Advice on buying a snowboard.

[boYce]

hi guys I'm heading off to the slopes for 5 days at the end of January and was hoping to get a board sorted before i went so i didn't waste a day while out there.

There seems to be so many types, sizes, shapes and colours to pick from i was looking for a bit of advice.

I have skied for 3 weeks before but have always wanted to take up boarding.

i want something that is going to be nice to learn on but will still last me for a while.

I'm sure I'm not gonna be doing any massive tricks this time but I've always enjoyed a bit of skating so may progress down that side of it in the end.
(not sure if this leads me to freestyle or free-ride?)

don't mind picking up a second hand one off ebay.

im;
21 yrs old
size 9 feet
5 foot 10" tall
weigh 9 stone. (yes im a skinny bugger)


i will be needing board, boots, bindings, bag and anything else?

Is there any out there that really stand out?

thanks for any advice.
Dave.

 

[NickK]

If it's your first time then I'd go with hire boards to start with. The board will not have any nasty supprises.

I've been (iirc just a bit drunk atm) on at seven trips before I decided/knew what I wanted from a snowboard and what I like doing. In that time I've had a chance to try out many boards, bindings and boots (although the latter is usually a really bad fit compared to your own boots!).

Bindings... there are four types of bindings:
1. Stepin - these are the touted best connection but the boot is specialist as it needs a bolt through it to latch in. Once the ice builds up between the board and the binding they're a pain in the butt as it won't latch - take a board tool like a devil screwdriver to chip away the ice.

2. Rachett - a very popular choice and touted as the best feel vs. flexibility of options. No specialist boot is required and the binding in the correct S/M/L size uses two rachets to hold your boot to the binding. The back is solid and won't move. These are the most common form of binding.

3. Flow - these are a marmite binding as people like them or not. They, in some people's eyes, don't hold the foot to the binding as well as racket.
The binding is made up of a top, back and base. the top is setup and locked without needing further adjustment. The foot is placed in to the binding and the back moves up and locks the foot into place.
I can start riding and then lock the binding whilst moving... but I find this fine for freeriding even though I shouldn't - perhaps my relaxed style that people say I have. *shrug* To make this even more unusual I have a set of Burton Elevators which (a) adapt the 4 bolt flow Pro11 to the 3 bolt Malolo and (b) allow a larger boot on a smaller board - this means on a sharp carve my toes/heel don't collide with ice/hard packed snow and the edge looses it's grip.

4. Burton - this is a new (as of '05) binding which requires a boot with a special toe to minimise the movement. Almost the same as a racket binding but the strap at the front of the binding actually clips over the toes (the binding strap is a special shape to lock into the specially molded boot). Boots are compatiable with flow and rackets though! Note these bindings have the three and four bolt patterns for burton (3) and normal (4) board bolt hole layouts..

The reason I've mentioned this is that the first thing I can guantee you'll look at is getting your own boots... hire boots suck like a gravity well. If you do go with hire boots then make sure you have seamless ski tube socks as you may need the padding!