Christmas boards for 17 yo son beginner and 19 yo daughter intermediate

Posted: 10 December 2010 10:40 PM

Hi,

I’d appreciate suggestions for my kids for Christmas (I know it’s late - just took a look at the kids’ equipment for this year and decided to take back the electronics).

17 year old son, new to snowboarding but has been skiing since he was little.  He’s very athletic and an aggressive skiier (and wrestler).  5’8”, 155 lbs, huge feet - size 13 1/2, he’s probably close to being done growing. He needs boots, board and bindings.

19 year old daughter, kicked off her skis when she was about seven hopped on a board and never looked back. She’s riding a K2 board now but it’s pretty beat - not sure which one. She’s fearless and really aggressive, she likes to see how fast she can get down the mountain but she also likes to hang in the terrain park with her friends riding rails, etc. She’s tiny, 5’0, 110 lbs, little feet size 5 1/2.  She says she only needs a new board but a package deal might be better. Her boots and bindings (I believe Roxy -?) are at least three years old.

The oldest daughter, 23, size small just needs pants, jacket and gloves - suggestions would be appreciated.

We are in Northern CA so we have pretty nice conditions most of the time but they all ride at night and in all weather. No one is afraid of the cold or snow.

Thanks so much!

Posted: 11 December 2010 12:35 AM

Hey there,
always glad to make people happy, especially children at christmas!

Let’s just start with your 19 yo daughter:
I think the Rossignol Diva might be a nice fit for her. Probably a bit more allmountain focused compared to the Burton LipStick which will be better to progress in the park but ranks behind the Diva concerning charging and carving.
Check out the Infos in the reviews and let me know what you think!
Oh yeah and in this thread here Rich just recently listed some great bindings for our pretty fellow shredders.

Your boy is kind of a hard one for me as I can’t really tell how advanced he is riding a snowboard. For aggressive charging I would suggest a stiffer ride like the Rossi OneMagTek or the Arbor A-Frame but those two (especially the Arbor) will be too stiff for his first turns as he is totally new to snowboarding. So I think something like the Burton Custom Flying V or the K2 Slayblade would be the best fit for him. Still very capable of carving and racing, they aren’t the stiffest on the market which will help him progress quite fast.
Again, let me know what you think!
For bindings, check out our binding buying guide we put together for such occasions.

As for your oldest daughters new equip: there’s hell of a lot of good clothes out there on the market, and it’s really pretty much all about design nowadays. Just check the clothes for the water column which should be at least around 10-15k when riding pow regularly. I personally wear Level Halfpipe Gloves and absolutely love them for the cold days. Wrist protection included, great quality and really warm. I’m pretty sure that there is a female version of them available!

Yeah.. that’s that for now, I think. You’re welcome to come back with any other questions you have.
Cheers, Tobi