Bulgaria Ski discussion board
What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
Author:Mattsville
posts : 149 (Intermediate)Date : 01-18-11 16:12What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
Or maybe that should be "what makes a good snowboard"?
I've had 2 now, started with an Invasion (Canadian brand - not sure if they're still around) and I now have a Forum Roost.
I've loved both of them. The invasion was great, as a guy I knew designed the graphics and only 10 were made, plus I got a bargain. The Forum is fantastic (imo) as it is much steadier and faster than the last one, probably because it's longer, wider and has a new base, and it's not 10 yrs old. I totally love it. ...
I've had 2 now, started with an Invasion (Canadian brand - not sure if they're still around) and I now have a Forum Roost.
I've loved both of them. The invasion was great, as a guy I knew designed the graphics and only 10 were made, plus I got a bargain. The Forum is fantastic (imo) as it is much steadier and faster than the last one, probably because it's longer, wider and has a new base, and it's not 10 yrs old. I totally love it. ...
Or maybe that should be "what makes a good snowboard"?
I've had 2 now, started with an Invasion (Canadian brand - not sure if they're still around) and I now have a Forum Roost.
I've loved both of them. The invasion was great, as a guy I knew designed the graphics and only 10 were made, plus I got a bargain. The Forum is fantastic (imo) as it is much steadier and faster than the last one, probably because it's longer, wider and has a new base, and it's not 10 yrs old. I totally love it.
However - that's not really by any skill in picking a board. To be honest - all I know is that I love it - I don't know if it's any better or worse than other new boards as I haven't tried any others. And I don't know what to look for.
When buying the Forum I was offered one at a very good price and read reviews that said it was a good deck - all mountain leaning towards freeride - which is what I aspire to be. I then went and had a look. I liked the graphics (even if it is pinky purple - I'm man enough
). I felt the edges: sharpish - check. Looked at the base: smooth with no gouges - check. Of course they were - it's a new board!
I then proceded to hold the board and flex it in the middle whilst oohing and aahing (to give the impression that I knew what I was doing) and bought the board.
So I'm very happy - but what should I have looked for? And here's the big question - is there really much difference between boards??? Obviously things like size matter and having sharp edges, and a smooth base. But other than that? Interested to hear people's thoughts.
Matt
I've had 2 now, started with an Invasion (Canadian brand - not sure if they're still around) and I now have a Forum Roost.
I've loved both of them. The invasion was great, as a guy I knew designed the graphics and only 10 were made, plus I got a bargain. The Forum is fantastic (imo) as it is much steadier and faster than the last one, probably because it's longer, wider and has a new base, and it's not 10 yrs old. I totally love it.
However - that's not really by any skill in picking a board. To be honest - all I know is that I love it - I don't know if it's any better or worse than other new boards as I haven't tried any others. And I don't know what to look for.
When buying the Forum I was offered one at a very good price and read reviews that said it was a good deck - all mountain leaning towards freeride - which is what I aspire to be. I then went and had a look. I liked the graphics (even if it is pinky purple - I'm man enough
). I felt the edges: sharpish - check. Looked at the base: smooth with no gouges - check. Of course they were - it's a new board!I then proceded to hold the board and flex it in the middle whilst oohing and aahing (to give the impression that I knew what I was doing) and bought the board.
So I'm very happy - but what should I have looked for? And here's the big question - is there really much difference between boards??? Obviously things like size matter and having sharp edges, and a smooth base. But other than that? Interested to hear people's thoughts.
Matt
re: What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
Hi Matt..They are all equally good, the torsional stiffness and graphics on most allowing for super occasional tables, garden swings or furniture for two, fencing even...
Personally i think the best i have seen was a beauty, a Burton Comp 2, wall mounted, with a clock and a barometer expertly crafted, taking full advantage of the crazy graphics
with a clever device in between the dials that secured your skis and kept them safe after a day on the slopes 
re: What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
Sigh, ignore that one above, wouldn't know a good snowboard even if it hit him!
