Gliding board

Abstract

A gliding board, such as a snowboard, is constructed and arranged so that the board is suited for different riding conditions that benefit from different board arrangements and/or for different riding styles that also may benefit from varying board configurations. Nose, tail, overall dimensions, and binding mounting locations may be varied to achieve a balance of desired board performance characteristics.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/264,341, filed on Jan. 26, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to a gliding board and, more particularly, to a snowboard.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Specially configured boards for gliding along a surface are known, such as snowboards, snow skis, water skis, wake boards, surfboards and the like. For purposes herein, “gliding board” refers generally to any of the foregoing boards as well as to other devices which allow a rider to traverse a surface.

[0004] Gliding enthusiasts typically prefer to ride their boards on a variety of different surface terrain or conditions, and also may enjoy different styles of riding. Snowboards, for example, are ridden on many different surface conditions, such as deep powder as well as dense groomed or hard packed snow. There are several styles of snowboard riding, including freeride which favors long runs down a mountain and freestyle which emphasizes jumps and tricks, including spins and other aerial moves, that may be performed in a half pipe or a terrain park. A snowboarder may enjoy both freestyle and freeride styles of riding and may find herself in powder conditions on one run and groomed terrain on the next. Snowboards have been designed to enhance performance in a particular snow condition or for a particular style of riding. Thus, longer boards, typically greater than 160 cm or 162 cm are preferred for powder riding since the greater length enhances the ability of the board to “float”, that is, to remain within or on top of the powder rather than sinking deeply into the snow. Longer boards, however, are more difficult to spin in the air, making it harder to ride in a terrain park or in the half pipe. These and other competing design factors may come into play when planning and constructing a snowboard that may be ridden in both powder and dense snow conditions, as well as for a board that may be ridden in a terrain park or half pipe as well as down trails. Commercially available snowboards, consequently, typically are tailored for a particular terrain or riding style, and while the snowboard may be ridden in other conditions or using a different riding form, the performance properties of the board may be less desirable than when ridden in the intended fashion or targeted condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, a gliding board is constructed and arranged so as to strike a good balance in the performance properties characterized by two or more styles of riding and/or two or more types of terrain or surface conditions.

[0006] Where the gliding board is a snowboard, one aspect of the invention provides a board that is suitable for riding in powder and on hard packed or groomed snow and, or alternatively, a board that is amenable to spinning in the half pipe or park as well as deep powder riding.

[0007] In one embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, is provided including an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction. The nose has a largest width in the edge to edge direction that is at least about 2 cm, and less than about 8.0 cm, greater than a largest width of the tail in the edge-to-edge direction.

[0008] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction. The nose and tail may be curved upwardly away from the running length. The elongated member has an overall length of less than about 162 cm, a largest nose width in the edge to edge direction of at least about 30 cm, and a tail length of less than about 19.0 cm, and a largest tail width in said edge-to-edge direction of at least about 25 cm.

[0009] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction. The nose and tail may be curved upwardly away from the running length. The elongated member has an overall length of less than about 160 cm, a largest nose width in the edge to edge direction of at least about 30 cm, and a tail length of less than about 19.0 cm, and a largest tail width in said edge-to-edge direction of at least about 25 cm.

[0010] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction. The nose and tail may be curved upwardly away from the running length. The elongated member has an overall length of less than about 162 cm, a largest nose width in the edge to edge direction of at least about 30 cm, a nose length of greater than about 22 cm, and a largest tail width in said edge-to-edge direction of at least about 25 cm.

[0011] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction. The nose and tail may be curved upwardly away from the running length. The elongated member has an overall length of less than about 160 cm, a largest nose width in the edge to edge direction of at least about 30 cm, a nose length of greater than about 22 cm, and a largest tail width in said edge-to-edge direction of at least about 25 cm.

[0012] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, and a running length extending between the nose and the tail. The nose and tail may be curved upwardly away from the running length. The nose and the tail each having a length in a nose to tail direction, a ratio of the nose length to the tail length being at least about 1.45 and less than about 2.75.

[0013] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, and a running length extending between the nose and the tail. The nose and tail may be curved upwardly away from the running length. The nose and the tail each having a length in a nose to tail direction, a ratio of the nose length to the tail length being at least about 1.5 and less than about 2.75.

