Hello everybody!
Alpe d’Huez has been open for almost a week right now and snowboarding conditions are perfect! If you are worried about snow cover for this season then do not worry! Just take a watch of this video I filmed yesterday for proof!
I’ve been getting my snowboarding legs back and enjoying all the powder. If you’re coming to Alpe d’Huez this year and thinking of getting lessons then get in touch with me here:
Hey guys and welcome to my review of the Ride Warpig. I’ve been riding this board for the last 3 months of the 2019 winter season here in Alpe d’Huez as well as using it over the summer up at the Glacier in 2Alpes.
So, yes, it is last years model but I can tell you absolutely NOTHING has changed for the 19/20 model apart from the graphic. Here’s my quick thoughts on the board, keep on reading for a more in depth review.
Piste - 5/5
Park - 4/5
Powder - 4/5
Click here to see it in the US, UK or France.
The Ride Warpig is one of these volume shifted boards whereby you size down around 5-10cms shorter than your usual board. The general sales tag being that you end up with a more fun board that is more nimble in tight spots, spins better, yet also has the same surface area of a larger board and therefore the same float in powder. I’ll get into this later. Sounds great, but ultimately the thing that really attracted me to this board was the waist width. This board is wide, like, really wide. I have size 11UK feet so have always had to buy wide boards. If you have big feet and your board is not wide enough you will get toe and heel drag in the snow, causing you to fall, when the board is tilted at a high edge angle. Carving aggressively or riding something really steep are the scenarios when this happens. So if you are a beginner you probably won’t notice this, but as soon as you’re a good rider, having a board too narrow sucks. Now most wide boards, if you check the spec sheet, have a width of about 260mm which tend to be only a few mm wider than the standard issue board. Whereas the Ride Warpig (in 154cm or L) has a waist width of 270mm. Sweet, so in my head this translated to catch free hard carving on a board that should work all over the mountain.
As I mentioned I took the Large size which is a 154cm. I’m, 6 foot 2, weigh about 90kgs and have UK11 feet. I was pretty apprehensive about ordering a board this short as I’ve always ridden at least 159cm boards, I had a 162 one season as my go to board. I was also looking for one board to do everything, slay the piste, park, and powder. But I also needed something that could be ridden switch as when I’m teaching I may spend the whole lesson riding switch if my clients are goofy. And also, whilst I tried my best at getting a freebie, Ride didn’t budge so I ended up buying it.
So lets take a run down the mountain and I will let you know how this board performs in all conditions. We’ll begin with general piste performance. This board has a really fun sidecut, it just loves to play around and make quick short radius turns on steeper pistes, whilst on mellower slopes it happily carves big arcs. I don’t know what Ride have done but this board seems to manage to do any turn shape and size with ease. Coming from a cambered board it took me a couple of runs to get used to the flat base, but once you make the adjustments you don’t really notice the difference. I don’t notice any lack in pop or spring out of turns, however it would be interesting to try the Super Pig which has camber added into the mix. You can feel the slightly stiffer tail working hard at the end of the turns, it really loads up the pressure built through the turn and lets you pop into your next turn. Honestly the amount of times I find myself popping little ollies at edge changes is just a testament to how fun this board is. It just wants to play.
One area where I was worried about this board is how it would work at high speeds, would it be stable? The answer is yes, I can charge this board really hard, I’ve ridden the Burton Nug before and I hated riding that thing fast, but this is no problem at all. Moving onto Carving now, and as I said this is where I had high expectations for this board. Due to its width I was planning on railing hard carves without digging my heels or toes in the snow. Again, success, this board carves super well, it is stable enough it doesn’t wash out, but also has enough flex through it that you can easily manipulate arc size and shape. I was Euro Carving this board so much I tore through the elbow on my Jacket after 1 week.
