is it just me ?
is it just me or this happens to everyone else, i seem to be reading a lot about snowboarding product just personal knowledge nothing else and sometimes the more i read, things don’t make sense or i am not seen the difference between the brands and features.
eg
if i was going to get new boots what do i look in how do i know they are for me ?
if i am getting new board how do i know if i will like it or if it will feel good ?
oe if i am getting the bindings how do i determine if they are the right ones ?
yes pointless thread but curious to see how you guys decide on what you want or what do you think it will be good for you ? or do you just listen what others recommend and you go with it ?
I am with you Lano!
Years ago when I worked in the industry I knew it all… now i am so freakin intimidated. And I buy good top of the line stuff so $$$$ which makes it even more stressful if you fudge it up!
That’s why forums like these are so great!
I base my decisions on both a combination of what I read plus what has/hasnt worked for me in the past!!!!!
i agree oz i am /was in same boat when i was told to pick boots i want and friend was going to bring them to me from USA i based it on reviews and also based it on been top of the range, however obviously buying best of the best not all the time is good and i learned it from my mistake.
Miz but how do you based something that worked for you in past if you never had it ? lets say you buying new bindings and let say you have used FLUX all the time and you want to get burton how do you base you decision on what worked for you since flux might be completely different ?
I have been lucky enough to “try before I buy”
I generally scam a ride on a mates board, try someones else’s bindings.
The shred is awesome of trying out gear.
In the past I have been paid to go and spend the day riding lots of different boards. 
I originally chose to buy my first pair of Flux bindings, because I wanted to try somethin different to my then Burtons!!!!!
I didn’t set out to buy Flux, but that is what I ended up with after firstly chosin what flex/feel that i was lookin for (I prefer a stiff binding, as I am by no means a jib/park rat, and don’t even consider myself above that of an average joe intermediate rider!!!!! But I do prefer a solid feel as opposed to a softer flexin binding), so once I found all of the stiffer bindings that were on offer, I then set about searchin forums similar to these here on Boardworld, looking for satisfied customers and the brands that they were havin success with!!!!! I combined the two findings and came up with a great result!!!!!
Same with boots, there is an overwhelming amount of information about boots, but at the end of the day, most seasoned shredders will tell ya to go to the shop and try, try, try again until ya get the perfect fit that is right for you!!!!! Again I prefer a stiff boot to match my bindings, board and ridin style!!!!! I didn’t set out to get any one particular brand/colour, but i did specifically want laces as I had discomfort with my previous boots havin the BOA system!!!!! (They were the top of the line boots as well)
My boards have been chosen after ridin a few different styles/profiles, but again likin somethin with a stiffer flex, and a more solid feel that a profile that must include camber as its main frame!!!!!
Hope this helps somewhat?????
. . . i was told to pick boots i want and friend was going to bring them to me from USA i based it on reviews and also based it on been top of the range, however obviously buying best of the best not all the time is good and i learned it from my mistake.
Dude. It’s the golden rule. Unless you’re really familiar with the boots you want, you MUST try them on first.
Even then, things can screw up royally. A bit over ten years ago I was about to head over to Salt Lake, and was concerned that my burton Ruler boot liners were too packed out. I had to drop by the Burton office/warehouse, and while I was there I mentioned this, so they hooked me up with some new ‘replacement liners’. To this day, I still regret deciding not to pack my old liners as well. The replacement liners looked identical, and were marked “11” just like the old ones, but they were the next season’s - and Burton had shortened their sizing (without announcing they’d done it), so an 11 now fit like a 10.5. I spent almost three weeks riding with scrunched up toes which got more agonising day after day. Salt Lake’s an awesome place, but I ended up hating a lot of my time there due to pain I was in. I ended up buying new Burton Ion boots in 11.5 - even though size 11 Burtons were my perfect boots since I bought my very first pair.
My board/bindings/boots I have done heaps of research on the net before buying. My board I searched and searched heaps about since I hadn’t riden a reverse camber at all. I was so hesitant but the lady at Cherri Pow was so helpful. Spoke heaps about the board in store and over the phone. The service was just awesome and I was sold on the board. I was so stoked when I first got to ride the board, it was everything I imagined when reading about it!
