[Jmmmmm]

I'm looking at getting a snowboard, but I don't know which ones are good. I've only been snowboarding a couple times before, and both times were several years ago. I also don't plan on going more than a few times a season, so I'm looking at the lower end boards - but, I still want to get something decent for the money. I also picked it up pretty quickly the first time, so while I want to get a board that's easy enough to relearn on, I don't want to get one that I'll 'outgrow' quickly and regret buying.

I found some good deals on 2005 model snowboards, but I'd like to hear what people think of them.
Burton Cruzer - $150
-- seems like a solid choice for pretty cheap, and is the one I'm leaning towards

Burton Retro Twin - $235
-- more expensive, but a better board. Is it worth the extra money? Would it be harder to learn on?

Nitro T1 - $280
-- from a local shop, so not as cheap; but, I might be able to get a package together with it

Palmer Freestyle - $200
-- only problem is it's a tiny bit smaller than I wanted
Burton Triumph - $250
-- a freeride board, so I think it might be too stiff
Gnu carbon high beam - $160
Rossignal Sultan - $115
-- very cheap, but i'm not sure about the quality..

Or, if you have another suggestion (and know where to get it for cheap).. another option someone suggested was renting one and then buying it outright. Any thoughts on that?

I also will need bindings and boots, so if you have recommendations for them, I'd appreciate that too. I'm trying to keep it all fairly cheap though.
Thanks

 

[euclid]

hi, congrats on the decision. ive been snowboarding for over 10 years and its the most enjoyable hobby i have, its also a nice excuse to travel.

some really important info we need is your height, weight, and what part of the country you will be riding. also do you see yourself progressing more towards freestyle or freeriding?

i will say that i wouldnt recommend renting boards past the first or second time you go, its a dangerous activity and rentals may have saftey problems. if youve decided you want to pursue it then you should buy a new board, and yes the previous years models are fantastic deals but they get harder to find as a new season approaches.

 

[bpm2000]

Snowboard length has very little to do with your height. Most important is your weight and foot size for narrow or wider boards.

Nowadays, I feel there is not much difference between a semi-cheap board and a top-of-the-line expensive stick. What you will find, however, is that the cheaper, lower end boards tend to flex easier and be more "noodly" or "buttery". This can be good for learning to snowboard, since it is more forgiving, but as you get better you may want something a bit more stiff and responsive. Some people stick with the more easily flexed board for freestyle applications.

I would buy the boots first and spend the most money on these. If your boots suck, it doesn't matter how good the rest of your gear is, you will have a terrible time. Make sure it fits correctly, and note you may need different sizes on each foot depending on how your feet are. Boots will pack out over time, and you will need to compensate for this as well. Lots of people get custom footbeds or insoles in addition. There are a lot of new lacing technologies out right now too. The BOA system uses steel cables and a dial so you don't have to lace up, but have had quality issues in the past. Laces now have different "speed" lacing systems that each company employees differently.

With bindings capstraps on the toestraps are becoming more popular. Make sure these will fit your particular boot before you buy them, or buy the ones that convert from the capstrap to a regular toestrap. I've never been a fan of the flow system but you may want to check those out too.

So the board - burtons can be nice but I think they are becoming very overpriced. I had a custom for a few years and it is always a solid board - you might be able to find last years at a good price. I would also look at boards from GNU/Lib Tech (usa made!), neversummer, rome, etc. Dont overlook smaller names - the gap between board quality is fairly small these days IMO.

