Recon-Zeal’s Transcend Shows Us The Future of Goggles

We’ve had our eye on Canadian-based Recon Instruments for a while now, especially when they announced that they would collaborate with Zeal Optics to enter the winter sports goggle market with a revolutionary product estimated for the end of this year. We are absolutely blown away by what they have come up with. Not only does the Recon-Zeal Transcend goggle completely transform the reason we cover our eyes while we ride, it ushers in a completely new era in snowboarding technology.

Let’s get down to the facts.

Features

• World’s only fully-capable GPS goggle.
• Real-time speed, latitude/longitude, altitude, vertical distance traveled, total distance traveled feedback.
• Chronograph/stopwatch mode for timing runs, clock, and run counter.
• Temperature sensor
• Accelerometer
• Gyroscope
• 3-Dimensional lens
• USB-capable
• $399 for SPX version, $499 for SPPX

How does the goggle display all this info?

This is the part we love. The lens has a built-in micro-LCD display that sits right below your right eye (yes, serious black ops stuff). When you put the goggle on all the information is displayed in a user-friendly dashboard that appears to hang six-feet in front of you. Glove-friendly buttons on the outside of the lens help you navigate the full-color display and user menus. One menu will show you stuff like your current speed and altitude, another one will show you your fastest run alongside a few other stats, and somewhere along the way you can punch a button to drop a location marker you can view later on a map.

Transcend's Built-In Micro-LCD Display

The Lens

There are currently two models for this line of goggles. The Transcend SPPX is fitted with a polarized photochromic lens. That’s right, this lens will get darker or brighter adaptively depending on sunlight conditions. The brighter it is, the higher the rate of activation of the photochromic pigment and the darker the lens will get. In low-light situations the lens becomes much clearer as the pigment remains deactivated. The Transcend SPX comes fitted with your standard high-end polarized lens without all the fancy photochromic features.

Software

Recon Instruments developed a special program for this product that you comes with the goggles. Using the Recon HQ application, you can plug the goggle into your system and upload all your data. The software will pull-up actual maps of the resort you just rode, layout all your tracks on it, and give you all your stats. You can connect to the Recon Instruments website and share your info with an online community that’s becoming increasingly popular. Recon has also talked about the possibility of a software development community for more apps that can potentially be accessed directly from the goggles.

Recon HQ Application

This is one product we definitely cannot wait to get our hands on for the 2010-2011 riding season. Products like these can definitely help a rider get the most out of the relatively short-lived action on the slopes. Besides, who doesn’t want to feel like a commando while shredding some pow?

Check out the official product page here.

Ellis Eecco Rocker 2011 Snowboard Review

2011 Ellis Eecco 153

So, we hooked up with the guys from Ellis Snowboards in Vail for an epic day of riding and trying out some of the innovative products they have in store for 2011. Ellis is a small shop operating out of Social that’s dedicated to putting some of the newest tech out there into their handmade, ride-or-die boards. I had a chance to try out their awesome environmentally-friendly Eecco Rocker prototype.

What: 2011 Ellis Eecco, $389.99

Where & When: Vail, Colorado, USA – February 2010

Conditions: Partly cloudy day, mild temperatures. Snow conditions varied from hard pack/packed powder to fluffy goodness and groomed runs.

Setup: 2011 Ellis Lithium Bindings, 2010 Burton Ion Boots

Technology Worth Mentioning

• Twin shape: This board is symmetrical in shape for easy switch riding.
• Full Rocker: The Eecco’s rocker runs from the center of the board between the bindings and extends all the way to the tips.
• Tri-Comb Core: The board features an innovative honeycomb-like core made through a combination of three kinds of wood; bamboo, poplar, and a combination of bamboo and poplar called X-wood.
• Bi-Axle Basalt Weave: Where most manufacturers opt for standard fiberglass to make up the remainder of their boards, Ellis introduces a weave made from basalt, which is a kind of rock found near and formed by volcanoes! 70% stronger and 20% lighter than standard fiberglass. It also acts as a natural dampener.
• Dip & Grip Contact Points: Ellis adds stability to this rocker with increased contact points that dig right into the snow at the front and back (toe and heel) part of the bindings.

Expectations: I tend to have mixed feelings when it comes to rocker boards. Although these things are usually ridiculously fun, it really depends on the conditions. Snow at Vail was plentiful and I was expecting to have a little fun on this thing. Maybe a little too much fun.

First Line: Our first run was down the front side of the resort from the Wildwood peak and into Hunky Dory (blue square wide groomer) connecting to Look Ma (black diamond narrow groomer) and into Lion’s Way (wide open green run) to the Avanti Express chair.

First Impressions: Wow. I’m not sure if it was the excellent conditions that day but my first run on this thing was incredible! The feel goes past forgiving and into do-whatever-the-hell-you-want territory. Pops, switches, and buttering around felt so seamless on this stick. Awkward landings off little booters had zero edge catch.

