[anjali]

hi,

i'm looking to buy my first snowboard. I learned how to snowboard 6 years ago; however I haven't had the chance to snowboard regularly each season. this winter i'm moving to new england, so i think buying a board would be worthwhile.

i would say i'm an intermediate rider, although ive not properly tried tricks in the park. i'm looking for a versatile "all mountain" snowboard so i can not only continue to ride on trails but learn how do a few tricks. i'm about 5"4, 18 years old, i would to spend less than $250 for a board if possible.

i've done a bit of research, but i'm still a bit overwhelmed with the vast number of brands and choices. there are hardly any reviews on women's snowboards but ive come up with k2 luna, burton lux, burton alpha, capita le tigre, rome blue, flow infinia.

do you know where i can find reviews on women's boards? if not, would it be better to broaden my search and look at men's boards as well? will men's boards come in my size?

in terms of quality, how do burton, capita, flow, atomic, sims, and salomon compare?

could you offer any advice? it would be highly appreciated!

thank you

[Snowolf]

$250 is going to be tough to find and still have high quality without clearence sales. Rome and Atomic are my favorite board manufactureres currently and they have some amazing quality for under $400. You are on the right track with a tru all mountain board. For best match for boards and length, we need to know your boot size and weight (board length is almost exclusively determined by the rider`s weight.

[Word]

Yea choosing a board can be very confusing. You definitely want a womens specific board... mens boards are wider and stiffer. You should be able to find something for your budget if you shop around. I find this site to have the best deals on the web Burton Snowboards and Skis, Burton Bindings, Burton Boots, and snowboard reviews. Of the brands you listed they all make good quality products, well except for sims really. Check out boards like the Salomon Lark or Burton Lux. As for sizing, it mostly depends on your weight so i cant really help you there without knowing what it is.

[anjali]

thanks guys for the help!

i think i might go into some local shops to check out some snowboards so while i'm there i'll get my boot size measured and ask about board length.

i've read on some websites that the k2 luna is a decent board, but mainly for beginners, whereas the rome blue is an advanced board. how do beginner's boards differ from intermediate or advanced boards? my skill level is probably on the border of a recreational/intermediate rider but i'm looking to become more intermediate, especially because i'll be riding about 20 times each season from now on. what type of board am i looking for? would the rome blue be too advanced?

p.s. snowolf i used to snowboard at mount hood meadows every winter!

[Word]

You are right, the Rome Blue is more of an advanced womens board. The difference between beginner and advanced boards can usually be seen in the flex, base material, and core material. In most cases, but not all, advanced boards are going to be stiffer and therefore faster and more aggressive than a softer board. they will be more stable at higher speeds and less stable at lower speeds. Instead of making wider turns, they will be shaped to make quicker, smaller turns. And usually the base materials are better quality and so is the core. that is just a very general break-down. The K2 Luna is a mid-flexing intermediate board with a sintered base. It will probably be perfect for you right now, but the Rome Blue will give you some room to grow into as a progressingn rider

[anjali]

thanks word!

i've been narrowing down my search and have come up with 7 or 8 boards (salomon lark, burton lux, burton alpha, k2 luna, rome blue, and atomic polarity). i've also heard good things about the burton feelgood but its relatively expensive.

how does the salomon lark compare in terms of skill level? my main dilemma is deciding which board is right for my skill level. i would like to get a board that gives me room to progress but isnt too stiff/aggressive.

any suggestions?

thanks again

[BurtonAvenger]

Feelgood is over priced and over hyped. The Blue is fucking stiff for next season and sucks balls, I didn't like the way it rode.

The polarity is a great board for what you're describing. I'd also check out the never summer infinity, k2 duchess or even the Mix. The lux,lark, and alpha are all kind of lower end softer boards in my opinions.

[Word]

Yea BA pretty much summed it up. Also check out the Roxy Ally or Gnu B-Pro both with MTX... it could help you out on those icy east coast days.

[anjali]

i went to a local shop today to check out some boots. the guy who worked at the store recommended the roxy ally over the atomic polarity because it has the magne-traction. do you know much about it?

in terms of bindings, is drake a solid brand?

[BurtonAvenger]

Drake was a solid brand. Not so much anymore they'll get the job done and thats about it.

Personally I'm not a fan of how the Roxy boards are built. I've just seen too many delams from anything from that Factory to trust it if you impacted a rock, root, gaper, etc. etc.