Rails from the side - Snowboarding Forum

Deviant · 12-31-2010, 12:06 AM

So I've never been much of a rail guy until last season, prefer the kickers, but I've started getting into street style rails in the park (skinny, non-box, not ride-on stuff). I can get onto the rail from the side when it's a low to the ground rail, but last year olling onto a taller one I caught the nose (DONG!!!) and it's spooked me a bit on the taller rails. My question is the set-up. For a regular boardslide on the low rails I'm setting up by turning up the lip at maybe a 45 degree angle, olling, turning the board in the air and landing on the rail close to where the lip is, maybe a foot or two feet down. Should I be coming at less of an angle to the rail and just landing further down it, or just olling higher with a similar approach? This is the sort of rail and approach I'm talking about (although he is setup for a front board or something)..

Sorry if this is confusing, but it's the best way I can describe it at 1am

Thanks in advance!

PanHandler · 12-31-2010, 12:56 AM

if i were hitting that rail, i would probably come at a 45 degree angle, ollie, and land on the rail about half way between the beginning of the rail and the first supprt bar. movement of the body depends on if your doing it backside or frontside.

john doe · 12-31-2010, 10:47 AM

Less then 45 angle. You want to be aiming about a board length down the rail. Remember to ollie above the rail then put your board down on it. Speed is your friend when hitting rails from the side but make sure you don't overshoot the rail. And remember to look down the rail once on it. Practicing to ollie over the rail landing on the other side is a good way to get the feeling of being over the rail.

david_z · 12-31-2010, 10:54 AM

i like maybe a 15 degree approach almost straight on but from the side a little bit. prefer to land more than 1-2' from the top of the rail, the slope of the rail here is your friend, the farther down you aim yourself the less height you need and less likely to catch your nose.

Zee · 12-31-2010, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowolf

You're a better man than me...I aint got the gonads to touch one of those things....

It's harder for us old guys. We tend to evaluate more of the consequences, younger people just do it.

**Donutz** · 12-31-2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zee

It's harder for us old guys. We tend to evaluate more of the consequences, younger people just do it.

No kidding. Last weekend I was in the beginner park on Seymour, watching some kids jumping onto rails -- or trying to -- and it was obvious that some of them weren't good enough to link turns on a slope yet. Yet there they are, tacoing on a rail, jumping up, and trying again. Hurt just to watch.

alecdude88 · 12-31-2010, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_z

i like maybe a 15 degree approach almost straight on but from the side a little bit. prefer to land more than 1-2' from the top of the rail, the slope of the rail here is your friend, the farther down you aim yourself the less height you need and less likely to catch your nose.

this is some of the best advice for handrails. Also you won't know the pain of hitting your nose tell you start lipslides (except it'll be your tail)

john doe · 12-31-2010, 01:52 PM

Repacking my Incision on Vimeo Lipslides can be a bitch as my friend found out last year when he caught his tail on the way up.

alecdude88 · 12-31-2010, 02:17 PM

yeah man lipslides are hard to judge, you want to jump high enough that you don't hit your tail and you don't want to jump so high that you bounce and lose your balance

Extremo · 12-31-2010, 02:26 PM

On higher rails try to get out further down them...don't try to come in slow and ollie up onto it. Each trick requires it's own angle so just use what works for the trick you're doing, you'll figure out the best agle pretty quick and it's usually only a slight change trick to trick. But if you're trying to ollie up onto a rail you'll more than likely hit your nose...and we all know that carzy shit that happens after that.

12-31-2010, 12:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
Deviant Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1,658	Rails from the side So I've never been much of a rail guy until last season, prefer the kickers, but I've started getting into street style rails in the park (skinny, non-box, not ride-on stuff). I can get onto the rail from the side when it's a low to the ground rail, but last year olling onto a taller one I caught the nose (DONG!!!) and it's spooked me a bit on the taller rails. My question is the set-up. For a regular boardslide on the low rails I'm setting up by turning up the lip at maybe a 45 degree angle, olling, turning the board in the air and landing on the rail close to where the lip is, maybe a foot or two feet down. Should I be coming at less of an angle to the rail and just landing further down it, or just olling higher with a similar approach? This is the sort of rail and approach I'm talking about (although he is setup for a front board or something).. Sorry if this is confusing, but it's the best way I can describe it at 1am Thanks in advance! Last edited by Deviant; 12-31-2010 at 12:08 AM.

12-31-2010, 10:47 AM	#3 (permalink)
john doe Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 1,245	Less then 45 angle. You want to be aiming about a board length down the rail. Remember to ollie above the rail then put your board down on it. Speed is your friend when hitting rails from the side but make sure you don't overshoot the rail. And remember to look down the rail once on it. Practicing to ollie over the rail landing on the other side is a good way to get the feeling of being over the rail. __________________ 2011 Smokin Buck Ferton 155 2013 Flow NX2-SE 2013 Flow Hylite boa Burton Stagger pants/jacket Smith I/O

12-31-2010, 10:54 AM	#4 (permalink)
david_z Official SBF Blogger Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Detroit suburbs Posts: 3,028 Blog Entries: 5	i like maybe a 15 degree approach almost straight on but from the side a little bit. prefer to land more than 1-2' from the top of the rail, the slope of the rail here is your friend, the farther down you aim yourself the less height you need and less likely to catch your nose. __________________ Repping the world's smallest mountains... Mt. Holly - 12 Pine Knob - 9 Alpine Valley - 2 Vail - 4 Breckenridge - 3 Crystal Mountain (MI) - 3 Hawk Island Snow Park - 5 Caberfae Peaks - 1 Boyne Mountain - 1 aGNARchy: no rules, just gnar!

12-31-2010, 01:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
john doe Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 1,245	Repacking my Incision on Vimeo Lipslides can be a bitch as my friend found out last year when he caught his tail on the way up. __________________ 2011 Smokin Buck Ferton 155 2013 Flow NX2-SE 2013 Flow Hylite boa Burton Stagger pants/jacket Smith I/O

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12-31-2010, 12:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
PanHandler Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Rathdrum, ID Posts: 587	if i were hitting that rail, i would probably come at a 45 degree angle, ollie, and land on the rail about half way between the beginning of the rail and the first supprt bar. movement of the body depends on if your doing it backside or frontside.

12-31-2010, 02:17 PM	#9 (permalink)
alecdude88 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 343	yeah man lipslides are hard to judge, you want to jump high enough that you don't hit your tail and you don't want to jump so high that you bounce and lose your balance

12-31-2010, 02:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
Extremo -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: NH Posts: 3,112	On higher rails try to get out further down them...don't try to come in slow and ollie up onto it. Each trick requires it's own angle so just use what works for the trick you're doing, you'll figure out the best agle pretty quick and it's usually only a slight change trick to trick. But if you're trying to ollie up onto a rail you'll more than likely hit your nose...and we all know that carzy shit that happens after that.