From: mwallace@nyx.cs.du.edu (Mark Wallace)
Subject: Rec.skiing FAQ Snowboard Section
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 92 18:04:29 GMT

Ok, ok, after innumerable requests (well at least 2) for
Snowboard info.  Here it is, the Snowboard section of the
rec.skiing FAQ.   I think it will appear in the regular FAQ on
the next cycle of posts.  Any comments? email me.

Mark
mwallace@nyx.cs.du.edu



-------------------- Section XX: Snowboarding --11/30/92--------
??What is snowboarding?

Snowboarding is the relatively new sport which can be visually
compared to skateboarding and surfing except done on snow.  The
rider stands on the board with his/her left or right foot
forward, facing one side of the board.  The feet are attached to
the board via highback or plate bindings which are
non-releasable.  Although there is at least one manufacturer of
releasable bindings, they are not widely used.  The sport is
distinct from monoskiing.  In monoskiing both feet are side by
side and the skier faces forward.  Some sports which have overlap
in skills to snowboarding include skateboarding, surfing, water
skiing and certainly snow skiing.  In the following sections many
comparisons are made to skiing because of its widespread
familiarity.  If unfamiliar with snowboarding terminology the
reader should first refer to the What Is All This Weird Talk?
section.


??What is the history of snowboarding?

Snowboarding became popular only in the last 10 years.  It was
pioneered in the late 70s by a small group including Jake Burton,
and Tom Sims.  Both now head snowboard manufacturers with Burton
being the largest snowboard manufacturer in the world.  Burton
gets most of the media's credit for having developed the first
high back bindings and metal edged boards.  

The roots really start with the snurfer, that sled hill toy you
use to ride shaped like a small water ski with a rope tied to the
nose and a rough surface for traction from the center to the back
where you stood.  As it turns out Burton was involved in snurfer
racing, a gag event put on by a group of bored college students. 
Well, he got the bright idea to put a foot retention device
(little more than a strap at first) on his boards and began to
win these events hands down. 

Burton set up shop at Stratton Mountain in Vermont and by 1985
had incorporated steel edges and high back bindings into his
designs.  The metal edges allowed use at regular ski resorts and
the rest is hiss-toe-ree.  Today 7 percent of the world skier
population are snowboarders, 3/4 of all boarders are younger than
25, and 80 percent are male.  Some resorts report averaging 25
percent ticket sales to boarders.  And last year the growth rate
was about 30 percent. (numbers compiled from various ski
publications Fall 92)


??What kinds of equipment are there? 

The history of the snowboarding industry is brief but the
equipment evolution has been explosive.  The boards, boots and
binding styles sold in 85-86 aren't even available today.  Gone
are the split tails, center fins, bolt-on metal edges, wide short
boards and non-supportive boots.  Today there are no less than 45
snowboard equipment manufacturers (boards, boots, and bindings)
including these large ski and boot companies: Rossignol, Atomic,
Dynastar, K2, Raichle and Sorel.  In the 91-92 season 230,000
boards were manufactured with half of these being purchased by
Americans.  The cost of snowboard equipment is very comparable to
ski equipment with a wide range of costs and types.

Boards:

Boards are categorized into one of four groups: race, alpine,
all-around/freeriding and free-style/halfpipe.  They range in
lengths from under 100 cm to over 200 cm.  Their construction is
nearly identical to skis; a board has metal edges, side-cut and
camber.  All of the same materials are used.  The real
differences are in the shapes.

The term symmetry is used extensively in any discussion of
boards.  Because a board is ridden with one foot forward the turn
dynamics are obviously different from a ski.  A board can be
symmetrical front to back and/or symmetrical side to side.  A ski
is asymmetrical front to back and symmetrical side to side.  Most
boards have symmetry like skis.  Reasons for different symmetry
configurations include:  

     Front to back symmetry: Usually found in free-style and half
     pipe designs.  A board like this can be ridden in either
     direction with equal control.  

     Asymmetrical and/or shifted side-cuts: Refers to asymmetry
     about the longitudinal centerline of the board.  The side-
     cut shift is on the order of a few inches.  The toe edge is
     shifted forward relative to the heel edge and accounts for
     the fact that the rider's toes are nearer to the nose of the
     board than his/her heels.  Because the toes are nearer, the
     center of pressure (C.P.) applied to the edge is farther
     forward than the heel side C.P..  Additionally the side-cuts
     can be of different radii and the flex patterns can be
     asymmetrical.  Boards with these characteristics are
     predominantly found in the race and alpine categories.  An
     asymmetrical board is made to be ridden either goofy footed
     or regular footed therefore any board of this type comes in
     two shapes, one the mirror image of the other. 

