Is Print Media Dead?

Just to prove I'm still around, here's a little assignment I had to do that some of you might relate to/agree with:

In the ever-evolving world of social media and web-based marketing, traditional print media has been fighting to stay afloat. Record numbers of newspapers have been going out of business and many magazines have been experiencing similar threats. While many marketing "experts" have jumped on the bandwagon of embracing new media and neglecting the old, the truth is that the two, electronic and print media, can have a successful symbiotic relationship.

Many consumers (myself being one) still find joy when a new issue of their favorite magazine shows up in the mail and leafing through it at their own leisure. At the same time, many also enjoy the convenience of searching the web for relevant content or simply checking something quickly. A good brand needs not choose one or the other, but should realize the benefits of utilizing both. Print media offers a unique content consumption experience that a cell phone or computer screen can’t, while the lightning-fast interactivity of the web allows for participation that would be impossible with a strictly print publication.

One brand that has embraced this idea is Transworld Snowboard Magazine/TWSnow.com. The seasonal monthly publication starts inspires the conversation with stunning full-page photographs, tear-out posters (which my own bedroom is practically wallpapered with) and all fascinating stories about the adventures of snowboarders across the globe. Stories are then referenced on the TWSnow.com website with accompanying message boards that allow readers to voice their opinions and interact with other readers. The magazine also drives web traffic by advertising photo albums and videos for the stories in the physical magazine, while the magazine offers in-depth articles of headlines featured on the site.

While both Transworld Snowboarding Magazine and TWSnow.com could easily survive on their own, together they create a unique experience for readers that ensures brand loyalty to both.

Don't Call the Cops (I'm Still Alive)

Wow, sorry for the hiatus folks. Fear not - ECGR was merely resting in anticipation for bigger and better things in the future. I hope to start cranking out some reviews soon and add on some additional reviewers to the ECGR team. Give me some inspiration for what people want to hear about this year and I'll see if I can work some gear-reviewing magic and make it happen. Now that I'm back in Burly the gears have started turning again, so you can expect some more content in the coming weeks. In the meantime, feast them peepers on some local riders. Cheers.

The Beginning from FlapJack Productions on Vimeo.

Rome Artifact 1985

Welcome back everyone, hope all my fellow students had a nice break with some decent time on the snow. With the new year comes a new format here at ECGR. I'm starting to get some guest reviews, with this one from steezemonger Jake Pearlstein being the first one on his new Rome Artifact 1985. If you've ridden a new board, bindings or boots that you're crazy about and feel like joining the ECGR crew, hit me up. ECGR is getting bigger (AKA more than just me) and I'm (we're?) looking for reviewers, writers, artists, etc. to flesh out this blog (...company?). Anywho, enough from me, here's Jake's review of his Artifact 1985. As always, feedback will earn you karma - get some!

To get right into it I F@$%ing love my new Rome Artifact 1985! At first I was like “what the hell is the point of reverse camber, I dont get it.” Well, I used to ride for Signal and was scared of their Park Rocker. So after I stopped riding for Signal, I did a few things- 1: stopped caring about their boards I still had and 2: GOT A NEW BOARD!!!!! I had a budget of the money I had saved up this year for some new gear. I started out with the DC PBJ, however I decided on a whim to get over my fear of reverse camber and to get the Artifact 1985. The reason I was so scared of that “reverse camber” action was because I knew nothing about it. I had always used positive camber and could not understand what was so great about reverse camber. I understood the Magnetraction technology from LibTech, but this was different. My edges weren't all wiggly and Libtechy. I didn’t want to commit the entire season to hating a new technology, but for some dumb (but in the end awesome) reason, I got the Artifact 1985. Best. Decision. Ever. Not only do I now love reverse camber, but I’m not even using the PBJ at the moment; there’s no need to! I have so much fun on the Artifact 1985 that I never switched back. In fact the first time I rode it on rails was the PureStyle Railjam at Sugarbush. Although I did not win, I got podium with my boy Parker Fothergill. Thanks reverse camber. I locked into my tricks much better than on a regular jib board. Pivots were much easier due to the raised tip and tail and the flow was insane. I really freakin’ love that board. Lipslides feel much easier and catch free from that extra 5 milimeters of raised nose and tail. Or it might just be because of the totally flat base, but either way, I noticed a huge difference and felt totally locked in. Obviously tail presses and nose presses are just plain easier with the Reverse Jib Camber, but still nice and smooth. And they looked smooth. This is alot of credit to give to this board, I know. However I am NOT a Rome rep or a team rider, but after riding the 1985 I would love to be one. To put it simply: I am a college shredder that likes the park, filming and creative rail riding. I had no idea about Rome boards or reverse camber until I got this board. If you like jibbing and a great ride, go for the reverse camber that Rome offers, especially the Artifact 1985.

