A Snowskate Starter

some advice for your ambitions

zero down in chicago // snap by cj mattia

Bonjour, bbs! The backs of my hands are burning … snowskate season has come.

As some recent interview subjects have discovered, I stop the fucking world to snowskate. Look, let’s just put it out there: snowskating is en vogue and entirely doomed both. Sure, snow on Bourbon Street seems to refute the idea, but overall we’re fucking self-immolating right now, and you and I both know that soon snow will be relegated to myth, shorthand for a beforetime that few left will have felt by the time we die. (And wouldn’t it be just divine to be cremated?, to keep up the bit after you bit it?)

So, basically, just get it while you can, is what I’m saying.

You’ve probably seen something on some social by now about snowskating, most likely featuring Ambition, the Quebecois company which is essentially le seul jeu en ville. And if you are spending your finite minutes reading this, you’re either curious about — or dead-set on — giving it a try. To this I say: fuck yeah fucking do it get out there, allez allez allez!

But while snowskating is cold, I am not. It’s a touch too tricky, the conditions necessary too precious, to send you out into l’hiver lacking. So, because I love you and snowskating and because I have no other stories (because I was snowskating), here’s a lil primer.

Oh, but first Deadlock, Ambition’s latest, for some hype/inspiration.

the basics

First off, snowskating is far more skateboarding than it is snowboarding; come into it with that in mind, or you’re gonna be fucking bummed.

The board is skate sized/shaped, there’s no bindings/boots, a slope isn’t necessary, and how tricks work mechanically is very similar. Perhaps its because I’m mediocre, but I think most tricks need a bit more violence than usual in the pop; possibly because there’s no trucks for leverage, or because snow doesn’t return as much force, or because some combination of both, or — again — because of my middling ability.

Unless the snow is absolutely perfect, you won’t really be able to push much to get around and even then it isn’t, like, really a way to get around, so make sure you’re comfortable throwing down. (And keep this in mind for switch and fakie; unless you wanna run-and-jump you should get to doing it switch, watch Tiago to learn how.)

Being able to throw down with your feet in as close to the correct positioning as possible is essential in my experience. Sometimes you’re gonna have short runways/slow snow and need fast feet, and shifting into position can make your approach squirrely. Speaking of approach, remember you can’t really turn; since there’s no trucks, you need to throw down in the direction you want.

I like to think quiet body on my run-up. Small shifts in motion that wouldn’t have an impact on a skateboard can send you skittering on a snowskate, since you’re more at the mercy of inertia than ever, so keeping movement to a minimum seems to really help. Basically, form becomes more important on snow.

An important note: when you want to ollie on a snowskate, your foot goes on top of the tail. This is comme il faut if you want any pop.

like so

Here’s the fucking key to all this though: the snow. You need quality, that starry-sharp snow if you want to party. Much as with a stranger’s mirror at afters, the quality of the white stuff can either completely kill you or make it for you. If the snow is sticky, wet, or slow, it’s gonna make tricks much harder — or potentially impossible, considering what they are and your individual talent. If you have snowboarding/skiing experience, you know what I mean.

There’s way too many variables to make this an exact science, but generally speaking you want it to be in the low 20s or teens, with at least 3-6” on the ground I’d estimate. When you hit the spot, you’re going to shovel yourself a landing and a runway, so you just need enough to work with. But believe me, if it’s in short supply it’s a lot of work to snap up all the snow in your surroundings just to make enough run-up for a three stair beanplant. (Albeit worth it.)

or, in this case, a switch beanplant

I won’t lie, unless you live in certain places — there’s a reason Montréal:snowskating::LA/SF:skating — the proper conditions will be precious.

All these caveats come with good news, however. While snow crews will be your newly minted nemeses, the odds of running into security, civilians, cops, or karens drops, because its motherfucking cold and they just can’t care. Also, your spot list will grow. Love that ledge or gap or whatever but hate the grass landing? Doesn’t matter on a snowskate, bb — although it’s harder to pop a trick off natural surfaces, so I suggest a solid run-up.