[0014] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and a mid-line defining the center of the running length. The nose and tail may be curved upwardly away from the running length. The elongated member includes a first and a second binding mounting location corresponding to a front and a back binding, the first binding mounting location positioned between the mid-line and the tail and the second binding mounting location positioned between the mid-line and the nose, wherein the first and second binding mounting locations are offset in a direction of the tail more than 25 mm from the mid-line.

[0015] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction. The nose and tail may be curved upwardly away from the running length. The elongated member has an overall length less than about 162 cm, a largest nose width greater than 30 cm and which is at least 1.5 cm greater than a largest tail width, the nose having a length greater than about 22 cm, the tail having a length of less than about 19 cm, and a largest tail width in said edge-to-edge direction of at least about 25 cm.

[0016] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction. The nose and tail may be curved upwardly away from the running length. The elongated member has an overall length less than about 160 cm, a largest nose width greater than 30 cm and which is at least 1.5 cm greater than a largest tail width, the nose having a length greater than about 22 cm, the tail having a length of less than about 19 cm, and a largest tail width in said edge-to-edge direction of at least about 25 cm.

[0017] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, and a running length extending between the nose and the tail. The nose and the tail are curved upwardly away from the running length and each have a largest width in an edge-to-edge direction of the board and a length. The board includes a mid-line defining the center of the running length and first and second binding mounting locations preformed in the board. The first binding mounting location is positioned between the mid-line and the tail, and the second binding mounting location is positioned between the mid-line and the nose. The gliding board has at least three of the following dimensions and structural arrangements:

[0018] an overall length less than about 162 cm, a largest nose width greater than 30 cm, a largest nose width more than 1.5 cm, and less than about 8.0 cm, greater than a largest tail width, a nose length greater than about 22 cm, a tail length less than about 19 cm, first and second binding mounting locations that are off-set from a mid-line of the board more than 25 mm in a direction of the tail.

[0019] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, and a running length extending between the nose and the tail. The nose and the tail are curved upwardly away from the running length and each have a largest width in an edge-to-edge direction of the board and a length. The board includes a mid-line defining the center of the running length and first and second binding mounting locations preformed in the board. The first binding mounting location is positioned between the mid-line and the tail, and the second binding mounting location is positioned between the mid-line and the nose. The gliding board has at least three of the following dimensions and structural arrangements:

[0020] an overall length less than about 160 cm, a largest nose width greater than 30 cm, a largest nose width more than 1.5 cm, and less than about 8.0 cm, greater than a largest tail width, a nose length greater than about 22 cm, a tail length less than about 19 cm, first and second binding mounting locations that are off-set from a mid-line of the board more than 25 mm in a direction of the tail.

[0021] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a waist, and a running length extending between the nose and the tail. The nose and the tail are curved upwardly away from the running length and each has a largest width in an edge-to-edge direction of the board. The waist has a narrowest waist width in the edge-to-edge direction. The largest nose width is greater than 30 cm and between 20 and 25 percent greater than the narrowest waist width.

[0022] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a waist, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction. The nose and tail are curved upwardly away from the running length and each has a largest width in the edge-to-edge direction. The waist has a narrowest width in the edge-to-edge direction. The largest nose width is greater than about 25 cm, at least 2 cm greater than the largest tail width and less than 1.30 times the narrowest waist width.

[0023] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a waist, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction. The nose and tail are curved upwardly away from the running length and each has a largest width in the edge-to-edge direction. The waist has a narrowest waist width in the edge-to-edge direction. The largest nose width is greater than about 30 cm, and a ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest nose width is greater than about 0.77. A ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest tail width is greater than about 0.85. A ratio of the largest nose width to the largest tail width is about 1.10.

[0024] In another embodiment of the invention, a gliding board, such as a snowboard, includes an elongated member having a nose, a tail, an edge-to-edge direction, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and a sidecut extending along the running length. The nose and tail are curved upwardly away from the running length and each has a largest nose width in the edge-to-edge direction. The sidecut includes a side cut depth and a sidecut length. The largest nose width is greater than about 30 cm and at least 2 cm greater than the largest tail width. A ratio of the sidecut depth to the side cut length is about 0.02.

