Oakley Snow Goggles Frame Styles

November 2, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

Airbrake

Quite simply the hottest goggle on the market right now! This is truly a performance goggle from Oakley with its new innovative Switchlock Technology allowing you to adapt to any environment with quick, hassle free lens changing.

The Airbrake is the perfect package coming standard with two lens tints to cover any condition the mountain gods may throw at you with the added Plutonite lens material to give 100% protection against all UV. Oakley have designed the Airbrake goggle to fit medium to large faces incorporating triple layered foam with a flexible face plate and a rigid exoskeleton frame, giving added performance without compromising on comfort.

Oakley has engineered the Airbrake to provide even pressure across the face with or without a helmet through the integration of strap outriggers.

Key Features:
Switchlock Technology
Rigid exoskeleton frame
Flexible face plate
Triple layered foam
Helmet compatible O Matter outriggers
Dual vented lenses with F3 anti-fog coating
100% protection against UVA/UVB/UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm
Spherical lens shape
Includes two lens tints and case
Available with Prizm lens technology
Medium to large fit

The Airbrake is pictured above.

Flight Deck

Oakley has taken inspiration directly from the high speed world of fighter pilot helmet design giving you a goggle that not only looks great, but maximises your field of view to ensure you can see any obstacle and plot that perfect route through the snow.

The frameless design gives this goggle a wide range of helmet compatibility with the added comfort due to minimised frame mass. This really is the ‘top gun’ of snow goggles!

Key Features:
Rimless lens design
Lens sub-frame attachment
Frame/lens support for unrestricted airflow
Streamlined frame
Helmet compatible outriggers
Discreet frame notches giving compatibility for most prescription eyewear
Max dual pane lens with F3 anti-fog coating
100% protection against UVA/UVB/UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm
Available with Prizm lens technology
Medium to large fit

oakley flight deck — Oakley Flight Deck Snow Goggle.

Flight Deck XM

New for 2015 the Flight Deck XM is a total redesign of the old Splice. Oakley has taken inspiration directly from the high speed world of fighter pilot helmet design giving you a goggle that not only looks great, but maximises your field of view to ensure you can see any obstacle and plot that perfect route through the snow.

The unique design of the Flight Deck XM sitting closer to your face gives you back your peripheral vision normally lost with many goggle designs, allowing you to spot dangers and obstacles faster. Many goggles suit a larger face but Oakley realized this and has downsized the original Flight Deck to this new model now suitable for small to medium faces.

Key Features:
Rimless lens design
Lens sub frame attachment
Frame/lens support for unrestricted airflow
Helmet compatible O Matter outriggers
Discreet frame notches giving compatibility for most prescription eyewear
Dual vented lens with F3 anti-fog coating
100% protection against UVA/UVB/UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm
Available with Prizm lens technology
Small to medium fit

A Frame 2.0

Do you crave extra ventilation in your goggle? The Oakley A Frame 2.0 features 2 large surge ports that maintain lens ventilation helping to blast away any moisture along with a dual lens with F3 anti-fog coating produces one of Oakley’s most fog resistant goggles.

True A Frame followers will be pleased to know that the upgraded 2.0 version still features outriggers giving balanced strap pressure, triple layered fleece foam and ANSI Z87.1 impact rating. All combined provides a top pick goggle for male and female winter athletes alike.

Key Features:
Sleek and compact frame design
Dual surge port frames vents
Articulating helmet compatible O Matter
Flexible O Matter chassis
Triple layer polar fleece foam
Dual vented lens with F3 anti-fog coating
100% protection against UVA/UVB/UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm
Available with Prizm lens technology
Small to medium fit

oakley a frame 2.0 — Oakley A Frame 2.0 Snow Goggle.

Canopy

Experience the Oakley Canopy with its exceptional super-sized lens enhancing your peripheral vision with tunnel vision being a thing of the past. Oakley’s design engineers have created a low profile frame design whilst expanding lens volume giving a wide open view and excellent downward vision.

Do you find many goggles restrict your breathing? Don’t panic Oakley have you covered! Patented O-Flow arch design reduces nose bridge pressure allowing for easier breathing.

Key Features:
Large lens design
Patented O-Flow arch
Streamlined frame design
Full helmet compatibility
Discreet frame notches giving compatibility for most prescription eyewear
Dual vented lens with F3 anti-fog coating
100% protection against UVA/UVB/UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm
Available with Prizm lens technology
Small to medium fit

oakley canopy — Oakley Canopy Snow Goggle.

