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Snowboard Mountaineering


i_like_sun

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glad I got that link to the 333 skis. Those look interesting.

 

 

Actually, yes 333 is doing some totally amazing stuff. The owner is an absolutely fantastic guy building skis literally out of a trailer that he drives around. They have the whole environmental impact figured out super well, too. For every set of skis he builds he uses something like 6 ounces of propane gas for energy. Its great.

 

I spoke with him the other day about getting into the snowboard/splitboard side of things, and he says there certainly is a big market for it. One thing I was most impressed with was that they want to send out high performance skis that a working class skier/boarder can afford. Non of this $1500 Burton Method board crap (each set of skis costs $333). Its the whole idea of skiing/boarding being a passionate lifestyle, and not just a once yearly $5000 vacation to Vail Colorado....

 

I might go down and help him out...

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I spoke with him the other day about getting into the snowboard/splitboard side of things, and he says there certainly is a big market for it.

 

He may say that, but he's the only one who's saying that. Touring gear is a niche market at best. Without the herd of once a year yuppies the seattle touring market would be even smaller than it is (and judging by the stores, it's pretty small right now)

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I have been riding AT boots with plates since 1988 beotches and they work great! While I aint going to be doing any 520's I can free ride the backcountry like a mofo and lay down the arcs in bounds yo (on a non splitboard). I still break out the rosi-race for the Baked Slalom. Anyways, I am mostly on tele gear right now in the BC.

Shapp

Edited by shapp
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I guess i'm just confused as why some of you think i can't tour/climb in the mountains with my splitboard? Are you saying i can't ride icy exits the same as you with ski's?

 

If it's no big deal i just use my Voile crampons. Or i throw my BD contact cramps on my snowboard boots to climb. If i anticipate steeper icy stuff then i just climb in plastic Mt. boots/cramps and ride down in them. Works for me everytime, i guess i don't understand what all the fuss is about.

 

My guess would be that some of you just don't have much exposure with folks that have been splitboarding/climbing for a while now. Of course i gaped at first, but now i pretty much keep up with anyone i'm out with. All 3 Sisters, Mt Jefferson, tons on Hoody, Broken Top, Thielsen, whatever. Really no difference between me and any skier i'm travelling with.

 

The rolling flats are the only catch with a split board, but i'm learning to ski them with the board in ski mode.

 

JL

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The rolling flats are the only catch with a split board, but i'm learning to ski them with the board in ski mode.

 

JL

 

Learning...that is what you call it :wazup::lmao:

 

If I had extra $$$ sitting around I would be pulling out a split for the pow-pow days. Way better!!!

 

I have seen those guys in slowshoes lugging up thier board on deep days and NOOOO thanks. Split the only way to go, or better yet AT.

Edited by letsroll
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jlag, the point isnt that it cant be done, just that it can't be done well. Splitboarding entails far more compromise than AT. Some folks may be ok with that compromise, but many are not. For split boarding, there is not a commercially available system that allows the use of soft boots, while providing the necessary sole rigidity for more serious climbing.

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"it can't be done well" What do you mean by well? Like i couldn't keep up with ya?

 

Let's go out sometime, i beg to differ. Unless your putting up M7 with your ski's on your back, then count me out.

 

I climb well with soft boots and crampons, pretty much anything around here. I mean, i wouldn't wear them up the N.F. of Hood but i would up Cooper Spur. With the BOA system on my boots i can loosen or super-tighten them on the fly. I rode PMB on the split for an entire year, i can ride anything with them.

 

JL

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what if you want to climb a moderate route, then ski something easy (or the same route if you've got the goods). Like

Lib Ridge -> Emmons

N. Ridge Baker -> Coleman

 

Doesnt seem that unlikely.

 

There isn't really a good solution. I tried the Nuptses. They didnt fit well on my feet or in my bindings. YMMV. I have noticed a few places closing them out lately though.

 

Jlag, so you thought snowboard boots were as good as climbing or AT boots when you wore them on cooper spur?

 

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Dude, you're pissing in the wrong contest. Jlag rips--end of story. He doesn't fuss with the pros and cons of this or that--what the fuck is the point? He gets it done in fantastic style in gear he's comfortable with.

AT gear blows. The gear equates to nothing more than an expensive compromise. I'm a bit of an authortiy on this shit....just in case you were wondering.

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..........just that it can't be done well. Splitboarding entails far more compromise than AT. Some folks may be ok with that compromise, but many are not. For split boarding, there is not a commercially available system that allows the use of soft boots, while providing the necessary sole rigidity for more serious climbing.

 

 

I would TOTALLY argue that statement!! Jeremy Jones gets work DONE on a splitboard.....

 

The biggest compromise is mostly during spring multi-day trips when the morning snow is rock hard, and during more serious alpine climbs like Rainier (I still wouldn't head up there in SB boots...).

 

All that is really needed at this point is a stiff soft boot (meaning non-plastic) that has the capacity to take a semi or fully automatic crampon. Eventually I want the ability to do vertical ice in snowboard boots (not just mountaineering boots that can kind of be ridden). That way, I can confidently go do some up and over trips without batting an eyelash (for example, two dream trips I have: 1) climb Fischer Chimneys, and then drop the North Face of Shuksan. 2) Ascend Liberty Ridge, and then ride down the Fuhrer Finger).

 

Hard boots really do transfer more energy into your edges, and so that does make sense for steep ice. At the same time though, CRAZY steep lines get dropped in soft boots... Reference Jeremy Jones and others...

 

Snowboard boots already have more ankle stiffness than plastic mountaineering boots. Its just the shank and sole that needs work for alpine.

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WTF?! Why is it the same set of people, even when shown otherwise, still claim that a Splitty sux?

 

Get a life. Of us that use a split, it works for us. Some use soft boots and get it done. Some of us use a AT boot with plates, and get shit done. Some people......

 

Whatever. We all get out and enjoy the hills, no matter what our devise of choice my be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I do know, if you ride something back down, you are better than the punters walking back down, that's for sure.

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WTF?! Why is it the same set of people, even when shown otherwise, still claim that a Splitty sux?

 

Get a life. Of us that use a split, it works for us. Some use soft boots and get it done. Some of us use a AT boot with plates, and get shit done. Some people......

 

Whatever. We all get out and enjoy the hills, no matter what our devise of choice my be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I do know, if you ride something back down, you are better than the punters walking back down, that's for sure.

 

 

Yes

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I'm afraid I inadvertently knocked the split board when I said, "AT gear blows...." Split boards are a necessary means to an incredible end for back country snowboarding. I mean, come on, who wants to side-hill in a pair of snowshoes? I was referring to AT boots and all that other jazz. Not like anyone cares...just wanted to clarify.

 

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I think we can all agree that devices that alow you to both float and slide on snow rule. The alternatives of postholing and slowshoing suck. Slowshoes are better than nothing but :rolleyes:

 

AT skiers can use either mountaineering boots or AT boots if the main objective is to climb a route. They both have positive and negative factors to consider. If you can both splitboard and climb stuff that requires crampons then you have all kinds of snow travel alternatives open to you.

 

The only difference is that splitboarding is relatively new, so there are more bugs to work out.

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