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"Slarving" turns on the Rockered Condor (Tips from Shane McConkey)

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  • "Slarving" turns on the Rockered Condor (Tips from Shane McConkey)

    As I spend more time on the Rockered Condor it has become clear to me that one of the main differences with this skiboard and all skiboards which have come before is its prowness in making the "Slarve" turn .. this is a sliding/partial carve turn , that was popularized by Shane McConkey with his rockered ,reverse camber Spatula ski in powder .... the Rockered Condor does that same type of turn in deep pow but also in broken snow and even on groomers and ice....
    Here are Shane's tips on doing the "Slarve" which also apply to the RCondor ...

    Shane
    1/) SLARVING 101
    Pontoons — and other skis without traditional camber, like the Goode Scoop and the older Volant Spatula — make skiing ungroomed snow blink-turn easy. To shred them on the hill, you have to open your mind and throw away everything you think you know about pressuring a ski. If you leave your preconceptions in the lodge, and keep these points in mind, you'll be skiing powder and tight trees faster and with less effort.

    Jack ...
    the same can be said of the RCondor in ungroomed snow but also on groomed snow


    Shane
    2) FIND YOUR CENTER
    A rockered ski has a smaller balance point than a cambered one, so stay centered. You don't have to pressure your downhill ski or angulate; just slide or carve your turns as you choose. Or do both and "slarve" 'em.

    Jack
    This is very true on the RCondor . being centered is everything ... all else follows ... you can carve like a traditional skiboard .. but the RCondor really likes doing a partial carve and partial slide better ... this is the defining turn of the RCondor .

    Shane
    3/ RETHINK YOUR TECHNIQUE
    Stop bouncing and forget about the up-and-down motion. You don't need it to actively float rockered skis because the opposite camber keeps them on top of the snow. Don't be afraid to go fast. If you need to control your speed, just throw them sideways.

    Jack
    yes , in deep pow . there is none of the bouncing up and down on the tail that I do on traditional skiboards... it is all amount smoothly riding centered in the pow .. and drifting them sideways as necessary to control speed.

    Shane
    4) USE YOUR ANKLES
    Pivot from the ankles instead of trying to pressure the whole ski. Your tips and tails won't be pushing into the snow, so this is the easiest and quickest way to get your skis around.

    Jack
    Yes,, on the RCondor , I am really pivoting my ankles and smearing , in firm snow i ride with less of an edge angle and turn more by just pivoting at my ankles and doing a partial carve with a bit of smearing or sliding thrown in to the turn

    Shane
    5/ KILL IT
    Don't fear crust or wind slab. Without camber and a deep sidecut, you're far less likely to hook an edge. Jump into narrow chutes and slarve. Rockered skis will be in constant contact with the snow — just swish them around.

    Jack
    Yeah .. . go ahead skiboarders and KILL IT . you have a new tool with a whole new tool set ... practice the SLARVE and then go KILL IT....

    And from Teton Gravity forum

    Originally Posted by JimLad
    The slarve fills the gap between pop and carve. Any turn size should be possible.
    I agree. I had Praxis Powders (185) and the closest analogy I can think of is Ice Skates. When you dig in and turn by rolling up on edge, you are locked in. When you "release" your ankles a bit - rolling them downhill, and flattening the ski- then you can feel the "slarve" better, like a hockey stop on skates, where the edge releases and you begin to slide. I could only just start this type of turn, hadn't really learned to control it yet. I worked on it last week on my b4's (it is possible, but you need more speed to flex the ski in each turn) I think big wide skis make it easier - looking forward to the 110 + waist category for me, and I think rocker makes it easier still.

    You have to turn the same way you slide a box -- which was entirely foreign to me until I learnt how to, errr, slide boxes. On a box it's much more extreme -- you hope sideways, legs apart, and pressure the leading foot FLAT, skis FLAT, upper body facing downhill. In a slarve / McConkey turn, you throw the skis sideways while keeping the upper bod facing downhill, and let the edges drift without catching. Works best at high speed in deep pow. But you can basically incorporate a slarve into a midsize carving turn in a rockered ski by kicking the tails out as you initiate the turn; OR, keep the knees together, and twist the ski sideways by rolling the ankles into the slarve.

