REVscene Automotive Forum - View Single Post

jbsali · 01-16-2011, 11:02 PM

i'd look into burton, ride or k2. Seem to be three popular brands out there for snowboarding equipment.

Bindings
Burton Custom and Burton Mission bindings are the two higher models for bindings. Burton bindings are well built and come with optional mat covers (cover binding bolt pattern) for extra comfort. Burton Bindings also come with Exclusive 3 Bolt pattern discs exclusive to burton boards and 4 Bolt discs for competitor boards. If you do decide to by a Burton Board with a competitors binding, make sure that the binding has 3 bolt discs in order to mount your bindings to the board. *local shops may have extras if your bindings do not come with them

K2 and Ride bindings are also really nice. They come in a wide range of sizes colours and ofcourse features. Some will have back adjusters and toe caps, while other models may be made out of cheaper material.

Overall my experience with all 3 brands have been good, but I prefer Burton.

Boards
Watch out for proper sizing. Your board should measure anywhere from your shoulder to your top lip. The size of the board will make your board more balanced or more squirrely

The two most common styles of boards are flat and camber. Both have been on the market forever. A flat board is your average board. Targeted towards your average boarder, this style of board is made by almost every snowboarding manufacturer in the industry. The camber board gives you a nice raised camber in the middle of the board, giving you good control of the board. This style of board is great for air aswell.

A new design has been making a huge appearance over the last couple of years: The banana board. This style of board is designed to give you nice float in powder and quick and easy turning capabilities. The banana style board also has a catch-free feature: keeping you up on the board vs down on your ass. The disadvantage of this board is speed.

Boots
The more you spend on a boot the better. Usually cheaper boots have very cheap lining in them. Cheap lining will pack (stretch) very easily and will not have good insulation.

More expensive boots will come in three designs: laces, pull strings or boa Laces are the most common but will eventually loosen over time. You'll find yourself tightening and retying after 3-5 runs. However, laces allow you to control the tightnness in individual areas of the boot. If you have a wide foot but a small shin, your able to tighten them differently.

Pull strings are similar to laces but less hassle. You pull tabs to tighten the boot and tuck the tabs into the side of the boot after. Disadvantage of the pull strings is that they could break and may be costly to replace. I wouldnt worry about that issue unless your going boarding once a week+.

Boa is the newest design on the market. The boa is a disc with stainless steel cables. you twist the disc to tighten the cable. This is the easiest and most convenient design when it comes to tightening or loosening your boots. you'll be able to do it in a matter of seconds. These boots are usually backed up by a nice warrenty for the boa piece. The disadvantage of these boots is that they tighten the boot evenly, which can be a con for people with an odd foot or shin size.
PuBurton boots fit quite narrow so if you have a wide foot or an odd sized foot, i would strongly recommend K2 or Ride Boots.

Accessories
Invest in a nice stomp pad. The pad is placed next to your back binding to allow better traction when riding a tow-rope or coming on/ off a chair lift. Its a very inexpensive tool that can make a difference in your snowboarding experience.

Locations
I would strongly recommend trying sport chek. Sport chek is a good place to get a good idea of price-quality. A majority of there hard goods staff are pretty knowledgable. Although a majority of the clearance boards from 08-10 are most likely sold, I think it is still worth a shot to try Sport Chek. I would recommend trying small businesses within your area.

Hope this helps. GL

01-16-2011, 11:02 PM	#6
jbsali Need to Seek Professional Help Join Date: May 2006 Location: Vancouver Posts: 1,023 Thanked 283 Times in 79 Posts Failed 90 Times in 13 Posts	i'd look into burton, ride or k2. Seem to be three popular brands out there for snowboarding equipment. Bindings Burton Custom and Burton Mission bindings are the two higher models for bindings. Burton bindings are well built and come with optional mat covers (cover binding bolt pattern) for extra comfort. Burton Bindings also come with Exclusive 3 Bolt pattern discs exclusive to burton boards and 4 Bolt discs for competitor boards. If you do decide to by a Burton Board with a competitors binding, make sure that the binding has 3 bolt discs in order to mount your bindings to the board. local shops may have extras if your bindings do not come with them K2 and Ride bindings are also really nice. They come in a wide range of sizes colours and ofcourse features. Some will have back adjusters and toe caps, while other models may be made out of cheaper material. Overall my experience with all 3 brands have been good, but I prefer Burton. Boards* Watch out for proper sizing. Your board should measure anywhere from your shoulder to your top lip. The size of the board will make your board more balanced or more squirrely The two most common styles of boards are flat and camber. Both have been on the market forever. A flat board is your average board. Targeted towards your average boarder, this style of board is made by almost every snowboarding manufacturer in the industry. The camber board gives you a nice raised camber in the middle of the board, giving you good control of the board. This style of board is great for air aswell. A new design has been making a huge appearance over the last couple of years: The banana board. This style of board is designed to give you nice float in powder and quick and easy turning capabilities. The banana style board also has a catch-free feature: keeping you up on the board vs down on your ass. The disadvantage of this board is speed. Boots The more you spend on a boot the better. Usually cheaper boots have very cheap lining in them. Cheap lining will pack (stretch) very easily and will not have good insulation. More expensive boots will come in three designs: laces, pull strings or boa Laces are the most common but will eventually loosen over time. You'll find yourself tightening and retying after 3-5 runs. However, laces allow you to control the tightnness in individual areas of the boot. If you have a wide foot but a small shin, your able to tighten them differently. Pull strings are similar to laces but less hassle. You pull tabs to tighten the boot and tuck the tabs into the side of the boot after. Disadvantage of the pull strings is that they could break and may be costly to replace. I wouldnt worry about that issue unless your going boarding once a week+. Boa is the newest design on the market. The boa is a disc with stainless steel cables. you twist the disc to tighten the cable. This is the easiest and most convenient design when it comes to tightening or loosening your boots. you'll be able to do it in a matter of seconds. These boots are usually backed up by a nice warrenty for the boa piece. The disadvantage of these boots is that they tighten the boot evenly, which can be a con for people with an odd foot or shin size. PuBurton boots fit quite narrow so if you have a wide foot or an odd sized foot, i would strongly recommend K2 or Ride Boots. Accessories Invest in a nice stomp pad. The pad is placed next to your back binding to allow better traction when riding a tow-rope or coming on/ off a chair lift. Its a very inexpensive tool that can make a difference in your snowboarding experience. Locations I would strongly recommend trying sport chek. Sport chek is a good place to get a good idea of price-quality. A majority of there hard goods staff are pretty knowledgable. Although a majority of the clearance boards from 08-10 are most likely sold, I think it is still worth a shot to try Sport Chek. I would recommend trying small businesses within your area. Hope this helps. GL __________________ jbsali