# What makes a board "made for beginner/advanced rider"?



## Daggs (Apr 7, 2012)

When looking at boards, I often come across a recommendation for the skill level of the person that a person should be to ride the board. I understand that beginners should choose a board with, like, a five flex rating at the most, but other than that, why can't I (a beginner looking for a board) choose a board that is recommended for advanced riders.

While you're here, could you guide me in the right direction as far as choosing a good all-mountain board goes? I have been snowboarding the last week in Breckenridge, and I've basically fallen in love and I want to buy a board within the year. I know that I should probably rent first, but I have plenty of friends that snowboard and if all else fails, I can sell it to one of them.

About me:

I am 15 (but all major growth spurts are done, so I'm not worried about that)
I'm 5'9"
size 10 (US)
all-mountain board
I live in the northeast and will probably do most of my snowboarding in the Poconos, so powder isn't too common here.
Price isn't really an issue, 300-500 USD (more or less)
I know about rocker and camber, but is there a certain style I should look for? (reverse camber, etc.)




If you could recommend a specific board, I'd really appreciate it. If i left anything out, just ask. Thanks.


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## Basti (Sep 22, 2011)

Basically there's nothing wrong with choosing an advanced board as a beginner. But know that you will learn the sport the hard way if you choose a stiff and aggressive board. Beginners' and intermediate boards are softer and have a camber profile that will be more forgiving, meaning you will not catch an edge that easily and you will be able to maneuver the board around more easily. If you lack the skill, an advanced board can just lock onto an edge and take you on a ride to wherever the sidecut leads it. In conclusion: A beginner's board will save you from a few bails. On the other hand, many people here (including me) learned on stiff camber decks because there was nothing else out there in the mid 90s.

As for your request: What's your weight?


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## Daggs (Apr 7, 2012)

um...it's been a while since I've last weighed myself, but I want to say...around 140


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Basti said:


> On the other hand, many people here (including me) learned on stiff camber decks because there was nothing else out there in the mid 90s.


Yeah, and I'm of the belief that in the long run it helps you learn the fundamentals. I think people get too worried about positive camber being unridable. My GF is not the most coordinated person in the world (hope she's not listening!) and learning at 28-29 years old isn't the easiest time either. But we got her a mid-range camber board, a 2010 K2 Luna to start on and she loves it. She's still catching an edge from time to time but she's really coming along quite well after only about 35 days on the slopes.

That said, I wouldn't want to learn on my current board. It's stiff as F&*K and 6 cm longer than my first board, so it took a couple laps to get in the groove on it. I think there's nothing wrong with learning on a *fairly* stiff cambered board, but I wouldn't go to the extremes. My guess is the extremes tend to be labelled "advanced" only boards for just that reason, they're at the far end of the spectrum.

You can do anything and everything on a med flex cambered all-mountain board. Anybody that tells you different is dealing in smaller margins than I think are reasonable.


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## Daggs (Apr 7, 2012)

How about the Proto CT? Too much for a beginner to handle? Because I've heard only good things about it.


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## hhaidar (Feb 1, 2011)

Hey Daggs, have a look at the Evo. I rode one all last season and it will work great from beginner to advanced riders. I'm on a proto ct this year, and it will definitely be more work to learn on. I wrote a pretty extensive review of it on Geeks of Shred. Read if you like NEVER SUMMER Proto CT 2012 Geeks of Shred!, but I would highly recommend the evo as a better choice to learn on. hope that helps...welcome to snowboarding!


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## Whoracle (Feb 6, 2012)

My first board (im a beginner, started in february), was labeled as an expert. Its a 2007 Nidecker Legacy, fairly stiff, directional cambered free ride board. It took me a while to get used to it coming from a rockered board, but now that i can ride okay id love to try a rockered board again.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

One of the reasons why the NS Heritage is billed as a more advanced board is that it has a _very_ fast base. You can find yourself going faster than you want very easily. Other than that, I don't think there's anything in the characteristics that would be more of a problem for a noob than a more 'beginner' board.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

For us older folks that learned on cambered cause there was nothing else...we progressed to rockered for about a season and learned about ground tricks and jibbing and then moved on to hybrid or back to cambered. Cambered is a bit more punishing to learn on...but you become a better rider...imho.


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## Basti (Sep 22, 2011)

Donutz said:


> One of the reasons why the NS Heritage is billed as a more advanced board is that it has a _very_ fast base. You can find yourself going faster than you want very easily. Other than that, I don't think there's anything in the characteristics that would be more of a problem for a noob than a more 'beginner' board.


the camber sections are also more pronounced than on the freestyle ns sticks, so it's a bit less forgiving.


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## hawaiinboarder (Mar 4, 2011)

I'm with you old guys. Learning on a cambered deck, I feel, made me a better rider.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

hawaiinboarder said:


> I'm with you old guys. Learning on a cambered deck, I feel, made me a better rider.


Hey hey old is a relative term! Just cause I started snowboarding in 1992 doesn't make me old!


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

I also learned on a very stiff cambered deck an atomic dream raider 165.

She was an unforgiving beast. Probably about the least ideal board for a beginner in theory, but if you are very enthusiastic, athletic and want to progress fast I think a cambered deck is a great place to start. It forces you to get the edge up and change between edges smoothly. If not it will put you down.

Still I learned on nice snow if you ride mostly ice I wouldn't recommend camber to start with.
NS boards are a good compromise and have some of the main benefits of camber and rocker nicely combined. 

