Decambered Nose

[Jack Michaud]

A number of people are asking what this is about, so, here are a few thousand words on that:

(click to enlarge)

Traditional nose:


Decambered nose:


Traditional nose, middle of board flat on ground:


Decambered nose, middle of board flat on ground:


What I believe the decambered nose does, is it becomes part of the sidecut when the board is tilted on edge. It works with the sidecut instead of against it. The upward curve of the nose more closely matches the curve of the sidecut and the shape the board assumes when the whole thing is decambered in a carve.

As you can see in this picture, when a board is carving, the nose is engaged in the snow well past the end of the so-called "running length" of the board:



Therefore the upturn of the nose becomes an active part of the sidecut and an active participant in the carve. A traditional nose shape that curves up abruptly will "plow" through the snow because it is trying to turn along the upward curve of the nose - a much tighter arc than the rest of the board. A low, decambered nose will "slice" through the snow better because its curve is more inline with the sidecut.

The decambered nose does not result in a huge reduction in effective edge length, because the board is still engaged in the snow along most of its length as we can see here:

However the nose is now "unloaded" and not fighting the sidecut or the forward movement of the board.

Also the decambered nose helps with bumps and imperfections in the snow surface. Any impact to the nose of the board as it is carving will be more abrupt with a traditional nose, because the nose upturn is more vertical and curves up at a tighter radius. The nose has to climb up over the obstacle more quickly, in a shorter length of board travel. This creates a shockwave that travels down the board, compromising edge hold and possibly upsetting the rider. You can imagine an extreme example of a nose that quickly curved up to be perpendicular to the board - something like that could actually stop the board in its tracks. The decambered nose spreads the impact out more gradually, and the whole front of the board has more time to deflect more gently.

[tex1230]

nice work

[Surf Quebec]

Thanks

[Zone]

Just a bit of fun here, these were 2001-2002 early Swoard days, when the nose and flex of the Swoards were thought to be ridiculous. What's out of fashion will come around again.

http://www.extremecarving.com/photos/02html/p08_02.html
http://www.extremecarving.com/photos/01html/j3_01.html
http://www.extremecarving.com/photos/01html/j7_01.html

[Jack Michaud]

http://www.extremecarving.com/photos/01html/j3_01.html

That is one good looking outfit!!

[Jack Michaud]

Here is a picture of the whole board so you can see how the decambered nose relates to the camber of the rest of the board:

[Zone]

That is one good looking outfit!!

Would go well with these...
http://www.boardzone.com/snow/shop/s...2009/index.cfm



PS: 50% off everything in that store right now!

[Dave ESPI]

in other words, the nose is not as steep of an angle for the up turn....

A lot of powder boards had long progressive noses like this. The only concern is the board becoming a catapult if the front gets too weighted and sinks deep in snow and jams to a stop..... "BOINNGG !"

kinda like riding switch... and catching your tail LOL.

[Jack Michaud]

By the way, those hardwood planks are 2.25"/5.7cm wide.

[Gecko]

Thank you Jack that 1000 words explained it in perfect detail for me

[carvedog]

Good blog.

[KingCrimson]

Ignore the noses, look at the focus and DOF in those pictures!

[Jack Michaud]

Ignore the noses, look at the focus and DOF in those pictures!

1D-IIn + 24-70/2.8L, baby. Like going fishing with a howitzer.

[powdahbonz]

is this the mystery board-what is this?

Here is a picture of the whole board so you can see how the decambered nose relates to the camber of the rest of the board:

[Jack Michaud]

is this the mystery board-what is this?

Coiler NSR 185. I'm borrowing it from bschurman, the guy in blue in the pic.

160Z won't be tested until next season.

[Steph]

The only concern is the board becoming a catapult if the front gets too weighted and sinks deep in snow and jams to a stop..... "BOINNGG !"

