The disclosure herein is directed toward systems and methods for supporting a person and enabling motion of a person across a surface of snow while satisfying the countervailing requirements of increasing surface area for weight-carrying capacity on soft snow and reducing the opposing forces, like for example drag and friction, in hard snow. More specifically, a snowboard described herein includes an inner edge and an outer edge, and allows the rider to control the amount of board-to-snow contact. This snowboard is configured to improve rider support, increase speed and enhance safety performance.

The disclosure herein is directed toward systems and methods for supporting a person and enabling motion of a person across a surface of snow while satisfying the countervailing requirements of increasing surface area for weight-carrying capacity on soft snow and reducing the opposing forces, like for example drag and friction, in hard snow. More specifically, a snowboard described herein includes an inner edge and an outer edge, and allows the rider to control the amount of board-to-snow contact. This snowboard is configured to improve rider support, increase speed and enhance safety performance.

There is provided a snowboard attachment to a standard snowboard for riding under powder snow conditions. The snowboard attachment comprises a nose part, an elongate passage and a body part. The nose part is operable to attach to the standard snowboard for providing lift and float while riding on powder snow. The elongate passage has walls extending between an opening in a top surface of the snowboard attachment and an opening in a bottom surface of the snowboard attachment, and is orientated transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard attachment. The walls of the elongate passage are configured to surround the standard snowboard. The body part is attached in operation to the nose part, and has clamp through openings. The clamp through openings are arranged to receive bolts of a binding clamp of the standard snowboard, such that the clamp through openings lie in operation between the binding clamp and the standard snowboard.

There is provided a snowboard attachment to a standard snowboard for riding under powder snow conditions. The snowboard attachment comprises a nose part, an elongate passage and a body part. The nose part is operable to attach to the standard snowboard for providing lift and float while riding on powder snow. The elongate passage has walls extending between an opening in a top surface of the snowboard attachment and an opening in a bottom surface of the snowboard attachment, and is orientated transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard attachment. The walls of the elongate passage are configured to surround the standard snowboard. The body part is attached in operation to the nose part, and has clamp through openings. The clamp through openings are arranged to receive bolts of a binding clamp of the standard snowboard, such that the clamp through openings lie in operation between the binding clamp and the standard snowboard.

A snow ski has a longitudinal body defining a sole for gliding on the snow. The ski includes: (a) a platform slidably coupled to the body for sliding longitudinally relative to the body; and (b) a gripping element slidably and rotatably coupled to the body and rotatably coupled to the platform. The gripping element extends downward to penetrate the snow in response to the platform being slid rearward relative to the body. The gripping element retracts upward above the sole when the platform is slid forward relative to the body. First and second gripping elements may be disposed on opposing sides of the body. A locking mechanism selectively locks the platform at a forward position, in which the gripping element is retracted, one or more intermediate positions, or a rearward position in which the gripping element extends to penetrate the snow. A ski-traction kit for retrofitting a ski is provided.

A snow ski has a longitudinal body defining a sole for gliding on the snow. The ski includes: (a) a platform slidably coupled to the body for sliding longitudinally relative to the body; and (b) a gripping element slidably and rotatably coupled to the body and rotatably coupled to the platform. The gripping element extends downward to penetrate the snow in response to the platform being slid rearward relative to the body. The gripping element retracts upward above the sole when the platform is slid forward relative to the body. First and second gripping elements may be disposed on opposing sides of the body. A locking mechanism selectively locks the platform at a forward position, in which the gripping element is retracted, one or more intermediate positions, or a rearward position in which the gripping element extends to penetrate the snow. A ski-traction kit for retrofitting a ski is provided.

A method of changing a shape of a gliding surface of a gliding device may involve, in response to longitudinal deflection of the gliding device, causing at least one force transfer element to move longitudinally relative to the gliding device. Causing the at least one force transfer element to move longitudinally relative to the gliding device may involve causing the at least one force transfer element to deflect first and second laterally opposite side elements of the gliding device along a portion of the gliding device extending longitudinally along a binding region of the gliding device. Apparatuses and gliding devices are also disclosed.

A method of changing a shape of a gliding surface of a gliding device may involve, in response to longitudinal deflection of the gliding device, causing at least one force transfer element to move longitudinally relative to the gliding device. Causing the at least one force transfer element to move longitudinally relative to the gliding device may involve causing the at least one force transfer element to deflect first and second laterally opposite side elements of the gliding device along a portion of the gliding device extending longitudinally along a binding region of the gliding device. Apparatuses and gliding devices are also disclosed.

Provided are a sliding instrument having a low frictional resistance to the snow surface, the ice surface, or the water surface and having excellent sliding performance and a method for manufacturing the sliding instrument. A sliding instrument to slide on snow, ice, or water includes a sliding surface (1) to come into contact with the snow surface, the ice surface, or the water surface, and the sliding surface (1) has a surface roughness Ra of 1.0 m or less. A method for manufacturing the sliding instrument includes polishing a sliding surface (1) using a polishing composition slurry containing abrasives to make the sliding surface (1) have a surface roughness Ra of 1.0 m or less.

The hybrid snowshoe-ski comprises a rigid frame, a decking attached to the frame and a binding attached to one of the decking and the frame. The decking comprises undulations that each extend between first and second sides of the snowshoe-ski.