Snowboarders help me out....

[STXDriver98544]

I just got back from spending a week in Park City yesterday, and I think it's finally time to take the leap and invest in my own equipment. My biggest concern is boot comfort and quality, because as most of you know, the rentals just plain suck. I'm definitely looking into the speed lace style, with an all-mountain use, no half pipes or anything like that for me yet. I like how you are able to adjust your lower foot, and upper shin/calf area separately. Obviously price ranges are pretty dramatic, and I just feel some of the higher priced ones have luxury items on them that just aren't completely necessary. So what do you guys like shredding the slopes with without breaking the bank? Also, if you guys have a specific binding setup that you absolutely love, I'd like to hear that too.

 

[Torch10th]

For the longest time I had a set of cheap Vans boots that I didn't think anything of. They weren't all that comfortable, weren't all that warm, but they worked.

With that said you have the right outlook. When purchasing your gear, first set your budget. Then you want to look at the priority items.

1. Boots. This is your #1 priority. It's like tires on your car, they do all the work. Pickup something that is comfortable and supportive.
2. Bindings, I use Flow myself because I like the ease of a click-in but the support of a strap-in
3. Board. Sounds like you're looking at all mountain boards here. I've been riding a Solomon Rude for a while now and it's done great for that purpose. It's at the ends of it's life currently though.

Obviously, get a quality helmet and quality eyewhere as well.

 

[09bullitt6212]

check amazon, thehouse.com. I have dc boots with the "boa" and Flow 2 bindings. great for cruising and some small jumps as im no longer a daredevil. just got my son a nice rossignal for $160 on amazon. good deals to be had.

 

[hb712]

Best bet for boots is to get somewhere and try them on. I can't recall what brand boots or bindings I have as I haven't so much as strapped in for at least two years. I do know that for years I had a cheap pair of Vans and some K2 bindings that did their job admirably. In terms of boards, I have used Ride for years and have never regretted that decision.

You can generally find some pretty good options and opinions if you get out to a dedicate ski/board store. That would be my very first step.

 

[Steve@TF]

plus 1 on the boots. ive had quite a few pairs. the absolute best that ive ever used and still want are the ratcheting style. with laces i can never get my damn boots tight enough in the right spots. those ratcheting boots are amazing and cinch everything down equally with ease!

board and bindings arent as big of a deal, especially if youre still learning. ive been boarding off and on for almost 20 years. i could board on a 2x4 if need be

if youre still learning, grab something cheap. you will upgrade in a year or so anyways. i also found it soooo much easier to learn on a small board. i used a female friends board. "way too small" for my height/weight but i was carving shit up on day 2 thanks to that board. just easier to control.

and dont go silly buying expensive matching gear. good pants are important but you can get them on sale for pretty cheap. ive bought pairs for $20 that were great. you want to be able to sit on your butt and not go numb. that's it lol. as far as jackets, you will likely change that up once you find what is comfortable. i just use a hoody now.

you can some times score good gloves at costco for like $20-30. they used to carry boards and bindings too. cheap stuff but worked great for years while i was learning.

 

[HandBanana]

As all have said, boots are a HUGE priority but the bindings are equally important, if you have some shitty, non supportive bindings, you're going to be just as bad off as having a crap pair of boots.

I've always had good luck with Burton bindings, Burton or K2 boards and 32 boots. Burton is super main stream stuff but it's solid and reasonably priced for beginners. But when I switched from Burton boots to 32s, the difference was insane. I wouldn't recommend it but i've driven home in my 32s sometimes versus my Burtons feeling like a pair of concrete shoes.

Best of luck no matter what you buy but go out and try a bunch of stuff on and find out what works for you. Congrats on joining the fold, boarding is far and away my favorite activity. God I miss the Northeast.

 

[99-venom]

Ride gear all the way here! It has held up to numerous seasons without any trouble. I prefer strap in bindings due to the ice build up in the click in style bindings, plus its easier for me to strap into my binding on the lift. I have fallen and busted my ass due to click in bindings. The metal cleat on the bottom doesn't offer much traction.

