On January 2019 I went to Japan to live and train judo/bjj. Finding places to train BJJ was no problem. There were 6 or 7 places where I could train and I ended up at a place called Axis.
But judo was a different story. I found 2 places in the city for training judo. I picked one that seemed to be a little more friendly and probably because they were a few other foreigners there.
They helped me get a cultural visa to stay in Japan.
And they recommended I do the shodan shinsa test. Which was a competition to get a black belt. Shodan means 1st degree black belt.
So I did that 2 times and accumulated 2.5 points which is only .5 of a point away from having enough to get a black belt.
Getting a black belt in Japan vs. the USA
I had a green and a brown belt in the USA prior to going to Japan.
In SF city college it goes: white-green-brown-black and I think in brown you have to get a couple of degrees.
In Japan it goes white-black.
As far as I know for adults there are no colored belts. Sometimes children or teens may have colored belts.
In CCSF you basically sign up to get promoted and then you do a demonstration of throws and a written test. You don’t have to compete.
In Japan you have to compete. You have to accumulate enough points. If you lose once you are out. If you win you get a point. If you tie you get a half of a point but you are out. If you lose or tie then you have to wait until the next competition.
If it’s your first comp. then I think you need 4 points total but after your first comp the number goes down to 3 points and even after you get the points you have to do nage no kata.
COVID cancels the competitions for black belt
So I missed 2 competitions in Japan because they were cancelled to covid. So the budokan (local martial arts center) in Fukuoka sent a letter out to the dojos and said if you think you have someone with enough points that you would recommend for black belt then so be it.
So my dojo recommended me for black belt and that’s how I got it. From that point until I actually got it took probably 7-9 months because of covid affecting shipping.
Genomelink.io is a company that offers DNA testing services. I uploaded some raw data to them and then after a few weeks decided I didn’t want to use the service anymore.
So I didn’t find any easy instructions on how to cancel and sent them an email on July 1.
Sent: Thursday, July 1, 2021 8:57 AM To: info@genomelink.io <info@genomelink.io> Subject: Cancel
Hi˜
I’d like to cancel my plan and how can I download what I learned or can i?
Ian
I waited a couple of days and did not receive a reply so I tried again.
Sent: Saturday, July 3, 2021 5:47 PM To: info@genomelink.io <info@genomelink.io> Subject: Cancel
I’d like to confirm that i won’t be charged again. please respond.
Again no response.
So I assumed maybe they went ahead and cancelled it. Then on July 15th I get a receipt for $14.
I’ve since sent probably over 10 emails to that above address that have not received a reply.
How to contact genomelink.io?
info@genomelink.io doesn’t work. Or at least it haven’t been between July 1 and today July 20th, 2021. And I couldn’t find any other emails or phone numbers where you could actually speak to someone.
And that’s pretty much the only email I could find.
I have tried to contact the company AWAKENS that supposedly owns it in Berkeley by sending a letter. I went to the company ‘team’ page and searched for emails and no luck.
What kind of company doesn’t reply to emails?
When you sign up there is either a year long or monthly option and I did the monthly, but now it looks like they are going to keep billing me.
I contacted my bank and they gave me some phone# of the visa that was supposedly Genomelink’s but I called it and it was totally unrelated.
My bank is trying to track them down now.
This has been a big hassle and waste of time trying to track this company down. Definitely don’t recommend.
This is a review of the Thirtytwo snowboard boot TM 3 model. Push play on the video to learn more.
It’s a pricey boot. My previous boots were old Burton Driver boots and these ones sounded good so I went with these.
They are rated a 4-6 boot in stiffness. And I thought they felt super stiff when I first rode them. In fact I only rode them for 2 days.
Why only 2 days?
Because they expanded a bit and started to feel loose. So I got the shorter size. Last boots were a 9.5 and these were a 9, but actually I got the 8.5.
Watch the video for more details.
