# heel edge chatter - what technique to smooth it out?



## Guest (Mar 11, 2010)

When I try to carve with my heel side on steeper runs, I tend to have heel chatter where as my toe turns are always smooth. 

My heel side tend to traverse more or less on 45 degree towards the fall line instead of a nice arc.
How do I smooth our my heel turns and what could I be doing wrong?

Thanks in advance.


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## H2O(s) (Dec 4, 2009)

What angle are your highbacks set at? Getting a little more angle from your highbacks would help that heelside edge dig in and be less prone to slipping out and chattering.


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## Guest (Mar 11, 2010)

H2O(s) said:


> What angle are your highbacks set at? Getting a little more angle from your highbacks would help that heelside edge dig in and be less prone to slipping out and chattering.



My highbacks are set flat - no angle.


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## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

Bend your knees?


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## mallrat (Oct 27, 2009)

You sure you're in a carve and not side slipping more than you think?

Maybe you're too far forward?


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## Guest (Mar 11, 2010)

Bend your knees man.
Try doing grab turns to improve that
Andd grab turns look so dumb if your watching it, but it just might work for yah
When your on your heel edge, grab your toe edge with your hands
And when your on your toe edge, your supposed to grab your heel edge but its pretty much impossible to do, so just grab onto your highbacks.

Hope that works!


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2010)

mallrat said:


> You sure you're in a carve and not side slipping more than you think?
> 
> Maybe you're too far forward?


Bingo! I think I'm side slipping.

If it's green flat run, I can carve a thin line on my heel edge. But when it gets choppy and steep, I start side slipping. Any suggestion as to improving my technique?

Yes. I bent my knees.


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## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

What's the word on your board? Edges shit?

Bataleons can have the issue your talking about

And you may not be bending your knees enough bud


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## Magnum626 (Dec 31, 2009)

I'll go with everyone else and say bend your knees more and really get down over your board. If your knees are bent and over your board you should be holding your edge really well and making a single line. What board and size are you?


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## The_Guchi (Nov 1, 2009)

Milo303 said:


> Bend your knees?


that is 100% your solution there


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

bent knees, get really low on the board....and raise or lift your toes in the boots

also sounds like you might be traversing too much and its sketching/washing out...point it...initiate your turns earlier/faster...perhaps do cross under edge changes.


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## rasmasyean (Jan 26, 2008)

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/tips-tricks-instructors/24372-heel-side-slippage.html


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## Guest (Mar 16, 2010)

get really low.. bend your knees... get your butt down.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

I say it is either bend your knees, or just not enough heel side response. Rocking a forward lean on your bindings' highbacks will help with the latter issue. Hell, it could be both problems.

And what's wrong with a board grab while you heelside? I think it is steeze to look at. Takes more balance than one would think. Also depends on how long one can hold that grab while carving heelside.


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## Guest (Mar 16, 2010)

Maybe your feet are positioned too far out leading to choppy carving. I had some chatter problems too. My friend recommended changing my bindings for the back foot (I'm regular). I was at 15/9 and I changed my back foot to 3. I didn't think it would really matter. but it made a world of difference for me the other day when it came to bombing down the blacks. No chatter and much smoother control.


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## IDW72 (Feb 18, 2014)

Milo303 said:


> What's the word on your board? Edges shit?
> 
> Bataleons can have the issue your talking about
> 
> And you may not be bending your knees enough bud


Anyone know if this is the case with Bataleons?

I returned to boarding after a 5 year break (been diving lots) and bought a 156 Bataleon Whatever, malavita bindings and wear 10.5 ions.

Whenever performing a heel edge that is moving out the tail more than 45 degrees it starts slipping and losing the edge on the heel side only, toe side is rock solid.

My old board was a 166 Rome Anthem and I never got the issue with that, with P1 bindings.

I'm 6'1 and just under 200lbs, I've checked for any overhang and my heelbacks are set to the heel edge so no angle.

I know I've spent a long time out, but it feels just like riding a bike... But this bike has a wonky set of handlebars 

Any advice would be much appreciated, I'm off for another week soon and would like some thoughts on how to crack this.


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## Mel M (Feb 2, 2012)

In addition to what everyone here is mentioning about bending your knees, which is probably the biggest issue, you need to pay attention to fore-aft movement to smooth out your turns. Make sure you sit slightly aft of your board at the end of your turn because that's the part of the turn where most of the pressure gets built.


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

smoothness is very important when carving. you need to carry you speed over when changing direction hense the fore-after movement. if you just throw the board around especially at high speed, its gonna wash out.


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## pencap75 (Dec 10, 2008)

Re: Bataleons, there is nothing wrong with Bataleons. What you probably are experiencing is the wobbliness of TBT when you transitioning toe to heel, but once you engage the heel carve, its as solid as any. I personally love Bataleons, and think TBT with camber is the best for carving and lightning quick edge changes... but its personal taste, some people don't like the wobbliness. 

IDW72, you probably feel heel side skittishness because you probably are skidding on the TBT and not really carving on your heel side edge.

I ride a Jam, but I just ordered a 2013 Enemy for a heavy discount since its discontinued.

As for the OP, he probably is skidding and not really carving. I notice 90% of snowboardsers don't really carve, they just skid around.


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## IDW72 (Feb 18, 2014)

Thanks for feedback folks, appreciate the input.

I agree I'm probably not carving properly on heel edge... so have arranged for a couple of lessons to look at it... never had any lessons before, so it's probably all for the best.

Will stick to the Bataleon, glad to hear it's not an inherent issue, and will just work to adapt to it.

Have fun folks


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