nicotine wrote:

This season, I'm looking at purchasing some gear, instead of renting
all the time. I have already purchased a pair of boots (Salomon
Synapse Wide), and am looking for board suggestions for a
learner/intermediate all-mountain/freeride board designed for larger
riders.

I'm 5'10", and weigh around 250lbs, but I shouldn't need a wide board,
as my feet are US size 9.5 wide (Mondo 27.5, according to Salomon).
What I'm looking right now is some suggestions on boards / bindings
that I can take to a demo day to test out.

My suggestion would be a Donek Wide 161/165. It is a mid-wide board
(not as wide as a true wide board) with a stiffness that is made for
big riders. Best thing to do is to call up Sean Martin at Donek
(www.donek.com) to setup a free demo (you just need to wax it and ship
it back to him in the same box). What better way to decide if you like
the board than trying it out on the slopes for a few days?