Buying Your First Snowboard

Buying a snowboard can sometimes be very hard to do. Each company that provides nowboards must try to convince you that their product is the best, and many of them are a great choice. For this reason, it is often difficult to pick the "right" one. The ultimate decision comes down to what is right for you, and it isn't going to be the same for everyone. Before you decide, here are some general rules to follow.

To buy a snowboard, you need to know what kind of board you "need," and how much you can spend. Snowboards run on the low end at $150 - $250, a mid-range between $250 - $450, and a high cost one can be above $450. Many people, regardless of their skill level, sometimes like to buy a beginner board because they tend to be thin and flexible, and in this way they are good for "jibbing." On the other hand, a lot of people attempt to get a board that is too advanced for them and cannot even manage to get off of the lift! The point is that the price of a snowboard is not always the deciding factor; nor should it be for you.

Most people will tell you a snowboard must be between the chin and nose. The problem with this approach is that the snowboard itself "doesn't know" how long it is. What this means is that snowboards are designed more specifically for weights than for heights. Length of the board is a good general indicator but it is not the only one. You know how much you weight, use that as an indicator. Some people might try to get a board when they're too light for it and then aren't able to make any turns! In this case it's just going to be too difficult to use, or even worse, to learn the sport at all. Ideally, for a lighter person the board should be between the collar bone and chin, an average person between the chin and nose, and for a heavier person the board should measure to the nose and up.

Another thing to be careful of when buying a board is toe drag. If your feet are too long for the width of a board your toes might dig into the snow when you're making steep turns. As you advance your skill this will become very important, so if you are buying your first board then you definitely want to make sure you have some "growing room" skill-wise. The best way to check for toe drag is to simply screw bindings into a board and put the boot in the binding. While looking down the edge of the board, you should be able to see if the toes are hanging over. It really shouldn't hang more an inch or so; and if it does, you might want to look into getting a wider board.

One of the last things to look out for is the flexibility of the board. When you first start out you probably don't want something too stiff because it will limit your turning ability. As you get better you might want to consider something with a little bit less flexibility so that you have more stability at higher speeds. Beyond these skill levels you will find what works best for you. Those who seek to enter the freestyle parks will probably want something more flexible so they have more freedom to bend the board to their will, whereas a speed boarder will certainly want a stiff board to support their neck-breaking pace on the hill.

The most important thing to do when buying a board is to be honest with yourself and what you will be using it for. If you're just starting out, don't be too ambitious! And if you're more advanced, think about what you're really using it for. Following these tips should help you get a great snowboard that you can use for years to come!