 

[kevinatfms]

Here is my setup:

Boots - Salomon Faction Boa's
Bindings - Ride Ultralite 2000's(VERY VERY OLD)
Board - K2 Rewind

My recommendations?
Boots - Try on everything and anything and buy the boots FIRST. Name does not matter, your feet do. I spent 6 months trying on new boots before I gave my buddy my old boots. I did find that Northwave tie up lace boots were the most comfortable for short periods of riding but the soft shell of the boots did not work with long periods of riding(6+ hours). I went with a set of hard shell Salomon Faction's with the Boa lace system. Price was on point at $200 and well worth the investment. They are actually on sale now at just a tick over $150. Stay away from Airwalks, friend had a pair that snapped the liner out of and they would not replace under the warranty, told my friend that he abused the boot....

Bindings - Another comfort over cost item. Try them on with the boots you buy. If the boot is a soft shell boot then you will want to reduce pressure points at the outside of the toes by using a binding that has the front strap around the front of the toe. If you have a hard shell then i would stick with trying bindings that are over the toe. The new style Flow speed entry bindings are another trick little setup. I have never tried them but they seem to be popular. I do know they use mostly plastic straps and buckles which makes me think the durability isnt all there. For reference, my year 2000 Ride Ultra Lites are plastic straps(replaceable) with aluminum buckles and aluminum highback. They are incredibly light but very strong where it counts.

Board - I ride on a K2 Rewind - an all mountain board. Its very light compared to most other boards and is a flat base. Alot of companies are introducing camber and rocker into the boards to improve pop and flex for the park. Depending on what riding style(all mountain, park & pipe, freestyle) you should choose a board that goes well with that type of riding. One thing i would suggest is finding a board that is extremely light. After 6+ hours you will notice the heavier boards, especially in your ankles and thighs. The lighter the board and you get better heel/toe response when on edge.

If you have any other questions(setup of the bindings/board...etc) let me know. Ive been doing this a long time and have gone through quite a few setups. Been riding since mid 96 and been everywhere from British Columbia to Vermont. Im actually headed out to Winter Park(own a condo in Granby) for a week with some friends in two weeks.

 

[STXDriver98544]

For the longest time I had a set of cheap Vans boots that I didn't think anything of. They weren't all that comfortable, weren't all that warm, but they worked.

With that said you have the right outlook. When purchasing your gear, first set your budget. Then you want to look at the priority items.

1. Boots. This is your #1 priority. It's like tires on your car, they do all the work. Pickup something that is comfortable and supportive.
2. Bindings, I use Flow myself because I like the ease of a click-in but the support of a strap-in
3. Board. Sounds like you're looking at all mountain boards here. I've been riding a Solomon Rude for a while now and it's done great for that purpose. It's at the ends of it's life currently though.

Obviously, get a quality helmet and quality eyewhere as well.

Yea, I would consider myself on a level between intermediate/beginner, so when purchasing everything I'll want something that I'll be able to "grow into" skill-wise. I will want my boots to be a quality fit, that I can hang onto for years to come. Bindings and board I will purchase with the expectation of having to upgrade in the near future. And for the brain bucket, you can bet I won't be cutting corners on that purchase!

check amazon, thehouse.com. I have dc boots with the "boa" and Flow 2 bindings. great for cruising and some small jumps as im no longer a daredevil. just got my son a nice rossignal for $160 on amazon. good deals to be had.

Yea, I plan on doing my shopping this summer, when things go on clearance. I've heard that's the best time for obvious reasons.

Best bet for boots is to get somewhere and try them on. I can't recall what brand boots or bindings I have as I haven't so much as strapped in for at least two years. I do know that for years I had a cheap pair of Vans and some K2 bindings that did their job admirably. In terms of boards, I have used Ride for years and have never regretted that decision.

