wrote:

The whole point is that equipment won't make you a good snowboarder,
but lessons and practice might.

Exactly.

My apologies if that didn't come
through. That said, you don't suggest why using inappropriate equipment
is a "not crap" thing.

Someone upthread suggested that poor/inappropriate equipment was holding
many beginners back from making good turns. I disagree, I think almost
any gear available now will allow people to make OK turns, most people
never get their technique to the point where the gear would make a whole
pile of difference. The setup of their gear is another issue - I think
most people would ride better if they had a more forward stance than the
straight across version they're riding now.

Looking for the next great set of gear is a crutch to avoid actually
learning how to ride. It's like golf - I can always blame my clubs, but
any good golfer could swap their $2000 set with my old junkers and still
trash me.

Neil