New snowboard or no?

Posted: 11 January 2011 10:49 PM

Okay this will be my 4th season snowboarding and i’m finally trying out some tricks in the terrain park. So far, I can only do the small boxes and jumps but i’m aiming to improve :-) Problem is i’m having a hard time with butters and such. My current snowboard is a 147cm beginners snowboard (“sims pristine” but i doubt there is much info on it), i’m about 159cm tall, weigh 115lbs and a girl. Will buying a shorter, softer snowboard make it a lot easier? Or is this just a practice makes perfect thing?

Posted: 13 January 2011 09:22 AM

Buying a shorter and softer board will definitely make a difference. Perhaps you should look at a board with reverse camber along the whole length of the board or in the tips, rocker will also make the board super easy to butter.

Posted: 13 January 2011 10:00 AM

I haven´t tested 1% out of the boards that Rich has. And I am not generally into park riding. And I am not a female.  So take this for what it is.

For my experience the most playfull board I have tested is the Capita Indoor survival. Really super easy in turns, butters and ollies. I know one girl that rides that board. If you can take the odd grafics on the “cids” it´s probably a good choice.

K2 Dark Star is a board that I have riden a lot last year. I think that is a good board for a bit of everything but most a park / jump board ( I say 60% park and 40% freeride).

My level in park riding is as yours: starting to progress.

I am off course heavier and taller than you are. That may change a lot from my impression to how you feel about the board. A female specific board might be the right one for you. And yes: a shorter board is easy to handle in the park.

Posted: 13 January 2011 11:05 PM

Thanks for the input! I’ve decided to buy a new snowboard :D Checked out the Capita Indoor Survival and I’m not exactly crazy about the graphics… That aside though, it looks like a great snowboard although I think a women specific board would be better. So far, I’m liking the Capita space metal fantasy, never summer pandora and forum the sauce. As well as being rockered, both the space metal fantasy and the sauce are very soft snowboards, will that be a problem for groomers? I’ll be in the park most of the time but I’d hate to miss out if my friends want to go on the big hills. Advice on which board to buy or other snowboards to consider would be great!

Posted: 13 January 2011 11:52 PM

I think a to soft board is a problem. Both me and another guy who tested the “cids” on a pow day did our crashes…...It feelt unstable and was unstable.

You have been riding for 4 years - probably that makes you an good rider that want to charge on gromers and in pow.

I don´t know about women specific boards. If you check out Rich competitors www.boardinsiders.com
they have tested a lot of women specific boards. Probably you will find some more info there.

In general I think you need more of an all mountain board than a park board.

My own solution is two all mountain boards - one that is AM freestyle and one that is AM freeride. Then I have one pair of stiff boots and one pair of stiff bindings and switch between boards if I am going for bigger stuff or smaler stuff.

About graphichs - I do think it matters. I mean: even if there are other qualities than looks in a relationship, you just don´t go for the ugly one of two equal dateoptions =)

And by the way: naming also matters. “Bitch boards”? Well I would probably not buy a board that was called “MachoMan boards”. No. I really would not.

Posted: 15 January 2011 01:51 AM

mkay so those two are out. The website was very helpful thanks! Looked around and i liked the NS infinity as well. It’s smallest size is 145cm, would that be too long? Yea i know my current snowboard is even bigger but one of the reasons i want a new snowboard is because i find it difficult to turn on it (have to swing my whole body around). I’d rather have a snowboard that’s too small for me than too big… Would I be better off with the NS pandora that comes in 140cm and 143cm?

Yea, I agree with you on the graphics and name. One of the reasons i didn’t really consider the DC Biddy, horrible name -_-’

Posted: 15 January 2011 09:41 AM

I wouldn’t go too short if I were you, it will definitely inhibit your progression. You should be riding an all-mountain board in the region of 145-147cm. I’m afraid if you’re counter rotating your shoulders that’s technique rather than equipment. Unless you are riding super steep terrain you shouldn’t have to move your shoulders much at all. No matter the size of your board the technique remains the same. Make sure that your front knee and front shoulder are pointing in the direction you want to travel and are aligned with each other and commit to the fall line, let gravity turn your board flat then all you need is a little effort to put an edge in and turn the board. This is the best video I can find on how to make good turns - link here . Even if what he’s saying doesn’t make a lot of sense, watch his body position, he is always aligned in the direction of the turn, as is his head. Verly little effort is made through the top half of his body, it’s all in the legs.

Posted: 19 January 2011 12:56 AM

Ok I’ll keep that in mind, better go work on those turns then XD thanks!