Buying 1st board - Advice? 

Posted: 16 August 2012 08:01 PM

Hi, i am currently attempting to find a decent board from a billion board choices.

I started riding early this year, ride local indoor slope in UK, not been on a proper mountain yet! Hope to when winter arrives.

Would consider myself to be an intermediate but beginner in freestyle, but wanting to learn. 5 Foot 7-8 and 70kg, size 8 ‘32 lashed ft’ boots.

I am therefore looking for an all mountain freestyle board, one that would help me progress, but doesn’t limit me to only freestyle, park riding.

I have been considering:
Arbor Formula
Arbor Westmark
K2 Fastplant.

Arbor’s grip tech sounds beneficial as the indoor slope is often heavily used, so packed snow with ice patches.

The fast plant seems to have the Ollie bars giving it more pop but doesn’t have the same edge grip which worries me whether this would be an issue with the indoor slopes i will be riding most of the time. The k2 sounds like a board i would not grow out of in a hurry.

Any advice on whether these would be suitable? Or any suggestions for alternatives?

Posted: 22 August 2012 07:01 AM

Hey Dan,

Yeah I’ve ridden inddor a number of times. After every feature there is a patch of ice which is almost completely impossible to get an edge on.

Yes I agree that some kind of pretruding edge tech might help you hold an edge on this stuff but although Arbor’s System tech might help I think the big parabolic rocker they use might compromise the grip you get. Still, I rode the Westmark and the flex is perfect for indoor sessions and will work on the mounatin in most instances. Of course you could also look at the GNU street series with it’s Mag edges or alternatively if you can find one the Rossi Jib Saw has Mag edges and also has an area of camber between the feet and just beyond the bindings that gives it a planted stable feel and improved edge hold over 100% reverse camber boards.

As far as the Fastplant goes, I love that board. It’s lively and the flex is great for more aggresive riders who want to ride reverse camber. The flat section between the bindings ads a degree of stability as does the Fastplant’s construction… plus the bamboo gives it tons of pop. I think you’ll find that in most instances this board has enough grip, although if you plan to detune your edges for riding rails in the domes then ift might get a little slippy.

Posted: 23 August 2012 12:16 PM

Hey, thanks for the reply, massive help!

I wasn’t aware that the rocker shape would reduce grip, I kind of wanted some sort of rocker for a more catch free ride whitest learning ground tricks and that lark, but the combination of base tech sounds like a good compromise.

The mag tech edges on the gnu boards look decent. I’ve had a look into the GNU Street Series, it sounds like a decent board, however it lead me to find the lib tech skate banana which looks equally as good, but is advertised as a more all rounded board. Yet another dilemma!

Do u have any experience with this board and how it compares to the street series, the flex seems like the only difference to me?. i am undecided which would be better for me or my intended use? As i have only ridden the rentals at the dome i am unsure what flex i prefer (all i know is i want a softer board than the piece of wood they give me) so any sort of guidance on that would be great.

These boards seem to be few and far between in England, can find any within a decent range to have a look at, but that’s probably due to the new line being out soon.

Thanks.

Posted: 24 August 2012 07:23 PM

Hey,

Maybe you want to check out the Ride DH, it’s an all-mountain trickstick.
Greets,
Nico

Posted: 27 August 2012 05:57 PM

Hey,

Looked at the DH, but being described as a stiffer board put me off as Id like a softish flexing board that’s forgiving whilst learning freestyle.

Since my first post I found a good deal on the 2012 fast plant so think I might go for that. I was concidering pairing it with K2 formula bindings. Does anybody know how this combo would work out. my boots are thirtytwo lashed. I know the boots have a big influence on the set up but that’s as much as I know.

Cheers