Rails are shrinking…

[dwt802]

In the U.S. at least it seems many places are making smaller and smaller rails. Stuff that’s like 6-12 feet long. Some have kinks, but what’s the point. These rails suck to trick and force fast spinning, ballet dancing hopping around quick, going slow, etc. What happened to when rails were massive? Most rails used to be well over 16 feet long on average and many even bigger. This is literally hurting many athletes. Watching xgames live Slvsh you can tell only certain skiing types can accel on these tiny baby features… We need to bring big rails back to allow for bigger tricks, more speed, more time and for just better style & execution.

 

[SteezyYeeter]

big rails scare our dope snow overlords

 

[Forrest.Gump]

Why is Red Karma, Core Karma you ask ? [tag=246030]@dwt802[/tag]

The highest ranking green karma member of NS, is a "snowboarder, that hates freestyle skiing/skiers"

follow your leader.

 

[GayWolf420]

lawsuits

 

[Elimitch]

This is why bush is the best

 

[weastcoat]

lawsuits

I never understand this argument from resorts/ park crews tho. Dont you sign a waiver with ticket/pass that says you’re responsible for injury?? Or am I not understanding it right

 

[GayWolf420]

I never understand this argument from resorts/ park crews tho. Dont you sign a waiver with ticket/pass that says you’re responsible for injury?? Or am I not understanding it right

its extremely complicated, especially when it comes to incident investigations. i personally hate closing off stuff cuz someone broke themselves off

 

[armchair_skier]

bring back 12ft tall rainbow rails

 

[KilaTsunami]

Fr mount snow had these lil shrimp dick rails out. I legit just went around them most of the time.. such a shame

 

[a_burger]

No ones getting sued for rails being too long

Over about 24ft (3 panels) rails start to get kind of wobbly under their own weight when you’re moving them with the cat, and break easier. I’d venture they just arent being replaced as fast as they’re breaking. Need a big shop too unless you’re working outdoors which has its own challenges. Suddenly you need the welding truck from snowmaking and can’t just slap stuff together with a shop mig in like a day.

 

[TOAST.]

bring back 6 foot high rails that are 10' long like it's 2004.

 

[a_pla5tic_bag]

I present Camelback PA, circa a very long time ago, gotta be around 2010 or so because I took this with an LG EnV2

 

[BLandz]

I would argue that smaller rails reduce spins not add more but ya

 

[Goretex_Vidal]

bring back 6 foot high rails that are 10' long like it's 2004.

Make battleship rails 3' on 8' flat again.

 

[bradwalters]

Props to my old friends who remember the Bear Mtn / Snow Summit liberty rail or the massive gateway and rainbow rails they use to have there as well. Nothing like dropping in to a rail that’s towering over your head.

 

[nCrow]

Greasing a really long down rail is one of the best feelings in skiing

 

[Christian_Bale]

I never understand this argument from resorts/ park crews tho. Dont you sign a waiver with ticket/pass that says you’re responsible for injury?? Or am I not understanding it right

Yeah there’s some sort of exclusion of liability where the mtn is not supposed to be liable but I think some resorts sometimes end up paying people out. Hard to know exactly what goes on cuz it’s not made public but I do hear things from time to time. At the very least, it’s a bad look when people get seriously hurt at a resort, even if the mtns not responsible

 

[theabortionator]

Some places made bigger rails but a lot of smaller rails. It's cool to have both and have everything from a 6' box or tube to a 40'.

It's def weird. I remember thinking a 16-18 rail was short, now they're "big" a lot of places.

Mammoth just built a couple beasts for the grand prix. 10x40 fd and not sure how big the dfd is.

Also agree about big rainbow rails, those don't seem to be making a comeback. A giant beast of a rainbow over a jump knuckle always hits.