Crowbar

The Crowbar is Oakley’s first ski goggle that features outrigger struts to perfectly balance and distribute frame pressure across the face for an even and more comfortable fit. The increased lens size with its specific curvature opens your peripheral and downward view combined with HDO maintains excellent clarity at any angle.

Key Features:
Streamlined frame design
Flexible O Matter chassis
Rigid O Matter strap outriggers
Triple layer fleece foam
Dual vented lenses F3 anti-fog coating
100% protection against UVA/UVB/UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm
Available with Prizm lens technology
Medium fit

oakley crowbar — Oakley Crowbar Snow Goggles.

O2 XL

What do you get if you mix super wide views and excellent value…the Oakley O2 XL goggle! This features a low profile frame helping to fit over prescription glasses and helmets comfortably. With the expansion of your peripheral vision the O2 XL expands the upwards and downwards vision to give a better all round view of the mountain.

Key Features:
Streamlined frame geometry
Flexible O Matter chassis
Moto style strap for helmet compatibility
Triple layer polar fleece foam
Discreet frame notches giving compatibility for most prescription eyewear
Dual vented lens with F2 anti-fog coating
100% protection against UVA/UVB/UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm
Available with Prizm lens technology
Medium to large fit

O2 XM

What do you get if you mix super wide views and excellent value…the Oakley O2 XM goggle! This features a low profile frame helping to fit over prescription glasses and helmets comfortably. With the expansion of your peripheral vision the O2 XM expands the upwards and downwards vision to give a better all round view of the mountain.

O2 XS

Following on from the success of its predecessor the O Frame, the junior specific O2 XS gives you unrivalled performance at a very affordable price. The lightweight O Matter chassis maintains excellent flexibility even in the extreme cold, while the added triple layer polar fleece is moisture wicking keeping your face dry and warm.

Key Features:
Flexible O Matter chassis
Moto style strap for helmet compatibility
Triple layer polar fleece foam
Discreet frame notches giving compatibility for most prescription eyewear
Dual vented lens with F2 anti-fog coating
100% protection against UVA/UVB/UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm
Small fit

E Frame

This is Oakley’s entry level goggle featuring a dual lens construction giving you fog reduction whilst increasing the durability. Suitable for use as a unisex goggle the E Frame contains lens venting to further reduce moisture and an adjustable wide strap for extra comfort.

Key Features:
Flexible urethane frame
Wide adjustable elastic strap
Single layered face foam
Dual vented lens with F2 anti-fog coating
Lens venting
Suitable for juniors or women

Airwave

Have you ever wondered what speed you travelled down that last run? Or wondered how much air did I just get off that last insane kicker? The time has come! Oakley has introduced the most technological advanced goggle on the market.

The Airwave features a built in head up display will give you features such as GPS, Bluetooth and more sensors than your average space shuttle. This goggle provides you with all the need to know information whether your carving up with piste or riding some powder in the backcountry.

The head up display provides crisp, widescreen graphics using none other than prism technology to give the effect of a 14 inch monitor viewed at a distance of 5 feet. The Airwave is the only goggle you will need featuring Oakley’s Switchlock technology allowing lenses to be changed dependent on the light conditions.

Key Features:
Speed
Trip viewer
Jump analysis
Navigation
Buddy tracking
Music
Smartphone connectivity
Smart lock technology
Durable O Matter frame
Patented O Flow arch
Dual vented lens with F3 anti-fog coating

Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding

Oakley Snow Goggle Lens Tints

November 2, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

Prizm Lenses

There’s no doubt Oakley produce some of the most technologically advanced sports eyewear in the world! Experts at Oakley have discovered unique links that allow our brain and eyes to process light, leading to the development of the Prizm lens. The result? A tailored lens specific to the way your eyes work!

15 years of research, development and testing has led to the introduction of the new, much anticipated Prizm lens! During this period Oakley has found our eyes are extremely sensitive to detail in certain colours; blue and orange light to be specific.

In the past have you struggled to pick the perfect route though the white gold? Prizm technology helps tackle these problems through filtering ambient full-spectrum light entering the lens, fine tuning the specific colours to give; enhanced detail for perfect route selection.

This lens will be sure to enhance not only your experience but vision on the mountain. Prizm lenses have been proved to reduce eye fatigue giving you endless hours of fun on the slope. After 15 years of heart ache Oakley have emerged the other side with a product that will change the way we ‘view’ snow sports in future.

https://youtu.be/vH4xu0JSfXg

Prizm Black Iridium

The Black Iridium snow lens has a 5-10% visible light transmission rating great in medium to bright light (very sunny conditions). To reduce glare features an Iridium coating.

