Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums banner

how long before going to park?

4K views 21 replies 16 participants last post by  Toecutter 
#1 ·
How much experience/ skill would you say someone needed to start riding a little park. I've gone up 7 times now, can carve semi-well on blues (tho you just gotta love catching that one edge and launching into a somersault), and getting more comfy/ballsy every time i go up.

Whuddya think?
 
#5 ·
I didn't say bomb a black run, I said riding comfortably and in control. Having the fundamental skills of basic riding is absolutely necessary before stepping into the park and is needed for safe progression. Just going in and hucking it is a sure way to hurt or kill yourself.
 
#8 ·
I just started riding last year and the only park I did last year was one of those huge "butter boxes" if that is what it's called. Huge sheet of plastic like 4 feet wide and ride on.

I started trying some more features this year and it has gone well for me. I started very small and worked my way up. Don't be over eager and ride in your ability. I still haven't tried a kink rail, nor boardslide.

Go slow and study others. Have fun, I do what I can and am enjoying it.
 
#10 ·
I was hitting an up-down kink box on my third day on a snowboard. I was probably in there too early. A good rule of thumb I just thought up would be being able to ollie over clumbs of snow with good confidence. That would mean that you are able aim yourself well, control the board and land on snow.
 
#11 ·
The park is inherrantly a dangerous place. It says so in the signs and the baracades that start them off. The basic premise of a park feature is that at some point you FALL from something higher than flat ground. The bigger the park symbol, the bigger the fall usually. When you don't land this fall, or are not comfortable at the high speeds after landing this fall in the balanced stance, you stand a greatly increased chance of sustaning injury or death.

Now there are tiny features at some resorts that don't give you that much of a launch/drop, but keep in mind that falling on a metal pipe is not the same as falling on the snow.
 
#12 ·
you stated you can carve "semi-well" on blues.. I would wait till you are very comfortable on blues and NOT catching edges. Imagine riding at speed up to a rail/box and oh say, six feet from it catching an edge. You may find yourself with a face full of metal and/or plastic. While riding, start looking for little bumps/drops to learn to jump and spin off of before risking your noob body in the park. Helmet.
 
#14 ·
In addition, you should be comfortable riding with your board completely flat on the ground. Or at the minimum, very low edge angles to the effect that you are practically going straight. When you are 50-50 ing, you are riding flat...and so should your approach be flat. When you do a basic jump, you should approach flat or nearly flat to prevent rotating.

In addition, just riding comfortably in the blue's is not always enough. You have to be able to pick a target...and bullseye it with your board and at the angle you want to run over it. Then you are ready for ride on features. hop on is another story.
 
#15 ·
You have to be able to pick a target...and bullseye it with your board and at the angle you want to run over it. Then you are ready for ride on features.
This is an outstanding point. I still have trouble lining up every now and then. Plus our hill is VERY high traffic so the park gets lots of ruts and you sometimes just have to let the rut steer you onto the feature. Still, GREAT point.
 
#17 ·
Most kids think they should go in the park after as little as a few days experience when in reality they have no business being anywhere near the park.
 
#18 ·
You can go into the park anytime you want...just don't fuck up the lips and landings and stay the hell out of everyones way. If that's the type of riding you want to do I recommend doing it as soon as you can. But there are certain rules that you have to follow and you'll probably get your ass kicked if you don't. There are days when the park is fairly empty and you can take your time and ride it at your own pace. But when it's busy remember that everyone is riding fast and has lines picked out so make sure you stay out of them.
 
#19 ·
I first stepped into the park at the beginning of my third year. Prior to that i was very comfortable carving on blues and some easier blacks, and could ride flat based rather easily. Also, i suggest riding over some of the bumps on your normal greens and popping off them. If you are comfortable aproaching, taking off, and landing at moderate speeds and from a couple feet in the air, you are probably OK to go into the park. Just remember that there are basic rules that aren't written but are commen sense.

Wait your turn, make plans for everything, don't go out of your league, and when you fall, get the heck out of the way asap. Don't be that guy who rides over the jump not even getting any air and ruining it, only to fall once you get over it.
 
#21 ·
You should be able to handle the little park and soon as you can carve, if it's the types of jumps I'm thinking of, it will be a small bump of a jump with a small down hill immediately after. Go have fun, it can only help you to tackle something like that early on. I would stay away from the boxes tho until you feel more comfortable. Or maybe you will have the courage to hit a wide box :dunno: Only you will know.
Giv'er :thumbsup:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top