Finally, there is this crucial catechism: if it snows, you go.

dock drop // cj mattia filming

what you need

board

As I’ve said above, when it comes to boards Ambition is basically the only way to go right now. I suggest getting one in the same size as your skateboard – mine is 8.5” x 32”. They come in an array of sizes, colorways, and concave designs, same as a deck. If they seem a bit steep, snowskates last considerably longer than skateboards, unless you fucking rip like a brumal barbarian — plus the prices are in Canadian.

The bottom of the board features grooved channels, and to keep it speedy all you need to do is scrape it. Get a hold of a utility blade or paint scraper and scrape NOSE TO TAIL to get the spurs off and smooth the surface; you’ll notice a difference in speed, and sometimes a good scraping can be what a spot or trick needs.

scraping — best done w/black coffee and a blunt [not pictured]

None of it really works without the ‘Prism’ grip Ambition sells. These are lil pyramidal studs that you can cut and place on top of the board wherever you would like, and provide the mechanical grip needed for pretty much anything other than riding around. As is a snowflake – fuck, sorry – grip arrangements are unique. I like to think of what tricks I enjoy when laying mine out; I made sure to have some nubs in places I find important for my beloved beanplants and dump trucks, for example. Here’s how I set up both of mine, just to give you an idea:

shoes/socks

So, there’s snowskate specific shoes now, and one guess who makes them. I run these and enjoy them, but Vans MTEs [as seen in the ollie positioning pic] work fabulously as well, and you can even just wear your normal skate shoes if you’d like, which is Ambition’s suggestion. Keep in mind they’re gonna get fucking soaked though.

Thermal socks. Do it.

gloves

Don’t be a fucking dummy. You need gloves. Mittens are warmest; I like to use admittedly-expensive snowboard gloves because I do some grab stuff. I usually bring three pairs: big, cheap-but-warm hefty ones I wear for walking around and shoveling and such, the snowboard ones for getting down to business, and spring riding ones for when they make sense.

clothing

parka by polar // hoodie by violet // gloves by burton // jeans by beyond medals

Layer, baby, layer. You’re gonna get steamier than you think sometimes, and you’re also gonna be exposed to much colder temps for far longer than you’re likely used to, unless you’re a slope lurker. For only cold days, I like a hoodie, parka, knit hat, and pants; for really cold days, throw on some thermal layers underneath that. Balaclavas are good for the face, and if you happen to own any cloth masks for some mysterious reason, those are fabulous for extra-frigid. I wear the same leopard print one as Leah McSweeney, it’s sexy.

leah, call me

shovel and brush

Remember when I said you’re gonna make your runway and landing? Hence, shovel. DO NOT use your board for this, unless you wanna fuck it up for no reason. If you can, use a nice full-size snow shovel — maybe something ergonomic. If you want/need a portable option, an avalanche shovel is strong but small. And get a nice brush to knock snow off the top and bottom in between goes, it will keep your ride responsive and your hands dry. Mine’s actually a bit too soft to work really well, I gotta replace it. If only more of you paid me …

slow snow? go full kadow. cavemen are for ice ages, after all

what you don’t ‘need,’ but is nice to have in the kit

bags and rags: I put a trash bag in there; they’re wildly useful. Use it to make a dry spot to set your shit on. Put the shovel, brush, and other wet stuff in it so your bag can stay comparatively dry inside. Make an impromptu raincoat if there’s a heatwave, idk. A dish cloth or little towel or whatever can be useful to dry something off, serve as a brush in a pinch, or any number of other things.

sunglasses: Snow blindness is real.

insulated cup: Keeps coffee hot, keeps water from freezing.

beer: The world is your fridge, doggie! Be warned: sometimes you will get an ad hoc slushie, especially if you stick a can in a snowbank. Personally, I kinda like it?

Alright, that should get you started — go get it! And stay warm, sluts.

slam // shot by emily mohney