What board to get... Help!

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Okay, I'm looking to get a new board and bindings. I usually either use the crappy old setup I have, or rent. I head out maybe once or twice a year and can get down the mountain with no trouble, but I don't really venture into the park at all.
It looks like there's some nice sales going on so I kinda want to get some new stuff. So here's my questions:
Will there be better sales coming up, or is this it?
I'm thinking about a couple of these boards, what do you think?

Burton Deuce
Burton Clash
Forum Recon

Also, I've been out of the game for a few years, so I don't recognize some of the brands. What are some of the better ones? Which should I avoid?

Oh, one more dumb question. Sometimes I'll see 2 boards for sale that appear to be identical and are selling for the same price, but one will "second". What does that mean?

Thanks

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Also looking at the Forum Scheme possibly.

[markee]

Factory Seconds are boards with cosmetic imperfections that the company can't sell for retail.

Of those three boards, I'd go with the Recon.

All brands make good boards and crap boards.

Prices drop as summer comes in but stock will be really low by then

the clash is a complete begginers board.its soft and really easy top learn on.the duece is not too bad of a board.while its still a beginer intermediat board, it is stiffer than the clash, but has all the same fetures such as cruse control.i have no ideo on the forums tho.second means that it has manufacture cosmetic defects, like topsheet scratches, ot a faded graphic.

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Thanks for the info. I thought that might've been what they meant by "second", but since they were all the same price as the boards that weren't seconds, I was confused. I looked around some more, read some bad things about Burton (although, when I first started out several years ago, i remeber them being pretty much the shit). Now I'm thinking about maybe a Ride Agenda. Any experience with this board?

My advice is to stay away from Burton, check out Elan, Head, K2, Salomon, ski brands make awesome products as well, but if looking cool takes priority over performance, I guess this is useless advice. Arbor has some very interesting tech as well, structural top sheets. That is worthy of investigation in my books! Do a lot of homework, and make sure you look past the "cool" brands, because there is so much more to choose from than meets the eye. I dunno about the Agenda, but I have a Yukon 172 in my quiver, and I highly recommend Ride as well. Ride bindings (Betas) are the way to go for me.

yea, basicly, here, burton is crap, or the fad brand.there stuff isnt bad, but people here dont like it.there are beter companies like rome k2 and capita.as for the agenda, it isnt bad to learn on, or even as a all mountain board.but it is a beginers freestyle stick so it is gonna e a lil soft.its not bad tho.i would say get a rome crail or manual depending on your boot size.the are cheap, and a solid board.

if u can venture down the moutain with ease, dont even think about the clash.. its a beginners board, for people who fall over will standing still.. same goes for deace, beter skip both, their fun boards 2 mess around with if ur abit more experind bt thats all the praise theyll gt from me.. forum recon is ok board.. if u want a cheap board, rome cheap trick is a good board, nitro team is cheap.. therse loads of really good cheap boards

ow, and dont mind what ppl say about burton, ther boards r fine and good quility, custmr servis is good 2.. only thing is there marketing which is "meh" at best and there alil overpriced, but what do u expect from the industies biggest brand. also the burton fan boys r really irrtting, bt that not burtons falt...

so in a nut shell, if u lik a burton board then just buy it, its the board not the brand..

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Thanks for the info guys. I'm far more concerned about getting a good solid board than getting one that looks cool, so I really appreciate the input. I'm still looking around and trying to do some research.