Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums banner

Sorry to ask the same old old question. I have a little twist tho ;-)

4K views 45 replies 11 participants last post by  SnowDogWax 
#1 ·
Hello to all, I have joined the forum in order to try and finally make a decision on a new board.

Now I'm not after anyone to say you want this board it will be the best for you as I understand everyone is individual and what might work for someone will not work for someone else.
What I am after are peoples ideas and suggestions.

I am amateur at best however thoroughly enjoy my yearly holiday and each year feel I progress that little bit more.

I currently have a k2 brigade 159 wide, k2 sonic bindings and burton ruler boots.
That is the set up I have ridden for the last three trips and it definitely got me hooked on snowboarding.

I am after a board that is of a more playful design, I want to progress with my little jumps in the park and on the piste.

My holidays are always at resorts so we go through a park a couple of times every year, our off piste is mostly cutting between pistes and the rest is spent on chair lifts and pistes.

So any suggestions or ideas of boards for me to look at would be much appreciated. I have been looking myself but have way overthought the process and would like some fresh I put.

I know people like pictures but here is our holiday video from last year for your entertainment may it be laughter or enjoyment.

Tignes January 2013 on Vimeo
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Your video got me stoked to go riding! Yeaaaahhhh!

The Brigade is a flat rock model, which tends to be a very stable and catch free design (but not very energetic). They are fairly playful boards so we need to think a little about where to go from here.

Please post up your weight an foot size and we will all get you some suggestions.


Thanks for the vid!
 
#3 ·
I'm glad you liked the vid ( I didn't make the vid my friend did so I can't take credit ) thought it might entice a few more responses than just a bunch of boring writing.

I'm 190 pounds and actual foot size is 28cm

I will have to check the actual size of the boots which I can grab tomorrow.


The brigade board like I said did its job in getting me hooked on boarding but I found it very easy to catch an edge with it, I thought that was related to the mainly flat base however I'm now thinking it was much more likely to be my technique.
 
#4 ·
Flat Rock boards tend to be on the looser side but this varies a bit by the amount of Flat. The more Flat, the more stable but the less loose (and the less catch free). The Brigade is pretty neutral in that regard.

Are you looking to gain some extra energy out of your next board? That is the biggest drawback to Flat Rock (lack of energy) and we can certainly suggest some boards that will help there.
 
#5 ·
When I first started this post more energy isn't what I was thinking but, the more I think about it I believe that might be what I'm after.

I may be expecting a bit much from a new board, however I was sold the brigade as a beginner board and would need to upgrade at some point.
 
#9 ·
This is the main reason that I joined the forum to get some fresh ideas as I have been looking at burton and lib techs, not because I love the brands but because they seem to be the most heavily advertised and talked about.


I would be very interested in your recommendations or ideas tho whoever the manufacturer is.
 
#11 ·
So I'll definitely have plenty more pop, but I should watch my edges more...is what I'm hearing? A bit more or a lot more?
No, you will lose the rock solid stability of flat but you may find that you gain in the catch free department.
 
#21 ·
I'm the second guy, the one in the white trousers and light coloured jacket.


I'd rather watch this kid board slide all day on a good edit than watch some double corks and powder runs with no effort on the computer side of things.
Thank you very much for the positive comments on the video from you and everyone.


When I get home from work today I will check the size of my boots and give you all the info I can. when I bought my current set up the guy was sure I needed a wide.
I really appreciate the help thank you.
 
#22 ·
I know people like pictures but here is our holiday video from last year for your entertainment may it be laughter or enjoyment.

Tignes January 2013 on Vimeo
Ah man I love Tignes. I was there two seasons ago. Does the Grand Prix chairlift still smack you in the back of the legs at 200 mile an hour every time you get on it?

Oh, sounds like you've got heaps of help on the board side of things so I'll stay out of it.
 
#23 · (Edited)
When I get home from work today I will check the size of my boots and give you all the info I can. when I bought my current set up the guy was sure I needed a wide.
I really appreciate the help thank you.
Pleased to help you bro! The size of your foot will be the important measurement. 28 cm (US size 10) does not require Wide or Mid-Wide. Boot size should not be the focus for determining board width. There is a lot of bad information out there about width and wide boards and I want to make sure we get this right for you this time. There is no industry standard for terms like Wide or Mid-Wide, but it is safe to say that size 10 never requires either.

To confirm your foot measurement please measure your foot using this method:

Kick your heel (barefoot please, no socks) back against a wall. Mark the floor exactly at the tip of your toe (the one that sticks out furthest - which toe this is will vary by rider). Measure from the mark on the floor to the wall. That is your foot length and is the only measurement that you will want to use. Measure in centimeters if possible, but if not, take inches and multiply by 2.54 (example: an 11.25 inch foot x 2.54 = 28.57 centimeters).
 
#24 ·
Funny enough I had read one of your previous posts and measured my foot in that way which is how I got the 28 cm for my foot size.

What I'm thinking is that I may have gone up a size in the boot to get a comfortable fit, I'm not for a second questioning your methods or advice because I have read many of your helpful posts on other peoples threads. if I had gone up to a size 11 boot would I not be at risk of toe and heel drag or is that the bad info your pointing to?
 