    You'll get it. Lots of shapes are possible ..


    Jack ...
    study this video over and over , this is the first step


    And this is how the guys on rockered pow skis do it in the deep pow ...

    DPS' Stephan Drake tests the Spoon behind Alta, Utah. from DPS SKIS on Vimeo.



    Jack
    you can get the same feel of this on the RCondor on steep groomed slopes .. watch carefully how the skier is sliding down hill fast sideways and angulated.. and then off to the other side sideways ... same kind of "slarve " sideways slipping fast turns on steep icy groomers... with the RCondor as well as similar turns in deep snow ...

    Guys and Gals the Rockered Condor is a glimpse into the future of skiboarding .... hope to get some video this season ... and I hope Brett and others will show us what can be done .. the possibilities for a new look to skiboarding is huge.....

    Riding down steep slopes in all conditions sideways spinning around into fakie , wow possibilities are endless....
    Boards :
    Blunt Xl, DLP, Spliff, Condor, Rockered Condor , Slingshot, Sherpa, Icelantic Shaman
    Boots
    K2 BFC 100 Grip walk sole , Dynafit CR Radical AT boot, Ride Insano Snowboard boots
    Bindings:
    Zero Pro Non release Binding
    Modified Receptor Backcountry Bindings (Bill Version and Slow Version)
    Spruce Riser with Attack 14 GW /AT binding
    Custom Risers with Fritschi Backcountry Bindings (Jeff Singer version 1, Bill version)
    Rocker and Sbol Soft Boot Bindings.

  • #2
    Great post Jack. I've added a link to it from the Condor description.

    Comment


    • #3
      It's kinda funny, because that's how I've been riding the 08 Condors on groomers all along. The soft flex makes them really easy to skid through turns. Now I'm interested to see how the new rockered design will feel in comparison.
      RVL8 Condors - The Flex will be with me, always...until I break them

      Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming... "WOW! WHAT A RIDE!!"

      Comment


      • #4
        I'm just glad there's finally a name for skiing like this. I skied like this for years and years. It drives instructors nuts. But, it's served me well.

        Comment


        • #5
          Vids of Slarving Drills on Rockered Condor

          Sorry about the video quality. The light was very flat .. But I think you get an idea of how the turn is done . The video is of me doing slarving drills on the Rockered Condor on moderate icy slope . This is very easy to do on the Rockered Condor and allows you to descend all manner of nasty icy slopes with control ..... Thanks to my brother in law for shooting some vid.
          Real Time ..



          Slow motion ....
          Boards :
          Blunt Xl, DLP, Spliff, Condor, Rockered Condor , Slingshot, Sherpa, Icelantic Shaman
          Boots
          K2 BFC 100 Grip walk sole , Dynafit CR Radical AT boot, Ride Insano Snowboard boots
          Bindings:
          Zero Pro Non release Binding
          Modified Receptor Backcountry Bindings (Bill Version and Slow Version)
          Spruce Riser with Attack 14 GW /AT binding
          Custom Risers with Fritschi Backcountry Bindings (Jeff Singer version 1, Bill version)
          Rocker and Sbol Soft Boot Bindings.

          Comment


          • #6
            OT: I feel sorry for the person in the background snowploughing straight down the slope. Those thighs must be hurting! She(?) should get some skiboards.
            Current: '20 Spruce Slingshot 119s, '20 Spruce Crossbow 115s, '18 Spruce Osprey 132s (touring), '21 Rvl8 SII 104s, '21 Summit Invertigos 118s
            Also: '11 Allz Elaila 94s, '12 Rvl8 Rockered Condor 110s, '15 Spruce Osprey 132s , '18 Spruce Crossbow 115s
            Previous: Gaspo Hot Wax 84s, Mantrax 98s, Summit Nomad 99s, Spruce Yellow 120s, Eman Uprise 104s

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by ysb33r View Post
              OT: I feel sorry for the person in the background snowploughing straight down the slope. Those thighs must be hurting! She(?) should get some skiboards.
              I think this all the time as I'm riding the lift up and seeing people snowplow back and forth down the run. They just don't know what they are missing out on.
              Boards/Bindings:
              2013 Spruce Sherpas w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
              2023 Spruce Stingers w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
              2015 RVL8 Blunt XLs w/Tyrolia Attack 13s
              2020 RVL8 Sticky Icky Ickys w/Tyrolia SX 10s


