jtg

So after a few times out this year I was flat basing on terrain that wasn't steep with no issue, especially cat tracks. Then once out of nowhere, I scorpioned HARD, not even going that fast. The problem is I don't know what I was doing wrong. So now I am very shy of flatbasing, even slowly on flat terrain.

I have a C2 BTX (aka RC on Neversummer) board.

Is there some trick to doing that while guaranteeing you won't catch an edge? I was way past the point of catching edges in normal riding so it was a little surprising. Yet I see other people flat base bombing steep black sections. And obviously you need to be able to do this at decent speed for most jumps. Usually when I try, I start feeling my back-end get a little squirrely and feel like I narrowly missed another scorpion. What am I missing? Keep all your weight on the front foot?

TorpedoVegas

Never ever flat base, always keep an edge..... End of thread.

jtg

That can't be right, because people flatbase all the time, especially before take-off and after landing. As well as just cruising.

Efilnikufesin

Not always recommended. I'm usually at least pressuring ever so slightly one edge or the other, but if you do flatbase, get all of you weight forward on the board.

Rookie09

Even if you're not engaging an edge you at least want some pressure on one of them. Yea you can get away with going completely flat based for a little while but every so often you're going to catch an edge when you least expect it. The best way to cure this is to simply not ride flat. Even straight airing off jumps and landing it's a good idea to have a bit of pressure on one of the edges.

wrathfuldeity

your backend feels squirrely that's your clue, are a bit in the backseat; shift to the front seat…
Edit: also make sure you are stacked and parallel with close shoulders and hips. You were likely rotated open and in the backseat....the usual set up for a scorpion

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East§ide

Even when you think someone is flatbasing, they're usually not..you need to pick an edge..even if its just SLIGHTLY to one side, and you wont catch your edges.
My ex-friend (unrelated) insisted that he rode flatbased..I told him to pay attention when he thought he was doing that and he came back and told me that he was actually putting a very small amount of pressure on his toes without even realizing it.

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Never Summer Evo 153/Restricted ReFlex Cartel
Gnu Danny Kass 156 BTX

TorpedoVegas

Exactly...... Don't ever simply flat base unless you want to end up doing an awesome scorp eventually. Always, always stay slightly on edge...I have a C2BTX board as well, and it will save your ass compared to a regular camber board, but I still never ever, ever, ride without engaging an edge. You can ride out a landing flat and most cases be fine for a little while, but if your not on an edge ASAP you might end up on yer ass pretty quick.

I think of it like this... If you're actually flat basing, you're not actually snowboarding, what you're doing is standing on a snowboard. My 2 year old can stand on a snowboard (flat-base down a hill), but he sure as shit can't snowboard.

The Deacon

May as well stand on a sled.

brucew.

I doubt many people are actually cruising flatbased, thats asking to do what you just experienced.

Taking off flatbased is really only a few seconds of actually flatbasing and hopefully if the park is maintained you won't have any problems. You don't have to takeoff flat either, you can use a low edge angle like cro mentioned. When I land, I try to engage an edge as soon as I gather myself. Landings where I ride are usually sketchy so I wouldn't want to be flatbasing long at all.