Split Boards...

[Kitergal]

Hey Kitergal, As far as I know you got three options, you got the Voile Splits, Burton and then make your once with Volie Split Kit.

 

I have experience with the Voile split which I like a lot. The downside to it is there is a lot more flex than normal boards. You don't notice the flex in powder so much, but when you get into Cascade cement or hardpack you don't have as much control. Upside to the Volie split is it is cheaper than the Burton.

 

I checked out the Burton boards and I like the way the binding system looks, but I have never tried using it so I am not sure how it works out in the bc. In the store it seemed to work well.

 

The third option is taking an old board and buying a conversion kit. I met a few people who have done this and have it work well. downside is that you can have delamination issues if you don't seal you cut well. The nice thing is you can get a stiff board which might help with flex issues.

 

Being Kitergal I am surprised you are looking into split riding since there is kite board which eliminates having to ski up hill and as long as there is wind you have continuous riding.

 

Have fun.

 

 

Well I guess this info is a little late hopefully someone else can benefit from it. Kitergal have fun tearing it up out there I jealous.

 

 

And yeah..snow kiting works great going up hill...as long as there's no trees in the way....yeah...there lies the prob. trees!!

[ashw_justin]

http://www.bombersplitboards.com/Pages/bomber_split_bindings.cfm

 

actually I haven't used these yet, but they just look so cool.

[crackers]

bomber bindings rule. I've been really impressed by the ones i've used and they really hold up.

[Eerie]

Kitergal -

 

Just use your normal boot/binding set up. Yeah, it's a pain in the ass to switch around between split and resort board - you'll want to get a second set of bindings. For the set up allow about an hour (I've seen it take longer) to get your bindings set just right.

 

One thing you should do is actually put your boots in the bindings in ski mode to make sure they are at 0 degrees. I ride with burton bindings and they are ergonomically designed - meaning to get my foot at 0 degrees I have to set the binding off center a bit. If you don't do this you will notice your splits hitting each other while skinning. When descending short slopes in skin mode it will SUCK especially if your feet have never been detached on two planks.

 

Now, buy a snowmobile and you'll be set.

[Kitergal]

Thanks guys!!

 

Wow...got the split yesterday...Freak'in bad ass!! the 166 is not nearly as big as I was expecting...kinda weird, one of my buddies rides a 164 regularly...and his board is still taller than my 166...so I think they're measured a bit differently. It's def bigger than my 154..but nothing that I can't handle.

 

seems heavy too! A lot of metal on that bad boy! and ski's....total fatty's! HOW FUN! so yeah..now I just need to score another set of bindings (thanks for the advice) and eerie..I have sled....so I guess that means I'm pretty set huh!?! YEAH!!

 

I will say..the skin's that came with the set up...don't extend all the way down the back and around. (only about 3/4 of the way down the ski) One of my skier friends thought that was really weird. thoughts?

 

changing from board to ski...not the easiest deal...I can see how snow/ice/etc could definately complicate the transition!

 

Soo stoked!

[Eerie]

You go kitergal. get sum - just let the Avy danger lower a bit before you do ok?

 

You should tell your skier friend you think it's weird his skins go all the way to the tail of his skis. Actually, every split I've seen (4 total) the skins have not extended the full length of the board - probably 80% or so.

 

What kind of sled are ya throwin hi-marks up with? I've got one and it is a blast to ride.

 

later - Eerie

[ReeferMadness]

hell ya kiter girl, you got the full meal deal now.. sled necking rules. now get after it! oh yeah what Eerie said about the avi danger.

 

[TrogdortheBurninator]

regarding board length: Some maufacturers quote material length and others quote tip to tail length. The amount of kick will dictate how close these numbers are.

[Briang]

Congrats on your split board purchase! Definitely the best ride in the BC.

 

I like my split long and I'm a lightweight (150lbs).

 

I too use poles going down, especially on rolling or less than steep terrain, but sometimes 'cause I'm too lazy to collapse 'em and stick 'em in my pack...

 

On the subject of bindings don't discount the Voile offerings. I got mine at MEC on a clear-out for $20 cdn. Some will say they aren't too stiff, mostly plastic, etc... this is all true, but they are very light (important to me). This isn't just weight in your park, but weight you WILL feel with every stride. I have found lots of Voile components in junk boxes in many stores poke around and ask the ski techs, sometimes they just want to get ride of all those parts!

 

Some of my first bindings I got for cheap cheap at a used sporting goods store. I removed all the hardware used to make the binding adjustable and put a few small welds in their place, a few lightening holes (yes, every ounce counts) and VOILA!