Features:
Recoil flex control
True half sizes
Performance Rubber Outsole
Performance backstay
3D Molded Tongue
Elite Internal Harness
Tongue Tension
Articulated Cuff …
INTUITION FOAM LINER
100% Heat Moldable
STI ENERGY FOAM
High Rebound Cushioning
PRESSURE PAD
Alleviates Internal Lace Bite
HEAT VENT
Breathable Shell
ADAPTIVE ARCH SUPPORT
Interchangeable Arch (see below for more)
HEEL HOLD SYSTEM
Customizable Fit
POWER CUFF
Adjustable Support
Pros and cons
Pro-customizable
Pro-seem fairly durable (update: I rode these over 200 days)
Pro-stiffness is good and customizable
Pro-responsive
Con-heavy
Con-bulky (not a low profile boot)
Con-pricey
Probably fits normal to thicker ankles and feet better
If you have skinny ankles and calves you might not want this liner or boot. Here’s why…
The eyelets around the ankle have frayed on my boots because I am pulling them to the max so they are touching and getting stretched.
The liner and the velcro at the top is maxxed out on one foot so it’s not sticking to anything
Despite my toes being slammed into the front there is excess space around the foot in places.
…Update 2023 on the TM-3 and why I won’t buy it again
So at this point I’ve put around 200+ days ( 2 full seasons) on them and I can say that they have held up well. The eyelets around the ankle blew out, but I was able to use the inner metal loop as an eyelet.
But I wouldn’t buy these again.
Over the last two seasons I’ve had foot pain, bruised and black toes, bunions and some ingrown toe nails. The 9 was too big and the 8.5 is incredibly toe jammed yet still had excess space around the foot especially above the forefoot. I have skinny ankles/calves and one boot liner I couldn’t tighten enough with the velcro on the top of the Elite liner.
If you have thicker/ankles feet then these might fit you better.
Currently I am considering a TM-2. That’s got a different liner and is more popular and cheaper than the TM-3.
Thirtytwo TM2 vs TM3
I’ve tried on the TM2’s and both of my best riding buddies in the last two seasons at Lookout Pass and Brundage rocked TM2’s.
There are a few different versions of the TM2. Last year my friend said he tried on the TM3’s and thought they were stiffer than the TM2’s so he stuck with the TM2’s.
They felt pretty stiff at first especially with those plastic stiffeners in. I took one run with those in when I first got them and pulled them right out. But I think with time they break in and they actually felt less stiff than the Ride Fuse.
My other friend thought the same about the TM2’s when he first got them. He said they were too stiff at first.
The TM3’s have the Elite liner and the TM2’s have the Performance liner. The Elite liner has a rubbery exterior which isn’t going to break down like a normal liner. Some say it’s not as heat moldable as the Performance liner. So it’s bit stiffer and lasts longer but it’s probably not going to mold as well.
One thing I didn’t like about the TM2’s though is that they have less rubber in the sole in fact I think a few models have no rubber just cheap EVA stuff.
Learn more about the TM-2 and the TM3 on Evo or Amazon.
So I was obsessed with researching bindings and was primarily focused on getting the Strata, but then I saw the 5 pack Force binding and it caught my eye.
I decided to buy both the red 2022 Union Strata and the 2021 limited edition “5 pack” Union Force binding. Ohh and before I get into it I will mention changes for 2024 and there will be links on the bottom of the page for more info on those.
Union Force snowboard binding review (vs. the Strata)
This is a review of the Union Force snowboard binding compared to the Strata. This is actually a limited edition “5 pack” model from 2021.
Of course you must be wondering…
How does this 2021 model compare to the 2024?
It depends on the model.
In 2024 there are two options for the Force.
The Force in 2024 has a redesign that does away with the classic Force highback look. The ankle straps have been updated to the Exoframe 6.0 padded Ankle Strap. And the toe strap to the TS 5.0 Rhombus Toe Strap.
The Force classic 2024 is very similar to the 2021. The only difference I see isthat the ExoFrame 4.0 Ankle Strap and the 2.0 Rhombus toe strap have a slightly different look.
2022-2024 Union Strata snowboard binding review
This is a review of the 2022 Union Strata snowboard binding. I rode this binding first.
The 2022 model did not appear to be any different from the 2021. The only visible difference I could see was that the word “Strata” was not on the highback.
The 2024 Strata also does not appear any different than the 2022 except for a different color way (black, royal blue, red, and white). The black one looks cool and I really like the shape of the Strata highback.
The straps, highback (no holes in 2024), baseplate and buckles appear to be the same as 2022.
The one I got in the video above was the team highback.
What did I think?
I tried the Strata first. And it was definitely different feeling at first and a bit painful underfoot. Perhaps it was the mini-disk or my boots or whatever. It did feel more loose.
