Dirtsurfer Review - Page 1 of 2 DISCUSS THIS FEATURE HERE The Dirtsurfer arrives in a big box with the Dirtsurfer logo, and the DHL man struggles to balance it in the genkan as I sign for it.

Open the box, and the scent of rubber tyres with just a hint of oil offers the first indication that this is some serious kit. 

Pull it out of the box and you can see straight away the engineering that has gone into it. The main frame looks like a windsurfing jib, or even like a state-of-the-art archer’s bow.

Putting the brakes together and attaching the wheels is the only assembly required. Although the two instruction leaflets are nearly incomprehensible, it wasn’t difficult. Getting the board ready, you can’t help but notice the large sticker under the board warning of possible Serious Injury or Death. Of course that applies to any sport, and while I intend to bear the warning in mind, it is something of an incitement too.

I took it to hillside farm near Yatsugatake that has a nice big sloping square of grass. It was damp from the morning’s rain, and a farm worker was mowing it. After putting on wrist, elbow, kneepads and my helmet, I put the board down and tried to skate off. The board shot out from under my foot and fell over. I tried again. This time, I got on but the board wobbled and keeled over. I narrowly avoided planting my face in the front wheel. I tried this for a few minutes with a mounting feeling that it would never work, exactly like the feeling I had when I first got on a snowboard. The front axle seemed too free and loose. Then I tried just standing on it quickly without skating, and suddenly found myself rolling down the hill. I picked up speed, and tried to use the brake to slow down. The brake didn’t work. I panicked and jumped off, my feet skidded on the wet grass, and my elbow pad dug into the turf. Good for elbow pads I thought. The brake didn’t work because I hadn’t taken enough of the slack out of the cable when I set the brakes up.
   

Down on the farm

   
I picked up the now grassy board and walked back to the top of the slope. Using the same hop-on maneuver rather than skating, I got going again, and this time cruised right on down to the bottom of the slope, making a nice swooping heel side turn at the bottom. I let the speed run down then stepped lightly off.

And was immediately struck by what an amazing thing the Dirtsurfer is. On a smooth grass slope, it really does feel like riding a snowboard on powder. The mechanics are obviously completely different, but the way the board seems to drift as you move your weight around feels very similar. Then there’s the size of the board - it inspires confidence and feels very substantial under your feet.
    

A hatchback is convenient…

  
A few more runs and there were two things I was wanting badly, one of which surprisingly was not to go and fix the brakes up. I wanted a steeper slope for more speed, and bindings for my feet. “Chain me to this beast”, I murmured to nobody in particular.

While the board is as long as I am tall (182 cm), the space to put your feet is not particularly wide. You stand with your feet a good deal closer together than the stance on a snowboard. There are upright plates to keep your feet from hitting the wheels, and I had the sides of my feet jammed up against the plates.
  

Got the hang of this…

  
As the leaves were taking on their autumn colours, I took the Dirtsurfer up on the cable car at Tsugaike. I had some doubts about whether I could make it all the way back down. The first part was a long narrow winding road, paved but bumpy in places. My first try on tarmac simply reinforced the impression from riding on grass that this is just like riding a snowboard. The carving motion is remarkably similar. The main difference is the ‘edge’. While there’s an outer limit to the carve, there’s no edge to catch, unless you try some serious sliding, which I don’t intend to until I get more familiar with the board. But as the ride is so stable, and speed is not scary, I’m certain the time for sliding will come.

Off season ski slopes may look smooth from a distance, but up close they’re bumpy, marshy and dotted with stones. There are grasses that are as hard and sharp as punji stakes, or long and tangly like monster’s hair. They also have features like ditches and cables that get hidden by the snow in winter. Trying to stay onboard while traveling over this is a bit like dancing - my feet skittered all over the deck, and a couple of times my leading foot actually hit the front tyre which lead to some mild Injury, but no Death. When I fell on my chest with my wrist guard under one of my massive pectorals, it hurt like crazy, and the stars came out early.

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