 

[euclid]

height affects stance width, buying a board only based on weight and shoe size could make it too long for your stance and its going to be alot more difficult to control the nose and tail, especially for a beginner.

the goal is to put a beginner on the shortest board he can stand and then upgrade to a longer, stiffer, and inherently faster board after a few seasons. if the original board was chosen properly it can still be used as a very good freestyle board. or for small crowded mountains with all groomed snow and ice.

edit: then again with no intention of freeriding larger mountains with looser snow, and more interest in park riding, then he could buy a pretty decent board right off the bat that would serve as a his only board untill he breaks it. which is why i asked

 

[pne]

+1 for good boots. I spent around $120 for boots, $100 for bindings, and $50 on a plain blank board. I've tried riding in cheap boots and deeply regreted it. When I was buying bindings my biggest concern was metal rachets. I've seen a lot of the chrome painted plastic ones snap off so I opted for aluminum.

 

[saab]

definately agree that the boots are the mos important part. I would definately not recommend step-ins, but you might look at flow. I have been riding Burton for as along as I can remember, but might consider leaving for a flow setup. It is imprtant to note how the boot fits in and interacts with the binding. I personally would not mix and match brands of boots and bindings, but I am sure others will disagree.

 

[Jmmmmm]

thanks for the responses guys.

Does anyone have some input on the boards I listed? Reviews, comparisons, or even good descriptions of their general characteristics have been difficult to find.

Also, while all the advice is certainly helpful, it's the implementation that's the problem. I should get good boots? Ok - well what are some good boots? Are there any models I should look at? My foot size is 10.5, if that makes any difference. And same with bindings. Any particular models that are good but reasonably priced?

 

[Ingo]

I'll add one more affirmation for good boots. I started out on junky second-hand boots and when I finally coughed up some bucks for some nice boots I was tremedously happy with the change. Bindings are second most important... crappy bindings are uncomfortable and they lack majorly in performance. You don't need to spend $300 on boots and $500 on bindings to get quality.

I'm a big and tall dude so I ride a 165, Wide board. I'm not much for hitting the park, but I occasionally will hit a few kickers. My board is fairly stiff which I like for kicking off the lip of a jump. A lot of new riders like floppy boards because you're less likely to wipe out on the back side of a jump.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmmmmm thanks for the responses guys. Does anyone have some input on the boards I listed? Reviews, comparisons, or even good descriptions of their general characteristics have been difficult to find. Also, while all the advice is certainly helpful, it's the implementation that's the problem. I should get good boots? Ok - well what are some good boots? Are there any models I should look at? My foot size is 10.5, if that makes any difference. And same with bindings. Any particular models that are good but reasonably priced?

Burton Cruzer

Looking at that board I would say that it looks like a fairly good all-arounder... more emphasis on freeride, but with a set of decent freestyle bindings it would probably do you good in the park.

 

[euclid]

since you still arnt posting spefics id recommend the Retro Twin in 152-154cm. this is a good all around choice and wil probibly be towards medium flex so not too soft for basic riding. if you are planning alot of rotation and learning halfpipe and rails in the park then absolutesly get this. also, if you live in the east and dont plan to hit Maine or fly out west often then this board will be a great all arounder.

if you are not planning much park activity then get the Triumph, its the best board you listed it will be the fastest and most stable but your stance should be set back an inch or two, it is also directional so it will be difficult to ride the Triumph switchstance. it will be stiffer so it will not be good in the park but it would be a monster on the trails. i deally this boards should be like a 163-167cm but you will be out of control. if you live out west then i would seriously consider learning on this board in a 154-156cm.

bindings are personal preference and again highly dependant on what you plan to ride. i like as stiff and light as possible which means carbon fiber bases and highbacks with all metal harware. my recommendations are way out your price range and overkill for you so i wont bother.

after you decide on bindings you should take them with you to try on boots. fit is most important, i dont think you should spend more money on boots than bindings.