The footbed is wider and there was some extra space between my boot and the interior sides of the binding.
The Force was tighter fitting meaning my boot cinched up tighter on the sides.
The Strata feels a little lower to the board and little more flexy. The Force feels a little more stiff underfoot (standard baseplate?) and more responsive.
It’s a little more powerful and aggressive feeling to me.
The Strata looser. More casual. More barefoot feeling.
What I didn’t like
One of the toe straps on the Force (despite being the same on the Strata) would slip off occasionally and had a funny sort of warp to it. A random imperfection.
They are painted bindings and that stuff chips and scratches off easily. But perhaps most metal bindings are like that.
The extra space in the Strata (the footbed is wide).
The Strata’s a little less adjustable. There is no adjustable toe ramp and the heel area is less adjustable. The Force is more adjustable.
If you like lots of forward lean then the Strata has less cause you can only adjust it so far (3 settings I believe), but it’s more of a “freestyle” focused binding as they say so many may not want much.
And the Strata forward lean adjustment isn’t as easy to adjust but most people don’t fiddle with that much so it doesn’t really matter.
The Force is more of an all mountain binding. But whatever binding you get you can ride it anywhere, don’t feel too limited by the labels.
I suspect the Strata would feel better for jibs, but I personally don’t jib much.
As far as shock absorption goes I think they are both good. The Force has a thicker softer area underfoot. The Strata’s isn’t as high and the material is more rubbery.
Holy highbacks?!
Both bindings are available with holy highbacks;-) if you like them – I don’t. But the holy highbacks were discontinued with the Strata in 2023.
According to one of the Union reps I was emailing the highbacks with holes are a “tad bit softer”.
The Strata highback doesn’t really have any padding whereas the Force has a lot.
The Strata is a bit more minimalist. I like the asym shape though.
Other snowboard bindings I was thinking about
Other bindings I was considering/comparing were several Salomon shadow fit bindings and the Bent Metal Transfer. In the end I went with these two. Salomon’s kind of looked cool, I was tempted to try out their shadow fit, but being a ski company kind of turned me off a little;-).
The Bent Metals are cool. I like Mervin’s stuff (currently ride a Lib board (Banana Magic), but I went with the Union’s. Maybe they felt a little heavier to me or liked the design of Union’s better.
Older bindings I had were old Burton Missions. I’ve had a few Burton bindings and wanted to try something new.
Learn more about the 2024 Union Force and Strata on Evo.com or Amazon
Who gets the most snow in the Northeast? If you are looking for a new snowboarding mountain to call home or some good places to go snowboarding/skiing in New England then this is for you.
The biggest mountains or ski areas in the Northeast lie in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
The tallest mountains in the Northeast lie in New Hampshire (Mt. Washington), but is that where the most snow is?
Yeah, possibly due to its’ higher elevation, but there is no ski area up there and areas to the west tend to get more snow so they say.
Who gets the most snow in New England?
This is kind of general but interesting. The most snow (annual snowfall average) unfortunately in New England is in a portion of New York known for its’ lake effect snow but there aren’t any tall ski areas there. Big NY ski areas like Whiteface and Gore are to the east.
Then in VT you have Jay towards the top leftish, Stowe and Smugglers. Then going south you have Sugarbush, Killington, etc.
Then the deepest places in NH are in the very north, around Mt. Washington, Wildcat, Cannon, Bretton Woods and Loon ski area.
The deepest snows there are maybe 200″ a year in Wildcat and the rest being closer to 160″ like Cannon was where I worked.
Cannon has a similar or higher elevation than some places in VT but it’s icy as hell.
Highest snowfall in Vermont and the Northeast so they say:
Jay Peak (350+)
Stowe (300+)
Smugglers notch (300+)
I was skeptical and dug a little deeper and found city snowfall totals. They did kind of vary depending on the site, but I did find usa.com and New York gets the most snow. But like I said there are no big ski mountains in those areas that you will see below.
Jackson is near Wildcat and Attitash. Up north where the higher snowfall totals are there isn’t any open ski area now. Maybe Balsams Wilderness will open again.
Well, it’s further north and colder so when it might be raining in other places it could be snowing at Jay.
But I can’t imagine much more snow because of that.
Yet, another thing is that to the west of Jay there are fewer mountains to absorb the moisture that hits Jay. It seems like many of the storms come from the west.