 

I have used a most types of boots. I prefer a soft AT/Randonne boot. Soft (conventional) snowboard boots just suck in the BC.

 

Enjoy your new Split Board!

 

http://www.voile-usa.com/

Edited February 24, 2006 by Briang

[Kitergal]

ok. now I am soooo freak'in confused!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? WHAT HAVE I DONE!!

 

sooo Briang- Are you saying to use the bindings that they show on their site? Now..to me...those don't look like bindings...they look like how I attach my crampons on my glacier boots. For real?? That keeps the board attached to me when I'm boarding? Skiing...I can kinda see it...but It seems sketchy for boarding??

 

I'm assuming that yeah..normal snowboard bindings wouldn't really work when they're in ski mode....

 

ok. here's my question...(thanks for letting me blabber..it's actually helping me straighten out my thoughts). So..Do I need 1 set of bindings or 2? Like the ones on the site (the ones that look like how I attach my crampons) is that just for ski mode? And then there's another pair for board mode? WTF did I just dooo!?!? I'm sooo freak'in confused!!

[Kitergal]

k. nevermind..it's a total personal choice I guess....soo..any recomendations??

[philfort]

Getting a pair of hard boots, mated to the cheap light voile mtn-plate "binding", makes for a nice light setup that skins well. If you're used to soft boots though, then you might find it sucks (I dunno, I've only ever used hard boots).

 

I have a friend with softboots, and his strap bindings are slow to get in and out of, and it's hard to get at the pin to change from ski to board mode, because of the bulkiness of the strap binding.

[Bergretter]

Kitergal, you're doing good so far!! Just as Philfort said, get yourself a Voile Mtn. Kit which contains two bail type bindings that screw right on to your Voile slider tracks ($45 at mgear.com), a pair of good (some say entry-level) AT boots, such as Scarpa's Avant Lady will snap right into your Voile Mountain Plate bindings with no problem (sale $260 at mgear.com) and ride/skin very nice, this is the setup I use and have found to work great (of course, my Avants are a different color), much better and faster than my original soft boot/strap binging setup I started with. The tractor skins work great and with the wide surface area they don't need to go all the way to the ski end, traction is huge!! Have fun!!

[RogerJ]

The AT Boot\Mtn Plate setup kept my split off eBay! It was like day and night skining. I bought some Dynafit TLT4 AT boots. These are light and not so monster stiff that they are unmanageble coming down.

 

-r

[glen]

Reminder that REI offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. I purchased a voile splitboard, took it out for a day in the bc and decided that it wasn't $800 better than snowshoes. REI took it back... kudos to them. I think that the decision as to whether or not a splitboard is the way to go depends on a few factors, including the type of terrain you are working in. If you are in steep terrain and mostly yo-yoing in the cascades, don't bother with the splitboard as it won't save you much time on the whole. If you are planning on doing more extended trips through moderate terrain, then it is a good option. Also note that to make good use of a splitboard moderate skiing ability is prerequisite. The voile setup is great, and totally top notch. The skins climb well, the setup is easy and the transition, while not as quick as with snowshoes, is still pretty fast.

[ken4ord]

Hey K-gal, This is what I have tried and my opinion.

 

Voile plate binding with plastic ice climbing boots. I do not recommend. Just not enough support which it made it difficult to edge. I would like to try it hard snowboard boots with that set up though. Though I would really like something that I can climb in, will look into it some day when I am back in an area that has snow.

 

Burton soft boot bindings with plastic ice climbing boots. You all might be wondering why does he going with ice climbing boot. Well I was on the east coast and I want to combine two sport I like to do, so I use to skin up Mt Washington, climb an ice gully and board down a snow gully. So this is how it worked, the cuffs on the boots were lower than the binding which made it slightly uncomfortable on the descent, but it did not affect my riding and I rode like normal. I liked this set up for days when I was doing ice. Also it was comfortable skinning up long distances (one time 14 miles one way with a big sled).

 

Soft boots and soft boot bindings. I like this set up for short skinning days. It is what I am use to in the resorts so I like it in the mountains as well. Skinning long distances I have gotten hot spot on my shins, short distances no problems at all, and even if I did have hard snowboard boots on shorter days.

 

As for the time to switch over, yes hard boots are faster, but by a minute max, if your partner(s) stress about a minute wasted, then probably need to smoke an other one or you need find new people to ride with.

[Kitergal]

k. so my resort board got stolen up at snoqualmie Sat night...BOO HISS!! So it forced me to put bindings on my split and give it a go.

 

So, I used my mtneering boots (glacier boots, but not hard plastic boots) and flow bindings, the type you press the lever and your free.

