TUNING YOUR EDGES

Edge tuning is a dark art. When done correctly it can make a your board feel like a Porsche GT3 RS but when done incorrectly it can result in your board feeling like a plank of wood. 
The art in edge tuning lies in knowing which angles to use. Here is a basic graphic to illustrate how the different angles are measured. 

From factory all Nitro Snowboards come with a 89° side angle and 1°  base angle. But these angles can be adjusted depending on what riding you plan on doing. Here is an easy breakdown. 

FOR PARK & FREESTYLE
Suggestion: 89° side angle and 2°  base angle 
Explanation: When it comes to the park you’ll be riding a combination of rails and jumps. On rails you typically want your edges less sharp. This stops your edges digging into a rail and you going head over heels. In contrast, for the jumps it’s a good idea to have edges. This gives you grip when coming into a take off, especially if you are initiating spins. Now we know what you are thinking “Hey Nitro, this doesn’t make sense. You cannot have both sharp and blunt edges. What the fuck?”  The solution here is where you tune your edges. On what is known as the contact points (see graphic below) keep your edges tuned. Then between the bindings you can detune your edges.

FOR RAILS AND STREET 
Suggestion: None. Get them edges blunted. 
Explanation: If you’re a fan of metal, get that file out and detune your edges. For riding rails you want the least amount of hang up as possible. Therefore remove those angles and make that edge like a butter knife. Warning, once you do this to the board there is no going back. To re-sharpen the edges is very tricky. 

FOR FREERIDING
Suggestion: 87° side angle and 2°  base angle 
Explanation: If you are all about the turn and finding lines, then you’ll need your edges tuned and on point. Most people can stick with the factory settings but if you want that extra assurance then head to a reputable tuning store or grab yourself some good quality tools and tune up those angles. Be aware that with sharp edges you’ll need to tune them more often.   

FOR ALL MOUNTAIN RIDING
Suggestion: 89°side angle and 1°  base angle (factory settings).
Explanation: For most people, all mountain riding consists of cruising the pistes, a couple of laps through the park and if mother nature delivers the fresh pow a good charge through the trees. As such is it good to keep your edges tuned and free of burs. This way you are ready for all conditions and riding styles.  

 

Finally when it comes to tuning the edges, you can easily do the side edges using tools from brands such as Swix and Toko. But for the base edge we strongly recommend going to a shop and having them done a proper machine. Base edge tuning can be tricky as manufacturers of edge tuning tools cannot accommodate all shapes of side walls (and there are many shapes