Prizm Jade Iridium

The Jade Iridium snow lens has a 11-20% visible light transmission rating great in low to medium light (sunny to overcast conditions). To reduce glare features an Iridium coating.

Prizm Torch Iridium

New for 2015 the Torch Iridium snow lens has a 11-20% visible light transmission rating great in low to medium light (sunny to overcast conditions). To reduce glare features an Iridium coating.

Prizm Sapphire Iridium

The new release for 2015 the Sapphire Iridium snow lens has a 11-20% visible light transmission rating great in low to medium light (sunny to overcast conditions). To reduce glare features an Iridium coating.

Prizm Rose

The Rose snow lens has a 21%+ visible light transmission rating perfect for flat to medium light (sunny to snowy conditions).

all prizm lens colour-ways — Black Iridium, Sapphire Iridium, Jade Iridium, Torch Iridium and Rose Prizm lenses.

Standard Lenses

Years of technological advancements has led Oakley to develop a wide range of standard (non-Prizm) lenses suitable for any condition the mountain may throw at you. The table below provides key information on each individual lens to help tailor your equipment to cover all bases.

Lens Tint	Description	Visible Light Transmission	Protection Index	Suitable Conditions
		%
Clear	Very low light. Neutral transmission for truer colour perception	90	0	Night time
High Intensity Yellow	High contrast lens for extremely low light conditions. Features an Iridium coating to further enhance contrast	81	0	Flat to very low light
High Intensity Permission	Filters blue light to boost contrast and increase depth perception in a wide variety of conditions. Features an Iridium coating to further enhance contrast	63	1	Flat to low light
Permission	Filters blue light to boost contrast and increase depth perception in a wide variety of conditions	62	1	Flat to low light
Pink Iridium	Enhances depth perception and increases visual acuity in a wide variety of conditions	57	1	Flat to medium light
VR50	Filters blue light with a subtle tint to enhance visual acuity and improve depth perception	50	1	Flat to low light
VR50 Emerald Iridium	Utilizes a contrast-enhancing VR50A lens tint with a unique Iridium coating to further tune contrast and reduce glare	30	2	Low to Medium light
G30	Rose base with subtle Iridium coating to improve contrast and depth perception in a wide variety of conditions	30	2	Low to Medium light
Blue Iridium	Utilizes a contrast-enhancing VR28 lens tint with an Iridium coating to further tune contrast and reduce glare	30	2	Low to Medium light
VR28	Filters blue light to increase contrast and improve depth perception in a wide variety of conditions	28	2	Medium to bright light
High Amber Polarized	High contrast lens that cuts blinding glare while enhancing visual acuity. Features an Iridium coating to balance light transmission and further tune contrast	25	2	Medium to bright light
Gold Iridium	Excellent all-purpose contrast-enhancing lens for sunny conditions. Features an Iridium coating to reduce glare	20	2	Medium to bright light
Black Iridium	Excellent all-purpose high contrast lens for sunny conditions. Features an Iridium coating to reduce glare	18	3	Medium to bright light
Fire Iridium	Improves visual acuity. Features an Iridium coating to further tune contrast and reduce glare	16	3	Medium to bright light
VR28 Black Iridium	Filters blue light to increase contrast and improve depth perception in a wide variety of conditions	14	2	Medium to bright light
VR28 Polarized	Cuts blinding glare while filtering blue light to increase contrast and improve depth perception in a wide variety of conditions	14	3	Medium to bright light

The protection index varies from 0-3 giving your eyes varying levels of protection against the sun, 0 being no protection and 3 being the highest perfect for those bluebird days.

VLT (Visible Light Transmission)

Many ask the question what is Visible Light Transmission and how can it help. The colour of your lens helps to filter and intensify colours in your vision whilst this colour and coating also effects how much light reaches your eye also known as Visible Light Transmission.

Lighter lens tints have a higher VLT as more light is able to pass through reaching your eye. Yellow, gold, green and rose coloured lenses have a higher VLT perfect for those snowy, overcast days.

Darker lens tints have a lower VLT as more light is bounced back preventing it reaching your eye. Brown, grey and copper coloured lenses have a lower VLT perfect for those bright bluebird days.

