killclimbz

Hopefully he's out boarding, rafting, hiking, or neck deep in hookers and blow.

snowman

Hey BA what input do you have on Rome snowboards?? i read a few but you only have a couple.. not very good boards?? Lookin at an all around board.. some park but also powder days and just cruisin.. Nothing beats a pow day!!

BurtonAvenger

I've rode a decent amount of the Rome Line up they're a snowboard they'll get you down the hill.

cubes

Just wondering If you are going to get your hands on an 09 Atomic Alibi seeing as you had mixed feelings on the Rapture due too the nomex, for something different have you ridden any 09 Lib techs(TRS and Dark series) wich aparently have toned down thier Mega Gay Traction ?

BurtonAvenger

Haven't been on the 09 libs line yet will do that like mid november. The alibi hasn't changed in 2 years the 08 is just like the 08/09. I've been on it you can noticibly tell the difference in the nose/tail because of Nomex. Nomex is the worst invention ever lets put epoxy covered cardboard in our boards.

cubes

retyping this as my browswe crashed and lost a whole essay so I will keep it short, thanks BA, as I am after an 'do it all' all mountain freestyle board eg. Atomic Alibi, NS Sl or Lib TRS mtx(08 which I have which is ok but...)and Dark series which you rated the 08 quite highly(from what I interpreted)so curious how the 09 Lib dark series performs with the suposedly toned down mtx.

Question on the 09 NS SL vs the NS Evo as an all mountain freesyle board, if on paper(and real world going by your experience) the SL kills it as an all mountain freestyle board how would the 09 Evo compare been more jib oriented but having a stiffer flex(tip an tail I think?)new egde tecnology but heaps of pop andbeen heaps o f fun for jumps and stuff any where and everywhere in an ou of the park?

Snowolf

Rafting and hiking it was...posted the pics; maybe next week it will be the hookers.....

Thanks, and to a large portion I agree with your sentiments. The problem that you have with instructors as a group, I think is a result of the wrong type of person who goes into instructing for all the wrong reasons; ego and a free pass. These are the ones we refer to as "kid with a board" they don`t give a tinkers damn about the customer or the sport. It is all about "me,me,me" All the riding ability in the world means almost nothing if the individual does not have a real passion and enthusiasm for teaching and sharing this sport. Those of us who are good at what we do are so because of a true love for what we do. Ego is also a bitter enemy that can cause us to act like dicks. The number one concern should be is the customer getting the best lesson they can get. Too often an instructor is unwilling to "give up" an advanced lesson to a more capable instructor out of selfishness and ego and take a beginner class.

As an example, freestyle is my weakest area and even though I may have the seniority and certs that grant me these higher level classes, I know which co workers are the good park riders and will trade classes to make sure the customer gets the best instructor possible for their goals. If more instructors did this, I think you would have less issues with them. As in so much of life, a few bad apples spoils the whole bunch.

My philosophy is that while for me, this may be just another "boring, never ever beginner class", it may be that person`s life changing experience and I can either be a part of making that happen for them or ruin it forever out of not giving a shit. So much of good instruction is just being a cheer leader to help someone progress beyond their frustration and fear to become a better snowboarder than I will ever be. For me, that is the true joy of doing what I do. It would be nice to think that when I am worm food, that someone I taught to ride their first day, may become a world class rider. If I can have that kind of small impact upon this world, then I feel that there was maybe a point to all of this.

As to your first point, I see that in many ways through you efforts you are a bit similar. Behind your sometimes harsh way of communicating, you really have a passion for this sport and a genuine desire to help people and while we may not always be on the same plane, I highly respect and value that.

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btraub22

hey BA any ideas on Sims?

Snowjoe

You know I actually have grown to enjoy teaching first timers, there's just something satisfying about seeing someone's first ever turn that I just can't get enough of! Especially older adults who perhaps feel it's beyond their years, showing them they can still do it is amazing. It's a knock on effect, if you leave them amped after their lesson then your gonna feel on top of the world as well, isn't it all so harmonious!

I know too many people who love to go out riding in their uniforms just to get whatever privileges and attention or whatever, and just want a pass to lap the park with.

BurtonAvenger

09 Lib boards are all banana tech man I think they're offering a non BTX version but for the most part everyones going to stock the BTX version. This past seasons dark series is a super fun ride.

You don't notice the stiffer tips and tails, the reason its stiffer is so that the board doesn't get super squirrelly and all noodly like say a rome artifact or k2 www. At the end of the season I was riding a 59 revolver almost every day at A basin which a typical run consisted of go up the chair, get off skate to the next chair, go up get off skate to the top of kings cornice, strap in flat base it to get speed then drop the cornice at the high point, meander my way through the mogul pit, ollie over the rock patch of death, land roll up to the jibs and hit the up box and do like 50 50 taps to tail press back down 180 out, then ollie up and street rail the down rail, after that bust a tail block on the natural hip, nollie off the huge roller, jib a few rocks, tail tap a stump, then 270 tap the slow sign, repeat.

My theory is if I can take a 59 revolver off a 20 foot cliff and stomp it fine and do bomb drops off cornices its pretty solid as a all mountain freestyle board with more emphasis on freestyle.

It sucks donkey dick and is only offered at the sports authority which is a store you shouldn't be buying from EVER!

Wolfie I hear you on instructors or as I call them ASSTRUCTORS. If you want to make some serious cash Vail is missing like 600 return instructors from NZ and AUS this year. Its so bad they hire anything that claims they can ride then deal with it when the season starts. My hate of instructors comes from that and the ones that are "well I'm an instructor and this company gave me product x so I'm their rep" wtf don't see you in my shop slinging product at our sales go F yourself.