Suitable Burton Board for Beginner

Question
Windlover:

I'm hoping to ge into snowboarding as a newbie and looking for a suitable entry level beginner board.  I've heard Burton is a great company as far as quality and durability is concerned and had a couple of questions:

First off, here are my dimensions:

Age 38 / 6'2" / 220 lbs / boot size 10-1/2 - farily athletic from windsurfing, surfing, stand-up paddling, etc.

to be used on New England slopes and conditions

So, I'm just looking to cruise around the mountain and stay in shape and balance and have fun.  I won't be pushing the limits of performance or anything demanding like that.

I've come across a lot of boards in the 162 - 163 cm range, for which I'm told is likely ideal for me, but most of them are wide boards, which I've also heard are difficult to manuever if you don't have large feet.

Here are a couple of boards I've had the option to purchase used, since new Burton gear seems to come at a premium.

2008 Burton Baron 162W
2007 Burton Canyon 162W

Are either of these boards suitable for me to learn on?

I went to the local Burton outlet and they suggested the Process 162 or Joystick 161, neither of which are wide boards, and both of which supposedly have more rocker than camber making it more forgiving and less prone to catch an edge, and a moderate flex that's also more user-friendly to the new rider, at least according to the Burton employee.

Any feedback or recommendations which you may have would be greatly appreciated.

Mahalo,

John

Answer
Hey John,

From your description of yourself and being a windsurfer, I don't know that you really need to get an entry level board. The learning curve for snowboarding is amazing. I recommend that you go through some lessons. Most areas are offering a three lesson package for a reasonable price. When I started snowboarding, I went for a three lesson package and was riding at a high intermediate level in three days. My only similar sport was windsurfing but I am also an avid skier which helps in knowing how edges and snow work together.

As for either of the used boards you mention, they are both rated as 'all-mountain' and are considered a wide board. For your height & weight, I don't think you will have much trouble handling either of these boards. Wider boards float better in powder but like wide skis, they tend to not handle quite as easily on the groomed. That can be overcome with experience and technique. The other reason for wide boards is to reduce or eliminate toe drag on folks with larger feet. Toe drag is usually an issue for the freestylers and park riders that ride with a very side on stance (ie; toes perpendicular to the nose of the board, 90 degree position). Most riders that just ride all-mountain and carving ride with some forward point to the toes.

Foot position is more of a rider choice for the style of riding that suits them best. I like to just make lots of turns and my stance is quite forward like an alpine racer. My forward foot is about 45 degrees and my back is about 75 degrees. Very similar to my stance on my windsurfer with just a bit more forward on the rear.

Everyone has an opinion on where to place their feet for learning. Many say to start at 90 degrees and adjust as your experience and style develop. From my experience, a little forward for both makes the learning curve easier than 90 degrees. With some forward positioning, you are able to use the knees more for initiating and maintaining a turn.

As for Burton boards, they are very high quality and perform well. When buying used, be sure to check for damage to the base and edges. Bases should have no major repairs or gouges. Edges should be smooth, no rust pits, or major damage. Edges are hard to repair but bases can be fixed with usually no problems. The major issue when you see a major base repair is not knowing how much damage may have been caused to the core of the board. There really is no way to repair core damage and it usually just gets some epoxy shoved in and then the base repair covers up the patch.

As for taking care of your board, wipe off the excess water from the edges when you stick it in the garage. This helps prevent surface rust. Get a regular tune up to keep the edges sharp. Hot waxing regularly keeps the base in good condition and makes the board slide smooth. If you ride on icy/hard conditions, you may need a tune up 2-3 times a season and hot waxing should be done every 3-5 days of riding. The wax lasts longer on soft snow than on hard/icy conditions. When the season is over, get a fresh tune up and hot wax. Ask the shop to NOT scrape the wax. This keeps moisture off the edges and helps prevent the base from drying out.

Hope this helps.
Keep on riding,
Windlover