 

WOW! That board is HEAVY AND HUGE!! I seriously has such a hard time keeping that bad boy in control. Prob the mix between, mt. boots, Bigger board, lower backed bindings. Yeah....

 

LOVE it tho. seriously...just need way more leg stength to throw that board around...my legs were fried after 3 hours...(my resort board I could go ALL day w/o the fried legs feeling).

 

SWEET!!

 

Thanks all of you for all your advice....and GO TO HELL YOU BASTARD WHO STOLE MY 154 blue VISION board....ohh yeah...We're watching out for you dood!!

 

-K

[slaphappy]

Hard boot setups are suck. Light, yes, versatile, no. You might try adjusting your stance (back?) and it might help w/ a few of the issues you had at snowcruddy. I like metal base plates because I bend the sliders or break the plastic ones but they are heavy and bending stuff shouldn't be a problem for you, at least for awhile... Flows are good, Drake Podiums IMO are even better, Eerie's Burtons seem alright as well.

 

Now about that sled...

 

HIGH MARK!!!!!!

 

-

[Eerie]

kitergal - I'm serious, use your regular snowboarding boots. The only time it will blow is when you're sidehilling on crust/ice - then it's all about concentration. Anyways, you should only be going out in powder so crust/ice should rarely be a problem.

 

I've heard Flow bindings are some of the heaviest bindings available. Is this true or are they actually rather light? slaphappy gave you formula for solving the snowboard mode issue: move bindings back. To solve the weight issue in skin mode go to a local stadium, office building, or QueenAnne - anywhere you can run stairs till you puke. Once during the week run those stairs til you can't lift your legs anymore. Bump that up to twice a week and soon your skier friends will be lagging behind you on the skin up.

 

ok now. answer to my earlier question. what kind of sled do you have?

[Kitergal]

some ski-doo thingie...I bought it used so I don't know much about it. It goes where I want it too and I haven't had any probs with it yet.

 

Hmm...I've been using my mtner boots snowboarding all year and love it!! not sure I want to switch boots just yet!

 

The flow bindings...not sure if they're heavy or not...I just like how easy they are to kick on and off...I'm sure there are lighter bindings out there..but I'll play around with these for a little bit longer.

 

I did set my bindings back one notch already..and it was MUCH easier...wondering if I should leave it or go back farther?

[slaphappy]

To solve the weight issue in skin mode go to a local stadium, office building, or QueenAnne - anywhere you can run stairs till you puke. Once during the week run those stairs til you can't lift your legs anymore. Bump that up to twice a week and soon your skier friends will be lagging behind you on the skin up.

 

you might consider a bit of your own advice cause my old ass can crush you with joint in one hand and PBR headbuster in the other...

 

-

[slaphappy]

some ski-doo thingie...I bought it used so I don't know much about it. It goes where I want it too and I haven't had any probs with it yet.

 

-right on!

 

Hmm...I've been using my mtner boots snowboarding all year and love it!! not sure I want to switch boots just yet!

 

The flow bindings...not sure if they're heavy or not...I just like how easy they are to kick on and off...I'm sure there are lighter bindings out there..but I'll play around with these for a little bit longer.

 

 

-I used to swear by mountain boots but tried a few super stiff soft boots and was impressed with their performance. Try as many different options as you possibly can until you dial in what you like.

 

I did set my bindings back one notch already..and it was MUCH easier...wondering if I should leave it or go back farther?

 

-Again, try many stances until you find what works best. I would reccomend tryin it as far back as they go, and work backwards from there. Try changing stance width and binding angles as well, I found that my BC stance and my resort stance are quite different.

 

- Time to go climbing in the 75+ degree sun!

[Eerie]

kitergal, so your mtner boots are your regular snowboarding boots. If you like that set-up then enjoy the snowboarding!

 

 

you might consider a bit of your own advice cause my old ass can crush you with joint in one hand and PBR headbuster in the other...

Just because you like "touring" don't try to get me to like it too.

 

Enjoy your 15 minutes in the 75deg sun - I checked and the forcast is calling for afternoon T-storms

[Mr_D]

Had a Burton Custom S...lot's of fun, but heavy.

 

For mountaineering when crampons were needed, I used Koflach arctis expe with regular boarding bindings.

 

For riding in the backcountry, I found my K2 clicker setup to be the best for comfort and good boarding.

 

Then reallized the way...sold it and went to tele. Not been back since.

 

Have fun and in a 2 years, put it on craigslist for $500, then learn to ski.

 

Enjoy...good times are a'comin.

[slaphappy]

Then reallized the way...sold it and went to tele. Not been back since.

 

Dork