Nathaniel

Hi guys, planning a my first trip to the snow this year, it looks like so much fun, been doing a fair bit of reading and watching youtube vids, bought myself some burton ak 2L pants and jacket, and I am really liking the look of the Rossignol One Mag, so probably going for that, any feedback on it would be good, i'm a complete beginner but i can skateboard down hills (not too steep) without falling off every 5mins.

My question is this, based on my stats
6 foot, 180 pounds most of those board calcs tell me i should get around a 162cm board.

But when I look around the forum and I see threads like this
http://www.snowboardingforum.com/sno...g-stats-6.html

most of the guys with similar stats to me are riding closer to 158's is there a reason for this? Do most of you guys tend to go shorter as you get better?

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, I just chucked it in the same forum the above post was in.

Regards,
Nathaniel

tozab

A shorter board is generally used for riding park, that's what the board size calculators don't really take into account. The size you've been recommended for is probably an all mountain board, so you ride a bit of park, bit of pow, bit of groomers runs.

Since this is your first time to the snow, i recommend you hire a board, around the 161 cm mark like your board calc says, buying a board can come later, you don't know what your riding style is yet.

Mooz

Those calcs are wrong. Unless you're bombing down waist deep powder, a 162 is way too big for someone who is 180lbs. Depending on what you're doing you can ride anything between a 156-159.

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Nathaniel

Hehe thanks for the advice, reason that I want to buy my gear is because it costs quite a bit of money to rent in Australia, and i'm visiting my sister in the U.S.A. in june/july and with the price difference with the huge sales that are on over there at the moment (and possibly still while i'm there being your summer...then again it will probably all be sold and the 2010 seasons gear arriving?) i'm sure if I don't like what I buy I could sell it and probably come out even, and if I do then i've saved myself quite a bit of cash in the long run.


Also it might change once I get out on the snow, but the park doesn't really interest me, watching those guys barrel down the mountain on fresh powder looks sooo fun....but kinda scary too watching them start avalanches

With that in mind, the Rossignol One Mag comes in a 159 and then jumps to 163, I really like the look of the board and it has a few nice reviews and is a pretty good price at around $230. Would you suggest a the larger or smaller, or I guess more importantly is a 159 going to be too small for me freeriding and ploughing through pow?

tozab

aha! a fellow aussie! i'd probably be taking mooz's advice a bit mroe to heart than mine, as i think he has lots more experience than me.

If you're looking for a reliable, fairly cheap place to hire in Cooma, rhythm snowboards is the place to go, ask for Ducky.

But, if you're set on buying your board, Sierra Snowboards has a pretty good sale on at the moment (stay away from the Burton products, i don't think they even ship to Australia anyways), or you could go for the Rossignol (i personally haven't ridden one, nor do i know anyone that has, so i can't help you there).

Personally i'd go with the 159, just because i have a park preference, and also because fresh pow is virtually non existent in thredbo and perisher :P.

But then again, i have a very limited understanding of how riding preference affects board length, all i know is park boards are shorter, backcountry/off piste boards are loner. Mooz has some pretty good advice there, or you can just wait until someone posts with some more info.


p.s. I also remember last year, the shop directly opposite IGA or whatever it is in jindabyne (nuggets crossing centre thing i think) theres was a rent 5 days thing board and boots for $70 which is pretty decent. I haven't dealt with hem though, so i dunno about the quality.


Cya cruisin down high noon

Nathaniel

Haha cool, so I guess as above, if I were doing that (obviously once i'm not crap ; D ) would a 159 be too small?

hm1sfidc

^^ 159 is not too small for your size, should fit you just fine.

Nathaniel

Cheers tozab didn't realise you could get them quite so cheap, I don't actually intend to do much or any snowboarding in Australia actually, planning on going to Queenstown in NZ for close winter activities and the US every other year or so, as my sister is moving back to the east coast so easy access to fields, and later i imagine japan/canada might be affordable unique experiences too ; D

Edit: Oh yeah, and delivery to Aus isn't a problem, relatives in the US works wonders and between myself, my parents and my brother I don't think my sister has had a year yet without one of us dropping in on her, so items travel back and forth in luggage yearly ; )

Cheers hm1s, hopefully some coupons for boards will pop up again soon, i think i'll go lurk some more in the deals forum/threads ; D

SnowBun

if you're riding on the east coast, don't get your hopes up for powder. It's usually all ice. Where on the EC? Oh and I would also suggest 158-159, 163 just screams back country waist deep powder to me.

RidePowder

I have the same stats as you. I ride a 155, 157, and 152. and Ive got a 159 on the way. shorter boards offer more control because they are more maneuverable. but you kinda have to one up flex.

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