 

[hi_vis360]

I learned rails in the early 2000s, smallest rail in the park was an 18’ shotgun rail

 

[hi_vis360]

I would argue that smaller rails reduce spins not add more but ya

Weirdly no, kids are out here doing swap combos on the 10’ tube meanwhile there is a nice 20’ rail that is barely getting hit cause it’s too scary to do three front swaps on

 

[dwt802]

I would argue that smaller rails reduce spins not add more but ya

Weirdly no, kids are out here doing swap combos on the 10’ tube meanwhile there is a nice 20’ rail that is barely getting hit cause it’s too scary to do three front swaps on

Pretty much this somehow but it’s only a certain type of skiers… A new breed can’t even do tricks on longer rails they just know how to dance on a tiny tube. It’s reducing spinning for many people at the same time though, me included.

 

[partyandBS]

I never understand this argument from resorts/ park crews tho. Dont you sign a waiver with ticket/pass that says you’re responsible for injury?? Or am I not understanding it right

even with waivers, there is always added liability to terrain park features as they are man made. and depending on the jury, sometimes they don’t give a fuck about the waiver. also, some states the waiver isnt enforceable so it has minimal impact.

NY is the worst place to operate. they didn’t amend their skier safety act to include terrain parks. a lot of resorts dont allow inverts because of this. additionally, NY jurors think they are sticking it to the man by awarding lawsuits to individuals. i saw a video where a lady literally tripped over her own feet. the jury watched the video once and then never referenced it again and the resort paid out over $250k. i tend to lean left politically but liberals seems to think that companies need to account for acts of stupidity and make things safe even for those who break rules.

 

[freestyler540]

Rails arent shrinking… your just getting bigger!

 

[hi_vis360]

Pretty much this somehow but it’s only a certain type of skiers… A new breed can’t even do tricks on longer rails they just know how to dance on a tiny tube. It’s reducing spinning for many people at the same time though, me included.

I think we need to increase the tube hate. Straight up unless you are doing some crazy Will Wesson shit I do not give a single fuck about anybodys tube clips. The tube is great for learning, but we need to emphasize that it is a PROGRESSION feature, and you should be trying to take your tricks to bigger rails. Like I can sw tails and 2 on to a tiny tube but I don’t even really count those as tricks I have dialed cause that’s the only feature I can do them on. Furthermore, the overly forgiving park features make it harder to transition to street. Most rails in the park now are so so much wider than any street rail. The place I ski park at is sick cause a bunch of the rails are real street rails harvested from construction sites, so it’s actually good training for street, which is what we should all be doing.

 

[owenobrien]

Fr mount snow had these lil shrimp dick rails out. I legit just went around them most of the time.. such a shame

I think they saw ur post cuz they just put in like a 80ft flat down tube lmao. Ik not a true rail but still super sick

 

[hi_vis360]

I came up with a solution. Move the flat tube to the mini park. It belongs with the disco box, the tiny flat box, and the 5’ jump. It does not belong with the big boy rails. This will also help with congestion cause I won’t have to swerve around 20 kids standing in the middle of the park when I’m trying to hot lap

 

[Farmville420]

I think we need to increase the tube hate. Straight up unless you are doing some crazy Will Wesson shit I do not give a single fuck about anybodys tube clips. The tube is great for learning, but we need to emphasize that it is a PROGRESSION feature, and you should be trying to take your tricks to bigger rails. Like I can sw tails and 2 on to a tiny tube but I don’t even really count those as tricks I have dialed cause that’s the only feature I can do them on. Furthermore, the overly forgiving park features make it harder to transition to street. Most rails in the park now are so so much wider than any street rail. The place I ski park at is sick cause a bunch of the rails are real street rails harvested from construction sites, so it’s actually good training for street, which is what we should all be doing.

Nick Lyons has been hating on tubes for years and everyone calls him a jaded schizo

 

[hi_vis360]

Nick Lyons has been hating on tubes for years and everyone calls him a jaded schizo

I vibe with a lot of that guys takes other than his hate for race boots. 4buckle 4ever

 

[a_burger]

I came up with a solution. Move the flat tube to the mini park. It belongs with the disco box, the tiny flat box, and the 5’ jump. It does not belong with the big boy rails. This will also help with congestion cause I won’t have to swerve around 20 kids standing in the middle of the park when I’m trying to hot lap

did this last week at loaf lmao

 

[Kyguyy]

This is why bush is the best

Waiting for someone to say this

 

[verynormalguy]

Shoutout mission ridge and troll for having loooong kinky rails

 

[KilaTsunami]

I think they saw ur post cuz they just put in like a 80ft flat down tube lmao. Ik not a true rail but still super sick

Haha I know I saw that today and was like …. I stand corrected! ???

