Poster: A snowHead
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I'm planning to do a bit of dry slope practice this summer (not sure what the surface material is, but I will be going to Brentwood in case anyone is familiar with it), I suspect I'll do a couple of hours of lessons then some free practice...but having had very limited dry slop experience I expect to catch a few edges.
Is it worth wearing wrist guards on a dry slope (i.e. is the chance of injury greater/the same/less than snow)?
(For clarity I'm not trying to start a wrist guard debate here, but my normal gloves are Level Fly with biomex wrist guards built in and are way to warm to wear over the summer)!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@vjmehra, Looks like the surface is Dendix. I learnt to snowboard on Gloucester dry slope which is also Dendix. I would recommend wrist guards but the biggest risk is catching fingers and thumbs in the Dendix when you fall over.
Not sure what the solution is. Maybe mittens will protect the fingers from getting caught. It is not so much a problem for skiers as they do not fall over as much.
Be warned though. The risk is quite high.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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vjmehra, sorry but I personally see absolutely no benefit at all in 'dry slope practice this summer' when I'm presuming you've had a reasonable amount (ie more than a week or so) proper snow time. Backward step, leave it to the young jib monkeys.
Fridges are bad enough, Dendix just sucks ....... JMO
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Yeah that is the case BCjohnny, but I'm in East London so Brentwood is only a 20 min drive or so and I didn't really put in the hours I'd hoped over the winter (I even spent the last trip skiing
I thought the general consensus was that dry slopes are good for improving technique?
I can get down a mountain, but my technique is definitely far from perfect, I thought it might not be a bad idea to spend a few sessions over the summer trying to improve.
Although I don't want any sprained thumbs!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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vjmehra wrote: |
I thought the general consensus was that dry slopes are good for improving technique? |
Dry slopes are good for everything up to about falling leaf, and maybe linking your first skidding turns.
Save your money and put it towards a last minute cheapie ........
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@vjmehra, get some lessons at hemel its only an extra 20mins.
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@vjmehra, Dendix is good enough for slalom racing... I spent a fair bit of time on plastic as a youth and I'd submit it did me a great deal of good.
Mind you, that was on old skinny skis...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Dendix is great for improving technique. I'd only ever snowboarded on dryslope plus a day burn-hopping at Glencoe and my first holiday on snow I was straight onto black terrain. Not a whole load of fun but doesn't let you get away with bad habits.
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Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
doesn't let you get away with bad habits. |
In particular, it is not tolerant of poor balance (as the actualy edge grip is much reduced). So it very much teaches you to get lateral balance in and kept in the right place and isn't a bad model for angulation either.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@vjmehra, +1 for advice above from @cad99uk,
I suggest get cheapish mittens. Put whole hand into finger section of mitten. Reduces risk of thumb/fingers being damaged.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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vjmehra wrote: |
... I thought the general consensus was that dry slopes are good for improving technique? ... |
Dry slopes are relatively intolerant of poor technique, which is one reason that they're excellent for practice. In fact I don't think they're much use for anything else as they're relatively short and boring. I'd say a two hour lesson on one may well be too long. Shorter frequent trips may be more fun. I actually still prefer dry slopes to indoors - you can get more speed, the views are better, and some have half decent bumps.
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I never bothered with the whole "protection" thing, but some people do.
There's evidence that "wrist guards" are useful for the first day or two of boarding. If you're past that stage then the evidence isn't there than they're worth wearing.
Catching your fingers in the holes is certainly a risk on Dendix, statistically. That said I've never had a problem, nor seen anyone get hurt, and I rode Dendix a lot.
Irrespective, I'm not sure how you'd deal with it, as the strongest gloves probably won't help if you're intent on sticking your fingers in there. Just don't.
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Overkill for me (I hope I don't regret saying that!!!), but in case anyone is interested I found this:
http://www.levelgloves.com/level-thumb-protection-system/
I think I'll just plan to fall with my fists clenched (oh and the reason I don't want to go to Hemel is because I don't have a car, so when I said its a 20 min drive from my house I actually meant in a cab...so Hemel is a bit of a stretch...it would almost be cheaper to go to Stansted and head to Europe)!
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You know it makes sense.
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vjmehra wrote: |
I think I'll just plan to fall with my fists clenched ! |
Once dropping on your knuckles becomes second nature, wrist problems are less of an issue.
You sometimes get asked for 'tips' when you're boarding, and this is usually one of the first .......
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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On my one and only go at snowboarding at Llangrannog dry slope I got some decent wrist protectors from a friend - metal rather than plastic. They ended up a bit bent...
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Rhoobarb, which is why you want plastic ones.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not sure if this has any impact on the OP's plans .......
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@vjmehra, to be honest . . . the only gloves to wear on a dry slope are "Boxing" and if laced, are as good as or better than wrist guards . . . Learn to fall without using your hands.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Quote: |
Not sure if this has any impact on the OP's plans
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Yes thank you, have signed the petition.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Quote: |
. Learn to fall without using your hands.
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Well yes, that's sort of the plan...but on a dry slope I expect to catch a few edges early on at least!
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