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Advice first snowboard

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Looking for advice for my first snowboard

Background

I consider myself intermediate/advanced rider.
Skateboarded when i was 12-16.
Been snowboarding 10 times in a ski hall and one winter sport (7days)
I can handle blacks but prefer red/blue to do more tricks and controlled riding
Carving goes okay but far from perfect, more into doing tricks under my riding butters/press (still learning) ollies, small natural features and sometimes the park. still on boxes and small jumps.
I'm 180cm tall (5.9).
I weigh 73kg (161 pounds).
Male 23yo
E: i wear Burton Ruler 2017 size 11

What my boarding look like:
Butter/Press.
Ollies, Nollies, Nose rolls.
Ride switch.
Carve good enough.
Handle hard pack/ice. Basically any condition as ill be going only 2 times a year of 7days each, and few times to the ski hall.
Park small jumps and boxes and transitioning to rails when i get comfortable.
And some back country off-piste (but no priority)
I'd like to use the full mountain and all pistes while having a bigger affinity towards freestyle.

What i have tested:

All tests were done in a ski hall ( small red of roughly 300m.)
Lib Tech Banana
Burton Clash
Burton Process flying V

The Burton Clash felt super lightweight, and really flexible to much for my preference.

Burton Process flying v: Alot stiffer then the clash probably the reason i had a harder time adjusting in my low time of testing turns were good.

The lib tech banana felt the best out of these boards and most comfortable riding. But reading up about it i am afraid that the board is to much park focused.


Even though i stood on these boards, something tells me these don't represent the full use ill be doing on the mountain

So, is there a magic board that can satisfy my requirements?
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Buy anything, it makes no difference if you've only been for one week.

Literally any twin snowboard will do what you want. Maybe avoid the super rocker boards.
ski holidays
 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?
All of those boards are rocker boards.

For your intended use, I would spend a day on a camber board (on the hill, not at a fridge) and learn what it's like to ride a camber board at pace.

Perhaps get a few more weeks in before committing to buying something.
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I wouldn't bother with the Clash - they're a pretty common rental board - can't see the point of spending £250+ on a board and then lugging it to a mountain for something you can rent there and chuck back across the counter year-on-year... What about the Capita Horrorscope?

Seeing you're a size 11 boot, you might want to look at a wide or mid-wide board as you'll be right on the upper end of the boot size for most of the regular width boards you'll be looking at.
snow conditions
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Yes Basic 156 wide (if you can still find one this year) would make a great first board for you. If you're partial to the odd pie or think you're going to become more freeridey, the 159.
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bar shaker wrote:
All of those boards are rocker boards.

For your intended use, I would spend a day on a camber board (on the hill, not at a fridge) and learn what it's like to ride a camber board at pace.

Perhaps get a few more weeks in before committing to buying something.


Well, the non fridge hill is roughly 8hour drive.

As i live in the Netherlands so my only real snow weeks are quite limited, that's why i went to the indoors so often.
Also indoors r 4hours each time i went. But that doesn't compare to a real mountain obviously.

Richard_Sideways wrote:
I wouldn't bother with the Clash - they're a pretty common rental board - can't see the point of spending £250+ on a board and then lugging it to a mountain for something you can rent there and chuck back across the counter year-on-year... What about the Capita Horrorscope?

Seeing you're a size 11 boot, you might want to look at a wide or mid-wide board as you'll be right on the upper end of the boot size for most of the regular width boards you'll be looking at.


The clash is definitely not an option, I've tested it but it just didn't feel right and to flexible.
my Eu size is 43 though but due to wide feet it took me to the rulers size 11.

With the Capita horoscope i am bit concerned about the edge hold in hard snow, looking at the review of (the good ride).
The Capita Outer space Living seems interesting as well but might require a tad more work toward freestyle.

bar shaker wrote:
All of those boards are rocker boards.

For your intended use, I would spend a day on a camber board (on the hill, not at a fridge) and learn what it's like to ride a camber board at pace.

Perhaps get a few more weeks in before committing to buying something.


Wouldn't a chamber profile be to catchy for the park/freestyle id like to do during my days?
Nothing wrong with a test.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Nah, plenty of people out there riding park on cambered boards.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@Kuroda, Fair enough - although if the OuterSpace is on your radar, then the DOA probably should be too. If you're not put off by the topsheet, then there is a reason that board keeps winning awards, plus the outlets buy shedloads of them in each season, so they're a bit more likely to be out there in the sales in the size you want.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
moody_git wrote:
Yes Basic 156 wide (if you can still find one this year) would make a great first board for you. If you're partial to the odd pie or think you're going to become more freeridey, the 159.


+1 - @Kuroda I have the Yes Basic 155 (2015/16 model). Am at a similar level to yourself in terms of what I can do, again, with a similar level of fridge vs actual mountain time. My only comparison is again fridge testing, so can't help give you a wider view with mountain experience.