And that could explain more snow and why NH and Maine get less.
Do they get as much as they say?
IDK, maybe, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they inflate their totals.
This last season they claimed around 300″ of snow but only had a base of like 18-48″ or so?
Cannon where I worked this last season only claimed like 130″ for the season and for a while their base total was similar. I went to Jay in the early season December and they had a little bit more snow then.
A few months later I went to Smuggs and Stowe and there wasn’t a significant difference.
I’ve done most of my riding out west and areas that claimed they got similar amounts of snow usually had deeper bases.
But you got to ask where are they measuring this snow?
Is it in the sun or shade?
Is it on a groomed trail?
Did they blow snow on that trail? If so how much?
A visible place where everyone could see would be best.
Should yo you get a size bigger than your normal street shoes?
Not usually.
Usually people size down if anything.
Why? Because you definitely don’t want any play.
But it depends on you.
Do you want a “comfort” fit, a “normal” fit or a “performance fit”?
A “comfort fit” might be for the person who snowboards twice a year or maybe 3 times if they are lucky. A “normal fit” is kinda like what we do at Cannon in the rental dept.
Normally we tell people if your toes touch the front it’s okay.
Then kick your heel back, lace up or buckle up your boot then bend your knees and flex and if your toes come back a bit then your probably good.
You don’t want your foot to move around in the boot.
Now a “performance fit” isn’t for someone renting gear.
Rented boots are usually all packed out so they aren’t going to feel like a new boot.
One of the things we do in rentals is we size their foot using a Brannock device. Those are one of the things you might have used before in the shoe store.
You might be surprised what your foot actually measures.
Here I am measuring my left foot.
My left foot on a Brannock device
Ever use one of those?
This is a good place to start.
Forget your current shoe size and start with one of these.
It measures my left foot at 27.5 which translates to a 9.5 US mens and my right at about 27 which is a 9.
So that’s a good place to start, but keep in mind all boots don’t necessarily follow that.
My old boots were 9.5 Burtons then I recently got a size 9 in Thirtytwo boots which felt very tight when I first tried them.
I was questioning if they were too small, but after heat molding and 2 days I decided they were two big because my foot got loose in the boot.
DON’T GET HUNG UP ON A NUMBER (a certain size).
People come into rentals to get boots often saying, “I wear a size ___ (fill in the blank)”.
That’s their street shoe size. Some have it in their head that they are a certain size and their ski boots should be the same.
Sometimes they are and often they aren’t.
But we pretty much always start with the Brannock scale.
Here’s a little story…
Recently I had pretty much narrowed my choice of new boots online down to a 9.5 TM 3 Thirtytwo boot.
I thought 9.5 because my old Burton’s were a 9.5 and my larger foot measures 9.5 and I almost bought them online, but I decided to go back to this shop to try them on.
The 9.5’s felt like sort of comfy, but I could tell they were going to pack out and be too roomy. So I tried the 9 on and I felt pretty tight in those and after about 10 minutes I got some pain in one pinky toe.
I couldn’t imagine going any smaller.
It didn’t even cross my mind. Hesitantly I went back the next day, bought them and did heat molding. I put a little soft foam toe cap over my toes, stood and sat in them for 10 minutes+.
It was actually a little painful.
After the heat molding I took the caps off and put my foot back in and noticed they were a little more spacious although it felt like the foot bed on one foot was bunched up in the toes.
I sort of shrugged it off and figured it would fix itself.
Later I read the sign below in the boot box, examined the messed up insole and figured it was either defective or damaged from heat molding.
At the end of my first day riding in them I noticed one of my feet (actually the longer one) was sliding a little bit.
Then I did one more day noticed further play in the boot then I decided I would sell them because the boot was only going to break in more.
Depends on what you are going for. And it’s hard to see and no one wants to feel pain, but will that boot feel the same after you use it 2, 5, 10 or 20 days later?
No, it won’t.
Why not?
Because it’s going to break in and pack out.
More comfort now might be more pain later (and less control) when your foot is sliding around in the boot. But it depends what you are going for. If you are someone who just rides less than ten days a year then yeah, maybe you want to stay away from pain.
It’s kinda like buying athletic shoes but different.
Have you ever played B-ball or soccer and needed some sneakers or cleats? You don’t want to play with your foot moving around in those right?
