Sean Martin of Donek Snowboards, writes:
|
There are a number of reasons why the material being used is used.
The physics of sliding on snow is quite complex and varies
dramatically with changes in snow temperature, humidity, and type.
Different surface preparations are necessary for each different type
of snow or condition. As you may know, wax comes in a large variety
of types. Some may be very hard for cold dry abraisive snow. Others
may be very hydrophic (usually contains teflon) for very wet warm
conditions. Still others contain graphite for reducing static charges
between the base and the snow. There are also a variety of
temperatures available in each of these waxes. I won't pretend to
understand all of this stuff 100%, but can say the the better tuners
and racers must. You might say that this market is being driven to a
certain extent by the racers. You'd be right, but there is an even
greater number of techies who drive it.
The next issue is the surface treatment or structure of the base. Different patterns ground into the base of the board effect the boards performance differently on different types of snow. In order to produce these patterns, you need a machine that will cut them and a material on the base of the board that can be cut. Many of the bases on the market today are so tough to cut that it makes it difficult to cut a pattern in the base of the board. Making a harder base would make it virtually impossible. This brings us to the manufacturing end. Every board manufactured goes through an aggressive base grinding phase. At this point in time the board will probably see more material removed from the base than any other time in it's existence. This is done to remove any glue that adhered to the base in the mold and grind the bottom of the board flat. Harder bases take longer to process and use up more abraisives. This drives the cost of the board up. Another consideration is weight. This is one that is probably driven by every skier or snowboarder out there. Everyone seems to want a light stick. Polyethelene is a good solution. Cost is another. In todays market where kids are sliding their board across things other than snow, damage is very common. A lot of people want a cheep disposable board they can afford to readily replace after breaking it on a rail. As a result, I think there is little motivation in the industry to find a more expensive solution. In essence the material used on the base of the board is there to satisfy the customer. I choose base materials largely on how easily it can be tuned. I look at wax absorption and hardness. I want a base that is hard enough to withstand the majority of the rocks on the hill, yet still relatively easily take a base grind. It also has to absorb wax very well. Wax is terribly important to how much fun I have on the mountain. It also hardens the base so it is less likely to be damaged when I hit a rock. Wax your base frequently and take care of it well. If you do, it will give you more life in the board and make your experience more enjoyable. |