Over the holiday, I had the chance to get out and snowboard in Minnesota with family and friends a few different times.  Before the season really got under way, my Brother-In-Law needed a new board so I helped him out.  After a long search, we ended up finding a killer deal on the Ride Kink from The-House.com, so he snagged it up.  Lucky for me, my bro came with me two of the days, so I had the chance to take some turns on his new board.

Review of the Ride Kink

Board: 155 Ride Kink

Shape: Twin

Stance: Goofy

Bindings: Burton Custom

Snow Conditions: Midwest hard packed groomers

My thoughts before I rode the board… After talking with many different people about the Kink, I was a little nervous that the board was going to be a wet noodle on the snow.  The Kink is Ride’s premier indestructible park board.  It is designed to slay the rails and rule the park.  Every shop I talked to said it was crazy flexible and that it might not be good for the whole mountain.  Every owner of the Kink I talked to said that they thought the board was going to be more flexible than it was.  My buddy even told be he wished it was a bit more flexible.  All of the owners also use their kinks for the whole mountain (if you can call them mountains in the Midwest).  Overall I was not sure that I put my brother-in-law on the right board.

My Thoughts of the Kink

Lets start off with the flex of the board seeing that is what I was most worried about.  I don’t think the board is as flexible as everyone thinks.  It is soft, but I still had to work to get the tips of the board off of the ground.  Once you did get the board into a press it seemed to hold pretty well.  I thought the flex of the board was smooth from the tip to the tail.  I like a board that I can press and hold.  The kink fits that description well.  Overall I thought it was going to be easier to flex, but I did like the consistant flex throughout the whole board.

As I rode the Kink… I was impressed.  It transitioned from edge to edge very well, and it held up a high speeds.  As I pointed the board down the hill it felt stable the whole time.  The board did not chatter on the hard snow, and it held an edge well.  What I noticed most as I rode the Kink was the pop of the board.  It felt like I could ollie 6 inches higher than I could on other boards.  This pumped up my tires.  The pop of the kink is the board’s biggest attribute if you ask me.  The pop is the one thing that stands out in my mind the most.  I instantly forgot about the flex once I popped off the tail for the first time.  Unreal!

My Overall Thoughts:  For a rider in the Midwest where most of the hills are becoming snowboard park wonderlands, I would say that anyone who picks up a Kink has made a good decision.  If you are just starting in the sport of snowboarding the Kink is a good board to learn on and it is a very versatile board for the whole hill.  It provides a smooth flex to learn butters and presses, and you will be able to fly off off jumps if that is your cup of tea.  If you want to take your park riding to the next level, the Kink is going to be a good board for you.

All in all, I would buy a Ride Kink in a heart beat.  The pop is something I love and will never forget.  It turned well and it’s not going to fold up on you when you hit a rail or point it down the hill.  If you are looking for a good all around board, I would consider the Kink 100%.  It’s going to hold up, and be a board that will last you a long time if you take care of it.

If you want to learn more about the Kink and hear what others are saying about the board, check it out on Ride’s Website.  Enjoy your winter, and if you have a chance to get on a Kink while your Boarding the Midwest All Day, Everyday, DO IT!!

To wakeboard at a cable park is becoming an easier task for everyone in the world.  Cable parks like Wake Nation are coming out of the wood work.  Take an inside look at Wake Nation as I interview Luke who has been managing this cable park since the start of it.  Get some insight and get to the nearest cable.  I promise you won’t regret it.

Wake Nation Interview

Click here if you cannot view the video of my Wake Nation interview!

In the wakeboard industry cable parks have blown up around the world.  In the Midwest we only have about 6 months where we can wakeboard, so what are the cable parks going to do when there is snow on the ground?  Can we use cable systems to snowboard?

This is a question I have been asking myself for awhile now.  I have seen videos of people using the new Sesitec system on the snow, but what about the bigger cable parks that are being built in every state?  These systems usually have fixed towers and can only be used during the summer.  Why can’t they be used during the winter to create a cable park business that will last all year.

To me it makes perfect sense.  You could use the water from the lake to make endless amounts of snow, and the layout of the park can be left to your imagination.  I guess more equipment would be required to run an operation like this, but isn’t that better than being shut down for 6 months out of the year?

This idea intrigues the crap out of me, and I think snowboard cable parks could revolutionize the snowboard industry like cable parks have revolutionized the wakeboard industry.  I would not want to see these ran as different businesses as much as I would like to open a cable park in the Midwest where we could snowboard and wakeboard all year.  Hey, I guess that just goes with my idea of Boarding the Midwest All Day, Everyday.

It is imperative that everyone in the Midwest knows about another way they can Board the Midwest All day, Everyday.  So guess what I have for you today?!?!  Flow Rider baby.  A company named WaveLoch started in 1991 and has came up with a legit way to surf without the ocean by way of a contraption called the Flow Rider.  Their company has grown into a full blown wave producing machine that produces waves of different varieties for every skill level. 

Flow Rider type waves are going to improve your board skills 100%.  No doubt about it.  This is also planned into the Ultimate Training Facility I believe the Midwest could use more than ever.  If you haven’t heard of WaveLoch yet, be on the lookout because I beleive this is going to be everywhere!  For more on Flow Rider and WaveLoch be sure to click on the picture above.  Their site explains everything I am so excited about.  If your state or town doesn’t have this yet, start spreading the word on how you want to Board the Midwest All Day, Everyday, and I am sure they will come running your way!     

