Things are moving ahead at full speed towards the winter now though so I thought I'd better knuckle down and get things in order!
First up was the delivery of my new Jones boards, very exciting as always! Not much has changed really in the range, new graphics throughout, a bit stiffer here and there and everything now available in splitboard form!
I loved riding these boards last year, their first production year and am super stoked to get out on them again this winter. It's no understatement when I say that these boards totally changed my snowboarding and gave everything a new lease of life!
For around the resorts I'll be riding the Mtn Twin 164XL which rocks the whole Mtn as you'd expect. Super easy to ride, spin and jib around on, a freestyle board that floats like a dream in the powder too... very nice!
Out of bounds and big mountain riding I'll be out on the Flagship 168XL. This is my do everything dream board. I love this board, it's so stable at speed and super smooth to ride all over the mountain, it can take everything you can throw at it and more, it carves, slashes and launches down the mountain from top to bottom and makes you ride with a smile upon your face. For a 168 it is super nippy and fun to ride.
This is the board I'll ride 90% of the time, this season the nose has been stiffened up a little to stop vibrations at speed. It ripped last year and looks even better this year so I can't wait to get out on it again. Bring it on...
Of course for touring and BC outings I'll be out on the 168XL Solution, which is basically the Flagship split in two for hiking. I've got about 14 weeks of BC courses coming up and so the Solution will be definitely seeing some major action this season. I loved this board and the whole split concept for BC access last year and again can't wait to get out and explore the amazing new possibilities that Splitboarding has opened up over the past couple of years.
However, my most exciting board this year is the new 160 Hovercraft! Yeah 160... Last year I had some of my best tree riding and Off Piste powder days on the Hovercraft 156 but found it a little small when I rode BC with a heavy Backpack full of BC and High Mountain/Glacier riding equipment. The 160 should be able to handle the extra load and so at the first sign of powder this board will be out in force! The Hovercraft carves like a hard core race board too so it'll be getting some play even when its hardpack too.
Soon after the boards arrived a couple of big boxes of kit arrived from Billabong.
Billabong were my first professional sponsor back in the 90's so its been great to travel full circle and come back to them, this time working with them on a new Advanced range that is suited to the type of Big mountain Freeriding that I love.
So far I've received some of the regular 2012 range which is more suited to Park and Piste, but any day now I should be getting the 2013 Advanced sample range which we have been working on through out last season.
Again, very exciting times, Billabong have such a good development ethic, all ride, surf and play, its all about getting out there and catching the big waves, the big lines and pushing your limits with the biggest smile upon your face! Love it!!
Last season I played around with a few different brands for boots but this season I've decided to go with 32's who I did some test work with last winter. I loved last years (this seasons) Prime and Team Two's so will be riding these again this season and should also be getting the 2013 boots at the beginning of December so all good, can't wait to see the new products. Again like Billabong 32's are another great company to ride for. Rider run, super chilled and very progressive. I look forward to working on the new line with them over the coming season.
So the scene is almost set, all we really need now is for the snow to start falling and it seems that the forcast is saying it might this weekend.
Until it does though I'll be out on the bike getting in some big rides before the winter changes the rules. I've also just started track cycling at the geneva Velodrome which is great fun and completely addictive, although that might just be my OCD nature coming through.
I'm all about training for the track racing at the moment, lots of squats and sprinting all of which will hopefully give me super strong legs for the Snowboarding season too.
We have about 2 places left on courses this season and waiting lists on quite a few. We took our first provisional 2013 winter season booking this week! I've not even thought that far ahead but it seems some of you are already which is great!
All in all things seem to be pretty good and right on track so its full speed ahead for the coming winter and I start in Tignes in just over 2 weeks time!
All is good in Chamonix!
Neil.
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