Carl Warren sent in a photo of on again, off again contributor Mike Estes on some sort of contraption called a snow skate. I’ve seen pictures of these things, couldn’t see how they would be rideable, but apparently they are. Are there truck-like mechanisms on these things? No bindings either. It looks like a tiny ski mounted to a skateboard like a hydrofoil. This is exactly why we kicked him off of Skate and Annoy. What’s that? I’m being told here that he actually quit. See the full frame shot after the jump.
32 comments
nweyesk8
i just saw that there is a whole magazine dedicated to snow skates. With several different manufacturers listed. I even saw one that looked like a normal skateboard but with 4 small skis in place of the wheels.
kinouye
If anyone is interested in a Lib Tech snowskate like the one Estes is riding we have them in stock at IPS Skate & Snow Shop in Hood River,Or.
Come on by or give us a call we will ship it to you.
Zed-word
xfryarx Says:
“I just saw something like that with wheels on it ! You can use on the street , WiLD !”
It works when there is twelve inches of snow on the ground? Don’t think so retard! Please, tell me more about this board that works without snow, you’re ideas intrigue me.
xfryarx
I just saw something like that with wheels on it ! You can use on the street , WiLD !
Zed-word
Are any of you familar with the concept or theory of snowboarding? You see, it isn’t the same thing as skateboarding. You ride a large board down a hill. Ther board is stapped to your feet so you don’t push. You have to rely on gravity to pull you down the hill. Also, there aren’t trucks on snowboards. Instead, you lean on your toeside edge to turn toeside and your heelside edge to turn heelside, much like surfing or wake-boarding. Other than some of the trick names, snowboarding really has very little in common with skateboarding.
For this reason, the snow skate was invented. The snow skate is similar in size to a skateboard and is designed to simulate skateboarding in snow. There are several variations of snowskates. Some are simply wooden decks with fiberglass on the bottom and foam grip on the top, resembling a skateboard without trucks. The more expensive snow skate, often reffered to as “double deckers” by snow skate purists, feature a foam gripped wooden deck connected to a small, metal edged ski. Sometimes the are connected by a trucking device. This trucking device isn’t neccasry howevr, as one can turn by digging your edge into the snow, much like snowboarding. Many street skating tricks are easily transfered to snow skating, such as ollies, grabs, flip tircks, and rail slides.
Snowboarding and snow skating can be challenging, and the risk of phyical harm is always a danger. It is important to note that they aren’t winter subsitutes for skateboarding, but are fun and rewarding activities nonetheless. If you are interested, many ski-resorts rent snowboards, and snow skates can often be bought at your locl skate shop (depending upon your region). You can also find more information online, surfing, or, in this case snowboarding the world wide web!
spark
can u grind ?
Estes' Ghost
You swivel the turns basically….pushing your back foot back and forth……sorta like snowboarding.
brad
does it turn? or slide? the libtech one I mean.
KC
Who’s Led Zeppelin?
Let’s not get ANeil about band names or I will have to go Daddyyo, on you.
bobcat
estes is riding a libtech snowskate, made in beautiful Sequim, WA – probably by Shag (he’s the snowskate division and a pro) Graphics by skater Quincy Quigg.
curtis
railz are a walmart brand, fuse makes something you can do what you see in the video on. that is of course if you can do those tricks. I kinda wanna buy some of those skis to do that poofy snow slappie
houseofneil
“The” X-Ray Spex? Is that like The Led Zeppelin?
It is a great song though. That whole album is classic.
Kilwag
We covered those little mini skis on trucks before. They are called Railz.
Here’s the link.
KC
Great song by the X-ray Spex.
I like the more traditional single level snowskate myself.
bobcat
i’m down for anything free and fun. Snowboarding hit the shitter lately, it’s all about $50 lift tickets, $800 setups, $500 matching clothes and $3000 snow golf carts to drag your fat ass up the mountain.
chomp
Wow, actually a lot more like skating than I thought it would be. Watch how the board just shoots down the hill when he falls off. Hahaha!
Frosty the fuckin snowman
so can u just by the quads and attach it to any board??
curtis
it took me a few years to find my (double decker) board. everyone I talked to said the Burton boards were a piece of crap that did not turn so well. these days they (not burton) are making some kind of “truck” that mounts the ski, that has some sort of action to it so the boards turn way better. my board is smaller than my skateboard, so I’m figure a bigger board with some of those trucks is going to be an improvement for me. I personally am not trying to imitate skateboarding on snow, so it is easy to find satisfaction.
heath
I left my Burton “Junkyard” (the first generation double-decker, I believe) in Alaska with my brother. It was p-texed and metal edged, so in theory was like a snowboard.
On a small hill, you can do some fun stuff. I could bust shove-its on icy streets, and it was easy to carry around on a walk. It obviously had no bindings, and I rode it every winter a few times at the sledding hills.
However, ollie-ing felt springy and stupid on these contraptions, and you couldn’t carve a good line on a hill. Snowboarding is way more fun, even though it requires a lot more planning.
curtis
if you are not a woosie and you stay off the chairlift, then street clothes are warm enough. there are also some little skis that you can put on you put on your skateboard instead of wheels. I have not seen of tried it, but have seen it on youtube. I believe “Fuse” is the brand that put out the clip i watched where the guy really makes it look like street skating. his ollies even sort of make is sound realistic.
Zed-word
Like I tried to say earlier, those things are so fun. The double deckers are pretty realistic, but cheaper models are prone to break. I always take one snowboarding with me so I can dick around in case conditions on the hill suck.
Danderson
yo son that things funny lookin
Estes' Ghost
Ryan- I have let you on a tech bark secret- that sweatshirt I’m wearing is a heated hoody, they cost 250 retail and I can’t sell them fast enough to winter woosies. Now we all can laugh about snowboard fashion….check out the dreaded white pants I bought……pathetic.
curtis
they work well. in a lot of ways better than snowboards. but if you have bindings or straps you can “catch” way more air, the same goes for skateboarding, but most of us abandoned any kind of sky hook.
Kilwag
WINNER: Concretin Nik!
Concretin Nik
I’m a snowskater “of sorts.” My board is bigger and has bindings though.
Ryan Heckler
the snow skate itself is actually kinda cool
Ryan Heckler
I got nothin to heckle ya about on this, you can’t help the trend that this years snowboard gear looks like 1986 puked all over the industry after a night of binge drinking bartles and james 🙂
Estes' Ghost
Uh oh- let the heckling begin? Where’s Ryan Heckler? Bobcat? I’m gonna get my ass handed to me now. The Mike Estes’ Roast has begun.
Estes' Ghost
I’ll take DaddyYo to the cleaners on the frozen shit…….ya know- I was on the way to pick up my daughter from school. Carl says to me “lets ride your new sno-skate” I see a stump- Carl gets excited over the lighting. I told him- “I’m gonna eat shit” and dropped in. Some how- I didn’t eat shit like (DaddyYo would have)- did it 5 or 6 times. And Randy- I’m trying to get something written again…..I promise an article on sno-skating at least.
Kilwag
Please, No!
Pacific Hessian
Did Steve Bacon move to Tahoe?