 

[s.j.mitchell]

This why the best riders in the east coming outta bush and carinthia

 

[TOAST.]

I think we need to increase the tube hate. Straight up unless you are doing some crazy Will Wesson shit I do not give a single fuck about anybodys tube clips. The tube is great for learning, but we need to emphasize that it is a PROGRESSION feature, and you should be trying to take your tricks to bigger rails. Like I can sw tails and 2 on to a tiny tube but I don’t even really count those as tricks I have dialed cause that’s the only feature I can do them on. Furthermore, the overly forgiving park features make it harder to transition to street. Most rails in the park now are so so much wider than any street rail. The place I ski park at is sick cause a bunch of the rails are real street rails harvested from construction sites, so it’s actually good training for street, which is what we should all be doing.

agree to a point. Don't really want to see tube clips in any pro level edit unless its will Wesson. Anyone else's edits I'm good with tube clips.

With limited terrain park space tubes are nice cuz beginners and experts can all have fun on them.

Also, the phrase "training for street" just seems off to me.

 

[isaacwrong]

Fr mount snow had these lil shrimp dick rails out. I legit just went around them most of the time.. such a shame

Fax...new gulch build disappointing low key only thing that holds the mountain together are the two mambas

 

[BLandz]

The place I ski park at is sick cause a bunch of the rails are real street rails harvested from construction sites, so it’s actually good training for street, which is what we should all be doing.

I know this is like the hottest ski take that I have but street skiing is overrated af unless you are actually doing gnarly shit. Hitting small street features is a waste of peoples time imo but obviously if someone is having fun doing it then go for it. Its just that everyone gets all hot and horny over how hardcore and cool street is but even if you shovel stairs its actually not much more dangerous if you don’t hit big shit lol. Its also not that sick risking an hour long build session to get either kicked out of the spot or have a basic trick on a basic rail, you can do the same shit at a terrain park but it has whole ass rail lines and jumps

 

[littleman34]

Thats pretty pathetic but I gotta say i like skinny long boxes like that one. I could always get the tricks on them I wished I could get on a down rail.

View attachment 1085935

I present Camelback PA, circa a very long time ago, gotta be around 2010 or so because I took this with an LG EnV2

 

[theabortionator]

I came up with a solution. Move the flat tube to the mini park. It belongs with the disco box, the tiny flat box, and the 5’ jump. It does not belong with the big boy rails. This will also help with congestion cause I won’t have to swerve around 20 kids standing in the middle of the park when I’m trying to hot lap

I mean, if they're just hiking the tube and you hate tubes it shouldn't be hard.

A lot of mtns only have 2 parks. There's going to be a mix of features. Also even the mtns that have huuuge parks there's so many features There's gonna be a mix. Idk skip the tubes or don't follow people that post clips hitting tubes.

Just a weird "hot take". We get it you're to pro to hit a tube ever. That's fine. I like skinny rails but in bigger parks theres room for a mix.

 

[BLandz]

For the record im totally down to see tube clips idgaf. A sick trick is a sick trick but I do understand it is a crutch for some people and often yields horrible trick selection

 

[Rparr]

I am a total size queen when it comes to rails. Bigger is always better for me

 

[BLandz]

Some of the best tricks go down on tubes and we also can’t just ban park city edits

 

[hi_vis360]

I know this is like the hottest ski take that I have but street skiing is overrated af unless you are actually doing gnarly shit. Hitting small street features is a waste of peoples time imo but obviously if someone is having fun doing it then go for it. Its just that everyone gets all hot and horny over how hardcore and cool street is but even if you shovel stairs its actually not much more dangerous if you don’t hit big shit lol. Its also not that sick risking an hour long build session to get either kicked out of the spot or have a basic trick on a basic rail, you can do the same shit at a terrain park but it has whole ass rail lines and jumps

