In Tune - Highbacks

From a half-mile away you can tell a lot about someone’s setup. If a person has a bad stance or incorrect highback settings, it is very apparent. Don’t get me wrong, this is snowboarding and personal preference is always important. However, when a rider’s knees are hyperextended and they are bouncing through every heelside turn, something is clearly wrong.

The highback is a simple and beautiful thing that serves a complex function. A rider’s ability to put a board on its heel edge is controlled by the highback more than anything else. Due to the importance of this action, highbacks come with far more settings than even the most tech weenie could possibly utilize. And if a highback doesn’t mesh well with a boot, either in shape or height, there is virtually no adjustment that can be made to alleviate the performance deficits this yields. In other words, it is time for a new set of boots, bindings or both.

According to Paul Maravetz, the director of product for the Rome Snowboard Design Syndicate, the first thing one should look for in a highback is its shape. “Make sure the top of the highback flattens out in the cross section to allow the boot to release medially and laterally,” explains Maravetz. While this is achieved mainly through highback shape, freedom of movement can also be facilitated by rotating one’s highback. According to Maravetz, “I personally think rotation becomes more important with duck stances and more squared-off riding techniques. If you look at duck in the extreme, you can see that only one or the other highback will be effective at transmitting turn input for a heelside turn, or both of them each only marginally effective.”

Adjusting the highbacks so they are flush with the heel edge is one way a snowboarder can return power to their turns. Up-and-coming Finnish rider Jussi Tarvainen is a strong proponent of rotatable backs. “They help for tweaking tricks without the binding being in the way. You can also get them adjusted for your shins.”

While rotating a highback may be an afterthought for most riders, forward lean is rarely ignored. As the On-Snow Testing Coordinator for Burton Snowboards, Rob Sprague deals with hundreds of testers annually, each with their own shape, skill level and riding style. Sprague states that the basic function of forward lean is to “pre-bend your knees so you don’t have to get your body so far out over the board when making a heelside turn.” Perhaps the most important testers under Sprague’s watch are the Burton pro team riders, including Shaun White and Ross Powers. According to Sprague, “Average for the team is probably around 19 degrees of forward lean right now.”

While heavy angulation might benefit those looking for more control in the icy confines of the pipe and park, Maravetz finds many jibbers opting toward less lean. “Lower forward lean and possibly even negative forward lean angles are preferred by many riders who ride a lot of rails.” The reason for this is actually quite logical. Maravetz explains: “The ability to subtly adjust your base angle with the finer movements of your ankles rather than the grosser movements of your knees is important on rails. Getting the highback out of the picture better allows for this.”

How one leans in the highback debate only matters if a person’s individuality and style are compromised by their setup. Snowboarding as a sport was built on this foundation of personal expression. Then again, riding sketchy and getting hurt can be construed as elements of individuality and style, I suppose.

Questions, comments, want to tell me that no-backs is still the way to go, e-mail mike@thepublicworks.biz.