new to this sport, want to buy some gear

i am looking to buy some gear, i only snowboard about 3 times a year,
so i don't want some expensive and fancy snowboard package that costs a
a lot. I am looking at a package under 250. does anyone know any good
deals? Does anyone have any advice?

thanks

Just hit a discount sporting goods dealership like Big5, Copelands,
Oshmans, and they have plenty on sale from this year at 35% off, in
that price range.
Lower the quality of board, the more in tune it has to be to work
well, which it will, if the rider is capable.
That means good binding placement, edge sharp and detuned, well waxed
bottoms.....

big5 and copelands are in westcoast, but i am living in east coast,
oshmans is the only store i can choose from. Are there any more
possiblities i can choose from

thanks

LeeD wrote:
edge sharp and detuned,

I've heared this before. What does detuning edges involve and why would
you want to do it?

Most boarders have trouble with flat, fast runouts, and bevelling the
front and rear edges, usually around 2.5 " into the running length,
allows you to run dead flat and dead straight, without catching edges
or hunting left and right.
Almost all ski racers, and for sure all snowboard racers do this to
some extent. Yes, racers ride from edge to edge, so it must help that
way too.
I spent the first couple years hanging out with snowboard racers,
from the Summit Team to the Hot team, and they all agreed a 20 degree
bevel at nose and tail helps tremendously to make the boards easier to
ride, without losing too much edgehold in icy conditions.

Originally Posted by LeeD

Most boarders have trouble with flat, fast runouts, and bevelling the
front and rear edges, usually around 2.5 " into the running length,
allows you to run dead flat and dead straight, without catching edges
or hunting left and right
...and they all agreed a 20 degree
bevel at nose and tail helps tremendously to make the boards easier to
ride, without losing too much edgehold in icy conditions.

Thanks LeeD for this advice. After four days on the board, my slams are occurring in exactly this flat run-out condition you describe.

aznjz712, don't forget to look at used equipment! I didn't want to invest a lot of cash, not knowing if I'd stick with boarding. I found a great board, boots & bindings for $150 on Craig's List, and ended up spending another $180 on a really nice pair of new boots that fit perfectly.

If you're in no hurry to buy, I'd wait until a good deal comes along
for the right eqpt. The best deals are usually mid Feb/Mar in North
America, when shops are clearing out inventory. You can also sometimes
find good deals on Ebay, but be careful. I see many people paying
crazy prices there, often close to what you could get the item for at
local retail. And in some cases more.

I just saw a Burton Custom X that was slightly used go for $330. Now
that could be a real good deal, if it were coming from someone with
established record and good feedback. In this case, it was coming from
a guy in PA with no feedback. He was an Ebay member for a week. I
sent an email asking if I could pick up the item, instead of having it
shipped. The answer was no, which was all I needed to know. Yet,
someone was willing to hand over $330 to this guy, on the assumption
they will get the item and that it's as described.

Originally Posted by

I just saw a Burton Custom X that was slightly used go for $330. Now
that could be a real good deal, if it were coming from someone with
established record and good feedback. In this case, it was coming from
a guy in PA with no feedback. He was an Ebay member for a week. I
sent an email asking if I could pick up the item, instead of having it
shipped. The answer was no, which was all I needed to know. Yet,
someone was willing to hand over $330 to this guy, on the assumption
they will get the item and that it's as described.

That's one benefit of trading on Craig's list or other local bulletin boards / gear swaps: the buyers are almost always local allowing a person-to-person meet to inspect gear and trade cash. Plus the price is almost always fixed and not subject to bidding wars.

lazyazn wrote:
big5 and copelands are in westcoast, but i am living in east coast,
oshmans is the only store i can choose from. Are there any more
possiblities i can choose from

thanks

There is also Ski Market, Blades Board & Skate, Princeton Ski Shop...
you might be able to find something at REI as well (although the last
one is generally more expensive).

If you are only going three times a year. I would suggest you just pump
like $150 into a good a good pair of boots and just rent board and
bindings for one or two seasons. My point being is that as a beginner,
you are not really going to be able to tell much difference between a
rental board and the types of boards you get in a discount package
deal. However, you will definitely be able to tell the difference with
a good pair of boots. It doesn't matter how responsive your board is or
how secure your bindings are if you feet are in a lot of pain (and they
will be if the boot is bad) and if you feet are sliding around in a
poorly fitting boot.

Tips on buying boots:
In general you will want to size a half to a full size down from your
shoe/sneaker size. It varies because each brand has a different idea of
what a "size 8" is for instance. A more reliable measure is the Mondo
sizing system which basically measures your foot in centimeters. For
instance, I have a 25.2 centimeter foot - this tends to translate into
a size 7.5-8 sneaker, but a size 6.5-7 snowboard boot. You will want
the snowboard boot to feel very "cozy" but without any creases or
pressure points when you walk around or bend your knees in an "athletic
crouch." The boot liners will pack-out after a few days of use so you
don't want to get something that will become too big for you. If you
find yourself cranking down the on the laces just to keep your foot
from slidding around, the boot is too big. Your toes should lightly
touch the front of the boot but not curled to the point of discomfort
(any slightly discomfort is magnified dramatically once you are on the
slopes). When you are actually snowboarding, your knees will be bent
and that will "pull" your toes back a little. Also check to see if your
heel lifts noticeably you are in this crouched position (this is bad
and to be avoided).

Remember that snowboarding boots are designed for snowboarding... not
walking or lounging by the fireplace, so they will be a little tight
fitting and a little bit stiff to walk around in compared to sneakers.

I hope this helps

"lonerider" wrote in news:1138737050.646359.225190
Tips on buying boots:
In general you will want to size a half to a full size down from your
shoe/sneaker size. It varies because each brand has a different idea of
what a "size 8" is for instance. A more reliable measure is the Mondo
sizing system which basically measures your foot in centimeters. For
instance, I have a 25.2 centimeter foot - this tends to translate into
a size 7.5-8 sneaker, but a size 6.5-7 snowboard boot. You will want
the snowboard boot to feel very "cozy" but without any creases or
pressure points when you walk around or bend your knees in an "athletic
crouch." The boot liners will pack-out after a few days of use so you
don't want to get something that will become too big for you. If you
find yourself cranking down the on the laces just to keep your foot
from slidding around, the boot is too big. Your toes should lightly
touch the front of the boot but not curled to the point of discomfort
(any slightly discomfort is magnified dramatically once you are on the
slopes). When you are actually snowboarding, your knees will be bent
and that will "pull" your toes back a little. Also check to see if your
heel lifts noticeably you are in this crouched position (this is bad
and to be avoided).

Excellent advice on boot fitting, lonerider. Also if you have time, wear
your new boots around the house for a day or two before going to the
slopes as they will form to your foot and shins a little or a lot
depending on the quality of the boot. I just bought new boots yesterday
and will be trying them out lightly tonight at the local bump.

Larry