slowly; therefore, medium and longer turn radii are more the norm. Some riders simply prefer wider boards because high edge angles are not important to their riding style. For instance, they may be looking for a solid platform when sliding rails and landing jumps, or they like to make surf-like turns that are more pivoted and smeared, versus being highly tilted.
DECK TYPES
Te deck is basically the board itself, but it doesn’t truly become a rideable snowboard until bindings are added. Any given deck will have a specific shape, depending on what kind of riding the board is designed for. Directional decks are versatile while riding forward on most terrain. Tese boards sometimes have a tapered sidecut that is shifted back of center; a varied flex pattern; a longer, wider nose; a shorter, narrower tail; and setback inserts such as threaded holes or a groove that accommodate the bindings. Often the nose is long and flat for flotation, and the tail curves up more steeply to sink in soft snow and keep the nose from diving. Powder-specific boards made for snowboard cross are examples of directional decks. True twin decks have symmetrical characteristics, with the same width and length of nose and tail. Tey exhibit the same flex pattern in either direction and have centered inserts and sidecut. Tese boards feel the same when ridden normal or switch. Due to their versatility in both directions, they are often the choice for riding the park. Directional twin decks have the same shape, length, and width on both ends but their inserts are set back slightly and they may feature a tapered sidecut. Tey can also have a directional core, meaning that the nose is softer than the tail. Tis style of board is most popular because of its well-rounded performance features.
LONGITUDINAL FLEX Longitudinal flex is a general description of how stiff-to-soft a deck is along its length. How the flex varies along the length of a deck is called the flex pattern. Boards with softer tips turn and flex more easily for a smooth ride in powder. Boards with stiffer tips tend to drive well through crud and rough terrain. Soft tails allow for an easy exit from turns, while stiff tails hold well in carved turns and are useful for ollies and stable landings.
Te ability to flex a snowboard into reverse camber – that is, decamber the board – helps a rider create a rounder turn shape at slower speeds and with less physical energy. Te energy the board provides when returning to its original camber is called rebound. Softer snowboards respond to smaller forces and at slower speeds. Te higher the performance expectations and faster the desired speed range, the stronger the forces. As a board is continually flexed or decambered, the internal materials gradually break down, causing the board to become flatter and lose camber.
TORSIONAL FLEX Torsional flex refers to how the board twists along its long axis. One way to envision this is to imagine you’re holding a stick of gum at opposite ends. If you were to slightly twist the gum in opposite directions, you’d see its torsional flex. A torsionally soft deck is easy to twist, making it easier to guide and maneuver. Beginner boards are designed
TheSnowPros.org CHAPTER 2: EQUIPMENT 35
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