Ok, so as I imagine riding this thing across all conditions let me take you into the Powder. First thing, this is the best 154 I have ever ridden in powder and you can ride powder on it, but it just has a very different feel to it than a traditional powder board. Your standard Powder board will have a big nose which lifts you up over the snow and then you will follow that line in smooth arcs, whilst often having a short or swallow tail at the back to help keep the nose afloat. The analogy I would use is almost like a catamaran slicing through the water. You have to be good rider to make it work but when you do it is very satisfying. The WarPig floats but not in the same way, I guess it is more of a hovercraft, it stays on top of the snow but is a bit more skittish and doesn’t make the same smooth arcs in the snow. Rather it wants you to use that width under your feet and pop ollies out of the snow, or slash the pow rather than carve through it. This is no bad thing, just don’t expect it to ride the same way in powder as your 162 powder stick. Its just different, not bad.
Next we go into the park. Yes this thing kills it in the park, really stable on boxes and rails, and loves to jump. Just click here for proof. If you spend more time in the snow dome then you’ll probably be more into the twin pig.
What else? Chunder, yeah it handles it. Moguls? Its short length is really helpful here. Ice? not the best but not bad. Magnetraction gives you better hold in bad icy conditions but then can be grabby in powder and also I find doesn’t offer a nice smooth carve when the groomers are in good condition. All in all this is just a really fun board and for me has become my daily board. Whether I’m taking a lesson or charging hard, I can do it all on this. One thing I will say is that its probably not the best beginner board. Often you hear people say that wide boards are slow edge to edge. This is only really the case if YOU are slow edge to edge, what I mean by this is that if you are having trouble making turns and changing edge than this board won’t make it any easier. However if you can already ride then you won’t really notice the added width. The only time I noticed it was when I was demonstrating a beginner his first turn. As the board is wider it requires a bigger lateral move across the board to transition from edge to edge.
So in summary this is a super fun board that I fully recommend. It really can do everything, and it has a really unique feel to it. So whilst it can ride powder its not really worth comparing it directly to a powder board. If like me you have big feet then this trend to short wide boards will have suddenly opened you up to a whole new choice of boards!
Other similar boards I looked at were:
K2 Simple Pleasures - Looks to be a great board and if you aren’t interested in riding switch, jibbing about, or hitting the park, but spend more time carving and riding pow, then this could be the one for you.
K2 Party Platter - Looks quite similar but a little softer, not quite as hard charging.
Nidecker Liberty - I mainly like this board because it looks so cool, its pretty similar to the K2 Simple Pleasures. Check it out here.
Thanks for reading, any questions just let me know.
Are you coming to Alpe d’Huez this winter? Why not take advantage of the season long coaching programme. On your day off every week you will get 2.5 hours of lessons in a group of your friends who are at a similar level to you. Hit the link to find out more!
Alpe d'Huez is famous for the 21 hairpin bends up to the resort, and is often featured as a finish in the Tour de France. Whilst my summer has consisted mostly of road biking I've still managed to have time to ride across the valley on the 2Alpes glacier. The large amounts of snowfall this winter have ensured the glacier has had a good summer season.
Summer snowboarding is a strange experience. You need to get up early and make the 45 minute 'commute' to the glacier top of the mountain, the only area that stays covered in snow year round. At 7am the snow is solid and icy, this is when you ride the halfpipe. That shuts shortly after as it begins to soften and it loses its shape. Next its onto the jumps which now have nice soft slushy landings, but when it becomes to slushy to get enough speed to hit those you move across to the rail section. By lunchtime you're back in the gondola going down!
I also had the chance to help test the new PFD splitboard. Based off the same design as their Big Mountain Powder Plank, a few adjustments had to be made to help the splitboard have the same snappy and responsive nature. Can't wait to get it in the powder!
Winter is just around the corner. I've already started to get some early bookings in for the 2018/19 season already. Early bookings take advantage of a 10% discount!
See you on the slopes!
My blog has been a little quiet recently, mostly due to being very busy teaching and riding. This winter has seen some wild weather and crazy conditions, with huge amounts of snowfall, but also high winds, and even lots of rain! Thankfully now things seem to have calmed down, the pistes are in great condition after a recent snowfall, and the temperatures are remaining below zero, stopping the snow from melting and re-freezing.
Here I am trying to find the best snow amongst some challenging conditions off piste a few weeks back.
Things improved the next week, but the icy layer was still present under the powder.
