Getting my own board, need your assistance
Okay so where to start….
Firstly I have only been snowboarding for a week, a pretty big noobie but much like the rest of you here, I have found something I enjoy a lot and want to get back out onto the snow (which I am in june). However this time I want to roll with my own equipment, I kinda have a thing about my own gear and I feel much better and often like to learn in my own gear.
I have pretty much everything of my own apart from a Board, Bindings and Helmet.
I am a very tall chap (about 198cm / 6"6’ ), I used a 160cm hire board last time and it went alright, spent a lot of time on my arse for the first few days but I bring that down to learning :p
I am not really interested in park stuff or tricks, at this stage I want to get the basics down and focus on those, my girlfriend is coming along this time and she hasn’t done it before so she will be learning and we both have 4 days of lessons lined up.
My instructor last time suggested a 155cm board for me as it has better control, I feel the 160 made me fly down the mountain and I couldn’t even practice what I was trying to learn. So speed isnt something I want right now, I mean I still want to be able to head down the hill with a bit of speed but not just fly down.
So my questions are as follows…
1. What size of board should I look at?
2. What style of board should I be looking at?
3. Is it worth going 2nd hand or better to just go outright and get a new 1?
4. What site/place do you recommend to look for one?
5. Any selected brand you recommend? (with a given reason)
I appreciate any and all help you guys and gals can give.
^ Sup Shoeless.
To better answer your Q’s you need to answer these Q’s:
Where do you live exactly?
Where will you be riding? What’s your riding style and/or style you hope to have?
Are you looking for versatility, stability, ease of ride, playfulness, speeds, powder, etc?
Don’t worry about what you want to learn in the immediate future, because that’s short term unless you’re happy to switch boards often.
Anyways, let us know and we’ll help you out.
Also, how much do you weigh? Weight factors in a lot more than height. I do believe height have a factor if you’re short but really heavy or tall but really skinny (stance width, leverage for your weight e.g. tall people have more leverage to press/bend the board than short ppl).
Where do you live exactly? Gold Coast, QLD
Where will you be riding? What’s your riding style and/or style you hope to have? Currently in NZ, I did Mount Hutt last time but this time is Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, not sure what you mean by riding style… Sorry
Are you looking for versatility, stability, ease of ride, playfulness, speeds, powder, etc? Ease of Ride, playfulness
My weight is about 80-85kgs
^ Style: as in say you’re damn good at snowboarding today.
Will you be doing park laps (freestyle), charging down runs fast? Going off piste for untrekked runs? (Freeride)
Thanx for the info BTW.
So right now you’re probably looking at going to QT for your snowboard addiction, does that sound right? Any plans to go elsewhere/further out?
He already said he is a noob and just wants to learn to get down the hill. Not in the park.
I’d probably agree with your instructor, you’re probably quite skinny being 6’6” and only 80-85kg. As a beginner, it would be easier to learn on a shorter board. They are easier to turn and grip quicker. You also have to check for the width of the board. If you have size 12 or higher boots, you may need a wide board. If not, definitely avoid wide boards (some dodgey stores can try to convince you that you need them when you don’t.)
So…
1. 155-158 would be good to start on. 158 would likely be better once you’re a competent rider but unless you put on 20kg, you’ll be fine on a 155 (im 85kg and ride a 154/155)
2. Overall it’s easier to learn on a reverse camber or hybrid camber board. I personally love the YES boards as they are hybrid camber and just really fun to ride because of it.
3. My biggest point in helping beginner or intermediate riders is to turn with the hips. Your front hip points which way you go. Most instructors will tell you it’s your shoulders but then as a beginner, you move your shoulders and your hips don’t move and therefore you don’t turn. Focus on your hips and you’ll be shredding in no time.
Just always remember this:
4. Hit up Jeremy (Rider26) on the forum. He runs the forum and the store and has been an instructor and worked at a snowboard store previously. He can help you probably more than any of the rest of us. PM him before you go out and buy anything is my opinion.
Otherwise, I wish you best of luck in your search. If you have any more questions, just post and I’ll keep an eye out 
.