However, my week earlier in the season to Meribel Mottaret was brilliant, the board helped me progress quickly (according to my instructor) and gave me confidence. Whether the same would have occurred on other boards who knows.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
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Drew Carey wrote:
moody_git wrote:
Yes Basic 156 wide (if you can still find one this year) would make a great first board for you. If you're partial to the odd pie or think you're going to become more freeridey, the 159.


+1 - @Kuroda I have the Yes Basic 155 (2015/16 model). Am at a similar level to yourself in terms of what I can do, again, with a similar level of fridge vs actual mountain time. My only comparison is again fridge testing, so can't help give you a wider view with mountain experience.

However, my week earlier in the season to Meribel Mottaret was brilliant, the board helped me progress quickly (according to my instructor) and gave me confidence. Whether the same would have occurred on other boards who knows.


Could u tell the difference from a rocker and a camber in a "fridge"?

Did some research on the store page, and there is no chamber board available for testing which sucks.
So as my experience from riding is basically either flat board or rocker from the tests i am quite limited on the feel.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Camber in a fridge is like a Ferrari in a car park. You are never going to find out what it can do for you.
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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.
Um, that's perhaps true for learners but not once you know how to ride - 'fridges are small, but plenty big enough to carve up.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
bar shaker wrote:
Camber in a fridge is like a Ferrari in a car park. You are never going to find out what it can do for you.


That is a clear way of wording.

I know how to go down the mountain, but to really try just like the snowboards i have tested.
The fridge is just to busy on the testing hours, lots of new snowboarders and skiers who don't have control. So quite hard to get your average carve out.
And the fact that there's no true camber boards available.
snow report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Kuroda wrote:
Could u tell the difference from a rocker and a camber in a "fridge"?

Did some research on the store page, and there is no chamber board available for testing which sucks.
So as my experience from riding is basically either flat board or rocker from the tests i am quite limited on the feel.


I have always fridge snowboarded at Tamworth mid week, during school term times - this has meant totally empty slopes most of the time. Once I had done all the various lessons etc and countless hours on the hire boards, decided time to buy my own.

Think the key with a lot of board selection - if you can't test everything you want is to also trust and have faith in the shop assistant / research you do on internet. For a lot of people who only do one trip a season (with frequent fridge trips) but can afford to and want their own board - you will often have to think about the riding you want to do, research boards suitable for that style and take a punt. I always knew I was not going to be interested in much park riding (my skateboarding days are well behind me now that I am 37!), hence I researched all mountain boards, researched the different styles of board - then looked at reviews. Yes Basic came out as a good progressive beginner board - that will also be rewarding for more experienced riders also.

Lucky for me, they also had it in TSA at Tamworth a while back. Tried the Basic, followed by a number of other boards - found the Basic the easiest board to turn, felt more balanced and less flighty than others which I tried - hence why I chose it.

(Obviously this is all my personal view and is no basis of fact!!! Very Happy )
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I'm no expert but i think you can get a bit of a feel for a board in a fridge, even at quite an early stage. I tried three or four boards at Tamworth over a morning/afternoon having had 2 weeks on mountain (I'm told I picked it up really quickly). One board shone out as being more drivey and poppey than the rest but just felt 'right' under my feet. I bought it without a second thought.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Yeah you can carve and yeah you can get an idea of how the board handles... at slow speeds only.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Okay, so now i am kinda in a dilemma. I have no chance to test a chamber, i really loved the skate banana in the fridge, but i am afraid its going to be way to much park for my riding. so this scares me.
I wish to make a good buy that will last me and not something i regret and i end up selling.
Only times i can test is either a Saturday or Sunday which is really busy. And i managed to only get 3-4 downhills in 1 hour and i had roughly 3hours for all 3 boards...

The Ride Wildlife wide is the only chamber profiled board i can get my hands on to test but its already hybrid.
Just buying a board because the reviews look good feels so wrong..

Also went to a local snowboard shop were they recommended these:
Burton process flying V
Capita Outer space Living
Dc Ply

There is another snowboard shop nearby that sells more of K2,Ride, Bataleon and lobster.
Might have a go which they would recommend but its still annoying because i am clueless on how a chamber feel.
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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?
What is your reason for buying a board? If you are only snowboarding 10-15 days per year it may work out cheaper to rent, especially once you add the costs of maintenance and baggage costs if you plan to fly. Renting also gives you the big advantage of picking a board specific to conditions and what you plan to ski (I.e.if it's a big powder day you can get a specific powder board, or if you want to hit up the park you can go for something a little small and less stiff).

After 17 days you are still pretty new to snowboarding. Over the next year or two you will definitely be improving and maybe even changing your mind on what type of terrain you like to ride. So if you buy a board now you may want to switch or upgrade in the not too distant future, which is something you should take into account before buying.

