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New-ish Boarder, buying board.. Skate Banana?

8K views 33 replies 10 participants last post by  BoarDom13 
#1 ·
I learned last year, and picked it up rather quickly. By the end of the season I was hitting jumps and boxes and had no problem staying up the whole day. I tried a friends Skate Banana, 152 (i'm 5'8", 160 lbs) and loved it, I was flying all over the mountain and had ridiculous control. I'd like to buy one for the upcoming season, but I'm not sure if I loved it because I was riding a 157 Burton a friend gave me for free from 2003 when he started. Any suggestions on boards? I'm not into park too much but I'll hit the jumps occasionally, is the skate banana for me?
 
#4 ·
Congrats on learning to snowboard! It sounds like you would want to ride an all-mountain or freestyle snowboard. While the skate banana is an awesome snowboard, like sxdaca said, you can do better for the price and still meet your needs as a newish boarder. And, as Wiredsport said, your height does not have that much to do with the size of board that you will be riding. Weight, shoe size, and riding style are what to consider when choosing a board size. You might want to look into some of Ride's boards, or maybe a Rome. Don't dismiss getting a used board, as long as it's in good shape. There are many gems out there still worth riding! A brand you might want to check out is NeverSummer. The company is based out of Colorado, and that's where the boards are made. I have been riding a 2011 Neversummer Evo, and it's been a blast! There are lots of little technicalities that go into choosing a board, as well as semantics. People will tell you that "Burton sucks," or "nobody likes that brand." Don't follow the crowd just because they're "cool." If you want to ride a certain board, and you like the feel of it, go with it! Have fun shredding!
 
#5 · (Edited)
No, I don't think a skate banana is the right board for you since you said you are "not into park too much" and only "hit jumps occasionally".

I can believe it was fun and playful to ride for you as a beginner as it is super easy to flex and pivot without catching your edges) but unless you are dedicating at least half you day in the park (all morning, or all afternoon) then there are other boards out there that are better. There are other board in Lib tech's lineup that are probably better for you.
 
#8 ·
Welcome! :D

One piece of advice. If you're staying up the whole day, you're not trying hard enough! :D I've been boarding 20 years and fall several times a day.

Another thing that I strongly suggest to new riders looking at a new board: Demo as many as you can. Now is not the time to buy a board, they're in demand and prices are high. If you can ride your current board for this season, and get to any demo days there are in your area, then buy a board mid-late in the season.
 
#9 ·
Mostly agree with that. Although I think that at his stage demo-ing a lot of more boards is overkill. Instead, he should try a few decks from friends or that are floating around used and go with whatever matches his requirements and feels comfortable/fun.
Totally agree with the bit of when to buy.

Also, Skate Banana is a great board (if a little expensive), but at 152 seems too small for the OP for anything but pure park riding.
 
#10 ·
I've heard of NeverSummer, and i saw a lot of good reviews on them. I've been looking for a used board in good shape, I don't want to commit yet to a brand new board without really knowing the sport as well as I should, along with what type of boarder I am. Is the 152 too small? My shoe size is a 9 but I was wearing a size 10 boot last season.
 
#11 ·
Hi BoarD,

The best indicator of if you will enjoy riding a board...is if you have enjoyed riding that board. 152 is a fine size for you in this model. If you have access to a used 152 in this model at a fair price and you are progressing on it, you should buy it. Your goal is to have fun and you sound like you are having a blast!
 
#13 ·
I agree that 152 is too small for anything but park riding for someone who is 160 lbs I'm 155 lbs and I ride a 154 for park. For all around riding, I would suggest 155-158 freeride board (seriously you should be able to do all the basic tricks on *any* type of a board.