This is what I cannot get past here (I realize that trying is believing). Haven't demo'd any new boards in a while, but I'm thinking of purchasing something for next season. I know that I put a lot of pressure on the nose of the boards that I ride, and would be worried about burying it with a board such as a Schtubby or NSR. I also see the people that are riding these decks and can't imagine that would be the case for me, if they are not. True???

[BlueB]

Decambered nose tends to float back to surface. As well gradual raise low long nose of pow board.

[philfell]

Good write up Jack. I'm sure it helped a lot of people here understand the concept better.

[pokkis]

Bruce has made nice "ladies" version of 168 NSR for my wife, and it looks that she has now new fafourite board. She is very happy with it, no problems with nose or with multi radius.

[Mike T]

I know that I put a lot of pressure on the nose of the boards that I ride, and would be worried about burying it with a board such as a Schtubby or NSR.

I find the decambered noses are harder to bury. Granted, I'm not riding much else these days - but when I go to anything else I feel like I'm about to bury the *those*.

[Jack Michaud]

This is what I cannot get past here (I realize that trying is believing). Haven't demo'd any new boards in a while, but I'm thinking of purchasing something for next season. I know that I put a lot of pressure on the nose of the boards that I ride, and would be worried about burying it with a board such as a Schtubby or NSR. I also see the people that are riding these decks and can't imagine that would be the case for me, if they are not. True???

When the board is up on edge, the upturn actually has little to do with terrain clearance. You could theoretically carve a board with NO upturn, just a flat, rounded nose. But it would catch between turns when the board is flat on the ground!

[Steph]

Thanks Jack and Bola! Ok, makes total sense now. It sure would be nice to not have to work so damn hard all the time

[pokkis]

Steph, try to find one of those "smaller" NSR's there for test ride, i think you will love it.

[Surf Quebec]

What NSR means ?

[Jack Michaud]

What NSR means ?

New School Race.

Bruce, what's my commission up to?

[GeoffV]

Thanks Jack and Bola! Ok, makes total sense now. It sure would be nice to not have to work so damn hard all the time

Steph it took me 4 days on my new Coiler to figure out I was working the board to hard and needed to just let the board do it's thing.
Now on the flip side I have difficulty riding my 58 Madd because I'm not working it hard enough

[GeoffV]

New School Race.

Bruce, what's my commission up to?

Hey if anybody should get comp'd it should be Schurman or Shred.

Bens' been on Coilers for years and we are just now figuring it out.

[queequeg]

Jack,

The second larger Pic of your stick on the wood floor...
If you put your weight on those bindings while it is there on the floor does
it lift the nose higher off the floor?
I was told that Burton is doing this to one of the supermodels on both the tail and the nose?
also this is interesting:
If I put my original Performer Elite 150 on a hard flat surface unweighted
it is flat under the feet and then tapers up from there in both directions
Thanks

Of course - because the shape of the nose will remain static while your weight will flatten the camber on the rest of the board. So when you flatten the center of the board, it will increase the angle of initiation of the nose's upturn when measured from the floor. This will happen with an old-school nose too, but to a much lesser extent. Think of the contact point between the (cambered) board and the floor near the nose as a fulcrum, and the center of the board as a lever. When you bear down on the lever, the remaining length on the other side of the fulcrum will rise accordingly.

Otherwise: burton isn't doing anything special here ... sounds like marketing bs to me ... step on the center of any cambered board with an upturned nose or tail, and they will rise. This is basic physics, and a phenomenon that is common to all (cambered) snowboards. Of course, the longer and flatter the de-cambered nose is (in addition the the amount of camber the board has), the greater the effect will be ... so perhaps that is what is meant: magnification of an existing effect.

[ptran11]

Great work Jack! Should this be sticky'd or put in an article on BOL?

[Jack Michaud]

If you put your weight on those bindings while it is there on the floor does
it lift the nose higher off the floor?

That's what I did in the pictures marked "middle of board flat on ground". Camera on timer, me standing on board.

Great work Jack! Should this be sticky'd or put in an article on BOL?

It would probably be helpful to put this in the articles.