Q. Big Guy, wants to Buy
Hi Lauren, and thanks for your tips!
I have some questions for you... I am new to the sport but am hooked. I have
surfed and skated for 20 plus yrs. and when I snowboard I am looking to surf
the mountain, with speed and carves.
I am wondering what sort of board to buy. I am looking for something that is
freeride with an alpine twist...I think!?!
Also what type of binding and boots? I have tried the step in and I liked
the quick response they give, but I guess you have to have hard boots for
them. The soft boots are much more comfortable.
Anyway, any advice on where to begin? I am 6 foot and 200 lbs. I have been
renting a 161, it seems appropriate.
Thanks, Mike
Amanda and Josh of The Lounge Snowboard Shop in
Rochester answer:
A. Hi Mike,
We were a little confused by this question, as Alpine boards and regular
freeride boards are very different, as are the bindings that are used with
them and the style in which you ride them.
Apline boards are actually very difficult to come by! (They use plate
bindings and hard boots, and we rarely see them around here.) Josh suggests
a Burton Custom X 160 or 164 if he just wants to carve some good turns and
have a great time on the mountain...he can check out all the info on
Burton's website.
One thing he forget to mention was his foot size, which is very important
when picking out a board. If he is between an 11 1/2 and 13 size shoe, he
will have to go for a wide board and could try a Burton Barron, Barron ES,
Triumph or a Rome Flag. Snowboarding is definitely an investment, so if he's
riding at a larger mountain, they may have a demo center where he can test
them out and see what works.
Boot wise, If he's looking for something with a little more stability, and
stiffness he should try the Salomon Dialogue, Burton Driver X or Burton
Ruler. A lot of companies home websites will give you a stiffness rating and
the ideal rider for the make of the boot (And remember that it takes more
than a few runs to break them in, as with any new boot, especially stiffer
boots)- and for bindings, you can't go wrong with either of these three:
Burton Missions, Burton Cartels or Rome 390's. Plus they have a cool feature
called a cap strap, which makes for a more comfortable fit over the toe box.
Hope that helps!
Best,
Amanda
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