 

[Ingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by euclid since you still arnt posting spefics id recommend 152-156cm, the Retro Twin if you are planning alot of rotation and learning halfpipe and rails in the park. this is a good all around choice and wil probibly be towards medium flex. if you live in the east and dont plan to hit Maine often then i would get this board. if you are not planning much park activity then get the Triumph, its the best board you listed it will be the fastest and most stable but your stance should be set back an inch or two, it is also directional so it will be difficult to ride the Triumph switchstance. it will be stiffer so it will not be good in the park but it would be a monster on the trails. i deally this boards should be like a 163-167cm but you will be out of control. if you live out west then i would seriously consider learning on this board in a 154-156cm. bindings are personal preference and again highly dependant on what you plan to ride. i like as stiff and light as possible which means carbon fiber bases and highbacks with all metal harware. my recommendations are way out your price range and overkill for you so i wont bother. after you decide on bindings you should take them with you to try on boots. fit is most important, i dont think you should spend more money on boots than bindings.

I would definately NOT get a directional board. I think directionals are totally wrong for beginners, and I don't even think I would get one even if I was strictly a freerider. If you're looking to go down the mountain at lightspeed, maybe get a directional, otherwise look elsewhere.

 

[euclid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ingo I would definately NOT get a directional board. I think directionals are totally wrong for beginners, and I don't even think I would get one even if I was strictly a freerider. If you're looking to go down the mountain at lightspeed, maybe get a directional, otherwise look elsewhere.

the Cruzer is directional too, and doesnt have a wood core which is why its cheap.

im 5'11" 150lb and freeride a Burton Frontier 163 which is highly directional and very stiff, its the best board ive used but yeah its really fast. a more conservitive wider directional with less taper like the Triumph in 154-156 should be fine for a relative beginner, but it wont be good in the park b/c of the stiffness, landings will be very hard on packed snow.

 

[Ingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by euclid the Cruzer is directional too, and doesnt have a wood core which is why its cheap. im 5'11" 150lb and freeride a Burton Frontier 163 which is highly directional and very stiff, its the best board ive used but yeah its really fast. a more conservitive wider directional with less taper like the Triumph in 154-156 should be fine for a relative beginner, but it wont be good in the park b/c of the stiffness, landings will be very hard on packed snow.

The Cruzer is semi-directional, but it is an All-Mountain beginner board. The Triumph is a true freeride board and is truly directional.

 

[pne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmmmmm Also, while all the advice is certainly helpful, it's the implementation that's the problem. I should get good boots? Ok - well what are some good boots? Are there any models I should look at? My foot size is 10.5, if that makes any difference. And same with bindings. Any particular models that are good but reasonably priced?

I'm not a pro on the subject as I just started snowboarding last season, but try on all the boots your local shops have. Look for ankle support, padding, comfort, and lacing. Ask yourself could I stand wearing these for half a day or even an entire day?

 

[rx7_fan]

I've been riding for a while and THE most important thing I would say is the boots. Make shure they fit well and you're very comfortable in them. I feel that when you have good boots, the rest just falls into place. After that, get the right size board, and decent bindings then you're set. You are a beginer so don't buy anything exspensive, you don't have the skills to take full advatage of them anyways. Just get an okay setup, learn, and once you improve and 'out-grow' your gear, upgrade.

For boots: Salomon
Board: anything, burton if you want to play it safe but over priced.
Bindings: once again, anything, burton or ride if u want to play it safe.

 

[seanohue]

Been riding 10 years now.

check out the www.the-house.com they sell all last year models at huge discounts. Anyway, dump the most on boots like other said. But, I have to disagree with the opinions on boards. I have had a total of 3 boards: K2 Polar, K2 Fatbob and my current, Burton Baron (04 model). Each were priced $150, $300 and $450 (i think), respectively. That said, the Baron has an incredible amount of performance over the other two. I've noticed that when you get the large buildups of powder in humps (not moguls, moguls are packed) on a steep incline, while jumping to turn, the older boards would get their tail edge caught when coming down and I would fall. The Baron gives me this strange ability to flex my tail to keep me stable. So if you ride out west or in the mideast (because similar problems are caused by slushy or manmade snow), I think you should really demo some boards. I don't know if its this model or my riding style, but I would never give up this board.

But definitely go to the-house, its all new stuff, just left over from last year.