want to buy a snowboard..?

Question

what should i be looking for...? I'm 5'7 tall, how long should my board be? Any help is appreciated, as I'm looking to buy used, online. thanks

Answer 1

This is an answer I gave to a similar question sometime ago:

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.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgESUtVMj3W.xEutZUTQZs3sy6IX?qid=20060703151316AA3XHPR

EDIT: Please remember that board length has absolutely NOTHING to do with how tall you are. It's all about riding style, ability and weight. Think about it, How would an inanimate object like a snowboard have any idea how tall you are?

Answer 2

I'll try and break this down the best I can so it's a bit easier to understand.
Board length-should be between your chin and nose. Board lengths are in cm. 5'7" minus about 4 inches from the top of your head to your nose. So 5'3" is 63 inches or 160cm. I'd stay between 152/154-160. A bit longer-more speed. Shorter -more manuverable. But that doesn't mean a big board can't be either. Once you get better at riding, learn to carve. It involves "twisting" your board which can make a bigger board handle just as well as a small board out on the slopes. Shorter boards if your going to do most of your riding in the park.
Board width-depends a lot on how big your feet are, but a wider board will handle better in the powder. Like the length, depends on where you plan to do the most riding.

Answer 3

Ok when buying a snowboard for the first time many people recomend going for a board about the lenght from the floor to your chin. This is by no means a rule set in stone as other factors such as weight and the type of riding you want to do also come into it. But for people just starting off its a good starting point as you wont really know what you want length wise, you only learn what size suits you best from experience noone can tell you that you just need to find out for yourself.
As far as what board to go for go for a begineer/ intermediate board ( im assuning your a begineer apoligies if your not), these will be the cheapest boards in the range but it doesent mean that they are bad boards. If you go for a board like a burton custom or a K2 zepplin as someone recommended earlier you will find it a nightmare to ride as they are designed to be ridden fast and are no good to learn on. Also don't fall into the Burton trap alright they may have the best team but it doesnt mean they have the best products, yeah they are good but so are many other brands out there which are alot cheaper to buy as well.

Answer 4

Try to get a board that is nose height or shorter. I ride one about to my neck because I like to ride in the park. The longer the board the more speed and stability. The shorter the board the more maneuverability.

Answer 5

Go to your local shop and try on some boots of different companies. Some brands fit wider or longer then others just like shoes. Find the sizing for boots you like from companies and go buy the same size online. ALWAYS try on a boot before you buy it