You can generally find some pretty good options and opinions if you get out to a dedicate ski/board store. That would be my very first step.

It's hard to trust peoples advice here in Texas at the stores, but, I do plan on doing a lot of trying on and "feeling them out" before I go buying some. It'll be a step by step process for sure, I might just buy boots for now and then purchase a board and bindings next winter.

plus 1 on the boots. ive had quite a few pairs. the absolute best that ive ever used and still want are the ratcheting style. with laces i can never get my damn boots tight enough in the right spots. those ratcheting boots are amazing and cinch everything down equally with ease!

board and bindings arent as big of a deal, especially if youre still learning. ive been boarding off and on for almost 20 years. i could board on a 2x4 if need be

if youre still learning, grab something cheap. you will upgrade in a year or so anyways. i also found it soooo much easier to learn on a small board. i used a female friends board. "way too small" for my height/weight but i was carving shit up on day 2 thanks to that board. just easier to control.

and dont go silly buying expensive matching gear. good pants are important but you can get them on sale for pretty cheap. ive bought pairs for $20 that were great. you want to be able to sit on your butt and not go numb. that's it lol. as far as jackets, you will likely change that up once you find what is comfortable. i just use a hoody now.

you can some times score good gloves at costco for like $20-30. they used to carry boards and bindings too. cheap stuff but worked great for years while i was learning.

I've heard mixed things about the "Boa" style, because you can't adjust your upper or lower areas separately, it tightens everything down the same, which sometimes makes the boot uncomfortable. Luckily clothing has already been covered, this wasn't my first year on the slopes. I've been a skier for quite a while, I've boarded the last 2 years though. I'll definitely keep in mind the possibility of upgrading, I won't go out buying the best of the best on my first gear purchase!

As all have said, boots are a HUGE priority but the bindings are equally important, if you have some shitty, non supportive bindings, you're going to be just as bad off as having a crap pair of boots.

I've always had good luck with Burton bindings, Burton or K2 boards and 32 boots. Burton is super main stream stuff but it's solid and reasonably priced for beginners. But when I switched from Burton boots to 32s, the difference was insane. I wouldn't recommend it but i've driven home in my 32s sometimes versus my Burtons feeling like a pair of concrete shoes.

Best of luck no matter what you buy but go out and try a bunch of stuff on and find out what works for you. Congrats on joining the fold, boarding is far and away my favorite activity. God I miss the Northeast.

When I go try stuff on, I'll look into 32's, I've had my eye on the Burton stuff online. And yes, I'm sick of renting, the equipment is expensive as hell to rent, and the quality sucks. I figured by buying your own stuff, it'll pay itself off because those rental fees are so high. Hell, one 5 day trip costs the same as a pair of boots practically.

 

[sunburned]

I rode for years on a bargain basement setup that was less than $500 for boots/bindings/board and it worked ok. But upgrading was quite an eye opener.

Went from crappy lace up boots to K2's with BOA and heat molded inserts. You can get BOA's nice and tight for the slopes or pop em loose in 2 seconds for walking around. Mine were only $200 or so. Definitely have to try these on, don't buy online.

I stepped up to some decent Burton Custom bindings for a few years, which worked fine but it got so old having to sit down and strap in every damn time. Here on the east coast, the runs are very short so you spend a lot of time riding the lifts and strapping in. Plus the ratchet straps wore out after only a few years, I guess they weren't getting as tight as I liked. Upgraded last year to a set of Flows and they are so much nicer. Aluminum frame for stiffness and the footpads are super cushy, plus angled inward to take stress off your knees. They were around $300 but definitely worth it.

Board is a K2 Raygun that I picked up 2 years ago from REI. I did a bunch of research online to find a really good all-around board and this was the consensus. It's a rocker profile, which makes it harder to catch an edge in the icy fake snow we have in the east.


Check out the snowboarding forums plus look at reviews on sites like backcountry and evo.com.

