 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey everyone,
I've been referred here after discussing the crapness of snowboard in rental shops in France in another part of the forum where I was advised that I should consider buying my own board. I've been snowboarding for 4 times in the last 4 years for a week each time. I had been boarding for 2 separate weeks about 6 years previous to that but skied in between. I'm happy enough on piste in that I'll make it down most slopes without too much hassle - still a lot to learn off piste but enjoying it.
I have my own Northwave boots which are comfy but probably not as stiff as they could be but I'm really just looking for a board and bindings. As we only really go for one week a year, I don't want to spend the world on this. The best bindings I've had were Nitro Fastec SPs which were rear entry - every other rental binding I've had was shockingly bad so I'm looking to go for something like those.
Due to the infrequency of our ski trips, I have been looking at the lowest end of the market and have found Raven boards on eBay which seem to get mixed to good reviews on Snowboard Club UK's forum however, I tend only to trust snowheads so want to hear what you guys think. Regarding the size, I'm 165cm tall but would be on the heavy side for my height so I should probably go for a longer board for my height. Would 151cm be enough or should I be looking at 154cm?
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Raven-Set-Board-Shape-White-151cm-BINDING-Raven-Fastec-Jewel-S-M-/320960153890
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Snowboard-Raven-Flossy-Rocker-154cm-Raven-Fastec-Jewel-S-M-New-/331013389742?pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Skiing_Snowboarding_Snowboards_CV&hash=item4d11ef7dae
Any advice gratefully received - keep in mind that I'm in Ireland so it's either buy online or buy in Bourg or Val d'Isere in January. Given what I'm used to (the dreadful rentals) would either of these be enough of a step up to be worth forking out for? Or should I look at spending a bit more?
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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anna_1104, I can't say anything on the boards but £220 for board and bindings is pretty cheap. The other option would be to look out for branded second hand kit. My first board was an ex rental Burton from Boadwise (Cannock) and I'm still using it for teaching on today.
With regard to length, 3cm isn't going to make a huge difference and it's your weight v board flex will determine how the board works on snow. Using my own kit as an example the Burton mentioned is about 154 while my other board is 162. The performance difference of the 2 boards is in their respective flex or stiffness profiles and this is where a second hand, 'quality' board might work in your favor.
The low price hire boards at our slope have quite a poor flex profile compared to my old Burton - as if they are made from marine ply wood 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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anna_1104, I'd doubt there are too many SHs who've even heard of Raven, let alone ridden one of their boards - my only experience of them is reading through whats on SCUK. On the face of it they look like what they are - a low cost alternative to the major brands based on older designs. I expect that they would do you fine, and would be preferrable to a rental board/bindings - from what I understand from reading through the threads on SCUK, Raven are pretty good on defect refunds/replacements too so if you do have problems, you have some come back.
Before you do spend hard cash, might be worth having a look at the dedicated retailers too, like Bliss, SS20 or the board basement, as there are still deals on last years models available... Plus if you decide to become a super/mega Snowhead or join SCUK, then you can get an additional % off some retailers.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just having a look on Absolute Snow and there are many boards that I would recommend over the Raven, all sub £200 for board only. Then its just a matter of buying binding used or saving up a little more and getting the ones you want. If you liked the Nitros, why get something else? Even though you go away 1 week a year, this could be the difference on whether you enjoy the trip or not (in an extreme example).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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(I'm surprised you can't rent better gear in France - don't they have "Top Niveau" stuff available for a premium? You probably don't want to use a tour operator for your rentals, at least. Bear in mind if you buy your own gear you will likely need to change it as you progress, and you may have to pay for transport and servicing.
Or switch countries - in BC you would be on current season's gear, and you can switch it around as much as you like until you find what works for you.)
I've never heard of those boards or seen them in use anywhere. You can't really assess build quality without physically seeing them. You can't really assess the ride without riding them. "Length" is a nominal concept - the running length is different from this, and as above, it's really the flex of the board which is critical. An expert can tell in 1 turn if a board's the right size. Beginners just need soft floppy stuff and can't tell them apart.
The manufacturer doesn't have a weight range on their site, which is a shame.
It's a tricky one. I would try to avoid buying anything you have not ridden as it may be worse than useless (it may impede your ability to progress if it's the wrong size). If you have to buy online, I'd buy something you *know* you're smack in the middle of the manufacturer's weight range, and make sure that the intended use matches your ambitions. Failing all that... well it's like buying a car you've not driven - a scary amount of money if you find you hate it as soon as you sit behind the wheel.
Failing all that...
