Official Snowboard Thread

[Futile]

Hey guys...

I noticed in a thread or two theres a few of you snowboarding guys on here and I was hoping you could give me some help.

I want to buy a snowboard, probably second hand, for maximum a couple of hundred dollars inc bindings... Only reason is I go to the snow maybe every 2-3 years, rental is getting more expensive but I dont want to go and buy all new gear.

So any suggestions guys? I'm an intermediate rider, havent done much in the way of pipes and rails etc, but may try some this year... so yeah... what should I be looking for?

BJ.

[Paul.S]

For a couple of hundred bucks, you won't get much in the way of board+bindings.

When looking for a cheap board, don't worry too much about the top side having scratches, chips etc. These happen in the lift queues anyway.

Inspect the base of the board, and make sure theres no serious gouges, dings or blisters. The finer scratches can be removed with a slight base grind.

Same with the edges. No big chunks of edge missing, or bent rails.

With the bindings, just get some the right size for a start, and make sure all the buckles and their pins aren't bent and functioning correctly. Sometimes, the ratchet can jamb.

I picked up a second hand Burton Floater for $180 a couple of off seasons back. I used it when i used to go in the school holidays, when snow was shit, and as a bash board through the terrain parks.

[Bronald McDonald]

*waits for tazz*

[Futile]

thanks Paul, I will make sure I pay close attention to the underside then... I dont mind what It looks like, aslong as it does the job for the couple of days Im there

[Garth Ivers]

theres a fuckton of cheap, used boards+bindings on ebay at the moment, using Paul.S's advice go nuts!

size calculator: http://www.frostyrider.com/tips/size-guide.htm
(youll need to use the googles to convert your weight/height to U.S measurements)

for example.
im 174cm/65kg/US10boot, i use 154 size boards (i mostly freeride rather than park) so longer is better (the experts say anyhow...)

[Futile]

Yeah I've had a look on ebay but im still skepticle of buying this kind of item until I know whats what!

Well by the calculations, I'll need a 163 size board as I'm 6'2'',90kg,US12 boot but would I be able to use a 159 size board as they seem to be easily available compared to the 161+...

Thanks forthe help guys!!Really helping (a snowboard noob :p)

[arron]

Yeah I've had a look on ebay but im still skepticle of buying this kind of item until I know whats what!

Well by the calculations, I'll need a 163 size board as I'm 6'2'',90kg,US12 boot but would I be able to use a 159 size board as they seem to be easily available compared to the 161+...

Thanks forthe help guys!!Really helping (a snowboard noob :p)

I'm 180cm tall and 85kgs and ride a 159 board atm but I would think that even I might need a slightly longer board.. but then again, Australia's snow isn't all that great so no need for such a long board.

I'd stay away from Burton as they are overpriced.. Try brands like Rome or Flow. If you only go once every 2 or 3 years, I wouldn't really be worried about what board to get.. but saying that, stay away from "Lamar" branded boards as my mate cracked his board near the bindings while doing a simple manual.. Totally poor quality.

Jump on ebay as the board shops in Australia have really unrealistic prices. If you're not successful in buying a board before the Australian season starts, go to Jindabyne and ask around the hire shops to see if they are selling any last season hire gear. I found some to be reasonably priced.

[Futile]

Cool thanks for that... will have to keep a lookout for a 161 then atleast.

And I will definately keep that in mind about the ex-hire if I cant find anything by the time I go down. I can always paint it cant I? Lol

Cheers Guys!

[TOU93]

Right now is a good time to buy out of the states, as they are trying to get ride of their 08/09 stock, i got my Lib Tech skate banana for $250 less than you can buy them here and i got some Ride DFC Spi Bindings shipped for $au145. Which is way less than aussie RRP.

I'm 178cm and 68kg, My board is a 154cm, i use it for every thing, including knee deep powered, which i am actually surprised how such a short board did in the powder!

Hopefully Aus and NZ have a good snow year this year!

[turbocab]

as arron said stay away from burton,ive always rode(as has my whole family) palmers,they are a great board especially the honeycombs now that the snapping in half issues have been resolved.i had one of the first palmer honeycombs into the country many years ago and the bastard snapped in half and i was injured,palmer usa replaced the board with the next seasons prototype along with a heap of tshirts jumpers etc
the board they gave me lasted for 3 more seasons of me giving it hell until i grew out of it.ive owned two more honeycombs and one honey circle since and have nothing but good things to say about them.
i was given a new burton fL and by the end of one season it had lost all rigidity in the tail and was like riding a noodle.
personally i would go for a bigger board you go quicker!

