Salomon Man's Board - Length for me - Please help

[laxinchili]

Hi Guys, I am making a return to snowboarding this winter!!! SO EXCITED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am in the market for a new board... I am a freeride type of guy that rarely goes airborne off the kicker on the side, etc, but mostly enjoy ripping (in more ways than one, Oh!) and carving.

I am pretty set on getting a Man's Board after what I have heard of it, and I have my eyes on a 162 from last year at a great price. My past board is an oldschool Rossignol RS, also at 161. My concern is that I have lost weight since I last rode, going from about 185 to 160-170. The mans board looks like a sweet combination of new tech with no BS.

Considering I'm that i'm now noticeably lighter, would you guys still recommend a 162 for me, or should I look @ a smaller board? 159 perhaps??
I just want to do the best I can with my tight budget!

Please give me any pointers here, including suggestion for other boards. My ears are open and welcome any wisdom.
Thanks in advanced!

[walove]

my friends and i are all around 5'10" 170 and have decided that a 159 is the ideal length for a solid fun all mountain board.

[david_z]

Ultimately losing 3cm (barely more than an inch) on the board length is not going to make a huge difference either way, but the shorter 159 should be a little more nimble than the 162. I think if I were you I would go with the 159 if you can find it. If not, you shouldn't have any real trouble on the 62 since you're already accustomed to riding boards that size.

[laxinchili]

Thank you for the responses guys.

I just weighed myself again and HOLY SHIT I HAVE LOST WEIGHT! Marathons man, they change your body.

I am now 153 lbs (with only shorts and tee)... adding another 10 lbs for clothes/boots/pack... what do you guys suggest now lengthwise??

(I just found out suggest weight by Salomon for 162 is 155 lbs- 195 lbs [175 avg]... i'm definitely on the lower end... and the 159 is 130-185lbs [157.5 avg])

[david_z]

Originally Posted by laxinchili

(I just found out suggest weight by Salomon for 162 is 155 lbs- 195 lbs... i'm definitely on the lower end...)

Hmmm you've dropped 35 lbs...

and this board is definitely on the firmer side, they say "7" personally I felt it was a bit firmer than that on the 159 (and I'm 210 lbs). The 62 seems too much for your size now, definitely. So you're somewhere between the 156 or the 159 then.

[lonerider]

Originally Posted by laxinchili

Thank you for the responses guys.

I just weighed myself again and HOLY SHIT I HAVE LOST WEIGHT! Marathons man, they change your body.

I am now 153 lbs (with only shorts and tee)... adding another 10 lbs for clothes/boots/pack... what do you guys suggest now lengthwise??

(I just found out suggest weight by Salomon for 162 is 155 lbs- 195 lbs [175 avg]... i'm definitely on the lower end... and the 159 is 130-185lbs [157.5 avg])

Good job! I see too many posts from people who try to finagle their way into shorter board (apparently pretending you are a nimble butterfly is the new fad) talking about the weight they are GOING to lose... instead of the weight they already lost. I normally ridicule everyone who try to size down on their boards (even shorter than what the MAKER of the board recommends) in some lame attempt to compensate for their shoddy riding skills.

However, for you I would definitely go down to 158-159 cm. I'm 5'9" 150 lbs and I find a 158-160 to be perfect for pure free-riding. If you are right in the middle of the company's recommend weight range I think you are good to go.

[SnowRock]

I just got back into the mix 2 years ago after brief hiatus and upgraded all my gear last year. I used to ride a definition 161 but went with the 159 man's board.

Its plenty of board for me. stable, stiff, handled all the garbage conditions I rode on last year well (east coast and two co trips). I'm closer to 200 and found it fine. I don't think the 162 would be a huge difference since as DavidZ said you are used to a larger board.. i just don't think its needed.

It does require your attention but its a great board IMO.. I just hope I get to use it on some decent snow this year.

[lonerider]

Originally Posted by SnowRock

I just got back into the mix 2 years ago after brief hiatus and upgraded all my gear last year. I used to ride a definition 161 but went with the 159 man's board.

Its plenty of board for me. stable, stiff, handled all the garbage conditions I rode on last year well (east coast and two co trips). I'm closer to 200 and found it fine. I don't think the 162 would be a huge difference since as DavidZ said you are used to a larger board.. i just don't think its needed.

It does require your attention but its a great board IMO.. I just hope I get to use it on some decent snow this year.

Hey, I used to ride a Salomon Definition 156 myself (when I was 140 lbs). Was a great free-riding board. I've been doing a lot more park recently the last couple of years and have been trying other brands after having a bunch of Salomon boards (450, Burner, Forecast (ERA?), Definition, Daniel Frank pro model).

[SnowRock]

Originally Posted by lonerider

Hey, I used to ride a Salomon Definition 156 myself (when I was 140 lbs). Was a great free-riding board. I've been doing a lot more park recently the last couple of years and have been trying other brands after having a bunch of Salomon boards (450, Burner, Forecast (ERA?), Definition, Daniel Frank pro model).

Nice.. I still have it stored away in my basement, pretty decent condition all things considered. Certainly was a solid free-ride board. I am the opposite of you, growing up was a Lib/Gnu guy in the park a bunch then blew out my knee and have had some issues with it since so mostly an all-mountain sort nowadays. Plus I'm getting old now.

[snowklinger]

Its all about what kind of all mountain riding. To me the sizes you are looking at are way too big. I ride a 154 Proto all mountain and 154 evo park at #175.

I realize there are many active members here who espouse larger boards.

There are also alot of eurocarvers throwing out advice, its important to understand the difference.

I ride the mountain like a skatepark, what some people call "all-mountain" is actually all mountain boardercross or groomer bombing.

I made a similar re-entry to the sport about 3 years ago at 34, you may end up with the perfect board - I didn't and its been a journey with bindings as well.