General Questions:
What's the big deal about skiboards?
Skiboards are incredibly easy to learn (one to two runs is average), most people don't need lessons as it feels so natural, especially if you have skills in roller blading, skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, hockey, even dancing, etc. It is a natural cross over. (We do recommend that total beginners and newcomers to the slopes take lessons however). But most important, they are a blast from the first day and provide the freedom and control to do whatever you want and go wherever you want on the mountain. That's what snowriding is supposed to be all about - fun and total freedom!
What are skiboards? Are they just short skis?
Skiboards come in varying lengths and widths. Some are narrower than others. The more narrow width feels more like short skis and are a blast! They are excellent for skiers who are converting and allow for short, fast turns. The wider skiboards are constructed like snowboards and carve on edge like snowboards. You might say it is like having two small snowboards on your feet. This means to carve, you lean and the side cut of the skiboard does the work. Wider skiboards will handle deep powder more effectively, allow for better tricks, carve better turns and be more stable with increasing speed. Length of skiboards varies and choosing the proper length depends on personal preference as well as height and weight.
With many skiboards, the width is usually the same at the tip and tail so you can ride front and back at the same level.
Skiboards vary from about 59 to 99 cm in length, are generally constructed with a solid wood core and varying parabolic shapes, just like snowboards. Skiboards, being much shorter are often easier to manuever out of potentially troublesome situations. Ski boots (poles unnecessary) and the desire for pure outrageous fun are all you need!
How does skiboarding compare to skiing?
Often when skiers in particular get up on skiboards, they try to apply the same principles that they learned for skiing - lean down the mountain over your tips, for example. When skiers apply these strategies, they often comment that there is too much chattering and that they lack control and don't carve well at speed. However, the stance for skiboarding is more like the stance for skating or roller blading - standing up, not leaning over the tips. The effective carving edge for skiboards (in this sense similar to skis) is under your boots. Standing up on skiboards allows the skiboards to do their job - the side cuts and flex kick in and you can then have stability and control in carving. It often takes skiers a few runs to realize it isn't skiing anymore, it is more like skating or even a combination of skating and snowboarding, etc. and thus, they begin to realize the incredible freedom, control and total fun that skiboarding offers. The learning curve is extremely short compared to snowboarding or skiing and certainly less painful!
What is the difference between the different types of skiboards and how does one decide which to get?
First of all, all skiboards are fun (much more fun than skiing in the opinion of many and growing). There are however differences between the different brands of skiboards - overall construction, durability, side cut, camber, graphics and of course, overall performance.
Other factors to consider is how high the tips come up in the front and back. If the tips are quite low, this makes it more challenging in deep powder or on days when you have alternating clumps of snow and hard pack. The flex is also something to consider. The stiffer the skiboard, the more weight and lean you need to put into carving. Of course, side-cut factors in here too. Often, the more the side cut, like in skiboards with a deep parabolic cut, the easier it is to carve turns.
One way to choose depends on what you plan to do on your skiboards. Do you want to try tricks and jumps in the terrain parks, do moguls or glade runs, or lay out some mean carves on the groomed runs? Do you want to go where no one has gone before, into unmarked territory, deep snow or get dropped off by helicopter in the middle of nowhere? If you want to go into unmarked territory, jam through deep powder (don't we all) and love speed, the 90 to 99cm skiboards are a good choice as well as going for wider skiboards.
The 68cm - 90cm range is better for moguls, trees and playing on the open runs.
90cm and even longer is often preferred for those getting big air & doing tricks, so consider the 90-120cm range (though many people prefer using the shorter boards for many kinds of tricks also).
Your height and weight can also be a factor. Typically the longer the skiboards, the faster they go and the more stable they are at high speeds. This assumes you have some weight and height behind it of course. These are personal matters.
At skiboards.com we make it a point to try all of the skiboards on the market so that we can communicate the differences to you. Yes, we know it is a hard job to be on the mountain all the time, but that's our job! Some brands of skiboards we just don't sell because either they are of poor quality, or just don't perform. Or perhaps they are good quality, but overpriced for what you get. Feel free to call us to discuss the different features of any of the skiboards on the market. Being skiboaders ourselves, we can definitely help you choose the skiboards that are best for you. Hey, it's on our dime - 800-784-0540!
