Blunt Moods

[valmorel]

I remember when British currency went decimal in 1971. There used to be 240 pennies to the pound, twelve pennies to a shilling, twenty shillings to the pound. There were "bobs", sixpence pieces and threepenny bits.

I don't know if the two were politically connected, but the loss of the old Imperial currency and the change to a European decimal system was considered a foretelling of the move into Europe, which happened in 1973. My mother still won't buy French apples, although she does drink their wine.

No, the loss of Imperial currency to Dismal currency was only really related to the fact that decimal is a much simpler system. Oddly we kept inches feet miles yards etc. We are losing imperial measure now by default. I don't think it's taught in schools anymore. Actually, I don't think MUCH is taught in schools anymore. Teachers are just grateful to get through the day in one piece :-)

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[Bad Wolf]

No, the loss of Imperial currency to Dismal currency was only really related to the fact that decimal is a much simpler system. Oddly we kept inches feet miles yards etc. We are losing imperial measure now by default. I don't think it's taught in schools anymore. Actually, I don't think MUCH is taught in schools anymore. Teachers are just grateful to get through the day in one piece :-)

I'm sure you are are right, I was only ten at the time and not very political. I think Edward Heath too us into Europe, but I'm not sure who make the decimal decision ? I think it happened in the early sixties, then took years to become reality.

[Bad Wolf]

Bad Wolf,

Did you decide whether or not you're riding the Blunts tomorrow at Snowbowl? I'm getting out on them either tomorrow night and/or Saturday night.

I'm taking them with me and will decide based on conditions. They are meant to have a good man made base with a couple of feet from the recent storm on top. I just don't want to tear the bases up if the coverage is thin and rocky.

Plus, I'm really working hard on getting my technique back and almost want to save the Blunts for when I can make the most out of them. Their width will make them easy to pivot and slide but harder to get on edge. I might be better off getting my edges down on the slimmer Slaps then going to the Blunts. It's a long season.

[Bad Wolf]

Blunts In The Desert

I got to ride the Blunts for the first time at Arizona Snowbowl's opening day. They had one groomed intermediate run open with fairly good coverage. I started the day on the Slapdashes then switched to the Blunts once I felt warmed up. The run was a little soft snow on top of a hard man made base, so by the time I got to the Blunts it was fairly chopped up. I rode them today with Nordica Hotrod ski boots and Line FF Pro non release bindings.

At first I couldn't edge the Blunts to skate and pulled a 360 in the lift line just trying to stop. They are the widest boards I've been on and you definitely have to work a little harder to engage the edges. I felt immediately at home on them on the first run. Very easy to pivot and slide, light and responsive on your feet. They feel fast, maybe the word is smooth. I was surprised at their stability, especially fore/aft. They turn like a short board but seem as stable as a longer one. I had to be aggressive to get them on edge at first, but once I did they held their line well. They really smoothed out the chop and even held their grip across the icy patches. The slope was too busy to have enough room to really lay down any carves. It was the first day of the season, and I'm not a great technician, but they did seem a little tiring. Maybe that will improve as I get to know them. I did find it hard just to cruise in a straight line on them, I have a feeling they like to be on edge.

The conditions were very limited today, but this was a great start. To be fair to the process, I would have to reserve judgement until I've run them through powder, bumps, ice and steeps. My favorite boards so far have been the Jades. The Blunts surpassed them in the chop and should be superior in other conditions too. Both give me that feeling of "joyous abandon". I do want to try some park features this year and will probably stick with the Slapdashes there, otherwise the Blunts may be my go to board.

One last note was the huge amount of positive curiosity they received in the lift line. Handed out a lot of cards today!

[Bluewing]

First Time on Blunts - Free Word Association

I got out for the first time this season yesterday at Blue Mountain in Palmerton, PA. It should be called "Zoo Mountain" because it certainly lived up to its reputation for a complete circus - no, wait - calling it a circus is an affront to the Ringling Brothers, but that is another story. Resort was super crowded with very long lift lines - at one point I was getting 2 runs per hour in. Conditions: man-made snow, 1 longish green run open, 1 short black and 1 long black. Temps in upper 20s to mid-30s Fahrenheit, bluebird sky. Green run was in very good shape, short black run got skied off fairly quickly into low soft mounds, the long black was atrocious - golf ball to lemon sized chunks of frozen snow and was skied off fast into scraped down areas (yay snowboarders who don't have skills!) and a minefield of random moguls and mounds up to maybe 12 inches high at the half way point to the end. In keeping with my goal of embracing the gnar this season - I skied it with a smile on my face and joy in my heart!

I rode my 120s first and then switched to the Blunts around lunchtime. Only got six runs in on the Blunts - 5 on the green and 1 on the short black that dropped into the longer black. I was nearly hit 3 times to out of control snowboarders on that black run and decided to call it a day not wanting my season to come to an end on Day 1 due to a knuckledragger. I rode the Blunts with Spruce Pro Sport risers.

So, here are my free word association impressions of the Blunts:

HOLY SH!T !
Fun
Agile
Nimble
Trench diggers
Slarvers
Carvers
Disappear underfoot
Like snowshoes in the lift line
Easy
Intuitive
Attention grabbers
HOLY SH!T !

I felt comfortable on these right away. Didn't find them hard to edge at all - I do have strong legs and am in pretty good shape. On the black run they did great in the junked up, mounded up snow - in fact, I did better on them than my 120s. We easy to pick your way through the moguls. Lots of positive attention in the lift lines and on the lifts:

"Those are so cool"
"Are those custom made?"
"Those look like fun"
"Those are wild"
"Those are really cool. Too bad you can't put snowboard bindings on them." (Well, you can as I explained)

My daughter is riding them at the opening day of our home resort tomorrow. I will post up her thoughts.

