Considering Snowboard base?

[JackDoffdonner 0]

Last weekend's APOOOPA event confirmed some theories I've had for a few years now. I wanted to send this out there so those of you thinking about trying it have thought it through and are prepared. I have nothing against snowboarding and actually do it several times a year. These are just my observations as it relates to base.

Snowboard base jumps are more dangerous than ski base jumps.
Extra precaution needs to be taken when trying them.

We saw a lot of jumps last weekend and most of the scary looking ones were snowboarders. One major line twist situation was a skier but for the most part it was the snowboard jumps that were gnarly. Nothing bad happened and all of them corrected any problems very well and quickly but there was potential.
The sideways stance naturally puts the jumper in a more difficult position to maintain stability. Also it is theoretically more dangerous to be right foot forward (Goofy) since most pilot chutes are thrown out on the right side.
The wind on the board affects the jumpers stability very quickly and can throw them off balance almost immediatly.
Its much harder to kick out of line twists when you can't kick your legs independently.
Unless you are an expert snowboarder it is a bit harder to carry decent speed off the jump which will get you further away from the wall.
Most of these instability problems resulted in either off heading openings or line twists and in a couple cases both. When someone with extra weight on their feet deploys in an unstable position slider down there is a very high chance of getting whipped into line twists.
I believe that the best way to prevent these malfunctions doing a snowboard base jump is to go slider up. The slower opening won't whip you into line twists. This of course will require a larger cliff sometiimes. If you are considering this you also better dam well be an expert snowboarder who has spent time in the terrain park.
Oh, on the other hand, Jim Rippy showed up at 6:00 pm to do his very first snowboard base jump. He threw a "Rippy Flip" I think its a corked back flip with a tail grab and a 360. He pitched after completion of the trick and then his spinning momentum carried him into another 360 before his pins popped making the trick a 720. He had a perfect on heading slider up opening. Totally schooling everyone else and by far doing the coolest trick of the day.

[914 0]

How much of this stuff is going on?

The Apooopa event, put on by America's Popularest Obnoxious Obese Parachuters of America who jump during the daytime with cameras and fireworks and stuff, seemed to be a break through for snowboard base. 6 people jumped boards, that may even double the total amount ever.

at Apoopa these people jumped snowboards:

Mark Ridley
Jim Rippey
Joel
Coy
Jeb Browning

before that I can think of Barlia, and Jaap Suter that jumped actual snowboards not skyboards or whatever. who else?

has anyone else been hucking the snowboards lately? can you please let us know if you are having the same findings?

Other Apooopa highlights included telemark ski base by rjgill.

Can anyone report another instance of tele-base or is this another first??

Snowlerblade base.

wow, cool when are we gonna get to attend an EPOOOPE?.. European Putridly Odorsome Ostentacious Overgrown-haired Parachuters of Europe who jump legal cliffs in the daytime and dont tell anyone about it... cant wait... lets get it on.

Edit to remove name of jumper, by request of jumper. ~TA

[kslay 0]

for the record, id just like to say that I was the one who did the rad snowlerblade base...

[dqpacker 7]

Did you use fairy dust to get a way from the wall?

[chrismcn7 0]

yes, snowboard base is more sketch. i am definitely torn between trying to work out the issues or just giving up and skiing off from now on. or snolerblading. that look rad!

my advice:
- go slider up. i have this habbit of opening facing the wall and the extra slider time always gave me a little extra time to get ready to turn away from the wall once i opened and was flying

- goofy is better than regular. when i go off regular. the motion of reaching for the pilot chute starts turning me to the right so i end up facing the wall when i open. if you go off goofy, the motion of reaching for the pilot chute would, in theory, turn you 90 so you are square.

- take tons of speed! the only thing that has saved my ass so far is launching far enough away from the cliff so that when i open facing the wall i have enough time to turn it around

- just theories. i only have 3 snowboard base jumps so everything i said above could be crap

[JackDoffdonner 0]

Right on Chris. As well as could mine seeing as I have 0 snowboard base jumps. Its all theory at this point. You have a point about the goofy thing. I take back my idea on that one.

[JSBIRD 1]

Quote

- goofy is better than regular.

Would going off in a switch stance work as well for a regular footed boarder?

359

"Now I've settled down,
in a quiet little town,
and forgot about everything"

[914 0]

In theory, yes, if your intention was to just turn 90 and pitch in a straight air with body facing away... the thing is that this is a very unnatural flying stance for snowboarding... you rarely see it base jumping or not, it seems easy but is proven not to be.

[tahoejonny 0]

For the record!

It was sick as F*#K!

We thought we were going to see carnage but you stuck the fuck out of it!

By the way Im claiming a .3 second delay off at the sucker at 7:45 tonight! The lz was definetly sketch! ANd the hick out sucked too! Had help diggin, one shovel would not have done it! Hit that shit early tommorrow!

[subterminal 0]

Quote

Other Apooopa highlights included telemark ski base by rjgill.

Can anyone report another instance of tele-base or is this another first??

A Norwegian did a Telemark ski base off a cliff close to Oslo in 2000.

In 1999 or 2000 a Stavanger local jumped a local cliff using what we in Norway call "stumpeski" or "miniski". They can be viewed on the following link http://www.jernia.no/page?id=1403&key=35462&origId=902§ion=455. This particular area of Norway don't get too much snow in winter, and his 10ft run before the launch made for a somewhat interesting exit style.

"Stumpeskiing" was huge when I was a kid and you can get up to quite impressive speeds with those babies. Sold at a very competitive price (99.00 NOK or about 15.00 USD) in addition to being light weight and easy to strap on to any boot, I suggest it could be a winner at future events. Also it could open up ski-base to finacially challenged jumpers.

CJ =)