Splitboard.com Forums

I Teleboard in the backcountry ( Telemark mono ski ) with no split option and have used the Karhu Meta approach ski and before that used the K2 Approach ski that is no longer made ... my teenage son snowboards and I am trying to get him into the backcountry ... I think a split board is eventually what I will get for him, in the meantime was going to loan him my karhu meta or get him a snow shoe ... but in cruising the internet I stumbled on this thing ... it is a convertible snow shoe , approach ski , and boot crampon device .. do you think this would be useful as a snowboard approach device for snowboarders using standard boards or is it an example of the worst of all worlds ????
It is quite pricy

http://www.shoeboard.com/index.html

Buy him a split.

That thing is FUCKING RETARDED.

Yeah - it seems like the worst of all worlds multiplied by endless opportunities for stuff to break. I'm not sure why you'd ever want the snowshoe mode if the approach ski works at all. And it could be a nightmare to downhill ski that pig without skins on it. Also, I don't know if I would put my child on that crampon mode in dicey conditions. But then again, if you really loved your kid you would buy him a splitty.

I never thought I would recommend approach skis, but I think I would over this thing. Seems like most of the modes besides the approach ski mode just add complication and weight without much real benefit.

what to hell is this.....


slower than a ski .... bigger than a snowboot ....
man this thing is for last exit....




burton

I think you could buy an old board off ebay and have a shop split it with the kit for about the same price as the shoeboards, and you'd be far ahead from a performance standpoint.

For the price of the shoeboard, plus your kids ride, you could have already bought a splitboard.

Not to mention that thing is fuggin' gay...

$389 for shoeboard vs. $150 split kit, $150 skins, $75 crampons (?) hmm... = nobrainer. Split a board already!

Dad telemark monoskis? With approach skis on his back? Someone needs to buy this and test it out. Just kiddin!

Or, you could just buy him a pair of...

Verts!!

He could use the Verts with his regular board for a season (or at least a few trips) to see if he's really interested in doing bc trips. If he takes to it, you can then go the split route eventually. Either way, the Verts will still be useful (if he takes to it, he can keep them for steep climbs; if not, you take them!). Also they are a lot less of an investment than the other options.

Just make sure to explain to him not to walk in the skin track!

You can ease him into it by first taking him on some roadside attraction "frontcountry" trips with little to no approach. This is where Verts really shine, and he doesn't have to have a 5 hour death slog as his first intro to the bc.

(That's awesome that you do backcountry teleboarding! I never would have thought anyone used those in the bc. You'll have to post some trip reports!)

Thanks Jmw ... the Verts are a good idea .. I have a variety of approach skis and have actually taken to skiing some of the approach skis by themselves in the backcounty , but that is a way different story ..
I was thinking of doing a couple of father son trips with both of us on approach skis , but the approach skis can be a bit cumbersome for snowboarders with the skis on their back if they are not used to it ... I may just use my shorties and ski them and also carry my sons approach skis on my back and ski down with them while he snowboards down .. I really keep telling myself that I should learn how to snowboard , so i can get a split board ! Was a long time long ski telemarker until I got into the teleboard and the shorty skis ...

Here is a pic of me teleboarding in the backcountry with k2 approach skis on my back ..

You really should. It's so easy a monkey could do it. Of course this monkey still sucks at it, but at least he's having fun!

How do you like those metas? I got a pair this year and took em out once, and I found the skins on em didn't grip very well.