The evo looks good to start on, but the proto or SL or even heritage could work. Might be difficult at first, but if you will be boarding a lot they leave lots of room to grow and since they are durable they will last until you improve.

I think it depends a lot on your personality. People who are easily discouraged (or less athletic) should start on an easier board so they don't get frustrated and give up. People who are highly motivated and determined can easily ride a more "advanced deck" because they will stay with it until they get it down and then won't have to buy a new one in one season or half a season when they step up to intermediate.


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## Pow?POW! (Dec 22, 2011)

Have you thought about what kind of riding you might wanna do? Freeride, park, etc. Cause not all boards are equal.. That being said I bought my first board which was a hybrid rocker-camber with a flex of 5 because I knew it would be easier to learn on to begin with, and it would allow me access all over the moutain from groomers to (eventually) park. 

Just a thought to keep in mind should you want to have a more dynamic riding style


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## Daggs (Apr 7, 2012)

Yes, very athletic. And mostly will just be doing runs, but eventually I want to progress to park and jibbing here and there. So far I'm just looking for mid-lower flex, all-mountain boards but there are just so many.


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## Daggs (Apr 7, 2012)

And why, exactly, might the proto be hard to learn on? I know the heritage is pretty stiff, but I thought the proto was just about mid-flex, or am I mistaken?


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## Daggs (Apr 7, 2012)

One last thing, I will be riding the Poconos mostly, and that means packed snow and some ice - So I need a board that will be able to handle those conditions


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Pow?POW! said:


> Have you thought about what kind of riding you might wanna do? Freeride, park, etc. Cause not all boards are equal.. That being said I bought my first board which was a hybrid rocker-camber with a flex of 5 because I knew it would be easier to learn on to begin with, and it would allow me access all over the moutain from groomers to (eventually) park.


Just to be clear, there are different ideal boards for different types of park riding too. In the pipe you would actually want a stiffer more cambered board to grip the pipe wall on launches. For big air jumps again you don't want a wet noodle. Softer/rockered boards would be more for jibbing/butter, etc. but that's only one aspect of park riding.

And another thing, we're talking about relatively minor differences in boards here. Companies will say that their various tech is going to make it that much easier to do this that or the other thing, but the basic principles of snowboarding apply to any plank with metal edges strapped sideways to your feet.

I can ride the park with my stiff heavily cambered freeride board, it just takes more effort to jib/butter stuff. On the same token you can take a wet park noodle carving it'll just be much less stable (and therefore harder work) at higher speeds and on chop.

Since you have to be a good carver to really excel at big air and pipe jumps, but not vise versa, as a newb I'd focus on turning and carving and the park will eventually come around. I'm just speculating but I think a lot of newer/younger riders head straight for the park to do the cool tricks, but don't spend the time to learn to be a good dynamic downhill rider first.

I suppose a good compromise would be a mid-flex flat base board, I still think a little camber is a healthy thing however. And if I were looking into hybrid bases, I'd take a camber board with "lifted tips" before any of the other varieties.


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## Daggs (Apr 7, 2012)

No, I'm defiantly gonna learn the basics first. I wouldn't want to make a total fool of myself in the park.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Daggs said:


> No, I'm defiantly gonna learn the basics first. I wouldn't want to make a total fool of myself in the park.


Lol sorry that wasn't directed at you in particular, I just wanted people reading this thread that are learning to buy a board with the intent of learning to turn really well before focusing on the park.

Don't let looking like a fool keep you from the park though! You can't care what other people think when you're snowboarding or it'll get in your way. Shit I still fall all over the place and I've been boarding 19 years! :laugh: As long as the number of "woo hoos" out do the number of "boos" from the lift!


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## looking4snow (Mar 25, 2012)

Imho better to learn on a mid-flex board, camber or flat. Because that makes you a better rider from the beginning (better edge control, carving, etc.). When you've learned the basics, it's time to change board which suits your progression needs. Probably <5 flex rocker or flat for jibbing/buttering and >5 flex camber or flat for big air.


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

I think the proto will be good once you have the basics down, as I said if you are motivated and athletic I recommend it. Lots of room to grow into and all round a great board. I love mine.

It is mid flex, but it has a fast base and it wants to be on edge, due to the sidecut it can be grabby or squirelly when flat basing. This can lead to problems when switching edges and general riding before you can carve properly.
Its considered a board for intermediate to advanced riders.

Once you get the basics down it will be fine but there are certainly many easier boards to learn on.


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## Liv4Sno (Apr 1, 2010)

Daggs said:


> One last thing, I will be riding the Poconos mostly, and that means packed snow and some ice - So I need a board that will be able to handle those conditions


What resorts? If you are leaning towards like Boulder you may progress quicker towards park. Somewhere like Blue or Camelback maybe more freeride. 

I do agree with a medium flex (5) board on the shorter side. Both camber and reverse camber have their +'s and-'s. I started on a cambered board and found it not forgiving. I then switched to a reverse cambered board and found it more fun, but unstable at high speeds (40+ MPH). This year I'm moving on to hybrid camber which I hope will be a good blend of the 2. 

BTW- You prob got spoiled out west. I ride PA every weekend and we get plenty of ice. Try to get a board with tech like Magnetraction. You'll need it for edge hold.


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## Daggs (Apr 7, 2012)

Probably gonna be Camelback and maybe Jack Frost, Blue Mountain. And I wasn't too spoiled it was WARM - 60+ and there was some ice. But definitely not as much as I saw at Camelback last winter. I was looking for a board with Magnetraction - or something like it. Can you recommend some?


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