Considering Snowboard base?
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.
