 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok go easy on me - I don't venture far from the safety of the Bar very often
I would appreciate any help, advice, insults and general p*ss taking in terms of getting a new board.
A little bit about me - I'm nearly 48, I'm 15.5 st and 6"1'. I'm reasonably fit (being a MAMIL and all) and run 5km in 26mins 3 times a week. I started skiing way back in mid-80s but switched to the darkside in 98 and then happily boarded until 2006, when I switched back to skiing as my boys had started skiing. Over the last few years I have taken board and skis away and gone with what ever took my fancy on day!
As one of the boys has now got firmly into boarding, I'm going to just board this holiday and am looking to replace my board purchased in 2000. It's a 161 Rossignol wide - it's till in good shape, but can't help thinking that things have moved on a bit in the last 15-years.
Now being a)cheap and b) not brilliant and c) going once a year I am looking to spend max £200 
My first thought was 2nd Hand - but the board I purchased from ebay (from a reputable supplier) looked like it had been used for 100 years in a SnowDome and then hit repeatedly with a hammer. Not the Very Good condition with barely a mark on it that it was described as!
Looking around I have found 2 boards which I think will meet the bill - so if anyone has any views or alternatives or suggestions to stick with current board/skis/zimmer frame now is your chance
http://www.blue-tomato.com/en-GB/product/K2-K2+Standard+161+2016-301845509-design/
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/pack-bullwhip-500-carve-id_8284515.html
I've always had K2 skis and like them, so am tending towards that at mo
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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TBH my mate is still riding a board he bought back in in about '98 without issues. If there is life in the old girl then it should be alright... but as you say tech moves on. If your bindings are as old as the K2 then you'll probably want to replace them, or at least maybe look at switching the front strap to a toe-cap instead. They're MUCH better than the old style over-the-foot straps of yore, and you can often retro fit them to bindings without too much hassle, plus it'll save you the cost of a new binding.
As for the board, usual rules apply - you can only truly know your new stick by testing it on the mountain/going on vision quests/consulting your spirit animal/making sweet love to it, etc etc. Or read some reviews and then just buy whatever you can afford that looks nice.
Meanwhile, go indulge in a bit of kitporn over on Absolute Snow They've a good range of stuff which might fit your budget.
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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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Also, have a look at the Wanted/For Sale forum over on SCUK. You could put a 'Wanted' msg there and you'd probably get some hits back at your price point.
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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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+1 for cap straps.
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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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drop andy at http://www.minus-nine.co.uk/ a message, for your price point check out the pathron snowboards they're great bits of kit for the price. tell him francium told you about them and you might get a cheeky discount.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@francium., Cheers - some nice looking boards there.
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How big are your plates? Do you actually need a wide?
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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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@Snow Hound, size 11, I don't think I need wide as have been fine on normal Xscape boards
@HandyHand, hmmmm let me get back to you, am only up the road near Banbury
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Boris, cool, can come and meet you somewhere local if you want to take a look at the board.
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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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The SH stars really have aligned, @HandyHand's Omni would be perfect. Right size and style with one of the newer hybrid camber profiles. Should provide exactly the type of ride youre looking for @Boris, easy going and confidence inspiring with enough guts to cope if you really need them. All on budget as well (I'd get the bindings too).
*Disclaimer* You won't really know till you've spent a couple of hours on it. These new profiles can be really divisive. Personally I like RCR (wavelength) and CRC but not flat or rocker. YMMV as always.
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I don't much like the look of those discount/ low end boards, which I think are aimed more at people with perhaps less experience than you. Second hand you can probably get some more mainstream gear cheap in the UK - a lot of people buy boards without trying them here, which probably helps that market.
You'll be needing something beefy at 100kgs.
In North America you can rent anything you want in excellent condition and well serviced. Then you can try different things until you find what works. And you don't need to pay transport costs or buy a bag, which coudl easily be all your budget.
Major board design changes in the last 10 years? ... park stuff got smaller and more flexible as pipe pretty much died a death. A fashion bubble around "rocker" mostly aimed at beginners which mostly kind of came and went. Better designed board tips ("decambered") so they carve better. Universal adoption of taper in powder boards, and metal in race boards.
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You know it makes sense.
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@philwig, the other thought going through my mind is to wait until Easter and see what's available for demo/purchase in the hire shops in France. A trip to NA is not an option for a while.
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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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@Boris, Not sure where you're going to this year, but there is a fantastic snowboard (and mountain bike) shop in Chamonix. I can't remember its name but it's just opposite the Chinese restaurant, and has a bubble lift in the front "garden".
I bought some bindings from there at Easter last year and they were incredibly cheap compared to what those bindings cost in the UK, so your idea of waiting until Easter might be a good idea to be honest.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Boris wrote: |
@Snow Hound, size 11, I don't think I need wide as have been fine on normal Xscape boards
@HandyHand, hmmmm let me get back to you, am only up the road near Banbury |
you'll need something "wider"...
it depends what boots you have as well though. I'm a 10 with a low footprint boot and I wouldn't buy anything less that 255mm at the waist.
anything smaller my toes will catch in a deep carve and i'll wash out.
You might be ok on a standard rental for now, but once you get better you wont be.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| eddiethebus wrote: |
| Boris wrote: |
@Snow Hound, size 11, I don't think I need wide as have been fine on normal Xscape boards
@HandyHand, hmmmm let me get back to you, am only up the road near Banbury |
you'll need something "wider"...
it depends what boots you have as well though. I'm a 10 with a low footprint boot and I wouldn't buy anything less that 255mm at the waist.
anything smaller my toes will catch in a deep carve and i'll wash out.
You might be ok on a standard rental for now, but once you get better you wont be. |
The 162 Omni has a WW of 258. True about the boots as well - my new Malamutes are considerably 'shorter' than my older Synapse. Same brand same size but smaller.
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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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I wear size 11 Malamutes and have no issues with a ww 253 stance width and sidecut will make a difference.
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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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All thanks to help here, I'm now the proud owner of @HandyHand, old board. Neat
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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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"Well wear!", as they insist on saying over here.
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