66jzmstr
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Posts posted by 66jzmstr
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I got a MTX a few years ago during a trip to Canada. Since then its been used in mostly icey conditions in scotland and Austria... I can safely confirm that the edge hold is amazing and allows me to whip down icey pistes without any risk of wipeout (unless ofcourse I hit some of the blue stuff).
Mine's a bit short for powder (158) so I'm thinking of buying a new board for if/when I come to the deap powderfields of japan... any recomendations?
Lib Tech has a Snow Mullet BTX now. I don't know if I have the coin to drop on it, but it's got a Malolo shape for pow, MTX for when you get back on the groomed stuff, and BTX for extra float. I can't wait to get this stick, myself.
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Originally Posted By: samurai"That's it, That's All" is nucking futs.
While I do consider this competition to be an evolution of the sport, natural-terrain freestyle comps are more than a decade old. The World Heli Challenge in NZ back in the 90's was groundbreaking with 3 days of heli-accessed competition. 1 day was Extreme (Big mountain riding), 1 day was Freestyle (chucking tricks off natural features, inverted rotations were standard) and 1 day was a Chinese Downhill. (no- that's not racist, it's a race where everybody goes at once... making boarder-cross seem quite childish.)
Rip Curl used to fund it and pulled out in 2001, forcing the athletes to pay their ride. Then it died for a few years and tried to make a comeback last year in 2007. It's hard to get the marketing dollars for events that are in such remote places... but it is the future of the sport.
I didn't know there was a freestyle segment to the World Heli Challenge. Thanks for the heads-up, samurai! -
Just thought I'd pass this along, as it's somewhat groundbreaking. I'd rather watch a rider's video part than contest, but here's something on the first freestyle contest held in natural terrain.
Pretty sick riding, and pretty funny, too:
Quiksilver's "Natural Selection" (Click on Competition at Dick's Ditch)
And while on the topic of Quiksilver and Travis Rice, here's what will probably be the new standard for snow films:
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Yeah, the Youtube Vii videos are pretty funny.
A quick Google will show multiple articles about the Wii hitting China this year. I thought I heard about it already being released, but I haven't found any release date news yet. Same for South Korea.
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Originally Posted By: Kraut_in_HongKongOriginally Posted By: 66jzmstrDon't get an English version.
Don't get a Japanese version.
I'm not sure specifically about HK, but I've read from many places that Wii's in China are region-free, meaning you can play Japanese games OR American games, without having to hack your Wii, which would of course void the warranty and also oftentimes make it incompatible with future online content upgrades.
I haven't checked China (yet). But I doubt what you write. Most consoles don't even get released in China because of the rampant copying. The Wii you will find in China will be mostly JP gray imports I guess. And they will be modchipt too.
It's a pity that Nintendo is so shortsighted and forces people to using cracked consoles. To have a block on games that are not from your region is silly. Now one will get a modchip Wii and can simply download all games from the web for free. Normally I don't bother spending $50 on a game, but I would knowing that can't run.
I haven't looked into to it in-depth (as I have little reason to, already owning a Wii), but it was reported by some reliable gaming news sources here. Yes, there was the China knock-off, the Vii, but they do have actual Wii's in China, and last I heard, they haven't been selling like hotcakes as they have everywhere else. -
Don't get an English version.
Don't get a Japanese version.
I'm not sure specifically about HK, but I've read from many places that Wii's in China are region-free, meaning you can play Japanese games OR American games, without having to hack your Wii, which would of course void the warranty and also oftentimes make it incompatible with future online content upgrades.
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I love my Boa's, and this is my first season in them ever. These should last me a while (Vans Fargo Boa's), but I'm excited to make my next pair Focus Boa's, the double Boa system.
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Originally Posted By: 2pints,mateWhats the deal with that? Don't you need tons of add on "instrument controllers" for that?
I think you can play it with just the controller maybe? We were playing with the fancy pack though. It's about $150 or so (including game), but it comes with a guitar, bass guitar, drums and mic.
SO
MUCH
FUN!
