AG will be closed this Sunday Jan 29th for inventory, this means there will be some very confused snowboarders, surfers and skaters pretending they can count past 10 with their shoes and socks on…. We are sorry we have to do this once a year but if you need rentals for Monday come and see us on Saturday and we will make something happen for you. Otherwise stock up on all your needs between now and then and then go make the most of the new fresh snow, the winter swell and any dry concrete you can find without us!!!…. (crying)…

Bindings are the link between you and your board. With this in mind the best guide to choosing the right binding is matching it to 3 things.

Riding style – The more aggressive the rider the stiffer the binding. The more rails and butters a rider wants to do, the softer the binding to do it with.

Size – A big guy will need a stiffer binding if he wants quick response and lots of support from them because he will bend them more easily. For the smaller riders amongst us, the opposite is true as a light rider can ride much softer bindings and find them responsive and supportive in relation to their weight.

The rest of the set up – A stiff pair of bindings in between soft board and boots will effect the balance of a set up. When everything matches you get the optimum ‘feel’ from your set up. Think of your set up as moving like a chain reaction, taking your actions and releasing their effects onto the snow. You can certainly ride with stiff boots and bindings and a soft board or vice versa as long as the odd one out of the three is at the end. Put this in the middle and it serves as a blocking point. Finding the optimum balance for your set up allows you to make the most of your investment and have the most possible fun on the snow.

Features to focus on.
Highbacks and forward lean. This enables a rider to bend their knees without trying, therefore helping them put the board on edge more easily. Great for beginners and aggressive riders in backcountry or pipe, not so good for jibbers.

Toe caps. This pulls the foot into the highback. If the heel of a boot is snug in the heel cup the binding and boot will be able to do their job. It also spreads out the pressure on the foot by pulling against the solid part of the boot rather than on top. The foot has a major artery running along the top of it so putting excess pressure on the top of the foot reduces blood flow to the toes. With greater blood flow the foot stays warmer for longer which feels good!!!

Straps and baseplates – Soft and supportive is good. Memory foam, leather and gel inserts all offer greater comfort for the rider. Burton offers a lifetime warranty on their base plate again this season for the ultimate piece of mind and Rome, Flow and Forum are using metal in their designs to give you the ultimate in strength.

Bindings work or fail ultimately by their fit with your boots. Too big and your boot moves around in the binding so if you are adding new bindings to your set up this winter there is a lot to be said for bringing your boots down to the shop with you when you come. When you get here you will see all your old favourites with Burton, Forum and Rome and the new addition to our range for the ultimate in convenience Flow.

The calendar may claim it is the end of Summer but with the swell hitting the beaches and the sun on the lakes why wouldn’t you get down here and save some cash on new shorts and bikinis?!?!?!?! Just asking… AG

Tanner Champion wakeskate from Tanner Champion on Vimeo.

It is always a good day when Tanner sends over an edit, so sit back, relax and enjoy watching Canada’s best, courtesy of your good friends here at AG…

Trick Of The Day from Daniel Gardiner on Vimeo.

Well hot dog wasn’t that an extremely poppin’ hardflip over the hip compliments of shop homie, Enve rider, and stylin’ guy Graham Roff. Want to know how to look as handsome and well dressed as Graham? Just come into Alternative Groove and check out the heaps of new Hoodies, Jeans, Hats, T-Shirts, and more! You’ll be rolling in more babes than Slappy Frank after we’re done helping you out, so come by today.

Video Compliments of Daniel Gardiner and www.bigdirties.blogspot.com

Trick Of The Day from Daniel Gardiner on Vimeo.

FLOCKA!

1st – Jordan Van Gyzen
2nd – Matt MacCauley
3rd – Jasmine Wilkinson
4th – Adam Lewis
5th – Justin Healey

13 to 18

1st – Lucas Meggitt
2nd – Kyle Berry
3rd – Kai Van Der Veen
4th – Jarred Mihalj
5th – Luke Postey

Open
0th – Slappy Frank – Pack of cigs
1st – Shay Sandiford —> $1000
2nd – Brandon Soros —> $500
3rd – Jarred Horne —–> $250
4th – Jordan “Chippy” Pletz

Make going back to school a way better experience with new threads from Alternative Groove. Fresh off the delivery van and onto the shelves whoever you are, whatever you need we have got it here for you. Sale runs from now until Sunday August 28th so come down, fill up and make this the most stylish semester ever… AG