Newbie board advice… Now confused!?
So I hit up Melbourne snowboard centre yesterday, explained I’m a newbie and looking for a board. I mentioned the skate banana and park pickle, I bad previously been advised these would be good to get however yesterday I was told otherwise. I was told. I would not be able to “learn” how to ride on these boards…. He mentioned a dc pbj instead…. Your thoughts?
was the DC more expensive?
PBJ is roughly $150 cheaper than the GNU & Libtech boards.
I’m pretty much a newb myself, so I can’t give you a whole lot of advice on board selection, but I can tell you that the guys at MSC are very helpful, and will always give you the right advice. They’re a top bunch of guys there, especially Mick.
My limited understanding is that rocker boards tend to be a little more maneuverable, great for powder and park, but can be more unstable at speed, and don’t hold an edga as well.
MSC is my local.
Is the PBJ a camber board? Thus the recommendation instead of the skate banana.
Just looking online, the PBJ is a camber board. My guess is that’s why he was steering pazza towards it.
Not that it makes any difference, but the PBJ has a fluro base too. Love the glow that comes off a fluro base on a sunny day. 
Yeah, Mick and his crew at MSBC are a pretty top bunch.
I agree with them in saying that I think the Skate Banana and Park Pickle are more advanced boards, and I personally wouldn’t recommend either for a beginner boarder.
The main reason behind this is that both Skateynana & Park Pickle are rocker boards with lots of flex in them.
For more information on Rocker vs. Camber, read https://www.boardworld.com.au/snowboarding/content/category/snowboard-characteristics/
Rocker makes the board more manouverable, allowing for greater/easier rotations - good for doing tricks like butters & riding rails.
The consequence of this is decreased stability of a rocker board compared to a camber board when riding/carving - particularly at speed.
Increased manouvreability & turning ability sounds like it would suit a beginner, and yes it does making turning a little bit easier. However, this “short-cut” sacrifices the development of proper technique, and any bad habits in technique picked up early can take many seasons to iron out
Increased manouvreability & turning ability sounds like it would suit a beginner, and yes it does making turning a little bit easier. However, this “short-cut” sacrifices the development of proper technique, and any bad habits in technique picked up early can take many seasons to iron out
So true, unfortunately brands are pushing the rocker boards as a beginner board. If you want to learn to ride, I feel that you need to put the yards in to become a good rider.
Increased manouvreability & turning ability sounds like it would suit a beginner, and yes it does making turning a little bit easier. However, this “short-cut” sacrifices the development of proper technique, and any bad habits in technique picked up early can take many seasons to iron out
So true, unfortunately brands are pushing the rocker boards as a beginner board. If you want to learn to ride, I feel that you need to put the yards in to become a good rider.
To many people, becoming a “good rider” is a distant second to simply having fun. I think learning with the ‘training wheels’ soft rockered boards provide is a great idea - and if it takes “many seasons to iron out” some of the potential “bad habits” picked up, then that’s “many seasons” that a new rider gets to enjoy snowboarding, when otherwise they may have become disheartened and given up.
Hi Pazza . The board for people new to boarding are about the same height as the distance from ground to your own nose and a little wider then a good fitted your snowboarding boot.
which pbj was it? whats it look like or link a pic the first couple of pbjs were cambered then they changed the 2011 and 2012 to rockered shape with cambered core
This is the PBJ board I was advised would be a good purchase..
however.. In saying im a newbie.. im improving I feel at a pretty good rate, im linking turns well and doing the shakey knees run at buller… so i am looking for something that i can improve with.
hence.. still thinking park pickle or skate banana?
im standing at 5 ft 3, first hire board was a 146 n yesterday i was out on a 140.. not sure if it was a smaller board which made me able to toe turn tighter or me improving, the boards i been riding are ride heads - hired from pullins.
Hey pazza,
I know your intentions might change but what are your current intentions with snowboarding? i.e. How would you like to ride? Do you want to learn switch and get into the park and learn tricks? Do you want to cruise around the mountain, only riding natural terrain? Do you want to ride really fast? Where will you be riding? i.e. Australia only or overseas?
These may sound like silly questions but your intentions/riding style play a significant role in determining which board(s) would be suitable for you.
Generally I feel a soft flexing, cambered board is the best starting point for a beginner. How many days have you done on the snow? Are you comfortable linking turns?
How much do you weigh? Weight is more important than height when determining board size.
I agree totally with rider!!!!
Weight is the major determinin factor in board lenght!!!!
Boot size in the width of the board!!!!
And style/terrain in the shape/profile of the board!!!!
I have just come from ridin my new Lib TRice (virtually a stiff version of the skate banana/park pickle type board), and while I consider my ridin level as low intermediate, I have come to the conclusion that my older DC HKD cambered board suits me better, for the style/terrain that I enjoy ridin!!!!
The banana/pickle boards are predominantly park, and if ya not quite sure what type of ridin that ya will be hooked on just yet, then an soft flex all mountain cambered board would be the way to go in my honest opiniono, also!!!!
that pbj board is a rocker version 6mm lift from bindings to tips
Hey Pazza
My advice for your first board is don’t spend too much money on it. Don’t buy the absolute entry level board but something cheaper to mid range board I think would be best for you. As for board length/width and your weight and shoe size, the guys at the board store will help u out with that, that’s their job.
With rockers and cambers, the truth is you can learn on both but I personally prefer to teach newbies on rocker boards. The reason for this is it will be easier to turn without catching edges, so your not going to beat the crap out of yourself learning to board. However if your a skateboarder, wake boarder or just generally someone who can take a beating and come back for more then a cambered board will be okay too, and make you VERY aware of your edges when learning to turn, which can be a good thing.
There is no reason why you can’t learn on a skate banana or park pickle in fact they will be very easy to learn on. However they are expensive and given that your new to snowboarding they may not be the board that you’ll want in a year as your own style develops and you decide what style of riding you want to do most.
So my best advice for you is get a cheaper (but not entry level) board to start on. Make sure the guys at the shop check your weight, height and boot size. And get out there, practice lots and explore snowboarding. I promise in a year or so you will be addicted and know what direction you want to go with snowboarding (that direction can also be all directions in which case they make boards for that too)
Happy Shredding 
Cheers for the feedback so far guys.
I am 5 ft 3, and weight a fairly light 60kgs.
I see my style mostly being the normal runs down the slopes, and as my experience grows i might try the park, but would not spend the majority of my time here.
Yea im pretty comfortable linking turns.
So far i have been on the mountain 5 times in 2 weeks. I spoke to a guy at Buller yesterday who was on a pickle and loved it, he was doing just the normal runs and said he knew a GNU rep (biased opinion probably) who said it was one of the best all mountain boards out atm.. however i often see this being called a park board.