How do you know what type of snowboard is right for you?

Question

I have just started snow boarding. I have had about 4, 1 hour lessons and some free practice. I want to buy a snowboard but i don't know what kind like freestyle or mountain and everything else.

Answer 1

If you're new you probably want what's called an "all mountain" board.  That's one that's not too stiff and super versatile.

The height of it should be somewhere between your collar bones and nose (probably about chin length).  Shorter is easier but you should also base your choice on your weight (you don't want to get a board up to your nose if you're super skinny).

Go into any board shop and tell them what you just said here and get fitted and priced out.  Do that at a few places and then make your decision.

Happy riding!

Answer 2

For beginners, there are different things you can get. Typically, you want a park board, even if you don't do that much in park. Park boards are shorter than regular mountain boards, and much more easier to control for beginners. This is because park boards have thin flexes. There are 3 different flexes. Hard flex is for experts, medium is for people who have a good feel for snowboarding, and thin for beginners. Thin is your best choice because it gives you more control over your board and you can learn better and faster. As for the length, I don't know how tall you are or what your weight is,    but for beginners, its best that you have the board around your chin, and once you get a better upgrade to around your nose/eyes. Burton are great boards for beginners and even experts. Nice cut, great flex, good everything basically. But what I would recommend renting a few different boards at your mountain's shop, and just experiment with the boards until you have found one that you like. Hope I was of help :D

Answer 3

Very happy you've started snowboarding, welcome to the club!

First off, you're snowboard doesn't HAVE to be Freeride OR Freemountain, some boards are versatile enough to do both, and as you are a beginner, you may not have decided yet which you prefer.

Basically, Freeride is where you would stick to the piste more, and Freestyle is where you would spend most of your time in the park, halfpipe etc, doing tricks.

The actual board you choose should fit your height and weight.

If you wander into a shop, grab a board and rest it on the floor, length ways up. It should come somewhere between your chin and nose. Thats a rough guide.

The other aspect is your weight. If you are average for your height (ie not overly heavy or light) then youll probably be fine going on the height of the board. I'm about 5 foot 10 and ride a 156cm board, which is a bit small perhaps for my height, but i find it excellent to ride.

I ride an Atomic Hatchet, which is an amazing board.

Not just my opinion though, it is a very well made board that is also extremely well priced. It is very flexible so it is excellent for beginners as being more bendy, it is forgiving if you make a mistake when riding.

Ok, hope that gives you some help.

You can also Google snowboard buying guide and im sure youll find more tips!

And go boarding as much as poss!