I've read reviews on SCUK for boards which people by their own admission have not even ridden, so I would not trust those. If you can find someone who you're sure can actually snowboard, and who has actually ridden a "Raven" board, then they can tell you how the board is built. They cannot tell you if it will work for you of course, and you don't know if the board was correctly sized for them, so their actual riding experience isn't hugely relevant. I'm not a big fan of "brands", but I'd personally feel safer with an older Burton than a brand new one of those. You could google warranty issues and see how well they deal with those I suppose.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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philwig,
It's a tricky one. I would try to avoid buying anything you have not ridden as it may be worse than useless (it may impede your ability to progress if it's the wrong size). If you have to buy online, I'd buy something you *know* you're smack in the middle of the manufacturer's weight range, and make sure that the intended use matches your ambitions. Failing all that... well it's like buying a car you've not driven - a scary amount of money if you find you hate it as soon as you sit behind the
Who really rides a. Board before they buy it, bet there rant many.
Don't believe all you read and here on the net for the average user like you once a year it isn't going make much difference what you buy, sure you can go for an expensive board, but are most items these days made to a specific requirement.
Not unlike cars, Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda, all made by the same company just branded differently.
Same as everything we buy today, I would buy as cheap a board as you can find, ride it to death, get all your skills bagged, and then get a top board.
As for the bindings go for the ones you like, they will last years, you will get bored off them before they fail on you
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philwig,
It's a tricky one. I would try to avoid buying anything you have not ridden as it may be worse than useless (it may impede your ability to progress if it's the wrong size). If you have to buy online, I'd buy something you *know* you're smack in the middle of the manufacturer's weight range, and make sure that the intended use matches your ambitions. Failing all that... well it's like buying a car you've not driven - a scary amount of money if you find you hate it as soon as you sit behind the
Who really rides a. Board before they buy it, bet there rant many.
Don't believe all you read and here on the net for the average user like you once a year it isn't going make much difference what you buy, sure you can go for an expensive board, but are most items these days made to a specific requirement.
Not unlike cars, Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda, all made by the same company just branded differently.
Same as everything we buy today, I would buy as cheap a board as you can find, ride it to death, get all your skills bagged, and then get a top board.
As for the bindings go for the ones you like, they will last years, you will get bored off them before they fail on you
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Thanks for all the advice guys! Much appreciated.
We're in Ireland so I'm thinking I might be better off buying in Bourg before heading to Val - all our flights and trains are booked to Paris for heading to Val d'Isere - it's our honeymoon, spending a few days in Paris before heading to the alps - if I buy online, I don't get to see it in the flesh, I have to pay ridiculous shipping from the UK to Ireland and then pay to bring it on the plane. Unless I find an unbelievable online, I reckon I'll wait to get to Bourg.
Would it be worth buying the bindings online so that I get what I want instead of whatever the shop has in stock? I really like the Fastec rear entry bindings as they were super easy to use and very comfortable. All other bindings I had were crap. What you guys reckon?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Esdel wrote: |
| ...Who really rides a. Board before they buy it, bet there rant many. .. |
I don't know any of my mates who'd be daft enough to buy a board or a car without trying them first, but perhaps that's why they're my mates and you aren't 
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Mate, I'm not your mate cause you don't know me.
As for cars I sold cars for almost eight years and probably sold at least 80-100 cars every year with the person driving the car, it happens all the time.
Would you go running in a pair of trainers before you could buy them, what about nipping into next and trying on some jeans and going for a nice long stroll before I make my decision, just to make sure they are proper comfy.
Tell me where in the uk I can test a snowboard before I buy it, other than an organized event next to a snow dome,
Please, I'd love to do it but my local shop won't let you try before you buy, use your brain.
Most products on the market have massive marketing dept and massive budgets, if you really believe that a Burton snowboard is made any differently to any other brand then your sadly mistaken, and I'm not talking about a pro or high level boarder but for the average once a year person, they won't have the capability or the ability to tell the differance.
This is because they have no frame of reference.
I'm not having a pop it just frustrates me in the uk when people believe everything they read/see or hear because 9/10 it's marketing.
My twin tips are junior ones, never had an issue, my road bike is an extra small when everyone was saying I needed a medium, never had an issue, my snowboard was bought off eBay for £20', never had an issue ( I love the thing), all of my tv's are logic or some such Chinese import, never had an issue, and I've recently discovered superdry and sol cal are the same company.
Anna ref bindings.
It's a hard choice buy online and get exactly as you want or wait till your in resort, however for me I'd buy in resort, there are normally loads of deals to be had,and lots of shops to look at and in the shop they would fit and make sure all was ok, even if the price was differant it wouldn't be much.
Remember what ever you buy "enjoy"
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Esdel wrote: |
| Who really rides a. Board before they buy it, bet there rant many. |
I did. I went to the snowdome at Tam and "tried before I buyed", they had a range of demo boards but when I enquired about another board that had been suggested they unwrapped a new one and fired on some bindings (the same as the ones I already owned) and added it to the fleet. They even gave me discount to the tune of my boarding sessions. Very good service and advice I found.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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i've never tried a board before buying, its a wooden plank with metal edges. I know what camber I want, what length, width, the only real decision to make is the graphic.....
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ANyone know if S&R offer board tests at Hemel? Quite keen of trialling a Bataleon with TBT. Apologies for the hijack...
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You know it makes sense.
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They don't even stock Bataleon do they? It's not on the website...
