I'm going for the 1st time with friends this winter. I've been down a hill like 6 years ago on a cheap walmart board, but never to an actual place with lifts and all. Should be a new experience, I'm looking forward to it. Maybe it will keep my mind off now being able to ride Honey.

What should I look for? I wanna buy a board/boots/bindings, I've been checking Ebay. I'm going to borrow my friends first till I see how well I like it and then decide what to do from there.

 

i have absolutely no info for you, lol. but, i know you can prob. get a ton of info from jdschmidt. i think he said he even was going to be a instructor or something like that.

sounds like fun though, i'd prob. bust my *** up and down the slopes, haha.

 

Cool, where's JD when you need him??

What should I look for if I buy a used board from Craigslist

 

How tall are you and how much do you weight? Make sure you get a big enough one so that you don't "outgrow" it too quickly as you get better. The bigger ones are faster too. I'm 5' 10" and 175lbs and have a 163cm snowboard and don't think it's too big at all. I'm no expert, but I canusually make it down the black diamonds on it without too muchtrouble.

 

JD is good. I board also Camaro, but its 4am here and i havent slept yet. I gotta get a nap before work at 8. If you dont get an answer, i will hit you up later to help.

 

Ok TK, thanks. Judging from what all the fitment charts say, I need a 152-155 board

 

CF, which resort will you be hitting up? I started boarding last year and made it to intermediates but couldn't tell you more than that. I'm more of the skiier type 14 years on the blades.

 

I have been riding for almost ten years. When you go to buy a set-up you need to think... "am i a freestyler?" "Do i like to go fast?"
There is alot more to take into account when you arre going to buy gear.

I used to ride a 155. I am 5'7" . Its good for spins and lightweight but sometimes when i would be riding i just wanted to go fast. Thats when you might think about a carver or something a bit longer.

Generally, for average riding you will want the board tip to go about to your nose when standing next to it.

As far as boots and binding go...

You wont know what boot you want until you try plenty on and deem what is more comfortable to you.

Do not get step ins or "clickers" . They suck.

For bindings. NOTHING BEATS burton customs. Any year of burton custom past 2003 are elite.

Gloves = Fishpaw

Pants and jacket all depend on your budget but again burton as well as Santa Cruz are the ****.

As for your first day on a real hill stick to the bunnie slopes. You should get good learning your edges just trying to dodge the 5 year olds and asians. Remember about heel toe relationship when learning your edges. At first you have to decide if you are "goofy" or "regular" footed.

To do this stand in one spot with your legs at apart and your feet about 2-3 feet apart at a symmetrical stance. Have somebody push you from behind. If your left foot goes foward and you catch yourself with that then you are goofy. If it is your right then you are regular footed and that will be how your bindings should be placed on the board.

Once you get your stance down you will want to use your toe edge for most of your turns on your first day to avoid staying off the bum. After you are comfortable with your toe edge then you should venture to heel edge. "blind turning"

....

 

Hey man, not that good at it but have boarded a few times. The real board is different from the walmart type ones. I went from skiing to boarding in the same day after my ski bindings broke, just went & rented a board and got my *** worked over. Finally went out & bought one and have been out a few times, can't wait to hit the slopes this year, last year I actually got pretty good.
I just went to Play-it-again-sports but found some cheap new stuff there, got a Reaction 163 freestyle board, Lamar boots & bindings. I'm 6' & 200lbs. Board does feel a bit small but does the job. Cost me $200 for the whole setup, didn't want to spend too much $ until I got good. Biggest trick is don't try to turn your whole body, kept wiping out bad my first few times out. I'd just find something new or used that's cheap and in decent shape. Spend the $ on a new setup when you know how to use it & are comfortable with it.
Burton & K2 are my fav brands

 

Also what i did my first couple weeks out was go with a couple of snowboarding vets. They dragged me up to the top of the mountain and said "keep up." If i didnt keep up i was forced to spend the rest of the day by myself wandering around on the mountain with nobody to see my progress.
Thats when you go and find a snowbunnie who is about the same skill level as you

Above all do not give up. After so many falls on your knees and your bum you will be loving that beer in the tavern but let not temptation lead you.

You will, undoubtedly, spend the first couple days on your ***...
Do not let that sway you. The more your *** will hurt the harder you will try to stay off of it.