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The "little ski revelations" thread

SkiGAP

Angel Diva
My little revelations today came courtesy of my snowblades. I had forgotten that they are an incredible training and diagnostic tool, perfect for getting balanced and centered

This is an interesting post. I always see snow blades as rather dorky and can't understand what the fuss is about. Not sure why I feel that way, since I have never tried them, so it is total assumption and discrimination on my part. Maybe it is because I have never seen what I consider to be a "good" snowblader. It is enlightening to see that they can really bring something, in addition to being simply fun. It is also clear that they are perhaps not so easy to ski on.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think for a long time, snowblades were associated with radial fractures that had disappeared with the invention of the modern binding. But I think modern snowblades have modern ski bindings.
 

volklgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This is an interesting post. I always see snow blades as rather dorky and can't understand what the fuss is about. Not sure why I feel that way, since I have never tried them, so it is total assumption and discrimination on my part. Maybe it is because I have never seen what I consider to be a "good" snowblader. It is enlightening to see that they can really bring something, in addition to being simply fun. It is also clear that they are perhaps not so easy to ski on.

Not easy at all, and I can understand the assumption that they are dorky as most users are beginner-to-intermediate skiers at best just trying to make it down the hill. In all actuality, they are the fastest way to push an almost-carving skier straight into a "from the top of the turn" carve because they totally suck if they're not fully carving. And a hockey stop? Nope, not gonna happen, at least not quickly. The very nature of their shortness quickly amplifies even the smallest error in balance and technique that the extended length and balance point of regular skis tends to mask.

Admittedly, mine (the M7) are not your standard snowblades, and are much more stable than the usual skinny ones, but the physics are the same.
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
Snowblades aren't even being manufactured anymore by Salomon. And yes they are really an advanced ski, no a beginner ski just because they're short!
 

maggie198

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My middle daughter was afraid of skis because they're so long. She skis very infrequently. She went from sled dogs to snowblades, and did pretty well on them, too. Used them at Heavenly and Squaw without issue. Last year I finally was able to get her to try skis. Her complaint with the snowblades wasn't balance, it was that they were too slow and she couldn't keep up.
 

volklgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hehe...this popped up in my e-mail today as Mogul and Powder Skiing Tip #10!

Skiboards are great tools to accelerate the development of mogul and powder skiing skills. Skiboards provide you clear and instantaneous feedback on your stance, producing a more centered and balanced skier. A skiboard's smaller turning radius provides better speed control enabling patient, rounded turns and reduced anxiety - even in moguls and powder. A skiboard's shorter length makes turning easier which builds confidence in three dimensional terrain presented by moguls and powder. Skiboards are substantially lighter than traditional length skis which reduces both fatigue and knee stress. Newly learned skills easily transfer back to your traditional length skis. And, finally, because of all of the above, you can quickly begin to confidently ski mogul and powder terrain and gain important mileage and experience in making terrain selection decisions.
 

SkiGAP

Angel Diva
I can understand the assumption that they are dorky

uh, ahem, by dorky I wanted to say, uh, well, you know, I didn't mean *you* of course :redface:

Hehe...this popped up in my e-mail today as Mogul and Powder Skiing Tip #10!

you can quickly begin to confidently ski mogul and powder terrain and gain important mileage and experience in making terrain selection decisions.

Timely! "Aaack!" on the skiing those little things in mogul and powder though. Back to my point about never having seen a "good" snowblader/skiboarder. Curiouser and curiouser. Just to "walk a mile" I might have to try them one day if I can ever again bring myself to put alpine boots on my feet


Whoa, 106 underfoot! Ok so if I *do* put alpine boots on my feet, these would be the ones to try, I agree. And from the pictures at the bottom of the page, maybe there is such a thing as a good snowblader...ha!
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I am just trying to picture skiing these in bumps. I am not perfectly aligned probably most of the time in bumps. I think I would fall a whole lot. Hmm. Maybe just skiing them on groomers would improve balance which would then translate to better bump skiing?
 

lynseyf

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hmmm I have mixed feelings about snowblades while I get in theory that they are a great teaching tool, like @SkiGAP I have never seen a decent snowblader. I also went on holiday with some bladers once and they just seemed to use good natural balance and sheer muscle to get down the hill, they were all much fitter than me but were absolutely knackered skiing these blades ( they also had mega fat ones), they didn't look the prettiest either.
 

volklgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'll admit I haven't the guts to try them in powder, but they absolutely rock in spring slush and glop.

