beginner's first board - advice - Snowboarding Forum

02-02-2008, 06:19 PM

5'8 - 175 - 10.5 boots

I'll be riding casually with my wife and probably mostly groomed runs for quite some time. i have a small interest in tryin a few park features some day, but not till i'm alot better at riding.

I'd love some thoughts on a good board to start with that i can use for a few years (i hope).

Some recommendations i've had so far: Atomic Hatchet, K2 Anagram, Burton Blunt, Rome Solution.

Thanks.

02-02-2008, 06:28 PM

Hi -
Also take a look at the Never Summer Premier board. Never Summer makes great boards that are bombproof. The Premier is their flagship all mountain board. It'll certainly help you reach the next level. NS is also in Colorado and manufactures their boards there.

Good luck with your decision and enjoy the ride!

sedition · 02-02-2008, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric @ WA

Hi -
Also take a look at the Never Summer Premier board. Never Summer makes great boards that are bombproof. The Premier is their flagship all mountain board. It'll certainly help you reach the next level. NS is also in Colorado and manufactures their boards there.

Good luck with your decision and enjoy the ride!

Depending on how long / how much you have been riding, I might sway you AWAY from the Premier. Never Summer boards tend to be on the stiff side. Stiff boards can be harder to learn on. That said, the Premier is among Never Summer's stiffer boards. The SL would be a better choice. It is their "all-mountain freestyle" deck, which would do you fine with some speed runs, and handle some time in the park. While it won't excell in either area, it will give you more versitility, and be a little more forgiving than the Premier. Never Summer decks also come with a three-year warranty. The longest in the industry. If you want a board that you'll be able to use for a few years, Never Summer is the way to go.

Never Summer web site link the SL deck is here.

02-04-2008, 11:24 AM

Well said Sedition.

I would not recommend the Premier to anyone who has never gone snowboarding before...however if you've gone a few times and can link your turns, I think the premier would be an excellent board. Due to the stiffness it may have a higher learning curve but you can manage (again if you've been a few times already) Many beginners tout how it has helped them progress.

The SL is an excellent board as well (as Sedition notes). I have both the Premier and SL (as well as Anthem) in my arsenal. The SL is a softer board so it will tend to chatter more than the Premier. It also depends on what you want to do most. If you like bombing down the mountain and make limited trips to the park (in other words 90% freeride and 10% park) then I think the Premier would be ideal as it will be more stable at speed. If you're looking to split your time between freeride and park then SL would be ideal.

But as both Sedition and I point out...definitely check out NS. They are a top notch company (based in Colorado), have a great warranty, and their boards are bombproof.

Good luck!

dmoss · 02-04-2008, 03:24 PM

somebody made the same comment about stiffness to me regarding the Arbor Alt. I bought the board after my second day out. While it is definitely a different feel than the ultra-forgiving and flexible rental boards, I've been on it twice now and love it.

am glad that i got something that is apparently a bit stiffer, but that i'll keep using for three or four or five years...i'd say you should check out the arbor alt, in addition to the never summer board and not worry so much about the stiffness (especially if you are willing to struggle a bit now, but want a board that will last you for years)

also, you should try to demo as many boards as possible before buying - or at least demo the board you are thinking of getting. what somebody else loves you might hate...you don't want to invest a bunch of money in a board to only find out you don't like how it rides...

just my two cents - and seeing as i dont have much experience it's probably worth only a penny...

02-02-2008, 06:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
thebutress Guest Posts: n/a	beginner's first board - advice 5'8 - 175 - 10.5 boots I'll be riding casually with my wife and probably mostly groomed runs for quite some time. i have a small interest in tryin a few park features some day, but not till i'm alot better at riding. I'd love some thoughts on a good board to start with that i can use for a few years (i hope). Some recommendations i've had so far: Atomic Hatchet, K2 Anagram, Burton Blunt, Rome Solution. Thanks.

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02-02-2008, 06:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
Eric @ WA Guest Posts: n/a	Hi - Also take a look at the Never Summer Premier board. Never Summer makes great boards that are bombproof. The Premier is their flagship all mountain board. It'll certainly help you reach the next level. NS is also in Colorado and manufactures their boards there. Good luck with your decision and enjoy the ride!

02-04-2008, 11:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
Eric @ WA Guest Posts: n/a	Well said Sedition. I would not recommend the Premier to anyone who has never gone snowboarding before...however if you've gone a few times and can link your turns, I think the premier would be an excellent board. Due to the stiffness it may have a higher learning curve but you can manage (again if you've been a few times already) Many beginners tout how it has helped them progress. The SL is an excellent board as well (as Sedition notes). I have both the Premier and SL (as well as Anthem) in my arsenal. The SL is a softer board so it will tend to chatter more than the Premier. It also depends on what you want to do most. If you like bombing down the mountain and make limited trips to the park (in other words 90% freeride and 10% park) then I think the Premier would be ideal as it will be more stable at speed. If you're looking to split your time between freeride and park then SL would be ideal. But as both Sedition and I point out...definitely check out NS. They are a top notch company (based in Colorado), have a great warranty, and their boards are bombproof. Good luck!

02-04-2008, 03:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
dmoss Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 46	somebody made the same comment about stiffness to me regarding the Arbor Alt. I bought the board after my second day out. While it is definitely a different feel than the ultra-forgiving and flexible rental boards, I've been on it twice now and love it. am glad that i got something that is apparently a bit stiffer, but that i'll keep using for three or four or five years...i'd say you should check out the arbor alt, in addition to the never summer board and not worry so much about the stiffness (especially if you are willing to struggle a bit now, but want a board that will last you for years) also, you should try to demo as many boards as possible before buying - or at least demo the board you are thinking of getting. what somebody else loves you might hate...you don't want to invest a bunch of money in a board to only find out you don't like how it rides... just my two cents - and seeing as i dont have much experience it's probably worth only a penny...