What should I do? Roxy vs. Burton; step in vs strap in.?

Question

My Daughter is 10 and wants her first board. It has been suggested that I get an inexpensive board and step in bindings/ boots so when she falls she will come out of the bindings instead of staying in and injuring her knees and hips. I found a Roxy board and Ride Orion SI boots/bindings for less than $150. I found a Burton 126 cm board for $95 but was told she needs a bigger board. She is 4 ft 6 in and weighs 65 lbs. Help! Confused Mom!!!!

Answer 1

Whoa, Whoa, Whoa!!!

First off, there are no snowboard bindings that release. Knee and hip injuries are not very common in snowboarding especially for a beginner. This doesn't mean that it doesn't happen but it is very rare and usually more of an issue for advanced boarders who are riding expert terrain and jumping. Keep in mind that the way you fall on a board is much different than with skis. On skis, if one ski twists and does not release you get leg and knee injuries. On a snowboard, since both legs are attached to the same board when it twists in a fall, your whole body will twist with it. By far, the biggest injury concern for a beginning snowboarder are broken wrists. Invest in a good set of wrist guards and lessons for your daughter and you should be all good.

I think I replied to a few of your other questions and would like to reiterate that the Orion and Roxy setup is not bad....it just isn't that good. For $150 it's a steal and your daughter should have a great time with it. As she gets better and more intune with what she needs she can upgrade as necessary. Keep in mind that replacing the boots for the Orion setup will be very difficult so buying this system now may make it difficult to upgrade later. A 126 cm Burton board (Like the Chopper or the Chicklet) has a suggested weight range of 55-100 lbs. So she's right there in the middle and that would work but she'll grow out of it very quickly. If she's ridden before and says she needs a bigger board then she probably does. Something in the low 140 cm lengths would be great (the Feelgood 144 ranges from 70-110 as does the Lux 143). I'm really not familar with the specifics of the Roxy boards but it's a safe bet that similar lengths are good for the same weight ranges. Here are a couple of links to questions about what to look for when buying a snowboard:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AidTGsgFeIRq9r5kv9TjEn_zy6IX?qid=20060703151316AA3XHPR

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Auu0mzra5RDKQ6gOwxH5gv7zy6IX?qid=20060620063216AAnYRli

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aqo06L3J46v49_u8jGVOFMfzy6IX?qid=20060617043735AAOSFSx

Also the Burton website is a good resource, even if you don't intend to buy a Burton.

http://www.burton.com/default.asp

Feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions.

EDIT:

Ugh! No offense to torrado_fan4evr but you must keep in mind that a snowboard has absolutely no idea how tall its rider is. There are so many formulas for how long your board should be; To your chin if you're a beginner, To your nose for park riding, Above your eyes for big mountain. They are all wrong. If you are very tall, yet only weigh 120 lbs, you don't want a board that reaches your eyes and if you are short but weigh 200 lbs you would be miserable on a board that came just under your chin.

Remember, YOUR HEIGHT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. It is your weight, your ability level, the kind of riding you do and personnal preference. Keep in mind that kids are going to grow and you don't want to replace expensive equipment every season. A smaller board is easier to learn on but the question is; How long is your daughter going to be a beginner? Don't buy a board for learning unless you plan to upgrade as soon as you aren't a beginner, that's what renting is for. Buy a board that you can learn on but will carry you to a more advanced level.

And torrado_fan4evr is correct. Burton equipment is less compatible than other board companies. It uses a different binding mount system then other companies. There are adaptors that work great but if you go with Burton (and non Burton bindings) be sure to check with your shop before buying to be sure of compatability.

Answer 2

There are no step ins that release. For a beginner it's probably best to go with step ins or click ins as i call them because it will be a a lot easier to get them on and off when your first getting the hang of everything. Once you get more experienced and know what your doing, strap ins will be way better. Since your daughter is still growing, you don't want to get her a really expensive board that she'll just grow out of. I would sugest you get something that isn't too expensive but is safe and good quality. Roxy is a good brand and they make boards especialy for girls. Burton is good too but i would sugest you go with Roxy for your daughter. The other thing too is what if your daughter doesn't end up liking snowboarding? And you've just got her all this equipment. I would sugest that you rent the equipment on her first try. If she likes it than go buy a board etc. I don't know where you live, so i don't know what stores you have, but if you go to a sporting goods store or a store that sells snowboards you can ask them all your questions and they can help you find the right board for your daughter. Good luck!

Answer 3

I think that step-in binding were a fad and hass passed. They seem to easy to step into, but snow can get packed in them so much that you have to stop and dig it out. A lot of the pros have straps, personally I think it is because you can tighten it so that it is more stable and when you lean your board goes with you. With the step-ins you have too much wiggle room that makes your board not as responsive to your body movements. Just what I have hear. I like straps and always have. I started when I was 14 and a cheaper board worked just fine for me. I used it for two years and got a nicer one once I learned. Make sure she likes it before you invest all this money in something she might not like just so that she can look good on her first run. Renting is a good idea. She should keep in mind that she will be falling a lot, but tell her to stick with it, because once you get it... it's a blast!

Answer 4

k first there is no bindings that will just release, knee injuries are very common in snowboarding, Ive been boarding for about 4 years and i have had lots of knee injuries, but there not always major, falling is a part of snowboarding, once she gets better she will not fall as much, but as i said, everyone falls, some fall on easier stuff than others, like jumping and expert terrain, the best could still wipe out, i would personally go with the Burton snowboard, there the best money can buy and they are really dependable, and for the bindings i would go with strap in, because when snow and ice get into the step ins, they are really hard to get into and really hard to get the ice and snow out of, Ive been boarding for 4 years, like i said earlier, and Ive always went with the strap in, and plus, with the strap in, if her friends r in a hurry, the strap in takes like 1 minute and your good to go

Answer 5

You usually want a board that fits under your chin when you are standing straight. Shorter boards are easier to learn on. I'm 5'3" and I learned on a 138 cm. Stay away from Burton unless you are going to buy everything in Burton. They purposely make their stuff non compatible with other companies.(I've made that mistake once before). As for binding types, it is personal preference. I've been boarding for 15 years and refuse to try step ins. I'm a crusty old lady set in my ways I guess. Try renting before you buy if you can. That way you'll have a better idea of what she feels comfortable with. Most stores that sell the stuff will let you demo.

Answer 6

well i would go with strap in bindings. plus no bindings releas when u fall. burton is a really good brand name board but i wouldnt spend that much money because she is still growing. in 2 years or lesit will be to small. so for a beginer probably the roxy. oh yeah i forgot to tell u that step in bindings r a pain in the butt. they get clogged with snow all the time. snowboarding is the best!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

NEVER GET A BOARD THAT YOU CAN FALL OUT OF WAY TOO DANGEROUS. LOOK FOR FLOW BINDINGS, THEY HAVE A THING WHERE YOU STEP IN THROUGH THE BACK AND PULL THE BACK UP AND HIT A THINGY ON THE BACK AND YOUR IN! YOU DONT FALL OUT THAT EASY. YOU DONT WANT ONES THAT COME OFF YOUR FEET BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE TO EITHER CHASE YOUR BOARD DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, OR RUN BACK UP TO GET IT AND IT HURT WAY WORSE WHEN YOU FALL. FOR HE BOARD YOU WANT NOT A WALL MART BOARD BUT SOME THING THAT GOSE UP TO THE TOP OF HER HEAD, AND FLEX'S (TRUST ME SHE WILL LOVE IT).
WELL I HOPE I HELPED.
-SOMEONE