It wasn’t long ago that I was telling you how to put your snowboard away, and here we are with the snowboard season just around the corner.  I couldn’t be more happy about it.  With that being said, here are a few things you should do before you hit the slopes.

Prep. for the Snowboard Season

1.  Set some snowboard goals  – Want to learn new tricks, shred the black diamonds, set some goals.

2.  Jump on your balance boards – Balance is key for snowboarding, think about boning out that grab, or nose pressing that double kinked rail.

3.  Look for discounts on season passes -  This is your chance to save some cash, don’t miss it.

4.  Watch new snowboard videos – Help support the folks who put them together, and learn a new trick in the process.

5.  Plan your trips early – You won’t have to run around last minute, and it will give you something to look forward to.

6. Tell everyone about your favorite hill – Then they will all go there this year.

7.  Start Stretching – You know you are going to bail, so the more limber you are, the better!

What do you do to get ready for the snowboard season?

Ladies and Gentalmen, Wakeboarders and Wakesurfers, this is your time to shine!  In the wakeboard and wakesurf industries I hear people asking how to weigh their boat for the perfect wake/wave all of the time.  Because of this I have put together a survey about this exact question.  With your participation, I would like to start a page on JonathanTollefson.com that highlights your set-up.  Together we can end this question!

Click on the screen shot above, or Click Here to take the survey.  Also email me a picture of your boat at jonathantollefson@gmail.com, and I will add it to your set up page!!  THANK YOU for your time!

Lake Cumberland is known for many different reasons.  Our crew knows this lake for some of the best wakeboard territory available and for fun in the sun.  We had three days in crazy hot weather, and spent nearly every hour on the boat wakeboarding.  Lake Cumberland pumped us up so much that there is a very good chance we will take another wakeboard trip there in 2011.  We captured a lot of our trip on tape, so sit back and enjoy the video I put together of our crew riding on Lake Cumberland.

Wakeboarding Lake Cumberland 2010

P.S. It stays hot in Kentucky long enough for you to wakeboard further into the season, which means I have just found another way for you to Board the Midwest All Day, Everyday.

At a recent wakeboard event I had the chance to stop by the Hylerlite tent, and to my surprise, I ended up walking into a tent that is revolutionizing the wakeboard industry.  As I walked in, what I instantly saw was a whole new binding system that is like nothing else.  The boots are separate from the binders, and the binders are tweaked to fit the wakeboarding lifestyle.  I believe so much is going to come from this, and I can’t wait to get this system on my feet to demo.  This new system has already hit the streets and I can’t wait to hear more about it.  From here I will let Hyperlite tell you the rest.  Click on the web-shot I took from their website for more information on this binding system.  I can tell you this, Hyperlite is making it easier for all of us to Board the Midwest All Day, Everyday.

Wakeboard Revolution

The past weekend was an epic wakeboard weekend for me.  New tricks were not invented and 1080′s were not thrown off of double ups, but  two people have been added to the wakeboard world and an sixty year old man proudly shredded the Mississippi River.  Another reason the weekend was so epic is because all three of these people who hit the water are all a part of my family.  I have been wakeboarding for over 10 years, and I have to say that this is the first time this has ever happened.  After joining together as a family in the wakeboard world this past weekend, I am completely Amped to spread the word of wakeboarding to other families, parents, friends, brothers, sisters, grandmas, and grandpas. This past weekend proves that wakeboarding is a family sport, so the next time you are out on your boat, make sure to give a family member a call to come out and shred the knar.

The New Wakeboarders

This is my sister Nicki.  This picture shows you the first time she has been up on a wakeboard ever.  Wouldn’t you know it, she called me the other day asking me to find her a board.  I am so glad she came out on the boat, and gave wakeboarding a try.  She got up on her second try, and looked like a natural on the board!

Who would have thought?  My brother-in-law Cory is back on the water and wakeboarding for his first time ever.  He was a little skepticle if he was going to get up, but we knew he was not going to let my sister show him up.  Keeping it short, he is talking about selling their camping trailer to buy a boat.  A boat that I will probably be jealous of for the rest of the time I am alive!  That is just what he does and how he rolls!

Well Ladies and Gentleman, this is my Dad.  Pauly is in his sixties, and still killing it on a wakeboard.  If this isn’t inspiration to get out and get yourself on a wakeboard, I don’t know what is.  If I had to set a goal for myself it would be to wakeboard well into my sixties.  I don’t see anything stopping my dad, and I really don’t see any reason why we all can’t Board the Midwest All Day, Everyday.  Mom, U R up next!!

I have heard this snowboard question before, and I am here to answer it today.  At what age can your kids start snowboarding?  If you ask me, I would start teaching them as soon as they walk.

I bought my niece her first snowboard when she was three.  From there we took her to the backyard and to a couple super small hills.  We did not take her to a resort.  Just find a hill where your kids can pick up a little bit of speed.  This will allow them to ride in a very safe environment, and it will let them learn how it feels to have a board strapped to their feet.  You will be amazed how well balanced kids are and how fast they catch on to riding the board down the hill.

The most important part is that you make sure your kids are having fun.  It should also be fun teaching them how to shred.  When they are little you will be pushing them all over the hill which lets you make up all kinds of games and activities to keep their mind into it.  I think if you start your kids young there is a good chance you will soon be Boarding the Midwest All Day, Everyday.