3 IMPORTANT points to find your board and introduction to famous brands

Choose your board very carefully

It is very important to know how to choose your board. It requires knowledge of how and where to look at the snowboard. Not only it ruins your snowboard life, but also prevents your improvements if you do not choose your snowboard without the precise knowledge. Also, it will be very helpful if you can try some snowboards before you buy it. This article tries to help you with the knowledge of where and how to find your board and enjoy your snowboarding life.

Table of Contents

※Please click the link if you would like to jump into the certain article.
・Length of the board
・Width of the board
・Shape of the board
・Bend of the board
・Flex of the board
・Is expensive board, the good board?
・Famous snowboard brands
・Want to buy BURTON boards with discount?

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①Length of the board

The MOST important place to look at the board would be it's length. It is commonly known as  "Your height minus 15 cm" rule. The below table shows the common length of the board to aim.

Refer to the table and find your board length according to what styles of snowboarding you want to do.

If your are going for the speed,

Choose the board little bit longer than reference length on the table. Longer boards have more weights and it makes the board stable during taking turns and gaining speeds.

If you are going for jibbing, ground tricks, and spin tricks,

Choose the board little bit shorter than reference length on the table. Shorter the boards, lighter the weights and it makes easier to spin. Not only that, the shorter board make nose and tail shorter, and it makes ollie easier.

Width of the board

The width of the board will also be very important factor to look at.

The waist width would be the width which we will talk about.

Narrow Board

If you look at the board for boarder cross, the width of their board is very narrow. This makes riders to do more sharper turns. If you want to fascinate others with sharp turns, the narrow board will be you choice!

Wider board

On the other hand, wider the board gets, the stable it will become. If you want to ride parks and jibbing, this type of board will be your choice. Also there is more wider model for people with big feet. If you have big feet and boots and binding stick out from the board and drags during the riding, you better look for the board called wide model.

②Shape of the board

Although many shapes of the board has been introduced according to the evolution of technologies, there are 2 main shapes for snowboards. Let's see those 2 shapes in detail,

Directional Shape

Directional shape has different shapes for tail and nose with longer nose. ※The pic below is drawn on larger scale for easier understanding.

The longer nose makes stable boards when it gains speed. It would be easier to think about racing car. These types of car has it's front parts to be longer. If you want to ride with speed like below pic, board with directional shape would be your choice.
photo credit: ffo-sesp via photopin cc

Twin tip Shape

Twin tip shape snowboard have nose and tail have same length and same shape.
Same length for nose and tail enables riders to do tighter turns. Also, same shapes and length of nose and tail makes easier to ride switch (riding with opposite stance) during ground tricks and jibbing. If you want to tricks and ride like below pic, twin tip shape board would be your choice.
photo credit: http://jclabarca.com via photopin cc

Directional twin Shape

The third choice would be directional twin. Nose is longer than tail, but the shape of nose and tail is same. If you want to try everything, this might be your choice!

Bend of the board

Rocker or Reverse camber

When Rocker board came out, it was like the thunder struck the snowboard industry. In old days, the board has to have camber bend to turn. Now a days, almost all brand release many kinds of boards with some kind of rocker bend. New technologies such as U rocker and V rocker is coming out, the benefits are easier to do press tricks and easy to initiate turn and less risks for catching edges. Also, they have superior float to soft powder snow.

Camber

Camber is traditional bend for snowboards, but that does not mean rocker is better than camber. Camber board offers precise turns with more powers and "pop" (higher ollie). Some experienced snowboarders often say that they prefer camber more than rocker boards.

Camber - Rocker combo

This kind of board has rocker bend in the center and transitioning to camber shape at nose and tail. Because this board has rocker bend in the center, riders have ease of turn initiation and less risks for catching edges. The camber bend in nose and tail offers more powers and "pop" than rocker board.

Other bends

Flat

Flat board is flat. Rocker board has some space with the snow under the nose and tail, but flat board has no space. This bend makes easy transition between toe side edge and heel side edge with better edge grip than rocker and better maneuverability than camber board.

Flat - Rocker

This bend is mix of flat and rocker board. This board is flat in the center and transits to rocker through nose and tail.

③Flex of the board

There are 2 types of flex for snowboard: longitudinal flex and torsional flex. With those two types of flex, snowboarders are able to turn and jump.

Board with softer flex

This board will be the choice for beginners and women. You can ride softer boards with less powers. Also, some experienced snowboarders choose softer boards for jibbing and ground tricks. The disadvantage is that this board will get unstable when gained speeds.
photo credit: oefe via photopin cc

Board with harder flex

If you are experienced snowboarders with powers, the board with harder flex might be the choice. If you can't apply enough powers to initiate turns, it will be harder to ride with. But if you can apply enough powers, the board will offer stability for beautiful curving turn during high-speed riding and great pop for jumping and spins.
photo credit: Skistar Trysil via photopin cc

Now you are able to find the board that fits just for you using these 3 important points for choosing boards. Riding the board which fits you not only will improve your skills, but fun!

Is expensive board, the good board?

When you are at the store for buying your first snowboard, you might feel that expensive board is the good board, but this is wrong. Then, why expensive boards exist? Below lists are some reasons for ex.

