There is a ton of information floating around in the world of snowboarding, between rocker, effective edge to sidecuts and shapes - finding the right snowboard can sometimes be a little overwhelming. As a beginner of snowboarding lover, before you plunge hundreds of dollars into your first snowboard, here’s what you should consider apart from how pretty the board is. Because you don’t just want a board that looks good, it’s how great the board makes *you* look. Substance over looks, people.
Here are the basic things to consider when you are choosing your first snowboard:
The most important fact - softer flex ( 3- 5.5 is recommended )
The amount a snowboard flexes varies significantly between boards. Snowboard flex ratings are not necessarily standardized across the industry, so a "medium" flex may vary from brand to brand. Many manufacturers will give a number rating ranging from 1-10, 1 being softest and 10 being stiffest.
Softer flexing snowboards (typically freestyle and some all mountain snowboards) are going to be more forgiving and easier to turn. A soft flex is good for beginners, riders with lower body weights and park riders. Soft snowboards tend to be a bit looser at higher speeds but can also provide a soft buttery feel at slower speeds.
Snowboard Shapes (Hybrid>Camber>Rocker)
There are many shapes floating around the snowboard world these days. While some snowboards will work nearly anywhere, there are a variety of shapes that are dialed in for making the most out of specific conditions.
Most people out there would recommend a rocker profile for pure beginners to reduce your chance of catching an edge and this allows you to practice your C and S turns comfortably. While this is a popular opinion, it is not absolutely necessary to start with a rocker profile, as we find that many beginners progress very quickly once you are able to link your turns, and you would quickly switch to a camber profile board. Camber boards have more edge control, more responsiveness when turning and going faster. These will improve your snowboarding tremendously.
Of course we have some boards that mix them up, such as hybrid camber or hybrid rocker. These hybrid boards are designed to combine the advantages of camber and rocker, which can be a good choice for beginners.
Right Snowboard Length
As a rule of thumb, if you place a board standing upright on its tail (bottom end), the nose (top end) of the board should reach somewhere between your nose and chin. To simplify things, a snowboard that stretches above your nose might be too long for you while a board that sits lower than your chin might be too short for you. Of course, this is over simplifying things and there are many more considerations to take note of before determining the ideal snowboard length
Here is the snowboard size chart for reference.
EXTRA TIPS:
Try before you buy. You want to know what something “feels” like before you fork out the money for it. I know its hard, but don’t get swayed by the graphics/ colour/ pretty mythical creatures on the top sheet of the board. Even though it may look beautiful, its more important to find a snowboard that is right for you. Anyway， snowboarding is the best way to play with snow, have fun!!
