Im want to buy a snowboard this year but don't know where to start. Any tips on what to look for, what size?

Question

I started snowboarding last year and really like it. so i thought it was time to invest in one. What kind of equipment and gear do i need to buy with it? Does size and shape matter? Help!!!!

Answer 1

The best option is to 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.

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 and some lengths are better for different styles of riding. Remember that your height has nothing to do with it. 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.

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.

Don't let a sales person down sell you. While it's true that you won't need (or even be able to tell the difference with) a high end board I try and never sell anyone a "beginner" board. You are going to be intermediate or better far longer than you'll be a beginner. Boards companies I like right now are Burton (check out the Air and the Custom), K2 (the Podium is sweet) and Rome (the Agent, Anthem and Artifact are amazing boards)

Good luck

Answer 2

I snowboard since i was 9. Im 19 now.. So I can give u some tips..
First of all, always buy a good board, dont freak out with the price, its going to be expensive. I have a Burton Custom 2005. My bindings are also Burton. I have tried several different types of boards and bindings, I recommend Burton.My boots are also Burton, but there are also the new Nitro that are great, they are very comfortable. About the size, the board has to be around 10 cm shorter than u (if u r novice then get like 12 or 13 cm shorter). The size of the board gives u the speed. If its too long u will find it harder to control it. The boots have to fit u perfectly, your ankle has to stay in its place, it cant move. When u try the boots on try to lift ur ankle, if u can lift it, then they are big (of course, always try them on and make sure they are tight). And the bindings depend mostly on the boots u get. U have to check that your boot touches every single part of the bindings, they have to fit tight, no moving is preferable because that gives u instability. GOOD LUCK !!

Answer 3

You will need to get the board, the binding and boots pretty obvious, but I would also make sure you pick up one of the handy little tools that they sell its like a screw driver combination thing that you can just through in your pocket. It will be a good little investment. It can really suck if you get half way down the mountain and one of your bindings comes loose and you fall every turn cause you foot isnt strapped down tight. For picking out a board I would start just looking on the internet and deciding what kind of riding you plan on doing. Boards are made to specialize in certain areas like in the terrain park, or for begginers. It is also really helpful if you just go to a snowboard shop and start talking to the employees about what kind of rider you are and what you plan on doing. I would also suggest going to a few different shops so you know if the person is just trying to get you to buy the most expensive board so they make money or if they are actually giving you good honest answers. Size does matter when picking out a board. You will want to make sure that a board isnt rediculously long or short. You will tipically want a shorter board if you are going to be strictly riding in the park because then it is less board to fly through the air with and less to whip around doing 360's. If you go to a snowboard shop they will help to fit you with the rights size. One more thing to check is the weight range for the board. You never want to be heavier than what the recomended wait is because you could risk breaking the board. You also dont want to be below the weight recomendation because then the board can be too much to handle and it will be hard to control. Good luck buying a new board! It can be a hard process. I just bought one earlier this season and it was way hard to pick a board that would suit me and one that i could stand the graphics since I have to look at it for the next few years when I ride. I got the K2 Mix and it is awesome. You should check it out.

Answer 4

There are several things to think about when outfitting yourself. Any sales person at the store will be able to fit you for your gear so what you need to think about is how much you want to spend now, or later. If money is not an issue for you, then go ahead and disregard what I'm about to say and get whatever you like. If, like me when I started, money is an issue, then here are some things to consider. You can buy all the things you need at the beginning at lower cost. When you first start to ride it takes time to get used to the sport and what type of riding you like to do. It also takes time to get to know what kind of gear you like to ride with, or what works best for you. There are subtle differences between things like whether you like bindings that raise you up a little off your snowboard, or whether you like to ride directly on the board. Depending on which you end up liking, it would be unfortunate if you spent big dollars on the wrong kind for you. Same thing goes for gloves. Do you like mittens, or do you like finger gloves? The kinds that go half way up your forearm? or the kind that end at your wrist? Pants: overalls or normal pants? Jacket: do you want to do have a snow skirt inside it so you can ride a lot of powder? or do you not like to ride the powder and don't want the extra bulk? (ride the powder!!) Snowboard: do you want one thats good for everything (I suggest if you're new to the sport) or do you want one thats better for deep snow. These are the most important things to consider when buying your gear. What I did, mostly because of money, was just got a used board untill I got better and discovered what I liked. The rest of the gear doesn't matter as much untill you get better. I've built up my collection of gear now for many years and I'm really happy with what I have. Thinking like this, I haven't waisted a bunch of money on gear I ended up not liking. Good luck, and enjoy.

Answer 5

You'll need to buy a board, bindings and boots. There a different lengths based on your height/weight and different types depending on what type of boarding you'll be doing. When you go to the store, they should be able to help you pick what type/size board you need.

Answer 6

Welcome to the world of snowboarding. A very big consideration is sizing. This sizing guide may help you.
http://frostyrider.com/tips/size-guide.htm
Have fun and stay safe!

Answer 7

Start by doing research online before asking a salesman as some might not give you correct answers. Try this site http://www.snowboardsusa.com/html/snowboardsizeguide.html

Answer 8

having the top of your board touch your chin is just the right size. it makes the controll easier going down any size slope

Answer 9

go to www.thehouse.com
they will hook u up
Or go to your local snowboard shop and they can size u up