 Poster: A snowHead
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Apologies if this has been asked many times. I am looking to buy a new board and am wondering about getting a girls board.
I am a really short Asian guy and skinny/light. Height 5.6 / 5.7 Weight 8 Stones/112 Pounds/50 kg. My feet size is 7, I have a pair of Burton Mission Bindings, and my boots are Vans Aura size 7.
My current board is a Lobster Eiki Pro Model, Height 148 CM
https://www.lobstersnowboards.com/shop/eiki-pro-model-396
I am looking at a Bataleon She W, (is the female version of the Bataleon Global Warmer), the height is 146cm.
https://www.bataleon.com/shop/she-w-389
Am I going to have any issue riding a female board:
My Lobster board fitted me pretty well, I did struggle a bit with buttering but that could just be my technique issue.
I like the slightly more 3BT camber profile on the Bataleon She W compare to the 3BT jib profile on the Lobster Eiki, as the Bataleon She W, is still soft unlike most other more camber board. - also I do love the 3BT tech.
I am thinking the lighter/shorter girl board might improve my riding, as my legs are not that strong. - so I can lift and get more pop, and easier for me to control, if it is smaller/lighter.
At the moment for the money I have, I cannot find a 148cm Bataleon male version.
I tend to hit the park more. Less rail/boxes, more kickers, hence less interested in a Jib 3BT.
I have a slight concern about my bindings against the wide of a board. Is it going to be too narrow there, and does male and female physique makes a big difference? - I don't really care about a girly pink board, just want to have a good ride 
So yeah if anyone got any advise it will be great.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There's 10mm difference in the waist size between the 148 GW(249mm) and the 146 She.W (239mm). Your Lobster is near as the same width as the GW so if you'll be getting about half a centimetre less from both toe and heel edge for your bindings.
As for performance of the board, I'd doubt theres much in it between the mens and womens boards, so if theres enough room for your boots/bindings without crazy overhang, I'd say go for it!
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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'm 5'7" 70kg and my shortest board is 147cm (longest 161). Last week I rode a womens Bataleon Distortia 146 (ww 239) and found it fast and easy on slightly bumpy piste. When put onto an edge the contact points seemed to grab very quickly and hook it into a carve but I had trouble drawing out the turn because (I think) the 3-dimensional tail is very stiff and weighting my rear leg seemed to accelerate it off in a big arc rather than complete the S turn that I prefer. It was good for cross under turns. I only had a few runs and my size 9s booted out several times going into a toeside carve (bindings were also too far toeside) so a limited opinion.
The owner has really improved over the last week and was getting it down some bumpy post powder pistes with some ease today, she's actually about my size.
Pretty board too!!
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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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@BoardieK, I’m almost the same as you height/weight wise and I have a 157cm board which I have really struggled with (far more than any rental board).
I ski a bit too so was thinking of just focusing 100% on that, but going for a shorter board could be an interesting option...hmm now you’ve got me thinking!
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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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@vjmehra, You should definitely try a modern shorter board - theres a general downward trend in length at the moment and shorter boards are getting more stable at speed than they used to be and still giving float. Stuff like the Yes 20/20 or a Burton Instigator or similar.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Richard_Sideways, cool that is worth a go then, I will see how it goes and report back next month
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We were trying to get together some snowboarding SHs to do a bit of a Gonzo Board test at the ski tests in October - a 'run wot ya brung' if you like. Not too many takers unfortunately - maybe try again next year - but my friend who would normally be running a w160+ size board tried my 158 Flagship (I'm 5'10 and about 85kg) and was surprised just how much better than his old 163 Custom was... I probably could've sold it to him there and then, and if I do perhaps sell it on to him I expect I'll downsize again myself too.
Board tech has moved on in the past few years and shorter boards are not just park noodles anymore.
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@Boariek when you say the contacts grab quickly, what do you mean? Does that force you into a turn quicker??
Also did you have any issue with the bindings? Does it fit the Womens Bataleon Distoria 146 right, any hanging edges from the binding?
I have Burton Mission bindings and is a size M.
Also did it feel stable doing jumps/kickers going down in size?
cheers.
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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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@vjmehra, you are a bit heavier than me, but my height-ish. But when I had rental boards, I am pretty sure they gave me longer boards in my height range, and they were pretty stiff.
I always find it too heavy and stiff, hard to play and pop around the piste with, can barely lift the board up.
So when I bought my first board I got a short range of the 148cm lobster, soft board (flex of 2 to 3 out of 10 I believe). - and is so much better, so is definitely worth trying a shorter board and maybe a flexier board as well. - is just more playful and it feels part of your body.
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@cedricpoon, cool thanks for the tip, am definitely going to give this a go, hopefully it will make the difference as its been a frustrating time!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@cedricpoon, you're not that short! I'm 5'2" and have always struggled to find a decent sized mens board that isn't a freestyle noodle. I ride a womens Forum Superstar (yeah it's pretty old now) 148, it's perfect for me in length and is a nice medium flex, great on piste, very stable and lovely in powder. As long as you choose a board that has an appropriate waist length and weight range within your range you'll be fine.
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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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So I finally got round to trying a shorter board and frankly I was pretty stunned at the difference!
I have a Salamon Pulse 156 sitting in my cupboard and although I have admittedly not given it a fair run, with very few hours, the few times I have taken it out I have really struggled.
Its my first non-rental board and tbh up until this point I had never really paid much attention, just going with whatever the rental shop gave me.
This time I went for a 150 (also Salomon by sheer chance, but no idea which model) and it felt like going from an oil tanker to a jet ski...I was expecting some difference, but not this much!
I think that because it was easier to turn I was better at committing to each turn, so didn't lean back so much (which is a problem I seem to have picked up the last couple of times I've been boarding), interestingly as well I was trying to really analyse everything and picked up that although I thought it was my heelside turns that I was getting wrong, it was actually probably poor toe edge turns that led to the weak heelside turns afterwards (if that makes sense)?
Anyway, this was a productive long weekend, however now I'm slightly torn...do I simply ditch the existing board, do I keep it tucked away for a bit, ride some shorter boards and take it out of the cupboard in a season's time? Or do I stick with what I have, it is after all branded as a beginner board with good flex (even if it seems stiff to me) and the weight/height boundaries on the chart are right, so on paper should be a good fit?
If I opt for the latter...would I do any damage if I put in a few hours on a dry slope (much easier than Hemel as I'm about 20 mins from Brentwood), or would it be fine after a standard edge and wax job?
Apologies if thats a slight thread drift!
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You know it makes sense.
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@Robin Agogo, I actually read that article before I went, his material is really good...so that probably prompted me to look for that when I was on the slope, without reading it I suspect I would never have realised that was where I was going wrong.
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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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@cedricpoon,
Dump the medium binders.... if you have 7uk 8 usa burton boots they will max out a small mens binders straps or salomons womans binders straps ...but so what !
Smaller footprint, lighter equipment and less chance of heelcup drag which is different too bootout yet has the same effect.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Tue 20-03-18 15:46; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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@vjmehra, yes I found it really helpful 😀
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