Fallen Saint

lol I saw you had already responded again and I was like d@mn! can't believe I'm not the only one still up this late. Then I saw you were in Cali lol
Ok so anyway, as far as I know most bindings don't require special tool of any kind. Just a good old fashion screw driver or wrench.
And definitely do it yourself. Check the stuff when you get it. Lay it out and make sure you have duplicates of everything and that it looks like you have screws for all the holes and stuff. If you go with Rome bindings I know you can do it yourself easy and I can't imagine it being too different with other binding makers.
And the one thing I say look out for is something called "Cross threading." It's easy to do when you're placing metal screws/bolts into metal holes. What happens is you don't get the screw/bolt threads lined up with the threads inside the holes so that when you start screwing them in the threads actually end up cutting through each other, and then you just power through tightening them in thinking it's a tight fit till it locks up part of the way in and won't budge. The problem is that if you do this the only way to fix it is to get new screws/bolts and have the holes filled and re-tapped (EXPENSIVE). Luckily it's VERY easy to prevent.
When you first place the screw/bolt in the hole, before you start tightening in it, turn it counter clockwise (that's right like you are trying to unscrew it) this causes the threads of the screw to run backward against the threads in the hole (no pressure = no damage) and seats them better, so that when you start screwing it in it slides in right. Just be sure to hold the screw/bolt straight and it's all good from there dude.
Other than that, it's just a matter of making sure you have the binding width and stance degrees set like you want them.

__________________
Try as you might, not all of us can be Saints. We just ride like them.
Skate Banana 159 > Rome Targa > DC Allegiance

WhistlerBound

If you want a practical demo of how easy it is to mount bindings then do a search on youtube, like "snowboard mount bindings." There are quite a few instructional vids that will help you out. I asked about mounting my own bindings not long ago and the general response was that it was shit-easy. I figured I may as well learn from the start so I can change my stance etc. when the time comes, without relying on a shop to do it for me.

boarderdude79

What about Lamar/LTD boards. Just getting started so don't want to burn my wallet on expensive stuff. Saw some of these online, but not sure the quality

arsenic0

I bought a LTD Peak 151 board at a local shop for my first snowboard last season. Its held up well and i could still use it again at the mountain this year if i wanted, and i will probably use it early season if there isnt good snow as the board i dont care about dinging up. Its nothing special, and to me feels a tad heavy but for what i paid for it which was like 150 bucks it was a great way to get into the sport and not have to deal with the crappy rental boards anymore. I could probably craigslist it and get half my cash back if i wanted though...

If i have any advice for you for your first season or two if you are on a budget, or are not sure if you will get into the sport is

Buy the best boots you can afford that fit right, money can buy comfort in terms of boots, but it comes down to how your foots shaped. Bad fitting or uncomfortable boots will ruin your day, where as not having a super high end board a a newbie wont be as big of a deal. If you go out now you MAY be able to still snatch up some 07 series good boots for 150-200ish.

Buy decent bindings, and then buy a board for whatever else your willing to spend.

legallyillegal

They're crap.

__________________

bokken

If you want an atomic board for under 200, I can find a ton of websites with older models for under 200. I found a cold smoke for 199.99 in a couple of locations, so if you want I can get you one of those sites. But it dooes depend on your wallet.

bokken

boarderdude79

Thanks man. I think I'll take your advice on the boots. The board and bindings aren't that important right now since I'll prob spend most of the time on my a$$ at first. I was also looking at some SIMS boards at the local sports authority. Might just go that route to start

snowjeeper

Legally and others,
even though boards like lamar, 24/7, 5150 are crap, what impact is that going to have on someone learning how to board, especially in an area like WI (me) where the snow isn't usually that great (but it might be this year 120"+ maybe)? Is it worth to pay 450 for a board when you're a beginner, or will you be able to learn effectively on a 199 board? I think that's the root of alot of noobs questions.
:-D
-snowjeeper

Fallen Saint

Just my opinion but I think it can make a big difference if you're riding a decent board versus a good one. I'm not talking top dollar but a good stick can make a difference. It's true that a beginner won't have as much control or skill to really use a lot of the fancy stuff out there but there's a big difference in weight alone between something like a 24/7 and a GNU Altered Genetics. I went from a Rossignol to the Alt G. HUGE difference for me.

__________________
Try as you might, not all of us can be Saints. We just ride like them.
Skate Banana 159 > Rome Targa > DC Allegiance

fuzzysnowboard

I think you should rent if you can. Lamar and LTD: I heard they are one of the worst but I'm not sure.