What does the 1 year warranty cover?
The warranty covers manufacturer defects. Generally all of the companies will replace or repair any defects at no cost to you. Warranties do not cover cosmetic blemishes, wear and tear or those skiboards subjected to misuse, accidents or alterations. This includes hitting rocks while skiing (or trees, though that isn't really a good idea).
Why use leashes?
Leashes are required by all the resorts. The reason is that if your skiboards get away from you, they won't go flying down the mountain. The skiboards we carry all include leashes. Some skiboards however come with brakes like the Big Foot Who or the 360 Full so you don't need leashes with those.
About Boots and Bindings:
Do skiboard bindings fit regular ski boots? Telemark Boots or Mountaineering Boots? Hardshell snowboard boots?
Skiboard bindings are made to fit regular ski boots and hardshell snowboard boots and fit sizes from about 3 to 13. We can make some adjustments to allow up to size 14 with some ski boot brands and also we carry larger size bindings for those with sizes up to 15. You don't really need special "skiboard boots", however we feature our special Raichle "skiboard" boots on our website since we feel these are truly the best for skiboarding. Your regular boots will do as long as they don't force your knees into a forward lean position too much. Telemark boots also fit some skiboard bindings as long as there is a lip in the front and back enough for the metal clip to secure the boot to the binding. Even certain mountaineering and climbing boots work with skiboards so you can go backcountry skiboarding.
Will skiboards fit soft snowboard boots?
Soft shell snowboard boots need to be stiff in the sides in order to have the control on edging. The bindings won't fit softshell snowboard boots. However, the skiboards can be sold without the bindings and you can put your own snowboard bindings on them to fit your boots. Most fit the 4 hole pattern already. You will need to add risers under the bindings though for added clearance space. Still, regular soft boot bindings are not constructed for side-to-side carving so they may not hold up as long. Best bet for comfort is our Kneissl Rail boot, a soft boot that is designed for aggressive carving.
What about "Skiboard" boots?
We are pleased to now offer the Raichle SB324T Skiboard boots with a Thermoflex lining for a custom fit, ensuring a great fit every time! While regular ski boots work fine, we consider the boots that we carry to be the ultimate for skiboarding and its particular requirements.
Ski boots are a very personal matter - it can make the difference between a really great day and a bad one if your feet are hurting from uncomfortable boots. Different brands fit your feet differently. It is extremely important that your boots are comfortable. Unless you are getting custom fit inner liners like the Raichle Thermoflex liners, or going for the Kneissl Rail soft boot, we strongly suggest that you go to a local retail ski shop and try on a number of boots first. Walk around for a while to make sure that they really fit your feet. Another alternative is to demo some different boots at the mountain. They generally rent for around $7 to $10 for the day. Of course, for the money there are places to buy ski boots on closeouts, factory seconds, etc. that may be worth the gamble.
How should my ski boots fit for skiboarding?
Boots need to be comfortable which means for skiboarding, since you stand up rather than lean forward, you want to make sure first that your toes are not cramped in the front. Second, some boots, particularly more advanced ski boots, force your knees forward assuming you will be leaning forward like on skis. Great workout for the thighs, but not all that comfortable a position. Intermediate range boots seem to work best and especially boots with adjustments such as walk mode, soft or hard ski settings. An example is the Nordica Next series which many people like. Hardshell snowboard boots are usually the best ride for most skiboarders as they offer more adjustments and more upright stance than regular ski boots. Ultimately, you want boots that fit your feet though and this you need to find out by walking around in them, unless you are going with the custom fit Thermoflex liners. These fit your feet from the first day which is why we chose them as a featured product and feel comfortable selling them over the internet.
Ski shops are not usually up on the new sport of skiboarding so they often try to fit your ski boots as they would for skiers. This means they will want your toes to be touching the front of the boots, assuming that you will be leaning forward and thus your toes will move back from the front of the boots. It will be up to you to decide how you want them to fit. Also, make sure that your heel doesn't slip in the back, in other words, the heel needs to be secure and stay put when you move, not keep rising up from the back of the boot.
How do skiboard bindings adjust to my boots?
Basically, the lip in the back of your boots fist under the back metal bale
making the back of your boots secure and the front toe lever tightens over
the front lip and clamps over your boot to hold it in place. You have your
choice of release or nonrelease bindings, depending on your preferences.
