What makes a board "made for beginner/advanced rider"?

[Daggs]

When looking at boards, I often come across a recommendation for the skill level of the person that a person should be to ride the board. I understand that beginners should choose a board with, like, a five flex rating at the most, but other than that, why can't I (a beginner looking for a board) choose a board that is recommended for advanced riders.

While you're here, could you guide me in the right direction as far as choosing a good all-mountain board goes? I have been snowboarding the last week in Breckenridge, and I've basically fallen in love and I want to buy a board within the year. I know that I should probably rent first, but I have plenty of friends that snowboard and if all else fails, I can sell it to one of them.

About me:

I am 15 (but all major growth spurts are done, so I'm not worried about that)
I'm 5'9"
size 10 (US)
all-mountain board
I live in the northeast and will probably do most of my snowboarding in the Poconos, so powder isn't too common here.
Price isn't really an issue, 300-500 USD (more or less)
I know about rocker and camber, but is there a certain style I should look for? (reverse camber, etc.)




If you could recommend a specific board, I'd really appreciate it. If i left anything out, just ask. Thanks.

[Basti]

Basically there's nothing wrong with choosing an advanced board as a beginner. But know that you will learn the sport the hard way if you choose a stiff and aggressive board. Beginners' and intermediate boards are softer and have a camber profile that will be more forgiving, meaning you will not catch an edge that easily and you will be able to maneuver the board around more easily. If you lack the skill, an advanced board can just lock onto an edge and take you on a ride to wherever the sidecut leads it. In conclusion: A beginner's board will save you from a few bails. On the other hand, many people here (including me) learned on stiff camber decks because there was nothing else out there in the mid 90s.

As for your request: What's your weight?

[Daggs]

um...it's been a while since I've last weighed myself, but I want to say...around 140

[poutanen]

Originally Posted by Basti

On the other hand, many people here (including me) learned on stiff camber decks because there was nothing else out there in the mid 90s.

Yeah, and I'm of the belief that in the long run it helps you learn the fundamentals. I think people get too worried about positive camber being unridable. My GF is not the most coordinated person in the world (hope she's not listening!) and learning at 28-29 years old isn't the easiest time either. But we got her a mid-range camber board, a 2010 K2 Luna to start on and she loves it. She's still catching an edge from time to time but she's really coming along quite well after only about 35 days on the slopes.

That said, I wouldn't want to learn on my current board. It's stiff as F&*K and 6 cm longer than my first board, so it took a couple laps to get in the groove on it. I think there's nothing wrong with learning on a fairly stiff cambered board, but I wouldn't go to the extremes. My guess is the extremes tend to be labelled "advanced" only boards for just that reason, they're at the far end of the spectrum.

You can do anything and everything on a med flex cambered all-mountain board. Anybody that tells you different is dealing in smaller margins than I think are reasonable.

[Daggs]

How about the Proto CT? Too much for a beginner to handle? Because I've heard only good things about it.

[hhaidar]

Hey Daggs, have a look at the Evo. I rode one all last season and it will work great from beginner to advanced riders. I'm on a proto ct this year, and it will definitely be more work to learn on. I wrote a pretty extensive review of it on Geeks of Shred. Read if you like NEVER SUMMER Proto CT 2012 Geeks of Shred!, but I would highly recommend the evo as a better choice to learn on. hope that helps...welcome to snowboarding!

[Whoracle]

My first board (im a beginner, started in february), was labeled as an expert. Its a 2007 Nidecker Legacy, fairly stiff, directional cambered free ride board. It took me a while to get used to it coming from a rockered board, but now that i can ride okay id love to try a rockered board again.

[Donutz]

One of the reasons why the NS Heritage is billed as a more advanced board is that it has a very fast base. You can find yourself going faster than you want very easily. Other than that, I don't think there's anything in the characteristics that would be more of a problem for a noob than a more 'beginner' board.

[wrathfuldeity]

For us older folks that learned on cambered cause there was nothing else...we progressed to rockered for about a season and learned about ground tricks and jibbing and then moved on to hybrid or back to cambered. Cambered is a bit more punishing to learn on...but you become a better rider...imho.

[Basti]

Originally Posted by Donutz

One of the reasons why the NS Heritage is billed as a more advanced board is that it has a very fast base. You can find yourself going faster than you want very easily. Other than that, I don't think there's anything in the characteristics that would be more of a problem for a noob than a more 'beginner' board.

the camber sections are also more pronounced than on the freestyle ns sticks, so it's a bit less forgiving.