# Sticky  Sedition`s Equipment Guides



## sedition

*How Do I Figure Out What Kind Of Board To Get (draft)*

*I.	How Do I figure out what kind of board to get?*

There is no set way to determine this. However, I will suggest a method of approach. This should get you in the ball park. 
*
a.	Riding Style:* First, determine what your riding style is. There will be more info on this in a bit. But for now, if your going to be riding half-pipe 100% of the time, you really really don’t want to buy pure racing board. Thus, before you do anything else you need to figure what kind of riding your going to be doing. 

*b.	Cost:* Second, how much money do you have to blow on a new deck? Once you know this, you will be able to narrow your search down a bit. More info on board costs will follow later on. 

*c.	Other Factors:* Third, if you have really big feet you may need a “wide” board. This will further reduce the number of boards you have to research. If you are a larger person, you will need a longer board. More info on proper board sizes will covered later. 

*d.	Brand Names and Models:* Last, by now you should know what kind of riding your going to be doing, how much money you have to spend, if you need a wide board, and NOW you are ready to start looking brand names and specific models. Many people START their board shopping at this step. This is a HUGE mistake. Brand name and specific model should be the LAST thing you consider, not the first.
*
II.	Where Can I get More Help?*

There are a lot of places to turn for help, but be careful. The three most common mistakes that people make when searching for help are:

*a.	*Taking advice from someone who doesn’t have a clue as to what they are talking about. (There are many of these people out there)

*b.* Taking advice from someone who is heavily biased for or against certain brands. (e.g. people who say “Don’t buy Burton cause all Burtons suck!” or “You’re dumb if you buy anything but a Never Summer.” Often these people have real basis for their argument. In essence, all they are really saying is “I don’t like peas, and you shouldn’t either.” 

*c.* Buying into market hype. Examples: “This board is the most technically-advanced freestyle board made today!”, or the classic, “Our boards are made BY riders, FOR riders.” Snowboard manufacturers spend tremendous amounts of money to attract you to their products. They will make all their products sound like they are the best thing you could possibly buy.

Again, the key is aggressive research from multiple sources. Frankly, you are foolish if you take advice from a single source, particular a faceless person sitting on some computer attached to the Internet (Yes, this site included). If you are lazy and take the first bit of advice that you receive, you have a much higher risk of buying a board that is not best for you. 
*
FAQ CONTINUES AT THE "How Much Should I spend on a Board and Boots?" THREAD*

Much of this information was paraphrased from an article written by Chris Uriarte, Mark Helwig and David O’Malley. Some of it is even directly quoted from them. We are taking no credit for being the original authors of this work, and give credit to Chris, Mark and David. Thanks, guys.


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## sedition

*How Much Should I Spend on a Board (DRAFT)*

*I.	How Much Should I spend on a Board*

*a.	Boots:* Ok, lets forget about boards for a moment. There is something much more important; boots. Before you buy ANYTHING, you want to by boots. Not all boots are compatible with all bindings. Thus, you want to buy your boots before you bindings so you wont end up with a bad fitting boot/binding combination. Next, remember what I said about big feet and wide boards? If you buy a regular board, and then realize you need bigger boots than you thought, you might now need a WIDE board. Better hope you kept that sales receipt and the shop will take returns. So, make sure you get boots first. These will dictate if you need a wide board or not, and will also be a factor in deciding what type of bindings to purchase. *Last time: BUY BOOTS BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE!!!*

Make sure you get yourself a good set of Boots and Bindings! Your boots and bindings are the link to your board and should not be an afterthought to your deck. They are primarily responsible for the level of comfort you experience while riding. Make sure that they are comfortable. An extra $50 on boots and bindings can often make a significant difference in performance and comfort. The different between a $490 snowboard and a $440 snowboard, however, is usually not very significant. If you are a on a limited budget, take money out of your snowboard pot and using it to upgrade to better boots and bindings.
*
b.	BOARDS:* Just because a board is more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean it is a better board when compared lower priced decks. It’s really sad to see a new rider drop $600 on a new board (before bindings and boots!) just because he thinks that an expensive board will make him ride better. Buying Shaun White’s pro model board won’t give you the ability to hit back-to-back 720s in the pipe at the US Open. Sorry.