Boots I had had lace up boots and fast track boots and had heaps of trouble with heel lift. I switched to the Boa system and absolutely love it, so much easier to tighten with my girly arms!
Bindings, to be honest I went with something that was an entry binding but that would suit my need. Haven’t had a problem with what I got and love the colour 
Sometimes knowing about the tech doesn’t help. You need to try it for yourself and get time on the snow. Snowboarding is about learning from experience. Or you need to speak to people who have a lot of experience with the product and their main intention is to help you, not just to sell to you. This is a reason I have always used snowboard forums and one of the main reasons I tknew Boardworld needed to be created. The information we share here is invaluable. We are all honest about our experiences and we only want to help each other.
Honestly, sometimes the only way to work something out is go out there and see what works for you. We’ve all bought products that didn’t quite turn out the way we hoped. My first pair of boots only lasted about 30 days before I felt I had to buy new ones - and I bought those from a store after trying on many. I’ve bought boards that didn’t perform the way I hoped. I’m not saying they were bad boards, they just didn’t feel how I imagined. i.e. I wish I bought a shorter board, or I wish the flex was a bit softer etc.
Also, some brands try new tech and it just doesn’t work out the way they imagined. Snowboarding brands will always try to come up with new and innovative products and that’s great. Sometimes it’s awesome and other times it’s not. The choice is yours though: stick with the tried and tested or try something new because you understand and believe in the new tech. i.e. Chucky understands exactly how the Now bindings work and that appeals to him (I really like them by the way, Chucky).
I think the ultimate combination of knowledge when buying a new product comes down to really understanding the materials, features, and tech. You also need to do your research and talk to people who have experience with the product and share honest, unbiased information. Personal experience is probably the most important - always take an opportunity to try a new product and get a feel for it. Sometimes the only way to figure it out is trial and error. Swap boards with friends, try different bindings, go to demo days, and most importantly… get your ass to the Boardworld Shred!
all my purchases have been in blind faith.
So far every thing has worked for me, but i’m just lucky i guess. But now i do know what works for me so it takes a lot of the guess work out of my future purchases.
all my purchases have been in blind faith.
So far every thing has worked for me, but i’m just lucky i guess. But now i do know what works for me so it takes a lot of the guess work out of my future purchases.
Yeah im the same, my board was even bought for me as a birthday gift so i had no say in it at all, luckily the buyer had done her reasearch on sizing and stuff and it all worked out for the best. I even won some Rome bindings in a comp that have been awesome, again all down to pure luck.
Im 100% behind the trying the boot thing though, a few seasons in ‘bought on a whim’ boots deemed ok results but it wasnt until i got some specifically fitted burton boots that i knew what truely happy feet after a day of riding was really like. So try try try before you buy, boots have got to be probably the most important part of your setup.
Now im in the position of wanting a new board for this season and its doing my head in. Ive been researching the bataleon tbt base as it sounds interesting to me but im getting about a 50/50 review opinions on it. Im not in the position to test drive one so it might be a case of jumping in and seeing what happens. But my purchase time will be a month or so away so ill keep checking out whats out there and what people have to say.
yeah I’m super interested in the TBT, too. I think if it “feels” good that the Evil Twin 149 might actually be my dream board. No idea how to find out though except just to get one! I can’t thought cos I just got a new board last season (which I do like) and I haven’t used it enough to justify getting a new one.
thats the exact reason i stopped myself from getting a LOBSTER board in Tahoe. Had only had my YES for 4 months (used for 2 weeks) and i love it, so instead i spent that $400 on booze in Vegas…
online reviews to a degree…mainly for construction //rest is really blind faith and if your lucky enough demo days are awesome
cause end of the day its personal preference…what works for someone else might not work for you
used to think Union is the best thing since sliced bread bindings after reading the forums (not boardworld…cause then it would be flux *eyes mizu*)
was lucky last year to be on the mountain during demo day….managed to try some flux bindings…loved the toe straps
did some scouring…managed to score some cheap 2nd hand flux toe straps .....and union team ankle straps
(good thing about unions is you can swap and change stuff pretty easily)
its an awesome pair of binding now, super light and the thing just works
though….having said this
end of the day i ended up buying a complete pair of SF45 anyway 
wanted the complete Flux experience
FLUX YES!!!!!!