Hey Splitboarders

[notjustanotherboarder]

I was just wondering how many days you did hiking v skinning up to tucks, and how your split performed if you used it there. I've only been in the bowl twice with my most recent split. Both in pretty good conditions.

[DMC]

I was just wondering how many days you did hiking v skinning up to tucks, and how your split performed if you used it there. I've only been in the bowl twice with my most recent split. Both in pretty good conditions.

Split once, hiked twice.

Splitboard(Burton) rode great! But the transition sucked... Affix has a Voile' setup and his transitions were flawless...
Burton technology is WAY too complicated...

[notjustanotherboarder]

I quess you know by now from splitboard.com. Burton is now using Voile's hardware and the price has come way down!

[Rider.Steve]

I was just wondering how many days you did hiking v skinning up to tucks, and how your split performed if you used it there. I've only been in the bowl twice with my most recent split. Both in pretty good conditions.

Skinned up twice with my homemade (Voile kit) Winterstick split and hiked once:

1. In March I skinned up the Sherbourne trail all the way up the Little Headwall to the bowl (had to hike just the steep part of LH). Hiked a bit up Left Gully and rode all the way down to PN. Total blast.

2. In April I skinned most of the way up the Tuckerman Ravine trail to the caretaker's hut with a heavy load (to meet DMC, Affix and others :) ). Rode Hillman's the next day from near top; didn't skin it though. I've hear that using the Voile split crampons Hillmans' can be skinned.

3. In May I trudged up on foot with my regular freeride board.

Skinning with the split is far superior to hiking (even though the split is "inefficient" compared to some other setups ;) ); this is particularly true with a full pack. I find the skinning is very stable and positive when using AT ski boots as I do.

I don't expect the same ride from my split as my regular board, but I wouldn't say it's a lot worse. As a test I rode the split for a full day on/off-piste at Cannon, and it did just fine.

Steve

[notjustanotherboarder]

The first time I tried to skin the little headwall I lost my balance and fell back all the way down and into some bushes :D

The next time I hiked around!

Its good to here that DIY split rode well.

[DMC]

The first time I tried to skin the little headwall I lost my balance and fell back all the way down and into some bushes

Well - you dont have to worry about those bushes anymore..
Cause Mainwaring took them all out last April when we we're on it... :)

[notjustanotherboarder]

:D :D Man! he's got it rough!! and most of the time there's always someone there to photograph the event!!!

[mainwaring]

Well - you dont have to worry about those bushes anymore..
Cause Mainwaring took them all out last April when we we're on it... :)

NJAB...you owe me a beer for that community service ;)

no camera this time, but a healthy crew of 5-6 people saw my uncontrolled trail cut :rolleyes: then were cool enough to retrieve my hat several times after kamikazeing into the trees.

as for the split, i had a pretty off year. two days in the daks in dec. two days in march we did up there. pretty paltry thanks to conditions early and injuries later. and general laziness...for which i have no excuse.

as to time spent splitting vs hiking i'd say it was the usual 50/50 in the daks. long approaches make the split shine, but still need to put it on your back when you start climbing.

my tux days were all skiing days...feel more comfortable on skis in more aggressive i.e. the bowl terrain. i do like the split for the tux trail and especially the GOS...one of the few places i've found EC that i can skin the whole route.

enjoy SA :cool:

[notjustanotherboarder]

So when you fell you were on skis because you're more comforable on them in the bowl!!... If you had take your split you might have created a whole new trail back down to the parking lot :D

[mainwaring]

didn't say good, just more comfortable...as you know i fall more than i board ;)

yeah the split woulda been trouble...i'd probably have the parks service after me for stumpage fees;)

[notjustanotherboarder]

:D :D ITs all good!!

This year a plan on being in much better shape (already working on it!). Last time with you guys I was pretty weak from not having gotten out much or doing much of anything!

[Affix Snow]

I skinned TUX once w/ DMC in early March. Skinned 1/2 way up Xmas tree on Hillmans w/ voile-crampons....turned around due to shear ice. I might add though, the crampons F-ing RULED! I could have done the whole thing...minus maybe the very top!

Every other time i hiked up to tux. I like skinning way more.

