Whatever happened to soft gates?

[sparty]

Actually: as a way to keep young impressionable minds from reaching for gates with their outside hand when their shoulder axis isn't anywhere close, bamboo is still useful.

That said: stubby/HERO gates are more useful these days to keep the technical underpinnings more relevant to modern skis and technique. But I've been known to break out bamboo when U14 and U16 athletes whose lines aren't conducive to outside hand gate clearing need a reminder not to reach for the gate. I'll also do "jungle slaloms" with 'boo as a way to force things like hop turns and the like.

But these days the bamboo is primarily used for stringing ropes, timing cables, and the like.

If we had a bundle of it kicking around, I'd be tempted to use boo (inserted at an angle) for helper gates. Stubbies are more of a pain to set and carry, and brushes are a little too forgiving for some athletes. Unfortunately, I don't think we even have any in the gate bin.

 

[NE1]

It would be interesting to see how technique changed with no or a reduced need to clear gates, plus the added cost/weight savings of minimal armor.

You mean the way break-away gates turned slalom into a boxing match with poles?

 

[slow-line-fast]

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