In fact, the reality is that high-end, expensive board may even HURT your riding. Expensive boards at the top of a manufacture’s line are typically advanced, aggressive models that are intended for more experienced boarders. A new rider who drops $600 on a stiff, aggressive freeride board, for example, is going to have a hard time learning to link turns and utilize proper technique.

*FAQ CONTINUES AT THE "What’s the difference between freeride boards, freestyle boards, etc?" THREAD*

Much of this information was paraphrased from an article written by Chris Uriarte, Mark Helwig and David O’Malley. Some of it is even directly quoted from them. We are taking no credit for being the original authors of this work, and give credit to Chris, Mark and David. Thanks, guys


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## sedition

*What’s the difference between freeride boards, freestyle boards, etc (DRAFT)*

*I.	What’s the difference between freeride boards, freestyle boards, do-it-all boards, etc.?*

Snowboards are generally categorized into four different groups, depending on the type of riding they are designed for. Remember when we talked about picking out a deck that you had to determining “what kind of riding” you were going to be doing? Well, here are the different types of decks and the types of riding they are designed for. 
*
a.	Freestyle Boards:* These boards are shorter, softer and flexible. They are intended to be ridden in terrain parks. Their smaller size size and flexibility makes it easier to do tricks, spins, jumps, jibs, etc. An average size freestyle board is usually around 148cm - 154cm. Within this category, you will generally find specialized boards, such as halfpipe-focused boards, or boards that are designed for mostly jibbing and rail performance. These boards are typically not optimal for riding in powder, at high speeds or for true carving. In fact, they can be quite unstable anywhere out the terrain park. 

*b.	All mountain Boards (a.k.a "Do-it-all" boards, "All Mountain Freestyle" board, etc):* This is a catch-all category used to describe boards that perform fairly well in different mountain conditions, and across multiple styles of riding. They are not top-of-the-line boards for racing, carving, jibbing or riding the terrain park. However, they are decent within all those different conditions. All-Mountain boards usually have a medium flex and are a very good choice for riders who spend a majority of their time freeriding, but like to go into the park every once in a while. They excel no where, yet can be ridden anywhere. Average size all-mountain boards range in size from 154cm - 160cm.

*c.	Freeride Boards (a.k.a Big Mountain, etc.):* These are boards designed to for freeriding and typically don’t perform well on park features. They are often optimized for powder riding, speed and maneuverability. They do well off of natural or manmade kickers, cliffs, etc. These boards typically have a stiffer flex. These boards are longer than both freestyle and all-mountain boards. On average they are 158cm and over. 

*d.	Alpine Boards (a.k.a Slalom boards or Race boards): * Alpine boards are designed to do one thing very well: go fast in hard, groomed snow conditions. They are typically used by competition racers and are not designed for powder conditions. They are truly directional and not intended to be ridden switch (backwards). They are usually paired with hard boots and metal plate bindings. Alpine boards have a very stiff flex.

Many novice riders initially choose to buy an all-mountain board. This allows them more flexibility in learning to ride different styles or conditions. As we mentioned earlier, novice riders may actually hamper their development if they purchase a more advanced setup, such as a pro-model pipe board, so it’s important to stay true to your actual riding style. A side note to throw in here; many new riders start trying to ride the terrain park before they can get down any other trail properly. Learn to walk before you run.
*
FAQ CONTINUES AT THE "What Size Board Should I Get?" THREAD.*

Much of this information was paraphrased from an article written by Chris Uriarte, Mark Helwig and David O’Malley. Some of it is even directly quoted from them. We are taking no credit for being the original authors of this work, and give credit to Chris, Mark and David. Thanks, guys.


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## sedition

*What Size Board Should I Get (DRAFT)*

*I.	What Size Board Should I Get?*

The single-most important characteristic about a board is the way the board is designed to flex, which results in the overall stiffness of the board. The flex patter helps determine a number of different characteristics about how the board rides. Manufactures design boards to have a certain degree of flex based on the type of riding the board is intended to be used for (i.e. more flex and less stiffness for freestyle boards; less flex and greater stiffness for a freeride boards, as the rule of thumb goes).

