Help with beginner board please?

[mcar93]

I've researched a bit but all the information is kind of overwhelming to me.
All I know for sure is I want a versatile board that I can grow into- but will be easy on me as a beginner and have good flex because I'm very light.
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Height: 4'11"
Weight: 97 lbs
Boot Size: 7 (I already have some thirty two prions)
Budget: Under $250
Questions:
1. Should I get a rocker so I don't catch edges or will that limit me later on?
2. Should I get an all-mountain board for their versatility or get a freestyle because they are more flexible etc.?
3. I'm not that big so I'll need a board somewhere around 140 cm, right?
4. Specific Recommendations if you have any! ;P Thanks for your help.

[wrathfuldeity]

Well aren't you the runt of the litter....so are you a little tuffy? I'd say alike a 140-144 bnice or infinity or gypsy...get it used to fit your budget.

[Lamps]

It's a little tricky because with size 7 boot you will I think need a medium binding.

So burton feather 140 for instance would fit your weight but only takes a small binding not sure if this is strictly true - if you can squeeze a medium binding on there (get advice from a shop/dealer about this) the it would be a good choice, easy board to learn on. Burton Deja Vu or Lipstick will fit a medium binding at 141 cm length which would work but you're at the bottom end of the weight range.

Buy used to save dough.

Freeride or freestyle won't matter much if youre just learning, freeride is the better choice but not by much.

A cambered board will discipline your riding style but you'll catch edges a bit more, while a hybrid or rocker board will turn easier and catch edges less so it's a little easier to learn on. Where do you ride - some people here in the east coast prefer camber b/c the other profiles don't handle ice as well - many places out west there's less ice so this is less of an issue.

[mcar93]

Haha, so basically I have big feet for my size. How sexy.
Would small bindings not fit a women's size 7 boot ever?

Also, I'm in the midwest- southern minnesota. The closest place to me is mount kato (a small little ski/snowboard place). But I have some natural hills around me that I'd like to go on too.

I found a list of recommended snowboards from lilfoot1598 for someone similar to me in size on an older thread.

Atomic Tika 139
Gnu B-street 141
Capita Space Metal Fantasy 143*
K2 Luna or Lunatique 138, 142*
Rome Vinyl 143*
Ride Compact 143
Never Summer Pandora 140, 143
Burton Troop 141
Burton Lux 139, 143
Atomic Fallen Angel 141

Any comments on those?

[mcar93]

And yes, I am "a little tuffy". lmfao! You gotta be when you're my size. ;D

[cocolulu]

Yeah, since you're so light, you probably want a board in the 140 range, give or take. You might get away with 143'ish if it's a flexible board like a park board.

Your budget is also a constraint... pretty much you're looking at 2012 snowboards on discount, and often times the smaller sizes sell out. You just have to make a list and see what's available...

Since you're in the East Coast, you might want to look into boards with an edge tech (Frostbyte for Burton, Griptech for Arbor, Vario or Never Summer, Magnetraction for GNU).

Lilfoots' lists are usually pretty good. GNU and Never Summer out of that list is probably considered 'higher end' because I think those boards are Sintered Base (considered better than Extruded base, but it won't matter for a beginner so much).

Also consider Roxy snowboards and Arbor snowboards. The Arbor Cadence might be good also.

[Treegreen]

I had mentioned in another thread looking at some of the wired stuff. They have some nice house brand boards for under $200 that I've seen get positive reviews on the forum (although none of the women's specific have been looked at that I know of). They have a presence here on the forum so you could always PM wiredsport or check out their webpage http://www.wiredsport.com/snow/snowb...nowboards.html

[Lamps]

Originally Posted by mcar93

Haha, so basically I have big feet for my size. How sexy.
Would small bindings not fit a women's size 7 boot ever?

you could take the boot to a dealer and try the fit to see. The thing is that if the board is only recommended for small bindings then it is only so wide, so even if you can get your size 7 boot into a small binding the boot may be too wide for the board.

However you may find that if you put the size 7 boot in the medium biding and mount it on a board that is only supposed to have size small bindings the heel and toe overhang may not be a problem, it will depend on the board, binding, and boot combo, you would have to try it to see.

I suspect that your conditions in minnesota are similarly crappy/icy to ontario so you might eventually want a cambered board, but for a first board the easy turns and less catchy edges of rocker or hybrid might be a good start, and then you can flip your first board for another, probably at low cost if you buy used.

If you are buying used and are buying the board and bindings together try it out with your boots and see how it all fits.

[Bear5001]

My first choice for you considering your needs including financial is the Rossignol Trick Stick. It is their park board, but also their rental board (but with different graphics). I really like how soft it is, but i also really like the camber on it. I will try not to overwhelm you here. I think either normal camber (when set on the ground the center will be off the floor), or reverse camber (the tip and tail off the ground aka rocker, banana) is not the best for beginners, i am really liking what i call hybrid camber, basically it has elements of both kinds.

Really whatever you find a great deal on as long as it is soft. Please dont let a salesman talk you out of this. It will not hold you back as you progress either. Park boards (which are very soft) often make great beginner boards.

If i am not mistaken the boots you have, the prions are a very stiff boot, and might make you feel a bit wobbly. I recommend soft gear for beginners, and everyone actually not going big enough/fast enough to be risking ankle injury (stiff boots help prevent ankle injury). It might be a good idea to try and trade them, or hold on to them for later. When we start snowboarding we are mostly developing fine motor skills in our ankles, and these are easier to feel with a soft boot. Not that you wont be successful in your prions (they are a great boot), just if you had the opportunity to use a softer boot it might be to your advantage

[mcar93]

Originally Posted by Bear5001

If i am not mistaken the boots you have, the prions are a very stiff boot, and might make you feel a bit wobbly.

I have these prions-
On Sale 32 - Thirty Two Prion Snowboard Boots Black/Pink - Womens up to 70% off
I got them for less than $55 and the places I've looked at said that they're pretty medium to soft. Maybe it's just the newer prions??