park set-up help

Posted: 19 July 2010 06:07 AM

hello this is going to be my 3rd season snowboarding. (ive been skateboarding for over 6 years so it dint take me long to get used to the snowboard feeling) i ride only park and im looking for a new set up. the boots i will chose what more comfortable, i was looking at the nitro swinlde but im no sure. the bindings i have no ideo maybe the union ?  what would you say is a good park set up… thanks :)  oh and i do boxes rails down rails and jump all round park :)

Posted: 19 July 2010 08:05 AM

Welcome!

Most manufactures are pretty good at pointing out which of their stock is built more towards park versus all-mountain gear.  For boots I would recommend Burton Hails as they are super comfortable, lighter then a Japanese school girl and have a lot of padding for absorbing them hard landings.  I like them so much they might be my go-to boot for next season.

Board wise you’ll probably like boards from K2 with Flatline technology.  Basically a flat board with early rise tip and tail which has loads of pop and great park potential and was inspired by skateboarding.  I’m sure Rich will jump on with more board suggestions for sure.  The board that I use with this tech is the K2 Parkstar and it is my favourite deck, I use it all-mountain so much so my Artec called me a traitor.

Bindings wise is the same thing like boots, every manufacture has some that are designed for park.  Typically they have a thicker base material and a more flexible structure.  I have a pair of Rides and I like ‘em, nice and light and get the job done.

One side note, as you start to go bigger in the park please consider spending some coin on safety gear.  Helmet, pads, butt protector, spine protector, etc.  For whatever reason a lot of vids still have guys doing gnarly *hit with no safety gear and I think of what happened to Kevin Pearce and he WAS wearing a helmet and I shudder.  Some retards might call you a pussy but when you can ride another day versus spending your life as a vegetable in a nursing home, well…  I know what most people would pick.

Posted: 19 July 2010 02:44 PM

Yeah Reloaded is right flatline tech (zero camber) is a good call, I also reckon Jib Rocker is great on rails. As far as bang for buck goes, I think you are spot-on with the Nitro Swindle: it has zero camber, an easy to maintain extruded base that when you get gauges is looks like you’ve scarred it (chicks dig scars) and easy to control biax glass… can’t really go wrong. If you want a board that’s a bit more kicker focused, the Parkstar and the soon to be released K2 Fastplant and Amplid Dopamine are boards to look out for. Stick with these guide lines and you’ll have a great rail focused ride:

* Choose a board with Biaxial glass, it flexes more in a torsional manner (i.e. lifting your toes with one foot and pushing them down with the other) this means they are easier puch through kinks and more manuoeverable at low speed.

* Zero camber or jib rocker (flat between the feet and slightly rockered at the nose and tail from the binding). This isn’t essential, but taking the camber out of the board makes pressing easier and the board move through kinks smoother when you are 50:50 ing. These varieations also give you the most on rail contact so you won’t feel like you’re balancing on a tight-rope.

* Extruded base- If you were more interested in jumps and pipe I’d say sintered for sure, but as your intent on destroying steel rails and perspex boxes on your board (both materials which don’t really like PTEX), I’d stick with extruded. It’s easiest to maintain and will keep the cost of the board down, it’s basically the budget base.

* Tight-ish sidecut - Not essential, but in my experience having a tighter sidecut makes adjusting for rails that little bit easier on the approach.

* Don’t spend too much! - You’ll eventually break or damage your rail deck by ripping an edge out, delaming the nose from an umplanned tip bonk or put a core deep gauge down the middle of the base. It’s heartbreaking to spend a fortune on a board and then smash it to a pulp. Save your pennies.

Those are my thoughts, and they kind of reafirm your initial thoughts, the Swindle is spot-on.

Rich

Posted: 19 July 2010 07:39 PM

Oh yeah, Jib Rocker tech…  oops, that is what I meant to write. :)