Pros
-SICK!
-Catch-free edging
-Great pop
-Easy presses

Cons
-Bronze edges burr easily
-Hard to ride on ice

Burton Mission Bindings

Ahh, another weekend, another mountain! I made my way over to Killington on Saturday for a fresh mix of natural/man-made snow to once again test out my new setup in some early season VT conditions as well as occasionally checking out the qualifier rounds for riders and skiers at the Rails2Riches competition at the base of K-1. Congrats to all the winners and those that competed on Saturday.

So while skiers and riders were throwing down at Rails2Riches, I was cruising Killington's 50 open trails, ranging from powdery, mogul-laden steeps to icy flatland as well as some quick laps through the mini park. Once again, the Banana slayed it all with great hold on ice and easy riding through deep snow. Throughout this day on the snow I was thinking a lot about the new binders. First off, they feel slightly heavier than my Burton Customs, something that I actually didn't mind all that much. They felt nice and solid, yet not lacking in response. I feel like they transferred my movement accurately without feeling too loose on the board. I liked the minimalist design of the "Primostrap" toe strap, as I am a big fan of around-toe straps vs. over-toe straps. Apparently* (*disclaimer*: I have not tried this myself!) you are even able to switch the left and right straps in order to make them into traditional over-toe straps, if that's your preference. Pretty sweet for those who want to kick it old skool, but I'm perfectly content with them out of the box.

Like the majority of bindings on the market these days, these utilize a traditional ratchet system consisting of two straps that go over (or around!) your boots to hold them in. I experienced a veeeeery slight amount of jamming with them on Saturday, most likely due to the mad cold conditions that day. It never prevented me from strapping in nor did it cause my bindings to loosen up while riding; just a slight pain at the top that took about (litterally) 3-5 seconds longer to strap in than normal. Compared to my friend's Ride Beta bindings (now discontinued), the jamming really didn't create an issue for me. Good ol' fashioned two-strap bindings with a smooth-glide ratchet system: works for me.

Like I mentioned earlier, these bindings had pretty nice response, giving me a nice return on whatever flex I put in. The sturdy metal base gives peace of mind on those chilly days that seem to turn plastic into fine china, but not making it feel like you're riding in Frankenstein boots. I actually noticed the extra little bit of cushioning added to the padding on the straps as well as the highback, giving a super-comfortable ride. The only (potential) downside to this upgrade is your boot slipping around while strapped in. I cranked these down to what felt like the same level of hold as my old bindings and whether a result of the bindings or my riding, at least once or twice throughout the day I felt my boot crease in the binding. Rather than the sole of my boot staying level with my baseplate, I could feel it bend a little in my binding during some extra tweaked out butters and presses. Now don't jump to conclusions that I'm riding with bindings that are too big; I'm not, because they're the same size I've used for years and last I checked my boots didn't shrink over the summer. Honestly, I just think that the extra puff on the straps gave me a false sense of security on how tight I had my foot strapped in, making them feel tighter (but not in an uncomfortable way!) than they were. After a few days on the new setup this has been an isolated incident, but I'll mention in a later review if it continues.

The Bottom Line

Pros

• Solid binding with great response
• Nice and cushion-y with some sweet straps

Cons

• Some jamming with the ratchets
• Extra cushioning makes it feel more secure than it really is (more to follow on that)

P.S. If you're in the southern NH/northeastern MA area, check out East Coast Skate & Snow in the coming weeks to pick up some ECGR die-cut stickahs. I'll be re-printing the "MTN Logo" sticker as well as a second, soon-to-be-unveiled design, probably drawing influence from the "Gold" sticker seen on the site in earlier posts. Pick up your own and rep the EAST!

Quick Favor

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Skate Banana?!

Hey everyone, guess what? Its snowboard (and ski) season! I was over at Jay Peak yesterday for opening day with the new setup and it was awesome: plenty of nice and soft snow with plenty of coverage and manageable lift lines. At the same time, it did get pretty tracked out and icy later in the day. Perfect conditions for testing out Banana rocker and Magnetraction!

So first off, this was my first experience with a reverse-camber board. I described the feeling to my friend as "riding a wet noodle...but not in a bad way". In general, the board board was fun: it had an easygoing feel and moderate flex for a very loose, playful ride that held up to the varied conditions quite well. Compared to my Ride Kink (see review), this board was a bit stiffer and, even though both boards are 152cm, the Banana felt longer. It felt wrong how easy it was to just butter around on this thing and I can now see where the term "snow surfing" comes from. The upturned nose just plowed overs piles of snow and seemed to glide effortlessly over bumps in the trail. The transfer from ice to light and fluffy was seamless; the board just took it all. This leads me to my next point: Magnetraction.