Flex/Pop/Stability: Initially, I was kind of surprised at how stiff the Eecco felt under my feet in comparison to other rockers. I slowly realized this was a blessing in disguise since it held a pretty decent edge at high speeds. I could also feel the contact points help me lay down some order on this unrestrained beast. The stiffness also gave it a really nice pop on ollies that lead into switch transitions. The board has a very “skatey” feel to it and it’s almost impossible to resist doing crazy spins. Coming out of a spin riding switch was natural thanks to the twin shape.

Park/Jumps: Not sure if the Eecco is the type of board you would want to mess around in the park with. I didn’t get a chance to try any rails but with only a 6mm rise on the rocker I’m sure you wouldn’t have too hard a time ripping some with it. The board is extremely forgiving on landings but you might find yourself sent into a top-spin if you don’t lean into the edge you want to use right away. In the air, the board had a really nice swing weight to it and spinning it around for 180’s or 360’s felt very natural.

Carving/Switching: I was a little hesitant to go too fast on this thing particularly when it came to groomers. When I did go fast, the board had a very nice damp feel to it, even in pretty choppy areas. As is the case with all rockers, unless there’s some nice fluff on the ground, you’ll feel a little bit of instability when transitioning into turns and carves. For something so playful though, I was surprised at how confident I was to try out some things I had never done before, like high-speed back-side switches. Overall, pretty snappy response and feedback from the board. This stick definitely brings out a completely different rider in you

Powder Riding: The Eecco felt very much at home in nice deep powder. Ellis features their “Cassette” tip and tail design on this board, which helps move snow very seamlessly around the board in deep conditions and prevent buildup on the nose.  I didn’t have to ride the backseat too much and the skatey feel of the rocker just makes you feel like you’re floating so much better than you usually would. I was actually having so much fun in the pow with this thing that I launched off a 2-3 storey cliff I completely underestimated just at the edge of one of the gladed runs. The board was 100% fine, my shoulder… 100% dislocated.

Pros:

• Extremely fun, free-feeling board.
• Excellent release from the snow, perfect for jibbing.
• Beautiful float in powder.
• Snappy response when initiating tricks.

Cons:

• Not really meant for high-speed riding.
• Spins are easy to initiate, difficult to stop/control.
• Hard to track straight/power out of turns.
• Too much fun sometimes!

Conclusion: I believe that every serious rider should have some sort of reverse camber board in their collection and the Eecco is a perfect candidate. Whether it’s a powder day at your local resort or a trek into the backcountry, the Eecco is the kind of board you want under your feet. Unfortunately most people’s riding is limited to groomed trails and while this board does perform well in the groomers, they’re definitely not its bread and butter. I would recommend this board for the intermediate to advanced rider looking to jump on the reverse camber bandwagon. Kudos to the Ellis team for making such an awesome environmentally-friendly board!

Ride DH2 In-Depth Review

We’ve been getting a lot of requests for more details on the DH2 by Ride. There’s been a lot of buzz about this board among snowboarders for 2010. My friends that bought the board at the beginning of the season have fallen deeply in love with it and were hesitant to give it up for me to review it. After much negotiation, I managed to get my hands on one and really put it to the test on the slopes.

Setup: Ride DH2 155, ’08 Burton Cartel bindings, ’10 Burton Ion boots.

Location/Conditions: Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. Machine groomed powder, kind of cold, North face of the mountain was a bit more on the powdery side.

Technology (worth mentioning)

• Low-Rise Rocker – The area at the center of the board running between the bindings is dead flat but the board pivots up slightly in shape just outside each of the bindings towards each tip.
• Carbon Pop Rods – Fiber-like structures in each of the tips give an added stiffness to the ends to enhance the pop of the board without adding stiffness to the core.
• Carbon Rays – A technology being adopted by a lot of manufacturers that features rods running from your bindings to the edges for quicker power transfer.
• Slimewalls – Ride’s coveted sidewall technology that features it’s own dampening system and is ultra durable for sliding on snow, metal, or wood.
• Membrain Topsheet – Ultra light topsheet to reduce board weight.

First Impression – As the bottom graphic so casually puts it… HELLSYEAH. This is one super fun board that translates really well over the mountain but finds its roots in the park. Past all the marketing and tech, pressing rails and landing jumps just felt a lot better on this board.

Flex – The board had a relaxed, fun feel to it. It’s definitely stiffer between the bindings than in the tips to give it the best of both worlds in terms of freeride/freestyle riding. Overall, a nice ride.

Feel/Turning – Although the way this board is built in a very complicated way, it all comes together for a very natural, balanced feel. My first couple of runs felt great going relatively fast and transitioning slowly on longer S-shaped turns. Transitioning into turns was easier than I expected and held onto a carve very smoothly as opposed to being aggressive. At even higher speeds the board felt stable and damp thanks to the stiffer core but would chatter if I pushed it past this point. The board felt relatively light under my feet and the base was waxy and fast.