This is a rough schematic of a goofy foot asymmetrical snowboard
with shifted side-cuts:

                         toe edge

                            C.P.
                             |   
             /------------------------------------\    n
    t       /       /   /       /   /              |   o
    a      /       / L /       / R /               |   s
    i     /        \__/        \__/               /    e
    l    ----------------------------------------/ 
                          |
                         C.P. 

                       heel edge

     Race:
          These boards are used for downhill, GS and slalom
          racing.  They tend to be stiff, narrow and long.  They
          are designed for high speed use with long effective
          edges for carving turns.

     Alpine:
          These boards tend to target crossover skiers.  The
          design of these boards reflects that of a ski with many
          of the same characteristics and many even look like fat
          skis.  

     All-around:
          This type of board is sometimes called all-terrain. 
          They are designed for use in all snow conditions and
          most can even be ridden in the half-pipe very
          successfully.

     Half pipe:
          These are boards designed for use in the half pipe. 
          They tend to be more flexible with wider foot stances
          more centered on the board.  The board probably has
          more nose and tail area and less effective edge than a
          board from the other categories.  Boards in this
          category generally do not have good all-around utility
          because of their inability to hold an edge on hard snow
          and steep slopes.  The board is generally more
          difficult to control due to the stance configuration.

Bindings:

Two types of bindings are used in snowboarding: the high-back and
the plate.  The high-back is characterized by a vertical plastic
back piece which is used to apply pressure to the heel-side of
the board and with two straps which go over the foot.  One strap
holds the heel down and the other the toe.  Some high-backs also
have a third strap on the vertical back piece called a shin strap
which gives additional support and aids in toe side turns.

The plate or step-in binding is used with a hard shell boot much
like a ski binding except it is non-releasable.


Boots:

Boots are categorized into 3 groups: soft, hard and hybrid.  Soft
boots evolved from Sorel and Sno-pac type boots and generally
have lace up bladders and shells.  The more flexible a boot the
easier it is to perform contorted free-style maneuvers but ankle
support and edge hold are compromised.  The shells are made of
rubber, leather and plastic and the bladders are similar to ski
bladders except normally lace-up.

Hard boots are like, but designed distinctly from, ski boots. 
They are used predominantly with race and alpine type boards and
afford support and edge hold at the expense of flexibility.  Ski
boots don't work well as snowboard boots because boarding puts
drastically different pressures on the feet and hence the boots
than skiing; lateral flex is desirable in snowboarding but to be
avoided at all costs with skiing.

Hybrids are those boots between the two extremes.  They may have
an all plastic shell where the plastic is thinner than on the
hard boot and may be lace up vice buckles.

Clothes:

There is a lot of clothing designed just for snowboarding.  It
tends to be reenforced in the knees, butt, shoulders, elbows,
palms and fingers.  Some clothing is even padded in the stress
areas with foam or plastic.  Considerations here should include
these facts:  a beginner spends a lot of time on his/her knees
and butt, snowboarding will wear out a cheap pair of gloves in a
few days due to the abuse, because of the bending
down/sitting/falling the clothes should not be binding,  and the
pants should be waterproof.


??What is all this weird talk I hear from boarders?

This topic can be separated out into 2 categories: first common
sport specific terminology which can be used at school or the
office without embarrassment and second the slang which is that
part of the language used by boarders to form a group identity. 
Listed here are terms mainly from the first category:

Toe edge - that edge of the board the rider faces.
Heel edge - opposite edge of the toe edge.
Effective edge - The length of edge which contacts the snow 
     during a turn.
Nose or tip - that end of the board that the feet are angled 
     towards.
Bladder and shell - most ski and snowboard boots are made of a 
     supportive exterior shell and a removable interior bladder. 
     The shell is closed with buckles are laces. The bladder may
     or may not have laces but normally has a tongue
Tail - back of the board.
Side-cut - the curvature of the edge towards the center of the 
     board described by the radius of the arc of that curve.
Camber - the built in curvature of a board, can be curved up like
     skies or down (rockered).
Goofy/regular footed - Right foot towards the nose is goofy, left
     is regular. About half of all boarders ride goofy.  Same
     terminology applies to skateboarding and surfing.
Symmetrical/asymmetrical - refers to board design, see equipment
     section.
High-back binding - generally used with soft or hybrid boots, see
     equipment section.
Plate binding - used with hard shell boots, see equipment
     section.
Inserts - Two methods exist to secure bindings to a board.  
     An insert is a bolt built into the board and a machine screw
     is then used to secure the binding.  A big advantage of this
     method is the ease of moving the bindings, you don't have to
     have a shop do it and the odds of a screwup are low.
Plate retention - The other method of securing bindings is like 
     ski bindings, a sheet metal screw is used after tapping a
     hole into the board.  It is referred to as plate retention
     because a metal plate is built into the board where the
     board will be tapped. 
Half pipe - a trough cut into or built up with snow, term
     originates from skateboarding.
Grab - any aerial maneuver where the board is grabbed by either 
     or both hands.
Fakie - riding backwards, this term can not be applied to a 
     totally symmetrical board with a centered stance where the
     feet are perpendicular to the edges, normally the feet are
     angled towards the nose of the board.
Skid pad - a pad attached to the board between the bindings where
     the rear foot can be set when its not in the binding.
Leash - a safety strap for the case where the buckles of the 
     binding accidentally release, required at most ski areas.  
Face plant - falling on one's face.
Butt plant - corollary to face plant.
Stance - refers to the position of the feet on the board.
Skate - to propel yourself by pushing with the rear foot which 
     is out of the binding while the front foot is still
     attached.
Shred - rip, jam, do way good boarding.

Aerial maneuvers: method, stale fish, japan, ollie, revert, ...


??Where is snowboarding not allowed?

This is a topic of often heated debate.  For any number of
reasons a minority of resorts don't allow boarders and never
will.  Following is a list of areas which have some type of
restrictions:

     * Keystone, Colorado   \  These are the only 2 areas
     * Aspen Mtn., Colorado /  in Colorado with restrictions

     * Taos, New Mexico
     
     * Alta, Utah
     * Park City, Utah   \ Park West does allow boarding
     * Deer Valley, Utah /

* - Confirmed totally restricted, no boarding allowed
? - Not confirmed, call first
P - Partial restrictions, call before going


??How does one learn to snowboard?

The point to keep in mind here is that it doesn't have to be
painful.  Taken slow and with the right guidance boarding can be
quicker to learn than skiing.  PSIA (professional ski instructors
of america) now certifies snowboard instructors and most resorts
which allow boarding will have instructors on staff.  Most
boarders who have also skied agree that boarding is initially
more difficult than skiing but after learning the basics the
intermediate and advanced levels are achieved more quickly. 
Edging and balancing skills are more important from the outset
because your feet are secured, you can't step from foot to foot,
and you don't have the use of poles as skiers do.

Snowboarders fall differently than skiers do.  Where skiers tend
to fall to the right or left snowboarders fall forward or
backwards onto their face or butt.  And why not have releasable
bindings?  Most boarders would disagree with the use of a
releasable binding, the board is relatively short, most ride a
160-170 cm length board, and the idea of going down a hill with
one foot released and one not is a very scary thought.  

Most ski areas require snowboards to have metal edges, leashes,
and secure bindings.  The newer boards are far easier to use than
anything made prior to about 1988.  Boards today are lighter,
easy to turn and comfortable to ride.  If the board your friend
is letting you use to learn on has a split tail, center fin,
solid highback bindings, bindings with nylon straps, or a stance
very off center towards the rear of the board find a new friend,
or rent.  Use a boot designed for boarding.  How would you like
to learn to downhill ski in tennis shoes?  Boots give your ankles
much needed support and alleviate pressure points from the straps
or buckles.  

A beginner should learn on a all-around or alpine board with
high-back bindings and a firmer soft boot or hybrid boot.  Hard
boots and step-in bindings are not recommended because of the
increased difficulties of balancing, turning, skating and using
lifts.


??Why Snowboard?

Here are some quotes from net boarders and others:

It's a more versatile tool, from powder to slush to wind blown
crust.  Take a bunch of skiers out in some breakable crust or
slush and see who's smiling at the bottom.

It is a better feeling than skis.  I like the flowing aspect as
it is kind of like surfing if you do it correctly.

It has a rhythm very different from skiing, more flowing,
smoother.

Snowboarding defines carving and thrives in powder.

It just seems like there is more freedom associated with boarding
than with skiing.

Stupid question...

NOTHING compares to floating through deep powder on a snowboard.

Tight slalom turns under the lifts turn some bettys' heads in
your direction, along with the jealous skiers' yodels...

I've met a lot of people who gave up skiing to snowboard, but
I've never met anyone who quit snowboarding to ski. - 
Paraphrased from Warren Miller's "Steeper and Deeper"

Because the feeling you get from snowboarding is just better, and
more special... - Jake Burton
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