・Expensive boards use expensive materials: glass fibers and carbons for more speed and more pop.

・Better sole materials for more speed, and choose sole materials which fits for more variety of snow conditions.

・Limited numbers of boards.

These kinds of boards would be very hard for beginners to give full play to what boards' are capable of. If you can able to find your reference size and set the goal for the style of snowboarding which you want to accomplish, snowboard packages sold for beginners would work out well. If you don't want those beginners package, many snowboard brands offers varieties of snowboards for beginners. These might be your choice.

Famous snowboard brands

BURTON

Everyone knows "Burton". They have solid quality of snowboards. The CUSTOM snowboard has been out there for long time which enables to do all things. model : Custom Snowboard 15-16
credit : jp.burton.com

RIDE SNOWBOARD

Yuki Kadono, the one of the greatest competitor in big air contests are sponcered by the "Ride". They used to be more like a park board brand, but now a days, they also have many varieties of boards for poweders and back country riding. The below pic is called HELIX which is Yuki Kadono's favorite. This board has ASYMMETRIC SHAPE which enables riders to do curving turns with more ease. model :HELIX
credit : ridesnowboards.com

K2 snowboarding

"K2" offers variety kinds of boards, bindings, and boots. They also offer cheaper boards with lower price for beginners. The board named WWW(world wide weapon) is soft flexed board and this would be a great choice for beginners. model : WWW 15-16
credit : k2snowboarding.com

CAPITA SNOWBOARDING

"CAPITA" was founded by Jason Brown who has been sponcered by BURTON for many years. They have the phrase of "Defenders of Awesom" which means that they are protecting cultures and products which they think is awesome. Kazu Kokubo, one of the top Japanese rider is sponcered by them and they released the team movie whichi titled after their phrase. model : Mercury 15-16
credit : capitasnowboarding.jp

Lib Tech

The world's first rocker board, SKATE BANANA was released from Lib Tech. They leads the snowobard industry with new technologies and ideas. model : SKATE BANANA 15-16
credit : www.lib-tech.com

GNU

GNU is produced by the world's oldest and famous company, Marvin. Not only the quality of the board is good, but also designs are very creative. model : HEADSPACE 15-16
credit : www.gnu.com

ALLIAN

ALLIAN produces very light boards with high-end sole which gives you a speed even on Japanese wet snow. Their popular model, PRISM, is the lightest board in their line-ups and with the most efficient sole. model : PRISM LINE 15-16
credit : www.alliansnowboards.com

FANATIC

FANATIC's board is very famous for their lightness of the boards. They have the technology which is called HONEYCOMB (looks just like honeycomb) that makes your board lighter but does not affect the pop.
credit : www.fanatic-snowboards.com

FLOW(フロウ)

FLOW is more famous for their step in binding, but they also offers variety of high quality snowboards. model : Canvas 15-16
credit : www.flow.com

gray snowboards

Japanese brand which was founded on 1998. They offers very high quality boards even though they do not own their factories.
credit : www.graysnowboards.co.jp

SALOMON SNOWBOARDS

SALOMON was founded on 1947 in France. They produces not only snowboards but skis and mountain products with passion. Their history and feedbacks from their supported riders enable them to produce one of a kind boards. model : THE VILLAIN CLASSICKS 15-16
credit : www.salomon.co.jp

STEP CHILD

STEP CHILD supports world's best jibbing team. If you want to try jibbing? Choose them!

Signal snowboards

SIGNAL owns their snowboard factory. They represents one way of snowboard industry's future. model : Jake Oe 15-16
credit : signalsnowboards.com

Volkl

Volkl has strong positions for their products in skiing industry, and their knowledge for mountains and passions are also in to their snowboard products.
credit : www.voelkl-snowboards.com

ROME SDS

Their sense of values for snowboard is very clear in their products. If you are attracted to this brand, there is no way getting out. model : WHITEROOM 15-16

011 artistic

If you are interested into ground tricks, 011 artistic would be your choice. All of their boards are produced most famous Japanese factory called OGASAKA. This factory is very famous for their strict attitude toward the quality. They offer many famous boards in Japan, if you want to go for spins of ground tricks, FLAT KING will give you a new frontier.
credit : www.011artistic.com

YONEX

One of the famous Japanese brand. They have applied carbon technologies which have been tested through their tennis products. The only snowboard brand with full-carbon model. model : SMOOTH 15-16
credit : www.yonex.co.jp

Famous board brands for women.

ROXY

ROXY is one of the most famous brands for women's boards. Flex, maneuverability, and great sole quality made just for women are one of a kind. Many of top women riders are supported by them too. model : banana smoothie 15-16
credit : www.roxyjapan.jp

SPOON

SPOON would be your choice, if you want to go for more cute graphics. Boards' flex and torisional flex are made to be softer and easier for beginners too. model : FLY 15-16
credit : www.spoon-web.com

There are many brands with many boards, but they share the love of snowboards and their passion, each brand has their own ideas and passion. Please read this article to know the basics and then go to the local stores to find your own special board using your sense. We believe choosing your board is somewhat destined to be chosen by you. We are hoping for you to find the great board which enables you to express yourself on snow. Enjoy!     当コンテンツの掲載記事内容や画像に何か問題がございましたら、
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