Snowboard advise

Hi Tyson,

Your Arbor board is a Draft from 2006. They were doing that deck in Camber back then (it switched to system rocker in 2009). The Draft has always been Street/Park/Jib oriented. That is what you have there.

There is a lot in your post so let me see if I can hit some of the points.

Camber: Think of any cambered section on a snowboard as stored energy. A spring that will compress and decompress. Camber adds pop and helps you transition from edge to edge. The downside of pure camber models is that they tend to place the contact points on the snow and can be the most catchy of all designs. Camber in itself (especially going back to 2006 when almost everything was still camber) tells you very little about what a board was designed to do. Back then Street boards, Big Mountain boards and everything in between were all produced in cambered profiles.

Stance: Do not ride in pain to achieve a stance that has been suggested to you. Your body will tell you what stance is correct for you. Any benefit that you might notice from riding overly duck for your body will be lost and then some by riding in with uncomfortable angles. I would suggest that you go the opposite way. Return to your known comfortable stance, and then move your back binding gradually more to duck in small increments. Start at -5 and then go in bumps of 3.

Rome 390 Boss: Stoked that you have moved to this binding from your clickers. What cant are you using? These come with 3 options and often more cant can reduce pain when going duck. If you are riding the flat bases (0 degree) I would suggest bumping up to the 2 or 3.5 degree plates. It can help a LOT.

Finally, let us know a bit about your riding style. Where do you spend your time on the hill? What are your goals?

PS: We are jealous of your upcoming winter.

Stoked for you!

First up big thanks wiredsports for the detailed response.

First up would the higher (more defined) camber profile mean it has an ability to store more energy in the arbor in comparison to the sapient?
I couldn't find a detailed description on the 2006 arbor but I did find this on the 2009 sapient PNB1:
(Company Description:
This is a high performance freestyle machine. This board is meant to go everywhere but more specifically, with its centred stance and flex, it is a Pipe demon and park monster. This is seriously one of the best boards you will ever ride. The PNB1 is packed full of all the most advanced materials available, and has earned accolades as one of the best freestyle boards in the market today, and the clear Sirlin sidwalls are really cool. This board meant for the 100+ day rider.
Technology/Features:
Core: Aspen, Birch mix, very light and super strong for the daily core freestyle abuse Laminate: Kevlar, Carbon, Quadrax mix that gives a pretty stiff and snappy board Base: IS7500 with the famous STRUC TURN and Nano additives to be superfast Shape: True Twin Sidecut: Transitional )

I did notice the PNB1 is .5cm larger in smallest width so perhaps better for my larger boot size?

Atm I put in cant at 2 as it was just in the middle. From doing a little research most people seem to recommend 2.5 but that doesn't seem to be an option with the bosses. Can I get a feel for it sitting the board on carpet with boots and bindings.(It seems people say 4 is to much so not sure if I should go 3.5 or not?)

Also in regards to the highback rotation I want it so the back is parallel with the edge of the board? Is this ok when even when the highback angle is adjusted the boot doesn't sit square in the binding?

As for riding style mainly just going down groomed runs and have just started to hit a few small jumps and boxes. Though basically getting no air. This season would like to hit a few bigger jumps and ride switch a little more.

Regards In advance Tyson.

Stoked to help Tyson,

If all things were equal (core construction, laminates, contact length, etc) then more camber would indicate more stored energy but when trying to use that factor alone to determine performance between models it is not extremely valuable.

Please measure the width of each board at the inserts that you would use. Waist width is not a good indicator of what foot size a board will work well with. Please also measure the contact length of each (wide point to wide point).

Please measure your foot using this method:

Kick your heel (barefoot please, no socks) back against a wall. Mark the floor exactly at the tip of your toe (the one that sticks out furthest - which toe this is will vary by rider). Measure from the mark on the floor to the wall. That is your foot length and is the only measurement that you will want to use. Measure in centimeters if possible, but if not, take inches and multiply by 2.54 (example: an 11.25 inch foot x 2.54 = 28.57 centimeters).

You can get a reasonably good idea of how cant will feel just by strapping in on carpet. For me, 3.5 is awesome and makes an immediately noticeable difference even when strapping in dry. This is very personal and depends on your anatomy. The same is true of highback rotation. I ride with my backs adjusted to parallel with the edge, but many others find that uncomfortable.

We will dial you in!

Hey guys here are stats:

Foot size: 29.2cm
Boot size (outside shell) : 34cm

Sapient:
Width at bindings (perpendicular to edge): 26.7cm
length between center of bindings:59.5cm

Arbor:
Width at bindings (perpendicular to edge): 26cm
length between center of bindings:60cm

length between centers can be adjusted but thats just what Ive had them set up as in the past.

EDIT: I have also attached pictures of how the boot is sitting in the binding. It just doesn't look right though I have never used conventional bindings so im not really sure.

BTW Thanks very much for all the help guys

Keen4kritters said:

I tried on a bunch of sizes in the boot and the other sizes of the brand were just 2 small. The 13 is a snug fit though. I ended up moving the 390's forward one as there was at least a few cm's between the back of the hindback and the boot and its much better now with only a small gap with no angle on the hindback. Really excited to try out my new gear but alas no snow. Probably a blessing in disguise as I have exams next week but after that I'm on break so super keen to head down to the snow (once it arrives).

BTW thanks so much for all the help. Kind regards Tyson.

Click to expand...

Sounds goods. For reference this is our stock advice for boot fit:

Your boots should be snug!

The most common complaint about boots is that they are too loose, not to tight. The junction between rider and board begins with the boot, as it is in the most direct contact with the rider. When fitting boots, use the following method: A. Slip into the boot. B. Kick your heel back against the ground several times to drive it back into the boot's heel pocket. C. Lace the boot tightly, as though you were going to ride. NOTE: This is where most sizing mistakes are made. A snowboard boot is shaped like an upside down "7". The back has a good degree of forward lean. Thus, when you drop into the boot, your heel may be resting up to an inch away from the back of the boot, and your toes may be jammed into the front of the boot. Until the boot is tightly laced, you will not know if it is a proper fit. D. Your toes should now have firm pressure against the front of the boot. As this is the crux of sizing, let's discuss firm pressure: When you flex your knee forward hard, the pressure should lighten, or cease, as your toes pull back. At no time should you feel numbness or lose circulation. Your toes will be in contact with the end of the boot, unlike in a properly fit street or athletic shoe (snowboard boots are designed to fit more snugly than your other shoes). When you have achieved this combination of firm pressure and no circulation loss, you have found the correct size!