 

[STXDriver98544]

Here is my setup:

Boots - Salomon Faction Boa's
Bindings - Ride Ultralite 2000's(VERY VERY OLD)
Board - K2 Rewind

My recommendations?
Boots - Try on everything and anything and buy the boots FIRST. Name does not matter, your feet do. I spent 6 months trying on new boots before I gave my buddy my old boots. I did find that Northwave tie up lace boots were the most comfortable for short periods of riding but the soft shell of the boots did not work with long periods of riding(6+ hours). I went with a set of hard shell Salomon Faction's with the Boa lace system. Price was on point at $200 and well worth the investment. They are actually on sale now at just a tick over $150. Stay away from Airwalks, friend had a pair that snapped the liner out of and they would not replace under the warranty, told my friend that he abused the boot....

Thanks for all the info, good thing I have an entire year before I go again. I'll start hitting the stores now. I ride all day, from about 10:30-4 when the lifts close with a lunch break. The Burtons that I rented, my feet were extremely fatigued by the end of every run, it really got frustrating.

Bindings - Another comfort over cost item. Try them on with the boots you buy. If the boot is a soft shell boot then you will want to reduce pressure points at the outside of the toes by using a binding that has the front strap around the front of the toe. If you have a hard shell then i would stick with trying bindings that are over the toe. The new style Flow speed entry bindings are another trick little setup. I have never tried them but they seem to be popular. I do know they use mostly plastic straps and buckles which makes me think the durability isnt all there. For reference, my year 2000 Ride Ultra Lites are plastic straps(replaceable) with aluminum buckles and aluminum highback. They are incredibly light but very strong where it counts.

Wow, that explains why my feet were falling asleep after a long run, I must've had a soft boot, and I had a over-toe binding. I will definitely remember this.

Board - I ride on a K2 Rewind - an all mountain board. Its very light compared to most other boards and is a flat base. Alot of companies are introducing camber and rocker into the boards to improve pop and flex for the park. Depending on what riding style(all mountain, park & pipe, freestyle) you should choose a board that goes well with that type of riding. One thing i would suggest is finding a board that is extremely light. After 6+ hours you will notice the heavier boards, especially in your ankles and thighs. The lighter the board and you get better heel/toe response when on edge.

If, and it's a big if, I ever decide to do tricks it'll be small stuff on the terrain park. I plan on keeping the all mountain style board as my main focus.

If you have any other questions(setup of the bindings/board...etc) let me know. Ive been doing this a long time and have gone through quite a few setups. Been riding since mid 96 and been everywhere from British Columbia to Vermont. Im actually headed out to Winter Park(own a condo in Granby) for a week with some friends in two weeks.

Awesome, thanks, I really appreciate it. Your info has helped a lot. I've skied since I was in 8th grade I think, I took board lessons 10 years ago when I was in highschool, I picked it back up last year and basically re-taught myself with what I could remember and did pretty well. This past week was awesome minus the mechanical issues I was having with the crappy rental equipment. My technique is great, I just need to get my own stuff so I can board comfortably for a full day and enjoy it pain-free.

 

[sunburned]

Any suggestions for Park City? I'm headed there tomorrow for a week. I think we are going to Canyons and Snowbird/Alta.

 

[Matts00GT]

As some have mentioned, go to an actual store to try on boots. You don't have to buy them there, but at least then you'll know exactly what you're looking for.

I've got Solomon boots with the BOA (quick lace), a Rome Reverb Rocker board and Union bindings. I honestly don't love the bindings. I wear a size 12 and I feel like it's an 'in-between' size for Unions bindings even though they say it should fit up to a 14. The toe cap just doesn't sit how it should imo. I'll probably swap them out next year. Definitely get bindings with a toe cap instead of the over-the-foot strap imo.

 

[TRBO VNM]

Definitely go to the store to try on the boots. And when you do, make sure you walk around with them for a while to make sure they are comfortable. My biggest mistake with my first set is I just bought them because they were clip in. My feet would go numb all the time when I had them tight. I finally changed a few yrs ago to a different boot and binding.