I'm going to be honest, I didn't feel the difference right away as much as I imagined I would. At first it felt like a newly-tuned board: no "magnetic" edge hold on the mixed conditions. What I did notice, however, was how many people kept sliding out when they hit ice, losing their edge and helplessly slipping down the steep slope. I was immune. Like I said, no "extra" hold on regular snow, but it gripped the ice like it was corduroy. Patches of ice that would normally send me sliding were transformed into hardpack. As long as I didn't try any Euro-carves on the ice, I was otherwise fine. As far as Magnetraction goes, its nothing stellar, but it keeps you at a "normal" leveling of riding when it comes to crappy afternoon conditions (or a regular day in New England).

Now back to the fruit. My belief in reverse-camber has been affirmed: I stand by my Banana and could not be happier with my choice of getting it. No pop? No problem! Sure, it doesn't snap like a slingshot , but you're halfway there anyways with the pre-curved tip and tail. And for all you haters who claim this thing has no pop to it, get in the gym and do some legwork, really. One of the biggest potential downsides I was worried about when I got this was the rumor of it lacking high-speed stability. I don't know the exact mph cutoff for where "high-speed" begins, but I felt pretty comfortable and in control pointing it down "The Jet" at Jay Peak. It felt a little loose when making tight carves, but the Magnetraction helped to keep me in line and upright on the icier snow. As far as just tooling around and popping off random snowdrifts and tapping ice boulders, this board felt great. The easygoing style of Banana rocker made this board a lot of fun to just hop around on, throwing in some small spins and butters and making just about anything jibbable (new word?). I know I sound like a broken record at this point but, if I had to sum up this board in one word, I would have to say "fun".

The Bottom Line:

Pros

• Rides well as an all-mountain board
• Fun and playful for jibbing/spinning

Cons

• Slightly stiffer than other jib boards
• Takes a little getting used to after riding only regular camber

Stay tuned for a follow-up on how the Bananner rides in the park as well as a more in-depth explanation of reverse-camber and the different types! Here's some pics of my own LibTech Skate Banana for the meantime.

Full-length shot
its upside down, by the way

Magnetraction in action!
check out those lovely snowboard lumps
Laying flat on the ground
Note: the black line is the "ground", check out the upward curve

One final note: I'm selling the first batch of ECGR "Mtn Logo" vinyl die-cut stickers/decals. So far 7/10 have been claimed. Get in touch with me and you can get one for $3 (and that's cost, by the way, so I'm not making a profit off of these). If there's a demand for more I can print extra, or wait it out for the next design to be printed (possibly a re-print of the "Gold" logo?). Now get out there and enjoy the snow people, peace!

We Be Jammin'

Hey everyone, it's been a while...
Same ol' story, things have been busy behind the scenes here at East Coast Gear Reviews. The Champlain Ski & Ride Club's Preseason Rail Jam went well last weekend. Props to Kristie Adonizio and John Lyke for winning the skiing and riding "Best Trick" categories earning them a lift ticket to Stowe and a gift card to East Coast Skate & Snow, respectively. Check out the Champlain Ski & Ride Club's facebook to peep some gnarly shots from the jam. Here's a few for some of you impatient little wankers.



This past weekend East Coast Skate & Snow in Merrimack, NH is had its Second Annual Rail Jam at their shop. Congratulations to Mike Moore and Will Stellar on becoming East Coast's first team riders and getting hooked up by DC Snowboards. The Eastern Boarder crew was killing it with a pretty solid crew and Mike Prestipino was holdin' it down for the guys at SBJ Skate. As for the setup of the jam (partially assembled by yours truly), it started off with a nice and slick tube rail, later switched out with Bean Snowboard's Boston barricade rail, and an oil tank jib. For the finals we stepped things up by throwing in a barrel jib bonk-to-oil tank jib and then later jacking up the oil tank with a gap-to-barrel for the finals in addition to the original tube rail. Despite the weather, Sunday (yea...it got postponed a day due to rain) was a great day with some good food, good music from WFNX Boston, and a laid back rail jam. If you're ever in the area check out East Coast Skate & Snow and mention ECGR and you'll get 10% off a new 2010 LibTech Skate Banana. Pretty sweet, eh?


So about ECGR...how about some feedback? I recently tossed a batch of stickers at the Champlain Preseason Rail Jam and since then I've had some people asking me for more. Before I print more stickers, I want to get an idea of what people want to see: regular stickers or vinyl die-cuts, and if die-cuts,

the "mountain" logo or the "gold" logo? Or neither?! I'll put up a new poll on the side of the page with the options and I'll probably go with the one with the most votes. I'm not going to charge people for these, however I will ask for a small donation to cover the cost of printing them, so don't assume I'm making a profit on these. As always your feedback is appreciated and it's what helps power this blog (along with electricity) and determines what we talk about in the blog posts, so leave comments on the posts, contact me directly, etc. Think snow!



Oh yeah I almost forgot, some mountains are open/opening soon. No big deal.