Snowboarding board decisions

So I’m off to Tignes next easter, and I can’t work out which option to go for board-wise out of:

a) take my own very old but good when I got it board;
b) rent a board out there; or
c) get a new board.

Last few times I went I’ve taken my ancient board, but now I’m thinking that things must have progressed so much that I might be better getting rid of it even in favour of hiring a modern one. But then I think should I just buy a modern one? Tough decisions… what would you guys do?

I used to rent, but bought a YES Basic and some salomon bindings in a sale, the difference compared to the rental stuff was night and day, wish I’d bought sooner. I’m no expert but I imagine there has been a lot of progress in board profiles over the years. Some experts will be along shortly to argue and disagree with each other.

It can be worth hiring when you factor in the cost of board carriage on the plane (especially on Easyjet or Ryan Air!)

How old is your current board?

Have you tried the various new(ish) board shapes?

Can you make it along to a demo day at one of the snowdomes?

I settled on my current board (Bataleon Goliath) after riding a whole bunch of boards at the Big Bang Snowboard Show and loving the TBT profile on the Bataleons.

I got very grumpy with wife a few birthdays a go for ‘wasting’ money on a new board when I had my trusty board and bindings in the roof, i’m not good enough to notice the difference… Or so I thought. I did apologise after using it for the first time… much easier to ride than my old kit…

bj, that’s what I’m thinking, and obviously the economics of continually renting rather than owning are a factor here.

GS, how old – pretty old, it’s a Burton Custom ’99 (edit, in fact it might be 1998!)! I haven’t tried anything other than it, it’s the only thing I’ve ridden since I got it. Demo, potentially but not sure. I do feel a lean towards getting something new, though good point about a sale option…

oh and we’ll probably drive, so flight cost not an issue at least on this trip.

Depends what you rent and where you rent if from. Bargain basement stuff, crappy old board crappy old bindings, yes, you’d probably have a terrible time. But there are plenty of places renting bronze/silver/gold level stuff the same as the std ski rental model.

If you’re interested in buying new, see if there’s a place that does demos. You get to try out a few different boards from that season or maybe last, and they’ll likely take the hire/demo cost off a new board if you buy. i did that last time I bought. 3 days’ demo, one I really liked, and it was end of season so 25% off on top. It would almost have been rude not to!

Good board but yeah things have moved on.
There are certainly a lot more profile and flex options these days. You do really need to try a few to see what suits you.

Check out your local snowdome. Most have an Ellis Brigham / Snowboard Asylum that will let you demo boards.

Or spend a day doing it in resort. (Though that’s not always the cheapest option!)

Bit of b) closely followed by c).

Snowdome is a good shout.

Still ride my burton custom 99 – Ride a burton fish most of the time now but the custom is great for groomer days when theres no power

Yeah, buy a new board and take it with you. More specifically, buy a Bataleon board – you genuinely won’t regret it.

No more catching edges – loads of other brands have started copying their designs, but they’re the originals (and IMHO, the best).

Enjoy – Tignes is ace!

I went to the Chill factore near the trafford centre, and visited subvert.

Great selection to choose from and loads of demo boards to try out, had to pay a small deposit but had that credited against the board when I bought it. Ended up with a burton process flying v.

The newer shapes with various rocker/camber combinations are so different to the old log I used to use!

I always take my own board, but I’ve been with others who have rented, and even when they choose th ‘gold’ rental option, its a really poor board. So i’d discount renting for that reason alone.

New boards have come on loads in the last 15 years , but dont just automatically buy into the hype about rocker (and the variations) boards. I bought an expensive Burton Antler flying V board for a holiday and hated it (still got it if anyone wants it, 1 weeks use on snow), have now gone back to a camber board (Burton Custom X). The flying V was only ok on soft snow, and even then the custom X was superior. In any other conditions the flying V was terrible.

You may think different, and plenty of people do love the rocker boards, but I hated the one I tried.

Ask on the http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/the-stw-ski-snowboard-thread-the-2015-2016-season thread if anyone knows a decent board shop in Tignes that does demos.

Personally I’d much rather rent a few different things and spend the day getting to know them and razzing round a variety of pistes/powder-if-you’re-lucky.

That board that feels super snappy and really responsive on a few runs in the dome might be a handful on steeper stuff, knackering by the end of the day and bite you in the arse for a lapse in concentration.

Plus my nearest dome is a drive away, and a decent session is going to cost a bit. and that’s a day I’d rather be out on the bike. Not saying any way is wrong, just saying what I’d definitely do!

Take your old one out anyway, spend the first day getting your legs back. Then you know if the second board you demo is better because it’s better or because it’s your second day in ages, rather than your first!

1st board I’d try in your boots would be a new Custom – camber then rocker.

I’ve gone through about 5 boards since ’99 so you can guess where this is going.

Get a new one. Technology has changed enormously, you’ve got so much more to choose from. Different cambers, magne traction, lighter materials and innovative shapes + sizes.

Are you near any of the indoor snowdomes so that you can try some out?

Or near London? (the Telegraph ski & snowboard show is on until Sunday)

Whitelines best boards 2015/2016: http://whitelines.com/snowboards-2015-2016#xoZ1tPZyH6jidSRV.97

julians – it does depend on what the shop’s like, obviously. There’s hire places, big chains like twinner and then shops that want to sell you a board. I got my last board at Zero-G in Chamonix, you can rent all sorts of weird and wonderful things in there. I took a Dupraz D1 5’5 over to Courmeyer and razzed it round in the soft stuff all day.

and theflatboy, if it’s Easter you’re going (I just read that bit) you’re well into end of season discount time.

I have been using a K2 Nemesis since 2004. This year I decided to try out a few new boards to see how things had changed.
The guys at Ellis Brigham in CasVegas (Castleton XScape) sat down and asked loads of questions before drawing up a shortlist of 3 boards. I eventually ended up with a Jones Aviator after trying a couple of them.
The difference between the boards is enormous. So much more feel in a modern board/binding combo.
Really want to get away, but may have to miss this year as we have another little one on the way and are in the middle of building an extension.

Guys, thanks – some good suggestions and points I hadn’t thought of, particularly taking my board out there and then trying alternatives once I’m there. I may try to pick something up in sales but we’ll see.

Looking forward to it even more now!

I’v got a 2000 custom. Owned around 20 boards since then. The custom is still my fav for all round bombing. She’s well over 100 days old now. Lost a bit of its outright spunk but has mellowed into a super easy ride.

Try snowdroppe in Tignes. Very helpful snowboard shop with a wide range of hire and purchase options

ended up with a burton process flying v.

+1

Great all round board, copes fine on and off piste.

Tignes Spirit (lac) or Bazoom (val claret, may have changed name recently) will do demos. But there’s not that much wrong with your Custom, unless the camber has died.

Cheers all. 🙂

I took a Dupraz D1 5’5 over to Courmeyer and razzed it round in the soft stuff all day.

My current board of choice is the Dupraz, it’s an absolute gem of a board, love it.