Beginner/Intemediate Women’s Twin Tip Recs?
Hey all.
I just started boarding this January and absolutely love it - as the cost of rentals were getting a bit pricey, picked up a Morrow Mantra 148, Salomon Relay ring bindings and Salomon Kiana boots. Love the bindings, love the boots - I’m finding my board limiting already.
The rental boards I used were your basic Burton learn to ride boards. Typically I ride regular and I’m looking to spend some more time switch. (I longboard both regular and goofy.) I’m able to ride switch very uncomfortably with my Mantra, with the mush that we have in the Eastern US now, it’s really not that enjoyable.
Unfortunately, there are few demoshop options in the MidAtlantic so, I’m fairly limited to online reviews and recs.
My Physical Stats:
Height 165cm
Weight: 136lbs
Any thoughts/assistance with at least where to start would be greatly appreciated!
Hux.
Thx for the welcome!
Really what I’m saying by “limiting” is that while I can ride switch on it, I’m finding it difficult to stay there for extended periods of time.
Granted, part of it is probably technique and being a newbie - but I’m pretty solid on a good number of carving drills. I’m not a bomber and probably won’t spend much time in the park, but want to start playing a little more freely.
Hey Hux79, welcome to Boardworld. 
There’s a few things that will make switch riding easier and more comfortable.
Firstly, the board. The Burton LTR boards are great for learning on, but they are directional; the main reason being the ultimate goal of a beginner snowboarder is to link turns, and a directional board makes learning to turn easier. If you want to ride switch more often, I would suggest looking at a twin shaped board.
Then there is your stance. The way you’re set up on your board can make a big difference for riding switch. You want your back binding angled towards the tail of the board; this is called ‘duck stance’ and it’s a very popular stance with freestyle snowboarders. Also centring your stance on the board can make a noticeable difference. Have a read of this article as it explains it well: https://www.boardworld.com.au/snow/content/category/stance-and-snowboard-setup/
Also worth reading is the board characteristics article (just to give yourself a better understanding of how it all works): https://www.boardworld.com.au/snow/content/category/snowboard-characteristics/
For boards I would suggest something like the Burton Blender - nice soft flex, twin shape, rocker camber profile. It’s a really fun board and easy riding both ways. My girlfriend has tested quite a few boards and she really loves the Blender. I can suggest more if you like?
Let me know if you have any questions and I will help you further. 
Hey Hux79,
Welcome to the community. I’m not that familiar with the Morrow Mantra but i do know a few things about other brands and boards.
Because you have only just started i would recommend getting you skill level higher with riding natural. Switch is a great learning tool once you can ride confident on green, blue and small park features. I teach switch to my students if 1. they have major stance issues and 2. once there ready to progress.
Boards are a really important part of your setup but mainly are made to fit well with your ability.
Rider26 choice of board is perfect and one i would highly recommend it as my first choice for you. Its soft flex works well for beginner but also up to advance park riding (ridden by pro rider and #2 slopestyle rider Spencer O’brien).
The K2 ‘Va Va Voom’ is also a great board, but i would recommend your skill level be a little more advanced. The reason for this is because you are advised to drop a board length because the side cut is longer (so your carve turn shape is the same size as if you were riding a longer board). Most of my friends ride this board and love it. But might take a bit more of getting used to if you only started riding in January.
I’m riding next years Rome board and personally its a good match to me. I’ve been riding for awhile now and have tested a lot of boards. It takes time but once you find the right one you cant even tell its attached to your feet.
Good luck and make sure you let us know what you pic.
L.B.
Thanks for the rec. and the internal links!
I had been browsing through them before going out this past weekend and found them all quite useful.
I’m boarding duck stance already at 12 and 12. It makes sense that the set back changes the style of the ride. Picked up the board I did b/c I wanted to be forced to work directionally. From surfing I found that I was putting a lot of weight to my back foot which was forcing me switch when I started - felt I was able to do a lot of cheating. So now that I feel as though I’ve worked out a fairly generally balanced stance, I feel ready to incorporate more switch riding.
Would you recommend I stay with about the same length board?
I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want to go longer.
Further to the Blender, what are your other recs?
Good point about the ICS on the burton blender. it wont work with your boots/bindings (good choices by the way with those!)
Try a Salomon Radient 148 (thats what i shred most of the time) its nice and soft, its twin shaped so easy to ride switch and it has a really fun pop to it ... good for ollies.
If you want something that same shape but a little stiffer in flex try the Salomon Lily 148. also good, but i prefer boards with a little more flex, as they are more fun and easier to ride.