I think these really have a lot of potential. Can't wait to ride them more. Trying to get to Elk Mountain, a much bigger place, next weekend. I think I will start on the Blunts and give them a good workout. I am really hoping these are super competent in all conditions I get here and at all speeds - these to me feel like skiboarding should feel - the equipment disappears.

A few photos of Blunts in the wild:

[sempai]

Good stuff Bluewing! This afternoon I'm getting out on my Blunts for the first time. Reading your review has me even more excited about riding them. I like that you said, "These to me feel like skiboarding should feel". That's how I felt when I started riding the Line 89 cm boards last season. I suspect I'll feel the same way about the Blunts.

[CAN]

I got out for the first time this season yesterday at Blue Mountain in Palmerton, PA. It should be called "Zoo Mountain" because it certainly lived up to its reputation for a complete circus - no, wait - calling it a circus is an affront to the Ringling Brothers, but that is another story. Resort was super crowded with very long lift lines - at one point I was getting 2 runs per hour in. Conditions: man-made snow, 1 longish green run open, 1 short black and 1 long black. Temps in upper 20s to mid-30s Fahrenheit, bluebird sky. Green run was in very good shape, short black run got skied off fairly quickly into low soft mounds, the long black was atrocious - golf ball to lemon sized chunks of frozen snow and was skied off fast into scraped down areas (yay snowboarders who don't have skills!) and a minefield of random moguls and mounds up to maybe 12 inches high at the half way point to the end. In keeping with my goal of embracing the gnar this season - I skied it with a smile on my face and joy in my heart!


So, here are my free word association impressions of the Blunts:

HOLY SH!T !
Fun
Agile
Nimble
Trench diggers
Slarvers
Carvers
Disappear under you feet
Like snowshoes in the lift lines

I felt comfortable on these right away. Didn't find them hard to edge at all.


I am really hoping these are super competent in all conditions I get here and at all speeds - these to me feel like skiboarding should feel - the equipment disappears.

Great reviews Blue! And Bad Wolf You and I had pretty much identical reactions to them.
We have a local "zoo" a half an hour away( Mt. High with its ice and many high snowboarders living up to the name) but prefer to go to our "home" resort six hours away so we can keep our smiles.
I'm glad you used the release bindings. I enjoyed both the soft boot and non release rides as well. Most of your impression quotes were also spoken bye especially the snow shoe in the lift lines. They were so easy to maneuver like walking in them.
I can't wait until we all get to try them out in all conditions as they were great for all of us on the groomers. Also I can't wait to hear from Sempai later today.
Chad

[valmorel]

Guess there will have to be a Blunts day at Shredfest

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[2Shoes]

If there is anybody with the Blunts at Shredfest with the soft boot bindings, I would be interested in trying them out. It's possible I might order the Blunts before then but I'm still loving my RC's so I'm not sure I want to let them go a day not being ridden on the mountain.

[jjue]

If there is anybody with the Blunts at Shredfest with the soft boot bindings, I would be interested in trying them out. It's possible I might order the Blunts before then but I'm still loving my RC's so I'm not sure I want to let them go a day not being ridden on the mountain.

Hey 2 Shoes, I will have the Blunts set up with the SBOL modified Sims Cipher binding for you and anyone else who wants to demo the rig at Shredfest ..

[sempai]

Also I can't wait to hear from Sempai later today.
Chad

The bad news is that just like yesterday I got caught up doing other b.s. and didn't make it out on the Blunts like I wanted. The good news is Mrs. Sempai is back from spending Thanksgiving with her folks, so now we will both be going to the local hill tomorrow morning for a full day of riding. Not only will I be riding the Blunts for the first time, but the Mrs. will be riding the Summit Jades for the first time too. Oh, and we'll be taking video.

[CAN]

Ok now I can't wait.

[Bad Wolf]

The bad news is that just like yesterday I got caught up doing other b.s. and didn't make it out on the Blunts like I wanted. The good news is Mrs. Sempai is back from spending Thanksgiving with her folks, so now we will both be going to the local hill tomorrow morning for a full day of riding. Not only will I be riding the Blunts for the first time, but the Mrs. will be riding the Summit Jades for the first time too. Oh, and we'll be taking video.

I didn't get a chance to compare the Jades to the Blunts yesterday. It would be great to hear your opinion if you get the chance to ride both in the same conditions.

[sempai]

I didn't get a chance to compare the Jades to the Blunts yesterday. It would be great to hear your opinion if you get the chance to ride both in the same conditions.

I rode the Jades for a few runs last season. They didn't do it for me. I'm really not interested in riding them again. It's going to be an all-Blunt day for me tomorrow.

[Zach]

Great reviews Blue! And Bad Wolf You and I had pretty much identical reactions to them.
We have a local "zoo" a half an hour away( Mt. High with its ice and many high snowboarders living up to the name) but prefer to go to our "home" resort six hours away so we can keep our smiles.
I'm glad you used the release bindings. I enjoyed both the soft boot and non release rides as well. Most of your impression quotes were also spoken bye especially the snow shoe in the lift lines. They were so easy to maneuver like walking in them.
I can't wait until we all get to try them out in all conditions as they were great for all of us on the groomers. Also I can't wait to hear from Sempai later today.
Chad

After 6 or 7 days on them I found the edge hold in ice to be a bit sub par. Or I should say sub ktp. But that's really the only complaint I have!


I'm gonna get 45 days on the mountain this year if it kills me!