Look for right size for your height, right width for your feet, (only an issue above size ten or eleven to combat toe and heel drag) and the right flex for what you want to do with it.
Boards for the park and pipe will be very flexible, basically so you can land it on the nose and it won't snap! Free riding and 'all mountain' boards will be stiffer but still have a bit of bounce and the extreme end of ...
Look for right size for your height, right width for your feet, (only an issue above size ten or eleven to combat toe and heel drag) and the right flex for what you want to do with it.
Boards for the park and pipe will be very flexible, basically so you can land it on the nose and it won't snap! Free riding and 'all mountain' boards will be stiffer but still have a bit of bounce and the extreme end of ...
Sigh, ignore that one above, wouldn't know a good snowboard even if it hit him!
Look for right size for your height, right width for your feet, (only an issue above size ten or eleven to combat toe and heel drag) and the right flex for what you want to do with it.
Boards for the park and pipe will be very flexible, basically so you can land it on the nose and it won't snap! Free riding and 'all mountain' boards will be stiffer but still have a bit of bounce and the extreme end of the line are the slalom boards (Burton Alps or Amps are a good example) which are much thinner and stiffer and aren't designed to leave the ground ... not on purpose anyway.
95% of riders will be going for a good mid-range 'all mountain' board and that's probably all you'll find in general board shops ... and don't let the skiiers sneer, graphics are important, but be aware thay they are a jealous bunch and they'll do their best to scratch them off in lift queues.
Look for right size for your height, right width for your feet, (only an issue above size ten or eleven to combat toe and heel drag) and the right flex for what you want to do with it.
Boards for the park and pipe will be very flexible, basically so you can land it on the nose and it won't snap! Free riding and 'all mountain' boards will be stiffer but still have a bit of bounce and the extreme end of the line are the slalom boards (Burton Alps or Amps are a good example) which are much thinner and stiffer and aren't designed to leave the ground ... not on purpose anyway.
95% of riders will be going for a good mid-range 'all mountain' board and that's probably all you'll find in general board shops ... and don't let the skiiers sneer, graphics are important, but be aware thay they are a jealous bunch and they'll do their best to scratch them off in lift queues.
re: What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
"Sigh, ignore that one above, wouldn't know a good snowboard even if it hit him!"
Well, I may be able to test that theory in March...
So I can see how flexibility makes a difference - but it's more of a preference than a "good" or "bad" thing. Doesn't really explain why you can get a board for £100, or pay over £1k.
Comments I've heard:
"It holds an edge really well" - surely just sharp edges?
"it's got loads of pop" - just flexibility again?
"It's really well balanced" - ...
Well, I may be able to test that theory in March...
So I can see how flexibility makes a difference - but it's more of a preference than a "good" or "bad" thing. Doesn't really explain why you can get a board for £100, or pay over £1k.
Comments I've heard:
"It holds an edge really well" - surely just sharp edges?
"it's got loads of pop" - just flexibility again?
"It's really well balanced" - ...
"Sigh, ignore that one above, wouldn't know a good snowboard even if it hit him!"
Well, I may be able to test that theory in March...
So I can see how flexibility makes a difference - but it's more of a preference than a "good" or "bad" thing. Doesn't really explain why you can get a board for £100, or pay over £1k.
Comments I've heard:
"It holds an edge really well" - surely just sharp edges?
"it's got loads of pop" - just flexibility again?
"It's really well balanced" - what does that mean?
"Shaun White rides them!!" - yeah, but he also has long ginger hair and you don't see me heading out to buy a wig...
Well, I may be able to test that theory in March...
So I can see how flexibility makes a difference - but it's more of a preference than a "good" or "bad" thing. Doesn't really explain why you can get a board for £100, or pay over £1k.
Comments I've heard:
"It holds an edge really well" - surely just sharp edges?
"it's got loads of pop" - just flexibility again?
