The Top 5 Beginner Snowboards for Women

Comments

1. emma says

   November 2, 2019 at 10:44 pm

   Hi Nate,

   I have only snowboarded once before, looking to buy the nitro lectra. I am 174cm and about 65-70Kg. Would I get the 146cm or 149cm size board?

   Thanks!

   Reply

   • Nate says

     November 4, 2019 at 2:55 pm

     Hi Emma

     Thanks for your message.

     For your specs, as a beginner, I would go for the 149.

     Hope this helps

     Reply

2. Rey says

   September 21, 2019 at 6:39 am

   Hi! I’m looking to get my first board this year, I seem to be between beginner and intermediate so I’m quite confused as to which board i should get. I have been on a board about 4 times now, mainly go in the French alps, but it’s always been with rental boards so far. I can come down a blue or red quite easily by now.
   I’m 173cm, 60kg and wear a UK5 boot. I’ve got Salomon pearl 19 boots.

   I’m looking for something that won’t break the bank and what I’ll be able to use for some years to come. I think I prefer a softer board but i love to ride powder more than the hard tracks.
   I’ve been looking at salomon gypsy, K2 bright lite, nitro lectra so far.

   Just looking for a recommendation for the size as well as the bindings to go with.
   Thanks!

   Reply

   • Nate says

     September 21, 2019 at 9:16 am

     Hi Rey

     Thanks for your message.

     Length-wise, I think something 146 to 148 would be a good range to look at for your specs/ability/preferences.

     Since you’re looking to ride the powder a bit, I would be leaning towards the Lectra and Bright Lite out of those 3, just because the Salomon Gypsy is a centered true twin, so it won’t float as well in powder – particularly if you start getting in deeper powder.

     You could also check out the following list for more options for that high-end beginner, low-end intermediate kind of range:

     >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

     The Never Summer Infinity could be a good match – something that’s still quite soft, but also quite good in powder. But certainly the Lectra and Bright Lite still good options too.

     In terms of bindings. If you’re going to go with a board around that 3/10, 4/10 flex range, then bindings around a similar flex is a good idea. I would check out the following:

     >>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings

     >>Top Women’s Freestyle Bindings

     Even though that second list is titled “freestyle” – you don’t have to ride freestyle with them, that’s just the name I’ve given it as bindings in that flex range tend to be good for freestyle – but also good for beginner/intermediate riders and generally matching with softer flexing boards.

     Hope this helps with your decision

     Reply

     • Rey says

       September 22, 2019 at 6:21 am

       Thanks for such a quick response!

       This helped a lot, especially te sizing. So far I’ve only been on boards 150+ i think, so I’m curious to see how big of a difference a smaller board would make.

       Found a really good deal on nitro lectra so I think I will be going for that. Unless you think the Rossignol Gala could also work for what I’m looking for?

       Thanks so much!

       Reply

       • Nate says

         September 23, 2019 at 12:11 pm

         Hi Rey

         I think the Lectra would be a good choice and if you can get a good deal on an appropriate size, then that’s a good way to go. The Gala would also work for what you’re describing, so also a good choice. I would say that the Lectra is slightly better in harder conditions vs the gala, in case you need a tie breaker.

         Reply

3. Bonny says

   September 20, 2019 at 4:04 pm

   Hey Nate!

   Thanks so much for this very helpful review! My sister directed me to your page since you helped her in ultimately choosing her Rossignol Gala board last year that she loves!

   I’d love your advice on what board I should get. I’d consider myself a progressing beginner. Have gone snowboarding about twice a season (usually in Utah and Colorado) for the last 2 years and loved it — figured it was time to get myself my first board! 🙂 I live in Boston now and bought my first epic pass this season! I definitely plan to take advantage of all the nearby NE resorts but also plan to go back to UT/CO this season as well. I’m around 5’7″, not sure what my snowboard boots are (honestly forgot what I used to rent and need to buy some soon) — prob around US women size 7.

   I’m currently looking at the Rossi Gala 146 since my sister loves hers. Also interested in the GNU B-Nice Asym BTX 145. Love to hear your thoughts on the two? thank you!!!

   Reply

   • Nate says

     September 21, 2019 at 9:04 am

     Hi Bonny

     Thanks for your message.

     Both of those boards would be great options as a beginner. I would be leaning towards the B-Nice Asym, just because it handles hard/icy conditions better, which you’re likely to get in New England right? – that or the GNU Chromatic. The YES Emoticon is another option that works well in hard/icy conditions and another great beginner option. Maybe slightly more advanced (but still very much beginner) than the Gala/B-Nice but since you’ve had a few days, I don’t think it would be a problem.

     Size-wise, weight has more to do with sizing than height these days. Height comes into it, but weight and boot size are more important. If you can let me know your weight, then I can more accurately recommend the correct size.

     Reply

     • Bonny says

       September 21, 2019 at 12:41 pm

       Thanks so much for the fast reply!!

       I’m around 135- 140 lbs. And yes — will see more hard/icy conditions this year. But I’m only planning to stay in the northeast for 1 year and after that, will likely be going more to Utah, Colorado, California and Canadian locations. So I’d definitely want a board that would be great in those less icy places as well! Last year I was very comfortable riding green and occasionally some blues. How is the Solomon Lotus? I’m pretty sure that I’ve rented that board before. Was trying to read all about camber and rocker to see what I would need — but got super confused haha!

       Could I ask you also about board sizing recommendation for my husband. He’s a way better snowboarder than me. Is comfortable with blues. He’s weighs around 160-165 lb and boot size 10.

       Thank you!!!!

       Reply

       • Nate says

         September 23, 2019 at 11:56 am

         Hi Bonny

         The Lotus is a good beginner option. The only thing that makes me hesitate a little on it, is that it has flat camber sections towards tip and tail rather than rockered sections. Typically rocker in that area makes a board more catch-free. The flat sections will be better than having camber there, but not as good as having rocker. In terms of riding in non-icy conditions the likes of the Emoticon and B Nice will perform fine in those places too – they’re just a little better when it comes to hard/icy conditions.

         Size-wise, I would say go for something around 147 to 149 for you. So for the boards mentioned, I would go with:

         Gala:146 (I’d err on the shorter rather than longer side of that range, but the 150 would be doable too)
         Emoticon: 149
         B Nice: 148
         Lotus: 146

         For your husband. Can you let me know his height. Sorry, I know I just mentioned that weight and boot size are the most important, but I do like to take height into account as well.

         Reply

         • Bonny says

           September 23, 2019 at 6:02 pm

           Thanks Nate!!!

           I just bought my snowboard boot and I’m a US size 7.5. Would those sizes for the boards be appropriate for my boot size?

           He’s 5’7.5”

           Thanks again Nate!!!

         • Nate says

           September 24, 2019 at 11:36 am

           Hi Bonny

           You’re very welcome.

           All those widths should be fine for your boots, I would say. Certainly they’re all wide enough. The width on the Lotus might just be getting on the slightly too wide side of things. Doable, but wider than ideal, IMO.

           For your husband, I would say something around 155, 156 would be a good range to look at.

4. Vanina says

   August 15, 2019 at 11:09 am

   Hi Nate!

   First of all, thank you for all the information you’ve posted online!. Both interesting and helpful!.

   I’m considering buying my first snowboard. I rode for 4 years, then gave up for the sake of motherhood and this year returned to the snow with my son!. So I figure it’s time to have my own snowboard. I don’t consider myself a begginer, but I’m not a solid intermediate either. I’ve learnt with rental gear (mainly men’s gear) therefore I’m quite sure that having my own board will help me progress.

   I find 3 boards very interesting: rosignol’s frenemy, burton’s yesayer and jones’s dream catcher. I want an all mountain board as I don’t do park, and also want to enjoy and have fun, being able to ride in most conditions and terrains.

   I’m also not very sure about which size I should get. I’m 168 cm tall and wieght between 54-58 kg. I usually ride 145 boards, but perhaps a longer one will work better for me.

   I would really appreciate it if you could give me your thoughts.

   Thanks so much,

   Kind regards.

   Vanina

   Reply

   • Nate says

     August 16, 2019 at 10:43 am

     Hi Vanina

     Thanks for your message.

     Firstly, in terms of length, I wouldn’t go too much longer than 145. For your specs, at an advanced level, for an all-mountain board, I would say around 147, but as a high-end beginner/low intermediate, as it sounds about where you are, you could certainly take some length off that. And if you don’t intend to be riding fast/aggressive, then there’s not much advantage to going longer. That plus if you will be riding with your son, it might be beneficial, at least to begin with, to go shorter rather than longer. Shorter boards are easier to maneuver at slower speeds. The big advantages of going longer – more stability at speed and more float in powder. If those aren’t big things, then I would be thinking a little shorter rather than longer. So around that 143-145 range sounds like it would suit you well. But if I have your desired riding style wrong, then this could be adjusted of course.

     Getting your own gear will certainly help you to get better, faster, than hiring gear, so good call there. A few things about the boards you’ve listed.

     The Frenemy would be a good option, IMO, and the 144 a good size. It’s not a beginner board, but a good board for a high-end beginner/low intermediate looking to progress and will still be a board that you can ride and enjoy as a more advanced rider.

     The Dream Catcher is, IMO, just that little bit above, in terms of ability. I would say it’s something that’s better if you’re already at a solid intermediate level. It’s not stretching way too far, but just stretching slightly further than ideal, IMO. If you were to go for it, then the 145 would be a good bet. This is the kind of board that can be ridden a little longer, so 148 isn’t out of the equation either but I would be leaning towards 145 if you went with this, partly because it’s a little more advanced, and going shorter will make it easier to manage.

     The Yeasayer (I’m assuming you’re talking about the Flat Top version (it also comes in a flying V) looks like a good option on paper. It’s not something that I’ve ridden an equivalent men’s version of exactly, but I think it would work well as an intermediate/just under intermediate option. I hired someone to test women’s snowboards in the winter, and she did get on the Yeasayer. She thought it was a little stiffer flexing than it’s rated and what she was expecting and not quite as nimble at slow speeds as she was expecting, but found that it performed really well in uneven terrain and crud. However, she did mention at times it felt a little catchy. Which surprised me, as the specs don’t suggest that, but wanted to mention that so you have all the info available.

     For more options check out the following, which I created specifically for those at that high-end beginner going on intermediate kind of level (you’ll see the Frenemy in there):

     >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

     Hope this helps with your decision

     Reply

     • vanina says

       August 20, 2019 at 5:22 pm

       Hi Nate!

       Thanks so much for all the amazing feedback and for taking the time to answer my questions thoroughly!!.

       I agree the dream catcher may be a little out of my league, but the challenge is what made me look at this board. I wouldn’t define myself as an aggressive rider, but I do enjoy catching speed. What I want is to be more in control and feel more confident in these cases, specially in uneven terrain.

       On the other hand, I believe the frenemy to be more playful and perhaps better for me at this stage.

       The yesayer was my weakest option, and after your input I can cross it out.

       I will be traveling to the US on December, so I still have time to make up my mind.

       One last question, whether I choose the dream catcher or the frenemy, do you think that Burton’s Scribe bindings can work for any of these boards?.

       Again, thanks so much!

       Kind regards,

       Vanina

       Reply

       • Nate says

         August 21, 2019 at 11:03 am

         You’re very welcome Vanina.

         Yeah the Scribe would be a good match for these boards, IMO. Probably the best match with the Frenemy, but would certainly work with the Dream Catcher too. The only thing to watch out for is to make sure you get the Re:Flex version of the Scribe and not the EST version (the EST is only designed to fit on Burton boards).

         Reply

         • vanina says

           August 21, 2019 at 11:21 am

           Thaks so much! You’ve helped me a whole lot!

           Kind regards from Argentina.

5. Julia says

   July 10, 2019 at 10:29 am

   Hi Nate,

   Great article and reviews!

   I’m a beginner (ride only green paths and still fall at least once when connecting turns). I’m 5’1, 110 lbs and 5.5 boot size. Could you give me advice on what kind of board I should get from your list and what size it should be? I’d really appreciate it!

   Reply

   • Nate says

     July 11, 2019 at 2:50 am

     Hi Julia

     Thanks for your message.

     I would look at the GNU B-Nice Asym 139 and the Roxy Sugar Banana 138. They are both good beginner boards, and would be a good size for you.

     For your specs, I would say no longer than 139 as a beginner – and with size 5.5 boots, most boards are too wide to be ideal, without going into kids boards. These two are narrower widths, which are much more suitable for your boot size than most women’s boards. So, yeah, I’d go with one of those, unless you wanted to look into kids boards.

     Hope this helps

     Reply

     • Julia says

       July 11, 2019 at 8:00 am

       Hi Nate,

       Do you think Nidecker Angel Snowboard (139cm) will work or is it too flex for beginners? I also found K2 Kandi Girls Snowboard (137cm) and Rossignol Myth (139cm) on sale, so was wondering if they are a good choice? Thank you!

       Reply

       • Nate says

         July 14, 2019 at 7:10 am

         Hi Julia

         I don’t test Nidecker gear, so I’m not sure if the 5/10 flex rating the Angel gets is accurate or not. But if it is, I’d say just a bit stiff for a beginner. And the width is on the wide side for your boots too, so the combination of those 2 things, and it’s not as good an option, IMO.

         The Myth is a very good beginner board and the size isn’t too far off – so I’d say that’s a doable option, but on the bigger size with combination of length and width to be ideal size-wise.

         The K2 Kandi would be a great size for you, IMO. And likely to be a very easy board to get started on. The only thing to think about is whether it’s something that could be a little too easy once you start to progress. But if that’s not a concern for you, then that would be a great option.

         Reply

         • Julia says

           August 10, 2019 at 1:18 pm

           Hi Nate,

           I bought Roxy Sugar Banana 138, Burton Citizen bindings size S, and thirtytwo Shifty Boa boots size 5.5. Thank you so much for your advice and helpful articles!

         • Nate says

           August 12, 2019 at 2:05 pm

           You’re very welcome Julia. Awesome that you have your setup sorted. Now just gotta wait for the snow!

6. David Dent says

   June 27, 2019 at 10:55 pm

   Hi Nate,
   My wife Recently bought the new Rosignol Gala snowboard. She is 5’2 and weighs 119 lbs and bought a 142cm board. She is a bit past a beginner but still picking up the ropes. She is now worried that the board will be too short for her weight and if she should return it for a 146cm board. Any advice you could shed would be greatly appreciated.

   Reply

   • Nate says

     June 28, 2019 at 7:35 am

     Hi David

     Thanks for your message.

     In my opinion 142 is spot on for your wife. Even potentially on the longer side as a beginner, but spot on for when she’s at a more advanced level – and should be fine for now too – especially since she’s already a bit past beginner. Rossignol’s weight recommendations are notoriously on the light side, IMO, so I wouldn’t be too worried about their weight guidelines. I would personally stick with the 142 for her.

     Hope this helps

     Reply

7. Georgiana says

   June 20, 2019 at 12:36 am

   Hi all,

   I’m a beginner and I really have a hard time deciding between buying either Nitro Lectra 2019 or Bataleon FeelBetter.
   I want to get a board that can help me progress easily, that can be catch edge free, help me with my turns and also be enjoyable for when I am an intermediate rider going to advanced.
   Need all mountain, versatile, because I do not know what is my style of riding is and I would like for it to allow me to explore many of the riding styles.

   Reply

   • Nate says

     June 20, 2019 at 12:59 pm

     Hi Georgina

     Thanks for your message.

     I don’t test Bataleon gear, so I don’t have any first-hand experience with them, so this is purely based on specs.

     At face value, the Feelbetter doesn’t look to be the best beginner’s choice being traditional camber, but looking further into it, with the 3BT and sidekick and very subtle camber, it sounds like it’s probably actually fine in terms of not being catchy. The Nitro Lectra certainly not catchy. The Feelbetter does look to be a good beginner’s choice.

     The Lectra is what I would term “all-mountain” and the Feelbetter “all-mountain freestyle” – both versatile types, but the all-mountain perhaps being slightly more versatile. But if you weren’t looking to ride powder any time soon, then that would be the only downside, of going with something like the Feelbetter, IMO.

     If you picture yourself riding powder at some point with the board, then I would go Lectra, otherwise, I would go with whichever had the closest to perfect size for you. If you want my opinion on sizing, I would be happy to offer it (also very important to get right) – I would just need your height, weight and boot size (as I already have your ability).

     Hope this helps with your decision

     Reply

     • Georgiana says

       July 11, 2019 at 2:26 am

       Hi Nate,

       My height is 165 cm and I have 54 kg. I was thinking of getting the 146 Nitro Lectra.
       Let me know your thoughts.

       Thank you,
       Georgiana

       Reply

       • Georgiana says

         July 11, 2019 at 2:29 am

         Forgot about my boot size, I have Burton Mint size 7.

         Reply

         • Nate says

           July 14, 2019 at 7:02 am

           Hi Georgiana

           I would say Lectra 142 would be your best bet as a beginner. 146 doable too, but as a beginner the 142 will be an easier board to learn/progress on.

8. Lisa says

   April 19, 2019 at 4:29 am

   Hi Nate,

   I’m looking into purchasing the Rossignol Gala. I’m 5’4″ and 125 lbs. Do you think 150 cm will be too long? Thanks for your help!

   Lisa

   Reply

   • Nate says

     April 20, 2019 at 6:30 pm

     Hi Lisa

     Thanks for your message.

     I would say something around 146, 147, at advanced level would be a good length for you. As a beginner, I would suggest 142-144, so for the Gala, I would definitely say that the 150 is too long, IMO. For that board the 146 would be a much better size – and if you’re a beginner, then you could even go 142 for that board.

     Hope this helps

     Reply

9. Mei says

   April 15, 2019 at 10:21 am

   Hello! Love this article it’s been so useful! I’ve been snowboarding for 2 seasons now and am finally considering getting my own board. There are so many choices out there that I’m a little overwhelmed by it all. I’ve been using Burton LTRs this whole time (5’2, 100lbs female), what would you recommend? How would you rate the flex on the LTR, is it 2-3/10? I’m inclined to get a softer board but I’ve just been slowly getting onto blues and was wondering if I should get something stiffer?

   Reply

   • Nate says

     April 15, 2019 at 2:19 pm

     Hi Mei

     Thanks for your message.

     I’m not sure about the LTR – it’s not something I’ve had any experience with and it’s hard to find anyone else with a particular flex rating. But judging by what I can find on it, it sounds like it’s very soft – so I would say at most a 2/10 flex. I would imagine that most, if not all on this list will be a little stiffer flexing than the LTR – but that’s just a guess. In any case I probably wouldn’t go any stiffer than 4/10 at this stage, but anything up to 4/10 should be fine. So this list or (sorry to give you more options!) if you want a little more performance, you could look at something here:

     >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

     But from what you’re describing, I think something from this list should work well – and will likely be a little step up from the LTR, I would say.

     Size-wise, for your specs and ability level, I would be looking at something around 136 ideally. There aren’t a lot of options in that length, without going for a youth board, so you might need to go a little longer (or go with a youth board) but I wouldn’t go longer than 139.

     The only board I can think of at the moment in a 136 is the GNU Gloss – but I think that would be great option for you. It’s high-end beginner friendly (which it sounds like you are). It’s 4/10 flex, so it’s likely to feel a good bit stiffer than the LTR I would say, but still not overly stiff by any means. And a good size, IMO. If you could let me know your boot size though – just so that I can make sure it would be a suitable width for you (it’s quite a narrow board in the 136).