Powder Riding – Took the board to the North face of the mountain that had significantly more powder and really enjoyed the way it floated. In deeper pow situations, I did need to ride the back seat a little to prevent it from sinking but it never really happened. In choppy areas the board did get a little bumpy but nothing to worry about too much. Pulling switches and buttering around in the pow was effortless compared to my Vapor and was definitely a lot easier to swing around.

Park Riding – This board is well equipped for the freestyle park rider. Despite being a reverse camber, it had really nice pop to it that made the entrance and exits to boxes and rails very nice. You can jib your brains out with this thing. The stiffer core wasn’t so nice for balancing the center of the board on rails but it was still very doable. The rocker made landings very smooth. This is definitely something I noticed in comparison to my regular board, a Burton Vapor. The Vapor is always shaky for the first split second or two after a big landing and I need to smooth it out. The DH2 however just felt a lot more comfortable getting back to the snow from the air. The one place I didn’t particularly enjoy this board was in the pipe. I wasn’t expecting it to perform because of the rocker tech on it. It felt a little fussy and couldn’t hold on to the walls of the pipe properly.

Stopping/Switching – I loved the way this board dug into the snow. It was effortless and did it in such a way that you would expect out of a freeride board without the aggressive grip on the ice. The board also has a twin shape to it, which made riding switch a lot more comfortable and controlled. The transition to switch was a lot easier because of the rocker. You could spend the day buttering up the slopes with this thing.

Pros

• Decent price for all the tech involved ($500).
• Park board that you can charge the mountain with.
• Natural, smooth switching.
• Durable edges will last you longer than most boards.

Cons

• Flex profile might not be suitable for everyone.
• Tailored mostly for park riders.
• Underperformer in the half pipe.

Overall Impression – Ride listened to snowboarders and tweaked the DH into this really cool all-mountain machine. If you live nearby a smaller resort and spend most of your time in the park, you’re going to love this thing. Outside the park, it will still keep up with your needs but won’t handle as well as a freeride board on very high speeds. Switching, buttering around, and just plain old fooling around just feels a lot cooler on this board. The jibbing experience on this thing is insane and to be honest, that might justify adding this stick to your arsenal. Definitely on my short list for 2010.

Toe and Heel Drag 101

Chanel Snowboard

The Culprit

A major issue many riders will face when hitting the slopes is toe or heel drag. The problem arises when the size of your boot from toe to heel is larger than the width of your board at the waist. What ends up happening here is you have the front part of your boot hanging over the toe edge of the board and/or the back of the boot hanging over the heel edge of your board.

This is a snowboarder’s nightmare since you experience a sort of “draginess” feeling when you use either edge of your board to carve or stop. Instead of pulling nice and tight S-shaped turns down the slope, it takes a little more effort to put your board through the turn since the overhang from your toes or heel is preventing the board’s edges from making proper contact with the snow or ice. Stopping also becomes more difficult since you need to press harder with your toes or heel to make the most of the decreased board edge-snow contact.

One of my first boards was an ’05 Burton Raven 152. A short, stiff board with deep sidecuts that gave it a very narrow waist. I wear a size 9.5 boot, so right off the bat there was some serious toe AND heel overhang. I would never really come to know how much toe and heel drag limited by snowboarding experience until I purchased my first proper board that was a 156 and had a much wider waist. I did my research, seated the bindings properly onto the board, and strapped in with my booths, there was zero overhang. It makes such a huge difference on the snow. Turning became much smoother and seemingly effortless. Stopping on either edge was a breeze. For the first time, I was letting the board do most of the work than having to dig the edge into the snow with every muscle fiber in my body. The best part about having no drag was that I wiped out much less. With my old board, sometimes either edge wouldn’t catch the snow properly at higher speeds and I would end up having to bail or being tossed across the slope like a rag doll.

The Solution

Make a purchase decision on a new board while taking the size of your feet into consideration. A lot of companies are now offering their same boards in a “wide” version for people with larger feet. If you’re a first time buyer, make sure the person helping you out is aware of all these issues, so they can fit you with the best boots/bindings/board setup.

My recommendation would be to choose a board then pick your boots/bindings combination. Strap the boots into the bindings and place them on top of the board where they would sit if they were mounted. A lot of bindings will have a few options that lets you move them around a bit when mounting. Play with this a little and see if there is any way to mount the bindings without having the toes or heel from the boot hanging over the edges of the board. Now it’s important to keep in mind that it’s normal for the front part of your boots to hang slightly over the edge but no more than 0.5 to 1 inches. What you really want to avoid is having any exposed grip from your boot hanging over the edge. This all applies to your heel edge as well. If the overhang is just too much no matter how you position the bindings, then it might be time to consider a wider board or a wide version of that same one.

Unless the sizing of your board with respect to your boots/bindings is all wrong, then you really shouldn’t have any drag. Most people experience drag from not positioning their bindings properly. The most common thing you see is people pushing their bindings all the way forward and creating a lot of toe overhang. Educate yourself on your equipment and see what options you have when it comes to mounting. Seat the bindings properly on the board with the boots strapped in to visualize how to minimize or completely eliminate overhang.

Surf’s up bizatches!