Planning Heli-Boarding next year - Gear Upgrades - Snowboarding Forum

Whitey161 · 07-04-2012, 04:24 AM

Hi all,

Havent posted on this forum for a while.

I am planning on going heli-boarding next year 2013-2014 season. This will most likely be in canada but i have not booked or decided on location yet.

Having read quite a bit of advice it seems obvious that i will eed to upgrade some of my gear in order to be able to deal with the deep powder and back country conditions. I obviously dont want to take brand new gear with me so i want to purchase the gear this year so i have a season to break it in.

Im looking for advice on specific gear which will need to be upgraded. At the moment im thinking boots and bindings. I have some pretty basic forum freestyle boots and Ride EX bindings. Any recommendations on upgrades for heli-boarding?

Either specific brands or certain criteria i am looking for?

thanks in advance

ETM · 07-04-2012, 04:34 AM

I dont see why you would need different boots and bindings because you just got out of a heli. I would be looking at a nice big powder board before anything else.

Whitey161 · 07-04-2012, 04:43 AM

It was an article i read where it stated that the deep pow can work its way under certain bindings and cause then to come away from the board. Also wrt boots i presume i may need something with more support.

This is why im asking for advice

Agree about the pow board, i have an old timeless 161 (green genie) which is nice in the pow but a board i can get next season before i go, trying to spread the cost a bit.

ETM · 07-04-2012, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitey161

It was an article i read where it stated that the deep pow can work its way under certain bindings and cause then to come away from the board..

Ahh a magazine article. All magazine articles are thinly veiled adverts, go back and read the article again, I bet its steering you toward a pair of bindings that are advertised on the page after the article. Its a classic magazine caper.

I managed to get through a few weeks of this without my bindings being worked loose by the deep pow.

Whitey161 · 07-04-2012, 05:12 AM

oooh nice. TBH it wasnt a magazine article. It was on a website which sold hel-boarding holidays. I shall try and find the link.

Besides the avalanche safety stuff are there any specific items you would recommend taking/upgrading?

ETM · 07-04-2012, 05:40 AM

All you really need is gear you are comfortable with. Sounds like you want new stuff which is a completely different matter to needing new stuff and perfectly normal by the way.

Whitey161 · 07-04-2012, 05:47 AM

Haha new stuff is always good but if i dont need it i'm happy to save the money for more heli-runs

I will most likely get new boots this year anyway though tbh.

Edp25 · 07-04-2012, 06:09 AM

Did my first heli trip this year and it was life-changing beautiful. I would stress preparation as well as gear. Being from the east coast i had never been in powder that deep
and had a sharp learning curve. Get into the deep to prepare if you can. Also felt that me pack was most critical piece of gear as i was happy mith my board, boots and bindings. The ability to access things in th pack easily and to ride any terrain comfortably was huge. Having my camera and radio quickly and comfortably accessible was also key.
Have fun!

Whitey161 · 07-04-2012, 08:48 AM

Good advice, thank you. I shall invest in a decent pack. I would imagine one of the packs with a drinking straw type thing would be great as its thirsty work?

Will try get me some pow but not that likely as i board in europe.

Edp25 · 07-04-2012, 02:33 PM

We were actually cautioned away from the packs that have hydration bladders and drinking tubes. They freeze. Have a few good water bottles in your pack. Cheers!

07-04-2012, 04:24 AM	#1 (permalink)
Whitey161 Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 53	Planning Heli-Boarding next year - Gear Upgrades Hi all, Havent posted on this forum for a while. I am planning on going heli-boarding next year 2013-2014 season. This will most likely be in canada but i have not booked or decided on location yet. Having read quite a bit of advice it seems obvious that i will eed to upgrade some of my gear in order to be able to deal with the deep powder and back country conditions. I obviously dont want to take brand new gear with me so i want to purchase the gear this year so i have a season to break it in. Im looking for advice on specific gear which will need to be upgraded. At the moment im thinking boots and bindings. I have some pretty basic forum freestyle boots and Ride EX bindings. Any recommendations on upgrades for heli-boarding? Either specific brands or certain criteria i am looking for? thanks in advance

07-04-2012, 04:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
ETM Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Hokkaido in my mind Posts: 1,392	I dont see why you would need different boots and bindings because you just got out of a heli. I would be looking at a nice big powder board before anything else. __________________

07-04-2012, 05:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
ETM Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Hokkaido in my mind Posts: 1,392	All you really need is gear you are comfortable with. Sounds like you want new stuff which is a completely different matter to needing new stuff and perfectly normal by the way. __________________

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-04-2012, 04:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
Whitey161 Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 53	It was an article i read where it stated that the deep pow can work its way under certain bindings and cause then to come away from the board. Also wrt boots i presume i may need something with more support. This is why im asking for advice Agree about the pow board, i have an old timeless 161 (green genie) which is nice in the pow but a board i can get next season before i go, trying to spread the cost a bit.

07-04-2012, 05:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
Whitey161 Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 53	oooh nice. TBH it wasnt a magazine article. It was on a website which sold hel-boarding holidays. I shall try and find the link. Besides the avalanche safety stuff are there any specific items you would recommend taking/upgrading?

07-04-2012, 05:47 AM	#7 (permalink)
Whitey161 Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 53	Haha new stuff is always good but if i dont need it i'm happy to save the money for more heli-runs I will most likely get new boots this year anyway though tbh.

07-04-2012, 06:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
Edp25 -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 63	Did my first heli trip this year and it was life-changing beautiful. I would stress preparation as well as gear. Being from the east coast i had never been in powder that deep and had a sharp learning curve. Get into the deep to prepare if you can. Also felt that me pack was most critical piece of gear as i was happy mith my board, boots and bindings. The ability to access things in th pack easily and to ride any terrain comfortably was huge. Having my camera and radio quickly and comfortably accessible was also key. Have fun!

07-04-2012, 08:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
Whitey161 Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 53	Good advice, thank you. I shall invest in a decent pack. I would imagine one of the packs with a drinking straw type thing would be great as its thirsty work? Will try get me some pow but not that likely as i board in europe.

07-04-2012, 02:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
Edp25 -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 63	We were actually cautioned away from the packs that have hydration bladders and drinking tubes. They freeze. Have a few good water bottles in your pack. Cheers!