[0025] Various aspects of the invention identified above and/or described below may be combined with one or more other aspects of the invention in any suitable way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] It should be understood that the drawings are provided for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to define the limits of the invention. Various aspects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a top view of a gliding board, in the illustrated case a snowboard, in accordance with the present invention; and

[0028] FIG. 2 is a side view of the snowboard illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In at least one embodiment, the invention is directed to a versatile gliding board characterized by performance properties suitable for two or more riding styles and/or use in two or more surface conditions. The inventive board has particular application to a gliding implement that is rideable in both coarse and dense conditions, such as powder and either hard packed or groomed trails, when the gliding board is a snowboard. The inventive board also is suited to a gliding implement that may be spun in the air as well as ridden along a trail, and where the gliding implement is a snowboard may be ridden freeride all over a mountain and freestyle, performing spins and other aerial maneuvers, in the half pipe or park.

[0030] For ease of understanding, and without limiting the scope of the invention, illustrative embodiments of the inventive gliding board to which this patent is addressed are disclosed below particularly in connection with a snowboard. It should be appreciated, however, that the inventive board may be embodied in a gliding implement that is used to traverse a terrain other than snow, such as grass, dirt, ice, water, sand, and other surfaces. Further, while the gliding board for use on snow is discussed in connection with a snowboard, the invention is not limited in that respect and other devices for traversing snow also are contemplated.

[0031] In one illustrative embodiment, the snowboard of the present invention is particularly suited for riding in deep powder as well as for traversing more dense terrain such as hard packed or groomed trails. It should be appreciated, however, that the two or more disparate conditions in which the inventive snowboard is designed for riding are not limited only to powder and compact snow as should be apparent to one of skill in the art. Although embodiments of the inventive snowboard permit a snowboarder to ride freestyle and freeride, the two or more different riding styles enabled by the present invention are not limited only to these two riding preferences but include other riding forms as should be apparent to one of skill in the art.

[0032] Thus, in one embodiment, a gliding board allows a rider to use her board on different terrains that demand different board performance properties and to switch amongst different riding styles that, too, emphasize different board characteristics. The subject board may be arranged for any one of the riding conditions and/or riding styles indicated above, or may be configured for a combination of such riding styles and/or conditions. For example, the gliding board, where embodied as a snowboard, may be arranged for riding in powder, riding in powder and on hard pack, riding in powder and in the half pipe (free style), or riding in powder, on hard pack and in the half pipe. The exact specification and construction of a particular board encompassed by the invention ultimately will depend upon the performance properties that are desired.

[0033] A snowboard 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1, includes a nose 12, a tail 14, and a running length 16 extending between the nose and the tail that defines the effective length of the board that actually contacts the snow on flat terrain. The dimensions and relative dimensions of the board are especially designed to provide the desired balance in performance properties, and the relevant variables include the overall length, nose width and length, tail width and length, waist width, taper, and binding mounting location offset. The overall length 18 is the distance between the absolute tip of the tail to the absolute tip of the nose. The nose width NW is defined as the largest distance in an edge-to-edge direction in the nose section of the board, while the tail width TW is defined as the largest distance in an edge-to-edge direction in the tail section of the board. The length NL of the nose section runs from the transition point or junction of the essentially flat running length to the upwardly curving shovel shape of the nose and to the absolute tip of the nose, and a similar length defines the tail section TL. The board may be provided with one or more sets of binding mounting locations 20, 22 that, as shown, may include internally threaded insert fasteners. The front and back binding mounting locations may be offset in the direction of the tail to enhance the float properties of the board in connection with riding in powder.

[0034] The float of a board in powder or powder like snow is influenced by the width of the nose and may be characterized by the difference in width between the nose and the tail and/or by the ratio of the nose width to tail width. The board may be provided with a nose width that is at least about 15 mm, and less than about 80 mm, greater than the tail width, preferably is provided with a nose width that is at least about 18 mm, and less than about 80 mm, greater than the tail width, more preferably at least about 20 mm, and less than about 75 mm, greater than the tail width, and even more preferably is provided with a nose width that is at least about 25 mm, and less than about 70 mm, greater than the tail width. In one embodiment developed by Burton, the nose width is about 25 mm greater than the tail width. In another embodiment developed by Burton, the nose width is about 30 mm greater than the tail width.

