Donutz

I'm getting ready to try the next feature in the beginner park, which is a down-box that requires an ollie on from the side (has a small snow ramp on either side). So, questions:

1) For a first time, is toeside or heelside approach a better bet?
2) The way these things are generally set up, do you have to add any appreciable ollie or pop to the launch to get on, or is the ramp usually enough to get you on top?
3) when you hit the ramp, are you angling towards the box, or are you angling essentially parallel to the box and doing a side hop as you launch?

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Illegitimi non carborundum

Mountain Days: 30

myschims

toe side is easier for me, you can get a better look at it as you jump on.
i say just hit it with a slight angle going straight and you should land on it on the side and just ride it down, to much angle and you'll slide off, to little and you wont make it on
it just takes a bit of practice but its really not that hard, just go for it!

slyder

I'm in the same boat let me know how it goes....

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Thanks
-Slyder

uh oh a virus

ya i tried that for my first time the last time i went up. id say pop just barely from your heelegde and land in a boardslide. its more comfortable because your facing downhill on the rail.

twin89

I started hitting these ealier this season, and the best advice i can give you is faster is better (generally safe to say about boxes and rails). try to jump with a small angle towards the box (not a side hop), and definately start by jumping onto it with your toes facing the box so you can easily see where you need to land. The first time i did it, I rode it for a sec, then came off early on the other side. This is most likely what will happen to you, but as you hit it more and more you will get better at landing with very little sideways momentum so you can stay on for the whole duration of the box. Going faster also means you won't have to ollie as much cause you will land further down the box, and the faster you are going, the better chance you have of eliminating most sideways momentum that you have cause you are approaching the box from the side. typically the way they are set up, you don't need to pop huge ollies to get onto them, but it can't hurt to ollie higher than lower the first few times you hit the box, until you figure out just how much you need to pop so your board clears the box.

I would highely recoment hiking the box your first day and you will have it down pretty quickly, it helps to hit the box quickly in succession.

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Too Fast!

Music Moves

So many factors for beginning:

You probably want to do a 50/50 first, so determine which way is easier for you to approach, frontside or backside. Whichever way you spin the best would be the way I'd approach it. Determining whether you need more or less pop would require a picture but if you are going slower (which is usually the case when learning), you may want to pop onto it. Once you get faster, you will probably be able to smoothly ride onto it without as much pop.

SkylineGTR

Its all about the approach. I would say go for a frontside 50-50 to start, as if you fall off the consequences are minimal. You want the ride amount of speed, don't listen to the guy that said faster is better.. You will learn the right amount of speed easily or just watch other people hit the feature.

So first thing, approach the box flat based about 1.5 feet to the side of the box. I usually pop slightly off my toes (both feet) for a frontside 50-50. Once your locked on, you can control your balance by leaning forward or backwards. When I first started I had the tendency to lean too far forward and would fall off the other side. Hope this helps.

Donutz

Thanks guys. It doesn't sound insurmountable. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking something obvious.

I've got knee/shin pads (given some of the horror stories in slam section, that's really a requirement), and I wish I had some impact shorts but can't find anyone selling anything worthwhile anywhere in Vancouver. Just the cheap low-end Protec shit.

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Illegitimi non carborundum

Mountain Days: 30

Enigmatic

1) For a first time, is toeside or heelside approach a better bet?
- toeside 5050 lets you see the box right in front of you so its generally the easiset for most people.
- also coming up heelslide and doing a board slide should feel pretty comfortable (backside boardslide). However, make sure you don't lean forward and catch your edge as you board, I did that first few times hitting a down box and F'ed my knee (and I was wearing knee pads)
- frontside (toeside) 5050 is probably your safest bet

2) The way these things are generally set up, do you have to add any appreciable ollie or pop to the launch to get on, or is the ramp usually enough to get you on top?
- If you want to hit it from the beginning of the box then you need to ollie, but if you want to do a smaller ollie or possibly even coast to it then you can hit it a little farther down and it will take less effort...but yeah you will need more speed

3) when you hit the ramp, are you angling towards the box, or are you angling essentially parallel to the box and doing a side hop as you launch?
- you're more parallel than angled, don't get too close to the box though or you will hit it on the way up...I guess you could call it more of a side hop yeah

just post up by the box you want to hit and watch how other people are doing it, it really helps to watch and learn from the local talent on your mountain

seant46

1) I always like toeside for trying stuff first try
2) I think this is self explanitory you will know how high to ollie when it comes time
3) You can go parallel or at a slight angle, this will just affect if you have to ollie sideways a bit or the angle will put you on top of it. You dont want too much angle or your momentum will carry you off the other side of the box.

My most important tip is make sure you dont land on your edge or you will slip out and those are sketchy types of bails!