Help me find a Freeride board?

[lakeclimbr]

I feel like I need a PhD in boards and bindings. Can someone help? I'm on a bit of a budget.

I'd like to snag a freeride board from 2010-2012 for less than $350 or a splitboard for more. Six years ago I bought my first board, a 2005 Misfit Nitro and it was awesome. It was stiff and dampened every bump, it could lay down some nice lines, float in powder, and handle crude or moguls fine. Ice was a horrible challege... maybe a shorter board would've been better on that?

At 140lbs, I rode a 156 and it was great. I’ve only riden one other board (for a few runs). It was a flexible cambered board, and I did not like to feel the crude under my feet.

Do the new splitboards perform fine in resorts? If so it might make sense to get one in that I could use it in some different areas.

Anyhow, I don’t have a home resort (live in Boston), and spend several week trips riding somewhere I haven’t been. (Rent a car, crash in the back with a sleeping bag, ride a resort from open to close, aiming towards the double blacks and hiking areas if possible.) I enjoy getting off the trails.

My bindings and boots fell apart too. I had Solomons, and some stiff Solomon boots which were sick. All clearance gear that I just picked up years back. If you have recommendations on replacements, let me know.

Thanks for helping! Never shopped for snowboard gear, and all this technology and high prices are intimidating!

[Nivek]

Dont get a split unless you're splitting. They are able to get through crud, but not meant to perform on it.

Look for a Salomon Mans Board, Ride Berzerker or Highlife, K2 Slayblade, Arbor Element CX, Signal OG, or a Nitro Blacklight. Those are good places to start. Stick to that 156ish size.

[lonerider]

Originally Posted by Nivek

Dont get a split unless you're splitting. They are able to get through crud, but not meant to perform on it.

Look for a Salomon Mans Board, Ride Berzerker or Highlife, K2 Slayblade, Arbor Element CX, Signal OG, or a Nitro Blacklight. Those are good places to start. Stick to that 156ish size.

I have a Prior Khyber 160 split at 145-150 lbs. It performs pretty well for a split (I've ridden the solid Khyber as well)... but unless you really are going to be doing a lot of backcountry, I wouldn't get a split to do mostly resort riding with a little hiking. It's far better to buy a pair of Verts and hike with those (a lot of splitters use Verts for super steep areas).

Personally, I think 156 cm is a great size for what you are doing (I rode a 156 for a long time when I was about your weight). As for boards... aside from powder boards (Burton Fish, Never Summer Summit, Prior Khyber), I haven't ridden a mainstream pure freeride board in a while. I used to like the Salomon Definition several years ago... so I hope Salomon still makes good stuff with the Man's Board. I also liked the Ride Timeless, which the Berzerker/Highlife sounds like the spiritual successor... but board designs have changed a lot in the last 5-6 years, so I don't know exactly. I have ridden the K2 Fastplant, but that is more of an all-mountain freestyle board (rode the Parkstar too, which is a park board). Sorry I can't give you more help on specific boards.