[0035] Comparing the nose width and the tail width by percent difference, the board may be provided with a nose width that is between 5 and 20 percent greater than the tail width, and more preferably between 7.5 and 15 percent greater than the tail width. In one embodiment developed by Burton, the nose width is about 9 percent greater than the tail width. In another embodiment developed by Burton, the nose width is about 10.5 percent greater than the tail width. In still another embodiment developed by Burton, the nose width is about 11 percent greater than the tail width. The inventive board may have a nose width to tail width ratio of greater than about 1.05, preferably greater than about 1.07, more preferably greater than about 1.09 and even more preferably greater than about 1.10. In one embodiment, the board has a nose width to tail width ratio of 1.091. In another embodiment, the board has a nose width to tail width ratio of 1.106. In yet another embodiment, the board has a nose width to tail width ratio of 1.105.

[0036] The width of the nose and its influence on the board's float in powder-like snow may also be characterized by the difference in width between the nose and waist. The board may be provided with a largest nose width that is between 20 and 25 percent greater than the narrowest waist width. In an embodiment developed by Burton, the largest nose width is about 22 percent greater than the narrowest waist width. Characterizing the difference between the nose width and the waist width in an alternative fashion, the largest nose width is less than 1.30 times the narrowest waist width, and more preferably less than 1.25 times the narrowest waist width. In an embodiment developed by Burton, the nose width is about 1.22 times the narrowest waist width.

[0037] Comparing various dimensions of the inventive board from a different perspective, a ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest nose width is greater than about 0.77. In an embodiment developed by Burton, the ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest nose width is about 0.81. A ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest tail width is about 0.85. In another embodiment developed by Burton, the ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest tail width is about 0.86. In another embodiment developed by Burton, the ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest tail width is about 0.90. In a further embodiment developed by Burton, the ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest tail width is about 0.92.

[0038] The length of the nose and of the tail, in combination with other board dimensions, also departs from conventional board arrangements. The nose may have a length greater than about 22 cm, more preferably greater than about 23.5 cm, and even more preferably greater than about 25 cm. In one embodiment, the nose has a length of about 24. In another embodiment, the nose has a length of about 25 cm. The tail may have a length less than about 19 cm, more preferably less than about 17.5 cm, and even more preferably less than about 16 cm. In one embodiment, the board has a tail length of 16 cm.

[0039] The overall length of the board may impact the float of the board when freeriding in powder as well as the maneuverability and rotation of the board when freestyle riding in the park or half pipe. Longer boards, such as those greater than about 160 cm, are less likely to sink in powder while shorter boards, those less than about 160 cm, are more suited to aerials and tricks. Certain embodiments of the present board possess strong floating properties while still being amenable to spinning in the pipe and park. Such versatile boards may have a length of less than 162 cm, preferably less than 160 cm, more preferably less than 158 cm, and even more preferably less than 155 cm. In an embodiment developed by Burton, the board has an overall length of 150 cm. In another embodiment developed by Burton, the board has an overall length of 156.5 cm. In yet another embodiment developed by Burton, the board has an overall length of 160 cm. With a shorter board, comes the added benefit that the board is lighter; it is observed that board manufacturers strive to reduce the weight of a board without adversely affecting performance properties.

[0040] A still further way to characterize the board is to consider the ratio of the nose length to the tail length. A larger nose length may provide enhanced performance in deep powder riding and a ratio of greater than 1.45 and less than 2.75, preferably greater than 1.48 and less than about 2.75, more preferably greater than 1.5 and less than 2.70, even more preferably greater than 1.53 and less than 2.70, and still more preferably greater than 1.56 and less than 2.65 are contemplated.

[0041] The binding mounting locations may be offset from the mid-line of the effective length and positioned closer to the tail of the board, providing a longer segment of the board between the front binding and the absolute outer tip of the nose that may influence the ability of the board to float in powder and powder-like conditions. It is conventional for the insert pattern in a Burton board, whether tailored for powder, compact snow conditions, freeride or freestyle riding, to be offset towards the tail no more than 25 mm from the mid-line of the effective length. In certain embodiments of the present board, the front and back binding mounting locations, which correspond to one or more pairs of insert fastener patterns prearranged in the board, are offset rearward of the effective length mid-line by at least about 30 mm, preferably by at least about 50 mm, even more preferably by at least about 75 mm, and even further more preferably by at least about 100 mm. In an embodiment developed by Burton, the complementary front and back insert fasteners are offset about 100 mm from the mid-line of the effective length. In another embodiment developed by Burton, the fasteners are offset about 75 mm from the mid-line of the effective length.

