Choosing a board

When you first start out it’s highly likely you’ll be renting a board and will get all the advice you need at the snow park or snowdome. As you progress, and become more obsessed (it’s gonna happen!), you’ll want to get sorted out with your own board set up for sure.

Now, choosing your first board is a huge deal. It’s definitely gonna be a total rush to pick it out and take it home, but it’s probably gonna make you a little nervy too. After all, you don’t wanna end up with something totally unsuitable that hinders your progress and actually regresses you back to pre-blue times. No. You’re looking for something stylish, that’ll elevate your riding and give you a buzz every time...

To get it right, there’s lots to take into consideration, so read up first to get to grips with what you’ll need to decide.

Let’s break it down simply to begin. The following main factors will affect your choice 1. What kind of riding you want it for 2. Your weight and height 3. Your budget.

Helpfully board companies design and market boards specifically for the various terrain types, which is a good place to start off. Depending on where you ride and your preferred style, you’re gonna have the following options:

• All-Terrain board
• Park board
• Powder – Bigger for more surface area
• Jibbing – smaller boards work best
• Split boards for backcountry trek ‘n’ rides

If you’re looking to buy you’ll likely have some idea of the main board type you’re after already. But, it’s gonna get a bit more involved if you wanna choose well. You’ve got to think on a whole bunch of stuff such as the board shape, length, width, camber and/or rocker combo, brand, graphics, flex… The list could go on… and sounds mega daunting if you’re not a seasoned rider.

Fear not though. For a refreshing insta-answer, try Thrilio's super steezy Snowboard Picker! It's a fast, no nonsense, job-done solution. Check it out here: thrilio.com/en/how-to-choose-snowboard

Alternatively, if you're big on detail, Evo has a great page with everything you need to know. If you read this and get some help and advice at the store, you’ll be laughing. www.evo.com/how-to-choose-a-snowboard-size-chart-and-buying-guide.aspx

For additional advice the Tactics site also explains well, and might give you that extra snippet of info you’re after. www.tactics.com/info/choosing-a-snowboard

To get your head around the camber vs. rocker puzzle, watch the following vids. The first is a neat chat with Zac from the Salty Peaks shop in Utah. Thanks dudes! And the second is a slick presentation from Tru Snow… both have some handy insights to help with your decision.

If you’d rather take your time eying up diagrams and reading, then these pages are pretty good:

Camber/rocker: snowboarding.transworld.net/photos/snowboard-camber-explained/#t4ggqrduEQ1c2dgi.97
thegoodride.com/snowboard-camber-profiles/

Board shapes: thegoodride.com/snowboard-shapes/

Weight guidance: snowboardrobot.com/how-to-choose-the-right-size-snowboard/

If you need info on 'everything' Snowsportzone has created a fab guide that covers it all really well. Check out their helpful advice here: www.snowsportzone.com/different-types-of-snowboards/