     Hope this helps with your decision

     Reply

10. Tim says

    April 15, 2019 at 1:18 am

    Hi Nate,

    Thanks for your detailed reviews and explanations. After looking through your board choices I was thinking about getting the Rossignal Gala 142 for my girlfriend, but wanted your thoughts on whether the board would suit her. My girlfriend has been started riding about 2 times a season for the past 3 seasons and now she’s up to the point where she can link her turns comfortably on blue groomers. Each time we’ve gone she has had least one big fall, but on our latest trip I could tell she’s getting much more confident with her turning and hasn’t been falling as much. She get’s a little hesitant on riding the steeper blues but she’ll get through them while always trying to link her turns. She’s been renting the Salomon Liberty and she’s 5’2″ 120 lbs with Nitro Crown TLS size 7 boots.

    Would you say that the Rossignol Gala 142 is a good fit for her right now and is it a step up from the Salomon Liberty? I want to buy her a board where she can progress to be able to down blacks with the board. We both got the IKON pass for the upcoming season so I’m wondering if she will outgrow the board too fast.

    Also can you comment on the quality of Rossignol boards? Would they be able to last a long time? I think that in the future she will probably ride 4-6 times a season.

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      April 15, 2019 at 1:44 pm

      Hi Tim

      Thanks for your message.

      At 4-6 times per season, I don’t think your girlfriend would grow out of the Gala too fast, but if you’re looking at getting something to go beyond a few seasons, then you might think about something a little more performance oriented, especially if you’re looking to get her down blacks. But I certainly wouldn’t go too advanced or it could slow her progression down and hit her confidence. The Gala would be a great choice for now, but if you wanted to get something for the long long-term, I would check out the following – which will last longer progression wise, whilst still being relatively beginner friendly.

      >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

      In terms of durability, I use a Rossignol One LF as my control board for testing, and I’ve done 60+ days on it so far without any issues. A few chips and scratches in the top sheet – which happens with any board, but nothing major. As for every Rossignol board, I couldn’t say, I can only comment on my experience – and my Rossi has held up well so far.

      Size-wise, I would look at the range between 138-140 for your girlfriends specs, as a beginner. Could probably get away with the Gala in the 142, since it’s a super easy going board, but I wouldn’t go any longer than that. And if you go for something else, I’d stick to a 139-141 range.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

11. Jason says

    April 4, 2019 at 8:32 am

    Hey Nate,
    You got some really good answers so here is my question. My 12 yo daughter started snowboarding 3 years ago. We are in Illinois so we only get to go a half dozen times a year and it can be mostly ice. I got her a Burton Chopper 120cm then and it’s been great, but I think she is ready to graduate. After reading your comments I am leaning toward the Emoticon, Frenemy or the Meraki with Burton Citizen bindings. She is 5’0, 110 lbs and has Burton Mint size 8 boots. She carves nice slow large curves and can go down any hill around here comfortably. She’ll obviously continue to grow and I want a Board to last her at least 3 years and I think she is ready for a trip west next winter. What length and any specific recommendations would you have? Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      April 4, 2019 at 2:49 pm

      Hi Jason

      Thanks for your message. Usually I would say something around 138, 139 would be a good length to go with at this stage. Which would put the Emoticon (shortest size 143) and Frenemy (shortest size 144) out. The Meraki 140 would be the closest of those. But since she is growing still she’ll likely be well suited to something around 143, 144 (depending on how quickly she grows) within a year or two.

      For right now, the Meraki 140 would be the best bet, and would still be fine for 3 years I’d say, but maybe less suitable then, but more suitable now. The other two less suitable now and more suitable down the line (and probably for considerably more than 3 years at a guess). But I’m not sure how fast 12 yo’s typically grow, so I’m only guessing there.

      The only thing would be with something like the Frenemy is that you would not only be adding 24cm to what she’s used to, you’re also adding quite a lot of stiffness in comparison. That could be a big change all at once. Going with the Meraki would certainly make for a smaller change to get used to. The Emoticon is a little softer than the Frenemy, so whilst it will also be a big change, with being 23cm longer and still stiffer, it won’t be as big a change, since it’s softer than the Frenemy. The Meraki is the softest, and (in the 140) the shortest – so would be the easier adjustment.

      Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision

      Reply

12. Alicia says

    April 2, 2019 at 7:24 pm

    Hi there Nate!
    You probably have answered this question in the multitude of questions above but it was taking me a while to scroll through and find an answer haha.
    I’ve been snowboarding several times and would say I’m beginner-intermediate. I can carve but still slow myself down when I tend to speed up. I also am starting to play with jumps. I guess I would look towards a playful ride vs. an aggressive one.
    What snowboard would you recommend? Also I’m 5’7 and am athletically build at around 150lbs.
    On top of this question do you recommend any women’s boots for wide feet? My feet are size 9 1/2.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      April 3, 2019 at 3:33 pm

      Hi Alicia

      Thanks for your message.

      Based on how you describe your riding, I would say that an all-mountain freestyle board would work well. If you look in the first section for each board, there is “style of board”. Look in there for all-mountain-freestyle. Also, since it sounds like you are high-end beginner or low-end intermediate, you could also check out the following, which might be a better fit for you.

      >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

      Size-wise, at an advanced level, for an all-mountain board, I would say around 153cm would be a good length to look at. But since you’re at that beginner bordering on all-mountain level, I would size down a bit – also, since you are looking for something more playful sizing down doesn’t hurt either – and for an all-mountain-freestyle I usually size-down a little too. So, I’d look for something more like like 149, 150.

      For boots, I’m not sure if this translates to women’s boots as well, but I’m guessing it does, but check out the following:

      Sizing Snowboard Boots: The Different Brands

      Wide Snowboard Boots for Wide Feet

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Alicia says

        April 3, 2019 at 7:00 pm

        Awesome thanks so much for the reply, helps a lot. As for the boards is there a specific one you might recommend for me from the intermediate ones if I am high end beg. / low end intermediate?

        Once again thanks a lot it’s awesome that you respond to each comment 🙂

        Reply

        • Nate says

          April 4, 2019 at 10:54 am

          Hi Alicia

          The following would work well, IMO:

          – Arbor Poparazzi 150
          – GNU Velvet 150
          – YES Emoticon 149
          – Salomon Rumblefish 148
          – Capita Paradise 149

          If you’re looking to border more onto the beginner end, then the Emoticon and Poparazzi would be the best options, IMO.

          With 9 1/2 boots, though, the Poparazzi might be borderline too narrow, depending on preferred binding angles. So might be risky option in terms of width.

          Hope this gives you more to go off

          Reply

          • Alicia says

            April 5, 2019 at 8:38 am

            Amazing!!! Thank you 🙂

          • Nate says

            April 5, 2019 at 10:13 am

            You’re very welcome Alicia. If you think of it at the time, let me know what you end up getting.

13. Emily says

    March 30, 2019 at 12:13 pm

    Hello,
    I am a beginner to snowboarding, having only been 3 times. I’m 5’2″, 110lbs, size 6US. I was looking to buy the Rossignol Meraki 140 because I saw them on sale, but am afraid it might be too wide for me? Do you think K2 first lite be a good option at 138 or other better reccomendations? Also, what bindings would be appropriate for a beginner?
    Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      April 1, 2019 at 1:01 pm

      Hi Emily

      Thanks for your message.

      I think the Meraki 140 is getting quite wide for your boot size. Without sizing down in terms of length (which can help if a board is too wide), I think it’s a bit too big overall to be ideal.

      As a beginner I think something around 136 to 138 would be a better length too. The First Lite is a better length and width for you, IMO.

      Some good beginner options below:

      >>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

14. Jao says

    March 29, 2019 at 1:04 am

    Im totally a beginner for snowboarding. My height is 157cm and weight around 53kg or 116lbs. I found a GNU 2CE snowboard 144cm, Salomon 6 piece snowboard 145cm, Salomon villain classic 150cm, Burton genie 138cm and 144cm, Burton sweet tooth flat top 145cm, Burton Hug 142cm japan limited on website.
    Which one you recommend me to get for my first board?
    Last time, I rent Burton ltr 134cm and it was quite nice for me to start with.

    Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 29, 2019 at 2:20 pm

      Hi Jao

      Thanks for your message.

      Size-wise, I would be looking in the range 138 to 140 for your specs. So some of those are going to be too big for you to enjoy, IMO.

      Which C2E Gnu board is it? The Gloss will be more beginner friendly, whereas the Velvet not as much. Neither are perfect for beginners. The Chromatic and B Nice from GNU would be better beginner choices. Either way 144 is a little too big, IMO.

      The Villain not that beginner friendly either – and 145 is going to be too big for you, IMO. The 6 Piece also way too big – and not super beginner friendly either.

      Burton Genie 138 would be a great choice for you, IMO. The 144 too big.

      The Sweet Tooth looks to be pretty beginner friendly but 145 too big, IMO.

      I’m not familiar with the Burton Hug. A better size at 142, but I’d prefer you on something a little smaller.

      So, the Burton Genie 138 is what I would go for if I was you.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

15. Jessica Nguyen says

    March 28, 2019 at 10:59 am

    Hey Nate!

    Bit of a two-pronged question haha.

    I’m having a hard time on my own doing research in terms of what size board to get. I’m 5’0″ and about 145 lbs. What size board do you recommend?

    I really like the Nitro Lectra but am also having a hard time finding sizes for it too (any other retailer suggestions??).

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Jessica Nguyen says

      March 28, 2019 at 11:00 am

      forgot to clarify that I’m also a beginner looking to get into snowboarding. thanks!

      Reply

      • Jessica Nguyen says

        March 28, 2019 at 11:02 am

        (sorry to keep on adding replies haha). I haven’t been fitted for boots yet but based on sizing charts, am anticipating between a 6 and 6.5 (my regular size in shoes is a 6.5).

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 28, 2019 at 2:40 pm

          Hi Jessica

          Thanks for your messages.

          I would say that, at an advanced level, something around 146 would be a good length for you, but as a beginner I would be looking at more in the range 141 to 143. So for the Lectra, I would say the 142 is your best bet. Should be a good size for your boots too. You could also ride the 138 if you really wanted to go shorter (and would still be fine for your boots, IMO, assuming you get in a 6 or 6.5) but that would be getting quite small for your specs, IMO.

          The only place I’ve found the 142 is at backcountry (which I think is what’s linked to on the post but I’ve added it again below).

          >>Nitro Lectra at backcountry

          Hope this helps with your decision

          Reply

          • Jessica Nguyen says

            March 29, 2019 at 4:28 am

            Thanks for the quick reply, Nate! As an aside question, do you personally think the Lectra would still be a good beginner board for me given my height/weight? Or would you recommend a different board that would fit better?

          • Nate says

            March 29, 2019 at 2:22 pm

            Hi Jessica

            I think the Lectra would be a great choice, and 142 is just right for you, as a beginner, IMO.

16. Michelle says

    March 26, 2019 at 1:19 pm

    Hi Nate,

    I have been looking at getting a board after feeling more confident this season. I started 3 seasons ago and still have some trouble connecting my turns and on toe side. I am around 5’4″ and usually given a 144 when renting. I was looking at the boards you mentioned above but can be indecisive. I feel like I’ve been getting better, so I want a board that will work well on the intermediate trails as well. I was wondering if you have any specific recommendations or any other board suggestions that aren’t on this list?

    Thanks,
    Michelle

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 27, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      Hi Michelle

      Thanks for your message.

      If you feel you’re approaching an intermediate level, also check out:

      >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

      But certainly beginner boards can handle intermediate trails too. But if you did want a board that’s high-end beginner and something that would progress with you for a bit longer, then the list at the link above is a good one to check out.

      Size-wise, weight and boot size are more important in determining the best sized board for you. If you could let me know those things I would be able to give you a more accurate opinion on size.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Michelle says

        March 27, 2019 at 3:09 pm

        I’m about 115lbs and have size 7 K2 Sapera boots. I’ve rented an Arbor board before, possibly the Poparazzi, and was not really a fan. I think the stiffness of the board is what I wasn’t used to. I was leaning towards boards with a softer flex rating.

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 28, 2019 at 12:47 pm

          Hi Michelle

          Size-wise, I would say that something around 144,145 would be a good size for you, as an advanced level rider. But as someone who is at a more beginner level, I would recommend going a little shorter – something around 140 – 142 would be a good range to look at, IMO.

          The Poparazzi isn’t an overly stiff board, but might have felt a little stiffer if you were riding a longer size – also I have found Arbor boards to be a little heavier on average, and you might have also been feeling the weight. That said, there are also a number of much softer boards – so if you’re looking to get on something softer, then there are a number of boards on this list that are softer (check out the flex ratings on the boards above – the Poparazzi I rate as 4/10 flex – and there are several on this list that are 2/10 or 3/10.

          Also look for the “style of board”. If you feel like you want something that’s all-mountain (do-it-all) then look out for that. If you think you’d like to learn tricks/freestyle in the future, then going with something freestyle would be a good bet (note that to begin with you can ride a freestyle board like normal and learn on it, and when you become more advanced you can use it for freestyle riding). If you don’t think that’s your thing, then something all-mtn or all-mtn-freestyle is a good way to go.

          Hope this helps

          Reply

          • Michelle says

            March 28, 2019 at 4:52 pm

            Thanks! It does help. I’m mostly looking at all-mtn boards. What do you think of the K2 Lime Lite? Also, would you suggest something that is flat or camber? I’m not quite sure of the difference and how it affects riding.

          • Nate says

            March 29, 2019 at 2:12 pm

            Hi Michelle

            I would say that the Lime Lite is more of a park board than an all-mountain board. Certainly relatively beginner friendly, but more freestyle/park oriented than all-mountain. The Bright Lite (and First Lite) is more all-mountain.

            Boards with camber tend to have more pop, more spring out of turns, and better edge hold (all else being equal) – and can feel quite aggressive, especially paired up with a stiff core, depending on how pronounced the camber and the length of the camber (i.e. a traditional camber/full camber board has camber that goes all the way to the contact points. A hybrid camber profile has rocker towards the tip and tail – and there heaps of different variations – some with more rocker some less). Really pronounced camber is typically more aggressive and the longer the camber section the more aggressive and the more catchy the ride can feel. But some hybrid camber profiles are great for beginners.

            Flat-to-rocker boards are typically more easy going. Less pop and less spring, but less aggressive too, and less catchy (depending on the rocker sections though). All flat boards not typically good for a beginner, but most flat-to-rockers are, assuming a friendly flex. But hybrid cambers that have subtle camber and a reasonable amount of rocker can be just as beginner friendly.

17. K says

    March 18, 2019 at 12:13 am

    Hi Nate,

    I came across your article while browsing the interwebs for snowboards and I am stunned (in a good way) by all of the information you’ve provided. Although I am doing my own research, I don’t trust my own judgement and would very much prefer the input of a professional.

    I am 5’0 and fluctuate between 95-100lbs. I am a beginner but I plan to invest a considerable amount of time boarding when the next season comes around. For my last rental, I had a 140cm board and size 6 boots. I thought 140cm was good, but as I was reading through the comments, it might be a tad bit too long for my height/frame. What are some great snowboards for a noobert who is short? If possible, would you be able to recommend decent boots also?

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 18, 2019 at 12:12 pm

      Hi K

      Thanks for your message.

      Yeah, I think something closer to 136 would be a better length for you for right now as a beginner. You could go up to around 140cm (depending on style of riding) as a more advanced rider) but for now I would stick to around 136 (maybe up to 138 if you need to). There aren’t a lot of women’s boards options in that size range, but here are a couple that would be suitable – i.e. also beginner friendly.

      – GNU Gloss 136 – this would be the best size, IMO, and a great size for your boots too, being narrower. It’s bordering on more of an intermediate rather than beginner board, but still beginner doable, and if you’re going to be spending a lot of time out there next season, it’s something that will keep you going for a good while too.

      – Roxy Sugar Banana 138 – a little longer than ideal, but still a really good width for your boot size

      – K2 First Lite 138

      – K2 Bright Lite 138

      – Arbor Ethos 138

      – Arbor Poparazzi 138

      – GNU B Nice Asym 139 – a little longer than ideal but still an option

      Most women’s boards don’t start until 138, 139 (to get shorter, apart from that Gloss, you’d have to go to youth boards).

      Check out the following for some good beginner boot options:

      >>My Top Women’s Beginner Boots

      Hope this helps and gives you some options

      Reply

      • K says

        April 23, 2019 at 7:28 am

        Hi Nate,

        I apologize for the extremely late response! I am so grateful for all of your input. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! 🙂

        Reply

        • Nate says

          April 23, 2019 at 1:58 pm

          You’re very welcome K. Thanks for visiting and using the website!

          Reply

18. Andrea says

    March 17, 2019 at 12:30 pm

    Hi Nate,

    Thanks so much for the article, it is really helpful. I was wondering if you could give me some advice – I’m female, 30 years old, 109 lbs and super short at 4’11”. I’ve been snowboarding for several years on and off and used rental boards, but I’m still firmly in the beginner category due to not continually working at it, and can sometimes struggle linking turns going down steeper slopes – although I think my progress has been hindered by using unsuitable sized (too short) rental boards, or boards that are better suited for intermediate or advanced riders and not beginners. Do you think the Salomon Oh Yeah 138cm would be a suitable board for me as a beginner?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 18, 2019 at 11:07 am

      Hi Andrea

      Thanks for your message.

      I think 138cm would be a great size for you, and the Oh Yeah is a great board for beginners, so I think it would be a great option for you.

      The one thing to consider though, is that the Oh Yeah is a very park/freestyle oriented board. Which is fine to use for general riding as a beginner, but just to know that once you’re more advanced it’s less suitable for all-mountain riding. If you plan to ride the park later, then it’s something you could keep as your park board and upgrade to a better all-mountain option. Or you could always sell it once you’re at a point you feel you need to upgrade. But just wanted to give you the full info there.

      But yeah definitely getting your own, beginner suitable board will make a big difference for your progression, IMO.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

      • Andrea says

        March 18, 2019 at 12:47 pm

        Thanks so much Nate! That definitely helps a lot. While researching my options I noticed some boards are better suited for certain boot sizes, I think due to width? I wear an older version of Zora Head boots, UK 3 (Mondo 225, US 5.5). Do you think the Oh Yeah would still be suitable or should I go for a snowboard with a smaller width? And if so, would you have any recommendations for me please? Thanks so much!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 19, 2019 at 1:06 pm

          Hi Andrea

          Thanks for the extra info. Yeah, ideally with your size boots/feet something narrower would work better. Boards too wide for your feet can feel heavier to turn on.

          The following are also great beginner options, in a similar length, but with a narrower width.

          – Nitro Lectra 138 (226mm waist)

          – GNU B Nice Asym 139 (226mm waist width)

          – Roxy Sugar Banana 138 (226mm waist)

          – Arbor Ethos 138 (231mm waist)

          – Arbor Poparazzi 138 (231mm waist)

          – K2 First Lite 138 (232mm waist)

          The first 3 would be the best options, IMO, in terms of being the best width – but the others in that list are also doable for you, and are all a good bit narrower than the Oh Yeah.

          Hope this helps

          Reply

          • Andrea says

            March 20, 2019 at 6:36 am

            Thanks so much, that’s all really helpful, it’s much appreciated!

          • Nate says

            March 20, 2019 at 2:27 pm

            You’re very welcome Andrea. If you think of it at the time, let me know what you go with in the end.

          • Andrea says

            March 24, 2019 at 5:08 am

            Hi Nate,

            I’ve narrowed it down to either the Nitro Lectra 2019 138cm or the GNU B-Nice Asym 2018 139cm.

