the chosen one

looking at starting a new hobby up after the new year when i hopefully will have some spare cash left over. just wondering whether are there any snowboarders on scoobynet? could any of you possibly help me on the equipment i would need and a estimation on how much it would cost to maintain eg. new boards, board service etc etc

thanx in advance

darren

the chosen one

BTTT

New To Scoob

Darren, for snowboarding the prices have dropped quite rapidy over the last couple of years due to more manufacturers and a higher turnover of equipment. If you can get to a local dry-slope get a couple of lessons first before you dive in and buy a load of gear. Alternatively try and get a holiday trip somewhere, don't worry about getting crud gear as most good resorts update their gear every year.
For buying gear go to a good shop if it's your first board they can offer better advice on boards and boots than buying of the net as you may end up with a board that is too advanced for you, trust me on this I bought a Burton Custom and only now after 4 seasons am I at a level where I can control and use the board to its true potential.
As for buying price-wise, a good board "Ride/Salomon/Burton/Gnu.. etc" will set you back between £200/300 don't be tempted to go any further as the boards are designed for advanced riders, the boards in that price range will allow you to learn and progress for a couple of years before you need to change. Some of the Ride boards are excellent for the price.
Boots, one of these things get the best you can afford £100/150 if your feet aren't comfy your going to have a crud day out. Vans/Burton/Salomon are good buys again.
Binidings, these sound be around £100 once again the manufacturers I've mentioned already do various styles, one thing you need to remember is that Burton boards will only accept Burton bindings due to their three hole fixings.
After that remember all your clothing, snowboarding gives gloves and trousers a hard time due to the amount of time you spend on your butt and knees.
Get yourself down to WHSmith or so and get this months Snowboarding UK as this is the issue with all the new gear in it for this season and it is a good guide for people startinig out also.
Most of all have FUN.
Heres looking forward to the start of the season as I'm going to Canada for it

John.

Buckrogers

Hi

Ditto most of the above, apart from dry slope training. If you can, make the trip to a "snowdome". There is one in Milton Keynes and one near Birmingham somewhere. I think there are others in the country. So I have heard, dry slopes with the old "mesh" stlye carpet have a tendency to break "thumbs", if you fall!

Book a 3 hour intro (if you are travelling some distance to a snowdome, its more worth while doing a 3 hour intro lesson.)

If you want a cheap snowboarding holiday, go to Bulgaria, £400 - £500 for everything, incl food and beer money. (www.bulgariaski.com) If you do go to Bulgaria, DO NOT use the web sites equipment hire facilitys (Boarding kit is around 10 years old, I know I hired it!). Wait till you get there, walk down the main drag of the shops and pop into the many ski / snowboard shops. Hire any kit you need there.

My advice to you would be:
Do the lesson, if you then dont like it, end of story.
If you do like it, perhaps do some more lessons, then book a cheap snowboarding holiday. If you buy any kit, buy boots. If you want to buy a board / bindings wait till you get out of the country! I bought my Burton board and bindings from Bulgaria, saved around £60 - £80. Also, buy some "wrist guards" then put them on BEFORE you buy any gloves.

Have fun! Buck



John

Where are u going to in Canada?
We are booked to go to Whistler on the 18/01 cant wait.

New To Scoob

Totally agree with Buck about the Dryslope/Snowdome if you can go to the Snowdome go there not the dryslope, yet some dryslopes are now using snowflex stuff its like a large carget so no hexagons to break/dislocate your thumbs

Buck, going to Banff on the 6th of December for a week to get the fresh stuff my boards looking pretty beat up now so I'm not too bothered about rocks and stuff, might buy a new one when I'm there.

John.

Brendan Hughes

<sniff> Banff <sniff>

Been there three times, adored it. Couldn't go last year and can't go this year as buying new house.

Have a Beaver Tail at Louise for me!

Buckrogers

John /Brendan, either of you guys been to Whistler before?
Any places to recommend, ski runs / bars / food?

They are predicting high snow fall for BC this season, due to hot summer....sorry Brendan

LG John

I'm a born and bread dry slope snowboarder although I've not done it for years To get started I'd try and pick up some really cheap (probably 2nd hand equipment) until you learn how to snowboard. That way if you rip an edge out or snap the board its not great loss. Also, snowboarding is very difficult to learn at the biggining and a lot of people just don't put up with the pain you suffer in your first 10 or so hours of learning. Trust me you will get the hang of it and then you get more pain when you start landing on your head trying front flips and 720's

If you do get into dry slope boarding be aware that you'll need a new board pretty much every year. No matter how much you wax the heat (friction) will melt the edges and eventually the p-tex degrades beyond repair. Also if you can afford it get quick release bindings (I had clickers) as these save a lot of p!ssing around.

Have fun

civictyper

Hi Darren

Ditto some of the above but defo come to MK and have some lessons at the Xscape. Biggest real snow slope in Europe (allegedly) and is great for starting out. Well worth having a good few lessons before you go as it will give you a head start come holiday time.

