Performance enhanced snowboard

Abstract

A performance enhanced snowboard having an extended, generally planar deck with a nose, a tail, and a central section. The deck also has an overall length, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The nose has a widest portion that defines a nose chord line having a nose chord length. The tail has a widest portion that defines a tail chord line having a tail chord length, and the central section has a narrowest portion that defines a central chord line having a central chord length. The nose chord length is greater than the central chord length, and the nose chord length is between about fifteen and thirty-five percent of the overall length of the deck. The tail chord length is between about one percent and ten percent greater than the central chord length, while the distance between the tail chord line and the central chord line is between about forty to ninety percent of the distance between the nose chord line and the central chord line. The structure permits the invented board to function like a surfboard or skateboard while also sliding like a conventional snowboard.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]This invention relates to snowboards and snowboarding.BACKGROUND ART[0002]Snowboarding has its roots in surfing. For the typical snowboarder of today, a dual-directional board is unnecessary. To perform maneuvers similar to surfing and skateboarding, a uni-directional board with control shifted further to the back foot is optimal. When attempting to maneuver a standard snowboard the tail is a burden and takes away from the control needed to perform surf- and skate-like maneuvers. In fact the tail is a burden in many situations and when reduced or omitted is much more efficient. For example, when riding through moguls the tail of a conventional snowboard can easily catch an edge, while the performance enhanced snowboard is easily maneuverable through these same moguls. The sport of snowboarding has strayed from its roots for too long, and it is time for the performance enhanced snowboard to pick up where it left off.DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION[0003]The invention is d...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0003]The invention is directed to a performance enhanced snowboard having a shortened tail, ending just behind the back foot of the rider, which permits the rider to control and drive the performance enhanced snowboard much more with the back foot as with skateboarding or surfing. The performance enhanced snowboard is generally shorter and wider than existing snowboards and is designed to function like a surfboard or skateboard while also sliding like a conventional snowboard. The extra width keeps the performance enhanced snowboard more stable and permits the rider to float more efficiently over the surface of the snow. The performance enhanced snowboard may also have one or more control grooves or control fins to add more friction to the back of the board for additional control. The control fins may fade in along the tail lift and fade out at different points along the board rails, depending on the desired result. There may be one control fin or control groove, or there may be several. There may also be a combination of one or more control fins with one or more control grooves.

[0004]The performance enhanced snowboard is a unique snowboard design which allows the rider to perform maneuvers similar to those in surfing and skateboarding. It permits a much more stylish approach to snowboarding, which is noticeable, by way of example, on large wavelike snow banks or in the half-pipe. The rider's back foot is closer to the snow directly beneath the boot as well to the contact point for the back of the board. This causes more force and friction on the tail, which in turn allows for more grip and less sliding. Although the performance enhanced snowboard can slide on both ends, the tail end has more friction and so slides significantly less, creating a feel similar to surfing or skateboarding.

[0007]The performance enhanced snowboard shape is generally shorter and wider than a standard snowboard, and the difference in width is especially noticeable in the nose. As noted above, this extra area keeps the performance enhanced snowboard more stable and allows the rider to float more efficiently over the surface of the snow. There can be many small variations in the overall width, length, and general shape depending on the type of snow and the boarding conditions. For example, in powder an embodiment that is wider and longer would provide maximum float. Moreover, variations in shape can accommodate the preferences of different riders.

[0008]The performance enhanced snowboard can be constructed of any material suited for snow, although existing snowboard materials are presently preferred. The performance enhanced snowboard can range in thickness, width, and length depending on the materials and the desired firmness. Although the performance enhanced snowboard can be equally thick on both ends as with standard snowboards, thickness can be added to the tail lift to provide extra strength on the tail, which is typically exposed to more pressure from certain tricks and riding techniques.

[0009]The performance enhanced snowboard is designed to function like a surfboard or skateboard while also still sliding like the conventional snowboard. The performance enhanced snowboarder will be carving down the mountain like a skateboarder carving down a hill and able to maneuver on snow banks and half-pipes like a surfer surfing a wave. Such a “snow-surf” rider is easily distinguished from the standard snowboarder with a flow similar to surfing and skating. Unlike a traditional snowboarder, the snow-surf rider's back foot drives the turns much more than the front, allowing for a much more fluid carving movement as opposed to a more equally distributed sliding movement.

Problems solved by technology

When attempting to maneuver a standard snowboard the tail is a burden and takes away from the control needed to perform surf- and skate-like maneuvers.

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