To view our current stock of Oakley snow goggles please visit www.tallingonlakesproshop.com

Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding

Winter Tuning Skis And Snowboards

October 28, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

So you’ve treated your skis or snowboard to its yearly service, however, you may wish to give them a basic service while you are on your trip. Maintaining your skis or snowboard bases and edges is vital to getting the best out of your gear, so have a read of this guide if you want to keep them in tip-top condition!

(We do not accept any responsibility for any damaged caused whilst following this guide. You should be comfortable in completing the work before starting)

Rub On Wax

If you don’t have access to a waxing iron or the time to use ‘melt on wax’ then a rub on wax is the next best thing, with Dakine doing their own High Octane Rub on Wax! So your gear has had the full works but many melt on waxes only last 3-5 days so to maintain this improved performance all holiday why not use a rub on wax either apply it in your hotel or better yet on the mountain for a workshop with a view.

Generally many rub on waxes are suitable for all temperatures and the process is simple, just rub into the base then buff it out with either a nylon brush or the attached cork on the Dakine applicator. This immediately improves/maintains performance for around one day where the process would then need repeating. All in all this option is simple and so easy anyone no matter your experience can do!

Melt On Wax

Despite modern advances in ski and snowboard base design these still dry and wear out over time and in turn reduce performance! It’s key to wax your gear on a regular basis before, during and after your trip if you really want, with hot (melt on) waxes being the best as it allows the wax to penetrate deeply into the base structure for added durability.

These melt on waxes or ‘glide’ waxes help increase the speed you can ride through creating a thin layer of water between the snow and base with different waxes suited to varying temperatures throughout the winter season and generally last between 3-5 days of normal riding.

Warm Waxes (Dakine Warm Wax suitable above -3oC)

Cold Waxes (Dakine Cold Wax suitable between -15 and -7oC)

All temp Waxes (Suitable for a mix of warm and cold conditions)

To apply this type of wax you will need to get a specific wax iron, plastic scrapper, base cleaner and nylon brush (don’t use your household iron as the holes will become clogged with wax) after treating yourself to this equipment you’re then ready to follow these steps:

1. Firstly retract your binding brakes and position the ski or snowboard in a clamp or 2 high back chairs.

2. Prepare your base for waxing using a base cleaning compound which removes all the old wax and dirt.

3. Rub the wax by hand onto the base like your colouring the base with a crayon (adds another layer of protection against the heat of the iron)

4. Melt the wax on a low temperature (120-140oC) in zig zag movement across the entire length of the ski or snowboard.

5. Then you run the iron over the wax melting it and spreading evenly over the base (ensure you don’t stay in one place as it can damage the base though becoming too hot move 1-2 inches per second)

6. Allow the wax to cool at room temperature for a few hours, overnight if possible.

7. You’re now ready to remove the excess wax, so grab your plastic scraper and use the sharp edge to scrap the wax working from the tip to the tail of the ski or snowboard. (also remove any wax from the edges)

8. You need to make sure you have removed enough wax and to test this scrape the base with your fingernail and if little or no wax comes off your ready for the next step.

9. Then starting with a stiff nylon brush work from tip to tail with medium strokes until you have a shinny glossy look to the base.

10. Finally use a soft nylon brush working from tip to tail to finish the waxing process.

This might sound like a long process but once you have done it a few times it will become second nature and you will get a great sense of achievement of waxing your own gear and over time will save you money!

Edge Tuning

You may have heard of edge tuning amongst your snow sport friends, it’s basically the adjustment of the metal edges that run around your board or ski and has a big impact on how your equipment performs. Up in the mountains the conditions can change day by day so the option of fine tuning your skis or snowboard to suit the conditions appeals to a lot of riders with the following guide giving a basic understanding of the process.

There are two types of edge a base and a side, with the side edge being the one normally adjusted as the base generally stays at 1o as any lower and you will constantly catch an edge when riding. The following side edge degrees show the advantages and disadvantages of varying degrees:

1o (Gives a 90o edge profile and is the strongest combination possible great for a neutral feel for a range of riders but isn’t great on hard pack snow and ice)

2o (Gives an 89o edge profile and will require slightly more tuning over 1o yet is much better on hard packed piste’s giving improved edge grip when carving yet beginners may find this option hard as it requires more lean to engage the edges)

3o (Gives an 88o edge profile which is generally found on high performance Piste skis with this combination offering excellent edge hold on packed snow and ice requiring the user to be much more aggressive to engage the edges)

So once you’ve determined which edge angle is best for you use a high quality edge tuning tool such as the Dakine Mini Edge Tuner. To get the perfect fine tuned edge follow the steps below:

1. Firstly retract your binding brakes and position the ski or snowboard in a clamp or 2 high back chairs.

2. Pull the file towards you working from tip to tail (short overlapping strokes)

3. For beginners you can use a black pen on the edges so you know where you have edged as the metal will go from black to shinny metal.

