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9 yr old's second board

4K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  mbesp 
#1 ·
ok so I think I made a shopping mistake. My son is 9 and this is his second season snowboarding. He has made big strides this year and says (I didn't see it) he tried a black diamond on Monday night (on a dare from his friends)...my guess is he just side slipped it but I have seen him linking turns on blues and landing small jumps. So anyway he is currently riding a Burton Chopper 130 and I think while it was a perfect first board that he has outgrown it. So he is currently 4'10" and 100 lbs...in purchasing him a new board I think I went too far getting him a Capita Stairmaster 144 and he couldn't ride it. Now I am going to bevel the edges but I think it still will be too much so I'm thinking of getting something in the 137-140 range as a tweener board for the rest of this season and to start next season. I'm thinking K2 Vandal 137...does this make sense? The K2 price is reasonable at $200 and I got the Capita for $200 new so no big loss letting it sit for a year.

So how big a jump in board size is too much?
 
#3 ·
I have a brand new 2009 Burton Custom Smalls 140cm if you are interested. My wife actually bought it for herself, but I wasn't about to let her ride a boys board and got her a womens specific instead. Been sitting in the basement ever since.

PM me if you're interested. It's not a rocker though if that is what you are looking for.
 
#4 ·
Hi,

Why do you think he has outgrown current board? My son is 9 also and a little lighter (80 lbs?) and is using a Burton "learn to ride" board (115). He is a really good snowboarder but benefits a lot from the soft flex and bevelled edges. Before this winter, he had ridden 2 seasons, about 25 days per season. Anyway, this season I started him out on a regular 120 (stiffer, without the extra bevel, etc) and he couldn't ride it at all. Was ready to give up after his first day. I found a used Burton ltr and he was back in the groove right away. I guess my point is that it could be hard for a 9-year-old to control a bigger, stiffer board.

Michael
 
#6 ·
Was it mainly the steeper black run that your son was having problems with the bigger board, or all the runs in general?

My 12 y.o. son is 4'10", 95 lbs. First two seasons rode a Burton Custom Smalls 131. He probably could have ridden it again this season but his feet are too big (size 8 mens). Got him a Capita Stairmaster, and I considered buying a 144 but ended up getting the 148--figured that it would last at least two more seasons and in that time he will probably have a growth spurt and end up bigger than I am (I ride a 147). First time out this season, I thought he'd be in for a day of struggling with a bigger board but he took to it no problem, was riding better on it than his old Custom Smalls. He says it's actually much softer than his kids board, much easier to control and more fun to ride.

Unless a kid's competing on a team and needs specific equipment, once they are at a certain level of proficiency on a board (linking turns, going down blues), they're pretty adaptable to whatever gear they have.
 
#7 ·
No actually he tried it on the bunny hill first and couldn't make a turn without catching an edge and falling...this was with an instructor too. He took his Chopper down the black diamond run but again that is a steep run that is often moguled out so my guess is he just side slipped it.

You've given me some hope...I was after the same thing going with the 144 from the 130 (1.5-2 seasons of use). The post office has my new bevel guide so I will bevel the edges of the Capita tonight and see if that helps. Honestly I have already ordered the K2 Vandal 137 but it's easy enough to return....plus it's only money, I'm supporting the economy right? LOL
 
#8 ·
Kids will adapt...daughter at 7 yrs old riding a 130 at 9 jumped to a 148 stiffy freeride...(I put on 20mm risers so that she could edge better....the result is that she developed some great edging skills)kicked her butt the first year, second year was handling it and third year throwing it around like a park board. At age 12 then went up to a 155 for blasting groomers and pow, at age 14 went to a 144 park board and at 15 switched to thug skiing...fatty twintips with AT bindings...and Tuesday was her first trip ripping some out of bounds with 25ft cliff drops. Later today she's back on one of her boards for the third time in about 40 days out this season. Btw, she's been 5'4" and 125# since being 13 years old.

Point being kids will suprise you...I'd think twice about detuning....he doesn't know any better and if he has a passion, he'll figure it out...a 144 doesn't sound out of the realm.
 
#9 ·
Ok so I was doing a bit more research last night on this and as I suspected the Chopper has a convex base so that the edges are lifted off the snow making it easier to ;ear to ride. So for kicks I took a steel ruler to check the base of the Capita and it actually is convex in some areas (bindings pulling the base up maybe?), having beveled the edges they are now slightly up (very slightly) but not anything like the Chopper.

So this transition isn't going to be easy no matter what I think...do I just take away the chopper and tell him to deal with the Capita? I had ordered the K2 Vandal which says it has a 3* base bevel which I am assuming is similar to the Chopper but it hasn't arrived yet (according to order status it hasn't even shipped yet :mad: ).
 
#10 ·
Ok so thread update. Today in clinic my son rode his chopper for the morning session and then I had him try the Capita again after lunch. I figured this would give him a few runs and get him in the groove before trying the new board. IT WORKED!! Between the aggressive detune (half way from the widest part of the board to the bindings) and the 3* bevel I put on the edges he was able to ride the Capita and carve out some great turns.

So now I guess I'm glad Buckmans hadn't shipped the Vandal yet as I called just now and canceled the order.

At the end of the day even after slamming hard off a jump (on the Capita) he tells me on the way into the locker room that we can pitch his old board. Obviously I'm not throwing it away but I'm glad he is now into the new board.
 
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