"It's really well balanced" - what does that mean?
"Shaun White rides them!!" - yeah, but he also has long ginger hair and you don't see me heading out to buy a wig...
re: What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
HeheheheheheheGraphics are soooooooooooooo important, true.... its the only way we find you when your head first in the deep snow
(we'd be so lucky)
re: What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
diff spec of board do make a diff if your a good snowboarder , beginners and alot of intermediate riders cant tell diffdiff side cuts / radius all play a part , but snow conditions do also
most ppl strap in ride and have fun and dont worry to much about the techi stuff
re: What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
£100 new ... don't touch it. £100 second hand, a few seasons old might be a brilliant first or second board, or even a spare. Just make sure there's enough base left for a proper full service and that the edges are intact.
Buying brand new look to pay around £300 - £400 for something for the whole mountain. WFM is correct in saying about side cut ... the thinner the waist the sharper the turn, to the extent of my - now almost antique - Burton Alp with a waist so thin both boots have got ...
Buying brand new look to pay around £300 - £400 for something for the whole mountain. WFM is correct in saying about side cut ... the thinner the waist the sharper the turn, to the extent of my - now almost antique - Burton Alp with a waist so thin both boots have got ...
£100 new ... don't touch it. £100 second hand, a few seasons old might be a brilliant first or second board, or even a spare. Just make sure there's enough base left for a proper full service and that the edges are intact.
Buying brand new look to pay around £300 - £400 for something for the whole mountain. WFM is correct in saying about side cut ... the thinner the waist the sharper the turn, to the extent of my - now almost antique - Burton Alp with a waist so thin both boots have got to be facing forwards. For something like that nowadays, as they are so specialist, you would be paying a small fortune. It has a pointed tip and instead of a flat end, it's actually pointed so the goofy rider can get a better turn, sort of like these ones here
Alpine Carving Boards www.alpinecarving.com/board_models.html#discontinued
A lot of slopes used to use these for hire gear in the early days as the hard ski boots that they aleady had in stock would fit onto the plate bindings. I wonder if that's where the 'balanced' comments started, as a lot of these boards were asymmetrical and could only be ridden in one direction ... I guess a symmetrical (balanced) board could be ridden switch.
I'd really say radius only makes a difference with really tall riders or riders with huge feet who need the fatter board ... the bigger surface area makes a difference in power but they're like steering a boat on normal piste.
Buying brand new look to pay around £300 - £400 for something for the whole mountain. WFM is correct in saying about side cut ... the thinner the waist the sharper the turn, to the extent of my - now almost antique - Burton Alp with a waist so thin both boots have got to be facing forwards. For something like that nowadays, as they are so specialist, you would be paying a small fortune. It has a pointed tip and instead of a flat end, it's actually pointed so the goofy rider can get a better turn, sort of like these ones here
Alpine Carving Boards www.alpinecarving.com/board_models.html#discontinued
A lot of slopes used to use these for hire gear in the early days as the hard ski boots that they aleady had in stock would fit onto the plate bindings. I wonder if that's where the 'balanced' comments started, as a lot of these boards were asymmetrical and could only be ridden in one direction ... I guess a symmetrical (balanced) board could be ridden switch.
I'd really say radius only makes a difference with really tall riders or riders with huge feet who need the fatter board ... the bigger surface area makes a difference in power but they're like steering a boat on normal piste.
re: What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
"£100 new ... don't touch it. "
OK, but why?? The flex and sidecut are likely to be fairly midle of the road, right? I guess if it's going to break after 2 weeks it's not a good idea - but don't see why it would if it's from a respectable company.
"Buying brand new look to pay around £300 - £400 "
I think that's the bracket both my boards are in at RRP, even though I only paid half that both times.
I can see why if you want something very specialised you have to pay for it - or ...
OK, but why?? The flex and sidecut are likely to be fairly midle of the road, right? I guess if it's going to break after 2 weeks it's not a good idea - but don't see why it would if it's from a respectable company.