[0042] Accordingly, the present board provides an arrangement that particularly is suited for powder riding, yet also is easy to ride on hardpack and groomed runs and, or alternatively, in the terrain park and in half pipes. The board may be tailored for a specific one of these riding conditions or styles or may be arranged for any combination of such riding conditions or styles.

[0043] In one illustrated embodiment of the present board, the overall length of the board is 150 cm and the running length, also known as the sidecut length, is 110 cm. The nose has a width of 30.05 cm and a length of 24. The tail has a width of 27.55 cm and a length of 16 cm. The waist has a width of 24.7 cm. The ratio of the nose length to tail length is 1.50. The taper, that is the difference between the nose width and the tail width, is 2.5 cm. The sidecut depth is 2.05 cm. In another illustrated embodiment, the overall length of the board is 156.5 cm while the running length is 115.5 cm. The nose has a width of 31.25 cm and a length of 25 cm, while the tail has a width of 28.25 cm and a length of 16.0 cm. The waist has a width of 25.5 cm. The ratio of nose length to tail length is 1.56 to 1. The taper of the board is 3 cm. The sidecut depth is 2.125 cm. The nose may have a height from 5 to 6 cm, and typically the tail height is between 0.5 to 1.5 cm shorter than the nose.

[0044] In yet another illustrated embodiment, the overall length of the board is 160 cm and the running length is 119 cm. The nose has a width of 31.6 cm and a length of 25 cm, while the tail has a width of 28.6 cm and a length of 16.0 cm. The waist has a width of 25.8 cm. The ratio of nose length to tail length is 1.56. The board taper is 3 cm. The sidecut depth is 2.15 cm.

[0045] As indicated earlier, the invention is not limited to a board with these specific dimensions or any of the dimensions recited in this specification, and other widths and lengths whether of the same or varying proportions to that described and illustrated are contemplated. Further, one or more of the dimensions, relationships between dimensions, or structural arrangements of a board in an embodiment disclosed above could be modified to change or eliminate a performance property yet still be within the scope of the invention. For example, the overall length of the illustrated board could be increased one or more centimeters and even beyond 160 cm if desired and while the increase in length may make it more difficult to rotate the board 360° while in the air, the longer board would still have a nose to tail width ratio within one of the ranges mentioned above, and, consequently, would still be within the scope of the contemplated invention. Also instructive is that the insert patterns corresponding to the front and back bindings may be offset 25 mm from the mid-line in the conventional Burton manner, yet the board because of its nose and tail dimensions still provides advantageous floating properties as compared to a board with a narrower nose or a smaller taper, and such a board is still encompassed by the present invention. Thus, the invention is not limited only to a board that includes all of the beneficial arrangements discussed above but, rather, encompasses any board that includes one or more of these particular dimensional attributes or structural arrangements. Of course, as should be appreciated by one of skill in the art, many other board specifications come within the present invention in addition to those recited here.

[0046] The construction and assembly of the snowboard is not critical to the present invention. A representative board may include a vertical laminate wood core surrounded by one or more fiber/resin layers for torsional control. A sintered or extruded polyethylene, graphite or other base material may be provided in sheet form on the snow contacting surface of the board while a plastic, preferably opaque, top sheet is arranged on the opposite surface for protecting the core and laminate from abrasion and from exposure to ultraviolet light. Sidewall, cap or mixed sidewall/cap construction may be employed to protect and seal the core from the environment. Metal edges (not shown) may wrap around a partial, or preferably a full, perimeter of the board, providing a hard gripping edge for board control on snow and ice. Damping material to reduce chatter and vibrations also may be incorporated into the board. The board may have a sidecut, typically from about 6.0 to 10.0 m radius, for ease of turning the gliding device, and or camber, e.g., to even the contact pressures on the board along the running length. The board may have a thickness ranging from about 15 to 16 mm that may taper downwardly in the region of the nose and tail to about 3 to 8 mm. The board may have an overall length between 135 to 170 cm for an adult model. The width of the nose section may range from 25 to 30 cm, more preferably up to 32 cm, while the width of the tail section typically is from about 24 to 30 cm. Nose height typically ranges from about 2 to about 6 cm, more preferably up to about 8 cm, with the tail height in many boards being about 0.5 to 1.5 cm shorter, or even up to about 3 to 4 cm shorter.

