Intermediate Rider - Gear Help? (Burton Supreme, Capita Birds Of A Feather)
Question for you more experienced boarders - I am looking to piece together my own gear for hitting the slopes this year and into the next few years.
I am an intermediate boarder, but only had a few weeks on the slopes. I am considered level 4-5 with lessons (linking turns on blue slopes confidently, learning switch and starting to learn tricks)
I have a feeling I will want to do all mountain, but towards park as I enjoyed hitting side hits and basic 50:50 on boxed.
Boots were my first go to.. as I figured these would be good to have even if I rent gear.
I tried on a pair of Burton Supremes and they fit perfectly.. I tried about 6-7 pairs of boots today so I picked them up. Maybe an impulse buy.. because despite them being a great fit (and likely to last a while) I see they are considered a stiff boot and might not be best for my skill and what I am looking for.
Do I need to look at something else?
Next step was to look at my board. I have been looking at and drawn towards the Capita Birds Of A Feather and hoping to pick up last years 2018 version. Unsure about bindings yet. But again - is this too much board for me? Is this what I am looking for?
Welcome to BW, @Elise!
In regards to boots, I’d always go for a good fit over specific flex. You can’t beat a perfect fit. I think you made the right decision with the Supremes. And they will soften up as you break them in.
With boards, I think it’s a good idea to look at the various camber profiles on the market and understand how they will affect the ride. I put together a comprehensive article here that’s worth reading. I would look at some boards in the Jones and YES ranges as well, such as the Jones Twin Sister, Jones Dream Catcher, or YES Hel.
For bindings, take a look at something like the Now Vetta. Every customer we’ve sold these to have been stoked. I’m a huge fan of Now Bindings myself. Skate-Tech is next level.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks, I have had a read through your article on camber profiles.
I tried a few out after getting the basics down.
I learnt for the first 4 days on a rocker (Burton LTR 150) and got to making my way linking turns down blue/intermediate runs.
Then spent a day on a flat board (Burton Lipstick 146/7?) - liked this board, but it was too short for me which didn’t help. Learnt some switch and started spins on the flat/snow and side hits, riding out switch.
Then spent a day on a hybrid camber-rocker-camber board (NeverSummer Infinity 148) - really didn’t like this board, found it harder to initiate turns, slightly more catchy and also a bit loose/squirrely on the flat - I really noticed this in lift lines etc.
Then I spent a further 4 days on a hybrid rocker-camber-rocker (Rossignol Frenemy 147) and loved this board. Continued learning some switch, played with spins on the snow, took it into the baby park for 50-50 on small boxes.
So I think I am leaning towards the hybrid rocker-camber-rocker style. I think it will also suit me for all-mountain/freestyle which I feel will be where I keep moving towards.
My next step is deciding which size to go for.
I sit in the weight range between the 148 and the 150. Given I was using mostly shorter boards last year I initially think the 148, but I might be better off going for the 150. I will mostly get to ride here in Australia and NZ, but am hoping to get to west coast USA or Canada in the next few years.
Then I spent a further 4 days on a hybrid rocker-camber-rocker (Rossignol Frenemy 147) and loved this board. Continued learning some switch, played with spins on the snow, took it into the baby park for 50-50 on small boxes.
So I think I am leaning towards the hybrid rocker-camber-rocker style. I think it will also suit me for all-mountain/freestyle which I feel will be where I keep moving towards.
This is really good to know. Thanks for the info. Rocker-camber-rocker = “CamRock” (what it’s typically called). Jones and YES use CamRock on nearly all their boards. In my opinion, CamRock is the best (or at least my favourite) hybrid profile. You get the stability and performance of camber, with ease of turning, playfulness, and the float of rocker. Best of both worlds without sacrificing performance.
My next step is deciding which size to go for.
I sit in the weight range between the 148 and the 150. Given I was using mostly shorter boards last year I initially think the 148, but I might be better off going for the 150. I will mostly get to ride here in Australia and NZ, but am hoping to get to west coast USA or Canada in the next few years.
Would you mind telling me how much you weigh? How tall are you? What size boots do you wear? Weight is the most important factor but it’s worthwhile taking everything into consideration. Without knowing much more, I usually recommend stepping up in size (as long it’s still appropriate sizing), unless you’re riding exclusively in Australia, or you’re only riding the park etc. I feel it’s common for women to ride boards a bit shorter than they need to. There’s a common misconception that females need to be on super short boards. I tend to disagree with the overall trend, and I think a lot can be gained in progression and technique from stepping up slightly in size. You gain stability, edging performance, you get more pop and energy from the board. You’ll ride harder and faster, and that will make you use better technique; you’ll get stronger and progress faster. I have encouraged customers to trust me on this in the past, and the feedback is almost always “I’m so happy I purchased the bigger board”. Also, the extra length will come in handy in North America (bigger terrain, more pow). Just my opinion. That said, there are a lot of good boards that come in 149 if you want to split the difference. 
Thanks again for your help. I am currently around 80kg, but I am likely to be at around the 70kg mark by the time I hit the slopes again and normally sit between 65-70kg. So its a little hard to go just via my current weight.
I am 165cm tall. Boot size womens 8.
Hey @Elise,
My honest advice: 149 or 150 (or longer), especially for freeride/all-mountain in North America. As an option, I would even consider a 151 or 152 depending on the actual board (flex, profile etc.).
For all the reasons I previously mentioned.
Please let me know if you have any questions.