Purpleheartvet

I am a decent rider. I enjoy flying down the hill but I carve like a mad man. I stay away from the park and prefer to stay on the open runs. This brings me to my question. I am 6'3 and 300 pounds. Before you tell me that a big guy like me can't ride, I assure you, I am a lot better than people expect. I am purchasing my first board. I am looking at a Burton T6 164 wide and a 5150 Nomad 166 wide. I would appreciate all the advice I can get. Also, the 5150 comes with Flow Flite 1 bindings. I really like the step in aspect because the hardest part of riding for me is strapping in and out (fat boy flexibility). If I get the T6, I am looking at the Flow the five bindings. Money is an issue and I am searching mostly eBay. Thanks for the help!

gmore10

take it from another big guy 6'2 260 you might want something a little bigger than 166, i started out on a 163 and it just wasnt enough board for freeride im on a 166 now which feels about perfect.

wrathfuldeity

at 300, perhaps into the 170+ range. Like an old rad air tanker, lib tech litigator and the like.

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Purpleheartvet

That's the thing right now. I started on a 163 and it's plenty of board for me. I was thinking of going up to the 166 just to have a little more speed and control. Thoughts? I have read that the T6 is one of the stiffest and fastest boards out right now. I'm hoping that a wide will be wide enough for a 13 boot. I keep having toe drag and it catches my front edge in slush.

poutanen

I owned a T6 and currently own a T7. They are stiff, and can carve well especially though choppy snow.

If you can get it for a good price (under $500 brand new, or under $300 or so used) I'd go for one. I'm not familiar with the flow lineup but if you're into carving I'd try to get the stiffest bindings they make.

Another thing you can do if you're serious about the sport but don't want to get a massively long board is get one of the custom builders to make you something in the 165 range that's designed for your weight. Prior offers custom flex (stiffer) for their boards for $70 extra. Some builders build each board based on the riders weight.

I don't think you'd be unhappy with a T6...

Purpleheartvet

I appreciate the help on the T6! I will get it beans new for under $250. Now I feel a lot more confident about!

poutanen

Shit if I could find one brand new for under $250 in my size I'd be on that like white on rice...

Even if you hate it, you should be able to sell it used for at least that much.

Purpleheartvet

Brand new** stupid iPhone

cifex

I think it is unlikely that you are carving. If that is really what you are interested in (and you should be), you need to take wrathful's advice and go for a bigger board. I am 200lbs and ride a 164. If you want to carve and maybe do some off piste, a board in the 160s just doesn't have the effective edge / surface area for someone of your, umm...mass.

If you are in fact carving, the sacrifice of a smaller board will be that you will wash out much easier in all but the best groomed conditions. You will also have poor float in powder leading to many more cartwheel to scorpion incidence. Since chasing pow and searching for that perfect rail to rail carve are the only worthwhile pursuits outside of the park, you would be doing yourself a disservice.

Also, be aware that with the flow step in you'd be sacrificing some of the response of a strap in binding.

See this thread for the difference between carving and skidded turns.
http://www.snowboardingforum.com/tip...s-carving.html

It's sounds like you already found a great deal on a board. It's won't be such a great deal when you realize you should be riding something much bigger in a few months. Good luck!

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gmore10

i second this made the mistake of buying something to small