Ski and Board Season!

[ShooterJM]

Well it's time for obsession phase 2!

Paintball (other then indoor) is winding down and it's time to make the transformation into a snowboard bum. Any other snowboard freaks out there?

Now here's the key question.

I gave my last snowboard away.

So do I just bite the bullet and purchase new equipment?
(More expensive by FAR, but fast)

Or do I go through to task of building one again?
(Way Cheaper, sense of accomplishment, perfect board, takes a long time, easy to screw up, custom graphics.)

[Thordic]

I ski, and the only thing's I've paid for are bindings and poles :) I either get donated skis from my relatives in vermont who have a perpetual surplus, or I magically seem to find some. For example, my current ski's are a pair of Rossignol's from the early 90s. Someone was throwing them out one day in my town, and they were still in plastic! They had never even been drilled for bindings. Craziness.

I picked them up, looked them over, and got binding installed on them.

It's not worth it to me to buy good skis. I ski hard, and I break stuff. My last bindings were absolutely destroyed, I managed to crack them. My skis are full of cuts and rents in the surface (under and over :) )

It comes from sking on thin cover a lot, and from skiing through the snowboard parks. I get up in the air, and around half the time I try to do something stupid and end up coming down hard and pull a yard sale. It's rough on the equipment, especially when you are over 200 lbs :)

Don't even ask about poles. I've wrapped them around trees, snapped them on mogul trails, etc. I can go through two sets a season without a problem, and I don't ski too many times per season :)

I doubt I'll get up to Killington this year, which sucks since skiing in NJ blows, but when its all you have, you take what you can get.

[ShooterJM]

Yeah. I'm thinking I'll just hit a pawn shop and pick up somthing around my size and go. I haven't been seriously boarding in awhile (none of my friends used to) so I'll suck anyway.

Might have to sell off some of the old sports equipment (football, hockey) to make room for golf and snowboarding.

[Hemlock86]

Im deciding weather to sell my board or keep it. Ive only used it like 5 times in the past 3 years. But since Im moving to Europe in May, i might want it for there. Apparently Italy has some bad *** mountains. I have an Elan Element 160 with Burton bindings and vision boots (which I want to replace).

[gimp]

In response to the origional question, I'd build up a board. You can get exactly what you want, and like you said, it will usually be cheaper. I have an older board that I use at the beginning and end of the season, so I don't care if it gets all beat up. I also take full advantage of the demo days.

[ShooterJM]

Yeah, I used to ride a 162, but I'm thinking I'd better try a 152-ish. Be easier to get back into riding with.

[ShooterJM]

Originally posted by gimp
In response to the origional question, I'd build up a board. You can get exactly what you want, and like you said, it will usually be cheaper. I

Yeah. There are two main things I'm dreading.

1) Building the mold.

2) Building the template

I need to find somewhere that has a plotter to print off my CAD design. Kinda fun though. I really want to try an aluminum honeycomb core (with wood surround)! Really should finish at least one other project first though.

[EsPo]

Originally posted by Thordic
I either get donated skis from my relatives in vermont who have a perpetual surplus, or I magically seem to find some.

He just "finds" some.. in other words, he gets the 5 finga discount. i board, i feel extremely small.. i ride a 135, but i still rip it up, ive been ridin for like 3 years.

[spacemanspiff]

LOL Thordic I never knew you skied. I take the easy wayout and just buy a new one. Put up the old one at swap meet at the local shop, someones buys it, I turn around and get a new one for a decent price. I have a Morrow escape 159 I wanna geta little smaller one like 155. I'm trying to plan a trip to BC with my cousin god I hope I can make it it will be Powder Heaven.

[EsPo]

last year i took a board trip to lake tahoe.. we went to heavenly.... biggest mtn ever. i usually ride loon, snow okemo or killington. my friend has a cabin like 5 min (seriously) from mt snow, so we went there like ever weekend last year.

[ShooterJM]

BC would be nice!

I'm having to fly to NYC for a week in december, but no boarding for me there. Hopefully I'll be able to take a few days off and go up to steamboat for a few days.

[Thordic]

Originally posted by EsPo


He just "finds" some.. in other words, he gets the 5 finga discount.

Uhm, no :) If you read my post, you'll see the part about someone throwing out brand-new skis.

Whats with all these small numbers? I think my current ski's are 195's.

I want to get some of those little footboards though, just so I can injure myself in fun and exciting new ways.

[JEDI]

Shooter, I'm dying for the first decent snow fall here in north jersey. If I dont get to snowboard soon, paintball will run rampant on my bank account, and my sanity. I dont know if this will help your gear getting decision, but I say do what ever it takes to makes sure you're on the slopes this winter. Good luck man! Heres what I'll be rockin' this year. A Nitro Team 159.

[ShooterJM]

Snowboards are a bit different size wise. It's only really supposed to come up to your chin or so. I'm 5'6 my skis (when I did ski) were 190's. When I'm practiced I like a 158-162, but since I'm just starting again I'll drop about 10cm.

[Thordic]

Im just kidding about your short little board toys :)