            I can find both online for similar prices. I’m finding it difficult to choose, and was wondering if I could have your opinion on what you think would be the best one for me please?

            Your site is great and very informative – based on your skill level page, I would say I’m a beginner level 3. I like that the Nitro is flat to rocker as I feel like this would help me with stability, but I like that the Gnu has a centred stance and is a true twin shape, as sometimes along cat-tracks I like to ride switch, and I think this would be easier on the Gnu than the Nitro (I think the Nitro is a directional shape – it is impossible to ride switch on these?). Also think the Gnu would be good for edge hold due to the magne-traction, but wondering if the Nitro would still be a better beginner board for me to progress, and I think it has a slightly softer flex. I’ve also riden rockers before, but not sure if I’ve ever riden a hybrid camber board. So I’m really undecided, any input you have would be much appreciated. Thanks.

          • Nate says

            March 25, 2019 at 10:06 am

            Hi Andrea

            I think both would work fine. But yeah the Lectra a little more stable feeling – probably easier to one foot off the lift. Can certainly still ride switch on it. Not as easy as something that’s centered/true twin, but certainly doable – the Lectra I would say 3.5/5 for riding switch and the B Nice Asym 5/5 for switch.

            The B Nice does have magnetraction and is better in hard/icy conditions. If you get those conditions a lot, then it might be worth going B Nice, but if you only get them sporadically, then the Lectra should be fine.

            I would say both are fairly soft, but maybe the Lectra just a touch softer, but not much in it, I wouldn’t say.

            The Lectra is flat-to-rocker and the B Nice is technically what I would call Hybrid rocker (rocker between the feet and camber towards tip and tail) but the camber is so subtle, that it’s closer to an all-rocker board in feel.

            Hope this gives you more to go off

19. Sandra says

    March 12, 2019 at 6:50 am

    Hi Nate,

    I have been snowboarding for maybe 10 days in my life (split out over 4 years), and am finally making it down the mountain without falling. I even managed some blues in Whistler, and some easy blacks on small east coast mountains in icy conditions. Now that I started to get the hang of it, I want to invest in my own equipment. I am 5’3 and weigh about 125-130 lb. I have been riding on Burton LTR and some Rossignol boards, forgot which one (both 140). I was looking through your website and am narrowed it down to Rossignol Frenemy and Yes Emoticon. I think in 143, 144 (I know it’s on the small side for my weight), but I am still improving linking turns. The board will be mostly used on icy-hard packed snow. I am not interested in terrain parks or jumps, just cruising down the mountain. Any thoughts, suggestions or recommendations are much appreciated in terms of length and brand/make of board. Also, any recommendations for bindings? I came across a great offer for the Frenemy in 144 with Defiance G1 binding and am tempted. I already own size 7 boots. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 12, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      Hi Sandra

      Thanks for your message.

      In my opinion those are really good sizes, based on your specs and your experience on a snowboard. I would say generally, going for something 142 to 144 would be a good range to look at based on your specs and described ability level. So, those fit right in there perfectly. And both very good for hard/icy conditions, so both good options.

      The Emoticon is a better beginner option, IMO. It’s just a little softer flexing. But the Frenemy is still a decent beginner option – but more ideal for intermediate and up. Since you’ve had 10 days the Frenemy becomes an option, but since they’re spread out over 4 years, I’d probably still be leaning towards Emoticon – and it’s still a board that will be good when you’re at a more advanced level.

      In terms of bindings, I’m not familiar with Defiance bindings, so I have no idea with those. I would make sure that the bindings are a suitable size for your boots. As it’s a package with the 144 Frenemy, it’s likely that they are, but I would still double check, if you end up going with that.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

      • Sandra Tharas says

        March 13, 2019 at 7:32 pm

        Thanks so much for all your help! I am looking to see what deals I can get and make my decisions between either one of these two boards. I think I might be ok on the Frenemy if that’s more available in my size. I want to be ready with my own board for next season! Your site is awesome and has some much useful info on its, thanks again!
        Sandra

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 14, 2019 at 3:16 pm

          You’re very welcome Sandra. Hope you can find a good deal!

          Reply

20. Magdalena says

    March 1, 2019 at 8:45 am

    Hi Nate,

    Thank you for this article, it is very helpful! I am (female) 5”6′ and ~105lbs, boot size 8 in burton. I am a beginner, I rode only 3 times and was able to ride green terrains and link turns but sometimes I still fall and my turns aren’t perfect. I was considering getting one of the boards you mention since they are on sale but I am not sure which one and what length I should go with, could you please let me know your opinion?

    1. Rossignol Gala (146cm)
    2. Burton Genie (147cm)
    3. Salomon Lotus (146cm)
    4. K2 First Lite (146cm)

    Thank you!
    Magdalena

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 1, 2019 at 12:10 pm

      Hi Magdalena

      Thanks for your message.

      Those are a bit long for you, IMO, especially as a beginner. If possible I would be looking more around 140cm for your specs and as a beginner. Certainly no more than 143, IMO.

      So, if you have the option, for those boards, I would recommend:

      1. Rossignol Gala (142cm)
      2. Burton Genie (142cm or even 138cm)
      3. Salomon Lotus (142cm or even 138cm)
      4. K2 First Lite (142cm or even 138cm)

      If you don’t have those sizes as options, I would try to find one of the other options, or another option in a smaller size.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

21. Thai says

    February 28, 2019 at 6:56 pm

    Hi Nate,

    Thoughts on Rossi Meraki vs K2 Duchess?
    Which would be better for a beginner looking to keep until intermediate level and for icy/hard packed snow?

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 1, 2019 at 11:34 am

      Hi Thai

      Thanks for your message.

      I’m not familiar with the Duchess, but based on the specs I could find for it, it looks very much like the First Lite. In terms of performance on hard/icy, I would say that the Meraki is the better choice. The Meraki is very much more freestyle oriented than the Duchess/First Lite, up until an intermediate level, that shouldn’t matter too much. But if you don’t get into riding freestyle, then it’s something you would want to change once you’re no longer a beginner.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Thai says

        March 7, 2019 at 10:06 am

        Thanks nate!

        Narrowed it down to meraki 140 and frenemy 143
        Im 156cm and 115-120lb. Which board would better suit me? What is the difference between the two boards?

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 7, 2019 at 11:09 am

          Hi Thai

          I think the Meraki would be a better choice for a beginner snowboard, to progress as quickly as possible – and a better size for your specs, as a beginner. The Frenemy in 143 would be a good board and size as a more advanced rider – at least intermediate. So the Frenemy would last you a lot longer – could probably ride it as long as you wanted to – would take you all the way to an advanced level, but is going to be a steeper learning curve, and will make progression slower, IMO.

          The Meraki, once you’re at a more intermediate level, will be better just as a more freestyle dedicated board.

          Hope this helps with your decision

          Reply

22. Cheri says

    February 27, 2019 at 6:24 am

    Hi Nate,

    Thank you for all work work you do. This list is a great tool for me. I am 5’4, 180 pounds, and wear a 9.5 shoe. What would be your suggestion for a 33 year young female rider who has only been snowboarding 3 times? The width of the board is the issue I am running into when I look at most sizing charts.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 27, 2019 at 3:00 pm

      Hi Cheri

      Thanks for your message.

      Length-wise, I would say around 149 to 151.

      Width-wise, assuming you’re also in a Women’s US 9.5 boot, you should be able to go as narrow as a 243mm waist width. Depending on other factors you might even get away with a little narrower.

      – Burton Stylus in the 152 (244mm waist) or 147 (243mm waist) – (depending if you wanted to go a little on the shorter side or longer side, I know both are outside the range I just mentioned) should be a good width, regardless of binding angles and boot profile (some boots are longer or shorter on the outersole compared to what sized feet they fit on the inside).

      – Yes Emoticon 149 (241mm waist) – a little narrower than 243mm at the waist, but should be fine in most scenarios.

      And there are a lot more in the length range, that are closer to 240mm that would likely be fine in most scenarios – only if you ride with a very straight back foot (in terms of bining angles which you prob don’t know what your preferred angles are just yet?) – or if you have boots with a longer outersole. So those are likely not the only options.

      If you wanted to look at men’s boards too, if that wasn’t an issue for you, then most (probably all) boards in that length range will be wide enough. It would just be a case of not going too wide.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

23. Rachel says

    February 26, 2019 at 1:44 pm

    Hi Nate!

    Thanks for this article – it’s so helpful along with all your responses to everyone’s questions. I just had a quick question on which board and size you would recommend for me. I’d say I’m a beginner and can get myself down the easier slopes but have a hard time controlling my speed and am hoping to get better at carving. Also, mostly boarding in the west coast (California area). I’m about 5’8, 125 lbs with a boot size of 8.5. I was choosing between the following boards:

    1. Nitro Lectra (149cm) – I was looking into the 146cm after reading your responses on size recommendations for other people my weight, but I don’t think the width on the 146cm is wide enough for my boot size. Would getting a 149cm slow down my progression and would it be wide enough for my boots?

    2. Arbor Ethos (147cm) – Is this wide enough for my boot size? How does this compare to the Nitro Lectra?

    3. Burton Stylus (147cm) – Is this too beginner? Would I grow out of it too quickly considering it’s a Beginner to Beginner board?

    Would also appreciate if you have any other recommendations that would be better suited for me!

    Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 27, 2019 at 2:10 pm

      Hi Rachel

      Thanks for your message.

      Size-wise, as a beginner, I would say go with something 144-146 – since it doesn’t sound like you’re a complete beginner, then 147 should be fine too.

      Width-wise, it depends on a couple of things, like binding angles and the profile of the boot (among other things) but I would say you would be fine with anything above 237mm at the waist, regardless of those factors.

      For the Lectra, that puts the 146 (234mm waist) slightly below that, but I would say you would be fine – unless you ride with a very straight back foot and have long profile boots. If you can let me know your typical binding angles, if you know them, and the brand and model of your boots, I can more specifically say whether or not that would work. Length-wise I would prefer the 146 for you. The 149 is doable, and would give you that bit more leeway in terms of width, but I think the 146 would be better.

      For the Ethos, again that width on the 147 (which I think would be a good length for you) is just below that mark (235.5mm waist) but I think in most scenarios you should be fine.

      The Stylus 147 should be perfectly fine width-wise. As far as being too beginner – since you’ve already been riding for a bit and you are looking to get your carving going, it might be something that grow out of quite quickly. It would be great for advancing quickly though.

      There are a few differences between the Lectra and the Ethos. A couple of those differences:

      1. Lectra is flat to rocker and Ethos is continuous rocker
      2. Lectra is directional twin with a bit of a setback stance. Ethos is also directional twin but with a centered stance

      And there are other things of course, but not massive differences – the Ethos probably a slightly looser feel, and slightly more freestyle oriented, but for learning the basics, not a lot of difference there.

      If you want some other options that are more high-end beginner/intermediate, you could check out the following:

      >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

      But I think those options would also work. If you do go for that intermediate list, looking for something in there with a 4/10 flex, is probably your best bet, IMO, if you’re not yet at that intermediate level.

      Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision

      Reply

24. Britt says

    February 21, 2019 at 12:19 pm

    Hi Nate, thanks for the awesome website! What would you recommend for me? I have been snowboarding a few times but still few like a total beginner. I mostly struggle with getting off the lift and turning the board fast enough. I also have the issue of my heels lifting. I own boots which I think fit well but am looking to get a board and bindings. I am hoping whatever bindings I get will solve the heel lifting issue. I am 5’8” and about 125-135 lbs. My boots are DC Search 2017 size 8. Thank you!!!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 22, 2019 at 11:56 am

      Hi Britt

      Thanks for your message.

      If you’re having issues coming off the lifts, then maybe not the Chromatic, Poparazzi or Ethos as those might feel a little loose coming off the lifts.

      Everything else here should be fine.

      In terms of heel lift, I would look at potentially getting j-bars for the liner of the boot – or look into something like Strapins to see if you can reduce that heel-lift. Also make sure that your liner is pulled tight enough, and if you’re finding it’s OK at the start of the day but gets worse, then you might need to re-tighten the liner during your session. Bindings might help a little bit but fixing the issue before the bindings come into play is the best way, IMO.

      Size-wise for board, I would be looking at the range 145 to 147 for your specs, as a beginner.

      In terms of bindings, check out the following for some good beginner options:

      >>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Britt says

        February 22, 2019 at 1:15 pm

        Thank you! I hadn’t heard of j bars or the strapins so I’ll look into both of those.

        Reply

        • Britt says

          February 23, 2019 at 6:41 pm

          one more question — do you think i made a big mistake with the dc search boots? i see now that they’re rated 6 flex. at the time i was just going off of feel in the store and they were the only ones that felt ok. (big heel lift in all the 32s, burtons were uncomfortable on the calf) could the stiffness of the boots make that an impact on learning? thanks!!!

          Reply

          • Nate says

            February 25, 2019 at 3:51 pm

            Hi Britt

            In reality I would say that the Search are closer to 5/10 flex – and once they’re broken in they’ll likely feel a little softer than that again, so I don’t think it’s a bad call. There are probably slightly better beginner options, but it’s not a bad option – and if they fit well, I think they will be fine. Certainly too stiff can impact learning – but the Search aren’t super stiff, IMO.

      • Britt says

        February 25, 2019 at 12:52 pm

        Sorry! So many questions (I am so worried I’m going to make a bad choice)! I was all set on the Rossignol Gala but then was reading about the waist width and am worried it’s too narrow at 146 cm / 234 ww for my size 8 boot. What do you think is the smallest ww I can get away with? Thank you!!!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          February 25, 2019 at 3:55 pm

          Hi Britt

          I think the 146 Gala will be fine for size 8 DC Search boots. It’s on the narrower side for them, but still within range, IMO. And unless you’re going to be railing Eurocarves on it, I don’t think you should have any boot drag issues on it, IMO.

          Hope this helps

          Reply

25. Katie says

    February 12, 2019 at 11:32 am

    Hi Nate,

    Thank you for such a great list! I’m so glad I found this thread.

    I am in my first season, probably a Level 3 Beginner by your standards – comfortably linking turns on green runs, starting to work on blues. Planning at least a few more trips this season (to Big Bear and Mammoth – we live in SoCal), and to get the Ikon Pass as soon as it goes on sale.

    I’m planning to buy my first board, and I would LOVE your advice! I don’t mind upgrading after just a couple seasons, I really want a board that will help me progress quickly. I’m still working primarily on control, especially as I move onto steeper runs, and I think speed will come naturally after. I’d love your general guidance, and I have a sizing question in particular: I’m 5’9”, 150 pounds and wear a size 10.5 boot (women’s). I’ve been looking at the Arbor Ethos, but would that be too narrow? Do I need to be looking at men’s boards, or another board on your list?

    Thank you, Nate!!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 13, 2019 at 2:46 pm

      Hi Katie

      Thanks for your message.

      Definitely the fastest way to progress in my opinion. Get a good beginner board now, progress quickly, then upgrade after a couple of seasons. So, good idea!

      Length-wise, I would be looking in the range 149 to 151.

      Width-wise, with women’s 10.5s, I would say you could get away with as narrow as 245mm at the waist, and that could accommodate any angles. And could even go a little narrower if you were going to go with binding angles like +15-15. That’s another advantage of going with a beginners board now, and upgrading. You can afford to go a little narrower, as you won’t be railing your turns yet. For your next board, you would probably want to go for at least 249mm at the waist, if you were going to ride with a straight back foot, and get away with something a little narrower than that depending on binding angles, and depending on how aggressive a rider you become. Anyway, that’s all for later.

      Long story short, I think the Arbor Ethos will unfortunately a little too narrow, even as a beginner, and even with a reasonable amount of angle on the back foot.

      But you don’t need to go men’s if you don’t want to (though it is an option).

      Because of how it sounds like you ride and how you’re looking to progress, I’ve skipped the purely freestyle options, even though they’re fine to learn on in the beginning. I think the following would work well, if you go with a bit of angle on the back binding:

      – GNU Chromatic 149 (241mm waist)

      – YES Emoticon 149 (241mm waist)

      The more freestyle options would include the Burton Stylus 152 (244mm waist).

      Or if you wanted a little step up, but still beginner friendly, something like the Burton Yeasayer 152 (247mm waist).

      For men’s, most boards in that length range should be wide enough, if you wanted to look there. The Arbor Foundation is basically the men’s equivalent of the Ethos, if you wanted to look at that. There is a 148 (247.5mm waist) and a 152 (249mm waist) that would both be suitable, depending if you wanted to err on slightly shorter or slightly longer.

      For more men’s options, check out:

      >>My Top 15 Men’s Snowboards for Beginners

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

      • Katie says

        February 14, 2019 at 5:29 pm

        Thanks so much for your help, Nate!

        Is there any reason that a female rider shouldn’t get a men’s board, if I don’t need to see flowers when I look down? I’m leaning toward the Foundation, but is there any difference between men’s and women’s boards that I should be considering?

        Reply

        • Nate says

          February 15, 2019 at 3:51 pm

          Hi Katie

          One of the biggest differences between men’s and women’s boards is that the width, for the appropriate length is usually too wide on men’s boards. So I don’t usually recommend it for that reason. So the main thing is sizing. But if there’s an appropriate size, then there’s no reason you can’t.

          The other small thing, is that flex flex ratings can be a little subjective and sometimes a women’s medium flex might be more like a men’s medium-soft flex. So, the Foundation might be slightly stiffer flexing than the Ethos. But if it is it would only subtly so. If you’re worried about that, then going with the 148 over the 152, might be the best choice. The shorter size will feel softer flexing than the longer size.

          Reply

          • Katie says

            April 15, 2019 at 9:52 am

            Hi Nate: I just spent a long weekend on my new board – I went with the Burton Yeasayer 152, and I LOVE it! Thanks so much for the advice!

          • Nate says

            April 15, 2019 at 2:01 pm

            Hi Katie

            Thanks for the update – and awesome that you’re loving the Yeasayer!

26. Cindy Kwan says

    February 11, 2019 at 7:03 pm

    Hi Nate,

    I’m 156 cm 110 lbs with US 8, I’m interested in Burton Rewind 2019, seems 141 suit me. Is this board a traditional Camber or Hybrid Camber? Some reviews said it’s Camber and some saying it’s hybrid. Will it be easy in initiating turns? I’d say I’m more than a beginner but should I stick in beginner board? I can do S turn in most red runs. Is this board fits me as i wanna progress to park riding in future. I know this Burton board is for intermediate and advanced level…

    Many thanks

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 12, 2019 at 12:04 pm

      Hi Cindy

      Thanks for your message.

      The Rewind has Burton’s “PurePop Camber” – which isn’t the same as “full camber, aka traditional camber”. PurePop camber is mostly camber still, but there are a couple of flat zones that start outside the bindings, towards tip and tail – and then a very small rocker section. From my experience on pupepop, it’s not as catchy as traditional camber, but it’s not that un-catchy either.

      The Rewind is quite a soft flexing board, so that does make it quite friendly in that sense, but with that Purepop camber, I would say you’d want to be intermediate with a fairly good technique already, as it won’t be that forgiving of errors. If you think you’re up for that, then it will definitely be suitable as a good freestyle stick for the park.

      Size-wise, 141 would definitely be the best size for you, you could even go a little shorter (not for this board as it’s the smallest size, but if you were to go with another).

      For a more forgiving option, but still park focused, you could look at something like the Capita Space Metal Fantasy, Roxy Ally, GNU B Nice, Rossignol Meraki, Ride Rapture or Burton Stylus.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

      • Cindy Kwan says

        February 12, 2019 at 6:29 pm

        Hi Nate,

        Thanks for your kindly advice.