"Buying brand new look to pay around £300 - £400 "
I think that's the bracket both my boards are in at RRP, even though I only paid half that both times.
I can see why if you want something very specialised you have to pay for it - or ...
"£100 new ... don't touch it. "
OK, but why?? The flex and sidecut are likely to be fairly midle of the road, right? I guess if it's going to break after 2 weeks it's not a good idea - but don't see why it would if it's from a respectable company.
"Buying brand new look to pay around £300 - £400 "
I think that's the bracket both my boards are in at RRP, even though I only paid half that both times.
I can see why if you want something very specialised you have to pay for it - or if you want one of those alpine boards that are not really mass produced anymore, but everything else sounds like it's just preferences, untill you get to the convex/concave boards that sound a bit gimmicky to me.
If it's all just about preferences then I guess next time I buy one I'll try and go to a show and demo a few. And if a cheap one feels good then then that'll be what I go for!
OK, but why?? The flex and sidecut are likely to be fairly midle of the road, right? I guess if it's going to break after 2 weeks it's not a good idea - but don't see why it would if it's from a respectable company.
"Buying brand new look to pay around £300 - £400 "
I think that's the bracket both my boards are in at RRP, even though I only paid half that both times.
I can see why if you want something very specialised you have to pay for it - or if you want one of those alpine boards that are not really mass produced anymore, but everything else sounds like it's just preferences, untill you get to the convex/concave boards that sound a bit gimmicky to me.
If it's all just about preferences then I guess next time I buy one I'll try and go to a show and demo a few. And if a cheap one feels good then then that'll be what I go for!
re: What makes a snowboard good, and is there really anny difference?
"£100 new ... don't touch it. "
Let me clarify that, £100 RRP new, this season.
If you can get something decent that's a few seasons old for that price, or something second hand, go for it. I just found that really cheap boards were a false economy.
Bought a batch for the slope I used to work at and they lasted maybe 3 months before we had to scrap them all. Always been wary of cheap boards, cheap material, put together in a shoddy way ... the flex and sidecut may be middle of the ...
Let me clarify that, £100 RRP new, this season.
If you can get something decent that's a few seasons old for that price, or something second hand, go for it. I just found that really cheap boards were a false economy.
Bought a batch for the slope I used to work at and they lasted maybe 3 months before we had to scrap them all. Always been wary of cheap boards, cheap material, put together in a shoddy way ... the flex and sidecut may be middle of the ...
"£100 new ... don't touch it. "
Let me clarify that, £100 RRP new, this season.
If you can get something decent that's a few seasons old for that price, or something second hand, go for it. I just found that really cheap boards were a false economy.
Bought a batch for the slope I used to work at and they lasted maybe 3 months before we had to scrap them all. Always been wary of cheap boards, cheap material, put together in a shoddy way ... the flex and sidecut may be middle of the road, but the base will be of a poor quality, easily damaged, the edges may tear off and water may get in to gaps in the board and cause bulging ( seen these all happen). In two cases, the bindings ripped clean off, screws and all. OK these are hire boards getting a kicking, but the next batch we bought, and paid a bit more for, lasted a good two or three years with regular servicing.
Let me clarify that, £100 RRP new, this season.
If you can get something decent that's a few seasons old for that price, or something second hand, go for it. I just found that really cheap boards were a false economy.
Bought a batch for the slope I used to work at and they lasted maybe 3 months before we had to scrap them all. Always been wary of cheap boards, cheap material, put together in a shoddy way ... the flex and sidecut may be middle of the road, but the base will be of a poor quality, easily damaged, the edges may tear off and water may get in to gaps in the board and cause bulging ( seen these all happen). In two cases, the bindings ripped clean off, screws and all. OK these are hire boards getting a kicking, but the next batch we bought, and paid a bit more for, lasted a good two or three years with regular servicing.