I just noticed that the thread called "little ski revelations" has morphed into revelations about "little skis". :rotf:
 

snow addict

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've seen quite a few really good snowbladers. Once a season there is an event in my resort called "One-piece descent" where you have to turn up in a one-piece suite, sign up, get you drink vouchers and then everyone goes to the very top and skis down with stop-overs at participating bars for a shot. Lot of skiers turn up with mono-skis and snowblades and they are all very good.
 

Perty

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have to say my experience of bladers falls into the "out of control idiot" category. Men and boys (often in silly hats for some reason) hurtling down the slope with barely any control, cutting up skiers, and looking like they are one swerve away from a big crash.
 

lynseyf

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've seen quite a few really good snowbladers. Once a season there is an event in my resort called "One-piece descent" where you have to turn up in a one-piece suite, sign up, get you drink vouchers and then everyone goes to the very top and skis down with stop-overs at participating bars for a shot. Lot of skiers turn up with mono-skis and snowblades and they are all very good.

I don't think they are really good bladers, I think they are really good skiers on blades. IME people who only use blades mainly do so because "They are so much easier to ski", again IME this means the blades allow them to ski much faster than they would on skis and on much steeper slopes,like @Perty says they are usually male with silly hats :bag:
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
I have to say my experience of bladers falls into the "out of control idiot" category. Men and boys (often in silly hats for some reason) hurtling down the slope with barely any control, cutting up skiers, and looking like they are one swerve away from a big crash.

Same for me. And I haven't seen one in a few years, to be honest, but I do remember there being a phase at Alta where there were a bunch - obvious tourists, crazy hats, thoroughly out of control and generally just surviving down the mountain. Clearly not good skiers looking to improve their skills. More like - hey, do you even know how cheap these things are compared to regular skis? And I didn't even need a lesson and can do black diamonds! And you'd hear them in lift line explaining the brilliance behind their gear choice.

I do understand though that they would be excellent as a training tool. That's, sadly, not the function I've typically seen them in though!
 

SkiGAP

Angel Diva
In the Pyrenees I see snow blades more often than telemarkers.

Why is it that one could move faster on snowblades than skis?

Why do I ask so many questions? :embarrassed:
 

snow addict

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I don't think they are really good bladers, I think they are really good skiers on blades. IME people who only use blades mainly do so because "They are so much easier to ski", again IME this means the blades allow them to ski much faster than they would on skis and on much steeper slopes,like @Perty says they are usually male with silly hats :bag:

Of course they are skiers but they are good bladers too. I can't see how blades will allow you to ski steeper slopes or bumps unless you are quite good on blades. I see people skiing them mainly for fun and haven't actually seen anyone who looked out of control or surviving.
 

lynseyf

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@snow addict my point was I'm sure there are loads of people who are good on blades and skis but in my experience people who only use blades do so because they find skiing too difficult. Blades are tiny so can be muscled about much more than longer skis and the people I have seen on blades are definitely doing that, to be honest if they are having fun and not endangering anyone else who cares?

@SkiGAP you can't move faster in a straight line or glide on the flats but you can turn super quick so people that might have trouble making their skis do short turns in moguls or steeps might find them easier, I've never actually seen anyone carving blades I don't think? Much easier to skate with as well so i guess that makes up for the lack of glide on flats
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've never seen anyone on blades doing anything but just skidding around. I am sure I would have noticed someone actually carving with a still upper body.
 

pinto

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I saw a guy FLYING on these things, once, I think at Copper? He was taking (big) air, doing tricks, and just skiing so fast; I was totally impressed, because I know how difficult it must have been. I wonder who it was, if it was Copper, then he was probably someone over from Woodward.

And at Abasin Monday, there was an old guy in a onesie on them, he kinda looked like he thought it was gaper day, but I think he was serious. He was actually pretty good, enjoyed throwing a pirouette in every now and then.

But normally it's just people on the strugglebus.
 

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