        As you mentioned, I’d say my technique is not that concrete at all. I decided to take the Rossignol Myth instead to improve my skills and earn more mileages until I’ve confident to say, ‘Yea, I’m now an intermediate:)”

        Thank you so much, Nate. Your page is sooo great!

        Cheers,
        Cindy

        Reply

        • Nate says

          February 13, 2019 at 3:06 pm

          You’re very welcome Cindy. Glad that I could help with your decision – happy riding!

          Reply

27. Jen says

    February 10, 2019 at 10:24 pm

    Hi Nate!

    Looking into getting a board for my sister. Still pretty beginner but picking up quick. Any recommendations on size of board or which on this list might be good for her? She’s 5’3”, 130 lbs, size 9 boot. I was kind of looking at the Nitro Lectra on the list but not as familiar with it. Thoughts?

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 11, 2019 at 2:01 pm

      Hi Jen

      Thanks for your message.

      I would say something around a 142 to 144 for your sister, as a progressing beginner. And minimum 232mm at the waist, in terms of width. But if she was to ride that narrow, then it would need to be with a 15 degree on the back binding angle. If she likes to ride something like +15-15 then she’s probably good going that narrow, but otherwise, I would go at least 236mm waist width.

      The Nitro Lectra 142 would be a great option, IMO, except that i think it would be too narrow for her boots, unfortunately.

      But there are still lots of options on this list to fit those size specs, like:

      ~ YES Emoticon 143 (237mm waist)
      ~ Rossignol Meraki 145 (240mm waist)
      ~ Burton Stylus 142 (241mm waist)

      I would say GNU Chromatic as well (143, 237mm waist) but GNU boards tend to be narrower at the inserts compared to the waist than other boards, so I’d be concerned that it would be too narrow.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

      • Jen says

        February 12, 2019 at 7:11 pm

        Wow great info, thanks Nate! Didn’t really realize width comes into play. How do I know what width is a good size for what boot size?

        Also, I’m an intermediate rider picking up more speed and looking to start doing maybe some small freestyle tricks (press, butter, 180). Currently riding a GNU B Nice 142, size 7-7.5 boots. Any advice on a board? I want to go a bit longer but not sure what’s a good choice? Your insight would be much appreciated.

        Best,
        Jen

        Reply

        • Nate says

          February 13, 2019 at 3:36 pm

          Hi Jen

          Check out the following for what I recommend width-wise for what boot size (if you don’t want to read all the explanations, you can just skip down to the charts):

          >>Snowboard Width Sizing

          As an intermediate rider, riding with more speed but still wanting to do some freestyle tricks, I would look at an all-mountain-freestyle board. You could check out the intermediate list below and check which ones say “all-mountain-freestyle” and also check out my all-mountain-freestyle list at the second link below:

          >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

          >>My Top 5 Women’s All-Mountain Freestyle Snowboards

          Length-wise, if you’re not sure and would like a recommendation, if you could let me know your height and weight as well.

          Reply

          • Jen says

            February 13, 2019 at 9:43 pm

            Wow thanks for the great info, Nate! Definitely gonna check out your links. I am 5’4” and 128 lbs. debating what length board might be considered too long for me? But also slightly nervous about going too long and not being use to it? Not sure what your advice would be on that?

          • Nate says

            February 14, 2019 at 11:26 am

            Hi Jen

            As an advanced rider, I would say you could go as long as 146 or a little longer, if you were going to be riding a lot of deep powder. But as an intermediate rider, more like 143, 144, I would say. And for an all-mountain-freestyle type board, that would still be a good length as an advanced rider. So, I wouldn’t go up too much size-wise, but you could bump up a couple of centimeters. In terms of stability at speed, you do get that from going longer, but you also get that from other factors too – like a board with more camber and a stiffer flexing board. Going from the B Nice, which is very soft flexing and predominantly rocker, getting something a little stiffer flexing and with a bit more camber is going to give you that stability anyway, so there isn’t a big need to size up too much, IMO.

            Hope this helps

28. Chase says

    February 10, 2019 at 12:44 pm

    Hey Nate,

    I wanted to start off by saying thank you very much on helping me begin my venture into snowboarding last year. I started off here in the PA Poconos not getting down a bunny hill over one to two hours. Now I’m riding switch and jibbing down blues in Vermont and starting to venture into progressing my park game. Absolutely love my Salomon Sight as my first board ever and definitely am starting to push its limits but still learning enough not to abandon it. I digress.

    My girlfriend is 5’7″ 125lbs. Size 8.5 US boot. She has the talent to S down blues without anything special and never much speed but shes rocking a 5150 unsure model that was $50 off craigslist and about 144cm. Shes been progressing a lot lately but her confidence is always shook because her gear just isn’t up to snuff. Valentines day gift idea approaching. Looking into the Gala you suggest as your #1 beginner for women. Think that’s a good idea for someone who can initiate turns and get down a mountain already? The fast progression I’ve seen myself make on my beginner board is what I want for her. And I don’t ever see her wanting to bomb hills or get into park but just get a lot more comfortable getting down blues/blacks and better speed and more aggressive edging.

    In Summation
    Sizing for her measurements for the gala
    Is going beginner despite her ability still a good choice ( i can send a video haha)
    Thanks for all the work and fun you’ve brought me with my board selection a year ago

    Chase

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 11, 2019 at 12:55 pm

      Hi Chase

      Thanks for your message and awesome to hear how you’re progressing!

      As a beginner going on intermediate rider (if that sounds accurate for your girlfriend?) I would still size a little down from what an advanced size would be. Especially given that it sounds like she’s not that keen on bombing. Sounds like she could still ride a beginner board and get a lot out of it – especially if confidence is an issue. I think the 144 size with her current board won’t be the issue. I would say around 148 as a more advanced rider and something 143 to 145 as a beginner, so it fits in there nicely, but there could be other factors, like flex and camber profile, that could be causing her issues on it.

      For the Gala, I think the 146 would be the best size for a beginner who can already ride a bit. And I think that would be a good option from what you’re describing. The other option, if you wanted to get her something a step up, is to look at something from the following:

      >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

      But I would still look at something more 4/10 than 5/10 flex, given confidence and no desire for speed.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

29. Chase says

    February 10, 2019 at 11:10 am

    Hey Nate. Wanted to first start by saying thanks for all your replies and help with these reviews. I’ve loved my sight board which has taken me from falling down a bunny hill to jibbing blues in Vermont in just one year. But new question for you. Girlfriend can ride blues but has a board that doesn’t fit her well at all and destroys her confidence. Still get a new beginner board to help her progression. Looking at the gala. She’s 5’7″ 128lbs. 8.5 boot.

    Reply

30. Katarina Abdelnur says

    February 9, 2019 at 2:12 pm

    I just bought a Genie snowboard and I got a 147 size.
    I am not sure how I determined that that was going to be a good size for me.
    I am a beginner, 5’8” and 125lbs. Do you think I can still use this board? I unfortunately unwrapped it and I am unable to return it for a longer size.
    Please tell me that I will be able to use this board?!
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 11, 2019 at 11:52 am

      Hi Katarina

      Thanks for your message.

      I think 147 is a good size for you for the Genie. Assuming you are a beginner rider, I would say something between 144 and 146 would be ideal – a good idea to go a little shorter as a beginner. The 147 is close enough to that range, IMO – and certainly I wouldn’t go for a longer option for you. The next size down is 142, which would be too short, IMO and the next size up – the 152, would certainly be too long, IMO. So 147 is the best size for you for this board, IMO. However you determined it, you were spot on, IMO!

      Hope this helps

      Reply

31. Laura says

    February 7, 2019 at 10:34 am

    What are your thoughts on the rossignol meraki (143cm) vs frenemy (141cm) for begginger board and intermediate (for the future)? 5’1 and 117lb.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 8, 2019 at 11:15 am

      Hi Laura

      Thanks for your message.

      I would say, length-wise, something around 139, 140 would be a good length as a beginner and still be good as an intermediate length. So preferably a little shorter than those options. As far as I know the shortest that the Frenemy comes in is a 144cm, but there could be a 141cm that I don’t know about? Also, the Frenemy is something that’s good for a high-end beginner going on intermediate, if you’re more of a complete beginner, then I would say that it’s less suitable. But I would say 144cm is going to be too long, particularly for that board, to be ideal for you right now.

      And as far as I know the Meraki only comes in 140, 145 & 150.

      So, I think the Meraki would be the better option (in the 140). It’s a really freestyle oriented board, so it’s something you could always keep in your quiver as a freestyle board, if you were to upgrade to a more advanced all-mountain option down the line. If you didn’t get into freestyle you could always sell it too.

      If you are in that high-end beginner, going on intermediate kind of phase, rather than at the start of the beginner phase, then you could also look at:

      >>Top 10 Women’s Intermediate Snowboards

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Laura says

        February 12, 2019 at 6:28 pm

        Thank you so much for your response! I have purchased a brand new Meraki 140 (with burton citizen bindings) over the Frenemy based on your points. However, I just found a used 2014/2015 burton lipstick 140 with bindings for cheap-ish ($225 CAD). I am definitely a complete beginner, i have only been 3 times so far. I want a board that will help me learn but also can be used for years. I plan to go 2-6 times every year. And see more groomed snow and icy conditions.

        Between the Meraki and Lipstick is there a clear winner for me?

        Reply

        • Nate says

          February 13, 2019 at 3:30 pm

          Hi Laura

          The Lipstick isn’t a bad choice as a beginner board. Probably just a touch too stiff to be ideal, but doable – and that does sound like a really good price. The Meraki a better beginner board though – and will also be better in icy conditions than the Lip Stick, IMO. So, I would say that the Lip Stick wouldn’t be a terrible choice, by any means, but the Meraki is the better choice, IMO.

          Reply

          • Laura says

            February 13, 2019 at 4:57 pm

            Hi Nate,
            Thanks for the quick replies! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.

            For the Rossi Meraki (purchased for 200$CAD) its classified as a “jib/park”. I doubt I will ever get to that level/area or be doing tricks. How does the Meraki perform for cruising down groomed mountains/all mountain and learning to crave/skid, butter?

            If the above is what I am looking to do with my snowboard most of the time, does the Meraki become a less ideal board for my needs? or are little details such as the shape and classification less important for me as a beginner?
            (Want a long term board, riding mostly medium – hard packed snow, icy sometimes, occasional powder depending on machines)

            Any board recommendations that are better suited for me?
            (available for purchase near me under 300$CAD are the burton feather, burton genie, k2 bright lite, k2 duchess, k2 first light, Rossignol Justice, ride compact )

          • Nate says

            February 14, 2019 at 10:57 am

            Hi Laura

            Yeah the Meraki is very park focused. As a beginner, it’s not going to affect you that much but as you progress it will be less suitable for all-mountain riding. For buttering it’s great but in terms of stability at speed and carving – and in powder, not going to be the best, once you start riding at more speed. If you were to use this as a beginner board and then sell and upgrade to an all-mountain board once you’re more advanced that would be a good progression strategy. But if you plan on keeping this board long term and don’t plan on really riding freestyle, then it won’t be ideal once you are no longer a beginner.

            From the options you mentioned, the Feather is more freeride focused, and would be a great choice on powder days, but not so much on icy groomer days, genie more freestyle oriented, Rossignol Justice far too stiff for a beginner, IMO. The Compact could work, but I think the First Lite or Bright Lite would be your best options. The First Lite being the best for learning on and the Bright Lite being something that will be better once you’re more intermediate, but still fine for learning on. So, if I had to choose, I would say Bright Lite, given that you’re looking for something longer term. But size matters too, so if there isn’t an appropriate size for you in the Bright Lite, then I would look at a different option. And the only downside vs something like the Meraki, is that it’s not as good in hard/icy conditions, but otherwise would tick all the boxes, from what you’re describing.

32. Ozzy says

    February 6, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    Hi,
    Thanks a lot for your wonderful article. I was wondering if you would recommend any Bataleon boards for beginners for both men and women (heard a lot of good things about that company). I can do some turns (not beautifully). However I am still very fearful of speed and need to feel like I’m more in control. Also getting off the lift is never too easy for me! So I did some research and really liked what I heard about Capita, GNU and Bataleon boards. I’m trying to decide between these brands for both me and my husband. Would really appreciate your insight on that. Many thanks.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 7, 2019 at 2:42 pm

      Hi Ozzy

      Thanks for your message.

      I don’t really deal with Bataleon boards, but from a quick bit of research I would say that the Chaser or Blow would be your best bet for men’s and the Spirit for women’s.

      For Capita, the Space Metal Fantasy for women’s and for men’s the Horrorscope – the next best beginner options would be the Paradise and Outerspace Living, IMO.

      For GNU, the Chromatic and B-Nice for women’s and the Hyak and Carbon Credit Asym for men’s.

      Hope this helps and gives you some good options

      Reply

33. Katharina says

    January 30, 2019 at 6:46 pm

    Hi Nate,

    Thank you for your fantastic website, so informative!
    I only started snowboarding last year in Nozawa Onsen and broke my wrist on day 4, an out of control kid took me out, he bounced I broke… anyway, I’m back in Japan with new boots and bindings (K2 Estates and Union Trilogy) but still on the 2005 Burton Feather 150 that we bought second hand for me to try snowboarding on. I’m ok at turning and have been down a few intermediate runs and did ok with some minor wipe outs and side slipping on the really steep bits 😂.
    I’m 56, 5’4” 120lb size 7 boots. My aim is to cruise down groomed runs at moderate speed, and definitely no park….. I am considering getting a new snowboard to help me improve more quickly or should I just stick with the one I’ve got… is the a big difference between it and newer boards? Is it even the right size for me?
    I should add we live in the tropics so we’re only likely to go snowboarding once or max twice a year, generally Japan but also looking at US and Canada.
    Cheers Kat

    Reply

    • Nate says

      January 31, 2019 at 12:16 pm

      Hi Kat

      Thanks for your message.

      Size-wise, I think the Feather is a little big for you. Even as a more advanced rider, I would say more like 146cm. As a beginner it’s a good idea to go a little shorter, so more like 142 to 144, I would say. And with size 7 boots, you’ll likely get a better width in those sizes too.

      I think going with a beginner board is a good idea, given that you’ve just started riding and also that it sounds like you want something easy going. You could certainly go for something that’s going to also be good as a more intermediate rider and that would be a good way to go, particularly given that you’ve got quality boots and bindings (a touch stiffer than I’d usually recommend for a beginner but good quality – and not too far off flex-wise).

      The following would be really good options for you, IMO:

      ~ YES Emoticon 143
      ~ Never Summer Infinity 145 (or 142)
      ~ GNU Chromatic 143
      ~ Capita Paradise (though this is a little bit of a step up from the others here – but would work, just might be a little bit more board to handle to begin with) – 143

      Hope this helps and gives you some good options

      Reply

      • Katharina says

        February 1, 2019 at 3:34 pm

        Thank you, Nate!

        Given the board I’ve been riding is too long for me, I’m rather stoked with my progress lol!
        I like the look of the Infinity and the Emoticon…. toss a coin or is one slightly better or more suitable than the other?

        Thanks again, cheers, Kat

        Reply

        • Nate says

          February 2, 2019 at 1:30 pm

          Hi Kat

          Both would certainly work but maybe, since you ride in Japan mostly, leaning towards the Infinity as it’s better in powder. Another thing to consisder is that the Infinity has a slightly looser, more surfy feel than the Emoticon, which is a more stable feel.

          Hope this helps

          Reply

34. Lily says

    January 28, 2019 at 2:24 pm

    Hey! Thanks for this article it’s crazy helpful, I just thought I’d ask so I can get the right size board as I’ve got pretty small measurements.
    I weigh about 115 pounds maybe a little more, I wear UK size 3.5 women’s 32 lashed boots, I am about 162 cm tall.

    I have snowboarded for 1 week on holiday and love it but am very much a beginner, I’m planning on doing a whole winter season next winter so I want a board that will help me progress as I’ll be doing a load of snowboarding but am definitely a complete beginner.

    Any ideas what size / board? Thank you so much!!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      January 30, 2019 at 12:20 pm

      Hi Lily Thanks for your message. For your specs, and as a beginner, I would look at something between 139cm and 141cm. Because of your boot size, I would be trying to not go too far over 230mm at the waist. Up to 232mm should be OK. You shouldn’t need to worry about going too narrow.

      The GNU B Nice 139 (226mm waist) would be a great option, IMO, size-wise and great as a beginner deck. If you want a little bit of a step up (just in terms of being a bigger board), then the GNU Chromatic 141 (232mm waist) is also an option.

      The Rossignol Gala 142 (232mm waist) would also work. Just above the range I mentioned earlier in terms of length but doable.

      Arbor Poparazzi 141 (232.5mm waist)

      Arbor Ethos 141 (232.5mm waist)

      Nitro Lectra 138 (226mm waist) or 142 (230mm waist)

      Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision

      Reply

35. Megan says

    January 24, 2019 at 1:22 pm

    Hi Nate first thanks for this amazing blog!

    Im 5’4 100 lbs and size 6 boot
    I’ve only rented snowbaords thus far but have gone 6 times and am ready to buy
    I can turn for the most part pretty ok and carve as well. I’d say Im high end beginner/intermediate. I also ride in icy conditions sometimes (I ride near Los angeles mostly so it gets pretty icy after like 1pm)
    Anyway with all that in mind and all the research Ive done Im looking into getting:

    Rossi Frenemy or
    Yes Emoticon

    The only thing Im worried about is the size…the smallest size those come in are 144 & 143, Im pretty small and its hard to research boards for small people! Do you think those boards would work or is there another one you recommend for smaller women?

    Thanks so much!

    (oh also if you have any recommendations on bindings that would be awesome too)

    Reply

    • Nate says

      January 25, 2019 at 10:43 am

      Hi Megan

      Thanks for your message.

      I think you’ve narrowed it down to 2 really good options for what you’re describing, but I’m also concerned that the smallest sizes for those would be a bit big for your specs – both in terms of width and length. Ideally something around 138, 139 would be better, IMO. And width wise, something closer to 230mm at the waist would be better, IMO.

      I think one of the following would work really well for what you’re describing, and come in better sizes for you, IMO.

      ~ GNU Chromatic 141 (232mm waist) – still on the bigger side but gives you something a little shorter and a little narrower than the Emoticon and Frenemy
      ~ GNU B Nice Asym 139 (226mm waist) – I think this would be about the ideal for you size-wise
      ~ GNU Velvet Asym 139 (226mm waist) – again really good size-wise, and something that is just a little bit of a step up from the the Chromatic and B Nice, that would be great for lasting longer, in terms of progression. Still good for an intermediate level, but won’t be something you feel wanting once you become more advanced

      In terms of bindings, for something like the B Nice or Chromatic, something with a 3/10 or 4/10 flex would work best (and be the easiest to progress on). For the Velvet, something with 4/10 or 5/10 flex would be the best bet, IMO. The following lists have bindings in those flex ranges. Depending on budget, something like the Union Milan, K2 Meridian, Ride DVA or Salomon Nova would be good options as something that’s still easy enough to progress on, but would still work well once you’re more advanced. Or if you wanted a little step up, then something like the Burton Escapade or Flux GS. But check out the following, there might be something else in there that stands out for you:

      >>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings

      >>Top Women’s Freestyle Bindings

      >>Top Women’s All-Mountain Bindings

      Hope this helps

      Reply

36. Joules says

    January 12, 2019 at 9:59 am

    Hi Nate!