I so bad wanted DC boots, but every single one I tried on was uncomfortable or put pressure on certain spots of my feet that hurt. The most comfortable for me was one of the cheaper brand boots (forget the name), go figure.

 

[STXDriver98544]

Any suggestions for Park City? I'm headed there tomorrow for a week. I think we are going to Canyons and Snowbird/Alta.

One of my favorite places by far to visit. The runs are extremely long compared to many other places I've been to. Canyons is great, you'll easily spend AT LEAST a day there and still probably won't be able to cover the whole mountain. While you're there you might as well visit Park City. If you purchase your lift tickets online, do it today, that lift pass will work at both Canyons and Park City and you save money online. I saved 81 dollars for a 3 day pass when I got mine. Deer Valley doesn't allow snowboarders so that's out of the question. I've yet to check out Snowbird/ Alta. If you head to those resorts let me know when you get back I'd be interested in how they are. I imagine they're just as awesome as the rest of the Utah mountains.

 

[einehund]

I've got Burton boots, generic bindings I bought in Germany for 50 Euros, and a RIDE board. Most important thing is the boots. They are the only piece of equipment that are supposed to both be warm and comfortable. I recommend waiting until the end of the season, and buying your equipment then. My boots were originally $350 and I got them brand new for $75. Same thing with my Solomon goggles. For whatever reason, there really is a "last year's model" of equipment and you can get really good stuff for really cheap.

 

[CompOrange04GT]

Definitely go to the store to try on the boots. And when you do, make sure you walk around with them for a while to make sure they are comfortable. My biggest mistake with my first set is I just bought them because they were clip in. My feet would go numb all the time when I had them tight. I finally changed a few yrs ago to a different boot and binding.

I so bad wanted DC boots, but every single one I tried on was uncomfortable or put pressure on certain spots of my feet that hurt. The most comfortable for me was one of the cheaper brand boots (forget the name), go figure.

I absolutely love my DC boots. Cost me $210 on Amazon.. so damn comfy

 

[Double"O"]

Knuckle draggers.....

 

[AluminatorSnake]

Out of all the boots I've had, I prefer Thirty Two brand boots. I've had their lashed, TM2, and now their ultralights. all have been amazing. The best thing about them is they are heat moldable. That gives a custom fit to you, and the only break in time is the amount of ankle flex that you will get.

 

[Steve@TF]

i actually got to try the BOA boots as rentals. they were awesome. no issue with needing to adjust different parts of the boot. i have that issue with laces. i cant get certain areas tight enough and it bothers the hell out of me. i went to Sports Authority and they had a couple of pairs of them on clearance but none in my size

i got my boots at sports chalet. iirc they give you 30 days to try the boots back and bring them back for an exchange if you dont like them. that's pretty cool. and they have a large selection of boots to try out.


i really want to get those boa boots but had a hard time justifying spending $200 on a pair when ive barely even gone the past years. didnt go last year since weather sucked and this year isnt looking good either

also, get yourself a helmet. i think mine was $30? there's been a couple of times where ive slipped on ice and hit my head on the ground. its a good investment. plus it helps keep your head warm
although people will be looking at you like youre going to be doing backflips and rodeos lol

Definitely go to the store to try on the boots. And when you do, make sure you walk around with them for a while to make sure they are comfortable. My biggest mistake with my first set is I just bought them because they were clip in. My feet would go numb all the time when I had them tight. I finally changed a few yrs ago to a different boot and binding.

I so bad wanted DC boots, but every single one I tried on was uncomfortable or put pressure on certain spots of my feet that hurt. The most comfortable for me was one of the cheaper brand boots (forget the name), go figure.

i really wanted Vans boots but had the same issue. none were comfortable to me, but looked great! i have burtons.

Knuckle draggers.....

two planker!