#25 ·
Hah! I am glad to hear that. The size that is labled on the boots is not going to help us for a few reasons. The first is that one manufacturer's size 11 is another's size 10 (or worse). The other is preferred fit. Some riders will buy boots to fit like skate shoes while others will sacrifice their toenails to get into the smallest boot possible. Lastly - boot size does not create leverage. Your foot itself creates the leverage and the extra foam and rubber can not assist.

A good rule for determining correct boot fit:

Your boots should be snug!

The most common complaint about boots is that they are too loose, not to tight. The junction between rider and board begins with the boot, as it is in the most direct contact with the rider. When fitting boots, use the following method: A. Slip into the boot. B. Kick your heel back against the ground several times to drive it back into the boot's heel pocket. C. Lace the boot tightly, as though you were going to ride. NOTE: This is where most sizing mistakes are made. A snowboard boot is shaped like an upside down "7". The back has a good degree of forward lean. Thus, when you drop into the boot, your heel may be resting up to an inch away from the back of the boot, and your toes may be jammed into the front of the boot. Until the boot is tightly laced, you will not know if it is a proper fit. D. Your toes should now have firm pressure against the front of the boot. As this is the crux of sizing, let's discuss firm pressure: When you flex your knee forward hard, the pressure should lighten, or cease, as your toes pull back. At no time should you feel numbness or lose circulation. Your toes will be in contact with the end of the boot, unlike in a properly fit street or athletic shoe (snowboard boots are designed to fit more snugly than your other shoes). When you have achieved this combination of firm pressure and no circulation loss, you have found the correct size!


But...the takeaway from all of this is you do not want a wide board. That was likely a lot of your issue with your last board.
 
#27 ·
Yes, but primarily for riders that they are too wide for. extra width makes a board feel sluggish in transitioning from edge to edge and makes it less predictable in terms of edge engagement. This is due to the fact that the rider is throwing their weight at the edge rather than easily applying uniform pressure. We have written this here a lot, but a little too wide is far worse than a little too long/short.
 
#29 ·
Ok so to avoid me continuously asking questions that have been covered many times before, is the Rome reverb the board that you would put forward or do you have a few up your sleeve?

Also length wise you suggested a 157 does that mean I have potentially been riding a board too long and too wide? Or does the length really depend on the board I finally choose?
 
#30 ·
Hi,

No problem at all. Length depends entirely on the model that you are considering. As you are moving from Flat Rock to Camber Rocker Camber that would typically mean more running surface in contact with the snow. That is the case when moving from the Brigade 159 to the Reverb 157. When weighted the Reverb will have a longer running surface even though the board is slightly shorter overall.

There are many excellent boards to look at in this category. I don't want to pollute this thread too much, though. I am sure other users will have some great suggestions for you.
 
#32 ·
It was tignes in france this jan and we are going back to tignes again next jan.

Please pollute away wiredsport, when I was looking before I asked for help I kept looking at the skate banana but feel I may have just got caught up in the hype, is that even along the right lines of board?
 
#33 ·
Got it. The Skate banana is a fun board and is very loose. It is also sold as the Pickle (or Park Pickle) on the Gnu side. I would rather see you go more C2 than straight BTX (rocker) though if you are considering Mervin. Have you considered the Rider's Choice or Eco Genetics. Those are ideal for extra energy and looseness.
 
#39 ·
I am liking the idea of the reverb rocker, it's at the higher end of my budget but I purposely didn't tell anyone what I wanted to spend as to not limit anyone's ideas.

Can I ask would the burton process Flying V be a combarable board?

Also are the world of bindings as complicated as the boards have proved to be? I have read a couple of reviews saying that the burton cartels are simply the best bindings surely it is not that simple?

By the way wiredsport should have a donate button!
 
#40 ·
The Process is also Camber Rocker Camber but the cambers are much mellower than on the Reverb (it is closer to convention rocker than the reverb).

You are correct that bindings are not "one model is best " simple. I try to start every binding post by noting that there are a lot of great bindings out there. If you do end up going Rome, you can read many rave reviewss for both the 390 (and or Boss) and Targa models which are both as good as it gets in conventional bindings.
 
#41 ·
I feel a bit rude continuously asking you questions and probably questions that have been asked many times over so I will make this the last one.

. Is it best to stick with the same brand bindings as the board?

I will let you know on the decisions I make and hopefully return with another video after our trip.
 
#42 ·
No, you can certainly mix and match board and bindings from different brands. You need to take some care that the correct discs will be included when you are considering Burton boards (Burton has two proprietary mounting systems).
 
#44 ·
Sorry to drag this back to the top but when I'm researching things I hate reading a thread on a forum and never finding out what the actual outcome was.

So I decided to go with the rome reverb rocker 157.
Bindings wise I went with a set of rome 390 boss.

I have to be honest I was really worried about switching from a wide board to this as I was convinced I was going to experience toe and heel drag. I needn't have worried one bit, I didn't get any drag at any point and loved riding it. I had a lot more confidence allowing me to try things I couldn't on my old board.

So thank you to all the contributors and as a thank you here is my friends video of our last trip, both on reverb rockers as it happens.
And sorry about the song :giggle:

Les Arcs 2014 - YouTube
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top