If you want burton try the troop its either a 150 or 146 (get the bigger size if you shred overseas more, and the smaller if you are doing most of your riding in australia). its fairly soft and is a directional twin i think. its a great all mountain and you should find switch easy on it. Yor bindings will fit on this model of burton board.
hope this helps. let me know if you have other questions.
Ps i dont recommend reverse camber especially since you are still learning switch.
The Burton channel boards come with a standard sized disc that allows you to mount non-EST bindings to the channel. That said, does Salomon use a different sized disc? Louise? I can’t remember what the Salomon discs look like.
I rode the Blender last season in Australia and loved it. I also have a Troop as well.
I found the Blender much easier to turn and play around with. I have been working on my switch and the Blender made it really easy for me to make that transition. I have a slightly bigger board than what someone would usually have in Aus but I find the size doesn’t change a thing. I tried doing a small jump and the Blender made it really easy to stabilize myself when landing, even though I wasn’t completely flat based.
The troop is what I ride in Whistler and it’s a 150, I’m about 5’5. After riding the Blender in Aus I found it more difficult to turn but in the powder it floats real nice. I love the troop for switch and all-mountain riding.
I would highly recommend the Blender over the Troop if your mostly going to be riding in Aus. It handles powder great as well, if you want to take it overseas. I would also recommend you get the 151 if you do go overseas, if not go the 148. I love the graphics too, so that always helps in convincing someone to get the board.
Good luck
Capita Space Metal Fantasy.
It is flat between the feet and then rockers up at the nose and tail. Flat camber still gives edge hold and can carve, verses the full rocker. Still a fairly soft board so not going to be a wild bronco to ride.
The Burton channel boards come with a standard sized disc that allows you to mount non-EST bindings to the channel. That said, does Salomon use a different sized disc? Louise? I can’t remember what the Salomon discs look like.
Salomon binding defiantly don’t work with burton ICS. unless they have released a new disc this year, but its unlikely. Thats why burton made the channel system, so that people had to buy burton bindings if they wanted a burton board.
Although the channel boards do come with a standard sized disc so you can use non-EST bindings. This allows you to use any standard Burton binding and any other binding which uses the same sized disc.
Some brands are also starting to sell specific discs for their bindings to work on the channel. I know Flow, Union, and Flux offer channel discs. I guess Salomon is a ‘no’ for the channel. 
Flow
Flux
Union
Thanks all for your responses and recs!
@louis (couple posts back) Why wouldn’t you recommend a reverse camber? Just curious.
Personally haven’t really considered them b/c I’m more accustomed to surfing and reverse camber was described to me as though it makes the board more like a skateboard.
You’ve certainly all given me some great things to think about / look into for my next purchase.
It looks like I’ll be heading up to Tremblant at the beginning of next month and they have a few demo shops up there (apparently not as extensive as other locations, but at least a decent selection) and can at least go in having some better ideas.
Thanks all for your responses and recs!
@louis (couple posts back) Why wouldn’t you recommend a reverse camber? Just curious.
Personally haven’t really considered them b/c I’m more accustomed to surfing and reverse camber was described to me as though it makes the board more like a skateboard.You’ve certainly all given me some great things to think about / look into for my next purchase.
It looks like I’ll be heading up to Tremblant at the beginning of next month and they have a few demo shops up there (apparently not as extensive as other locations, but at least a decent selection) and can at least go in having some better ideas.
reverse camber is the lazy way to ride. which is why a lot of people find it fun. because the contact points (to the snow) are in a different spot on reverse camber its harder to get a good carve, something you should learn to do first when riding switch. Reverse camber also lacks in pop, so even though they may be a little easier to ride in pow, you will find it harder to launch a roller. When you learn how to ride a camber board to its full extent, thats when i would recommend getting a reverse camber. Like i said, they can be fun, and seem easier to ride, but i much prefer riding a camber board even in powder.
i hope that makes sense, and im sure other people on here will have a diff point of view
^ Wow someone that sticks by cambered boards, so rare to find since the rocker side of boards made an impact.
It is true that if you want to ride properly, ride camber. Most pros ride camber and most companies are still manufacturing a good amount of cambered boards cause they are dope.
^ Wow someone that sticks by cambered boards, so rare to find since the rocker side of boards made an impact.
It is true that if you want to ride properly, ride camber. Most pros ride camber and most companies are still manufacturing a good amount of cambered boards cause they are dope.
haha, rocker was so 4 years ago anyway
^ Wow someone that sticks by cambered boards, so rare to find since the rocker side of boards made an impact.
It is true that if you want to ride properly, ride camber. Most pros ride camber and most companies are still manufacturing a good amount of cambered boards cause they are dope.
haha, rocker was so 4 years ago anyway
Rocker is fun and good to have one if you can do so, but camber is still the best way to ride. For pressing and powder and rocker is a fun way to go.