Geek Physics - Why Skiboards are better then Skis in Powder

[str33t]

I'm gettings tempted by longboards the more I read about them, but I wouldnt go for assymmetrical design. this is one of the points that makes skiboards the way the feel and differ from skis to me

[SINK]

Great discussion, don't feel like geting all technical and scientific is dorky around here. I can't say I have much pow experience, but I fully agree with the feel of turning your boards by pushing your heel around which makes sens to me. I sort of thought that skiboards were more like small scale snow boards with the bindings rotated and matched up in pairs not just mini-skis. One of the things I wonder is how would a reverse cut skiboard work- one with a fat middle and tapered ends. But being a new england skier I's be better served by somthing that handles ice and crud better. I bet if we really got into the physics of it we'd find out that the 4x4 mounting being so much shorter than traditinal ski's has a huge role in how skiboards work.

[jjue]

I'm gettings tempted by longboards the more I read about them, but I wouldnt go for assymmetrical design. this is one of the points that makes skiboards the way the feel and differ from skis to me

I also was wondering how the assymetric shape of the Sherpa would feel when I first rode it . ... All the other longboards I own are symmmetric , including the Spruce 120 , the Lacroix 125 and the Summit Marauder 125 , The Sherpa feels just like a symmetric board when ridden center mount on firm snow , rides fakie well ,
I mainly notice the beneficial effect of the slightly assymetric shape to make deep pow riding easier with less need to put weight to the tails compared with my other longboards. I think the slightly assymetric shape does what setting back bindings would do on symmetric skiboards in deep pow . It is a credit to Jeff Singer's design that is really difficult to tell any difference between the Sherpa and a symmetric board when ridden on firm snow .

[jjue]

rockered , reverse side cut skiboards ??

In the twin tip world , reverse side cut skis (wider in the middle then the tips ) and rockered or reverse camber skis are the rage in powder ski development .
These are great fun skis , they allow the rider in pow to assume a more centered stance , rather then set back like on regular skis , tips and tails naturally rise out of the snow , They are easier to turn in the snow and a big pow ski feels much more manuverable . The problem is that on ice and especially technical steep ice , they are quite sketchy . There is a reason we have camber in skis and skiboards , and a regular side cut with tips and tails wider then the waist .,, as we compress the camber into a turn in firm snow ,we have the entire edge of the board ready to use and carve into the snow .. Rockered or reverse cambered skis and reverse side cut skis while fun in pow . are quite sketchy in technical firm steep terrain. They like to slide and spin and do wheelies and not hook up the edge well . They can be fun on groomers but certainly are not what one would consider an all mountain tool . The problem with skiboards is that our skiboards are so short anyway that I would worry that a rockered skiboard or reverse side cut skiboard, would really be sketch city on firm snow . Could be fun in deep pow ... but do we really need terrain specific tools like skiers have ? I really think one of the really cool things about skiboards is that they can really be all mountain tools , you do not need a quiver of boards for different terrain , . you can have one do it all board for most all of the terrain you ride . Finding that do it all board is certainly a worthy quest , and each of us will have his or her favorites . I know I sing the praises of the Sherpa , a hell of a lot .. but I have had that thing in bottomless pow , in sketchy steep ice , in moguls , in breakable crust , and I have climbed all over with it on my feet like a giant snowshoe . It has been superb in all conditions and is the closest thing I have found to a complete all mountain tool in my many years of snowsliding .. and that is pretty amazing !

[Bluewing]

Geek Physics - bringing back to the top

This is an excellent thread so I am bringing it back to the top. I was going to start a thread about surface area and lift as it applies to skiboards, but the thread already exists.

Interesting how some things have changed. Jack had this thought in the thread - obviously before the Rockered Condor arrived on the scene - "The problem with skiboards is that our skiboards are so short anyway that I would worry that a rockered skiboard or reverse side cut skiboard, would really be sketch city on firm snow ." I believe Jack has proven that to not be the case!

Anything new to add to this since 2009?

[sempai]

Anything new to add to this since 2009?

Yeah, what happened to these members!?!? If you go back and look at old threads, you see a lot of members who no longer post. I often wonder if they are still skiboarding, or have they abandoned the sport for skiing and/or snowboarding.

[Bluewing]

Yeah, what happened to these members!?!? If you go back and look at old threads, you see a lot of members who no longer post. I often wonder if they are still skiboarding, or have they abandoned the sport for skiing and/or snowboarding.

There definitely are a lot of people who don't post any more. I have seen that in other areas of life - lots of people come and go. Would be interesting to know what happened to people in terms of this sport. Guess they are all on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc now since forums are so old school...

[mhealey]

Interesting how some things have changed. Jack had this thought in the thread - obviously before the Rockered Condor arrived on the scene - "The problem with skiboards is that our skiboards are so short anyway that I would worry that a rockered skiboard or reverse side cut skiboard, would really be sketch city on firm snow ." I believe Jack has proven that to not be the case!

He has proven that a rockered design can work well on ice with the slarving technique (at least that's my understanding, I haven't ridden RC's). A reverse sidecut skiboard....well...lets just say that would be interesting. If a reverse sidecut skiboard is ever produced, I challenge whoever rides it to make it down the trail without involuntary spinning.