I'm no snowboarder by any stretch but, assuming you take to your lessons, I'd just buy a nice pair of pants/jacket etc and hire the boots/board for the first year. A decent pair of pants and jacket will cost about £300 and expect to pay an extra £200 or so on gloves,goggles/shades, wrist protectors, socks, thermals etc. By the end of your first week you should have an idea of what sort of board you would like to use so can go from there (I'd prefer something slim and speedy as I'm not into jumps etc).

I do hope you get into your boarding as going mental down the slopes is fantastic fun and a really awesome experience. God I'm jealous now

New To Scoob

Brendan, this'll be my third time there, was meant to be going in March aswell but had to call that one off due to a rather unplanned new house buy, don't worry I'll have a beaver tail and a beer for you a LL, then I'll finish the day by having a cowboy steak in the Barbarry Coast

Buck, sorry mate haven't been to Whistler before so can't really help you on that one.

SB, your right about the base getting F'ed on dryslope but I would personnally avoid clickers or step-ins they have a habit of freezing in the cold conditions you can end up experiencing when your on the mountain, trust me I saw this France a few years ago when I was on the Glacier my leash froze solid and I had to take my glove off to take it off my board.

John.

DJ140

Went boarding last March, based in Banff, best ski holiday ever, people, food and snow all fantastic.

First timers should hire in the resort, mostly good equipment and usually fitted by people that know what there're doing, unlike a lot of places in the UK.

Look at. for live webcam views of the resort, 27cm of snow in the last 24 hours!

Dan

[Edited by DJ140 - 10/31/2003 5:15:38 PM]

[Edited by DJ140 - 10/31/2003 5:16:41 PM]

Buckrogers

DJ140, that link does not work for me?

New To Scoob

Buck, Try SkiBig3.com

John.

Brendan Hughes

Thanks for the kind words on this (now even more) depressing Friday

Never been to Whistler, not sure I want to go. Two reasons; 1. Many Banff-ites / Canadians have told me that the prices are going up and the quality is going down as it becomes so successful. This view alone could be debated for years. But I've also heard 2. It's near the coast and can get snap showers, or at least wet snow, round the edges of the season or occasionally in the middle. As I'm limited to the longer school holidays, ie Christmas or April, I want to minimise my chances of that happening. Mid-Jan, you should be OK.

I'd like to try Fernie next.

BTW mention this in Muppets, I think there are a bunch of Whistler residents muppeting away, summat about I-club.

And in answer to the original - if you've never been boarding before, why buy now? Hire for the first year or even two, unless you happen to live by mountains [hmm, Hampshire - Don't Think So]; crazy if you only use one week a year. Learn whether you want a free-ride, trick, carving, race board... then change your mind as technology has moved on while you were deciding

Let me find last year's thread on this...

the chosen one

cheers for the help guys, probably just gonna look around at some snowboarding shops from now up until the new year then pick out the best equipment which i'll need.

anyone been to any of the european resorts in italy and france? heard they're suppose to be quite good for beginners and intermediates.

Andrew Dixon

Hi Darren.

Excellent choice .. just be careful it doesn't totally change your life! I fell so on live with snowboarding that I sold my Subaru and moved to Canada for the winter back in 2001!

First of all, definitely get dry-slope or indoor snow slope lessons to get you started (3 or more hour long lessons would be good). This well teach you the basics and give you a head start when you make it out onto the mountain - but don't let it put you off! There's a list of UK indoor slopes here.

As for equipment, I'd recommend finding a local snowboard shop and going in for a chat. If you are anywhere near Sheffield give my mates Stef and Andy a call at Slide (0114) 270 6666.

The most expensive gear is rarely the most suitable for a beginner, and at this time of year stores are absolutely desperate to shift last year's stock - a good way to save serious cash. Don't buy anything mail order unless you are 100% sure it is suitable, this is absolutely essential when buying boots! Try on lots of pairs and get advice on how they should feel on your feet. Well worth spending a bit more on boots as getting sore feet every day can ruin a holiday.

I've been searching out boards for a beginner mate recently, there are a lot of good beginner/intermediate boards around the £250 mark .. we narrowed it down to the Gnu Carbon High Beam or the Burton Bullet. Both can be seen at Snowboard Asylum.

Right, typed far too much and my lunch break is drawing to a close. Feel free to email if you would like any more advice, links, etc.

Good luck.

Andrew.

Brendan Hughes

Here's the thread where I (and others) gushed about Canada, plus the Whistler scoobynet crew ...

Andrew Dixon

.. and experts too! Europe has some of the most demanding terrain on the face of the planet.

civictyper

Darren

I learnt in Les Arc and found it excellent (lots of green/red slopes) although there's not much going on at night.

My partner has been to Andorra and found that pretty cool too

Andrew Dixon

Les Arcs has a huge British seasonnaire population out there thanks to the its reputation as a snowboard paradise - many British pros spend the winter there. It does tend to be a bit cliquey though and you have to know where to go to find the nightlife. I learnt to ride there whilst staying with a mate who was out there for the season. Definitely recommended even if the villages are not particularly picturesque!

Andrew Dixon

.. oh, and the forum at SnowboardingUK is a great place to ask for advice on gear, holidays, etc.

the chosen one

cheers andrew i'll check out tomorrow morning, trick or treaters wouldn't give me a moments peace lol!!!!!