If your foot is sliding around in the boot or sneaker then your game is going to be off and that’s the same with boarding, but sneakers and snowboard boots are different in that a snowboard boot contains a lot more soft material.
That will pack out.
To some extent.
How much will a snowboard boot pack out?
Well, that probably depends a bit on the construction of the boot and liner and you.
…at least 15 hours of wear before they break in and pack out to half a size bigger.
Is pain and “curled” toes a bad sign?
Most every place you look will say “yes” but is that necessarily so?
In the rental shop this is usually a bad sign and we will give people larger boots if their toes are curled.
But what’s different about rental boots and the people who rent them?
A rental boot is usually a packed out boot.
They’re not new boots and these people are just going for a day. Most of them are newcomers and don’t want to be uncomfortable at all.
They want a comfort fit or…
If they are a little more experienced then they are probably going to want a normal fit.
A normal fit is how we try to get them and that’s toes touching the front, heels back, and when they squat their toes should come back.
Then there’s the performance fit.
I don’t think anyone comes into rentals looking for a performance fit. That’s for people who ride a lot and are buying a new boot.
A new boot is not a packed out boot.
How that boot feels in the shop when you try it on won’t be how it feels 10 days later.
So it’s tough because a little short term pain now is a better fit later. And if the inside of a boot expands in width and length anywhere from a 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch then just maybe toes curling a little bit isn’t bad.
But don’t get my wrong you could go too small.
So how small is too small?
Do a shell fit
This makes sense when I saw it. So take the liner out of the boot and put your foot inside the shell. Does it make contact with anything when centered in the boot? If so then it’s obviously too small.
Then slide your foot forward till your toes touch and see if you can stick at least a finger behind your heel.
The liner will flatten out to a pretty ridiculous degree, but the shell isn’t going to change much at all. So check your shell fit:
Take the liner out, put your foot in, if your forefoot touches the sides of the shell, you definitely want out. If you push your foot all the way forward so your toes touch the end of the shell, and have less than one finger’s width of space behind your heel, you definitely want out.
If your foot does neither of those things with just the shell, then your liner will most likely pack out enough to accommodate your foot. Most liners will lose just about a whole shoe size worth in space after 5-10 days of riding.
Start with the Brannock scale, but don’t assume that’s set in stone as each company and each boot is going to be a little different in terms of size and fit.
Do a shell fit.
I like to be in the smallest boots I can manage. At first, my toes are definitely curled up a bit. There’s some mods you can make to ease that pressure until the liners pack out, and some mods you can do to speed that process along. It’s important to really seat your heel into the heel pocket by kicking your heel on the ground before you lace the boots up. Maybe settling that heel pocket issue will be as important as making more space in the toe box.
Most heat molding techniques involve expanding the toe area by wearing the top of an extra sock or special toe cap or I’ve even read of some people kicking their toes into something.
But what about kicking your heels into something?
That is a good way to put your boot in. It’s what we recommend people do when they first put on a boot in the rental shop.
Kick your heels back and lace your boot up and do a squat or riding stance.
If you stand stiff legged your toes should touch the liner but when in snowboard stance it should only barely graze the liner.
Snowboard boots are made to snowboard in not to walk in. So walking around in them isn’t the best test. A better test is simply mimicking your riding stance.
I think doing a shell fit (above) is one of your best tests for a how a boot will feel in the long run.
Bonus: How to fix a new boot that’s too tight
Do heat molding (maybe wear a toe cap), but make sure the guy takes the footbed (insole) out of the boot 1st or it might deform it.
Wear it: around the house or just snowboard in it and possibly alternate it with an old boot till it breaks in.
Kick your heels into the floor.
Kick your toes into the floor, ouch.
Get a foot bed with less volume (a thinner insole).
Put a foot bed with a higher arch in the liner. A higher arch will pull your toes back more.
Wear a thinner sock or no sock.
Bonus: How to fix an old boot that’s too loose
Put a flat insole or some sort of dense foam in the boot between the shell and liner. Make sure it’s sized right.
Use a thicker insole.
Put some foam behind the tongue of the boot.
Buy a new liner.
Buy a new boot.