4. Then polish with a diamond stone blue (coarse) then red (fine) then finish with green (extra fine)

Now you have completed a full wax and edge tune your sure to have a fun filled high performance time on the slopes. For any more details on servicing we offer give the Pro Shop Team a call on 01778 347000 where the experienced staff with be more than happy to help.

Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding

Freeride World Tour

October 21, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

So you might be thinking to yourself what is freeriding? It’s basically skiing or snowboarding on natural, un-groomed runs which have no set course or specific set of rules. Many riders it is called off-piste or backcountry depending where about’s in the world you’re from!

The thought of riding this challenging terrain is what appeals to so many people, combining numerous skill areas such as freestyle and piste riding into one all mountain style giving you the freedom to take on any terrain you encounter. With any snow sports there are associated risks but these are amplified significantly when freeriding but on the other hand you get to experience untouched areas of the mountain challenging your skills with such varied terrain.

Back in the 1940’s freeriding was in its infancy and wasn’t until the 1970’s where gear had improved to such a level that freeriding attracted audiences on a global level. Closely following the French were the Americans where a group of young enthusiastic riders took on the steep terrain of the Rockies and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.

This influx of new riders really set the scene for the first ever freeride contest, the ‘World Extreme Ski Championships’ WESC held in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains, Alaska! Not forgetting the snowboarders the ‘World Extreme Snowboard Championships’ was established in 1992 which soon transformed into the widely recognised King Of The Hill competition still running today.

For many years these two disciplines remained completely separate before a crazy business man by the name Nicholas Hale Woods launched the Verbier Extreme in 1996 with 2004 marking the year when ten of the world’s top freeride skiers were invited to take part, revolutionising the sport as we know it!

Today this pioneering man Nicholas Hale Woods plays a crucial part in the organising and running of one of the world’s most extreme snow sport competitions the Freeride World Tour! Featuring five stops in five countries riders battle against each other in search of worldwide recognition. Below we delve a little deeper into the five 2016 resorts!

Freeride: It’s basically skiing or snowboarding on natural, un-groomed runs which have no set course or specific set of rules! © Freeride World Tour

22nd January 2016 (Vallnord Arcalis, Andorra)

Located in the northern valleys of Andorra the Arcalis is a smaller slice of the much larger Vallnord skiing area. This resort features stunning views and multiple tree lined runs and is categorised into the most alpine resort in the Vallnord skiing area due to being north facing and its numerous steep slopes.

Handpicked from other resorts the Arcalis is home to some of the best off Piste skiing in Andorra holding on to its powder much longer due to receiving less sun. Here are some key facts about the resort:

30km Pistes with 27 runs
442 Hectares of skiable area
One terrain park
Longest run 8km
33% Beginner + 22% Intermediate + 37% Advanced + 7% Expert
Summit 2625m / 1940m Base

6th February 2016 (Chamonix Mont Blanc, France)

Located on the border of France, Switzerland and Italy this well known resort is at the base of the highest summit in the Alps, Mont Blanc featuring some amazing alpine skiing. Many people believe that Chamonix was the birthplace of alpine skiing with its claim to fame being the resort to host the first winter Olympics back in 1924.

It’s perfect mix of runs appeals to a wide range of riders and also features the world renowned 20km (12mile) Valley Blanche which is an extremely high off Piste run that circles the entire resort, a challenge for any aspiring expert skier. Here are some key facts about the resort:

119km Pistes with 106 runs
308 Hectares of skiable area
One Terrain Park
Longest run 20km
14% Beginner + 34% Intermediate + 38% Advanced + 14% Expert
Summit 3275m / 1042m Base

With any snow sports there are associated risks but these are amplified significantly when freeriding ! © Freeride World Tour

6th March 2016 (Fieberbrunn Kitzbuheleralpen, Austria)

Part of the much larger Triol skiing area the Fieberbrunn is a large resort in its own right with many of its runs tailored towards the intermediate rider yet still features runs for the more advanced rider.

