shredding gnar snowboarding blog

I got hooked up with a pair of Shred Soles performance snowboarding insoles ($45) a few weeks ago, intending to try them last Saturday but I forgot to trim them. With warm weather and rain in the forecast, I got out for probably my last shred day of the season last night. I made sure to trim the soles to fit my ThirtyTwo TM2 boots the night before.

I would’ve liked to give them a proper multi-day test, but unfortunately I only got about 4 hours to ride them, so here’s my review as best I can offer:

• The Shred Soles looked to be about twice as thick as my stock insoles. I know some of this thickness will pack-in or break down over time, but I was definitely worried that the break-in period might be painful. It wasn’t. There was no cramping, no pinching, no discomfort whatsoever.
• The arch support was more robust than any stock insole I’ve ever ridden, so I was leery about that, too because it seemed awfully stiff. Again I’ve gotta say I was pleasantly surprised. No arch discomfort at all.
• The EVA insert in the heel didn’t blow me away, but the snow was super soft last night—it would’ve been impossible to find a “hard” landing anywhere. But this feature is pretty standard, too. Most of the boot manufacturers put some sort of EVA or gel padding to absorb shock and help on icy landings.

Here’s where it get’s great… I have always had a tough time with boots, only on my left foot which is probably a little larger than my right foot. Even after I break them in, I often feel pinched in the arch, or a weird cramping feeling. This usually only lasts for the first hour or so. Sometimes I can alleviate it by loosening the inner laces on my boots, but not always. This problem has persisted through three pairs of boots and three sets of bindings.

With the Shred Soles, that was gone. No pinch. No cramping. Nada. I rode all night and never thought about my boots, my feet, my arches, etc. Honestly, with the Shred Soles, it was like they weren’t even there, which is awesome. The last thing you want when you’re snowboarding is to have sore or uncomfortable feet.

Product Specs from ShredSoles.com:

A: ShWedge™. Innovative ShWedge™ taper gives better performance by realigning ankles, knees, and hips to natural and balanced riding posture. Reduces stress on knees caused by wider stances.

B: Arch Support. DynArch is engineered specifically for snowboarding to maximize arch support and minimize strain and injury.

C: Heel Cup. Deep-well heel cup with firm high-riser sidewalls stabilizes heel and reduces friction from lateral foot movement.

D: Heel Plug. EVA heel plug absorbs shock. The plug passes through top and bottom surfaces for added support and cushioning.

E: Insole Base. Insole base is made of DuraShred™. Insole forms to your foot after extended wear. The material is odor inhibiting, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal for better foot health and comfort.

F: Top Cover. Polyester top cover breathes to circulate air throughout boot with each foot motion. ShredTex™ fabric is odor inhibiting, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal for better for health and comfort.

Note: I did receive a pair for free in order to demo and review them, but I am not being paid or otherwise compensated to offer an endorsement, review, or opinion of Shred Soles.

The seventh annual gnargasm, we found our way to Park City for seven days. We hit five different resorts and rode seven days in a row. It’s hard to complain about consistent 4-5″ snowfall every night, until you get home and find out that the ‘Bird just got hit with 20″+…

[View with PicLens]

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I’ve updated the Snapshots page to include these pics, as well as some previous vacation pictures.

Yes, I bought another new snowboard yesterday. But this time it’s not for me.

When Jackie decided she wanted to learn snowboarding last year, I scooped up some crappy old Burton rental board on eBay for $60 (free shipping). I scored some brand new Salomon binders and Burton boots for about $100 total, so we got the whole setup for about $160.  She’s gone a few times, and so it’s time to get rid of that two-by-four she’s been riding and get her a legitimate snowboard, women-specific.

I keep my eye on all the big retailers like Dogfunk.com, SierraSnowboards.com, and the discount sites like Brociety/etc. I had found a number of decent boards in the $200 range yesterday, and i was prepared to move on one of them, until I checked TheClymb (free, you need an invitation from me) and saw they were practically giving away the Lotus (147cm) for only $114.

Hell, I couldn’t even find a rock board for $100.

I know it’s not the greatest snowboard in the world; really it is an entry-level women’s deck, but Jackie doesn’t ride nearly as much as I do. She might put in a handful of days each year, and she really is still a “beginner”.

It’s going to be considerably narrower which means more power to the edges, and softer so it should be far more responsive under her feet. I’m 100% certain that it will progress her riding, but unless I can sell her on an Easter trip to CO, or a June jaunt to Timberline, she probably won’t get to use it until next winter.