If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Snowboard suggestions for heavy guys?
Greetings,
Getting ready for my first full season of snowboarding - I started when a friend took me late last season, and kept going. I was able to make 7-8 days on the slopes before moving away from the snow. Fortunately, I have identified several hills in the area that market themselves as "ski resorts". 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. Since I have the wide boots, are there any specific suggestions for bindings, or is the actual outside width of the regular boot and wide boot the same? |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Get a wide board just the same.
Your boot size doesn't need wide, but your weight needs to float over whatever powder there is (the best snowboarding is done in powder), you need stiffer than most peeps. Prolly RideFleetwood, wide and cheap. Use XL bindings if you have a high arch + wide feet. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
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? |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
"LeeD" wrote Your boot size doesn't need wide, but your weight needs to float over whatever powder there is (the best snowboarding is done in powder), you need stiffer than most peeps. I don't get it. Got same boot size (US 9.5, 27.5 mondo-cm) and for years I was going with the flow and using regular boards. Then tried a "mid-fat" board (26cm waist) and only then I fugured out that heel-side wash-outs and general frustration in certain conditions was just because there was too much overhang in the boots/bindings. Now I ride a really wide board (271mm waist) and couldn't be happier. I can see how a wide board is not adding anythin for a park rat or the typical side-slipper kind of "boarder". But if you're into steeps, bumps and general freeriding and not using extreme binding angles I just don't understand how is it possible to not get heel/toe drag on anything but firm, groomed blue runs if you're really putting the board at a good angle while carving. Same thing goes for irregular steep terrain, even more so actually, esp. when it's been well tracked out. It's firm enough to blow you off the edge but soft enough to let the board sink in if you push it. Without a wide board, I get very frustrated in conditions like that. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
First of all, I am not trying to start a flame war here. I just take
exception to some of the generalities made here, and am just trying to help. You may have had to much overhang with your particular setup, thereby causing you problems. But some overhang is normal and in many cases optimal. With 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch overhang on each side, you can carve well over 45 degrees without interference. Yes, if you carve way over 45 degrees, you need a setup for that. But these types are usually hard booter's with angles that rarely get in the way. A board that washes out easily is usually indicative of to much rider weight for the board. There are all sorts of legitimate answers to such a problem, which is why things seem to get un-needly complex. Width, length, and board composition all factor into this. So it is very difficult to give a general answer. A set of extremes to illustrate such a point would be say a hard boot set up vs a park board. I have seen 155cm boards with a waist that was in the 18cm range built so stout, it could easily handle a 250 lbs rider on hardpack. Yet, a soft 161 foam core park style board would wash out under the riders weight. My suggestion is demo some appropriate equipment combinations, find what works for you and the conditions you are going to be spending most of your time with (Hardpack, powder, tree's, park, etc.). Regards, Chris dakh wrote: "LeeD" wrote Your boot size doesn't need wide, but your weight needs to float over whatever powder there is (the best snowboarding is done in powder), you need stiffer than most peeps. I don't get it. Got same boot size (US 9.5, 27.5 mondo-cm) and for years I was going with the flow and using regular boards. Then tried a "mid-fat" board (26cm waist) and only then I fugured out that heel-side wash-outs and general frustration in certain conditions was just because there was too much overhang in the boots/bindings. Now I ride a really wide board (271mm waist) and couldn't be happier. I can see how a wide board is not adding anythin for a park rat or the typical side-slipper kind of "boarder". But if you're into steeps, bumps and general freeriding and not using extreme binding angles I just don't understand how is it possible to not get heel/toe drag on anything but firm, groomed blue runs if you're really putting the board at a good angle while carving. Same thing goes for irregular steep terrain, even more so actually, esp. when it's been well tracked out. It's firm enough to blow you off the edge but soft enough to let the board sink in if you push it. Without a wide board, I get very frustrated in conditions like that. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Christopher Cox wrote:
You may have had to much overhang with your particular setup, thereby causing you problems. But some overhang is normal and in many cases optimal. With 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch overhang on each side, you can carve well over 45 degrees without interference. Yes, if you carve way over 45 degrees, you need a setup for that. But these types are usually hard booter's with angles that rarely get in the way. With that much overhang, maybe you'll see contact if you're testing your board on a flat surface. But the snow is not flat and furthermore if it's soft you'll dig in, so I think you'll get some drag. I don't understand why anyone would want any overhang at all, ever. OTOH the only time most soft booters see an inclination approaching 45 degrees is when they're skidding down the hill on their heel edge on a slope that's too steep for them. Neil |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
You DO need some overhand on freestyle gear if you want to be able to
edge. Run a straightedge from the board's edges up to toe of boot on the toeside, then from the edge of board to the back of the binding on the heelside. A good general rule is if it's steeper than 45 degrees, you can ride OK. If it's shallower than about 25 degrees, you will get drag. If you're good enough to know exactly when you drag, disregard this post....because you already know! Look at peeple with little feet, like size 6's, and see their toes and highback don't stick out past their board's edge. Look at how they can't carve, instead sliding on their turns. Little feet need narrower boards, big feet wider, but combine heavy weight with medium feet, you still need wide board so you can enjoy riding powder, the best of snowboarding.... |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
LeeD wrote:
You DO need some overhand on freestyle gear if you want to be able to edge. Why on earth do you need overhang? Neil |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
You DO need some overhand on freestyle gear if you want to be able to
edge. I don't agree. I tried setting my Catek Freeride bidnings up on my Donek wide such that I had no overhang, no underhang. I was railing it just fine - better than fine, as a matter of fact. The only problem I ran into was my boots flexing on an axis where they weren't stiff enough, so I backed off on the angles a bit, giving me 3/8" overhang all around which is what I usually prefer in softies. Much more than 3/8" and I start dragging my boots in a hard carve. Mike T ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 16:55:14 GMT, Neil Gendzwill
allegedly wrote: OTOH the only time most soft booters see an inclination approaching 45 degrees is when they're skidding down the hill on their heel edge on a slope that's too steep for them. Oh come on Neil, that's harsh... yet mildly amusing, despite me being a "soft booter". - Dave. -- The only powder to get high on, falls from the sky. http://www.vpas.org/ - Snowboarding the worlds pow pow - Securing your e-mail The Snowboard FAQ lives here - http://rssFAQ.org/ |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Hi Guys. First Time Poster | philip246 | Alpine Skiing | 3 | March 18th 05 05:13 AM |
Suggestions for Christmas-time skiing | Rodney Somerstein | Alpine Skiing (moderated) | 21 | November 24th 04 09:02 PM |
The Snowboard FAQ | Switters | Snowboarding | 4 | September 22nd 04 07:51 AM |
Snowboard FAQ - updated | Switters | Snowboarding | 0 | February 5th 04 07:54 AM |
broken snowboard | sporty.zimowe | Snowboarding | 2 | December 3rd 03 03:43 PM |