    Love your lists. It helped me choose my very first women’s snowboard – the Ride Rapture. I love it and progressed my snowboarding from a complete beginner to let’s say an advanced beginner 😉

    But now that I have more experience, I want to get a new board. The Rapture gave me a lot of stability and quick turn initiation, was very forgiving and catch-free – but now I often times feel stuck in the snow because it doesn’t glide that effortlessly, not even on the edges (although it is professionally waxed etc).

    Which All Mountain board can give me the same stability, easy turn initiation, and forgiving feel of the Rapture but for higher speed and more effortless riding on the edges)? Ideally suitable for a progression to intermediate.

    Should I get a camber board (e.g. Nitro Fate or Capita Birds of a Feather or Salomon Oh Yeah)? Or would you recommend a Hybrid Camber (e.g. Flying V)?

    I should add I mostly ride an indoor skiing arena.

    Thank you very much for your helpful advice!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      January 14, 2019 at 4:13 pm

      Hi Joules

      Thanks for your message.

      In terms of camber, I think something Hybrid is a good idea. A bit of camber in the profile certainly helps with stability at speed, IMO. But I still wouldn’t go full camber. Some rocker in the profile is still a good idea, IMO. So either a hybrid rocker (rocker between the feet, camber towards tip and tail) or hybrid camber (camber between the feet and rocker towards tip and tail) would be a good way to go, IMO.

      Some good options for a high-end beginner bordering on intermediate stage are, IMO:

      Hybrid Camber Options
      Rossignol Frenemy
      YES Emoticon
      Capita Paradise

      Hybrid Rocker Options
      Never Summer Infinity
      GNU Gloss

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Joules says

        January 19, 2019 at 4:46 am

        Hi Nate!

        Thank you so much for your reply. As always – it was extremely hopeful.

        Would you say that Hybrid Cambers have more characteristics of a traditional camber and Hybrid Rockers are closer to a traditional rocker?

        Thank you for your help!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          January 21, 2019 at 10:34 am

          You’re very welcome Joules.

          Yeah I would say to an extent that that’s true. Hybrid Cambers are typically closer to Traditional Camber, than Hybrid Rockers are. But it can depend on how much camber and how much rocker is in the profile. For example there are some hybrid rocker profiles that only have a very subtle amount of rocker between the feet, which feel closer to traditional camber than full-rocker, and even sometimes closer to traditional camber than hybrid camber. And there are some hybrid cambers that only have a very small and subtle camber section. So not always, but often that is the case.

          Of the boards mentioned, the Hybrid camber options there will more closely resemble traditional camber than the hybrid rockers mentioned there. So in this case it’s true. But the Hybrid Rockers will feel closer to hybrid camber, than to full rocker still – they’ll just feel closer to full rocker than the hybrid cambers will – if that makes sense! To try to give a visual of what I’m trying to say, on a rough scale:

          

          That’s a very generalized illustration, but hopefully helps to explain it.

          Reply

          • Joules says

            January 22, 2019 at 8:39 am

            Hi Nate,

            just one word: WOW

            Thank you so much for the explanation. Sometimes it can be a bit difficult to navigate in the huge field of snowboard shapes and cambers and flexes – but when you explain it everything makes sense.

            Can’t stress this enough: thank you so much!

            Keep up the amazing work!

          • Nate says

            January 22, 2019 at 11:18 am

            You’re very welcome Joules. Glad I could help. Hope you have an awesome season!

37. Veekay says

    December 27, 2018 at 5:51 am

    Hi Nate,
    Have decided on the Nitro Lectra 138. But supposedly the website says it is not compatible with Thirtytwo shifty BOA Size 6.5.

    Am I doing something wrong, perhaps?

    Hope you can help me with this.

    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      December 27, 2018 at 2:06 pm

      Hi Veekay

      The Lectra is quite narrow, but IMO it should be fine with 6.5s, but if you’re worried about it being too narrow, you could go with something else. It will certainly be on the narrow side, but still just wide enough, IMO.

      Reply

38. Patti Herson says

    December 26, 2018 at 2:48 pm

    Hi Jake,

    I’m an OLD snowboarder. I’m 53 years old and started about 25 years ago. I had one board and one bindings for almost 20 years and was happy with them but the board split. I go anywhere from 2-10x/ year but average maybe 4x/year–so not much. I got a super stiff board at a swap meet. I used it yesterday and my back leg kills today from putting so much weight on it to prevent catching an edge. I’m 5′. 115 lbs. Size 7 shoe. I will never be an expert boarder but will always be an intermediate just doing groomed runs. No parks. Do you have any recommendations? I’ve considered the Arbor Ethos or Rossignol Gala. Really just want to have fun without breaking bones! BTW. I still have my old step-in bindings which I love and don’t want to get rid of. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      December 27, 2018 at 1:58 pm

      Hi Patti

      Thanks for your message.

      If you know the brand/model of the board you got at the swap meet, that would help. But something like the Ethos and the Gala would work as casual easy going boards, so long as your not too worried about stability at speed or too much performance for speed/carving.

      Size-wise, I would be looking at something around 140cm, give or take for your specs. Something between 138 and 141 is probably a good bet – leaning on the shorter side for something even more forgiving.

      So for the Ethos, either the 138 or 141. Probably leaning towards 141, just because it’s already a really friendly ride.

      For the Gala, the 142 would be your best bet, IMO.

      Though since you’ve been riding a long time, you’ll have a size that you’re used to. So, if it’s significantly longer or shorter, then we can revise that sizing, as what you’re used to comes into it as well.

      If you were looking for a little step up, but still easy going, then something like:

      YES Emoticon
      GNU Chromatic
      Never Summer Infinity
      Rossignol Frenemy

      Would also be good options.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

39. Veekay says

    December 26, 2018 at 1:54 am

    Hi Nate,

    Came across your site as I am looking to purchase my first board and boots.

    My height is 162cm and my weight is 49kg. Rented 6.5 size boots, but my heels keep on going up. So I think will need to buy a size 6 instead.

    Been to Niseko for 2 seasons now, and I can proudly say I have managed to go down the green line comfortably. Linking turns successfully at times, but I do still think I am in the beginners’ side still.

    Could you please recommend me boards and boots for my level. Or, that can last a few years which then hopefully I will be progressing then.

    Much appreciated~

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      December 26, 2018 at 4:15 pm

      Hi Veekay

      Thanks for your message.

      Size-wise, something between 138 and 140 would be a good size for your specs/ability, IMO.

      Width-wise, there pretty much won’t be anything that’s too narrow for 6s, just a matter of not going too wide.

      For boots, it may be that 6.5 is too big but it might also be that they weren’t that good for heel hold. Some boots are better than others in that respect. And it might be that you have ankles/feet that are prone to heel lift. It might be that size 6 is better, but you wouldn’t want to go for 6, if it’s going to be too short. Check out the following for sizing snowboard boots and for a list of good beginner boots. Check out the score breakdowns for those that tend to be better for heel hold.

      >>How to Size Snowboard Boots

      >>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings

      From what I hear of Japan, there’s great powder, so in terms of type of board, you’ll likely want something that’s good in powder, I’m guessing. So, something all-mountain is probably a good bet. One of the following would be really good options, IMO.

      >>Nitro Lectra 138 – also a good width for 6s or 6.5s

      >>K2 First Lite 138

      Or, even though it’s more all mountain freestyle, but would still work for powder, the GNU Chromatic 141.

      Or if you want something just a bit of a step up, then the following would also work well.

      >>Never Summer Infinity 142 – getting a bit longer but would last you for a bit longer, progression-wise.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Veekay says

        December 26, 2018 at 7:31 pm

        HI Nate,

        Thank you so much for your prompt reply~!
        This is very helpful with my search for boots and snowboards!

        Will look at your recommendations and if there is anything I need to ask (hopefully, not!) will message you again.

        Thanks again…

        Reply

        • Nate says

          December 27, 2018 at 2:02 pm

          You’re very welcome Veekay. Hope you have an awesome season!

          Reply

40. Jake says

    December 10, 2018 at 9:41 am

    Hey Nate,

    I’m a somewhat experienced boarder looking to get my wife into the sport. It’s my favorite thing in life and I know she wants in on it too but shes struggling a bit. I think if she has a better board than the rentals then she will learn a bit easier. Shes 5’6″ and weighs 165 pounds. Her first time boarding was at big bear mountain in southern california and she did ok for the first time. But now were in illinois and boarding in Wisconsin. The mountain we went to is more or less a huge hill however the slopes were fairly decent. She struggled a lot more this ti.e though. Got so frustrated and sore after a few runs that she wasnt feeling it anymore that day. Basically spent a lot of time popping up heel side and then falling back on her butt. She has no problem getting off the lifts and occasionally she’ll have a good 100 ft or so before she eats the snow.

    Any recommendations? Maybe a shorter board something with more balance?

    Thanks in advance!
    Jake

    Reply

    • Nate says

      December 11, 2018 at 4:06 pm

      Hi Jake

      Thanks for your message.

      I’m not familiar with conditions in Wisconsin but I’m guessing that you get quite a lot of hard/icy days? Was that the case on the day she rode there?

      If so, then something with good edge hold in hard/icy conditions would certainly help.

      Size-wise, I’d say something around 149 to 151 is a good way to go, but you could go a little shorter if you felt you needed a bit more agility in the board. But going too short will make it less stable. Do you know the size of boards she rented (at Big Bear and at her more recent time?).

      The following could be good options:

      ~ GNU Chromatic 149: Only thing is it could be a little more difficult off the lifts – and maybe if she’s doing OK there, don’t want to take a step back there. But otherwise I think it would work well.

      ~ YES Emoticon 149

      ~ Rossignol Meraki 150

      Also, decent in hard/icy but not quite as good are the Ethos, Poparazzi and Lectra. They are all a little looser too, like the Chromatic.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Jake says

        January 17, 2019 at 7:04 am

        Hey man, ya that helped a lot. Thank you. We’ve hit a few places here in Wisconsin now and shes doing pretty good. Ya it’s a little more icy at times. Weve been renting a 149 length a few times to see if she does well on that length. She digs it with some liquid courage and shes killing it. I bought her a 147 Joyride with new bindings and burton boots that I found for a killer deal. Couldn’t pass it up. I know it’s not the best board but while she learns more this season it’ll do great I’m sure. Rocker profile. Next season I think I’m gonna pick up that 149 Yes Emoticon for her.

        Reply

        • Nate says

          January 18, 2019 at 11:57 am

          Hi Jake

          Great to hear she’s doing better now. Hope the board goes well for her for this season – and hope you both have an awesome rest of the season!

          Reply

41. Cristina says

    November 25, 2018 at 12:48 pm

    Hi Nate,

    Thanks for the information! I’m looking to purchase my first board. I would consider myself a beginner in terms of ability (I go maybe once or twice a year) and tend see more hard/icy condition. I noticed in another post, you rated the Rossignol Myth a 100/100 for a beginner board. How does this board compare to the Nitro Lectra and the Rossignol Gala for a first board? I just want the best catch-free board to cruise down the mountains and that also makes it easy to get off the lift. What would you suggest? Also, I’m 5’4ish and 120lbs. Every time I rent, I get a 146cm board. Is this the right size for me? It’s hard to tell with all the different charts out there.

    Any advice you have… I’d be ever so grateful!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      November 26, 2018 at 11:28 am

      Hi Cristina

      Thanks for your message.

      Size-wise, I would prefer to see you on something more like 142 to 143 as a beginner. Up to 145, 146 as a more advanced rider.

      The Gala and Lectra are both very good beginner boards, as is the Myth. The 100/100 was an old rating (I’m always looking to improve and adapt my rating system, so the scores change – and they also sometimes change as the result of a board changing). But since you tend to ride in hard/icy conditions a lot, I would be more inclined to look at the Lectra (142) over the Myth and Gala, which would be slightly better in those conditions, IMO.

      Though even better in those conditions would be something like the GNU Chromatic, the YES Emoticon or the Rossignol Meraki.

      If you could also let me know your boot size (or shoe size if you’re not sure of your boot size) to make sure these options would be a suitable width for you.

      Hope this helps with your decision.

      Reply

      • Cristina says

        December 8, 2018 at 5:33 am

        Nate,

        You’re the best! I’m a shoe size 7. I’m usually given a 7.5 or 8 in boot size. Is that what I should be using?

        If I go with the GNU Chromatic, how is this board on fresh snow? I may be taking a trip to Breckenridge this winter and, although I see more icy conditions, I’d love to bring my own board.

        Reply

        • Nate says

          December 8, 2018 at 5:31 pm

          Hi Cristina

          Typically you would be around your shoe size in snowboard boots, give or take 1/2 a size. But every foot is different. Different brands tend to fit subtly different as well, so it would depend. If you’re not sure about how your boots should fit, check out:

          >>How to Size Snowboard Boots

          The Chromatic is decent in fresh snow. It’s not a powder hound, but it’s not bad either. I would say 3/5 in powder. So, good enough, if you’re not going to see powder that often. And if you really wanted to, you could also set your bindings back a little on days when there’s fresh snow, for better float. But all of that really applies to ungroomed fresh snow (backcountry, or off-piste). In soft-pack on the groomers, it will be absolutely fine.

          Reply

42. Tina says

    November 24, 2018 at 10:54 am

    Hi Nate 🙂

    I am about to pick up snowboarding again after a long hiatus and would put myself back in the beginner bucket. I am looking for the right board that would give me a lot of control and comfort (I had acl/mcl surgery about 7 years ago and have to wear a heavy duty knee brace). I’m 5’5 and 142lbs and I wear a size 8 boot.

    Please let me know what your recommendations are. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      November 25, 2018 at 10:26 am

      Hi Tina

      Thanks for your message.

      Certainly going with something that’s not too stiff flexing is a good idea – both as a beginner and also in terms of comfort. A softer flex is more forgiving and makes it both technically and physically easier to initiate turns. And certainly easier to control at slower speeds.

      Length-wise, something around 145, 146 would be a good way to go, IMO.

      Width-wise, as long as you go at least 233mm in terms of waist width, you should be fine. But try not to go wider than around 243mm at the waist – if you go too wide, then it becomes more difficult to initiate turns (more physical effort required).

      If you don’t think you’ll be riding the park in the future, then going for something all-mountain or all-mountain-freestyle would be a good option. I would go all-mountain, if you’re somewhere that sees a fair amount of fresh powder, and you think you’ll want to go off-groomer at some stage. Otherwise either all-mountain or all-mountain freestyle. There are a number of options on this list in those categories.

      The other thing is if you’re in an area that sees a lot of hard/icy conditions, that’s something else to think about. The boards labelled “HARD/ICY” would be good options in that case.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

43. David says

    November 19, 2018 at 12:39 pm

    Hi Nate,

    I have recently come across your website and the information has been extremely helpful especially as I am looking to buy my daughter her own board & bindings.

    My daughter, 14 has been boarding for 2 years now (total of 2 weeks) and is keen to progress. She is comfortable coming down gentle blue runs.

    We would like the board and bindings to last for a good few years and looking for something that will let her progress both on the piste and park. From your reviews we would be looking at:

    Yes Emoticon with Burton Scribe
    K2 First Lite with Burton Citizen
    Rossignol Gala with Burton Citizen

    At out local store they have recommended Bataleon Feelbetter with either Burton Citizen or Now Vetta.

    She is 52.5kg and 163cm with UK boot size 5.5 and I would really appreciate your thoughts on the above as well as what would be the most suitable board size.

    Look forward to hearing from you.

    David

    Reply

    • Nate says

      November 20, 2018 at 9:43 am

      Hi David

      Thanks for your message.

      Size-wise, as an advanced rider, I would say something around 143, but it’s a good idea to take off a bit of size for beginner/intermediate riders. So a range of 138 to 140 would be a good bet. Since you will want the board to last her a good few years, and if she is still growing, then looking at the higher end of that range or even looking up to 142cm. So maybe 140-142. Ideally closer to 140 but if you’re wanting it to grow with her a bit, then could go a little longer. But I wouldn’t go too much longer, as then the board gets harder to ride and it could stunt her progress.

      From those 3, I think the YES Emoticon would be the best option. It’s something that will last longer skill-wise, and a good option for both piste and park. Less so for powder than the others though. The only thing is that the shortest size is 143. You could possibly stretch to that but is getting on the long side. It’s also on the wide side for UK5.5, IMO.

      The First Lite and Gala (in the 142) would be better sizes, mostly because they’re a little narrower, and would still be suitable in the park but not as park friendly. But they’re also boards that aren’t necessarily going to be as good in a couple of years when your daughters skill level increases.

      I don’t know much about Bataleon boards, but based on some quick research, looks like the Feelbetter is very park oriented. It looks like it would be beginner suitable but might also be something that she would progress past quite quickly – certainly on piste. It’s something that would remain a good park board for her, but for piste riding, upgrading from that after a season or two would be beneficial. Size-wise, I would say the 140 would be the best size for that board.

      So, I think the Emoticon would be the best board choice, but not necessarily the best size. But if you were willing to go for that length with it in mind that she’s growing and progressing, then that’s a good option. Just might be a slightly steeper learning curve to begin with. Also, if she has used boards of that length of longer and felt comfortable, when renting, then that’s another factor to consider.

      Another option that I think would work well, if available, is the GNU Chromatic 141. It’s a good length, width and something that’s good for piste and park and should last a few season’s worth of progression.

      Another one if available, is the Arbor Poparazzi in the 141. I think that would fit really well too.

      In terms of bindings, the Citizen is a great beginner binding, but again, could be something that she grows out of quite quickly. The Scribe is certainly something that would last longer through her progression. A bit of a steeper learning curve, as they’re a bit stiffer, but doable.

      Also check out:

      >>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings

      >>Top Women’s Freestyle Bindings

      For more options.

      Something like the K2 Meridian or Union Milan or Ride DVA would be a good middle ground between lasting but also being beginner friendly.

      Hope this helps with your decision.

      Reply

      • David says

        November 20, 2018 at 2:05 pm

        Thanks for getting back so quick Nate and with a really comprehensive review of the options.

        Due to availability and taking cost into account we have narrowed it down, we think to either:

        First Lite or Gala paired with the Milan bindings.

        Thanks again for your help with this.

        Reply

        • Nate says

          November 21, 2018 at 10:55 am

          You’re very welcome David. Hope you and your daughter have a great season!

          Reply

44. Jessica says

    November 15, 2018 at 12:58 pm

    Hey Nate,

    As you seem to be an expert 🙂 , I have some questions.

    I am 5 foot, 155lbs. We go up to NC for 3 years and this year i was looking into getting my own board. I know the basics and can get down the mountain. What would you recommend?

    Is the Frenemy or the myth like the top ones?
    What about the Burton Genie?

    Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      November 16, 2018 at 12:10 pm

      Hi Jessica

      Thanks for your message.

      The Frenemy is a good intermediate level board. But would be fine for a high end beginner. So you might be OK with something like that.

      Both the Burton Genie (which is now called the Stylus) and the Rossignol Myth are very good as beginner boards. They are both freestyle focused, which doesn’t matter when you’re just learning, but if you want something that will last you a while through your progression, just know that they are more suitable for doing tricks/riding the park. So whether or not that’s something you think you’ll get into, will depend. But if you get something like that and upgrade later once you’re more advanced, they’re certainly boards that will aid in quick progression.

      But if you want something that will stick with you a bit longer and is more “all-mountain” focused, then I would look at one that has an “all-mountain” or “all-mountain-freestyle” tag next to “Style of Board” in the list.