Can I put my own ski bindings on skiboards?
Yes. You can put your own ski bindings or snowboard bindings on most
skiboards that we sell but you may need to redrill your boards. Another
option for those of you who get skiboards with 4 hole mounting patterns, you
can get release bindings that mount to this mounting patterns without having
to drill. Call us for more information.
About Skiboarding:
If I don't ski, how long will it take to learn skiboarding?
Most people learn how to skiboard within a few runs and from there, the learning curve accelerates quickly. Skiboarding is much easier to learn than skiing or snowboarding. You can start having fun from the first day.
What if I'm a skater or roller blader?
Wait till you try this! You'll be jamming! The skills totally transfer to the snow, like roller blading on the snow. You will also be great, right from the first day, no kidding!
Do I need tips, lessons, or instruction on these?
It can always help to have tips or learn from others, but in general, you don't need to pay for lessons to learn skiboarding. It takes very little time to get the feel of skiboarding and from there, it is subject to what you want to try next. Remember, it's a whole new sport and you are on the leading edge, creating the future of snowriding.
What about poles?
You can use poles, but most skiboarders find that they just get in the way and are unnecessary. Poles are typically used by skiers to make turns. You don't have to restrict yourself to ski turns on skiboards however.
What about helmets?
As with any sport where there are potential obstacles/accidents such as other skiers, trees, etc. We strongly advise wearing helmets. After all, it is cheaper than an emergency room visit. It also keeps your head warm and you can wire it for sound.
What else do you need for skiboarding?
You need wax! With the short planks, wax makes sure you glide down the mountain easily. It also helps to have a skiboard bag to protect your boards. Make sure that you have good fitting skiboard boots. Again, a helmet is advisable.
What wax do you recommend?
After trying many kinds of wax, we have found a number of brands that we
like ourselves and therefore sell as being best for skiboards. We recommend
Zardoz NotWax as an excellent top coat or for those who just didn't have the
time to wax that day. For wipe on waxes, we recommend Poorboy speed paste
and graphite and for hotwaxes, the RC Stick Lick is what we offer. Wax
protects the bottoms from the elements and allows the skiboards to excel
when the snow is heavy. It is also good for the warm conditions (especially
Zardoz) which is when you need it most.
What about ski shop tune ups?
If you decide to get your boards tuned in a ski shop, make sure that they
tune them like they would snowboards rather than skis. However, skiboards
are very easy to tune yourself. For instance, we sell our Skiboards.com tune
kit with all you need to care for your boards. Our kit makes it easy to tune
your boards yourself with easy instructions.
What is a sintered base?
Sintered bases are made up of masses of tiny particles compressed together,
kind of like what you can do with wet sand. These particles are hard by
nature and get harder in the compression/fusion process. This makes a
sintered base very hard wearing and resistant to knocks etc. the down sides
are that they are porous, so need regular waxing, especially hot wax which
penetrates, expensive, and also quite hard to repair. When properly prepared
they are very fast, but then so is an extruded base when also properly set
up with wax. The wax stays on sintered for longer, because it penetrates,
but when it is worn off, they ain't quite so good!
When all the wax is gone, an extruded base is maybe a bit better than a
sintered base in the same condition. Extruded bases are way easier to repair
too.
Don't feel you have an inferior product because the base is extruded. In some
ways it is a more practical solution to a difficult problem.
Posted by Valmorel in the Gear Talk forum of skiboards community
messageboard under the title of EXTRUDED basses.
Can I fit a top quality binding such as Bomber to my skiboards that don't have standard 4-hole inserts?
Yes however you will need to either go to a local shop and have 4 inserts put into the skiboards or we also provide that service through our pro shop. Inserts need to be installed from the bottom and then the holes refinished in the bottoms. This will provide the strength you need to make sure the bindings don't pull out from the skiboards.
What if I change my mind about the graphics, length, etc. of skiboards and want to exchange them for a different pair?
Skiboards.com accepts exchanges as long as the skiboards are not used. We know it is sometimes hard to really picture what the skiboards will actually look like from the website, so when you get them if you decide you might want another pair, fil out our return form, call us for an authorization number and further details, and then just send them back. When we receive them, we will send out another pair to you or credit back your account. See our Return Policy.
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