Suggestion for beginner or intemediate board?

I've been skiing for many years and now I'm thinking of trying
snowboarding.

I've tried it last year with rentals but I'm thinking of getting my
own gear this year.

I'll be looking for a board that suite a beginner/intermediate so that
I can grow my skill without buying another board.

I'll consider myself freerider type who enjor control rather than just
speed.

Any suggestion of good boards that I can buy in Canada? Not sure the
price range but may be between $200-$400 CAD. Would pefer brand new
board but don't mind last year models.

Also any suggestions on bind and boot?

I'll be looking for a board that suite a beginner/intermediate so that
I can grow my skill without buying another board.
I'll consider myself freerider type who enjor control rather than just
speed.

A lot of the boards that offer "good control" are also boards that
handle speed well - I've found they go hand in hand more often than not.
The real tradeoff, I've found, is boards that can effectively carve very
short turns vs. boards that are stable at speed. Each of them is a
different type of control. The short-turning boards are useful in a
halfpipe where you need to get to the other wall without going too far
down the pipe. For general freeriding, you probably do want something
that's more stable at speed because it will help you be in netter
control. (I hope that wasn't too confusing).

Any suggestion of good boards that I can buy in Canada? Not sure the
price range but may be between $200-$400 CAD. Would pefer brand new
board but don't mind last year models.

For those prices you are *definitely* look at last year's models, or
even before that. Very little changes from year to year except
graphics. If it wern't for the fact that I prefer made-to-order boards
(keep reading) I would never buy anything from the current year.

If you are willing to spend $360 USD (~$475 CAD?) my personal
recommendation is the Donek Incline, Wide, and Sasquatch
(www.donek.com ), depending on your body weight and foot size. These
are the made-to-order boards I was referring to. They offer excellent
control on edge and stability at any speed. As I alluded to above, they
won't carve a turn as tight as say a freestyle board, unless you put in
a lot more effort. (The more you bend the board, the tighter it turns).
If you'd rather go to a shop and look through the previoous years'
models you will find something for less money.

Also any suggestions on bind and boot?

IMHO boots are the most important piece of equipment. A pair of boots
that doesn't fit properly will be downright painful and you won't enjoy
the sport. It took me two seasons of pain before I finally found
something that fit. I've got 6 boards, 4 sets of bindings, and only two
pairs of boots (one hard shell and one soft) because it's that hard to
find ones that fit.

If you are on a tight budget, I recommend getting whatever boots make
your feet happy and then spending what's left over on board and
bindings, using garage sales, eBay, etc if you have to.


Mike T

(Howard) wrote in message . com...
I've been skiing for many years and now I'm thinking of trying
snowboarding.

I've tried it last year with rentals but I'm thinking of getting my
own gear this year.

I'll be looking for a board that suite a beginner/intermediate so that
I can grow my skill without buying another board.


I (99kg/189cm/foot UK 13) started with diagonal K2 Spitfire Wide and
after two Finnish winters i needed a symmetric board for 180 and 360
jumps. Last spring i bought a symmetric board Forum Devon Walsh from
http://www.blue-tomato.at. This board is heavier than K2, but rides
logically to both directions and makes jumping easier. I feel that
anyone could start snowboarding with symmetrical boards. It helps a
lot if you can ride both directions well so you can ride longer.

I'll consider myself freerider type who enjor control rather than just
speed.

Any suggestion of good boards that I can buy in Canada? Not sure the
price range but may be between $200-$400 CAD. Would pefer brand new
board but don't mind last year models.

Also any suggestions on bind and boot?

My first bindings were cheap model from K2 and i could not get spare
parts to them. Now i have cheap model from Lamar where spare parts can
be found from a hardware store. Burton Moto boots i like a lot.

- eero