PaulG

Well the concept of a "Dry Slope" is nothing new, they've had them overseas especially in the UK for years, Olympic atheletes used them for a long time to train durring the off season. Snowflex material is misted with water, so there is going to be some moisture on the slopes for one. Second, your right, you dont go out there wearing your ski jacket, ski pants, goggles and beanie. You dress like someone would for skateboarding.. You wear bluejeans, which I think most Texans own, or some cargo pants, a hoodie, you can pull the sleeves up at the ends of the runs, and a pair of gloves, like you would use to go biking or skateboarding. Skateboarders wear this type of clothing all the time, even durring the summer. Like you said, only a few runs, in the heat are you really going to make run after run all day long? Plus this isnt meant to replace a ski trip, its meant to allow people to practice, learn the basics, get some slope time even durring the off season. There are stories that there have been people who have never snowboarded, practiced on snowflex, went to a resort in the winter, and made it down runs without falling on the first try. Im curious as to how this material actually handles. Also, when its ski season, I dont really want to hit a box, or a ramp, or pipe for the first time, I drive 900 miles to ski, if I break something my season is over, and I have a long drive home. If I can try to practice those terrain features in the off season, thats a definite plus as well. They are advertising night skiing as well, which isnt even offered at "real" ski resorts most places, and the website says 10-20 degrees cooler than surrounding temperatures. I saw one place they mentioned a "real snowfall indoor experience" not for skiing but for kids, sledding ect. I wait all year to go to Colorado and live in San Antonio, and I would be willing to drive to Dallas to get a few runs in every other month or so. So now you have the opinion of a snowboarder.