Snowboarders or people with questions about snowboarding

[Mojoe]

It seems every year there are people asking the same questions, and I find myself writing the same things year after year as poiters or to help people out. So this thread is to answer some questions and point people in the RIGHT direction. Why is what I say the RIGHT direction? It's not always, it depends on you. Not 100%, at least. But I've been riding for 22 years and teaching locally for 3 years. Almost every year I have taken a brand new rider and worked with them from the time I was in high school. Last year I took 2 close friends and worked with them and they are both better than most 3 year riders I see in Ohio. That said, I work with them from getting dressed for the day to recovering after the day. Last year I was on the mountain 26 of the first 33 days they were open. So it's not that I go maybe a few times a year, I ride a lot.

 

The first thing I will say is get with somone who has been riding and KNOWS gear, not says they know it. Then beat up craigs list. Buying new gear your first year or 2 is a waste of money. You have no idea how you will want things set up and what will be comfortable to you riding. Ohio is full of snowboarding quiters and they off load pretty good gear cheap or are easy to talk down. They know they won't use it again. Check Play It Again sports too. The one on Sawmill usually has the best gear I have seen. My guess is, Mom and Dad bought Tommy the brand name he wanted, to fit in with his buddy's, then quit going. So what if it's a few years old? It my have only been used 10 or so times. That's nothing.

 

What size board do I get?

Too many people say it needs to be up to your nose, chin, top of your head, Blah, blah, blah.

First question, what kind of riding are you doing? Freestyle(Flexable for, jumps, rails, spins), all mountain(somewhat flexable, some jumps but not too many, carving), Alpine (Stiff and stable, ,haul ass down the hill as fast as I can and carve it up)

 

Most people will buy an all mountain board or a freestyle board, and thats great for a little bit of everything. A beginner is fine with these baords and will see no restrictions.

Get somethng you can manuver. I say start with a shorter board. Your biggest concern should be making sure your heels and toes aren't hanging over the edges of the snowboard. They will drag in turns and take you out. Sometimes people with large boots will need to get a longer board, just do to most boards are wider the longer they are. There are exceptions, like the K2 Fat Bob. Just keep this in mind.

 

Boots:

Boots pack after wearing them. So keep that in mind too. But put them on and walk in them feeling for pinching or just figuring out where to tuck in all the strings and buckles or whatever.

 

Goggles:

Don't cheap out on goggles. The one thing you have to do to snowboard, is see!!! Polorize, magnify, get whatever makes you see well and seals to your face. And in Ohio, I bring my googles everytime, but only ride in them 30% of the time. Good sun glasses will do most of the time. The half Jackets haven't come off yet.

 

Gloves:

Bring 2 pair and spend what you need to to be warm.

 

There are tons of tips and pointers. Time to post them all here for people to learn from. Notice that I didn't mention to buy anyone name brand. I have riden pretty much all to big names and many small name company's gear out there. Unless you are riding 15+ times a season, you're probably fine with middle of the road untill you learn what you want.

 

Feel free to add to this, but let's not get into huge debates. It's rider preferance and we are posting our experiance. I'll add to this as I go. Prep for the season has already started. See you on the slopes.

[Jizzle Juice]

I myself plan on riding alot this year..i use to when i was younger but nothing serious. I have a size 12 foot so im assuming a longer board...but what i planned on doing this first year back was just buying everything but a board and using a rental? Is that smart or what. I wanna really get out there this year seeing as half of people i know on CR does. so just wanted some input.

 

TIA

[Squidward]

This should be a sticky

[sol740]

I myself plan on riding alot this year..i use to when i was younger but nothing serious. I have a size 12 foot so im assuming a longer board...but what i planned on doing this first year back was just buying everything but a board and using a rental? Is that smart or what. I wanna really get out there this year seeing as half of people i know on CR does. so just wanted some input.

 

TIA

 

Height and more importantly weight (and style of riding as Mojoe said above), should be your consideration in length of board. With a larger shoe you may need to step up to a wider board.

 

Also if you are renting they generally use step-in binding/boot systems so its usually "all or nothing".

[dragknee66]

Yes very nice thank you

[Jizzle Juice]

So i may need a board then if i want to have a better time. Im 6'3" 180-190 not sure

[AWW$HEEET]

skiing is better

[timmy43016]

you offering lessons too?

[STEVE-O]

So i may need a board then if i want to have a better time. Im 6'3" 180-190 not sure

 

I am 6"1 and have a 160 board and weigh 190 and it works good for me. I do mostly just downhioll etc. Ive only been riding for one year but it can stand jumps etc also.

got it from dicks for 130 last year at the end of the season.

 

Plus if you spend the money upfront on your own gear it will make it self back in the fees they charge you to rent and you will have much nicer gear then the shit the rent to you

[schmuckingham]

I love Ohio snow enthusiasts

[SRTurbo04]

So i may need a board then if i want to have a better time. Im 6'3" 180-190 not sure

 

you can rent from mad river... last year they started offering a strap in bindings on boats. they provide the board boots an bindings... if you plan on going more then 3 times the season i would just buy a board set up like i did.

 

timmy430 i belive he is a instructor for mad river ( dont quote me on that) but if he isant im sure he can also u can get in on a class at mad river (or else where you go)

 

and gabe go back to using your training wheels... but we are gonna go alot this year woo

 

btw season passes right now at 269 for mad river will jump up to 299 here soon.

[CRed05]

skiing is better

 

People who say this often say things like...

 

"One Smirnoff Ice please!"

"I need to buy more V necks"

"I would like to run into George Micheal in the restroom"

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

Stay away from step in bindings if its a possibility.