Used the slpit alot this season and it rode just as good as my regular board. I even rode it at Wildcat and Sugarbush cause its all i had....amazing!

[DMC]

I made and awesome skin track in Hunter's "slack country" with the split..
My tele friends were psyched...

[Affix Snow]

I pooped a hammer......

[Rider.Steve]

:D :D ITs all good!!

This year a plan on being in much better shape (already working on it!). Last time with you guys I was pretty weak from not having gotten out much or doing much of anything!

Face up to it - if you're a splitter you're a slacker - and inefficient to boot!

If I splitted weakly I'd be stronger daily, or something like that. :rolleyes:

Gotta meet you guys next winter to mess around some on this weird equipage.

Steve

[notjustanotherboarder]

So the word is good for split usage in the bowl! And AF, those Voile crampons do rock! Plus you got a sweet board! But honestly, how did it ride that day with the ice as compared to how you think your solid would have performed?

I know the split works for me. But I was asking because I'm alway reading somewhere that some young'in thinks that splits serve no purpose at Tucks.

[DMC]

So the word is good for split usage in the bowl! And AF, those Voile crampons do rock! Plus you got a sweet board! But honestly, how did it ride that day with the ice as compared to how you think your solid would have performed?

I know the split works for me. But I was asking because I'm alway reading somewhere that some young'in thinks that splits serve no purpose at Tucks.

I gotta be honest - when Affix told me all he had was the split on the trip I got nervous about inbounds riding... A few runs in the back country is one thing.. But resort riding..?
But that board rocked.. Affix didn't look any different then when I've rode with him at Hunter on his Winterstick...
I ended up riding my board inbounds a couple days this year.. And other then the heaviness it rode great.. I didn't try riding aggresively in moguls at all though - I was afraid the board would get F'd up...

If you can skin up to TUX or the GOS - it's totally worth it....

The guy in our shelter in May had a Voile' split... Nice deck... He said he uses it when he ski patrols - rides it everywhere....

[172Recon]

I have a Voile Split Decision. Works great. Nice approach and the board is not compromised by the fact that is in two halves. Used it only once this year because I was stuck in Texas for two months.

[DMC]

I have a Voile Split Decision. Works great. Nice approach and the board is not compromised by the fact that is in two halves. Used it only once this year because I was stuck in Texas for two months.

Just a little heavier right?

I've often wondered how the Voile's ride...

[Ispoiler]

Split time was 15 mins faster then my hike up, around an hour. Dropped right gully in the begining of March, with hard boots and my Never Summer ate it up like it was in bounds cruiser run.

After my bushwack from the summit of Whiteface I rode down to the lodge with a full pack on in crappy, icy, skied off conditions and the board felt like my Custom. I knoticed the weight of the board but that really didn't affect my riding. I think after 20 runs I would feel the difference, but interms of performance it isn't much of a factor.

[172Recon]

Just a little heavier right?

I've often wondered how the Voile's ride...

I really don't notice a difference in weight. This may be a result of my previous set up which was a Burton 164 Asym Air with Bomber plate bindings and Koflach boots. I think I got used to heavy gear.

[DMC]

I really don't notice a difference in weight. This may be a result of my previous set up which was a Burton 164 Asym Air with Bomber plate bindings and Koflach boots. I think I got used to heavy gear.

I could see that...

I ride Never Summer stuff - so I'm used to weight too...

[notjustanotherboarder]

DMC,

I've got a voile and a Prior. There was a big difference in the ride when the snow is not the best. The Voile was really difficult to transfer edge to edge in those conditions.. In softer stuff, it doesn't really matter.

However, I'm saying "was" because Voile came out with new boards this year with better flex. I have not rode one yet.

[172Recon]

DMC,

I've got a voile and a Prior. There was a big difference in the ride when the snow is not the best. The Voile was really difficult to transfer edge to edge in those conditions.. In softer stuff, it doesn't really matter.

I can understand that. Splitboarding, I believe, was introduced during the early 90's out west (I think Nitro was one of the first companies to introduce it and Burton followed suit in the Northeast shortly thereafter), this is probably the reason they work best in powder. Then they became really obscure for a few years and popped up again recently.