[0047] Any binding or other device for attaching a rider's foot or boot to a board, including strap, step-in, and plate bindings, may be mounted to the board. Such bindings typically include a front and a back binding each provided with a hold down disc having one or more holes through which hardware such as a bolt, screw or other fastener is passed and then engaged with the inserts preformed in the board, so that the tightened disc secures the respective bindings to the board. While the insert pattern shown in the illustrated embodiment is the 3D® pattern proprietary to Burton, other insert arrangements may be utilized, such as the 4×4 pattern, as should be appreciated by one of skill in the art.

[0048] Having described particular embodiments of the invention in detail, various modifications and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure and within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only and the invention is defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length;

said nose having a largest width in said edge to edge direction and said tail having a largest width in said edge-to-edge direction, wherein said largest width of said nose is at least about 1.8 cm, and less than about 8.0 cm, greater than said largest width of said tail.

2. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said largest width of said nose is at least about 2.0 cm, and less than about 7.5 cm, greater than said largest width of said tail.

3. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said largest width of said nose is at least about 2.5 cm, and less than about 7.0 cm, greater than said largest width of said tail.

4. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said largest width of said nose is at least about 3.0 cm greater than said largest width of said tail.

5. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said nose has a largest width of at least 30 cm.

6. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated member has a length of less than about 160 cm.

7. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated member has a length of less than about 162 cm.

8. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein a ratio of said nose largest width to said tail largest width is greater than about 1.05.

9. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein a ratio of said nose largest width to said tail largest width is greater than about 1.07.

10. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein a ratio of said nose largest width to said tail largest width is greater than about 1.09.

11. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein a ratio of said nose largest width to said tail largest width is greater than about 1.1.

12. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.45.

13. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.48.

14. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.5.

15. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.53.

16. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.56.

17. The gliding board recited in claim 1 including a mid-line defining a center of said running length, wherein said elongated member further includes first and second binding mounting locations preformed in said board and offset more than 25 mm in a direction of said tail.

18. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said gliding board is a snowboard.

19. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length;

said elongated member having an overall length of less than about 162 cm, a largest nose width in said edge to edge direction of at least about 30 cm, and a tail length of less than about 19.0 cm, and a largest tail width in said edge-to-edge direction of at least about 25 cm.

20. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said tail has a length of less than about 17.5 cm.

21. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said tail has a length of less than about 16.0 cm.

22. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said overall length is less than about 160 cm.

23. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said overall length is less than about 158 cm.

24. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said overall length is less than about 155 cm.

25. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 22 cm.

26. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 23.5 cm.

27. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 25 cm.

28. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.45.

29. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.48.

30. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.5.

31. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.53.

32. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.56.

33. The gliding board recited in claim 19 wherein said gliding board is a snowboard.

34. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length;

said elongated member having an overall length of less than about 162 cm, a largest nose width in said edge to edge direction of at least about 30 cm, a nose length of greater than about 22 cm, and a largest tail width in said edge-to-edge direction of at least about 25 cm.

35. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said overall length is less than about 160 cm.

36. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said overall length is less than about 158 cm.

37. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.45.

38. The gliding board recited in claim 1 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.48.

39. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.5.

40. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.53.

41. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.56.

42. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said overall length is less than about 155 cm.

43. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 22 cm.

44. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 23.5 cm.

45. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 25 cm.

46. The gliding board recited in claim 34 wherein said gliding board is a snowboard.

47. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, and a running length extending between the nose and the tail, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length;

said nose and said tail each having a length in a nose to tail direction, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being at least about 1.45, and less than about 2.75.

48. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said ratio of said nose length to said tail length is at least about 1.5, and less than about 2.70.

49. The gliding board recited in claim 36 wherein said ratio of said nose length to said tail length is greater than about 1.53, and less than about 2.70.

50. The gliding board recited in claim 36 wherein said ratio of said nose length to said tail length is greater than about 1.56, and less than about 2.65.

51. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said tail has a length of less than about 17.5 cm.

52. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said tail has a length of less than about 16.0 cm.

53. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said overall length is less than about 162 cm.

54. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said overall length is less than about 158 cm.

55. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said overall length is less than about 155 cm.

56. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 22 cm.

57. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 23.5 cm.

58. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 25 cm.