There is a grave misconception that snowboard size should be based on your height, or that every board should fall somewhere between your chin and your nose. This is the type of logic used by kids working the rental counter on a busy Saturday afternoon - it helps do a good job at moving the rental lines quickly. But this is not the guide that you should use when choosing your snowboard size. There is a simple way to disprove this theory: Take a ruler and hold it from your nose to your chin. I’ve got a full 9-10cm between my nose and chin. Therefore, according to this false belief, I should be able to ride, say, anything from a 152 to a 162, right??…Sorry, just doesn’t make sense. At 200lbs, I would probably snap most 152s in half after landing my first kicker. Leave the nose and chin theory behind because it just doesn’t work.

The thing that determines how a board actually flexes when you’re riding is, you’re body – your bones, your head, your fat ass and all the stuff that makes up your mass. People who are lighter in weight will apply less force to a board when riding it, while those heavier will apply more force to the board. Simple concept, right? Since flex is so important and since your weight is what determines how the board flexes when you ride, your weight is actually the single most important rider characteristic when determining snowboard size. If you’re too heavy for a certain board, it will flex too much, which can result in instability, chatter on flats, lack of speed and slowness when moving from edge to edge. If you’re not heavy enough for a certain board, you won’t flex the board enough, which can essentially mean that the board will wind up controlling you more than you control the board – you will have a very difficult time turning and controlling a board that is too stiff for your weight.

So, what size board is right for you? First, determine what kind of riding your going to be doing. Second, figure out what your budget is. Third, figure out if you need a wide board or not. Forth, get you ass on a scale somewhere and figure out how much you weigh. Fifth, start looking at manufacture web sites. They often listed a “suggested weight range” for a given board. For example, Brand X may say that their 151cm freestyle board is for people 120 –150lbs. Brand X also lists their 153cm freestyle board s for people 145 – 165lbs. Thus, if you weigh 130lbs you want to buy the 151cm board, and NOT the 153cm board. Note, however, that these weight rangers are not standard across the industry. Brand Y might list a 151cm freestyle board in the 150 – 200lbs weight range. Don’t assume because a 151cm board from Brand X is in your weight range that a 151cm board from Brand Y will ALSO be in your weight range. Again, do your research.

*FAQ CONTINUES AT THE "Do I Need a Wide Board?" THREAD*

Much of this information was paraphrased from an article written by Chris Uriarte, Mark Helwig and David O’Malley. Some of it is even directly quoted from them. We are taking no credit for being the original authors of this work, and give credit to Chris, Mark and David. Thanks, guys.


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## sedition

*Do I Need a Wide Board? (DRAFT)*

*I.	Do I Need a Wide Board?*

Many riders don’t realize that board width is just as important as board length. If your boots are too large for the waist of the board, you risk experiencing the phenomenon known as “toe drag.” This is where the front of your boots drag against the snow when you come up on an edge. This, of course, is not desirable. The only thing that should come in contact with the snow is your board itself. 

Riders who have boot sizes of 10.5 (men’s) are typically branded as large-footed riders. There are particular boards built just for large-footed mutants. Typically referred to as “wide boards”, these boards usually have waist widths that are over 260mm in width. Two other things can also factor into this. First, some boots are bulkier than others. If you end up with a really bulky boot, you may need a wider deck than if you have a less-bulky boot. Second, is binding angle (see other thread in this forum for information on binding angles). Bindings set are certain angles (+15 / -15) can reduce toe drag. However, you should NEVER set you binding angles up for the sole purpose of eliminating toe drag. Last, be weary of any salesman who tries to sell you a full -wide board the moment you tell him that you have size 11 boots. These days, sales guys should be familiar with the concept that all wide boards are not exactly the same.


INFORMATION ON STANCE
How, and where, your bindings are placed on your board will impact how it performs. Setting up your binding stance is purely a personal matter. That said, below is a very comprehensive guide to snowboard stances. Note that the cites to stances used by pro riders may be a bit outdated, but the substance of the article is still 100% on point. http://legacy.cs.uu.nl/daan/snow/stance.html


*SO, NOW WHAT DO I DO?*
Take *all* of the above information, and start looking around at various manufacture's web sites. Narrow down your choices based on your budget and needs. Then do some further research on reviews of those decks, boots, etc. Once *all* of that is done, then feel free to post your questions. While we are certainly here to help everyone out, we are *not* here to do your homework and research for you.

Much of this information was paraphrased from an article written by Chris Uriarte, Mark Helwig and David O’Malley. Some of it is even directly quoted from them. We are taking no credit for being the original authors of this work, and give credit to Chris, Mark and David. Thanks, guys.


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