I love going out and hitting tiny street spots. It is absolutely less dangerous/gnarly than most of the stuff I do at the ski hill, that’s not the point though. Street skiing is about the creativity and vision to go ski somewhere that you aren’t supposed to. I def don’t do hour long build sessions (that shit usually looks wack anyway) or go to spots where I will probably get kicked out. I also don’t usually hit basic handrails cause those clips are pretty boring. Realistically, I’m just trying to get some skiing in before and after work. I agree, the way most people approach street skiing isn’t very fun and overrated. People make it too high effort. I try to do everything as lazily as possible and it’s a lot of fun, feels like a much bigger accomplishment that pulling up to the park, and I think the clips are 10x more interesting to watch.

 

[hi_vis360]

I mean, if they're just hiking the tube and you hate tubes it shouldn't be hard.

A lot of mtns only have 2 parks. There's going to be a mix of features. Also even the mtns that have huuuge parks there's so many features There's gonna be a mix. Idk skip the tubes or don't follow people that post clips hitting tubes.

Just a weird "hot take". We get it you're to pro to hit a tube ever. That's fine. I like skinny rails but in bigger parks theres room for a mix.

I still hit the mini flat tube, it’s good for learning tricks. My issue is that this feature has come to dominate a lot of parks, and there will often be a gang of dudes chillin in the middle of the lineup hiking the tube, so you can’t hit all of the features in a line easily. If people just stayed off to the side it would be totally fine, but they don’t. And I think people just focus too much on it in general and don’t spend enough time doing other features.

 

[theabortionator]

I still hit the mini flat tube, it’s good for learning tricks. My issue is that this feature has come to dominate a lot of parks, and there will often be a gang of dudes chillin in the middle of the lineup hiking the tube, so you can’t hit all of the features in a line easily. If people just stayed off to the side it would be totally fine, but they don’t. And I think people just focus too much on it in general and don’t spend enough time doing other features.

True. Need more good length parks with flow. A good park nobody really stops to hike much because you get tons of good hits in. I really never likes shotgun rails. Would rather a single tube but everything has it's place.

Sucks so many parks have shrunk or disappeared. Glad some mtns are still building sick set ups.

 

[Casey]

I think it’s just the trend. Also they gotta cater to the majority it doesn’t make sense to build features no one is good enough to enjoy. Also our park had big stuff but then went through a phase where they just threw like 37 bonk features out there and that was considered cool for a hot minute. Trends are cyclical

 

[Christian_Bale]

I know this is like the hottest ski take that I have but street skiing is overrated af unless you are actually doing gnarly shit. Hitting small street features is a waste of peoples time imo but obviously if someone is having fun doing it then go for it. Its just that everyone gets all hot and horny over how hardcore and cool street is but even if you shovel stairs its actually not much more dangerous if you don’t hit big shit lol. Its also not that sick risking an hour long build session to get either kicked out of the spot or have a basic trick on a basic rail, you can do the same shit at a terrain park but it has whole ass rail lines and jumps

respect this take, especially regarding basic tricks on basic rails. I do think it's cool to hit stuff that wasn't meant to be hit. I think the smaller/less gnarly a spot is, the more creative the trick should be, unless the spot is somehow cool despite being small. So I somewhat agree but i think it's more nuanced.

 

[Farmville420]

Haha I know I saw that today and was like …. I stand corrected! ???

Go get after that new nitro build it looks crazy

 

[ethannn]

The xgames slopestyle was so hard to watch with the size of the rails

 

[PartyBullshiit]

The cold causes shrinkage

 

[SofaKingSick]

I think it’s just the trend. Also they gotta cater to the majority it doesn’t make sense to build features no one is good enough to enjoy. Also our park had big stuff but then went through a phase where they just threw like 37 bonk features out there and that was considered cool for a hot minute. Trends are cyclical

yeah the park-full-of-bonks trend is/was my least favorite. so boring and same-y

 

[weatherRyan]

I love short rails because I love dope snow and montec, I think we should add smaller rails and more ride on features ngl.