I first tested mine on the Sherburne this past December in really $h!tty conditions with a 30lb pack. Even though it was icy and I was off balance because of the weight of my pack, I felt that it was well worth it.

[Brian]

i've used my split for all my backcountry trips this year, and i find it works great. i have a prior split, so that may make a difference. i find that it is hard to notice serious differences between it and a continuous board. i would use it inbounds, except that it is a bit more pricey than my regular boards to risk damaging it inbounds.

i'd suggest taking a splitboard if there is any reasonable length skinning section. if i went to tucks after the snow melted off the tuckerman ravine trail, i'd take a normal board. otherwise use a splitboard.

brian

[notjustanotherboarder]

So, I'm counting 8 splitboarders on this site spliting at tucks! Pretty cool. Eastcoast split fest!!! :D

And yeah Brian, I'd only split tucks when the snow is soft and at least a bit deep. I've had some nightmare rides down the sherb. trail on hardpack/ice/waterbars on more then one occasion! The first time I rode hardboots with my split was one of those days. Bad timing!

[Rider.Steve]

So, I'm counting 8 splitboarders on this site spliting at tucks! Pretty cool. Eastcoast split fest!!! :D

And yeah Brian, I'd only split tucks when the snow is soft and at least a bit deep. I've had some nightmare rides down the sherb. trail on hardpack/ice/waterbars on more then one occasion! The first time I rode hardboots with my split was one of those days. Bad timing!

Toddski splits and is an occasional poster on T4T. He split GOS this winter/spring. I met him at the "Big A" in Maine this year; interesting guy and a better rider than I.

Steve

[notjustanotherboarder]

yeah, 9. I forgot that I saw some photos on the trip reports. But what's up with Todd"ski"??? :D :D

[Brian]

So, I'm counting 8 splitboarders on this site spliting at tucks! Pretty cool. Eastcoast split fest!!! :D

And yeah Brian, I'd only split tucks when the snow is soft and at least a bit deep. I've had some nightmare rides down the sherb. trail on hardpack/ice/waterbars on more then one occasion! The first time I rode hardboots with my split was one of those days. Bad timing!

We should have a splitfest. Though I'm moving to California by January, so it'd have to be early...

I don't find my splitboard to be any worse on hardpack/ice than any other board.

Brian

[notjustanotherboarder]

January works. But If you're going to be on the west coast, you may just end up joining those guys over there!

I found the Voile to be terrible on hardpack. My Prior is much better. But still, I'd perfer a solid board in those situations. Of course good edges do help also.

[Ispoiler]

I am moving to Vancouver in August, the West Coast takeover shall be starting soon!

[Rider.Steve]

I am moving to Vancouver in August, the West Coast takeover shall be starting soon!

You guys will rule out there, but you better start learning to complain about "sub-standard" snow conditions like my west coast friends:

"This is nice, but........[pick a minor complaint]".

"This is great, but [pick something that was better yesterday, last year or ten years ago]".

Honestly though, for skinning and riding I'd love to have the longer, more constant and open approaches they have out west. New England is nothing if not a challenge for splitters.

Steve

[Brian]

Yeah, but I'm going to be in Southern California. Apparently, getting to the snow can sometimes be a major hike with road closings... And avalanches aren't so simple of call out there...


You guys will rule out there, but you better start learning to complain about "sub-standard" snow conditions like my west coast friends:

"This is nice, but........[pick a minor complaint]".

"This is great, but [pick something that was better yesterday, last year or ten years ago]".

Honestly though, for skinning and riding I'd love to have the longer, more constant and open approaches they have out west. New England is nothing if not a challenge for splitters.

Steve

[Bannick]

You guys will rule out there, but you better start learning to complain about "sub-standard" snow conditions like my west coast friends:

"This is nice, but........[pick a minor complaint]".

"This is great, but [pick something that was better yesterday, last year or ten years ago]".
Steve

Truer words were never spoke. I lived in whistler in a "bad" year....granted I have seen deeper base depths since but I still managed to get 127 days in that year in more than epic conditions by my standards. It sucks like hunter ;)

[DMC]

It sucks like hunter ;)

HEY!!! I resemble that.... :)