Advice with extra width

Posted: 08 March 2012 09:26 PM

Hi,

I ride mostly groomers, but I am happiest and will go into the trees and pow every chance I get to go off piste (i.e. taking the lifts and deviating from the piste on my way down). Will try to jump small bumps, also like some buttering from time to time and bombing down the hill.

I have to decide between a ‘08 Burton Custom 158 and 162 Wide. I would go with the 162 but I am hesitating because I imagine the extra width (which I don’t need) will make it harder to maneuver and heavier. Will the extra width be noticeable for my size? Should I rather go with the 158?

I’m an intermediate rider
6 feet tall
190 pounds
US 10,5 boot size

PS: I’m quite used to ridding smaller boards (I started on a 156).

Posted: 09 March 2012 02:51 PM

The 08 Custom has the same weight ranges as the current boards on Burton’s board selector - if you have a look at the Custom on there, it lists rider weight range as 130-180lbs. It suggests that you should be looking at the standard width 163 instead.

That’s not to say that the recommendation they give is the exact right thing for you though. You’re also in the right weight range for the 160.

A lot of the advice on here says that if you have size US 11 feet or bigger, you should be considering a wide board. The extra width is usually needed to prevent toe/heel drag, but if you go with a wide board when you don’t need it, the board will feel more sluggish edge-to-edge as your feet won’t be in the optimum position to engage the edges as quickly as you’re used to.

If you’re used to a shorter board, I’d say go with the 158, but the weight ranges are usually there to make sure you get the right performance from the board, and also so it retains it’s snap and core strength. However, I still think that for a pure riding experience, it’d be a better board for you than the 162W.

The ideal version would be a 160 standard width for you.

There are boards out there that will let you keep the 156 length - is the price an issue?

Posted: 09 March 2012 11:29 PM

Thanks for your answer, I couldn’t find anything at 160-163 within my budget, riding style and in mint condition (I live in Romania). If you could give some options I’ll look it up, maybe I’ll find something on the auction sites.

Thanks!

Posted: 12 March 2012 03:01 PM

It’s really difficult not knowing what you’re easily able to get shipped to you… my advice would be to have a look at some of the long-standing boards that have been around for a while so you get a couple of years worth of people selling them on.
Quite a lot of people selling on auction sites are selling boards that (although not brand new) haven’t been ridden that much, so it’s always worth contacting the seller.
If you try searching for the bigger snowboard brands like Burton, K2, Ride, etc plus the length you need, you’ll come up with some options. You can then search for the specs online and decide whether it’s going to work for you.
If you have questions on specific boards you have available, you can always come back :-)