(especially since I didn't have to pay for any of it) -
I'm a Wii fan (loving Super Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime Corruption here now), but I have to hand it to the PS3 for Rock Band. The missus and our friends were playing Rock Band (guitar, drums and vocals) attheir place, and it was an absolute blast. One of the best games I've played in years. A pretty good soundtrack too, not pigeonholed to primarily classic rock like Guitar Hero III, not to mention over a hundred downloadable songs with 200 more forecast for this year. Almost enough to make me get a 360 or PS3 (if we didn't have such thin walls and weren't pondering moving to Japanland later this year).
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We went to Niseko for a weekend in mid-December last month and it pooped snow the whole time for nice pow pow. The two weeks that followed (in Sapporo and Asahikawa), it barely snowed at all. Very different from two years ago when we visited at the same time when everything was already filled in.
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Whoa - if he's only a 10.5US, do not put him on a wide board unless he likes, unresponsive, lumbering turns. I haven't ridden the Custom yet, but the 10.5 waist width on it is very doable for 10.5's as long as he doesn't have a super narrow stance.
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Picture This is still okay, but it's a huge let-down after MDP's last two season's releases. It was far too short, many shots were far too artsy (distant, through the trees stuff where you can't even make out what trick is being thrown), and their "we had no snow" excuse for such a short movie was pathetic when all they had to do was drive up the 405 to the Pacific Northwest and Vancouver were Standard and Absinthe got pow & BC shots galore. Optimistic I enjoyed much more and believe is the second best video of the season, the first being Blank Paper's "In Short", which is like nothing I've ever seen. However, if you felt there was too much talking in Optimistic (where?!), then you won't like In Short.
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Originally Posted By: thursdaycotton wicks the moisture
You sure about that one? I've never had cotton wick at all, ever - it merely soaks the moisture up, never wicking/transporting the moisture to the outside of the garment like more technical layers. -
NEVER use detergent on your outerwear, Gore-Tex or not - unless you like a filmy, nasty layer on your gear with very compromised waterproofing and breathability. Use the appropriate Nikwax (Gore-Tex specific, or regular). And always follow the instructions!
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Originally Posted By: Samui KitsuneHe was just at the base of the run on flat ground. Popping from the toe to the tail and sometimes throwing in a 180 degree turn. Being the complete noob I am, I was impressed.
Now, if I saw him doing this down the run I think I would have barfed. Just ugly doing it down the run.
If you're just starting off, nail down these. You'll be surprised at how fast you pick them up, and your board control will improve by leaps and bounds. (Hey - if my wife can do it, you can too!
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The quality is really poor because it was taken from a thumbnail-sized Quicktime file, but you can also find the full DVD version in Japan and online under the name "BASIC: Snowboarding Video How To Groundtrick". It's the first video in a series of three. (The Youtube above is just the trailer for the DVD.)
Have fun with it!
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Update: I found their site HERE , but I can't find that one exact trick. I see a lot of stuff like it though.
I dunno. I'm a big fan of ground tricks, but so much of what I see here on that site is so sloppy that it does nothing for me. Even if the 'guratori' were cleaner, so much of it what they're doing is inherently wack to begin with that it would still blow.
I'm just crusty today.
Two guys who brought flatland tricks (guratori) "back" are Yasuo Aiuchi and Hirohisa "Major" Sato. There are a few links in a discussion at my home site in this thread . These are much better.
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Toe Rolls? Isn't that a football injury?
So he was just doing a nose butter and then popping into a tail butter, doing that all the way down the run? Was he rotating at all? I saw some guy (or crew?) named Baka Ichi who do all these kooky ground tricks, and one rider was doing this tap dance-esque manuever alternating between nose and tail presses all while linking quick, consecutive 180's down the hill. I have to admit, it must take some serious edge control and balance, but I also have to admit, it was probably the ugliest, dumbest "trick" I've ever seen on a snowboard.
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Not sure why this turned thread has turned pow-centric when there is no mention of pow in his initial post. There is, however, mention of Australia, which would make it less likely that the original poster is searching for a pow board. There is also mention of an all-mountain freestyle board, which also makes his requested advice less likely regarding of pow sticks.