This one from a few days ago shows how conditions off piste have stabilised, allowing us to ride steeper terrain. Here I am looking back up towards the 'Fingers' as Alex is skiing down. This south facing line had been in the sun all day and began to soften up in the afternoon. On the north faces the powder remained cold, light, and fluffy.
The days in Alpe d'Huez have been very warm recently, yet the nights have still been very cold. Cold calm nights create the perfect conditions for surface hoar to grow. Similar to how the windscreen of your car can be covered in frost by the morning, surface hoar is effectively the same thing, but forms as ice crystals growing on the snow. During a clear nights sky a tremendous amount of heat radiates away from the surface of he snow, making the snow surface much cooler than the surrounding air. The moisture in the air above then condenses on the snow creating these tall thin ice crystals. They have a very pretty appearance, glistening in the sun, and as you ski through them you can even hear a light jingling sound as you knock them over.
Despite their pretty appearance, if buried within the snowpack, surface hoar can present a real danger. Stacked up a bit like dominoes, the crystals can take a lot of weight from above, for instance they can hold up metres of subsequent snowfall. But, also like dominoes, when a force acts upon them from the side they will all fall down. In our case this could be a snowboarder making a turn in the snow above, and thus triggering an avalanche.
Furthermore, once buried, surface hoar is very difficult to detect. Also, it tends to form in a hard to predict pattern across the mountain. Sometimes, it may only occur further up the mountain, where higher peaks rise above the clouds. Other times it may only occur in sheltered valleys, where the wind can't blow it over. This can lead to buried 'pockets' across the mountain, where surface hoar is present.
Thankfully, the high temperatures due today will likely melt most of the surface hoar, meaning that when the snow comes again in a few days, the ice crystals will be gone. However, it is worth remembering that on some north facing slopes, the suns impact won't be felt, and the surface hoar could remain a significant danger.
Whilst walking my dog Indy this afternoon, I noticed the snow change from fluffy crystals to small hail like snow. Looking a bit like Styrofoam balls they stuck to Indy's back and head. This type of precipitation is called Graupel.
Graupel is formed when the temperature in the clouds drops to around -40°C. Under the right atmospheric conditions snow crystals collide with super-cooled water droplets. The water then freezes around the snow crystal, forming the small balls you see on Indy's head. Hail is very hard and icy, whereas graupel is a soft and almost sticky kind of snow.
It is important to notice graupel as it can be a contributing factor to avalanches. The little balls stack up on the snow like a layer of marbles. When the weather turns back to snow this layer becomes buried in the snowpack. As you can imagine it then becomes very easy for the snow to slide off this 'layer of marbles'. Fortunately, graupel quickly begins to compact and loose its shape, stabilising in the snowpack after a couple of days. So just be aware and avoid any steep slopes for the next two days, the graupel is lurking!
When buying a snowboard the customer is often led to beleive that board length is the most important factor. You may have shop assistants putting a board up to your nose and saying 'that looks about right!' However waist width is much more important, especially if like me you have big feet, because toe and heel drag suck big time!
I recently made a video on the subject which you can watch below:
Toe and heel drag occur when your toes or heels hang over the edge of the board. This in itself is not necessarily a big problem, but as soon as you start tilting a board onto it's edge more, then your toes or heels can drag in the snow lifting the edge of the board away from the snow and meaning you lose grip and wipe out. The situations in which your board would be at such an edge angle is when you are riding steep terrain or you are doing very low carves. These are both quite advanced skills, which is why beginners are often ok on a board that is too narrow for them at first, but then as they progress they begin to have the toe/heel drag problem.
Ok, so why don't we all just ride super wide snowboards to avoid this problem? Well, as you may well realise, a wide snowboard makes it more difficult to initiate an edge change, therefore making it more difficult to turn. So here we must now find the perfect waist width for our board in relation to our feet. With only a couple of centimetres separating what would be considered a narrow and a wide board, the minor differences in numbers here can make a big difference to your riding.