(ETA: I've never demoed a snowboard before I've bought it. Does that make me an idiot? To be fair it's pretty tricky finding someone who stocks the girls board you want, let alone someone wanting to sacrifice it to the demo fleet...)
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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If I may add, I think some of your advice Esdel, is questionable. If I put the OP on my Endeavor Next she wouldn't enjoy it and infact probably hurt herself badly enough to not want to ride anymore. The wrong board can kill your confidence so therefore the idea a snowboard is a snowboard is misguided. You may have bought a board for a score but what board is it? You may have been lucky and it fit your requirements.
So anna_1104, we have established the most important purchase atm for you are the bindings. Get them before you go so its not left to chance. Look at various boards in your budget and to suit your riding in resort and ask around for any shops demo'ing or rent a couple of different boards for a day. It does help to ride before you buy but if you cant, you can reduce the risk if you do plenty of research.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Mate honestly I may be wrong I'm man enough to say that.
However, what can she research, she isn't a boarder, has no knowledge of boarding.
If every board is individual, isn't then every person and as such wouldn't the board behave differently with every user.
You led to believe that burton as an example is a great board, but who tells us this, yes lots of people buy them but they buy them because of marketing.
I' ll say it again if you had 50 boards in a line and could have a go on each one, as a once a year boarder you wouldn't be able to tell the differance, and a board you test on day one of your holiday will be differant from day 7, what's changed from day 1-7, not the board, but you, your confidence, your ability, your ability to adjust your weight differently , there are loads of things, even if there is freshly dropped show or early morning compacted snow.
Another analogy I'd like to give is the golf industry, drivers account for about 134 billion of the total golf market, but an 8 iron will go about 120-130 yards even if you are average, so 3 x 8 irons 360 yards and 1/2 putts = par or 1 over, but no golfer changes there 8 iron every year but most golfs buy new drives all the time. ITS CALLED MARKETING
Slightly off tangent to make a point
By the way I ride a mongoose, it's a nothing board, but I have great fun, isn't that more important
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would say that without the OP giving weight its imposible for anyone to recomend anything.
On that basis i would divert the OP to SCUK and advise she speaks to the 227angrydonkey on there, he runs an online store called minus nine, he gets new and second hand boards, he's a good rider, experienced and will offer some good advice. pretty sure he'll ship to NI
my 2p 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yeah well said eddiethebus...
anna_1104, I ride a 152 (amongst others) and I'm 166cm and 70kgs - I prefer a smaller board but weight is key, especially on a more flexible board where you'll be using the flex to your advantage. That said if you're too heavy for a stiff board it could feel squirrely and not very stable, so it's equally important for both, but in different ways.
If you decide not to buy whilst you're here, go with a shortlist of boards and the best length for you according to the manufacturers recommendations. They tend not to have that information to hand and it does vary board to board.
Strictly not kosher to suggest on SH, but if you join SCUK for peanuts you can get a discount that will more than likely cancel out the cost of shipping to Ireland.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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IMO you hire until you know enough to know what you want, you try all you can by hiring good boards, using shops that let you try before you buy, and you buy from shop that provides the service you want. I have been a dick before and bought without trying, twice, the recommendations I got from other riders were crap; never believe a car, or any other, salesman. Believe in your research, experience and judgement. Spend what you need to get what you want & can afford.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I bought a bataleon violenza without having tried it - I liked the colours, read a few reviews and couldn't be arsed to spend time in one of those god awful fridges.
I've never heard of Raven i'm afraid, I started on a K2 Luna - I loved it. I bought the whole set up when I was in Andorra and it was tax free. I would be prepared for higher prices than you think in Bourg, I don't think buying in France is neccesarily cheaper. If you really want your own gear - do you have a Decathlon over there? or could you visit a local ski/ board shop? my husband picked up a cheap board from a previous season at our local shop.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Great advice here lads - thanks
Totally understand what you're saying about both try before you buy and about getting a known brand at a discount. How much would I be looking at for basic enough board and bindings if I waited til I got to Val d'Isere/Bourg? Just trying to see if it's within my budget...
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Also, is it really necessary to get a girls board or could I get either?
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I'd say 450euro for a mid range board and bindings set up
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Lady boards are often a little softer than the equivilant man boards, but theres no reason you shouldn't look at any board thats in the right range for you - you might have to work a bit harder to get the best out of it though.
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| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
| Lady boards are often a little softer than the equivilant man boards. |
They are also often narrower to account for smaller feet.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I had the same dilemma when I was buying my board and was looking at the Ravens alot. I had decided that it would be worth getting one as for that money you cant go that far wrong and there was some good feedback about them. Anyway I did loads of research and had got it down to a choice of 2 but couldnt decide between them as I just didnt have enough experience of snowboarding so just didnt really know what I needed. Popped on Ebay to buy one and just as I was about to buy it I saw a Forum Manual and ended up buying that instead on a whim but it turned out to be a great board and I love it.
From what I remember I think all the reviews said the Raven boards were good but it was worth getting the uprated bindings.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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