              Boots:
              Salomon X-Pro 80

              Past boards: Salomon Snowblades, Line MNPs 89 & 98 cm, Five-Os, Bullets, Jedis, Spruce 120s, LE 125s, Ospreys, Crossbows
              Summit 110s, Nomads, Jades, RVL8 ALPs, BWPs, KTPs, Tanshos, Rockets, DLPs, Blunts, Condors, RCs, Revolts, Spliffs

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by jjue View Post
                Sorry about the video quality. The light was very flat .. But I think you get an idea of how the turn is done . The video is of me doing slarving drills on the Rockered Condor on moderate icy slope . This is very easy to do on the Rockered Condor and allows you to descend all manner of nasty icy slopes with control ..... Thanks to my brother in law for shooting some vid.
                Real Time ..
                Nice video Jack. You really have that slarving technique mastered. I must admit though that it doesn't look like much fun. If conditions were so icy that I was required to do that a lot, I think I would just go home.
                Boards/Bindings:
                2013 Spruce Sherpas w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
                2023 Spruce Stingers w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
                2015 RVL8 Blunt XLs w/Tyrolia Attack 13s
                2020 RVL8 Sticky Icky Ickys w/Tyrolia SX 10s


                Boots:
                Salomon X-Pro 80

                Past boards: Salomon Snowblades, Line MNPs 89 & 98 cm, Five-Os, Bullets, Jedis, Spruce 120s, LE 125s, Ospreys, Crossbows
                Summit 110s, Nomads, Jades, RVL8 ALPs, BWPs, KTPs, Tanshos, Rockets, DLPs, Blunts, Condors, RCs, Revolts, Spliffs

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by sempai View Post
                  Nice video Jack. You really have that slarving technique mastered. I must admit though that it doesn't look like much fun. If conditions were so icy that I was required to do that a lot, I think I would just go home.
                  Actually , I find it a lot of fun ... it is not an exclusive turn but just one of many in the toolbox ... in this video I deliberately was going slow and demoing a lot of those turns... even though that slope was icy I could have just made about two carving turns and be done with it LOL ... also the turn is great practice for the way you pilot the RCondor in deep pow .....
                  Boards :
                  Blunt Xl, DLP, Spliff, Condor, Rockered Condor , Slingshot, Sherpa, Icelantic Shaman
                  Boots
                  K2 BFC 100 Grip walk sole , Dynafit CR Radical AT boot, Ride Insano Snowboard boots
                  Bindings:
                  Zero Pro Non release Binding
                  Modified Receptor Backcountry Bindings (Bill Version and Slow Version)
                  Spruce Riser with Attack 14 GW /AT binding
                  Custom Risers with Fritschi Backcountry Bindings (Jeff Singer version 1, Bill version)
                  Rocker and Sbol Soft Boot Bindings.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by jjue View Post
                    also the turn is great practice for the way you pilot the RCondor in deep pow .....
                    Do you mean that you have to slarve in deep powder with the RC's, carving won't work?
                    Boards/Bindings:
                    2013 Spruce Sherpas w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
                    2023 Spruce Stingers w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
                    2015 RVL8 Blunt XLs w/Tyrolia Attack 13s
                    2020 RVL8 Sticky Icky Ickys w/Tyrolia SX 10s


                    Boots:
                    Salomon X-Pro 80

                    Past boards: Salomon Snowblades, Line MNPs 89 & 98 cm, Five-Os, Bullets, Jedis, Spruce 120s, LE 125s, Ospreys, Crossbows
                    Summit 110s, Nomads, Jades, RVL8 ALPs, BWPs, KTPs, Tanshos, Rockets, DLPs, Blunts, Condors, RCs, Revolts, Spliffs

