what should i look for in a snowboard?

Question

there are so many different options, brands, and boards made of different materials of different sizes, categories, and length out there that i dont really know where to start.

im 5'9 and 160 pounds. im lookin for a board that i can use for a while without having to upgrade to a better one. i dont really plan on doin tricks or anything anytime soon so it wouldnt have to be anything too special.

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

Answer 1

The best option is to go to a resort that has a good Demo shop, that way you can try before you buy. If you can't do that go to a good board shop and not a big box store (like Big 5 or Copelands) as the people working at the board shop will probably have a better idea as to what they are talking about.

You're right, there are tons and tons of choices out there. When buying a board you need to ask yourself a few important questions.

1.)How good am I?
2.)How much do I ride?
3.)Where do I ride?
4.)What conditions do I ride most?
5.)What type of rider am I?

These will help you determine what board is going to be best for you.

Boards specs are confusing but I'll try and breakdown the important ones for you and what you need to look for in them.

Length. There is no right or wrong length as different lengths are better for different styles of riding. Remember that your height has nothing to do with it as a board has no idea how tall you are. Most boards have a range of weights that they are suited for. Generally, a longer board is more stable and requires a bit more from it's rider to perform well and a shorter board is less stable but very easy to manuever. For the most part, freeriders who are riding powder or at very high speeds like a longer board and park riders (especially jibbers) like shorter boards for their reduced swing weight and extra manueverability. Off the top of my head I'd recommend a board no shorter than a 154 for you.

Width. This is possibly the most important measurement. How big are your feet? You should ride a board that is wide enough that your heels and your toes are just above their edges. If you have too much toe or heel drag you will hang up on your turns (excess toe drag leads to excess chin drag). If your board is too wide then it will increase the effort it will take to get the board over on edge. I've actually torn the arch of my foot riding a board that was too wide (yeah, it hurt). Go for the narrowest board possible as the performance gains of quick edge control far outweigh the minimal benefit the extra width will gain you in deep snow. It's a good idea to bring your boots with you to the shop to help with this.

Sidecut. When you look at a board you can see that the sides of it are cut in. If you use your imagination, you can see that this cut actually begins the arc of a circle. A board with more cut draws a smaller circle and is better suited for smaller turns. A board with less cut draws out a bigger circle for bigger turns. Generally, park riders like a board with more cut as they need that added manueverability to line up the features in the park. A freerider is usually riding faster and making bigger turns than a park rider so they usually go for a board with less cut. Also, a board with deeper cut can "hook" in powder a bit. Keep in mind that it is easier to get a longer turn out of a board with more cut than it is to get a shorter turn out of a board with less cut. (am I confusing you yet?)

Flex. This is the most subjective part to buying a board. A stiffer board is much more stable and responsive but requires more attention from it's rider and will fatigue you more. A softer board is very comfortable and easy to ride but will not respond as well or be as stable, especially at speed. Jibbers like soft boards as they are less likely to hook up on the rails and freeriders like the response of stiffer boards. Most boards these days are built with a flex pattern, meaning that they can be stiff in a certain aspect and soft in another. A great park board will have a stiffer tip and tail for better pop and stability in landing but will have a soft torsional (side to side) flex that will help on the rails or when coming up a little short landing a spin. A great freeride board will be stiff in the tail and underfoot for better drive and softer in the tip to help turn initiation as well as for better float in deep snow. A halfpipe board will be stiff everywhere for maximum pop and edge hold.

I've ridden a lot of boards and right now I really like Burton, K2, Santa Cruz and Endeavor. From Burton you can't go wrong at any level but the Custom offers a lot at a good price. If you wanted a stiffer board the Custom X is amazing and the top of the line T6 is the best board I've ever ridden. The K2 Zepplin is an awesome board, very stiff but it is one of the best "take no sh*t" boards I've ever seen, it goes through anything. If you are into park riding you can't beat any of Santa Cruz's TT boards. Their biometric sidecut and comply constuction rule...check out the Seth Huot.

Answer 2

One tip is that the longer your board is the easier it is to do tricks and half pipe. If you're learning go for a shorter board.

Good brands:
Burton
Solomon
Rossignol
Lamar
Morrow
K2

Answer 3

If it has the name Burton on it, it's a good board. For your size you would want about a 158-160 cm board.

Answer 4

If your going bigmountain pick up something from burton or K2 but if your gonna be a park junky then pick up a forum destroyer

Answer 5

burton.com has a guide that will walk you through and ask various questions about your style preferences and cash availability then point you in the right direction, all else fails the-house.com is cheap as hell!

Answer 6

wieght and flexability