[timmy43016]

People who say this often say things like...

 

"One Smirnoff Ice please!"

"I need to buy more V necks"

"I would like to run into George Micheal in the restroom"

 

LOL

[AWW$HEEET]

People who say this often say things like...

 

"One Smirnoff Ice please!"

"I need to buy more V necks"

"I would like to run into George Micheal in the restroom"

 

Hypocritical Audi driver is hypocritical.

[AWW$HEEET]

Typical Ohio snowboarder daily schedule:

 

1. Roll to the "mountain"

2. Ride to the top

3. Sit down for 15 mins conveniently to click in, yo.

4. While sitting, talk about the latest new baggy pants and shaun white dvd they bought

5. Put in headphones for another 3 mins, crank up Fall Out Boy.

6. Hit the smallest hit on the trail and fall over.

7. Do something to try to act funny or ironic to cover up how much they suck.

8. Get back on the lift, repeat steps 3-7.

9. Get in car and roll home complaining about how icy or shitty the conditions were.

 

Accurate? I'd say so.

[Mojoe]

This isn't a bash thread. I ride with skiers and boarders. It's who ever wants to ride the same terrain and area that you end up going with.Troublemaker and Yotaman both ski and snowboard, and both have gone back to Vermont to ride with me. Skiing is fun, it's just not for me or what this thread is about. Let's stay on topic.

 

I have been an instructor for the last 3 years. Though last year, I only worked for the hill the first 2 weeks and then rode on my own and taught my 2 friends that were with me all the time. I'm not certified and you don't have to be to teach locally. They REALLY want you to. But, I don't want to. I'm not sure if I'm going to teach for the mountain this year. Either way, you can just walk up to most beginner lessons and they will just let you in. Try doing that before you pay for it. None of the instructors I know would turn you away. First ones free pretty much.

In certain situations I might do private lessons for people. But I have had to keep it structured because I'll lose a whole day of riding sometimes. PM me or text me if you have my # and we can go from there. I'm not here to solicit giving lessons. I want to see people get the right gear for what they really will use. I see people allllllll the time with $2000 worth of shit on, and they can't get off the chair lift. WFT were you thinking?

 

For a beginning rider, height and weight mean very little when picking a board length. You aren't going to flex it or work it hard enough for that to be and issue. Stay focused on the boots not hanging over the edges. And if you get too small a board and break it, well that's a damn trophy is all that is. I ride a 152 now, but I have a beater board that's a 139 and I try to break it every time I ride it. It just won't die. And BTW, I bought it at play it again sports for $25.

 

Step in bindings limit you to a lot as a new rider. Strap in bindings give you the option of changing out boots, in case you buy some then hate them, or decide you want different strap in bindings. Just easier until you get down what you want. You are going to change things up a lot, so let the room for change.

 

I can't speak for all local hills on rental equipment, but the rule of thumb is you have to use their boots, board, and bindings. You bring the gear to stay warm and dry.

Someone said if you go more than 3 time just get your own gear. That's about right.

 

As much as Gabe is being a douche, he brings up a good point. Most of the snow you will ride in Ohio will be man made. And the more it's ridden on, the more ice like it becomes. People will eat shit the whole day when they start riding. Don't let that get to you. A lot of the time, the conditions do suck here for snowboarding. It is what it is.

[sol740]

Joe you sound like a knowledgable rider, hats off for trying to help the noobs out. However I do have to disagree about weight not being an issue to beginners. I think within a certain average range thats applicable, but ive seen cases where friends have purchased way too big or way too small, and that makes an already potentially frustrating first day, all the worse. A board that is way too big for a small rider can be very difficult to try and turn, especially when learning, and the inverse can make larger riders very unstable, even more so than usual. Though thats definitely more an issue with the way out of the average size riders.

 

Only reason I bring it up is the two cases where I've seen issues were as follows:

 

Rider 1

6'6"

250ish

Lamar 158 wide

 

Rider 2

5'6"

125lbs

Arbor 162

 

Both purchases were made online, and both caused major issues for the riders. Both when stepped to a more generally fitting board performed much better. Those are extreme, but it is possible.

[Mojoe]

Thank you for your approach on this.

 

How long did you stay with your first set up? There are certain things that will cancel out. The less material you have to steer, the easier it is to work with and learn.That said, if the boots fit on the board, then work with the shorter board. Then buy what you can handle once you learn what you're doing.

 

That's all I'm saying.

 

For an experienced rider, I agree with you.

 

I would not recommend buying online until someone knows exactly what they want.

[AWW$HEEET]

I hate but i went up a bunch w paul last yr, he snowboards. We actually ride and ski alot, almost the whole time, but i do see a bunch of people that get in the way and really congest things

[Mojoe]

That's EVERYONE. Just like everyone falls off the lift and slows down the people who know how to get off the lift right.

 

It's like the 270, everyone is allowed on it, but there aren't that many good drivers that use it. If you know what you're doing, you have to dodge others and think for them half of the time.

[STEVE-O]

detour...

 

Is there any discount if we get a group of people from cr to buy season passes??? does anyone know???

[dragknee66]

Ya thats a good question..

What about police/fire/military discount stuff?

[Mojoe]

These are questions specific to each hill. Call them or go on line. Last year MRM was $10 for day pass and another $10 to rent gear for military. I don't know about other agencies.

[oh_f@ck_its_him]

btw season passes right now at 269 for mad river will jump up to 299 here soon.

 

detour...

 

Is there any discount if we get a group of people from cr to buy season passes??? does anyone know???

 

Do you guys know if Aspen S&B is still doing the Master the Mountain program? Season passes were $250 last year.