59. The gliding board recited in claim 47 wherein said gliding board is a snowboard.

60. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a running length extending between the nose and the tail and a mid-line defining the center of said running length, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length;

said elongated member including first and second binding mounting locations preformed in said board, said first binding mounting location positioned between said mid-line and said tail and said second binding mounting location positioned between said mid-line and said nose;

wherein said first and second binding mounting locations are offset more than 25 mm from said mid-line in a direction of said tail.

61. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said first and second mounting locations are offset by at least about 30 mm from said mid-line in a direction of said tail.

62. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said first and second mounting locations are offset by at least about 50 mm from said mid-line in a direction of said tail.

63. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said first and second mounting locations are offset by at least about 75 mm from said mid-line in a direction of said tail.

64. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said first and second mounting locations are offset by at least about 100 mm from said mid-line in a direction of said tail.

65. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said elongated member has an overall length of less than 162 cm.

66. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said elongated member has an overall length of less than 160 cm.

67. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said elongated member has an overall length of less than 158 cm.

68. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said elongated member has an overall length of less than 155 cm.

69. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.45.

70. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.48.

71. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.5.

72. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.53.

73. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.56.

74. The gliding board recited in claim 60 wherein said gliding board is a snowboard.

75. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, and a running length extending between the nose and the tail, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length and each have a largest width in an edge-to-edge direction of said board;

said elongated member having an overall length less than about 162 cm, a largest nose width greater than 30 cm and which is at least 1.5 cm greater than a largest tail width, said nose having a length greater than about 22 cm, said tail having a length of less than about 19 cm, and a largest tail width in said edge-to-edge direction of at least about 25 cm.

76. The gliding board recited in claim 75 wherein said overall length is less than about 160 cm.

77. The gliding board recited in claim 75 wherein said nose width is at least 2.5 cm greater than said tail width.

78. The gliding board recited in claim 75 wherein said nose width is at least 3.0 cm greater than said tail width.

79. The gliding board recited in claim 75 including a mid-line defining a center of said running length, wherein said elongated member further includes first and second binding mounting locations preformed in said board, said first binding mounting location positioned between said mid-line and said tail and said second binding mounting location positioned between said mid-line and said nose, and said binding mounting locations offset more than 30 mm in a direction of said tail.

80. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, and a running length extending between the nose and the tail, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length and each have a largest width in an edge-to-edge direction of said board and a length, a mid-line defining the center of said running length, and first and second binding mounting locations preformed in said board, said first binding mounting location positioned between said mid-line and said tail and said second binding mounting location positioned between said mid-line and said nose; wherein said gliding board includes at least three of the following dimensions and structural arrangements,

an overall length of less than about 160 cm, a largest nose width greater than 30 cm, a largest nose width more than 1.5 cm, and less than 8.0 cm, greater than a largest tail width, a nose length greater than about 22 cm, a tail length less than about 19 cm, first and second binding mounting locations that are off-set from a mid-line of said running length more than 25 mm in a direction of said tail.

81. The gliding board recited in claim 80 wherein said overall is less than about 160 cm.

82. The gliding board recited in claim 80 wherein said gliding board includes at least four of said dimensions and structural arrangements.

83. The gliding board recited in claim 80 wherein said gliding board includes at least five of said dimensions and structural arrangements.

84. The gliding board recited in claim 80 wherein said gliding board includes at least six of said dimensions and structural arrangements.

85. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a waist, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length;

the nose having a largest nose width in the edge-to-edge direction, the tail having a largest tail width in the edge-to-edge direction and the waist having a narrowest waist width in the edge-to-edge direction, the largest nose width being greater than 30 cm and between 20 and 25 percent greater than the narrowest waist width.

86. The gliding board recited in claim 85 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.45.

87. The gliding board recited in claim 85 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.48.

88. The gliding board recited in claim 85 wherein said nose has a length and said tail has a length, a ratio of said nose length to said tail length being greater than about 1.50.

89. The gliding board recited in claim 85 wherein the largest nose width is about 22 percent greater than the narrowest waist width.

90. The gliding board recited in claim 85 wherein the largest nose width is between 5 and 20 percent greater than the largest tail width.

91. The gliding board recited in claim 85 wherein the largest nose width is between 7.5 and 15 percent greater than the largest tail width.