[OVTEC]

sweet thread since im looking at buying a new board soon, and from what ive read no one likes burton lol so what does everybody recommend for an all-round type board since ive mainly been looking at burton boards for the last couple of years and i havent really looked at whats out their either

[slknv]

Have a look at Ballistyx, they ship Australia wide. Decent range and they publish prices on their website. I'll probably get my partner a board/binding package from there, she's a very basic beginner but if nothing else it works out cheaper than rental after a couple of years. Bought a new jacket from their end of winter sale last year and it was waaay cheaper than anywhere else I checked.

Plus if it's your first "own" board, then I probably wouldn't splash out too much money either on the board/bindings - but make sure you get GOOD BOOTS!!! I'm on my third board, but first set of boots (DCs).

Tim

[OVTEC]

thanks man and its not my first board i had a sick ass board before but it got stolen last season like i said ive only looked at burton boards before so i never really knew what else was out there, my previous board was a burton seven so something around that same performance level because I dont want to downgrade

and i have a burton camo ak jacket, that thing is awesome! best jacket ive ever had! boot wise im still using a pair of original sins from back in the day, works for me so im not complaining and ive recently picked up a set of burton bindings from last season

so im looking to spend around $500-$600 on a board since thats what i spent on my last board, but this time im buying a lock for it as well!

[Tazz]

Can we just make this another official thread for all snowboard topics

www.sierrasnowboards.com <- great deals here and they will ship to australia

good time to buy is now as the northern hemisphere season is coming to an end.

I've been living in whistler for the whole season working as a lifty and have 2 boards myself and have been riding for a while. Honestly rentals are getting pretty dear but at the same time if you go to the right places you'll get great gear. One Track Mind in Crows Nest is great for rentals and also advice - I've always been given good info from the guys there. In the past I've been given a brand new Burton Un Inc as a rental board straight off the shelf from them.

If you don't have your own boots I'd say just buy them to start off with and whatever you do don't skim on them. I've got Burton hail boots which i spent a bit of money on and they have been great - I have had over 100 days of continuos use out of them this season and they are still fine apart from packing out a bit. Other people i know over here bought cheaper nitro boots and they didn't even get half the season out of them before the stitching went and the sole started to fall off.

I've gone off burton a bit since being here and riding my burton for the first part of the season (08/09 Custom 158 southern hemisphere limited edition). I bought a K2 WWW 152 at the start of january and have riden this all season in all conditions ranging from park to 25cm powder days and through the trees out of bounds in crazy powder (stack it and your up to your waist kind of stuff). To give you an idea i'm around 5'11" and ~70kg (no idea as i've lost a bit of weight riding here all season). Don't be scared of going for a shorter board, best thing I ever did was get my 152 and a lot of guys I know over here are big fans of short and soft boards.

In regards to burton - it's only thier boards that most people here aren't impressed with. Thier bindings are fine along with their boots so don't be scared of buying either of these. The new cartel bindings would have to be some of the most popular bindings i've seen on the mountain all year.

Basically you get what you pay for.. so cheap isn't always going to be the best way - unless of course you're buying at the end of the northern hemisphere season when they are clearing out all their stock.

heres a bunch of pictures from whistler to get you all pumped for the coming season..

a sequence of shots of me on peak to creek which is a run that goes from whistler peak all the way down to creekside.. basically 5,020 feet of vertical and seven kilometres long.

















ducking under a fallen tree on outer limits (double black diamond run on blackcomb)




In a clearing on Kybers - out of bounds run that goes down to creekside



first 2 pictures are from doing the line check before we opened, 3rd is the view from the top..







and finally just a random action shot...

[3AM]

Id recommend a 159 for you,
Im a little taller than 6ft1 and I ride a 157, goes anywhere, awesome for versitility.


if you want cheap look for ex demo boards from stores near the snow, board shops use them for people who want to test the boards before buying, so they're like rentals butusually a better quality boards.


my Endevour Live was ex demo and it cost me $300 with shit option bindings, and its actually a really good ride, medium flex, centre stance, nice and light, one day id take it park and pipe, next day id take it through 2ft of powder in unpatrolled areas. I was gonna throw it out before I left Japan, but its a really nice ride so I fell in love with it...

I like Burton tho. I rode a Burton Rippey for 4years and I loved it.
Burton are expensive but theyre consistant and set the standard, they're like the sony of snowboards.
and who else puts speakers for your ipod in the hood of a jacket!....