      If you’re looking for something that will be just that little bit more advanced and will last you for longer through your progression, then something like:

      Rossignol Frenemy
      Never Summer Infinity
      YES Emoticon
      Arbor Poparazzi
      GNU Gloss
      Capita Paradise

      Size-wise, something around 145cm would be a good bet for you at the moment, IMO. So, for those boards mentioned:

      Rossignol Frenemy: 147 (or 144)
      Never Summer Infinity: 145
      YES Emoticon: 146
      Arbor Poparazzi: 147 (or 144)
      GNU Gloss: 144
      Capita Paradise: 145

      Do you know the size you usually rent. Because what you’re used to can also come into sizing.

      Also, if you can let me know your boot size (or shoe size if you’re not sure of your boot size). Just to make sure these boards will be an appropriate width.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

45. kailey says

    November 11, 2018 at 9:58 am

    Hi Nate!

    Thank you so much for your articles, they have helped me so much! However, I still don’t know which board would be best for me. I am currently interested in the Arbor Ethos/Poparazzi or Ride Rapture.

    I am 5’8, about 130lb, and wear a size 9 women’s shoe. I have snowboarded 4 times, and I started to link my turns on greens and easy blues. So I am still a beginner (:

    My goal is to find a board that will help me progress fast but will still last me a couple of seasons. I am getting a pass this season and hope to go up every weekend.

    Which board and length would you recommend for me? Also do you think the Arbor Ethos or Poparazzi would be better? Any suggestions are appreciated!

    Thank you so so much for your help!!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      November 11, 2018 at 5:36 pm

      Hi Kailey

      Thanks for your message.

      Size-wise I think something around 146 to 148 would be a good length to go with for your specs and a beginner with a bit of experience already.

      Width wise with 9s, I would say at least 236mm in terms of waist width, but that would depend on your binding angles. If you ride with a very straight back foot, then probably more like 240mm minimum but if you ride with quite a bit of angle on both you could go narrower. But if you’re not sure of binding angles, then something between 236 and 242 would be a good range to look at.

      So the sizes I would go for would be:

      Ethos: 147 (235.5mm waist)
      Poparazzi: 147 (235.5mm waist)
      Rapture: 147 (238mm waist)

      The Poparazzi and Rapture are likely to last you longer through your progression, so they might be the best to choose between.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

      • kailey says

        November 13, 2018 at 4:57 pm

        Awesome! Thank you so much for your input! Do you think the Poparazzi would be too narrow? I’m not positive what angle I ride with, I always just let my rental place set it, but I think it’s around 15 degrees.

        Also, do you have any other recommendations for me besides the Poparazzi and Rapture?

        Again, thank you so much! I really appreciate it.

        Reply

        • Nate says

          November 14, 2018 at 1:59 pm

          Hi Kailey

          Yeah often rental places will setup at +15/-15, from what I’ve seen. In which case, if you were to stick with that, then the Poparazzi should be fine width-wise, IMO.

          Some other good options for you, IMO:

          ~ YES Emoticon 146 (239mm waist)
          ~ Rossignol Frenemy 147 (240mm waist) – a little bit of a step up but still doable

          The GNU Chromatic 146 (238mm waist) could work well for you too.

          Reply

46. Shirley says

    November 8, 2018 at 9:56 pm

    Hi Nate!

    Thanks so much for your article on beginner snowboards, it’s been super helpful to my boyfriend and I!
    I’ve been snowboarded 4-5 times, and have a good grasp of turning. Currently I’m working on making turns on more steeper slopes and making tighter turns. For reference, I’m 5’5 and about 113 lbs. Based on the information you’ve given me, I’ve narrowed down a few boards that’s on sale right now at pretty reasonable prices:
    – K2 Duchess 146cm
    – K2 Bright Lite 146cm
    – Rossignol Frenemy Magtek 147cm
    – Ride Rapture 143cm
    – K2 Bright Lite 145cm

    I’m not sure if these boards are too long for me, or if you have any other recommendations? Your advice is deeply appreciated!

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      November 9, 2018 at 11:34 am

      Hi Shirley

      Thanks for your message.

      Yeah, in my opinion, most of those would be too long for you. I would say as a beginner that something between 139 and 141 would be a good range to look at. Since it sounds like you’re progressing quite quickly you’ll probably be fine to go with something 142, 143, but I wouldn’t go any longer than that at this stage if it was me.

      So, from that list the Ride Rapture looks the best option to me. Just note that the Rapture is certainly freestyle oriented (which is fine when you’re still learning). So, if you get into riding the park, then it will be a good option to have in your quiver. But once you become more advanced you’ll likely want something different for riding the mountain. But yeah, this would be your best option from that list,IMO.

      Hope this helps with your decision and let me know if you find other options that you’re considering

      Reply

      • Shirley says

        November 10, 2018 at 12:59 am

        Hi Nate,
        Thanks for the quick reply! I turned to eBay to find some good deals… 😀
        I’ve also been looking at these two boards:
        – Salomon Lotus 138 or 142
        – K2 Bright Lite 142

        Are any of these two OK? I’d like to keep the board for a few seasons and be able to progress on it without buying another.

        Reply

        • Nate says

          November 10, 2018 at 2:33 pm

          Hi Shirley

          I think he K2 Bright Lite 142 would be a great option for you. It fell just outside this list, so it’s definitely beginner appopriate, in my opinion and that’s a better size for you, IMO. But still the kind of size that would be appropriate a few seasons down the line

          Reply

          • Shirley says

            November 12, 2018 at 2:26 am

            Hey Nate,
            OK, so I’ve narrowed it down to the K2 Bright Lite 142, or the GNU Gloss 140 (I’ve heard that it’s an OK board for intermediate beginners).
            Out of these two, which do you think would enable me to progress without having to buy another board in the next few seasons?

            Thank you!!

          • Nate says

            November 13, 2018 at 12:20 pm

            Hi Shirley

            I think both would be good boards to progress on for a few years and at the same time beginner friendly enough. But maybe leaning towards the 142 Bright Lite, just because the size would be more appropriate in a couple of seasons. The 140 would be a great size now, but down the line you might appreciate the little bit of extra length of the 142 Bright Lite. One more thing – what’s your boot size? Or shoe size if you’re not sure of boot size. Just to see what would be most appropriate width-wise.

          • Shirley says

            November 17, 2018 at 12:27 pm

            I’m a size 7 in boots, with medium bindings.

          • Nate says

            November 17, 2018 at 3:23 pm

            Hi Shirley

            You could certainly ride either, IMO, with 7s, but perhaps sticking with the Bright Lite just because it’s a better length, overall, in terms of holding on to it for a few seasons.

            Hope this helps

47. Anne says

    November 1, 2018 at 8:56 pm

    Hi Nate,

    Thank you so much for your “how to choose the best snowboard” article and for making this list. The way you explain everything is extremely helpful! I’ve been a skier for years and and just moved to New Mexico and want to transition to snowboarding. I’m 5′ 10″ and weight about 128 lbs so I am struggling to decided what size board I need since my height and weight don’t correspond on the sizing charts. I’m a size 9, slender-athletic build, and will probably be hitting up resorts and eventually backcountry (I hope!). Since you definitely seem to be the Obi-Wan Kenobi of snowboards (good call Brynn!) I would appreciate your recommendation on what size board I should look for, and if you think a certain board on this list or style would be preferential for me.

    Thank you so much!

    Anne

    Reply

    • Nate says

      November 2, 2018 at 12:52 pm

      Hi Anne

      Thanks for your message.

      I like to take height into account but weight is certainly the most important factor (as well as boot size). For you, as a beginner, I would say that something between 146 to 148 would be a good length to go for.

      For Size 9s a safe range to look at would be something with a waist width between 238mm and 248mm.

      Given how you want to ride, I think something all-mountain would be your best option.

      So based on all of that, I would suggest the following:

      ~ Burton Hideaway 148 (240mm waist)
      ~ Nitro Lectra 149 (238mm waist) – a little outside our range but should still be fine

      The other options, if you were wanting a board that could stay with you longer – i.e. want grow out of them as fast – but will also be a little bit of a steeper learning curve:

      ~ GNU Gloss 148 (239mm waist)
      ~ Capita Paradise 147 (237mm waist) – pushing it in terms of width, but should be OK
      ~ Rossignol Frenemy 147 (240mm waist)

      Hope this helps and gives you some options

      Reply

48. Brynn says

    October 31, 2018 at 10:09 pm

    Hi Nate!
    Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi (of snowboards)… You are my only hope 🙂 I’m overwhelmed with research for a new board. (Sorry, nerd reference). I’m 29, 5’9”-5’10” (i never know anymore), and about 190-195 lbs (stressful events, lots of weight gain, working on getting that back down).

    I’m what I’d call a ‘competent beginner’. Even though i’ve been snowboarding for years, I initially learned in the midwest, self-taught, and it often would be at least 2-3 years between snowboarding trips.

    I now finally live on the west coast and have gone to breckenridge 2 years ago and lake tahoe this past year. Breckenridge was hard but I could handle greens, and then easy blues, I fall a lot the first day after not going for a while but typically have ‘ok’ control with my S turns on my toe edge… only with large turns though, my fine, minute control (like going through a crowded area) has never been there. I was using a K2 board at the time (unknown kind). I think it was maybe 148cm?

    This past year my husband bought me a custom board from Oz Snowboards (small colorado company) as a gift, it was around 152-154 cm, all mountain, extruded base, carbon fiber, with true twin direction, hybrid camber, and supposedly soft/medium flex. It was like night and day for loss of control on this thing I feel like my toe edge catches EVERYTHING. After multiple days I could finally turn onto my toe edges but it takes SO much effort, the board feels so much stiffer than my last one, and I feel like I have zero control. Unfortunately, I got rid of my K2 thinking I had graduated. I would now like to be held back to kindergarten.

    So… help? I’m planning on getting an IKON pass this year and going… a lot. I’m not sure if I need a solely beginner board or not. A couple of things to maybe help with recommendations:
    1. I know for a fact I’m a goofy foot, and while I switch on this new board, in reality after a little bit on the run I typically feel ok doing toe edge riding.
    2. most of my boarding will always be in colorado, california, washington, utah
    3. i’m not a terrain park person. maybe attempting a jump in the years future… but right now I really just want to have solid control. Control going through a busy, narrow run, and not relying on switching to go down.

    So I was wondering if I need a shorter board again, a softer board, and potentially an asymmetrical board? And do I need to worry about my weight affecting the length or flex?

    Cost isn’t as much of an issue as much of actual ease in all of the above things (biggest thing is ease of turning and lack of catching).

    Thank you times a million for reading through all of this, I appreciate your help, I didn’t know where else to go.

    Happy Halloween (when this was sent in) and have a lovely day.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      November 1, 2018 at 12:17 pm

      Hi Brynn

      Thanks for your message. First time I’ve been referred to as Obi-Wan – but I like it 😉

      Without knowing the exact specs of the 2 boards, I couldn’t say for sure, but usually the things you’re describing come down to 1 of 3 things or a combination of all 3.

      1. That the new board is significantly stiffer than your old K2. Stiffer boards are more difficult to control and are harder to maneuver at slow speeds. Longer boards can also feel stiffer, even if they’re not necessarily stiffer.
      2. That the new board has a lot more camber than your old K2 – hybrid camber can really vary – some being mostly camber, some only having very subtle camber. And your old K2 may not have had any camber in it. Having a board that’s all camber or predominantly camber is often the cause of catching an edge.
      3. That the new board is significantly longer than your old K2. Which it sounds like it is. And it’s not just the overall length, it’s also how much effective edge is there. But I won’t go into detail on effective edge as I don’t want to throw too much info at once.

      So, I think to make sure you get on something that can aid your progression and build your confidence, I think it’s a good idea to look at something that’s beginner. And since we don’t know exactly what changed between the 2 boards, it would be safer to try to go for something that’s only got very subtle camber or no camber.

      Size-wise, I would noramlly say that something around 152-154 would be a good length for you as a beginner. But since the new board feels long to you and since your old board was a reasonable amount smaller, I think going a little shorter than that is a good idea. Maybe a range between 149 and 151 would be a better place to look. Shorter will certainly also help with sharper turns and navigating narrow crowded areas, so that would be another reason to go shorter, if that’s something you’re having difficulties with.

      With all that in mind, I think the following would be good choices, also taking into account a board that you won’t grow out of too quickly and one that’s more all-mountain focused than freestyle focused – or in between.

      ~ GNU Chromatic 149
      ~ YES Emoticon 149
      ~ Arbor Poparazzi 150

      You could also look at the Rossi Gala, Arbor Ethos, Nitro Lectra and K2 First Lite. The only downside to those being that you may (not necessarily but there’s a higher chance) grow out of those quicker.

      There’s one more thing to consider though and that’s the waist width. Just want to make sure that these boards will be wide enough for your boots. If you can let me know your boot size (and if you’re not sure, then your shoe size), then I can give you my opinion on if those are appropriate width-wise for you.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

      • Brynn says

        November 3, 2018 at 3:35 pm

        Hi Nate!
        Thank you so much for the response, it really truly helps with figuring this out. I’m an 8.5 boot size, so I think based on their size charts I would hopefully be ok with most of these boards? I’m currently deciding between either the Emoticon or GNU board you are recommending. Although both seem like good options… both seem stable but good at turning. Not quite sure how I”ll make the choice 🙂 But at least now its only down to two!

        Not to take up too much of your time but… I also need to buy new bindings (mine are… oh… 12 years old). Any recommendations for bindings good for beginners? I wear a 8.5 burton boa boot (took years to find a boot that fit my picky feet and don’t make them burn in pain, but YAY that problem is solved).

        You’re the best 🙂
        Brynn

        Reply

        • Nate says

          November 5, 2018 at 11:20 am

          Hi Brynn

          Yeah, you should definitely be fine width-wise with those boards. If it helps at all the Chromatic will be a slightly looser feeling board than the Emoticon. Whether you think you’d prefer a looser feeling board or not, might help with your decision.

          In terms of bindings, check out the following:

          >>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings

          OR

          >>Top Women’s All-Mountain Bindings

          If you need more options, let me know.

          Glad you’ve found boots that fit well!

          Hope this helps

          Reply

49. Stacey says

    October 26, 2018 at 5:00 pm

    Hi there, I’m looking at purchasing my first board and have been looking at the YES Emoticon for a while. I’m struggling a little on size because from what i’ve seen both the 143 and 146 have the same weight limit and unfortunately I’m short and at the upper weight limit on both (I’m 5’2 and 150lb and wear a boot size 6 UK, but I’m planning on hitting the gym and losing at least 10lbs before our trip in January). I’ve been having lessons on a 146 but i’n not sure if this is the best option as I’ve heard some people recommend shorter boards for beginners for ease of initiating turns. On a side note – I purchased a pair of Burton Escapades in the sale on recommendation of a friend – would these be suitable with this board and my ability level (beginner – approximately 10 hours of lessons on indoor slopes plus some practice without tuition). Best Wishes Stacey

    Reply

    • Nate says

      October 29, 2018 at 10:38 am

      Hi Stacey

      Thanks for your message.

      Size-wise, I think the 146 would be your best bet. You could go even longer as a more advanced rider, but wouldn’t necessarily have to. But yeah the 146 is already going a little shorter than what you could, so I think that would be an appropriate beginners size. You could go 143, if you’re really worried and that would certainly work, but overall I think the 146 is the best option. For either I wouldn’t worry too much about being at the upper end of the weight limit – those are just rough guidelines, IMO.

      The Escapades are great bindings, and should pair fine with the Emoticon. I wouldn’t say they’re the ideal beginner bindings. A little too stiff to be ideal, but they aren’t the worst beginner options either. They are doable.

      Hope this helps,
      Nate

      Reply

50. Sarah says

    October 21, 2018 at 9:06 am

    Hi, Nate!

    Thanks so much for answering all these questions! I tried sending a comment from my phone, but I don’t think it worked, so I’m sorry for any double posts!!
    I am planning to buy my first snowboard, bindings, and boots. I have snowboarded a few times and was linking turns, and able to do blue runs. However the most recent time I went in the northeast, I found I was catching edges a lot. So I would guess I am more of a later beginner. I would like to experiment with the park, so I think I am interested in an All Mountain freestyle board from what I have read on your website about those! I am 5’7” and around 111 lbs, and size 8.5 US shoe. I am having trouble figuring out the right size board and also which board to get so any help would be much appreciated! Also I am trying to look at later models as a way to save some money, so any advice on what you recommend from that category would be awesome!!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      October 21, 2018 at 10:36 am

      Hi Sarah

      Thanks for your messages. I did get the others too. Comments just have to go through moderation before being published.

      From what you’re describing, I think something all-mountain-freestyle would work well. The biggest downside is that they’re usually not as good in powder. But you can still certainly ride them in powder, just that it’s a little more effort keeping the nose up. But certainly still doable and I think that would be your best option from what you’ve said.

      Size-wise, I would be looking at something between 141 and 144.

      With 8.5s, I would try to look for something with at least 235mm at the waist. If you knew your binding angles, then you could potentially go a little narrower (depending on the angles) but if not then go at least 235mm.

      Given all of that, the fact you need something good in ice, and that you sound like you’re a high-end beginner, I think the YES Emoticon would be ideal. Not sure if you’ll be able to find one in a past season model though. But if you can, that’s what I’d go for. The 143cm (237mm waist) would be a great size for you, IMO.

      But the GNU Chromatic would also be a great option – and you might have better luck finding that in a past model. Again the 143cm (237mm waist) would be a great size, IMO.

      The Poparazzi would work too – not as good in hard/icy as Emoticon and Chromatic but pretty good. The 144cm (234mm waist) would be your best bet. Pushing it too narrow, but you’d probably be fine.

      Hopefully you can find one of those in a past model. But let me know if you want some more options and I can dig deeper. There would certainly be a lot more options in something that’s more of an intermediate level and I can give you some of those, if you need.

      Reply

      • Sarah says

        October 22, 2018 at 5:15 am

        Those were the three I was looking at as well, and you are absolutely right about not finding the emoticon in past models, but I was able to find the GNU chromatic. And thank you for the size rec, i would have gone with something too long!

        So, you’ve got me thinking about how the freestyle boards are not as good in powder. I think my priority might be powder (just something decent, so i can have fun in it without struggling too much) over park ability since that is just something I would like to dip my toes in.
        And i am definitely open to intermediate board options, as long as you think it’s a board that will help improve my confidence a bit, and still help me progress!
        Thanks so much for your help!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          October 22, 2018 at 10:57 am

          Hi Sarah

          Ideally to improve confidence a beginner board. An intermediate board will be slightly more difficult to get going on, but doable.

          If you’re going to be riding in powder a fair bit and that’s something that you’d like to do more, then an all-mountain board might be the way to go. They’re still something that you can ride freestyle on, but they are better in powder. Not as good for more freestyle aspects as an all-mountain-freestyle but still can do it (all-mountain board are what I consider to be do-it-all boards – they don’t do any one thing amazingly, but they do everything above average).

          If you do want to look at an all-mountain board good for beginners, and also good in icy conditions, then I think the:

          ~ Rossignol Fremeny 144

          Could work. But note, it is more of an intermediate level board.

          That said, the Chromatic won’t be like super-hard to ride in powder. Just if you get in any real deep powder it will be harder to keep the nose afloat than with more all-mountain boards. But if you did go Chromatic, you could, if you think you’d make the effort, set the bindings back, when you get fresh powder, which would help.

          Hope this helps and let me know if you would like any other suggestions.

