Abstract: A highback for controlling a gliding board, such as a snowboard, through leg movement of a rider. The highback is comprised of at least two distinct materials with different stiffnesses to achieve a desired blend of stiffness and flexibility. The highback may employ a material of greater stiffness in one or more regions to provide high force transmission between the rider and the board. The highback may employ a material of lesser stiffness in one or more regions where flexibility is desired for more gradual power transmission, comfort and/or to facilitate highback adjustability. The arrangement of the different materials provides a lightweight highback with a relatively sleek profile having selected regions of stiffness and/or flexibility.

Abstract: A highback for controlling a gliding board, such as a snowboard, through leg movement of a rider. The highback is comprised of at least two distinct materials with different stiffnesses to achieve a desired blend of stiffness and flexibility. The highback may employ a material of greater stiffness in one or more regions to provide high force transmission between the rider and-the board. The highback may employ a material of lesser stiffness in one or more regions where flexibility is desired for more gradual power transmission, comfort and/or to facilitate highback adjustability. The arrangement of the different materials provides a lightweight highback with a relatively sleek profile having selected regions of stiffness and/or flexibility.

Abstract: A highback for controlling a gliding board, such as a snowboard, through leg movement of a rider. The highback is comprised of at least two distinct materials with different stiffnesses to achieve a desired blend of stiffness and flexibility. The highback may employ a material of greater stiffness in one or more regions to provide high force transmission between the rider and the board. The highback may employ a material of lesser stiffness in one or more regions where flexibility is desired for more gradual power transmission, comfort and/or to facilitate highback adjustability. The arrangement of the different materials provides a lightweight highback with a relatively sleek profile having selected regions of stiffness and/or flexibility.

Abstract: A highback for controlling a gliding board, such as a snowboard, through leg movement of a rider. The highback is comprised of at least two distinct materials with different stiffnesses to achieve a desired blend of stiffness and flexibility. The highback may employ a material of greater stiffness in one or more regions to provide high force transmission between the rider and the board. The highback may employ a material of lesser stiffness in one or more regions where flexibility is desired for more gradual power transmission, comfort and/or to facilitate highback adjustability. The arrangement of the different materials provides a lightweight highback with a relatively sleek profile having selected regions of stiffness and/or flexibility.

Abstract: A highback for controlling a gliding board, such as a snowboard, through leg movement of a rider. The highback is comprised of at least two distinct materials with different stiffnesses to achieve desired blend of stiffness and flexibility. The highback may employ a material of greater stiffness in one or more regions to provide high force transmission between the rider and the board. The highback may employ a material of lesser stiffness in one or more regions where flexibility is desired for more gradual power transmission, comfort and/or to facilitate highback adjustability. The arrangement of the different materials provides a lightweight highback with a relatively sleek profile having selected regions of stiffness and/or flexibility.

Abstract: To protect a body sensitive to impact or pressure, e.g. the backbone of a two-wheeled vehicle rider or of an athlete, several, at least partially uniform, essentially compression-resistant elements (1; 1a-1d; 1'), expediently in the form of blocks or loops (1'), are arranged essentially directly adjoining one another and joined flexibly and with high tension strength to one another along their inner surfaces (10a) or edges facing the body. The connection is provided preferably with the aid of a strip-shaped layer (2) of cloth, metal or plastic foil to which the elements (1; 1a-1d; 1') are attached with high tension strength by cementing, tacking or in another manner.