Jayden23

Hey everyone,
1st time snowboarder here.. Money isnt important, pritty much looking to see what brands are good, what setup I would need.. Board,boots bindings..
Im currently looking at Burton,K2,Forum,Rome or ride..
I have NO idea what im looking at.
im 21, 6ft 1, shoe size 9...
Any idea's?
Jayden, Australia

thrack

I was in your position back in Janurary. My girlfriend's dad hooked me up with a K2 HC161 board. (im also 6'1", shoe size 10.5 and 150lbs) The longer board was a great for learning on. They're more forgiving. And since you'll be cruising the mountain, rather than hitting the parks right off - a longer board is a better idea. As for boots and bindings... I was clueless. So, I directed my questions to the sales person at my local snowboard shop. They set me up with Burton Cartel bindings, and Thirty-two boots. The combo works well together, and both bindings and boots were very comfortable. The cartels are more so a "free style" binding, but felt fine for free riding and will work well when I start doing more free style.

Everything else from the dragon goggles, 686 jacket, volcom pants, etc etc was all just personal preference. Reading the forums will really give you some great ideas, but dont forget about hitting up your local board shop. They'll really be able to help you in the right direction.


good luck! see you on the hill!

Snowjoe

Actually if you havnt done it before you should go for a shorter board with more flex, not a longer board. Longer boards are harder for a beginner to control at first and make progressing to a decent level harder. At this level I wouldnt go all out and get something thats really good, because if anything its gonna be too higher performance for you, get something cheaper that will get you into the intermediate stage, something like a Burton Clash, then upgrade later on.

Basic rule for beginner set ups is Shorter and more flexible. If you get something too long or too responsive then you might get eaten alive

thrack

haha - long boards are only hard to control if they're too long, and the rider is too short. The guy said he's 6'1"... 159-161 would be perfect to learn on. You want more surface area to keep better control. It worked for me, and it might work for the OP. It was just my personal experience.

*edit - ok, I will say this. Now that I've learned - my next board will be a bit smaller. So, buying a smaller board to learn on, and keep for more than 1 season is probably a better idea.

Flick Montana

Not to complicate things for you any further, but buying a snowboard is a VERY complicated procedure if you want to get one that is right for you. It's like buying a car. There are so many factors you have to take in, plus you have to wade through lots of garbage that ignorant people will shovel at you. You'll hear that you need a board that comes up to your chin, or that you want stiff instead of flexible, or this color instead of that. In the end, it's all personal preference. The only thing I can really tell you that is pretty much a sure thing is that your weight matters a lot. You want a board that matches you well, otherwise you can run into performance issues if your board is too stiff or too soft.

Bottom line, do your research and ask some knowledgeable people for assistance. When you feel you have a strong understanding of snowboards, THEN make your purchase for yourself. Don't let anyone tell you what to buy.

Snowjoe

I still stand by the fact that if your a total beginner you dont wanna be riding a 162 for long. The more length you have to turn the more your gonna get sucked into the fall line without experience in turning. Im 6'4" myself and I would never have wanted to learn on something that long, nor does 95% of the population.

But still the best way to go if your gonna learn is probably to hire for a little bit, try out different lengths or boards and see what you get on with better without the commitment to buy.

Flick Montana

No, you're right. You don't really want to learn on a long board. It also depends on where you're boarding. If you're in the midwest like me, you don't need a 166 board. If you're hitting the alps, you'll probably fall down a lot with a 145. Rent and find your happy medium.

RIDE.ROME

I ride a rome. Its about the best board ever i must say, burton sucks no joke i had a board and bindings, the board started to have double edges (where the metal sticks up higher than the base so it catches on everything) and then it finally just sorta ripped off, my binding buckles break in any some what cold weather, i would say rome, their boards and bindings are flexy and very durable for sure

Jayden23

Thanks so much guys!!
so I think im going to go with the k2 fuse board..."maybe" not 100% sure yet.. Ive just orderd Burton Cartel bindings and DC boots.
Just another question regarding goggles, Im looking at getting Oakley A Frame Matte White/Pink Irid Lens Goggles.. What you think?? just for an all rounder.

So board,boots,bindings pritty much is fine. The fuse is a 155cm, me being 6ft 1 Ive been told that would be around the rite size for me..

Thankyou SO much for all the feedback!
Who would of thought picking a snowboard was SO dam hard!!!!
Jayden

Snowjoe

If you want an all round goggle then I'd go for an orange or yellow lense rather than one of the iridiums. Ive had iridiums before and its great in very good light conditions but if its a bit dimmer then you might struggle to see bumps. I'd also recommend Spy Goggles, the spy soldiers have been the best goggles Ive ever owned clearer than my old oakleys were and cheaper.

Its the same with the board really, you dont need to pay out for the expensive end of the range, as thats usually for a more specific role, the cheaper orange lenses save you money and are actually a better all round lense than the more expensive ones.