What I'm trying to say is there are a lot of benefits to renting, so no need to rush into buying until you are sure exactly what you want.
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@boarder2020, don't know what hire shops you frequent, but the most recent examples of hire kit I've seen were a 2yo Burton Meh and some crappy bindings which had a couple of degrees of play in them at the mounting. The quality and range of snowboard hire gear is lamentable - you'll get better quality kit from going onto eBay and buying 2nd hand than out of a LOT of the usual suspect hire chains in European resorts.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Like Richard mentiond the quality of rentals is far worse than the boards u buy.

After testing the banana and going back to the rentals u really notice the difference from board and the worse are the bindings.

Its 150€ for 1 week rental. So if i go 2 weeks its 300. If i would get a board with the least maintenance base thats roughly 40€ / 80 (indoor snow )
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Snow Hound wrote:
Yeah you can carve and yeah you can get an idea of how the board handles... at slow speeds only.


^^ This.

I trialled a lovely Nidecker carbon board some years ago at Milton Keynes. I did one fast carving run on it (I think I got 3 or 4 turns in) and was told I would be asked to leave if I did that again!

A fridge is an entirely different environment to a mountain piste. If I only rode in fridges, I'd buy a short rocker board. If I rode anywhere else, I would buy something else.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Friends picked up a Burton custom flying v and an endeavor KTV in Tignes this year as rentals, so I'm not sure about it being impossible to find good rentals in Europe. Willing to accept Tignes is a bigger resort, so maybe offers more choice than most.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
boarder2020 wrote:
What is your reason for buying a board? If you are only snowboarding 10-15 days per year it may work out cheaper to rent, especially once you add the costs of maintenance and baggage costs if you plan to fly. Renting also gives you the big advantage of picking a board specific to conditions and what you plan to ski (I.e.if it's a big powder day you can get a specific powder board, or if you want to hit up the park you can go for something a little small and less stiff).

After 17 days you are still pretty new to snowboarding. Over the next year or two you will definitely be improving and maybe even changing your mind on what type of terrain you like to ride. So if you buy a board now you may want to switch or upgrade in the not too distant future, which is something you should take into account before buying.

What I'm trying to say is there are a lot of benefits to renting, so no need to rush into buying until you are sure exactly what you want.


U are completely right that buying a board isn't mandatory now. I am fresh, i learn quite fast at least i was told, no fear for falling and always pushing further.

The rentals at the fridge are doable but not great. For the 4 hours riding each time i go they r sufficient.
What about the rentals on the resort, the one i had Elan Flat shape board was great/good for the skill level i was at and allowing me to grow and do all the basic stuff i was learning.
They probably have higher quality gear on the resort but because it was my 1st real mountain week, they gave me the basic board.

If i buy a snowboard i want to be 100% sure, and not having second doubts. Maybe i am overthinking it all but its quite an investment that's only used a few days a year.
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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.
Richard_Sideways wrote:
... don't know what hire shops you frequent, but the most recent examples of hire kit I've seen were a 2yo Burton Meh and some crappy bindings which had a couple of degrees of play in them at the mounting. The quality and range of snowboard hire gear is lamentable - you'll get better quality kit from going onto eBay and buying 2nd hand than out of a LOT of the usual suspect hire chains in European resorts.

Try Canada. It's easy to rent brand new gear there December / January, and probably year round. There's no restriction on what you can rent - in fact the range is significantly broader than what you can buy retail in the UK, for example, as they don't stock all that much here. I have heard bad things about European hire on here, although possibly mostly from people on packages who are possibly buying the cheapest gear they can get. There are different grades of gear available in Europe though: I'd be surprised if you can't rent good equipment if you're prepared to pay for it. I'd expect to be able to demo anything I was going to buy, for example => a rental fleet must exist.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
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philwig wrote:
Richard_Sideways wrote:
... don't know what hire shops you frequent, but the most recent examples of hire kit I've seen were a 2yo Burton Meh and some crappy bindings which had a couple of degrees of play in them at the mounting. The quality and range of snowboard hire gear is lamentable - you'll get better quality kit from going onto eBay and buying 2nd hand than out of a LOT of the usual suspect hire chains in European resorts.

Try Canada. It's easy to rent brand new gear there December / January, and probably year round. There's no restriction on what you can rent - in fact the range is significantly broader than what you can buy retail in the UK, for example, as they don't stock all that much here. I have heard bad things about European hire on here, although possibly mostly from people on packages who are possibly buying the cheapest gear they can get. There are different grades of gear available in Europe though: I'd be surprised if you can't rent good equipment if you're prepared to pay for it. I'd expect to be able to demo anything I was going to buy, for example => a rental fleet must exist.


I would love to do a holiday in Canada, but obviously its a lot more expensive. Then a bus trip towards Austria or any other European Country.

At the moment i have no one that's willing to join me on the holiday, so i am looking for a single strip which i also did this year.
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