter and stronger. Strap bindings consists of a contoured baseplate where a rider can place his soft boots upon. At the back of the baseplate is a vertical plate (the highback) that rises behind your ankles and lower calves. The highbacks on snowboard bindings secure the heel of your feet and the backside of your lower legs. It also helps you to force the heel side edge of the board into the snow and brings the toe side of the board up. At the front of the binding are two or three adjustable straps which can be used to secure the front side of your feet and ankles to the snowboard. Initially you may have to sit down to strap in, but with a bit of practice it'll be easier to strap in while standing. Strap bindings can differ in the number of straps and the shape of the base and highback plate. Alpine who need to perform high speed turns will prefer taller and stiffer highbacks for greater control and improved edge control. On the other hand, freestylers will want a shorter backplate for more flexibility and torsional movement. Most people go for these kinds of bindings as they are more common, offer excellent control, and offer more options when it comes to boots-bindings combinations. The combination of the highback plate and the front side straps gives great control. This type of bindings is used in combination with soft boots. As the binding gives all the support needed, the snowboard boots can remain soft and comfortable. Keep in mind that the best strap bindings have ample amounts of wide padding at the toe and ankle straps.
Step In Bindings- It is quite hard to get into strap bindings since you need to loosen and tighten the straps every time you get into and out of your bindings. This is why step-in bindings were developed. This type of snowboard bindings allow you to simply step down and click into it, thus making it easier for you to get on and off your snowboard. With this feature, step-in binding systems have become quite popular with rental shops because they often give the beginners fewer snowboard equipment to fuss with. Still, while step-in bindings give you additional speed and can save you from a load of hassle, you pay for these conveniences when it comes to snowboard control. Step-in bindings don't have any straps to give additional support, making the boot less flexible, and thus, harder to do tricks. So make sure you get a good fit if you're planning to buy this. Step-in bindings usually work in combination with soft boots which are somewhat stiffer than those used with highback bindings. When you opt for step-in bindings, you narrow your selection in choosing boots and bindings since they both have to be "step-ins". There are however, some higher and more advanced step-in bindings out on the market that provide the best of both worlds. Step-ins can be used for either freeride or freestyle riders. Cross-over Skiers will often feel comfortable with Step-in Bindings and Boots since they are used to stepping in and to harder boots and just turning a switch or a latch whenever they want to get out.
Flow in bindings- Flow-In Bindings are quite new and a hybrid of the step-in and strap systems. This type of snowboard binding tries to combine the control of strap bindings with the ease of step-in bindings. Flow-In bindings look rather similar to strap bindings and also allow you to use soft boots. The notable difference is that, unlike the two or three straps that cover the top of your feet in strap bindings, the Flow-in bindings have only one large tongue that covers a large part of the top of your boots. Getting into and out of your Bindings is a matter of flipping the highback backwards and entering or exiting your boot. Flow-in Bindings are becoming more popular as the choices and techniques of snowboarding improve. People love the flow-in System as it combines all the advantages of the strap bindings with the ease of Step-ins. One disadvantage however is that Flow-in Bindings are more difficult to adjust than strap-ins.
Plate Bindings- Plate Bindings, also known as Hard-Boot Bindings, consist of a hard baseplate, steel bails, and a heel or toe lever. This Type of Bindings is used in combination with hard boots that can be inserted into the bails. By flipping the lever, the boots are strapped firmly into the Bindings. The features of the Plate Bindings are the closest to a traditional ski bindings and their rigid responsiveness provides maximum leverage and power for high-speed carving and riding on hard snow. Plate Bindings and hard boots are mostly preferred by Alpine Racers who need the extra edge control that they get from this combination.
Baseless Bindings- This Type of Bindings was introduced in the mid 1990's by several companies. In Baseless Bindings, the sole of the rider's boot is placed in direct contact with the snowboard deck by removing the Binding's baseplate. With this, the sole height is lowered by up to 1/8 of an inch. Theoretically, using the Baseless Bindings enhances the "feel" of your snowboard's flex. However, this Type of Snowboard Bindings aggravates "toe drag" problems for people with large feet. Also, most Baseless Bindings are far more difficult to adjust (stance angle/width) than traditional "4x4" designs. Still, some halfpipe and park riders prefer Baseless Bindings because it provides them with a quicker edge response.
With or Without high backs- The large curved piece of plastic screwed to the base of the binding is the Highback. Its main function is to give riders some control over their heel edge. These can be found on all Bindings or are built into the boot with some Step-in Systems. Alpine riders who need to perform high speed turns will prefer taller and stiffer Highbacks for greater control and improved edge control. On the other hand, freestylers will want a shorter backplate for more flexibility and turning power.
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Hutchy is too gd man
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