Picking a snowboard

richyfingers

richyfingers

richyfingers

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To give you some back ground I've been boarding around 6 months, started off with lessons in Xscape and was surprised just now much I enjoyed it and now a few mates and I are looking to book a week away next season. As I stay in Glasgow I plan to hit the slopes up North as often as possible this season coming. Keen to pick up some gear, preferably in the sale however I think I've left it quite late as there seems a very limited selection.

I'm around 5ft9 12.5 stone and a size 9 boot. Picked up a pair of Nike Vapen boots and K2 Formula bindings for much cheapness but now I'm stuck on boards.

A local shop has a Bataleon Evil Twin 52 for sale for £180. I've been told I should be aiming for something around a 155/6/7. Would I notice a massive difference with a slightly smaller board? Any ideas or suggestions from those in the know?
 
The best way to do it is go to a local dome that has a shop and ask to demo some boards. Speak to the guys there about your style of riding and they'll be able to recommend stuff to try out. They'll usually give you a bit of a discount or at least refund your slope access pass as well.

I've a Bateleon Goliath and it's great to ride, my friend has the Evil Twin which is also pretty good but they do ride differently to normal boards. I'd expect you'd need something more than a 152 at that height/weight as well.
 
There is an Ellis Brigham at Xscape in Glasgow, they didn't have much of a selection in. The guy there was trying to push a 152 DC MLF board on me too, just got the impression he wanted a sale.

Found a 56 K2 Raygun for sale at a decent price so might go for that.
 
To be honest, your first board will be somewhat irrelevant, as until you get more experienced,you won't know what sort of boarding takes your fancy... Carving and fast piste domination? Powder? Park?

Each requires a different bord to enjoy properly - short and floppy boards are horrid for carving and anything over 10mph, whilst long and stiff boards are horrendous for park riding (relatively speaking, as both with either are perfectly possible and fun whatever).

Buy something in the right size and shape to cover most pistes as - whilst it won't be awesome for anything in particular - it will help you decide on what you actually want down the line...
 
Like Thingy says just get an all mountain/free ride board to begin with, then over time figure out which kind of riding you enjoy most. At least this way your board will be capable in all situations and won't limit you.

Be aware that a K2 Raygun is a rockered board (Although not extreme), rather than cambered.
 
I would recommend a rockered board for a relative beginner. They are easier to control and you will have more fun on it. They are less stable at high speed but this is something to bear in mind down the line, not now. 152 is too small. Look for something around 158 or a little higher is the base is rockered.

What is your budget for the board?
 
It's unlikely you will find many good deals now, as its a bit late in the year. Retailers will start marking things down when it gets to the end of the season (April/May), so the real savings to be had are typically right at the end of it when they are trying to shift the final stock. Once summer hits, there aren't many people looking to buy snowboards, unless you were specifically looking for something and scouring to try and find if anyone had one left.

Given its nearly September, most retailers will soon start getting their 13/14 snowboard stock, infact I've already seen a few retailers have had some deliveries. It's unlikely they will shift much on price when its brand new and the season hasn't begun yet.

mrthingyx's advice though is sound.
You aren't experienced enough to know what really works best in terms of what you like to ride. This is especially the case if you haven't really been away anywhere before.

The 152 for example you were offered is a pretty jib specific board, meaning its designed for hitting rails and park features. Its perfectly rideable at your height and fine in a snowdome, but get that out on a mountain and you will find it quite different. That's why you should be looking at something longer.

The other thing you need to bare in mind is that a lot of people who are pretty serious riders will have a quiver of boards, meaning they have one for what they are intending to ride. So thats why starting off, you really are better with something longer which falls into the 'All Mountain' classification, as with it correctly suited to your height and weight, you can ride anywhere.

Just as an example, I'm 5'11 and I ride a 155 for Jib/Park/Snowdome, a 158 for pretty much all mountain in a resort and a 161 for pure powder, though that one doesn't get much use.
 
Ahh the good old board dilemma .... there is no real definitive answer as it really is "go and try" ... even then you might buy a board that technically ticks the right boxes, you may end up to find it not suiting your style.

What is your riding style .... freestyle, all mountain or freeride (little bit of both) ? It will determine your relative length and sometimes type of board (rocker, camber, etc). With your height/weight a freestyle/park board around 153cm or 154cm is fine (152cm if you really want to go smaller) .... all mountain is probably around 156cm to 159cm.

Onto board technology .... a lot of boards are hybrid camber these days where they have a rocker (or reverse camber as some companies call it) in the middle and then normal camber around the binding area OR vice versa .... this is dependent on the model of the board. A little research into this can go a long way. Some people love the quick turning of rockers while others love the stability camber gives while hooning fast down the slope.

Bataleon boards are different from their competitors as they have a patented design called "Triple Base Tech", this is essentially curved sides that allow easier turning. Now some people love it but others hate it (like Marmite :p) as the Bataleon boards can take a bit of getting used to. I've heard some people not liking the Bataleon boards with ice but others claim ice is no problem, again Marmite situation.

Gnu boards have Magna-Traction while are small curves sticking out along the edge that give better edge hold. Some people love it for its ability to hold the edge on all situations but Gnu are a pricey brand.

Currently I have 3 boards, a Forum Pat Moore 155cm (which I'm going to sell), a 154cm Capita DOA (which is still new and it is replacing the Forum board) and a second hand older model 152cm Never Summer Evo which I'm using to practice on kickers/boxes for now. My first board was a second hand Santa Cruz board I bought off eBay for about £100. For me I haven't found the "perfect" board yet, hopefully the Capita DOA is it for me ;) I am by no means an expert rider, more of an intermediate/advanced rider :D

As noted by others, the winter is coming so it is mostly new stock at recommended retail prices .... you may find a bargain or two if you look around as some retailers want to get rid of old stock. The sale season for snowboard gear really starts near the middle of January onwards. Keep an eye out on eBay as usually some people want to get rid of boards at the beginning of the season.

As you are about to head out for your first real snow holiday I would give you some advice ..... take it cautiously your first few times down the slope. My last holiday was full of people who were "dome riders" (as it was a shop organised group trip) that hurt themselves (and others) as a real slope can be unpredictable with visibility being iffy due to lack of sunlight and shadows. Oh do buy yourself a helmet and wristguards (i would go as far as saying do this before purchasing a board!) ..... they will save you ;)
 
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Personally I would go for an All Mountain camber board if you plan to go fairly regularly and have been before, thing is, it's really down to personal preference so if you can try a few out do so.
I've always had true camber boards when learning and stuck with it, hit the occasional kicker and have a lot of fun with the speed - if you're more park based then definitely go smaller, more piste based then go anything from 155- 162. Remember the width of board can have an effect on your turning as well but as you're size 9 regular width should be fine.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. Didn't realise it would turn into such a headache buying a first board. So many differing opinions and suggestions on what to go for. I've phoned around a few shops and the general concencus seems to be that I should go for a board with a bit of rocker on it as I'll find that a bit more forgiving. My budget is around the £200 mark with the idea of picking up a discounted board from around the £300 price range.

Keep coming back to the K2 Raygun, its been recommended a few times now and I think I can get it for £140.
 
Ended up with a 56 K2 Raygun board, K2 Formula bindings and a pair of Nike Vapen boots. £300 all in so well chuffed for with that.
 
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