Of course, 159 is a bit short for him - if he wants a dedicated pow-only board. Otherwise, anything in the 160's is on the long side for him, even for an all-mountain (do-it-all) board. And not to put words in AK's mouth, but I think this touches on his "longer will equal less fun" generalization. If he wants to dink around on groomers, maybe dabble in the park a bit, and not hit waist deep fluff or do Rad Air Tanker speed groomer runs, a longer board will be more cumbersome and require far more muscling around. Not exactly ideal for your every day, low-intermediate rider who resides in Australia.
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Originally Posted By: Kumapixalright here's the link. for those who can't read japanese it's the blue highlighted word after the first picture in the article. click on it and you get a short vid of someone playing the snowboarding game
http://wii.com/jp/articles/wii-fit/crv/vol1/page3.html
Thanks, Kumapix! Looks very simple, but the controls should be fun, and there's definitely potential for something far more fleshed out.
Thanks again!
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Originally Posted By: KumapixDon't forget guys that you can just set your stance back on your board and use your regular board!
For those who aren't able to build up there quiver yet, this is the only way to go. -
I was satisfied with my high-end Rides a few seasons ago, but decided to try something new. I gave Union a shot. More or less, the founder of Drake wasn't too keen on the direction of the company, so he broke off and started his own brand. Unions blow anything else I've ridden out of the water. Durable, adjustable, comfortable and all with an extremely versatile flex pattern. The density of the highback is tapered, being stiff at the bottom but becoming gradually more flexible as you move up the highback. This flex profile offers freeride responsiveness with freestyle tweakability, and it works.
It'll take the whole Bolivian army to make me part ways with my Unions. I've got a few seasons on a few different pairs, and I haven't had a single problem, and all of them are still going strong. The wife digs hers, too. Far better than the Drakes she had that fell apart while she was riding (literally).
Look at Union, and definitely look at Rome as well.
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Originally Posted By: Drop InnAt 85 kgs for Japan I would recommend 164cms, further a Banana for you at this stage is all hype
Wow. Lots of bells going off with this one.
164cm for a 85kg low-intermediate is absoludicrous, unless he has the luxury of riding nothing but pow or wants a slightly longer freeride-only stick. Granted, it is tough to pin down what length not knowing the type of riding he wants to do. He would do much better on something around 158-ish if he's going for all-mountain with a bit of freestyle thrown in. When I was 85kg, I was on a 161, and even that felt long for the same type of riding. And what's up with the wide recommendation? If he has big boots (AUS 12.5 or 13), definitely. But at 5'9", that's not likely. Anything else and it'll have all the responsiveness of driving a schoolbus. I've been there, and I know.
I'm no Lib rep, but how much time do you have on the Skate Banana - or do I chalk this one up to passing judgment on the Internet on gear never tried before? Banana Tech may not be for everyone, but it performs as advertised: slightly quicker edge-to-edge, jibs like a noodle yet rides groomers with stability. I haven't had it in pow yet, but I've heard numerous firsthand accounts of its solid performance in such conditions as well.
I agree that he might not need a Banana, but he's clarified he's not a beginner, so he might be better off with a board that is not a 'taxi-equivalent', and he certainly would be better off on a 159 Banana than a 164 anything - unless Australia has some never-ending pow stashes he's keeping tight under wraps.
To the original poster, go with the 159 Banana if you're looking for an all-mountain stick with a bit of freestyle. If you're planning some other focus of riding, let us know.
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For the snowboarding, do you stand sideways (or control the board/Wii Fit sideways), or do you still stand and control just as you do when skiing? My fingers are crossed for the latter . . .
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I think skiing is just a mini-game that comes with the disk you get with the board, I believe. I don't believe there's any snowboarding in it, but it was mentioned elsewhere today that EA is working on a new snowboarding game. No further info as to whether it's another SSX game or what console though.
I was a little disappointed to learn that the Wii Fit board is only 21 inches wide. I wasn't expecting to replicate my 24" stance when I ride, but a little wider would've been nicer.
(SNOWBOARD) LIB TECH: 156cm Skate Banana Magne-Traction (by 66jzmstr)
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
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Banana Tech (funky reverse camber stuff) and Magne-Traction (slightly squiggly edges for better edgehold), together abbreviated as BTX. You'll see BTX all over Gnu's and Lib's line-ups this year. Nearly every board has a BTX version.