Trying to get an accurate idea of how a specific board will flex in comparison to others? Watch out! There is more marketing misinformation and straight out nonsense published about flexibility than about most other elements of snowboard fit. Finding the correct flex (stiffness and feel) is crucial, but it won't be found in a single number printed on a fit chart.
Wake Surfing is blowing up and now's the time to get on board! For those who don't know abut it yet wakesurfing is a crossover between wakeboarding and surfing. Done behind a boat wake surfing uses a special hybrid looking surfboard designed specifically to turn the wake of a boat in to a never ending wave. Beginners will often use a rope to find the sweet spot in the wake and keep them there but as riders progress you will be able to control the board on your own and will be able to stay right behind the boat without being attached. You can literally surf a never ending wave!
Sure you won't have deep barrels, but there are huge advantages to wake surfing over traditional surfing. Not only is the wave endless allowing for an unending ride compared to the often 10 second ride of an ocean wave, but it is also a perfect and designable wave! Simply use your boat to create the exact wave you want, no picking out your wave in a set, dealing with changing wave conditions or worrying about flat days! A never ending perfect wave, if that doesn't sound like heaven what does?
Anyone ever tell you that your snowboard bindings are as important as your board when it comes to performance? Uhh huh, uhh huh, thought so. Pretty good info actually. Bindings are your link to the board and if they're not working for you, that new Shawn Kass pro model won't make a bit of difference. That said, bindings have come a long way in the last 5 years, and these days even many basic binding models have great adjustability and the potential for a highly customized fit. But are you using the adjustability that is available, and if so, are you using it correctly? Dialing in your bindings with that extra little bit of tweaking can entirely change your riding experience and can unlock a level of comfort and performance that you may have been missing before.
Flow Maverick Dampening Pad: This round of Innovation Watch provides a look at something that truly is beyond innovative. The 2013 Flow Maverick snowboard features a dampening pad in the center of the board. What, you ask, does that mean? Well Flow took their board and injected a silicone dampening pad into the core of the board. This creates a slightly lifted pad underneath the (sintered) base of the snowboard. Designed to dampen your ride, reduce board chatter and make riding just that much more fun and comfortable, there is one thing we can say about this board. The 2013 Flow Maverick takes innovation to a new level from design to look and even feel. Check out the sneak peak photo!
Ride Slimeback 2013 Snowboard Binding: Ride is officially making our Innovation Watch for 2013. Ride is going all out with a feature they have deemed their "Slimeback." Basically this is a binding featuring a full urethane highback. This allows for a super flexy and soft highback. A park riders dream binding, the Ride Slimebacks are only part of Ride Snowboards 2013 innovations. They are also featuring a "slimewall" sidewall and "pop rods" in some of their 2013 snowboards. Below is a photo of the Ride Slimebacks, you'll have to check back later for more info on the Nitro Slimewalls.
Gnu A.S.S. Impossible 2013 Snowboard: As Gnu and the people at Mervin have been driving innovation more than almost any company it almost seems silly for us to have to mention them on our Innovation Watch but we just can't help ourselves. They continue to simply put out unbelievable products. 2013 will see Gnu releasing the Asym Sym Sync, aka Impossible aka A.S.S. Pickle. The 2013 Gnu Impossible is a truly asymmetrical board designed with how riders move in mind. The board features an elongated toe side edge and shortened heel side edge along with deeper heelside sidecut and a mellower toeside sidecut. These features make edge transitions a breeze. This board is designed to practically steer for you. Check this video from WWSRA.
Gnu Mutant 2013 Snowboard Binding: We realize it would have made sense to put all our Gnu Innovation Watch posts together but getting a new blog every day is just so much more exciting. Here we have the 2013 model of the Gnu Mutant Snowboard Binding. Featuring a two strap system with a toe cap while keeping rear-entry functionality, these bindings are sick. They have full ratchets allowing you to use the binding however you want. The toe strap also received some modifications making it more conforming and comfortable to ride. It's the 2013 Gnu Mutant binding and here's a video!
Gnu Metal Guru and Velvet Guru: Here is yet another Gnu innovation Watch. These guys just keep killing it year after year so we're gonna keep exploring their new product lines. These boards are the Gnu 2013 Metal Guru and the Gnu 2013 Velvet Guru. We could tell you all about their hybrid camber and Gnu's EC2, how they make riding them a dream and how you would be crazy to not check them out. But instead, we'll let you watch a video from one of the Gnu reps.
Rome Targe 2013 Snowboard Binding: Time for an Innovation Watch on the 2013 version of the Rome Targa Bindings, a perennial favorite in the snowboard binding world. This year they are all about the cant. These bindings actually have three canting options in three different degrees including a pre-installed cant. Even their footbed is pumping out the cant sporting their motto "yes I cant". If puns aren't enough to make you like a binding, how about one of the only bindings around that actually pays attention to the little things like your straps being in the way when you try and put your boot into the binding. Rome once again has rubber straps to pull the ankle strap out and away from the binding leaving nothing in your way to quickly throw your boot in and tighten the straps back down. Oh and of course they come with ankle strap inserts to adjust stiffness. The tech on these bindings just doesn't seem to stop. Lots of photos inside the blog, take a look!
Flow M9 and Flow M11 2013 Snowboard Binding: It's time for another Innovation Watch with Flow. Here we are looking at the 2013 Flow M9, M9 se, and M11 bindings. The 2013 Flow M9 se will feature the new two strap system with toe cap which is an absolute killer design, the 2013 Flow M9 and Flow M11 will feature the traditional strap design by Flow with a few marked improvements. Check out the video, it covers the differences between the highbacks, baseplate construction and strap design on the Flow M9, M9 se and the Flow M11. Needless to say we are very excited about the 2013 Flow binding line!