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by sempai View Post
                      Do you mean that you have to slarve in deep powder with the RC's, carving won't work?
                      in deep powder all skiboards turn by keeping the boards together and turning them as a unit, drifting from side to side , in really bottomless powder there really is no carving .. this is dfferent then in broken pow at ski resorts where carving works fine . ...
                      on regular skiboards you turn by putting your weight to the tail of the board and kind of bouncing up and down on the tail ,
                      on the RCondor you remain centered on the board and turn much as I am doing slarving turns on groomers...
                      Boards :
                      Blunt Xl, DLP, Spliff, Condor, Rockered Condor , Slingshot, Sherpa, Icelantic Shaman
                      Boots
                      K2 BFC 100 Grip walk sole , Dynafit CR Radical AT boot, Ride Insano Snowboard boots
                      Bindings:
                      Zero Pro Non release Binding
                      Modified Receptor Backcountry Bindings (Bill Version and Slow Version)
                      Spruce Riser with Attack 14 GW /AT binding
                      Custom Risers with Fritschi Backcountry Bindings (Jeff Singer version 1, Bill version)
                      Rocker and Sbol Soft Boot Bindings.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        More on Slarves (side slips )

                        The more time I spend on my Rockered Condor with my snowboard boot set up in all conditions, the more I am realizing that the defining skill of this board is learning how to Slarve well in all conditions .. this is also called a pivot slip or side slipping turn . Here are some more drills from the skiers perspective. In the video you will see the skier hopping to initiate a change in directiion , what is really cool about the Rockered Condor is that there is no hop necessary , because of the zero camber short base directly underfoot , it is dead easy to just pivot around and slide with no hop ...
                        Skiboards have always been hugely efficient carvers... the Rockered Condor has the carve in the tool box but it adds the ability to be the most efficient pivot ,slip sliding snow sliding tool ever invented. What is for skiers a limited and defensive manuever , can become a really big part of the tool box on the RCondor .

                        http://ultraskier.com/alpine/let-it-...ivot-drills-57

                        Boards :
                        Blunt Xl, DLP, Spliff, Condor, Rockered Condor , Slingshot, Sherpa, Icelantic Shaman
                        Boots
                        K2 BFC 100 Grip walk sole , Dynafit CR Radical AT boot, Ride Insano Snowboard boots
                        Bindings:
                        Zero Pro Non release Binding
                        Modified Receptor Backcountry Bindings (Bill Version and Slow Version)
                        Spruce Riser with Attack 14 GW /AT binding
                        Custom Risers with Fritschi Backcountry Bindings (Jeff Singer version 1, Bill version)
                        Rocker and Sbol Soft Boot Bindings.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Flat boards ....

                          The defining skiboard technique in real powder , is keeping your skiboards flatter and together and moving the two boards as a unit in a "surfy " type flatboarded turn , pivoting from side to side .. this is different then how we go up on edge and carve on firm snow ... what the Rockered Condor does . is to allow the skiboarder to practice and use two footed flat surfy type turns on hard snow as well as in soft snow ... this is certainly not to the exclusion of carving and I can carve my Rockered Condor as I do other skiboards .. but the two footed flatter sliding type turn is super fun on the Rockered Condor where it is not much fun at all on cambered skiboards or traditional long skis .. this has to do with the fact that the design of the RCondor lends itself to smoothly pivoting and sliding without cambered tips and tails catching in the snow and without the board catching an edge , unless you really want that edge to hook up ..... I feel like "surfing " in firm snow as well as in pow which is really a unique and highly enjoyable way of riding my skiboards and something dramatically different on my Rockered Condor ... having more "feel" in my ankles with a soft boot set up really helps me enjoy this surfy ,sliding kind of riding better and I prefer the soft boot set up because of how it really lets me enjoy the feel of this kind of riding ....
                          Boards :
                          Blunt Xl, DLP, Spliff, Condor, Rockered Condor , Slingshot, Sherpa, Icelantic Shaman
                          Boots
                          K2 BFC 100 Grip walk sole , Dynafit CR Radical AT boot, Ride Insano Snowboard boots
                          Bindings:
                          Zero Pro Non release Binding
                          Modified Receptor Backcountry Bindings (Bill Version and Slow Version)
                          Spruce Riser with Attack 14 GW /AT binding
                          Custom Risers with Fritschi Backcountry Bindings (Jeff Singer version 1, Bill version)
                          Rocker and Sbol Soft Boot Bindings.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Out today in the backcountry in 3 inches of new over breakable crust ... not the best conditions LOL but great for the rockered condor .. It suddenly occured to me that I was making exactly the same kind of slarvy sliding two foot turn in the soft backcountry snow , that I do in firm snow. Riding the Rockered Condor slarve style on groomers is fantastic practice and transfers directly to riding difficult backcountry snow ....

