Ride Vermont Blog

say i’m holding identical burritos in each of my hands. one says FREE and the other says $6.95. which one would you choose?

exactly.

why pay when you can not pay? enter: the Learn to Ride FREE week, running January 4 – 10, 2010, at participating Vermont resorts. you’ll be able to strap on a free board, get a free lift ticket, and hang out with a professional instructor… FREE. check back here on RideVermont.com for details next week.

THE CAMBER QUANDARY: REVERSE VS. TRADITIONAL

so now you’ve got your free lift ticket and lesson. you, my friend, are diving into the feral world of Vermont snowboarding. welcome.

but first, you’re going to need a… yup, snowboard. there are literally thousands and thousands of options, so i recommend visiting your friendly Vermont specialty shop for professional advice.

but, since you’re here already, let’s talk about the hottest topic to hit snowboard design since step-in bindings – camber.

what is camber? it’s amber with a C in front of it. but it’s also what the industry folks refer to as the shape of the base of a snowboard.

for years and years and years, camber only went one way. what’s now referred to as “traditional camber” was not only the norm, it was the only acceptable way to build a snowboard.

but then, some warped individual on the Lib Tech design crew developed the reverse-cambered Skate Banana and blew the lid off of things.

reverse camber was initially brushed aside as a radical fad. but fast forward a few years and all the big-name snowboard brands have their own versions of reverse camber boards. the idea spread like swine flu in a freshman dorm and nowadays it’s impossible NOT to find these boards at Vermont resorts, especially in the terrain parks.

BUT LUKE, IS REVERSE CAMBER RIGHT FOR ME?

camber is like a burrito. what you like is a matter of personal preference. but even if the waiter messes up your order, you’re still gonna love it. i mean, c’mon, it’s snowboarding a burrito.

generally, though, reverse camber is for the park rats. you can’t beat the smile-shape for tail pressing, catch-free railslides and effortless butters. real diehards will even tell you that the boards hold solid edges in icy and hardpack conditions.

traditional camber provides a go-anywhere all-mountain experience. it doesn’t matter if you’re popping off a 40-foot cheese wedge jump at Killington or bomb-dropping the cliff under the Stowe gondola… traditional camber is your co-pilot.

how ’bout a pro’s opinion? let’s watch a video produced by our Green Mountain brethren on the Rome Snowboards crew, based in Waterbury, VT:

btw, if you have any doubt about LNP’s authority as a jibber, just watch his part in No Correct Way. if you have any doubt about the awesomeness of LNP’s mustache, stop it. that is an ill mustache.

-Luke
yeah, you can email me