Alot of the terrain here is extremely enjoyable with perfectly groomed runs with the option to head into the wide open powder fields to test your skills. Fieberbrunn is seen as a hidden gem within the Alps and one to visit during your riding career, below are a few key facts about the resort:

35km Pistes with 26 runs
34 Hectares of skiable area
One Half pipe
35km Cross Country
13km Blue + 22km Red + 3km Black
Summit 2020m / 830m Base

17th March 2016 (Haines, Alaska)

Haines, Alaska features some of the world’s best heli skiing terrain with over 5000ft of vertical drop and scenic powder runs that will keep you wanting more testing your skills to the very edge.

The mountain ranges surrounding Haines have a dry snowpack with some of the most stable weather systems found anywhere in Alaska. The sleepy community and picturesque landscapes makes this a centre for wilderness adventures in Alaska.

World’s largest non polar ice cap
5000ft of vertical drop
Situated at one of Alaska’s great fjords

Featuring five stops in five countries riders battle against each other in search of worldwide recognition! © Freeride World Tour

2nd April 2016 (Verbier, Switzerland)

Verbier is in the centre of one of one of the largest ski areas in Europe, the four valleys! The exciting terrain combined with scenic views and abundance of snow makes this resort a sure fire bet for late or early season riding.

Two recently open lifts has made accessing the four valleys area even easier and with the right conditions is host to a trail of 15km descending over 2500m making it one of the biggest and best vertical runs in the world. Below are a few key facts about the resort:

177km Pistes with 37 runs
162 Hectares of skiable area
36% Intermediate + 37% Advanced + 27% Expert
Summit 3330m / 1500m Base

Event Feeding Into Products

This world renowned event has become so successful numerous snow sport companies are incorporating the name into some of their products for example Teko Freeride World Tour sock and Dakine Freeride World Tour Backpack both available at the Tallington Lakes Pro Shop both in store and online.

General

Have You Thought About A Hydrophobic Lens Protector For Your GoPro

July 10, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

We have all been there, the soul destroying moment when you plug your SD in and watch what was guaranteed to be the best day of filming, only to find the dreaded water-drop has made an unwelcome appearance, again.

water droplet on lens — Water droplets can ruin your photograph!

Well here is a potential solution! The GoClear Hydrophobic Lens Protector greatly reduces splash marks and scratches, using patented technology to repel even the dirtiest water droplets, so you can capture outstanding recordings, even in the worst of conditions. The adhesive protector features:

Scratch Resistant
Fingerprint/Oil Resistant
Long lasting Hydrophobic Properties
Perfect Clarity
Easy to Apply
Fully Submersible

Perfect for any extreme-sport, owing to its silicon based adhesive it is also fully submersible whilst retaining long lasting hydrophobic protection.

So why not give the GoClear Hydrophobic Lens Protector for your GoPro® Hero (3, 3+ & 4) a GO!

Water Skiing

Slalom Water Skiing

July 8, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

For many years slalom water skiing has been growing in popularity with it now appealing to a much wider audience due to the numerous locations available throughout the UK. Here at Tallington Lakes we have a man made world class competition level slalom course to cater for beginner’s right through the seasoned professionals.

Slalom Water Ski course at Tallington Lakes

Many people enjoy slalom skiing around a course rather than just ‘free skiing’ as it is much easier for the individual to measure progress, important for competitively natured people.

Each competitor begins skiing with a 75ft slalom rope at the minimum specified boat speed for the certain division they are in depending on age. For more experienced skiers they start at a higher speed and shorter length rope. To complete a pass the skier much pass through the orange gate buoys, complete turns around the outside of the six orange turn buoys before returning through the end orange gate buoys.

Boat Speed

The boat speed is linked to your division/group and ability which starts at 15.5mph and reaches 36mph for pro level skiers. In any slalom competition after a skier completes a pass the speed is increased by 2mph until the speed reaches 36mph for men and 34mph for women and veterans. Then to increase the difficulty the rope length is then shortened one increment for each completed pass until he/she misses a buoy or falls.

Rope

You will probably hear people talking about the word ‘off’. Basically this means the rope length taken away from the full 75ft length rope i.e. skiing a 60ft rope length is called ’15 off’.

Loop Color	Meters	Feet	Feet Off
Neutral	23	75	0
Red	18.25	60	15
Orange	16	53	22
Yellow	14.25	47	28
Green	13	43	32
Blue	12	40	35
Violet	11.25	37	38
Neutral	10.75	35.5	39.5
Red	10.25	34	41
Black	9.75	32	43

Scoring

The table below shows the different coloured loops found in tournament ropes in relation to the length and also provides the ‘off’ values. When competing in a slalom competition the aim is to gain the highest amount of credits, I will now try to explain how it works.

