I Airboard!

Cafe Society
1

(apologies to Scylla)

No, it’s not torture. And, technically, I first airboarded several years ago.

I’ve got what’s called “anterior compartment syndrome”- basically, I have a lot of trouble lifting my toes, and my feet cramp up almost immediately when I do any amount of running. I’ve been trying for about four years now to ski and/or snowboard, now that I live in the PNW, but I’ve had no luck. If I’m very, very lucky, I can make one short run without my feet cramping so badly that I can’t walk. I really enjoy the snow, but I’m simply unable to ski or snowboard.

Well, a few years back, my wife and I went to Hoodoo (in Oregon) for the day- I’d intended to ride the bunny slope for a few hours, and she’d brought a book (her knees prevent her from skiing). When we got there, though, she saw a few people riding these triangular inflated sleds… and decided to give it a try.

She convinced me to take the quick lesson with her, and we were both instantly hooked.

Basically, you ride on your stomach, and turn by leaning. To stop, you either roll off the airboard, drag your knees, or turn into a slide. They’re incredibly easy to pick up, and can go fast- they’ve been clocked at over eighty miles per hour. I feel much safer and more maneuverable on an airboard than I ever did while skiing or snowboarding. At Hoodoo (and a few other resorts), you can ride them everywhere a skier or boarder can go- all over the mountain. To get off the lift, you just dive forward and land on the airboard- much easier than getting off a lift with skis or a snowboard, in my experience.

Unfortunately, we’ve since moved to Washington… and there’s no resort nearby that allows them. As a matter of fact, there’s only like seven resorts in the US that allow them- much like the early days of snowboarding, it’s taking a while for the resorts to accept them. Europe seems to be more accepting of them, though.

I’ve sent off a few emails to the local resorts, telling them that we’d be much more likely to give them money if they let us ride airboards… but I haven’t gotten a response yet.

Anyone else here ever seen 'em, or ridden them?

2

Never heard of them but - how do your ribs and abs feel after riding that? How does Mrs. Lightnin’s uhm…boobies feel after? (to her, not to you!)

3

Well, it’s basically like riding an airmattress- I’ve never noticed any impact pain on my chest (or my wife on her, uh, chest). And that’s even with doing jumps- they’re very forgiving. The only soreness I get from riding it is in my neck and shoulders- from keeping my head up… much like leg or back soreness from traditional snow sports.

4

It looks like the world’s most enjoyable nutcracker. How compatible are they with skiers or snowboarders on the same slope? Those two don’t always seem to work well together. Should airboards have slopes dedicated just for airboarders?

I imagine they’re a real hoot unless there’s a lot of trees on the course.

5

I’ve actually never seen any problems with airboarders interacting with skiers and snowboarders- at Hoodoo, everyone uses the same slopes and lifts, and airboards are just as maneuverable as the traditional boards and skis. I wouldn’t want to slalom through trees, but on any sort of open slope, I can carve and turn with the best of 'em.

And if I need to stop for an emergency, I just roll off or dig my knees in. I feel safer on an airboard than I ever did on skis or a snowboard.

6

Off topic question–what is the origin of the “I BLANK” set up? I Waterboard–was that originally supposed to be a reference to something?