                            Here is more from Shane McConkey from his Spatula manual . the Spatula was the first reverse camber rockered ski What he says about the Spatula converts directly to riding the Rockered condor ... Interesting what he says about practicing the turn on groomers and boiler plate ...

                            """Slide instead of carve!

                            Yes, believe it or not this is something that you should be trying to do in the powder. Sliding will be the most difficult of Spatula techniques to learn but you should be able to get the idea in time. Even if you never attempt to learn slides you will still be able to blow doors on everyone else without the Spatulas. Who knows, you might just naturally start doing them anyway. The more dense and compacted the snow is the easier it will be to perform slides. Sliding will greatly improve your maneuverability and control. Begin your powder turn and then instead of hitting your edges hard to carve a turn, stand up on two feet and let your skis slide or skid diagonally across the fall line. It will be harder to perform a slide directly down the fall line. Start off doing them diagonally.


                            For me, a slarve is a soft carve. Best way to experience it for yourself (imho) is to take a pair of reverse/reverse skis (Spats, 'Toons, etc.) out on a groomer. If you try and rail 'em up on edge (what I like to call a "hard carve") they will throw you into the hill (i.e. they will whip out from underneath you and slam you down). To prevent yourself from getting bucked you have to soften your carve. To this extent you still want to do everything you would for a regular (i.e. "hard carve"), but you just soften it up a bit, loosen it up. As a result you slide a bit more than you would in a hard carve, but you're not just side sliding, as you are controlling the ski and essentially doing what I previously refered to as a "soft carve" (I would also describe it as a limp-wristed carve or a muted carve or a mellow carve, if you are looking for an alternate explanation). The angulation is there, the rolling of the ankles is there, but it's all muted. Again, best way to understand it is to experience it. It took me awhile to really understand it and a lot of that came from taking my Spats out in hard-pack conditions, night skiing on Tahoe Boilerplate, and on cordoroyed groomers. And this experimentation came after Brooklyn suggested that I "carve" my Spats instead of strictly smearing/sliding them. Trying to ski them like a "normal" ski on normal groomers really opened up my eyes to how they handle and what you can do with them. And it helped me grasp the concept of the slarve. In turn it made my command of the ski that much better when I got them into their intended playground: powder. "
                            Boards :
                            Blunt Xl, DLP, Spliff, Condor, Rockered Condor , Slingshot, Sherpa, Icelantic Shaman
                            Boots
                            K2 BFC 100 Grip walk sole , Dynafit CR Radical AT boot, Ride Insano Snowboard boots
                            Bindings:
                            Zero Pro Non release Binding
                            Modified Receptor Backcountry Bindings (Bill Version and Slow Version)
                            Spruce Riser with Attack 14 GW /AT binding
                            Custom Risers with Fritschi Backcountry Bindings (Jeff Singer version 1, Bill version)
                            Rocker and Sbol Soft Boot Bindings.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Nice picture of how skiers do the Slarve on rockered skis in pow ... today I was doing the same kind of turn in pow on crust with the RCondor you enter the turn and slide sideways bleed some speed and then rock over to the other side and slide ..... look at the body position the position of the rockered skis and hand position and just imagine that the poles are not there and you can understand the body position doing the slarve on the RCondor in pow ...

                              Boards :
                              Blunt Xl, DLP, Spliff, Condor, Rockered Condor , Slingshot, Sherpa, Icelantic Shaman
                              Boots
                              K2 BFC 100 Grip walk sole , Dynafit CR Radical AT boot, Ride Insano Snowboard boots
                              Bindings:
                              Zero Pro Non release Binding
                              Modified Receptor Backcountry Bindings (Bill Version and Slow Version)
                              Spruce Riser with Attack 14 GW /AT binding
                              Custom Risers with Fritschi Backcountry Bindings (Jeff Singer version 1, Bill version)
                              Rocker and Sbol Soft Boot Bindings.

                              Comment

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