I wouldn't worry too much about trying for the perfect board for you just yet as you said yourself you are still learning to ride and learning what type of riding you like to do. If you find a board that is a good price, post it to this thread and I'm sure people will tell you whether it is good for you or not. I personally would avoid anything the mentioned "street or jibs" in it for now.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Assuming an "average" 20-day season... there is a 0% chance the wood, epoxy and fiberglass haven't broken down / started to de-laminate after the first 100 or so of the 300 days you've been riding that board.
You're vastly overestimating the amount of boarding I got to do in Ontario. :(

A good year for me was 15 days, but in general I was probably a 10 day a year boarder. There was a period of about 3-4 years where I only went once or twice (and then I came to my senses!)...

Not to start a breakdown debate, but the only organic material in the board is wood (and even then I seem to remember it containing some kevlar) and wood won't start to rot unless it's subjected to the elements for long periods of time. Epoxy and FG should last almost indefinetly.

Unless you're just saying that the board itself should start coming apart from the inside out. In which case I'd notice that by it getting soft, right?

edit: By the way, I've got approx 55 days on my current board and there's not a chance I'll get rid of it at the 100 day mark! Metal core though so maybe it's got more lifespan than wood?!?
 
#25 ·
You're vastly overestimating the amount of boarding I got to do in Ontario. :(

A good year for me was 15 days, but in general I was probably a 10 day a year boarder. There was a period of about 3-4 years where I only went once or twice (and then I came to my senses!)...

Not to start a breakdown debate, but the only organic material in the board is wood (and even then I seem to remember it containing some kevlar) and wood won't start to rot unless it's subjected to the elements for long periods of time. Epoxy and FG should last almost indefinetly.

Unless you're just saying that the board itself should start coming apart from the inside out. In which case I'd notice that by it getting soft, right?
Yes, I mean the laminated layers will start to delam after that many years - especially with the primitive horizontal lamination techniques they had back then. The nineties era Kempers had a kevlar layer. Once the layers start to separate, it will lose a lot of it's springiness/snap. Put your board flat on a ground base down... there should be around 3 centimeters of space between the middle of the board (board had a lot of camber out of the factory back them). If it is less than 2-3, then your board has "lost it's camber". This is how we used to judge the condition of a board back when there were only cambered boards (tougher to tell in the new rockered camber era).

Even if the wood doesn't rot, the fibers start to break down with repeated bending (nothing lasts forever... just ask your knees).

Ok, so only 100 days, that is more reasonable - but still the difference in stiffness and pop should be night and day when compared to a new board. I get around 30 days a season now, and I used to get around 40 days per season back in the day if you include the summer.
 
#27 ·
here's a question that maybe I should have went with before asking about the Skate
Banana.. What's the best shape to ride? I'm still trying to figure out the difference between rocker and cambered but I think I got it. I am an all mountain boarder so far, with little park but I do like hitting the occasional jumps on the sides of the runs. I'm hearing good things about GNU and of course Burton, but after thinking about it and reading what everyone is saying, I may buy new or last years model. I have bindings, and boots, although I will get new ones eventually. I don't want to spend over $300 for a board, but I want something that I can have a lot of fun hitting all of the mountain, having a lot of control and being satisfied for a couple years.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Hybrid camber - Never Summer calls it R.C. Tech, Lib/Gnu calls it C2BTX, Arbor calls is Mountain System, etc... Avoid anything that sounds like "Park Rocker, Park/Jib System, Pure Banana Tech" etc.

Update:
Actually backcountry.com is selling a used SL 155 for $230 on their used gear site GearTrade.com. Remember I'm roughly the same height weight as you (5'9" 150 lbs) I have ridden three SL 155 over the years and highly recommend it.
 
#32 ·
Do you mean the forum here? To each his own but I like to look and touch most things before I buy. I also like eBay for some stuff (just bought bindings there) because the item has to be exactly as described or you can dispute it.

Only time I've EVER been burned with an online transaction was buying some car parts through a forum, sent the guy money (via paypal personal transfer) and he never send the parts. Thought I could trust him because he was a forum member. My mistake.
 
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