Narrow Snowboard
Waist width: 240mm - 245mm
UK Boot size: > 6
Regular Snowboard
Waist width: 245mm - 255mm
UK Boot size: 7 - 9
Mid-Wide Snowboard
Waist width: 255mm - 265mm
UK Boot size: 10 - 11
Wide Snowboard
Waist width: 265mm - 270mm+
UK Boot size: 12+
Above is a rough guide to help you out. However as with anything it's not always that black and white. Firstly your riding style can play a factor. Do you like to lay out euro carves on your belly? Then toe or heel overhang is not an option and you need a board plenty wide enough. However, if you spend most of your time jibbing in the park, and staying away from steep slopes, then a bit of toe overhang may not affect your riding.
Next up is the angles of your bindings. The more your feet are angled out, the less space they will take up going across the board. For instance if you have angles of +15 and -15 degrees you will have less overhang than if you set your back flat at 0 degrees as some people like.
The next factor for me is a big one; boots. Some brands offer 'reduced footprint' boots. They have been clever at reducing the amount of materials required at the back and the front of the boot, ending up with a boot as short as it can possibly be for your foot size. I always ride Burton Boots now, as their reduced footprint technology is very good. I once purchased some Salomon boots in a size 11 UK and they were a whole cm longer than my Burtons of the same size! If you have larger feet I would definitely look at a brand offering this technology.
So now if you know you need a wider board start paying attention to the waist width listed on the spec sheet. Also beware that some brands say a board is wide but it actually may not be wide enough, and could be what some brands call mid-wide.
I have size 11 UK feet and I am currently on a stepchild board with a 264mm waist. I prefer to go slightly wider than the chart above advises because just about my favourite thing to do on a snowboard is lay out a belly scratching euro carve where my board is angled right up on its edge. Toe drag here, which still sometimes happens, can quickly see you go from hero to zero.
Finding wider boards with a 260mm plus waist can be difficult. In my experience I have found that Rome, Never Summer, Bataleon and Stepchild make good wide boards that are actually wide enough. Other brands offer good boards around the 260mm mark, whilst some brands don't offer anything wide at all!
Finally I would like to mention slightly more unconventional boards. Recently there has been a big trend to shorter fatter boards, spearheaded alot by K2. Originally the idea was to combine the surface area of a longer board into a much shorter one, allowing the same float in powder whilst being more manouverable in tight situations. However, as not every day is a powder day, brands started to realise that these boards could also be incredibly fun on piste. Their wide waists, often over 27cm, allowing for deep carves with no chance of toe or heel drag. Boards like this include the K2 party platter, cool bean, eightyseven, and simple pleasures. Also the Spring Break slush slasher, and Never Summer Instagator to name a few.
Now these boards may not be for everyone, perhaps too directional in shape, or not ideal in the park. However, they can provide an interesting alternative particularly if your board options are limited due to the fact having a waist width of over 260mm, for example, is a necessity.
I hope this made sense! If you need any advice, ping me an email, I'm always happy to talk board shapes and sizes!
After 3 years of terrible starts to the winter, Alpe d'Huez is finally covered in snow, ready for opening day tomorrow!
As you can see from this quick run this morning, there's plenty of snow already in town, I can't wait to see how conditions are looking up on the glacier!
Contact me at malcolm@masterclasssnowboarding.com to book your English Snowboard Lessons this winter!
GoPro Cameras take great quality video, however the problem can often be that the footage is shaky and unprofessional looking, particularly when filming moving subjects, ie: snowboarders!
Looking a bit like a selfie stick, but with some clever motors involved, the Feiyu Tech G4 aims to remove any unwanted shake. Below is my first test with the gadget. Despite running, and slipping on the snow, I think it does a pretty good job!
I then simply connected my camera via wifi to my phone, uploaded the clips using the GoPro App, and then edited and uploaded to YouTube via the Quik App. So much simpler than when I used to film skateboard videos on MiniDV tapes, connect via a special cable to my old computer, edit on Final Cut Pro, then have to render and compress before it got anywhere near YouTube!
I look forward to taking the Feiyu Tech stabalizer onto the slopes soon and capturing some snowboard videos soon...