What sources say for choosing a ‘ski boot’ size
Of course you are a snowboarder, but how do skiers think when it comes to sizing boots? I took this bit from EVO.com:
Beginner/Intermediate Skiers should generally choose a boot close to their indicated Mondopoint length or slightly longer, even if it feels small. Keep in mind that the liner of the boot will compress after you ski in it a few times, and you’ll generate more space fairly quickly.
Intermediate/Advanced Skiers should also choose a boot close to their indicated size or slightly shorter, but in a stiffer flex. Pay attention to the width of the boot as well, and choose one that offers a snug fit if possible.
Advanced/Expert Skiers normally choose a shell size 1/2 to a full size smaller than their indicated size for a super precise and responsive fit, and a stiff or very stiff flex. Downsizing in ski boots may call for a collaboration with a skilled bootfitter to make the boots comfortable enough for skiing.
Any differences compared to snowboarding?
The sizing above sounds kind of like the different fits mentioned before like: comfort fit, normal fit and performance fit.
To generalize…
It’s like most beginners want a comfort fit because they don’t understand the difference and snowboarding is painful enough to begin with.
An intermediate rider wants a normal fit because they’ve learned.
Your average advanced rider has probably had a number of boots and knows boots break in and they want that glove like fit when it does because they want a performance fit.
Boot stiffness=rider ability???
I’ve heard skiers say that and I think it partially applies for snowboarding.
Beginners do tend to use snowboard boots that are softer and more advanced riders tend to use boots that are stiffer.
BUT…
Some advanced riders prefer softer boots. For example, lots of guys (some of them professional) who ride a lot of park and do jibbing use softer boots.
They may like the flexibility for tweaking their tricks and setting tricks up at slower speeds.
Yet, then there are even pro riders who do lots of jibbing that wear stiffer boots.
People who ride a lot of steep terrain and like to go super fast also tend to like stiffer boots as they offer more stability, support and control at higher speeds.
And some people ride lots of different terrain and want an all around boot so they look for a medium stiffness boot.
The flex is part preference and not just ability.
ThanXs for reading!
There you go I hope this helps you decide on the right snowboard boot size for you. Let me know how it goes.
I think that’s what I want. To discover something. Discover something on my own.
For example…
I’ve been looking at these maps for snowfall in Nh and Vt and I think I want to find somewhere new something untouched something unknown.
They say Jay peak has the most snow and that’s cool I went there once 20 years ago or so. It was early season, icy and there was not much snow. Like they say it probably does have the most snow around here as far as anyone knows.
But for some reason I am not drawn there.
Everyone knows it.
Then the other night some high school friends and I were talking about places nearby where we could move, but the places they mentioned didn’t inspire me or sound so interesting. I think…
I want to discover something on my own.
Why is that?
IDK, but I think there is some unique place there in the hidden dark. Some unique thing, interest, talent, place and maybe even person.
Maybe not.
Maybe it’s just a search and what you learn along the way.
Yesterday I wanted to go to St. J to get some food which is about 10 miles or so and I grabbed my skateboard and took off. I was thinking no one might pick me up given this COVID thing, but I was gonna give it try and if I didn’t then maybe try to walk and skateboard.
But I actually found my first ride by an older guy who gave me a ride about 2 miles or so. Then we did a little more walking and skating and then I made this video…
About the COVID shake.
Then after a little more pushing I got another ride in the back of someone’s truck who just came from skiing in Killington.
It wasn’t that cold though. He had a camper and I saw he had a skateboard in the back. He gave me a ride to St. J then we talked a bit. So then I went to the markets to get some food and then on my way back I saw a couple young skaters maybe 10 and 14 years old.
And they were cool. They were curious… Let em try out my board even though it was like 20 years old and they thought it was cool. Then we started home and made this video.
Here’s a new video I made. Been working on it for a few weeks.
It was fun making the beat. It was very simple. I found this online drum machine called the Sampulator. It had some cool 808 style beats.
In the past I’ve messed around with Garageband which is sort of like cutting and pasting musical tracks together. IDK. It serves a purpose but there is no drum machine.
The drum machine is cool I like the idea of touching a key and sound coming out. No, not a piano sound, a beat.
I think in the future I will play around with some of these online drum machines or it would be cool to actually get one or if I could create one???
I made the mask out of paper mache, a vacuum cleaner hose, glue and bolts I had and a couple of cheap belts I got from the dollar store here.
I have a couple of other ideas for related videos in the future.
