Help a petite woman find a fitted snowboard

Posted: 30 November 2010 10:24 PM

Hi,
I really need help to buying a new and better board for myself. I currently own a Crazy Creek 145 cm and i feel it too stiff, heavy and long and it’s dragging me down.

I’m 5’4” (163 cm) in height and weigh 102 lbs (46 kg) and I’ve been looking at some snowboards but I’m not sure what to choose (I can’t test any snowboard because I live far away from a resort). I’m afraid of making the mistake of choosing another heavy board, because I’m quite slim and not so athletic.

I do a lot of carving and switch riding and I ride mainly in ski resorts (groomers and hard pack). I have a total of 3 weeks experience (in 4 seasons). I would like to learn some tricks too.

I was looking at 2011 editions of

Never Summer Infinity Rocker 145 - will it be too long or heavy?
Gnu B-Nice BTX 145/ B-pro BTX 146 - too long and not stable on hard pack?
Roxy Ollie Pop C2 BTX 141
K2 Eco Pop Rocker 145 - is says on evo.com specs that is up to size 5 boots (I am 6 US, 37 EU)
Rome Vinyl 143

Which board lengths should I take into consideration?
Thanks for helping!

Posted: 30 November 2010 10:49 PM

Well I don’t know too much about womens boards, but I have a friend who is about your size and she is an awesome rider who likes softer boards… she picked up a rome vinyl and absolutely loves it…

Posted: 01 December 2010 11:55 AM

None of the boards you have listed I would but in the handful category. I think the problem is as you rightly pointed out for a height of 5’4” you are pretty light. But I don’t think you should buy a super short board to fit within the weight limits, I’d look for a board of the right length that you fit in the weight range for. Board length wise you should be looking at something around 146-149, your weight taken into account. Actually most womens boards are designed for smaller footed lighter riders, looking at the Rome site for example you fit into the 146 and 149’s weight range for the Rome Vinyl but are right at the top of the 143’s. I think your bad experiences with a super heavy stiff plank called a Crazy Creak are probably influencing you in a bad way.

So length wise you should be going longer than you thought, but I think Profile is probably what will make the most difference. If you go for a standard camber it will carve really hard on hardpack and you’ll get loads of pop out of the tail. However, turn initiation will be slightly more effort and it won’t feel as agile as arockered boards. If you go for a board with rocker between the feet and camber at the nose and tail I think you’ll be on the money. You’ll get lots of pop and feedback out of carves but the board will also initiate carves more readily, be a little less catch and be generally easier to ride. So I’d cut your list down to the Ollie Pop (but longer than 141!!!) the Never Summer Infinity and maybe the B-Nice Pro with C2-BTX instead of the stnadard BTX version. If you want a buttery flex, easy turn initiation then there is always standard reverse camber, but I would go for somthing with a flat profile between the feet and rocker at the nose and tail like the K2 Eco Pop or if you want a softer board the DC Biddy 147.

Oh almost forgot, there is another type of profile out there, camber between the feet and rocker at the nose and tail, boards with this worth checkin out are the Rossi Justice, Rome Blue and the Atomic Fallen Angel. the later two being cambered boards until your weight is applied after which the nose and tail rise.

Lots of options, but I honestly think you have to discount your bad experiences of the Crazy Creak, that board sounds like a pile of junk that should have been incinarated years ago… no offence intended :)

Rich

Posted: 01 December 2010 01:12 PM

@ powdog Thank you very much for your prompt response, I am looking for opinions from girls about my size because I am quite thin for my height and I don’t have much strength.

@Rich Ewbank Thank you for a super argumented opinion. I appreciate you took my case in particular and pointed out my mistakes. You are right, I should look at boards like I’m buying my first one :) I feel like I have more options now, so I’ll start digging ;)