Over the course of the season I spend alot of time looking at freezing levels. The town of Alpe d'Huez is at 1800m and the highest lift at Pic Blanc is 3300m. The lower the freezing level the better!
This week we have seen the freezing level stay consistently below 500m, bringing cold temperatures to the town, and allowing the resort to get ready for the season!
The cold temperatures mean the existing snow doesn't melt, the snow cannons can keep firing, and whatever snow does fall is light and fluffy!
As you can see by the photo below there's already been a decent amount of snow come down this week, the clouds quickly rolled back in after I took this shot, and more snow is due over the next few days.
After a very slow start to winter last year I am very excited to get riding and see this season off to a fantastic start. The chairlifts open this weekend in Alpe d'Huez, however if the sun does make an appearance before then I'll be sure to go for a hike in order to make some pow turns!
#winterscoming
Alpe d'Huez is opening in 2 weeks on the 2nd of Dec. The sun is out and it is time to get my legs working and ready for winter!
I do plenty of cycling in the summer, and now the snow has been cleared from the roads, it was good to get the bike out again.
As the sun was setting a few of us here in Alpe d'Huez built a small kicker to rail set-up. After 6 months off, it felt good to be back on a board again!
The storms have passed and the sun is back out. A high pressure system has moved in keeping any more snow at bay for now.
Indy is enjoying the snow, hopefully more is on the way before Alpe d'Huez opens it's lifts on the 2nd of December!
Its been a good few days in Alpe d'Huez. Its not just Pic Blanc at 3300m looking white, the snow has been falling right into town. Although only a thin layer this is a great start, with a little more snow in the forecast and cold temperatures ahead hopefully this layer will stay and provide a good base for the season. Fingers crossed!
A big storm is currently hitting the Alps, a short window in the weather shows us that Alpe d'Huez is starting to look good for winter 2017/18!
The clouds are rolling back in, temperatures dropping, and more snow is due to come!
Updates to follow...
Good news! There is snow forecast for this weekend in Alpe d'Huez. We are in November now, and it is the perfect time for the resort to start developing a base. Take a look at a detailed forecast for the whole European Alps here, or a more simplified version for Alpe d'Huez here.
I'll keep an eye on this storm and let you know what it brings...
With winter just around the corner, whether trawling through last seasons equipment hunting for a bargain (here's a good start), or scoping out the new seasons gear, now is the time to be looking for your new board. Whilst essentially just a plank of wood with some metal edges on, I still manage to get very excited each year about new snowboards. Most of the time they are exactly the same as the year before, with a different graphic, however there are always some new shapes which stand out from the rest!
Keep reading to see whats on my wishlist for the 2017/18 winter season...
There has been a trend to shorter fatter boards over the last couple of years. The basic idea being to combine the surface area of a longer board into a shorter one, giving you increased float in powder whilst still being highly manoeuvrable.
For someone with larger feet I always ride a wide board. There's nothing worse than washing out from toe or heel drag when railing a hard carve. With a wider than average waist, this board will allow for the lowest of Euro Carves!
On top of this the board has a directional shape, and camber underfoot for that snappy response between turns. Whilst not a freestyle board, there's no reason this couldn't be taken for a few laps in the park as well. If you're looking for a good fun all mountain board, with more of a preference for carving the piste or floating through the powder, this could be the board for you!
The K2 simple pleasures was also featured in the Whitelines top 100 products for this winter, check it out here.
PFD Skis have been around for a few years now, producing bespoke bamboo skis. However, the owner and designer Rupert, clearly knows that snowboarding is where the fun is at and has been crafting a handmade snowboard!
Although not yet for sale on the website, this first glimpse of the board looks awesome. The slight swallow tail and directional shape give us a clue for its desired use, it has been designed for charging deep powder!
Built from bamboo, this board will be lightweight, snappy, and responsive. And what's not to love about that topsheet? I can't wait to get my hands on one!
Late October and the first signs of snow have already arrived in Alpe d'Huez. It may only be a dusting but it's getting me excited for winter!
This time of year sees me getting my 'geek' on and browsing this seasons new snowboard equipment. See my wishlist of cool new shapes in the next post...