How to carve down ungroomed blue/black terrain with slower speed? - Snowboarding Forum

Littlebigdreams · 02-14-2011, 02:14 AM

When I try to carve down blue or black terrain (leaving pencil trails), my speed just goes faster and faster. If I try to make wider turns to slow speed, I feel like my carves will slowly turn into skidded turns at the end. If I make smaller turns I can keep the pencil line on the snow but I will go faster. What kind of tips can I get to make this easier?

Also would a longer/stiffer board change a lot or just a little for me? I had been riding a reg camber K2 WWW 148 for 2 seasons now (i'm 5'6 ~150 lbs), would a different board make it "just a little easier" or "wayyyyy easier"?

QReuCk · 02-14-2011, 03:51 AM

The critical point in speed management when carving is to fully complete your turns, meaning you carve past the fall line and back uphill before transitioning to your next carve. You need a fairly wide slope for that but it's the way to go if you want to slow down and prevent excessive speed.
As far as boards go, I can't answer as I didn't try a WWW, but if I understood correctly, it's more of a jib board, meaning it is optimised for short turns and can loose both edge grip and stability when trying to make full C-shape turns. The fact it's pretty soft flex doesn't necessarily imply it won't carve, because if you manage carefully your speed, you can stay at a speed where this flex is enough to hold an edge, but it certainly would wash out if you begin to gather too much speed. The real problem I guess is more that the board will want to return all that flexing energy to your legs long before you have completed the turn, making it harder to keep carving past the fall line.
Generally, good carving boards are a bit more stiff than that longitundinally and have a pretty stiff tortional flex in the nose and tail as well, in order to help the edge grip the snow on its full length. Yes I would say that a board designed for carving makes it wayyyy easier, but the riders technique is far more important than the board.

Ratsch-Bumm · 02-14-2011, 07:39 AM

take a longer and stiffer board. i began with k2 anagram, which is little brother of www. Also it has 3 degrees bevel from the base, so it can't grip enough when you carve hard.

Littlebigdreams · 02-14-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QReuCk

The critical point in speed management when carving is to fully complete your turns, meaning you carve past the fall line and back uphill before transitioning to your next carve. You need a fairly wide slope for that but it's the way to go if you want to slow down and prevent excessive speed.
As far as boards go, I can't answer as I didn't try a WWW, but if I understood correctly, it's more of a jib board, meaning it is optimised for short turns and can loose both edge grip and stability when trying to make full C-shape turns. The fact it's pretty soft flex doesn't necessarily imply it won't carve, because if you manage carefully your speed, you can stay at a speed where this flex is enough to hold an edge, but it certainly would wash out if you begin to gather too much speed. The real problem I guess is more that the board will want to return all that flexing energy to your legs long before you have completed the turn, making it harder to keep carving past the fall line.
Generally, good carving boards are a bit more stiff than that longitundinally and have a pretty stiff tortional flex in the nose and tail as well, in order to help the edge grip the snow on its full length. Yes I would say that a board designed for carving makes it wayyyy easier, but the riders technique is far more important than the board.

Thanks for the reply! It was very informative. I also agree that technique is more important with the board, so I think I will try to work on the www a few more times till I really can't get any more performance out of the board.

Littlebigdreams · 02-14-2011, 07:10 PM

Thanks snowolf! I will definitely try what you said next time I go up. It is hard to visualize what you are saying completely but I think I have a general idea now.

02-14-2011, 02:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
Littlebigdreams Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 47	How to carve down ungroomed blue/black terrain with slower speed? When I try to carve down blue or black terrain (leaving pencil trails), my speed just goes faster and faster. If I try to make wider turns to slow speed, I feel like my carves will slowly turn into skidded turns at the end. If I make smaller turns I can keep the pencil line on the snow but I will go faster. What kind of tips can I get to make this easier? Also would a longer/stiffer board change a lot or just a little for me? I had been riding a reg camber K2 WWW 148 for 2 seasons now (i'm 5'6 ~150 lbs), would a different board make it "just a little easier" or "wayyyyy easier"?

02-14-2011, 07:39 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ratsch-Bumm Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 121	take a longer and stiffer board. i began with k2 anagram, which is little brother of www. Also it has 3 degrees bevel from the base, so it can't grip enough when you carve hard. __________________ \| \| Please don't kick me for bad English

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02-14-2011, 03:51 AM	#2 (permalink)
QReuCk Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 5	The critical point in speed management when carving is to fully complete your turns, meaning you carve past the fall line and back uphill before transitioning to your next carve. You need a fairly wide slope for that but it's the way to go if you want to slow down and prevent excessive speed. As far as boards go, I can't answer as I didn't try a WWW, but if I understood correctly, it's more of a jib board, meaning it is optimised for short turns and can loose both edge grip and stability when trying to make full C-shape turns. The fact it's pretty soft flex doesn't necessarily imply it won't carve, because if you manage carefully your speed, you can stay at a speed where this flex is enough to hold an edge, but it certainly would wash out if you begin to gather too much speed. The real problem I guess is more that the board will want to return all that flexing energy to your legs long before you have completed the turn, making it harder to keep carving past the fall line. Generally, good carving boards are a bit more stiff than that longitundinally and have a pretty stiff tortional flex in the nose and tail as well, in order to help the edge grip the snow on its full length. Yes I would say that a board designed for carving makes it wayyyy easier, but the riders technique is far more important than the board.

02-14-2011, 07:10 PM	#5 (permalink)
Littlebigdreams Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 47	Thanks snowolf! I will definitely try what you said next time I go up. It is hard to visualize what you are saying completely but I think I have a general idea now.