advice needed

A snowHead

hi everyone....i would like some advice on what snowboard to buy.... i am skier but have dabbled on a board when the light / weather has been too rubbish to ski.... so with that in mind i am thinking of buying a second hand board.... i am 5'10'' and about 80kgs in weight, could someone point me in the riht direction of wht i should be lookling for.... free style? length? wide or standard? flex?

cheers

all help appreciated

andy

A snowHead

Simple answer is probably an all mountain board somewhere between 157 and 161. if your feet are bigger than a size 10 look at wide boards. Having your own boots is more important than your own board so if you don't have those yet, do that first.
I'm sure the complicated answer will be along shortly.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

yep have got the boots already wink

i have small feet size 7.5 but i thought wider gave more float in deeper snow and i was thinking freestyle board as i thought they would have more flex and shorter so easier for beginners like me.... at the mo i can get down a blue just about and can link turns etc but wouldnt win any speed or style competitions wink

andy

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There are so many boards to choose from so you would need to be a bit specific. I'm guessing that you just want to cruise the piste and a bit of off piste? Lengthwise 156 -158 max depending on the board. You don't need a wide board. A shorter board would be easier to control/ turn etc as would a softer flexing board (though don't go for a too 'soft' board) All mountain twin or directional twin would do or if you want freestyle action then a freestyle board that can go anywhere. I'd recommend some boards but need to know how much riding you have done and what you can handle/ what you want to improve (though you may need lessons for the latter).

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Gainz +1, you don't need a wide. I'm the same height as you size 8, and roughly the same weight and I ride a mid-wide board which I bought when I was about 2st heavier than I am now. unless you're tall or have particularly big feet, you don't need a Wide or Mid - you're just making extra work for yourself, as you don't have the 'long levers' to get the most from the board. When I go shopping for my next board I won't be buying wide.

As Gainz says, what kind of riding you you want to do? Powder, piste or park? Big booters, pipe or kickers and rails?

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i used to skateboard a lot in my youth which i think has helped me pick it up, i would say that i want something thats a bit of an all rounder to get me going and then if / when i progress i could upgrade the board accordingly.... i dont want to spend a huge amount of cash on one as this will be very much the second fiddle to my ski's..... anything that helps me not to catch an edge would be good i guess....? i would like to get better on the piste and have a dabble in the deeper stuff when conditions allow.... speed isnt really something at the top of my watch list..... what sort of flex do i look at?

thanks for all help....

andy

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Sounds like you want a decent intermediate reverse camber, personally i'd go a bit stiffer than standard, in a 158 or close.
Without my kitporn bible nearby, a quick sweep of some of the usual outlets offers up things like the Ride Manic (£170 Bliss Snowboards) or if you wanted something with softer flex then the Roam Artifact may fit the bill.

After all it is free

cheers Rich, as i am an absolute novice am i right in thinking that the flex comes in numbers between 1 - 10? if thats the case "whats the magic number?" 6, 7?

best

andy

Right, so you've never ridden before. Flex is often listed as 1-10, so thats as good a scale to use as any. A softer board will help you turn the board easier than something stiffer, but if you go for a true beginners board, with your history in skateboarding and skiing, you'll probably quickly find the limits of it.
I think somewhere between 6 -7 would be good to as a progression board. You're a novice, so that may suggest something softer, so maybe expand that to 4-7 which probably covers about 70% of all snowboards in production today, which doesn't help.
Going camber or reverse camber (rocker) is also another of those awkward questions... a rocker would help with reducing edge catch and give you that powder float from a shorter board, but... if you really want to learn to ride well, then I'd kind of point you at a cambered board.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Avoid both those boards imo. The Artifact is a noodle of a board designed for jibs and jumps, and there are miles better boards than the Manic. Don't be worried too much on board flex ratings as they tend not to be accurate, as what feels stiff to someone, can feel softer for someone else. Most website board searches can be adjusted to your riding style, boot size etc and it will give you a few options. I would look at the K2 Raygun or Rome Tour for your level. Both of these are directional twins, designed for all mountain with a mid flex. Easy to turn and fun boards.

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i have ridden a bit before but i just borrowed my mates board, he's 6'2'' though and the binding were too far apart for my short stumpy legs...... i am able to get down a blue run linking my turns with not much style, but sounds like a camber board with flex 5 - 7 and a length of about 158 ? i will check out those ones you suggest Gainz..... in terms of binding i have a fairly small foot (size 7.5) is their a specific size like medium or small that i would need?

cheers

guys

snow reports

Depends on binding brand and your boots, but medium should be fine in most ranges.

got some salomon boots 2nd hand that seem to fit.....

You know it makes sense.

Hi, my biggest bit of advice would be to pick up a copy of the Whitelines Buyers Guide from any good newsagent, find a quiet time and read it cover to cover. Tons of advice for all kinds of riders from novice to expert.

Also, talking to people in your local shop will reap big rewards as they are keen to share knowledge and will no doubt have come up through the ranks and still remember exactly what worked as a beginner. TSA in London have some really knowledgable guys and also have the buying power to have a big range. But try to support the smaller independents if you can wink

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Help!!

advice needed

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