For each successfully completed pass you are awarded six credits, one for each turn buoy, and you gain more credits each time you complete a pass at either a higher speed or shorter rope length, until you miss a buoy or fall. A complete pass, is when the skier leaves wake, goes around the buoy and returns to the wake. If a water skier decides to start at a higher speed or rope length, for their class, they will receive all credits for the preceding passes despite not completing them.

You will notice below, the world record includes a half buoy. A half buoy is when the skier goes round the buoy but doesn’t make the wake.

Slalom Water Ski Course Facts

In total there are 26 different coloured buoys (four green pre-gate buoys, four orange gate buoys, six orange turn buoys, 12 yellow boat lane markers)

The six orange turn buoys are 37.5ft from the centre of the course.

At ’38 off’ the rope no longer reaches the buoys so the skier has to move their body to get around the buoy.

At the maximum ’43 off’ the rope is 32ft long which equates to being 5.5ft inside the turn buoys.

The world record is an amazing 2½ buoys at ’43 off’ which was achieved by Nate Smith; something for us all to aspire towards 🙂

Wakeboarding

Liquid Force Remedy Wakeboard Review By Jorge Gill

July 2, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

I have been riding Harley Clifford‘s signature board, the Liquid Force Remedy, for the last 4 seasons. It has served me very well over the years, and it’s never let me down. I would say it’s perfect for my riding style, so when I heard that Liquid Force were going to release a new Harley board in 2015 called the ‘Harley Remedy’ I was very interested to see how different it would be: how fast, how much pop, etc.

I first got to ride the Remedy last September just before the 2014 European Championships in Portugal, I didn’t get much time on it and didn’t want to risk riding it at the event but I could tell it was going to be good because I was getting huge pop off it straight away.

I spoke to Harley about about it when I was over riding at the IWWF World Cup in Australia in February, I think he was wondering why I wasn’t riding it yet. The next time I got to ride it was in May and it didn’t disappoint, what a ride! Once you get used to it ( it won’t take long) you will get a lot more air and it’s very responsive. It has split tip ends which give you epic lift off the wake but you still feel in total control and it’s very fast. With a new shape it would normally take me a couple of sets to get going, but with the Remedy I was banging out all my tricks straight away and it felt easier and they felt bigger.

I love riding it; its so much fun and it also looks awesome. I highly recommend the Harley Remedy to anyone who wants to take their riding to the next level, including those who currently ride Harley’s older model.

Thanks to Jorge Gill 2014 British National Champion 2014 European Champion – Junior Men

Wakeboarding

Liquid Force Peak Wakeboard Review By Jack Battleday

July 2, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

Over the last couple of weeks I have been riding the Liquid Force Peak 141cm wakeboard. I really enjoyed riding this board for so many different reasons.

The Peak has an all wood core which means it can be made thinner than hybrid boards, but still maintains its strength and in my opinion is one of the strongest boards out there. Because it’s thinner it also means that it’s a lot lighter which makes it super poppy for Ollie’ing onto obstacles and is great for air tricks.

I found that when I was riding it, it felt a lot more flexy and responsive in the tip and tail than other boards I had ridden before. It has edge channels and a centre concave on the base of the board. The edge channels mean you can ride without the fins and still have good control and hold on the water.

One thing I really noticed was how soft the landings off kickers were. I’m always cautious about hurting my knees when going big off kickers, but when riding the Peak the landings felt really soft and controlled. This is down to the centre concave which is a really good design in the board.

Overall I really enjoyed riding The Liquid Force Peak wakeboard and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is starting to hit the rails at the park all the way through to advanced.

Thanks Jack!

Wakeboarding, Water Skiing

A Guide to Water Ski, Wakeboard and Surf Ropes

June 17, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

The ropes used for powered water sports will vary from different construction methods to materials used. If you’re new to the sport you might have thought to yourself, ” why not just use some cheap blue building rope”. Well this guide to water ski, wakeboard and surf ropes will explain!

Water Ski Ropes

Not many people know that water skiing started back in 1922 when Ralph Samuelsson thought if you could ski on snow why not water. He and his brother experimented for many days until they discovered the trick to water skiing was to lean backwards, from this day water skiing was born and has developed into the well known sport it is today.