P.S. Stay active on the forums and post when you’re heading to places as we quite often meet up with other members. If you’re going to NZ, there is a chance someone else would be there too who might want to give you a hand or even just join you for a beer at the end of the day .
^ That’s pretty short term thinking TJ.
I read that he wants to focus on being able to get down the hill, before he starts thinking about where he wants to be.
Like I said in my post, I tend to look at long term, but I guess the trend (at least with ppl I know here) is to change boards before you can really master any part of it.
In any case, you’re not wrong, I’d stick with a 154/55 and look at getting a park based board with hybrid camber (maybe rocker mid,) that should give enough play to make it seem stable for a n00b going down the hill.
But chances are you’ll prolly want to get a new stiffer board if you find that you prefer going down the mountains quicker.
I would personally consider a hybrid camber all mountain board, and then go with a shorter length, like for example a Rome Agent Rocker at 154/155.
I personally suggest the 158. Every brand has a weight chart they post for each board. 155cm is awfully short for your height and weight. Heck I’m 5’5” 145lbs (65kg) I learned on a 153. You have 30kg on me, the 58 will be fine imo. Plus if you’re getting a hybrid camber board they’re gonna ride short and they’re already super easy to turn with.
In terms of boards YES basic or a Lib Skate Banana are really good boards to learn on. The skate banana is really really easy to turn with and virtually catch free. Lib tech Attack Banana is good too, it’s not as soft as the skate banana and has a lil bit of camber on the tip and tail but still catch free.
Now if you’re already advanced like TJswish and know what you like, you can ride whatever size you want.
Welcome to Boardworld, Shoeless! 
What size shoes do you wear (when you’re not shoeless haha)? Do you know what size boots you used when you went snowboarding? I need to know this before recommending a board (boot size will help determine the snowboard’s waist width). Being a tall guy, I assume you don’t have small feet. Let me know and we can start discussing options.
Now if you’re already advanced like TJswish and know what you like, you can ride whatever size you want.
Haha I was a beginner on a 150… That was definitely too short 
^ 150?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
(I don’t know how to bold/italics/changefont properly on fast reply)
That is WAAAAY too short.
That being said, I noticed the trend in here (and by here, I mean Australia,) at least right up until 2011ish is that ppl were going short and flexy + rockered.
Definitely helps for beginners, but can build bad habits and give a false curve plateau when they decide they want to go further in their boarding.
Anyways, just my .02c + tax.
Haha yeah, I agree. I was naive and stupid all those years ago and got conned into it by a shitty salesman and my tightarse budget.
^ well, you know, it is good for park laps and ONLY park laps. and not even long ones at that.
@Grunge, I will be sticking to the tracks and learning all I can, I like to prefect the basics before I move foward, not really the type to just throw myself into something but work my way up to it. I am going to QT for my addition in the future I also would like to hit up Japan as I hear good things about there but in no rush to travel further abroad until I have the monies!!
@Everyone, For anyone who might be in the area at the time, I will be staying at QT from the 13th June until the 26th
@TJswish, I am a skinny lad being 6"6’ :p my boot size is about 11 so I should be okay with a normal size I guess, my feet fit fine in the hire gear and the board didn’t seem any wider then the others. So reverse camber or a hybrid is what I am after? I get the whole hip thing as well I train with the ice hockey team here and have been skating most of my life, obviously its a different thing to ice skate but most of what I do now comes straight from the hips, so I understand what you are saying.
@skip11, cheers for the input, like you said a 158 might just be better for my height and weight
@rider26, size 11 I do believe, they are Nitro boots unsure what exact model sorry as I don’t have my receipt with me
Thanks so far guys, appreciate the help and I got a pretty good feeling like I will be spending all of my travel time throughout the year going to the slopes :p
^ well, you know, it is good for park laps and ONLY park laps. and not even long ones at that.
I don’t have it anymore. Think we sold it to one of my brothers chick friends…
This was like 7 years ago…
Thanks so far guys, appreciate the help and I got a pretty good feeling like I will be spending all of my travel time throughout the year going to the slopes :p
No worries mate, if you make it to NSW snow, hit us up for a ride and/or a beer or 2.