          Reply

          • Sarah says

            October 24, 2018 at 5:06 pm

            Hey Nate!
            So I haven’t been able to find any older GNU chromatics in the length I need. I keep coming across the Rossignol Tesla at a good price point and was wondering your opinion on that board?
            Otherwise I keep going back to the Emoticon since it seems like an overall great choice, especially considering it seems like a board that can stay with me through progression, and I assume it has good resale value since I can’t seem to find older models anywhere! Lol
            Let me know what you think of the Tesla.
            Thanks!!!!

          • Nate says

            October 25, 2018 at 10:10 am

            Hi Sarah

            The Tesla is what I would consider more of a freestyle board. Certainly a good beginner board and was in this list last season (but they aren’t making a 2019 model – which is probably one of the reasons it’s going for a good price). Would certainly be a great option for improving confidence but less suitable as something for all-mountain and riding in powder, once you’ve progressed a bit no it. Wouldn’t be a bad option at all for right now, but might be something that you grow out of relatively quickly. That said, if you were happy to upgrade it’s the kind of board you could keep as a park board, and upgrade to a board more suitable for all-mountain.

            The Emoticon is a solid choice, IMO. Like you say it’s something that you can progress with and is still suitable for a higher ability level. It’s all-mountain-freestyle, in my books, so it’s not going to be amazing in deep powder, but certainly doable for powder days – just going to take a bit more effort on your back leg, compared to something more powder suitable.

            But overall, a solid choice, IMO, and great in icy conditions.

          • Sarah says

            October 25, 2018 at 5:46 am

            Hey, Nate!
            I was also wondering what you thought of the Capita Paradise for me. Is that too advanced of a board?
            Also the GNU Gloss is one that keeps popping up in my search.
            From what I have read these both are supposed to be All Mountain, just not sure how advanced as well as what you thought about these.
            Thanks so much for all your help, it makes deciding much less overwhelming!

          • Nate says

            October 25, 2018 at 10:26 am

            Hi Sarah

            The Paradise is what I would consider an intermediate level board, but I would say it’s suitable for someone just entering the intermediate phase and maybe even high-end beginner. So not ideal for beginners but not terrible either. The biggest downside for you though, is that it’s not as good in icy conditions as the others we’ve discussed. It’s what I would consider an all-mountain-freestyle board (it’s still a twin and has a centered reference stance) but it’s a little better in powder than the average all-mountain-freestyle board. If I had a category between all-mountain-freestyle and all-mountain, that’s where I would put it.

            Funnily enough the Gloss is also something that’s kind of in between all-mtn-freestyle and all-mtn. The reason for this is that it has a directional twin shape – but it still has a centered stance. But you could always set it back on powder days. But yeah again, something that’s going to be better in powder than your average all-mountain-freestyle board. It is what I would consider a low-level intermediate board, but again, it’s not a bad choice as a beginner option. A little more advanced than the Chromatic, but still doable. And better in icy conditions. I would go for this over the Paradise for your particular situation.

            Hope this makes sense/helps

51. Sarah says

    October 20, 2018 at 10:56 am

    Hi! Thanks so much for answering all these questions!
    I am looking to buy my first snowboard. I have been out to Colorado a few times as well as up northeast, but always with a couple years gap in between. I can link turns, and was doing blues but last time i went northeast i found i was catching edges quite a bit, so i would say i am closer to a beginner. I am 5’7” and around 112 lbs, and i think around a size 8 boot.
    I am looking for a board that can go all over the mountain, but also handle icy conditions, and i would like to try some park features in the future too! So maybe an All Mountain freestyle?
    Any board and size recommemdations of models a couple years older if it will save money?
    Appreciate any help!

    Reply

52. Shyla says

    October 20, 2018 at 7:49 am

    Hi Nate,
    My son is 13, 110lbs size 9 men’s boot, he just purchased the Rossi Myth board (#5 on your list, the one that is pictured) at a big ski sale. We didn’t realize until now that it’s a women’s board. Does that matter?? he’s been snowboarding for 2 seasons.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      October 21, 2018 at 8:19 pm

      Hi Shyla

      Thanks for your message.

      The only issue I can see is going to be the width. With size 9 boots, it might be too narrow for him. Which size did you get. I would imagine that only the 154 would be suitable width-wise, and even then would be pushing it too narrow. And the 154 is probably too long for him. But if you can let me know his height, then I can make a more accurate length recommendation. But at 110lbs I would imagine the 154 would be too long – and a 240mm waist is the bare minimum I would recommend for size 9s – and only then assuming he rides with +15/-15, or similar binding angles.

      Otherwise no issues being a women’s board, but I would be concerned about the width.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

53. Sarah says

    October 19, 2018 at 8:24 pm

    Hi! Thanks so much for answering all these questions!
    I am looking to buy my first snowboard. I have been out to Colorado a few times as well as up northeast, but always with a couple years gap in between. I can link turns but last time i went northeast i found i was catching edges quite a bit, so i would say i am closer to a beginner. I am 5’7” and around 112 lbs, and i think around a size 8 boot.
    I am looking for a board that can go all over the mountain, but also handle icy conditions, and i would like to try some park features in the future too!
    Any board and size recommemdations?
    Appreciate it!!

    Reply

54. Michele says

    October 16, 2018 at 6:40 am

    Hi Nate,

    Great information! I’m looking to start snowboarding this winter and I’m looking at the following boards:
    K2 First Lite
    Rossignol Gala
    Arbor Poparazzi

    I’m 5’4″ and 150 pounds. I’m a little confused as to the length that I should get, as the weights cross over one another in the different sizes.

    Thanks for all the great information on your site.
    Michele

    Reply

    • Nate says

      October 16, 2018 at 12:28 pm

      Hi Michele

      Thanks for your message.

      I don’t pay too much attention to weight recommendations. They’re helpful as rough guidelines but there’s too much variance in them, like you say.

      For you, as a beginner, I would be looking at anything from a 145 to 148. So for the boards that you’re looking at, I would say:

      First Lite: 146
      Gala: 146
      Poparazzi: 147

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Michele says

        October 24, 2018 at 3:37 am

        Thanks, Nate! This was very helpful. Also, your website is a wealth of information. Thanks for putting this together.

        Michele

        Reply

        • Nate says

          October 24, 2018 at 10:30 am

          You’re very welcome Michele. Hope you have an awesome season!

          Reply

55. Anna says

    October 4, 2018 at 10:47 am

    Hey Nate! What’s your view on the Burton Yeasayer for a beginner? Very shallow but I love the design and the only difference i really see vs the Stylus is that it’s slighty stiffer?

    Reply

    • Nate says

      October 5, 2018 at 10:59 am

      Hi Anna

      Thanks for your message.

      The Burton Yeasayer isn’t too different from the Stylus. Flex is one of them but there are a couple of other differences. These are the main differences from what I can see:

      1. The Yeasayer is a little stiffer but still a beginner friendly flex
      2. The Yeasayer has a more aggressive feeling effective edge to contact length ratio. This is getting quite technical but essentially the Stylus has a high effective edge to contact length ratio and that same ratio on the Yeasayer is quite low. A higher ratio typically means a more forgiving ride, with a smoother slower response. A lower ratio is typically a more edgy, sharper turning feel. The effective edge to contact length ratio is only one factor that effects the feel though – camber profile, stiffness, sidecut etc
      3. The sidecut on the Yeasayer is a different radius – though they’re not massively different – but this also affects the feel.

      So, the main thing that makes the Stylus a better beginner board, IMO, is that effective edge to contact length ratio (i don’t usually mention this in my review because a. this info isn’t available for every board and b. it can be a bit confusing.

      >>See more on effective edge here

      What that means in practical terms is that the Stylus is a reasonable beginner option, but not ideal. The Stylus would be easier to learn on for sure, but the Yeasayer certainly wouldn’t be the worst beginner board choice.

      Hope this makes sense/helps

      Reply

56. Debora says

    September 10, 2018 at 10:48 am

    Hi Nate!

    I started snowboarding last year on rented boards and we’ve decided to dive in and buy our own gear. I’m having a but of a conundrum though picking a board….I’m 5’5, but weigh 165 and have a size 9 shoe – short and stocky! 🙂 And we live on the east coast, so…ice. Also I have no idea what kind of boarding I prefer, so have been looking at all-mountain because you know, maybe I would like to make a jump or two…

    I thought I had it narrowed down to the yes emoticon or the GNu B-Nice (not listed here) but then I started looking at sizes and got SUPER confused and discouraged…

    What are your thoughts on length vs. height/weight/flex for a beginner? Do I look for something stiffer and short and count on my weight to make it “softer” or do I find something in my weight category but then is it too long for me to control? Should I just quit women’s boards altogether and look at men’s boards?

    Reply

    • Nate says

      September 11, 2018 at 10:42 am

      Hi Debora

      Thanks for your message.

      In terms of length, I think something between 147 and 150 would be a good length range for you to look at. Weight is an important factor but height (and ability level and riding style) play a part as well, IMO. And as far as weight recommendations go, they are rough guidelines, IMO. Whilst you are likely to be over the weight recommendations for most boards in that length range, I wouldn’t be too concerned about that. As you’ve eluded to, the main thing will be that they will flex softer than what they would for someone lighter on the same board. So, going a little stiffer flexing isn’t a bad idea, but still not too stiff.

      Width-wise, with 9s, anything over 240mm at the waist should be safe enough regardless of binding angles. If you already have preferred binding angles and ride with a reasonable angle on the back foot, then you could go narrower than that. I wouldn’t go any wider than 250mm at the waist – and you’re better off, IMO, being closer to the 240mm waist than a 250mm one.

      Taking this into account, plus the fact that you’ll see a lot of icy conditions, I would recommend the following:

      ~ YES Emoticon 149 (241mm waist) – it might feel a little softer than the 4/10 flex rating but not by much – would still be a good flex level, IMO, for you.
      ~ Rossignol Frenemy 147 (240mm waist) – a little stiffer flexing but will feel softer than the 5/10 rating – and going a little shorter than what you would be on the Emoticon means that it will feel a bit softer again. You could also go 150 for this board, but given the flex, I think the 147 would work well
      ~ GNU B Nice 148 (238mm waist) – assuming a bit of angle on your back binding, this should be fine width-wise. More freestyle oriented board than all-mountain, IMO, but would certainly be a good beginner/icy condition option
      ~ GNU Chromatic 149 (241mm waist) – similar to the B Nice but a little more all-mountain oriented, though still mostly freestyle focused – but again a good beginner/icy condition option

      Even though GNU rate the Chromatic and B Nice as 5/10 flex, I would say that they’re softer than both the Frenemy and the Emoticon (from my experience with the men’s equivalents of those boards). But they do have higher weight recommendation guidelines.

      But no need to look at men’s boards, IMO. There will be some options in that length and width range in men’s boards, but there will be less options in those sizes.

      SO yeah, I think you were on the right track looking at the Emoticon and B Nice.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

      • Debora says

        September 11, 2018 at 12:59 pm

        AWESOME, thank you so much!!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          September 12, 2018 at 9:37 am

          You’re very welcome!

          Reply

57. Nicole says

    August 29, 2018 at 1:24 am

    Hey there
    Not sure if you can help or not.. I’m nz based my partner can ski and turns out my four year old is also a better skier than me ? so I’m making it my mission to learn to snowboard next year I’m planning on a week of lessons and it would cost me more to hire a board for a week than it would to buy one I will be a complete beginner And my aim is basically to make it down a green slope without breaking anything by the weeks end I’m reasonably fit bit an old beginner at 30 and 157cm tall shoe size 7.5 weight 70kg I have no knowledge about boards I am not aiming to do jumps etc just make it down a slope in one piece. What kind of board would you recommend long term I’d like to just hit the slopes the reason I ask now is nz is just about to come out of season and I’m looking for next year so can wait for sales I just don’t want to go into a shop “blind” and see you have given some great beginners advice above also dumb question but how will I know what way I will ride goofy or regular? Does it even matter?
    Thanks
    Nicole

    Reply

    • Nate says

      August 30, 2018 at 1:48 pm

      Hi Nicole

      Thanks for your message.

      Since, it sounds like you aren’t interested in anything freestyle, then I would go for an all-mountain board. Or you could go all-mountain-freestyle, if you don’t think you’ll ride off-piste at all.

      So, the:

      ~ Rossignol Gala
      ~ K2 First Lite

      And

      ~ YES Emoticon

      Would be my picks for you.

      Size-wise, as a beginner, for your specs, I would say look in the range 143-145 for length.

      For width, anything between 235mm and 244mm at the waist should work fine (assuming US7.5 boots).

      So for the boards mentioned that would be:

      Gala: 146 (234mm waist)
      First Lite: 146 (236mm waist)
      Emoticon: 143cm (237mm waist)

      In terms of goofy and regular check out the following for some ways to determine your preferred stance direction.

      How To Tell if You Should Snowboard Goofy or Regular

      But for choosing a board, you won’t need to know. A large majority of boards can be ridden both regular and goofy – there are only some specialized boards that are specific, but you won’t be looking at those.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

58. S. says

    August 12, 2018 at 8:40 am

    Hi, I have some trouble deciding which board is suitable for me.

    I’m 166cm, 50kg, shoes 23.5 – 24cm.

    What do you think would be suitable for all mountain riding and I’d love to try freestyle when I get better.

    Bataleon FeelBetter Snowboard – Women’s 2018 – 138cm
    Ride Rapture Women’s 17-18 Model – 139cm
    K2 First Lite Womens 2018 – 138cm

    I’m also looking for the Rome Royal, but I can’t seem to find anything for my size.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      August 13, 2018 at 3:39 pm

      Hi S

      Thanks for your message.

      I think they would all be suitable and I think those are good lengths for you as a beginner and would be good lengths for riding freestyle once you get better too.

      The Rapture and the Feelbetter would be better for freestyle riding once you get there, so they might be the best options. I don’t have any experience with Bataleon boards, so just based on specs there but I think that would be a good width for your shoe size too.

      I think you’d be fine with any of those, but yeah, in terms of freestyle, the Feelbetter and Rapture more suited to that than the First Lite, IMO.

      Hope this helps with your decision

      Reply

59. Michelle says

    August 9, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    Hey Nate,

    Thanks for this awesome website!
    I’m having trouble deciding on the right board for me. I have had 10+ knee surgeries between both knees and so I have difficulty putting much power through my legs to make turns, and in general am just limited with my athletic function. Right now, I’m just looking for purely the easiest board out there to ride. I’m not looking to go nuts, just something that will get me on the slopes with my friends for fun. I’m NOT looking for a board that will take me past the “beginner” phase…just something that will be the easiest to link turns, not catch an edge and requires the least amount of effort for my knees!
    I have very minimal experience riding, and frankly was horrible 🙂 But I had a ton of fun and would like to continue on! Ha!
    Im 5’8, 140lb, size 9-9.5 shoe.

    Thanks so much!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      August 10, 2018 at 10:28 am

      Hi Michelle

      Thanks for your message.

      Given everything you’ve described, I think that something with plenty of rocker in the profile and a pretty soft flex would be a good way to go for you, to make the board as easy going and and as easy to turn as possible.

      So, one of the following would work well, IMO:

      ~ Burton Genie
      ~ Rossignol Gala
      ~ Rossignol Myth
      ~ K2 First Lite
      ~ GNU Chromatic
      ~ GNU B-Nice
      ~ Arbor Ethos

      The last 3 aren’t on this list but are definitely also options that I think would suit what you’re looking for.

      In terms of length, I would say something between 146 and 149 would be a good length for your specs. This is both a good beginner size and also should make the board a little more easy going than if you were to go longer.

      In terms of width, I’d say (assuming 9.5 boots) something around 238mm to 245mm in terms of waist width. Since you’re probably not going to be railing turns (getting really low and getting the board on an extreme angle) then there’s less concern about boot drag. And you don’t want to go too wide as a narrower board requires less force to turn on. You could even go lower than 238mm depending on your binding angles. But that’s a good range to look at IMO regardless of binding angles.

      So for the boards mentioned, the following sizes would be the way to go, IMO:

      ~ Burton Genie 147 (243mm waist)
      ~ Rossignol Gala 146 (234mm waist) – on the narrower side, but assuming your back binding angle is going to on a bit of angle, then I think it would be fine.
      ~ Rossignol Myth 149 (238mm waist) – or if you really wanted it easy going you could go for the 144, but that would be getting on the short side for you, IMO
      ~ K2 First Lite 146 (236mm waist)
      ~ GNU Chromatic 146 (238mm waist)
      ~ GNU B-Nice 148 (238mm waist)
      ~ Arbor Ethos 147 (235.5mm waist)

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Michelle says

        August 12, 2018 at 4:10 pm

        Nate, you’re a LEGEND!!
        Thank you so much. This gives me great direction to start my search.

        Reply

        • Nate says

          August 13, 2018 at 3:40 pm

          You’re very welcome Michelle. Let me know what you go with in the end (if you think of it)

          Reply

60. Joey says

    July 21, 2018 at 1:35 am

    Hi Nate,
    I’m really glad that I found this wonderful website. All the information here is super helpful and than you for sharing your experience with everyone here!
    This is my second season snowboarding in Australia icy mountains. After reading the reviews and advice above, I’ve decided to give up on hiring and get my own board.
    I’m still a beginner and don’t fancy fast speed. Just want to minimize falls and enjoy cruising along the trails. My stats are: 5’4, 106lb, and shoe size US6.
    It took me a long time to find something suitable. So far I’ve got my eyes on a Roxy Sugar Banana 138 (226cm width) board with Burton Citizen Binding and Burton Coco boots. Do you think they will fit together, and more importantly, is this the right board for me, in your opinion?
    Joey

    Reply

    • Nate says

      July 21, 2018 at 10:14 am

      Hi Joey

      Thanks for your message.

      I think you must have done your research, because I think that would be a great board for you as a beginner, and would also be a really good size for you too. It’s also something that should be good in icy conditions, so you’ve got that base covered too.

      It’s a looser feeling board and if you were riding it fast it would start to feel a little squirelly and being looser and softer flexing wouldn’t grip ice or hard snow as well at higher speeds, but at slower speeds, it’s a great option – and super friendly and easy to ride.

      The Citizen bindings and Coco boots are a good match for the board too, and are also very beginner friendly.

      Another similar option board-wise, would be the GNU B-Nice 139cm (226mm waist).

      Reply

      • Joey says

        July 22, 2018 at 7:20 am

        Thank you so much for your reply Nate!
        I’ll look into GNU B-NICE and read your review about it, just in case I decide to ride faster 😉
        Can’t wait for the next snow season to come!
        Best regards
        Joey:)

        Reply

        • Nate says

          July 23, 2018 at 10:33 am

          You’re very welcome Joey! I’m itching for the new season too!

          Reply

61. Xanthe says

    July 16, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    Hi Nate,
    This is such a helpful post for all us newbies. Thanks so much for taking the time to help everyone out. I have narrowed down my choices to what I think would be ok and what I can order on the net for a reasonable price as choice is limited where I live and super expensive. We have just gone for our first season with the kids and things went well so we plan to go each year for a week and want to get our own boards as our hire ones were pretty awful, really heavy and rigid, didn’t even have a brand name on them…haha. We are in Australia so conditions are generally not wonderful, pretty hard and sometimes icy patches, however we will be going at the start of the season each year so probably not as hard as it could be with plenty of man made snow probable. We did three 2 hour lessons over 3 days and were both starting to link S turns on the beginner slopes. I think our progression was quite good for the time we had so I don’t want to get boards that won’t last us. I am 54kg(119lb) and 161cm(5.3ft), USW 6.5 boot. I think I’ll mostly just be cruising down the green and blue runs, at my age the halfpipe is definitely never going to happen or any aerial type stuff for that matter, however I don’t want to rule out mucking around in the beginner parks and kiddie parks, buttering etc. So I have narrowed it down to the myth, first lite or frenemy if 144 wasn’t to big. What are your thoughts? Anything you think would suit me better? My husband is 77kg(170lb), 175cm(5.75ft) and size US9, he was only just starting to get his turns, and is not as sporting or daring so he will be happy just cruising down runs, It’s very unlikely he will go to the terrain parks. I have found a rossi circuit or k2 standard that are reasonably priced or a rossi templar that is a bit more expensive. Would these be suitable and what size? Sorry about the long post, and thanks in advance for your help.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      July 17, 2018 at 11:35 am

      Hi Xanthe

      Thanks for your message.

