Skiing with Splitboarders?

Hi everyone, so I'm a snowboarder, new to the bc, but uber-excited about making the bc transition. A few weekends ago, I demoed a splitboard from the nice guys at Second Ascent and had somewhat of a mixed experience. Skinning up was great. Riding down was great. Riding/clawing/crawling to across the mountain to get back to our car/trying to ski downhill through thick trees in splitmode/having to change back and forth several times in the span of our descent/clearly slowing the group down during our not-steep-enough-to-ride, but not-uphill-enough-to-necessitate-the-ATers-and-Tele'ers-i-was-with-putting-skins-on....sucked.<br><br>My question is, how do folks here feel about skiing with splitboarders? Or, if you are a splitboarder, do you manage to mesh well with skiier buddies? or do you find yourself needing to stick with fellowing splitters?<br><br>Does the splitboard severely limit the types of trips you can manage successfully? ie. are long, shallow decents just not reasonable with a split? Or, with some practice and a few tricks, can a successful compromise be made?<br><br>To be honest, if I was comfortable enough on skiis to feel safe on the way down in the backcountry, I would probably just stow way the snowboard for a few nice days in the resort a year, but I'm not, and I'm somewhat anxious to get out and work for my turns.<br><br>Thanks a ton for any input or advice...

scribbs,<br><br>welcome to the site. A few people I go out with ride splitboards (even more snowshoe with boards on their backs) and it's never been a real problem. I'm much more concerned with the safety and rescue skills a person has than with what it is they choose to connect to their feet. Your experience is not unique, however. I've been on many bc trips that have been a bummer for the slowboarders due to low-angle terrain. On occassion we choose tours that minimize such difficulties for this very reason, other times we just let your kind suffer.<br><br>The only concerning difficulty I've seen people have with them is on hard traverses during melt-freeze cycles. Edges slipping out can quickly get dangerous - I'll leave it to the splitboarders to elaborate, however.

I think you're on the right track, just getting out and doing it using the skill set you already have. None of the skiers I know have issues with touring with splitters per se; what's most important is agreeable companionship, backcountry knowledge/common sense, and equitable fitness levels. This applies to any partners.<br><br>Your suspicion that splits are a disadvantage for long, flat (or rolling) tours (and skinning uphill on steep & hard snow) is probably well-founded - I've never used a splitboard, but I've heard such feedback from people who have. On the other hand, you may actually have an advantage in deep light snow. As far as ski partners who get upset at the time it takes to switch your bindings over after the skin, it probably means you should look for other partners . . . or get to the top 10 minutes before they do.

I think it all comes down to how much you use your gear. I've only skied with one splitboarder and it was kind of pain. But I've also seen splitboarders that were pretty quick in the transition.<br><br> <br><br><br>

I have found that splitboarders who are also skiers have an easier time - due to nasty deproaches that must be done in ski-mode. Minimal transitions are best, so once I'm in ski-mode on some part of the descent, I usually stay that way.<br><br>I haven't had skiers get too angry* at me yet when I take my board - so hopefully that means it's possible to mesh well.<br><br>*except Sam was getting impatient while he waited across the way to take a pic of me side-slipping a chute at paradise a few weeks ago, and I was taking a long time to transition

scribbs<br><br>welcome to the brotherhood of splitters.<br><br>most of the info above is very accurate. <br><br>I will agree that sometimes the skinning is a pain, esp in hard snow/ice areas or in freeze thaw cycle snow. also, transitioning a lot is a real pain in the butt, so it's good to feel comfortable enough to "ski" a little on your boards in ski mode.<br><br>I have 2 setups, a split for big days, and a set of approach skis that I use w/ a solid board for those shorter days w/ a lot of yo-yo riding. on my approach skis, I'm faster @ the transition than most of the people I ride w/ on skis. w/ my split, I'm a good bit slower and almost always @ the back of the pack. best case scenario is to find some splitters and it's a mellow day, no one "waiting up" for ya.<br><br>some tips from 4 seasons in the BC:<br><br>-practice the transition from board to skis and back A LOT @ home on the carpet w/ your mittens/gloves on. it will never be that easy out in the snow, generally and practice makes you WAY quicker.<br><br>-practice a lot w/ your skins, this can be a bit to get used too, plus our skins are very wide, thus real sticky. dont forget skin wax and a little scraper.<br><br>-look for a good spot to transition, not just any old spot between other people, this can make a bi difference.<br><br>-make sure your pins are wired to your you binding somehow, the voile pins all have that wire, use it and I carry 2 spares just in case. ALWAYS carry some fix it gear too, bailing wire, some extra screws, a strap for you binding, etc. most BC skiers have this stuff too in their pack.<br><br>BC snowboarding changed my outlook on ridnign after 15 years. It was a whole new world of freshies and I can hardly imagine lift riding these days. enjoy.<br><br><br>