Thursday, February 17, 2011

To skeg or not to skeg






There is a saying about the Inuit that they have an unusually large number of words to describe snow. Snow quality, from a snurfer's, skier's or boarder's perspective is just the same, though we may not have to words to express it. What happens to an accumulation of snow over time with varying temperatures, time between snowfalls, the amount of snow and the pitch or terrain you are riding, will shape what kind of ride you might expect on a snurfer. Over time, many different designs of boards have come out to suit the interest of the rider. In Montreal, I've had a fascination with an ideal board than could be dragged along on a city sidewalk covered in snow, hitting the odd snow bank, to get to a local hill. The original snurfer had at times, a fixed aluminum skeg at the back center of the board for stability. Some of the first snowboard had outboard skegs towards the back of the board. All meant to keep the board tracking where the nose was pointed. I figured retractable skegs would make sense, so I tried a few designs without true success. There have been moments when it seemed to work, and others when they were clogged with snow and heavy, that they were more than redundant. Just the same, it's been fun working on different designs, testing them, and reworking them. It's all for fun.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Snurf Ya Later - I'm sooo Jealous


Big ups to the Provo Bros. Awesome footage of Utah backcountry snurfing. The joy and stoke of such a simple and rewarding activity are clear.



"For the last 10 years, Neil and I have been riding boards through the powder without bindings. What started as preseason fun on rails and kickers with the early Premier snowskates, has evolved into a new passion and a new way to experience the powder covered mountains. Without bindings, powder surfing has been like taking a step back in time, providing a timeless feeling that really connects you back to the roots. By de-progressing the boards we ride, we actually opened up a whole new set of challenges and goals. After 22 years of riding on snow, it feels amazing to discover something so new and fresh. If you can't have an indonesian overhead tube, than the next best thing might be a 2500 foot powder pipe in Utah!" - Ian provo




Another Roadside Attraction





Don't go playing in traffic, but I gotta say - Roadsides offer easy access to bountiful snurf runs. This is a great hill for longboarding (skateboard), the sides of which offer some nice snurf lines. Glad we checked it out. Check your local hills for your own roadside attraction.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Snurf and Snowboard

Sometimes you've got to mix it up. A little snurf here, a little snowboarding there.
The joy of snurfing is in the freedom and challenge of not having bindings. It's way more challenging than snowboarding. Snowboarding allows the precision that a solid connecting to your board provides. That same attachment can make your snowboard a plow, a drag, and frankly, boring on not-so-challenging terrain. It's not fair to compare, really. They both have benefits, and weaknesses. Here, we mix it up a bit on a Sunday Morning. Call it Church.

Go Explore



Scouting for terrain and finding the goods is the whole spirit of Snurf.
Life is an adventure, and the rewards for the snurfer are huge. Fresh air, exercise, adventure and reward in it's simplest form.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Urban Snurf Session Montreal

Late Night Suburban Snurf Session









Where to snurf?



When it's snowing and everyone else is hunkered down inside, grab your stick and go explore!
No matter where you live, there is a hill waiting for you to lay down some tracks.
The original snurfer was invented in Michigan, so you don't need to live in big mountain territory to get the goods. Here's a little video of a night-time Snurf Session at the local golf course.

Snurfing is fun anytime, anywhere. All you need is a snurfer's sense of adventure.