With water skiing the ropes are different in the respect they are rarely one continuous rope (unless beginner ropes), instead competition ropes come in 75ft lengths with either 5, 8 or 10 sections. These sections can be removed to shorten the length of the rope as you progress and also gives the ability to score higher in competitions with a higher ‘off’. To help make section identification simpler some ropes have ID sleeves and are colour co-ordinated; perfect for fast adjustment. A five or eight section rope will accommodate most abilities.

Water skiing ropes tend to stretch a little more than wakeboarding ropes as this stretch acts as a shock absorber, when the skier crosses the wake in between turns. Therefore these ropes are generally made from polypropylene but some riders still prefer no stretch Poly E ropes which are also available. The higher the weave number the less stretch it typically gives due to being stronger.

Unlike wakeboarding handles water skiing requires a smaller handle normally between 11-13 inches due to not performing aerial spins. To aid beginners with deep water starts companies introduced the deep V handle which gives the ability for the ski to be held upright whilst being pulled out of the water; something that many beginners struggle with.

Handle ergonomics is becoming extremely important for many riders. Water ski handles are now made from numerous materials from carbon to aluminium; along with varying EVA foam thicknesses and textures which is all down to personal preference.

Wakeboard Ropes

For many years surfing the waves at the beach has always been a favourite amongst holiday makers and enthusiasts. Throughout that time some were towed behind boats which lead Tony Finn to develop the skurfer in 1985, which made way for the development of the wakeboard and its ropes.

It’s useful to know wakeboard ropes should have a very small amount of stretch or none at all unlike water ski ropes; this property helps performing aerial tricks easier as you progress through the sport. Numerous technological developments have allowed wakeboard ropes to now be made from three materials:

Minimal stretch Polyethylene rope
Zero stretch Spectra rope
Zero stretch Dyneema rope

The cheapest of the three Polyethylene is readily available and is seen as a forgiving rope perfect for beginners due to having a 2-3% stretch under normal load giving the effect of a shock absorber perfect for any beginner rider.

Spectra is an industry favourite with many riders due to its unique properties. Spectra rope is ultra strong, 10 times stronger than steel in fact but remains lightweight as well as being extremely durable and will float preventing any unwanted propping!

Dyneema is similar to Spectra in being extremely strong outperforming many other synthetic ropes, but has the ability to resists both UV and salt water adding to its already high durability rating.

Selecting the right rope length, like getting the right sized shoe, is extremely important especially so as a beginner. The ideal length to start at is 65ft which can be shortened with the normal 5ft sections if you’re having trouble clearing the wake and as you develop the skills for aerial tricks you can lengthen the rope up to 75ft giving you greater ability to pick up speed as well as giving you more air time.

Similarly to water ski handles, wakeboard handles are made from numerous materials. Unlike water ski handles wakeboard handles are much wider 13-15 inches to allow passing of the handle behind your back whilst performing aerial tricks.

Wake Surf Ropes

Wake surfing if you’re unsure is surfing the wake of a boat, for this many people use fat sacs or the boats ballast system to fine tune the wake size. Due to requiring a slightly larger boat this is the least popular sport in comparison to water ski or wakeboarding but the popularity is steadily rising with the development of boat designs.

The ropes used for wake surfing are about 24ft or less in length due to the wake being extremely close to the boat. The ropes have numerous knots, EVA floats and sometimes handles to make it easier to move up and down the rope to find the perfect ‘sweet spot’ on the wake. Poly E or polypropylene are the main materials used for wake surf ropes so you have the best of both worlds a little stretch poly E rope or more stretch with the polypropylene.

It’s also important to note that ropes designed for any of the above water sports are not suitable for towing inflatable toys. Tow ropes are categorised based on the amount of riders/ weight of riders to provide adequate breaking strength.

Water Skiing

Trick Water Skiing

June 5, 2015 Tallington Lakes Leave a comment

Seen amongst water sport enthusiasts as the most technical water ski discipline due to the variety of tricks performed. These tricks are performed on small oval shaped water skis with advanced skiers using one ski whereas beginners use two for extra stability.

obrien pro trac trick water skis — O’Brien Pro Trac trick water skis; advanced skiers will only use one ski.

Trick Water Skiing Competition

Rather than a set course trick skiers are given two 20 second runs in which they will perform a variety of tricks. The first pass is for hand tricks (surface turns, rotations and flips off the wake) and the second pass is for toe tricks (wake rotations and turns) using only your foot to hold onto the handle.

In relation to scores, tricks cannot be repeated with each trick being assigned a points value. The most points overall from both runs wins which is determined by a panel of 5 judges.