Well, the title makes my question pretty obvious. I’m a complete newbie; only went snowboarding once last year and I’m just barely carving. I’m looking to get a board for this year, and, being a poor college student, I’d rather not have to cough up my life savings for it. Should I spend hours trolling the internet for a used name-brand board, or can I get away with a cheap, no-name board? If I go with a cheap brand, how long will it be before it falls apart or I have to upgrade? Also, has anyone heard of Avalanche Snowboards? I can’t find any reviews on them… are their boards junk?

Thanks for your help.

Hi Snoopy,

I’m afraid that I’m brainwashed by marketing. I’d always go for a brand with a reputation for making good snowboards and for a brand with a good warranty. It’s not just about whether the board is going to break or not, it’s about squeezing the best value out of your dollar. If you buy a crap board for $150, but you could have bought a great board with a well thought out shape, quality materials and a fast base for $250, that extra $100 is worthwhile investment. I’ve heard of Avalanche, they were quite big back in the early 90s when boards had flat tails and assymetric sidecuts… If I were you I’d save a few more pennys and get something that will last. As it’s off season at the moment you’ll find lots of boards on offer at the moment. Just from a quick glance depending on your height and weight you could have a look at these-

http://www.sierrasnowboard.com/Palmer-Saga-R-Snowboards.asp

Rocker shaped, will initiate turns easily and should help you get to grips with riding deeper snow quicker.

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Ride-Control-Snowboard/RDE0059M.html

A classic all mountain board designed to help beginners and intermediates progress on everything from piste to powder.

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Rome-Headline-Snowboard/ROM0214M.html

Rome Headline is an all mountain snowboard with a slight bias towards freeriding, probably better for slightly heavier riders.

If you’ve got a local store I’m sure they can cut you a deal.. always best to shop locally, but these deals give you a good idea of how far your money can go.

Rich

I will chime in to shop local if you buy brand new.  It will give you a place to get service and advice which is handy when you are brand new.

If you buy used I would recommend having a knowledgeable friend help you out.  Used decks can have hidden traps that you might not detect like water damage in the core, de-laminating, warped egdes, etc. 

And now is a good time to buy new as Rich mentioned, off-season prices plus you can read all the reviews on the 2009 boards as they have been tested…  all the new decks that come out in a few months won’t have much broad testing done on them yet to help you make the best informed purchase.

Yeah Reloaded is right, there are so many potential issues with buying snowboards second hand. Because of shops overstocking (mainly online ones) and the snowboard market declining slightly over the last couple of years, it’s a market that has almost completely evaporated. i remember when i used to read the classifieds for second hand decks in the back of magazines…. unless you have a mate who knows his onions I’d go for a new board.