Currently we have started production of our own custom sandboards which we reckon are easily as good as the ones sold in shops for upwards of $290. We decided that no-one would take up the sport if these prices persisted and as a result we sell our boards from a measly $100. This price covers costs of materials, and a small profit which we put towards our next trip. The boards comprise of a three layer laminated ply and the usual slick Laminex bottom. We are currently testing a 3 mm thick Laminex. The board design, is a double kick, concave rail combination. What makes our boards distinctive, are the inbuild threads which we use to attach our footstraps. The footstraps are also our own design.
For those of you who don't know, Tasmania has a reputation for extremeand unpredictable weather. For these reasons we have developed ourown clothing to help battle the elements involved with sandboarding. You may have noticed how snowboarders have very expensive and stylishclothing. Our clothing tends to be feral and alternative. Thetemperature varies from 30 celcius in the summer to below 0 celcius in the winter. In the summer we wear as little clothing as possible anda lot of sunscreen. During the winter we have found that thermalunderwear is warm, unrestricting and provides that feral look. Jeans patched up with bed spreads also seems to be in fashion this winter,(see photo's). Because our foostrap design only alows for bare feet,our feet often suffer from the cold during winter. We have overcomethis problem with wetsuit booties. Beanies of all shapes and colours,are pratical and fun to wear. Pratical because they are warm, andkeep the sand out, and fun beacause they give you a really itchyscalp.
Safety |
The foremost piece of protective equipment for the learner boarder is the common skating wrist guard. el-cheapo wrist guards only provide minimum protection (against sun-burn) but good quality wristies ensure that the only region to be injured is the rest of the body.
Body armour is Nics specialty and it helps to protect against that nasty phenomenon called gravel rash. If you have any laying around the house then you may just want to take it on your next trip in order to be the trendiest dude on the beach. Body armour is also a greast source of warmth for those chilly winter mornings on the slopes.
Goggles are generally only used by the extreme sandboarder or the fashion conscious one. They are particularly handy on those cold (or hot) blustery days when the sand bites at your eyes like sandpaper. We have found that yellow tinted goggles can be useful if the light visibility is at a minimum. Go and buy some, your friends will love you for it.
These are essential if you are riding through virtual paddocks of stick infested sand. One fall and you will be in severe stick hurtcity so stock up on these before you have to walk home with sand encrusted cuts.
I think you get the idea with this one. Twisted knees and ankles are naturally one of the everyday hazards of boarding due to the restrictive nature of footstraps, especially in the case of a particularly gnarly fall.p.s. ice also tastes great.
Nothing beats the sensation of flying down a pile of sand withabsolutely no idea of where you are heading, and this my friend is thethrill of night riding. Night riding combines the senses in a test ofskill and stupidity. We have concluded that night riding is fasterthan the usual day riding because (a) the sand is colder and thus thewax lasts longer and (b) it is dark so you cannot see how fast you arereally going. For those with a weak stomach, headlamps can be usedbut it must be pointed out that these give a false sense of securityfor you cannot actually judge distances. Headlamps are also a sourceof amusement for spectators during the midst of a particularly gnarlycrash as they give an indication of the full body jarring effect.