92. The gliding board recited in claim 85 wherein said overall length is less than about 162 cm.

93. The gliding board recited in claim 85 wherein said overall length is less than about 160 cm.

94. The gliding board recited in claim 85 wherein said gliding board is a snowboard.

95. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a waist, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length;

the nose having a largest nose width in the edge-to-edge direction, the tail having a largest tail width in the edge-to-edge direction and the waist having a narrowest waist width in the edge-to-edge direction, the largest nose width being greater than about 25 cm, at least 2 cm greater than the largest tail width and less than 1.30 times the narrowest waist width.

96. The gliding board recited in claim 95 wherein the largest nose width is less than about 1.25 times the narrowest waist width.

97. The gliding board recited in claim 95 wherein the largest nose width is greater than 30 cm.

98. The gliding board recited in claim 95 wherein the largest nose width is at least 2.5 cm greater than the largest tail width.

99. The gliding board recited in claim 95 including a mid-line defining a center of said running length, wherein said elongated member further includes first and second binding mounting locations preformed in said board and offset more than 25 mm in a direction of said tail.

100. The gliding board recited in claim 99 wherein the binding mounting locations are offset more than 50 mm in a direction of said tail.

101. The gliding board recited in claim 95 wherein a ratio of said largest nose width to said largest tail width is greater than about 1.05.

102. The gliding board recited in claim 95 wherein a ratio of said largest nose width to said largest tail width is greater than about 1.07.

103. The gliding board recited in claim 95 wherein a ratio of said largest nose width to said largest tail width is greater than about 1.09.

104. The gliding board recited in claim 95 wherein said gliding board is a snowboard.

105. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, a waist, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and an edge-to-edge direction, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length;

the nose having a largest nose width in the edge-to-edge direction, the tail having a largest tail width in the edge-to-edge direction and the waist having a narrowest waist width in the edge-to-edge direction, the largest nose width being greater than about 30 cm, a ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest nose width being greater than about 0.77, a ratio of the narrowest waist width to the largest tail width being greater than about 0.85, and a ratio of the largest nose width to the largest tail width being about 1.10.

106. The gliding board recited in claim 105 including a mid-line defining a center of said running length, wherein said elongated member further includes first and second binding mounting locations preformed in said board, said first binding mounting location positioned between said mid-line and said tail and said second binding mounting location positioned between said mid-line and said nose, and said binding mounting locations offset more than 40 mm in a direction of said tail.

107. The gliding board recited in claim 105 wherein said gliding board is a snowboard.

108. The gliding board recited in claim 105 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 21 cm.

109. The gliding board recited in claim 105 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 22.5 cm.

110. The gliding board recited in claim 105 wherein said nose has a length greater than about 24 cm.

111. The gliding board recited in claim 105 wherein said largest width of said nose is at least about 2.0 cm, and less than about 7.5 cm, greater than said largest width of said tail.

112. The gliding board recited in claim 105 wherein said largest width of said nose is at least about 2.5 cm, and less than about 7.0 cm, greater than said largest width of said tail.

113. The gliding board recited in claim 105 wherein said largest width of said nose is about 3.0 cm greater than said largest width of said tail.

114. A gliding board, comprising:

an elongated member having a nose, a tail, an edge-to-edge direction, a running length extending between the nose and the tail, and a sidecut extending along the running length, wherein said nose and said tail are curved upwardly away from said running length;

the nose having a largest nose width in the edge-to-edge direction, the sidecut comprising a sidecut depth and a sidecut length, the largest nose width being greater than about 30 cm and at least 2 cm greater than the largest tail width, a ratio of the sidecut depth to the sidecut length being about 0.02.

115. The gliding board recited in claim 114 wherein said tail has a length of less than about 17.5 cm.

116. The gliding board recited in claim 114 wherein said tail has a length of less than about 16.0 cm.

117. The gliding board recited in claim 114 wherein a ratio of said largest nose width to said largest tail width is greater than about 1.05.

118. The gliding board recited in claim 114 wherein a ratio of said largest nose width to said largest tail width is greater than about 1.07.

119. The gliding board recited in claim 114 wherein a ratio of said largest nose width to said largest tail width is greater than about 1.09.

120. The gliding board recited in claim 114 wherein said overall length is less than about 162 cm.

121. The gliding board recited in claim 114 wherein said overall length is less than about 160 cm.

122. The gliding board recited in claim 114 wherein said gliding board is a snowboard.