halabeaster54

I'm looking for a new board, yes I'm a beginner but I'm going to start going a lot and everyone who i have went with said I'm doing amazing for my first time, i was doing black diamonds on my first day. I'm 5'3" 140lbs. Here's my setup, i have the 2010 K2 Indy Bindings, the 2010 K2 pulse boots, I'm just missing the board. I had a piece of shit Snowjam Kaiser board and it broke on me in two days. So i'm looking for boards in the $200-$250 range. I'm looking at the 2007 Salomon Special 147cm, but I'm really liking the 2009 DC XFB 148cm in white but I'm not sure if i could afford it. If you guys have any other suggestions for boards in my price range don't hesitate.
Much appreciated,
James

Wiredsport

Hi James,

Stoked to hear that you are a new rider and are already ripping! A few more questions before we will be able to get you some suggestions for the perfect board. What is your foot size? What area of the country (or resorts) do you typcally ride?

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).

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halabeaster54

My boots are a size 8, my foot is 26.7cm. I snowboard on the east coast of the united states. I will go to Hunter Mountain, Windham Mountain, and Mount Snow the most. my friends are telling me to get a dc board, and the one i like the best is the 2009 XFB, but i domt want to throw $300 away so thats why i came here to find out what i should get

Wiredsport

You are an easy fit and will find many top quality 2009 models for under $200.00 delivered.

I am sure you will recieve many great suggestions here, so let me start it out for you.

It will be hard to beat the O-Matic Awesome 153 for your specs. It has the ideal flex, width, effective edge and running surface for you. Additionally, you can pick up a 2009 for $189.00 including free shipping.

O-matic Awesome by Todd Richards 2009 Snowboard - Men's Snowboards - Snowboards - Snow

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halabeaster54

is 153cm big for me?

Wiredsport

No, You are perfectly centerred in it's weight and shoe size range. The waist is 24.8 cm, but it is 25.9 cm at the center insert. That is ideal for your 26.7 cm foot (which is actually almost a true size 9 US).

SIZE: (cm) 153
Effective Edge (cm) 118
Sidecut Radius (cm) 7.20
Waist Width (mm) 248
Stance Setback (cm) 1.5
Rider Weight (lbs) 105-170

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bryantp

For sizing, check out my site.

For an east coast board, I'd look at Lib-Tech. Try to find some of last year's models to make it more affordable.

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halabeaster54

Lib-Tech is out of my price range my friend just sent me a link for a 2009 155cm DC XFB PRO Lauri for $190. is that to big? Burton, on their site recommended me a 155cm board also, but at the board shop they said I needed a 149 and here im getting recommended a 153. I'm very confused

bryantp

Go with the link I gave you in the first post on size. It's amazingly accurate. Buy a used board. I bought a nice Travis Rice 2.5 years ago or so...still rides very well. Ebay works wonders. Some don't like it but I'd rather have a nice board that I want used than less than I want new.

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Wiredsport

You do not have a board size. The size you will need will often change depending on the model that you are considering.

From our fit tips page:

Where your nose is, does not determine what size of snowboard you should ride!

...or your chin, ears, shoulders or any other body part for that matter. These are the silliest rules for sizing boards that could possibly be imagined, and yet they persist. We hear new ones everyday, "my friend told me that a board should come to in between my chin and my nose." Why, are you planning to nibble on it? These generalities are good ways to end up with a completely inappropriate board. Why do such rules exist, you ask? It is due to the fact that finding the right board takes a bit of research and knowledge. The easy way, however incorrect, is much quicker. A snowboard reacts to only two factors, how much pressure is being applied to it (weight), and where that pressure is coming from (shoe size). Boards are designed around riders of a certain weight. The total weight range for a given board will be around 50 pounds (although manufacturers tend to exaggerate this range to make their products sellable to a wider variety of customers). Two men who stand six feet tall and have their noses at identical heights, may be separated by 100 pounds of weight. This would change the boards they should ride by two entire categories of stiffness, and length. You will also want to make sure that the board is appropriate for your shoe size. One half to three quarters of an inch of overhang (yes, overhang) off the edge of your board is ideal (when wearing snowboard boots, and measured at the stance angle that you will ride). We will discuss this more below when we address width in detail.

There is no best level of stiffness for a board!

At least five times a day we hear,"the guy at mountain told me that I want a soft board." This is the part that we were discussing above that relates to weight. Snowboards react to pressure that is applied to that hourglass shape (sidecut) that they have. This shape, when flexed, creates an arc on the snow. You are planning on turning on that arc. If you can't flex the sidecut into the snow (because the board is too stiff for you) you simply can't turn well, or not at all. If the board is too soft for your weight, it will constantly be overflexing, and "twisting off" of the edge that you are relying on to carve. In this scenario you will have a terrible time on hardpack and ice, because the "effective edge" (amount of edge that should be in contact with the snow) will be twisted out of shape, and not doing it's job. Softer flexing boards tend to be better for lighter riders, while stiffer boards are needed for the big boys. Only for extreme freestyle, or extreme race applications, should this rule be broken (and in those instances, a second board will be needed for all mountain riding).

Buying by length is the hardest way to end up with the right board!

"My last board was a 156, and I liked it, so tell me about the 156's that you carry." The trick here, is that two boards of identical length, may be designed for completely different riders and types of riding. For example a 156 may be a "big mountain board" for a small woman, or a "park" board for a big guy, depending on the manufacturer's design plan. Those two boards, however, would never be appropriate for the same rider. Length is often discussed in terms of: longer equals faster, and more stable, while shorter equals more maneuverable. This can also be deceptive. The "running surface" of a board (the base area that contacts the snow) is a useful measurement, because this is the amount of board that you actually are riding upon. The overall length (the measurement usually considered) can be misleading, as it also contains the raised tip and tail, which do not contact the snow, and have only nuance differences in affecting your ride. Your best bet is research. Look into who the board was made for, and for what type of riding. Leave the rules of thumb to the rental guys, who are trying to get through the line of renters as quickly as possible, and get on the slopes (can't blame 'em for that).

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