How To Survive Flat & Narrow Runs on your Snowboard

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In this video I'm unboxing the Nidecker Supermatic snowboard bindings.

[sashomedia]

Believe or not, flat terain really is harder than normal slope

[edwardsuter]

I used to HATE these kind of runs, but I went on a trip with a bunch of skiers, and to get where we wanted to go, one of them led us along a load of cat tracks. It sucked tremendously, but it did massively improve my flat riding. The turns really helped.

[Changhyun]

These examples don't really show very brutal flat areas. bending the knees, keeping back straight, riding on the edges is all good advice, but the best way I have realized is to hold both your hands behind your lower back. This will force you to do all the previous steps without thinking about it. Give it a try, I promise it works. As someone who lives in CA and goes to Tahoe to board, Skyline Trail is a notoriously brutal flat run. Hold your hands behind your lower back and you'll find yourself not getting caught on the dreaded flats & narrows.

[edwardsuter]

Also, where there is a side of the run that drops off, DON'T LOOK AT IT. You will go towards where you are looking!

[dragonfist]

great video! Just a note to fellow beginners that initially I was avoiding ski roads since they are flat, narrow, and usually crowded - once I intentionally started picking those over the steeper runs my snowboarding skills grew tremendously

[laar]

Fell too many times on flat and narrow runs this season. This is a much needed tutorial!!

[AlexanderGeorgiev-Marck]

and you have to WAX your snowboards. Depending on your riding style and preferences in every 6-7 days of snowboarding new waxx have to be applied. No matter how unpleasant the flat and narrow runs are they are a perfect place also to start boosting your switch riding which is essential for both getting in the fun flat tricks area (totally another level) and to prevent fatique in your back leg.

[bowjangles]

This is the bane of my snowboarding existence.

[ariban]

My shoulder thanks you sir. I fell hard on a flat run my first day out this season.

[xenne]

I did this exact run a couple times at Heavenly last weekend! I think challenging myself with this run tremendously improved the tightness of my carving! It also taught me the importance of having spatial awareness of the people in front of and behind me. It's also a lot like driving- there will always be people faster or slower than you, so you have to know when to stick to the edge to let people pass or find the right timing to pass others.

[pineapplesandpancakes]

im intermediate level and can 💯 agree. Flats and narrows are the WORST. Would take a black over a flat narrow green anyday. There ls no room to turn, you have a cliff you can fall off and get killed AND if you slow down you get stuck completely and have to unstrap.

[Mkayyyyyyy]

I am having some trouble as a beginner with these types of runs but not black diamond, you are so right about that lol and thanks for the information

[freddiewebb]

Thanks for this! Helpful as always, love all content you dish out - you sir are a gentleman and a scholar! A week till I’m back on the slopes to put your tips to good use!

[ozgunalpderebasi]

Waiting for this for a long time, thank you man!

[nakharininmontana]

It is hard to do runs like that but that’s how I learn switching edges which has helped me coming down steep hills considering I just started snowboarding. Runs like this is great for me to keep improving with new skills and tricks

[oolong]

I learned riding at Vail so any time I get on a long cat track it feels nostalgic. 😄

[wildlightecho]

Huh, I've always liked these kinds of runs, always found them easier than the steep/icy ones. I feel like "practice" really is the best tip for them, since I've done them quite a lot

[chuck__van]

Maybe tough for beginners but i find actually going faster than most of the pack helps. That way you have less to worry about riders passing from the rear, just focus on making quick turns to get through the slower traffic.

Also good idea to let people know you are passing them... less chance they turn in front of you.

[danielschiavo]

One of my local mountains on the east coast has a run that’s super long and flat and 90% ice. It’s basically like the entire run is a huge box. A snowboarders nightmare.

[ljshoreslokal]

I've been snowboarding since the mid/late 90's in SoCal. 12 years ago I moved to Spokane and over the past few years I tried skiing again (did it as a kid in the 80's) and loved the challenge of it. I've been boarding and skiing at Mt. Spokane and have hated that mountain as a boarder because most of the runs lead you to an unavoidable flat and narrow cat track. I've seen many boarders catch an edge on them and I've nearly done it myself. Once I started skiing i realized just how annoying I've been as a boarder on these cat tracks because most of us boarders are constantly transitioning edge to edge and may take up the full width of the cat track along with the occasional 90* speed check.

I'm now trying to correct that weak area and stay on my toes longer before going to heal. I also got a season pass to a mountain with very few runs that lead to cat tracks (49* North) and I'm happy I did because my kids are now trying snowboarding after learning skiing.

Enjoy the slide!! God Bless.