      1. For you in terms of size, I think something around 141, 142 would be a good size for you. A balance between something that won’t be too difficult to ride/progress on, something that you can still do some mucking around in the parks on, but also long enough to still be a suitable length once you’re more advanced.

      2. In terms of icy conditions, Rossignol is usually pretty good in that area, but the Myth is one that’s not as good. The Frenemy would be the best bet in that sense. The First Lite similar to the Myth.

      3. But the Myth would be better for playing in the park.

      4. The Frenemy is the most advanced of those boards and might have a slightly steeper learning curve, but will be the best board in terms of keeping something for the long term. You would be more likely to feel the need to upgrade from something like the Myth and the First Lite.

      5. The one thing with the Frenemy is the size. The 144 would be on the longer side for you as a beginner. Not un-doable and would be a great length as a more advanced rider but would just make it more challenging in the beginning.

      6. Also the Frenemy 144 might be on the wider side for your boots too – and that width combined with the length makes in on the big side overall. The First Lite 142 is probably the best size-wise of the 3. I would try to get something that’s under 235mm at the waist.

      7. Some other options that I think would work well would be:

      ~ GNU B Nice 142 (232mm waist width)
      ~ GNU Chromatic 141 (232mm waist width) – didn’t have either of these on the 2018 list, but will likely be adding at least one of them for the 2019 list – good beginner decks and good in hard/icy conditions
      ~ YES Emotiocn 143 (237mm) – also on the bigger side for you, IMO, like the Frenemy, but otherwise ticks all the boxes

      Not sure how these would work in terms of your budget. Oh and there’s one more option, the Arbor Ethos 141 (232mm waist). Also something that isn’t on this list but I hadn’t tested Arbor boards previously. I think this would be a good option, if available for you, and its reasonably priced too.

      For your husband:

      1. Length-wise something around a 155 would be a good bet.

      2. Again the Templar vs the Circuit is going to be better in hard/icy conditions and is going to be a harder learning curve but ultimately a more advanced board. The Circuit will be easier to ride though and cruisier. Both aren’t overly aggressive but the Templar is closer to intermediate level than the Circuit, which is very much a beginner board. I think the Templar would be doable though, and if you’re looking for that extra grip in icy snow, it’s going to perform better there.

      3. Size-wise the 155 (249mm waist) Templar would be a great size. For the other 2 – the Circuit 155 (249mm waist) and the K2 Standard 155 (251mm waist).

      4. The Standard would be similar, IMO, to the Circuit in terms of edge-hold.

      5. The men’s equivalents of the other boards I mentioned for you would be: ]

      ~ GNU Hyak (154)
      ~ GNU Carbon Credit (153)
      ~ YES Basic (155)
      ~ Arbor Foundation (155)

      Though the GNU options are more freestyle oriented, so probably less suitable if he’s not likely to get into the park at all.

      Sorry for all the numbering – just trying to organize my thoughts! Hope this gives you more to go off.

      Reply

      • Xanthe says

        July 18, 2018 at 5:07 pm

        Hi Nate,

        Thanks so much for the detailed response. I have had a look at your suggestions and I do like the look of the 2 GNU boards, they seem like a good fit. Hard to get though, all the 2018 B nice are sold out already from anywhere I can order them from and the 2019 pre orders are crazy expensive. I found a 2017 B Nice Asym for $580 though and a 2019 Chromatic for $590 still more than I’d like but acceptable if it’s going to be something that will last. Would one be more suitable than the other? The mens were pretty expensive so I went back and had another look at your list, specifically the ones that mention icy surfaces, I can get a yes libre for a pretty reasonable price. Do you think that would be better than the others?
        Thanks, Xanthe

        Reply

        • Nate says

          July 19, 2018 at 10:58 am

          Hi Xanthe

          The B Nice and the Chromatic are very similar boards. The B Nice is an asym board (which basically means that the sidecut on the heel edge is different to that on the toe edge, which just makes heel edge turns sharper). I like asym boards, but some people aren’t as into them. But that’s basically the only difference. In fact the Chromatic essentially used to be called the B Nice and the current (2018 and 2019 models) B Nice was called the B Nice Asym, 2017 and previous. So they are the same except for that asymmetry and slightly different sizings.

          Also I did see the GNU Chromatic 2018 here – GNU Chromatic at Melbourne Snowboards – for AUD$519 in a 141.

          The Libre would be a good option for your husband, IMO. The 154 would be the size I would go with for him. The 156 would be doable too, but the 154 would be what I’d get. Not quite as good in hard/icy conditions as the YES Basic and the YES Typo – but still pretty grippy in those conditions, so still suitable, IMO.

          Reply

          • Xanthe says

            July 20, 2018 at 7:48 am

            Hi Nate, thanks so much. I did like the idea behind an asym board but that b nice was actually out of stock as well so it looks like it will be the chromatic. I did see that 2018 model but I just couldn’t get past the graphic, petty, but I just really disliked it. I saw If I get it from their ebay store it’s down to $570, so not bad. Just wondering though since I have zero experience with different profiles if that profile makes one footing on and off the lifts Difficult? Would I still be able to just slide off ok with my back foot half on the board? The board i used was flat, so very stable.
            The libre looks good as do all 3 yes boards you mentioned so he’ll probably get that, unless we can get a discount on the yes basic. Perhaps we can get a discount buying both and get a basic and emoticon, the reviews for both I’ve seen have been very good. Anyway, your assistance has been very much appreciated, can’t wait to get them and get back out there. Have a great weekend, Xanthe

          • Nate says

            July 20, 2018 at 9:50 am

            You’re very welcome!

            I agree that the graphic on the 2019 Chromatic is a big improvement over the 2018 one! Glad they changed that.

            In terms of one camber profile on the Chromatic/B-Nice, it is a looser feel with that rocker between the feet. You can certainly still get that back foot half off the board to stabilize yourself, at least I’ve found that’s still doable. But it will take some getting used to – not as stable as something that’s flat underfoot or camber under foot, in terms of getting on/off lifts – but you should still be able to get that back boot into the snow to help to stabilize.

            Hope you have a great weekend too!

62. Kelly says

    July 10, 2018 at 10:03 pm

    Hi Nate,
    I love your info, thanks for posting again/updating from last year.
    I’d appreciate your advice please. I’m into my fourth year of annual snow trips & want to snowboard as i don’t feel I’ll be able to progress much past intermediate as a skier and worry about my knees. I did an hour snowboard lesson last year and am keen to jump in! I’m confused with what board to get but am happy to buy my own to build up with… I’m 45, 173cm & 93kg so am really confused by length as my height makes them bigger despite my lack of skill and my weight is outside the specs. I just want to get more confident & comes Trent but only do 5-10 days per season on groomed trails…
    I’d really appreciate your advice as I think the Myth may be best but don’t know about the Rome royal or even burton genie ?‍♀️
    Cheers
    Kelly

    Reply

    • Nate says

      July 11, 2018 at 12:02 pm

      Hi Kelly

      Thanks for your message.

      As a more advanced rider I would say something around 157 would be a good length to go with for your specs, but since you are at a more beginner level, that would be too long, IMO. I would say to look at something more around 152 to 154.

      In terms of weight recommendations, I wouldn’t be too concerned about being outside of those, they are just general guidelines, IMO. Your weight counts towards your length of board, but as far as fitting in with those weight recommendations, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Especially the case with Rossignol, whose weight recommendations tend to be on the light side. The main thing with the weight recommendations is that the board is likely to flex more than what the flex rating of the board is. For example, if the board has a flex rating of 4/10, it might feel more like a 3/10 if you’re over the weight recommendations or more like a 5/10 if you’re under the weight recommendations.

      I don’t think there is really a suitable Rome Royal, though if you really wanted something shorter you could get on the 150. For the Myth, the 154 would be the best bet, IMO and for the Genie, the 152.

      You could also look at something like the Rossignol Frenemy 153. It’s a little stiffer flexing than the other 2, but is likely to feel a little softer than its rating. And depending on your boot size, the Emoticon 152 might be a good option.

      Speaking of boot size, if you could let me know your boot size (or shoe size if you’re not sure of boot size yet), then I can just check to make sure what will be suitable in terms of the widths of the board.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Kelly says

        July 12, 2018 at 8:18 pm

        Hey Nate,
        Thanks so much for your response & great info/opinions! What you say makes sense & covers stuff I haven’t thought about 🙂
        I can’t remember if my hire boots were a 26.5 or 27.5… my shoe is a size 10 (Australian) which I think is a US 8 or 9 and European 41 or 42 (sorry I’m on a train at the moment & these shoes don’t have a tag).
        I look forward to your response 🙂
        Cheers
        Kelly

        Reply

        • Nate says

          July 13, 2018 at 10:25 am

          Thanks Kelly

          As far as I can workout, I’d say you’re likely a USwomen’s 9.5 or 10.0 (26.5 or 27.0). Playing on the safe side, let’s say 27 (Us women’s 10.0).

          In that case, anything from a 238mm waist width should be fine assuming you’re riding with a reasonable angle on your back foot, but more like 243mm minimum if you’re riding with a completely straight back foot. As you’re probably not sure of your preferred binding angles, then the safest bet would be:

          ~ Burton Genie 152 (244mm waist)
          ~ YES Emoticon 152 (252mm waist)
          ~ Rossignol Frenemy 153 (242mm waist)

          You would likely still be fine on the Myth 154 (240mm waist) but it would be more of a risk of being too narrow.

          Hope this gives you more to go off

          Reply

          • Kelly says

            July 14, 2018 at 3:41 pm

            HeyNate,
            Wow, thanks so much for all the info. I certainly feel more prepared to buy my own and will focus on your rec’s. Your time & experise are much appreciated!
            Cheers
            Kelly

          • Nate says

            July 16, 2018 at 10:47 am

            You’re very welcome Kelly! Thanks for visiting the site and I hope your gear treats you well and you have a great season!

          • Kelly says

            October 1, 2018 at 6:18 pm

            Hi Nate,
            Just wanted to let you know I got the Frenemy 153 & LOVE it. Thankyou for you advice/opinion. In just 7 days I went from barely being able to skate on it & not having a heel side to linking turns on intermediate runs!!!
            Please keep up your great work 🙂

          • Nate says

            October 2, 2018 at 9:49 am

            You’re very welcome Kelly. Awesome that you’re loving your new board and sounds like your progressing nicely!

63. Amy Hudson says

    July 6, 2018 at 3:02 pm

    Hi, I’ve been riding for a few years but still struggle on my toe edge, balance and confidence.
    I put on some weight since last season and unsure what board size I am now.
    I am 167cm and around 80 kg I wear a size 8.5 boot.
    I have been riding a burton feather 144cm.
    Thank yoy

    Reply

    • Nate says

      July 7, 2018 at 10:10 am

      Hi Amy

      Thanks for your message.

      Typically I would say something around 151 to 153, but since you’re used to a 144, then I think you could go a little shorter than that, so that its not too much of a transition. But something a little longer than the 144 you’re on would be a good idea, IMO. Maybe around 148 to 150, would be a good size to look at.

      That longer length might help in terms of balance too. But I would say that balance and confidence mostly come with time – particularly confidence. Taking small steps and not trying anything too difficult too quickly can definitely help with confidence.

      Often the toe edge is the most difficult to get comfortable with to start with – but often ends up the preferred edge at some point. Again, this comes with time. But also make sure that you’re bending your knees enough when on your toe edge – this is something that’s often forgotten on the toe edge – being too upright.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

64. Anna says

    June 12, 2018 at 6:07 pm

    And, since I have you, can you tell me the difference between the Deja Vu and Feelgood Flying V?

    Thanks!
    AS

    Reply

    • Nate says

      June 13, 2018 at 11:54 am

      Hey Anna

      There’s not heaps of difference – both have Flying V camber profiles, both have the same core, both have a 12.5mm setback. But there are a few differences too – the main ones being, IMO.

      1. The Feelgood Flying V is a little stiffer flexing. Still not that stiff, more medium but a little stiffer than Deja Vu. Deja Vu stiffer than the likes of the Feather and Genie though. I would say roughly on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the stiffest, that the Feelgood Flying V = 5/10, De Ja Vu = 4/10, Genie and Feather = 2/10.

      2. The Feelgood is a directional twin. It has the same width nose and tail and the flex is twin, but the nose is a little longer than the tail. The Deja Vu on the other hand is a twin. I wouldn’t quite say it’s a true twin, because the stance is 12.5mm setback.

      3. The Flying V has a much smaller difference between the effective edge and the contact length (don’t worry you don’t need to understand that technically!) than the Deja Vu – basically what this does is give the Deja Vu a more easy going, playful feel and the Flying V has a sharper, more aggressive feel. Still not an overly aggressive board by any means, but more so than the Deja Vu

      4. The Flying V (152) has a 7.6m sidecut and the Deja Vu a 6.9m sidecut radius. This essentially means that the Deja Vu is more inclined towards shorter sharper turns and the Flying V more inclined towards longer smoother turns. This is very subtle though and neither sidecuts are to the extreme in either direction. Both are middle of the road providing a balance between short sharp and long smooth – so I wouldn’t think too much about that.

      Overall, the Deja Vu is just a little more freestyle oriented and a little more playful, whereas the feelgood is a little more freeride oriented and a little more aggressive. However, both are what I would consider all-mountain (aka do-it-all) boards and both are closer to the middle of the spectrum rather than extremes. They are different boards, but subtely different. The Flying V is a little more advanced and a the Deja Vu a little more beginner friendly – but again, both are intermediate friendly.

      Probably more than you need to know! But hope this gives you some insight for your decision. But yeah, based on your current board, and other factors, I would say 152 for either one, now.

      Reply

      • Annie says

        February 8, 2019 at 9:39 am

        Hi Nate – just an update! I went with the 152 Feelgood Flying V and after a handful of trips this season can tell you that I love it. It is SO much easier to handle than the old, super long Burton Seven I was riding, and I am riding so much faster and more confidently while still feeling in control. I am almost astounded at what a difference the right board can make, I had no idea how much it was holding me back. Thank you for all of your help!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          February 9, 2019 at 10:21 am

          Hi Annie

          That’s awesome to hear! Love to get messages like this. Thanks for the update and hope you enjoy the rest of your season!

          Reply

65. Annie says

    June 8, 2018 at 10:40 am

    Hi Nate,

    I am so glad I found this thread! Your article is incredibly helpful. I am an intermediate beginner – I’ve been riding for two seasons, am working my way from blues to blue/blacks, can link turns pretty effectively but am still getting comfortable on the steeps. I ride mostly at Mammoth.

    I’ve been riding on my boyfriend’s Burton board from when he was a teenager – it’s about 15 years old. We are in discussions about whether or not I need to invest in a new one – I feel like it might be holding me back (maybe it’s too stiff?? probably I need a women’s board??), and he thinks that it won’t make much of a difference. What are your thoughts?

    I’ve been looking at the Burton Feather, but it looks like you don’t recommend that too highly. I am 5’8″, 150 lb, size 10 boots. I plan to ride mostly on groomers, but would love for powder to be an option. I don’t care as much about going fast as being stable 🙂

    Would LOVE some advice!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      June 9, 2018 at 9:58 am

      Hi Annie

      Thanks for your message.

      IMO a 15 year old board most probably is holding you back – for starters it’s likely to be a full camber, camber profile – as they all were back then – which isn’t necessarily the best camber profile – especially if you’re not at an advanced level, and if you want to ride powder. I know a lot of people’s argument is that “that’s all there was then and people learned on it then and rode powder then…..” and that’s all well and good but if you got better tech now and gear that’s more suitable for the particular rider, then, IMO, why not take advantage of that and enhance your experience. Just my take anyway.

      In my own experience and with others I’ve found boards for, both personally and whilst running this site, I can unequivocally say that the board can make a big difference. Especially if you haven’t learned from before you can remember learning.

      Size also makes a big difference, and it might be the case that your current board is also not an ideal size.

      For your specs and ability level, and the fact that you’re not too concerned about going fast, but do want to improve on steeper terrain, then I’d say something around 149 to 151 would be a good length for you.

      With 10s, I think you could get away with anything as narrow as 240mm at the waist width (if you ride with binding angles like +15/-15, i.e. a reasonable angle on the back foot) and up to around 248mm – if you ride with quite a straight back foot (e.g. 0-3 degrees), then adjust that minimum to around 245mm and up to 253mm.

      I would say that the Feather is a pretty good beginner’s choice, especially if you’re looking to get into powder. It’s kind of like a more freeride/powder oriented version of the Genie – not completely but pretty close – so yeah a good beginner’s choice. And I think it would suit your style. But, given that it sounds like you’re progressing more into an intermediate level and you’re looking to up your skills on more challenging terrain, you might want something a little more advanced. If you just want the easiest board to ride, then something like the Feather (in the 149 I would say, though the 152 would be an option too – however both would be pushing being too narrow for your boots).

      But I think you’d appreciate a step up to something like the DeJa Vu (149) or Feelgood Flying V (149), if you were looking to stick with Burton.

      And if you’re going to look outside of Burton, then something like the Rossi Frenemy (the 150) is a great do-it-all intermediate board – or the Never Summer Infinity 151 (though the later might be on the narrow side too, but you’d probably get away with it depending on your binding angles).

      Anyway, after that novel!, I hope you have some options/ideas on the direction to go. If you want more options just let me know and I can dig a little deeper.

      Reply

      • Anna says

        June 11, 2018 at 6:07 pm

        You are amazing – thank you for the extensive reply! I definitely want a board I won’t grow out of quickly, I’m thinking the Deja Vu is a better option. I’m not at all tied to Burton, but that sounds like what I’m looking for.

        I’m a little worried about getting the length right – my legs are super long. Should I size up to a 152 to accommodate a pretty wide stance, or will that be harder to control?

        I appreciate your feedback, I’m sure it’s not easy to virtually fit people, but it’s so great to have some expert advice 🙂

        Reply

        • Nate says

          June 12, 2018 at 10:04 am

          Thanks Anna and you’re very welcome!

          The 152 is definitely an option, especially if you have a wider stance.

          There are pros and cons to going longer. The longer 152 will float better in powder and provide more stability at speed but won’t be as agile or easier to maneuver as the 149. However, if you do have a wider stance, then that would help with control for the 152.

          Also the 149 would be better for more freestyle things if you were going to get into jumps, spins, rails etc.

          I was debating whether to put 152 or 149 as the recommended size as both would work. There are pros and cons to each. My tie breaker for going with the 149 was down to Burton’s weight recommendations (120 – 180lbs for the 149 and 150 to 200lbs for the 152). I don’t put too much weight into those weight recommendations (they aren’t that reliable, IMO) but in this case I used it as the tie breaker.

          Hope this gives you more to go off to decide. Also, what is the length of the board you are currently riding? (what you’re used to can also help to decide)

          Reply

          • Anna says

            June 12, 2018 at 5:47 pm

            A little bit of research later – I’ve been riding on a 2001 Burton Seven, 58cm.

            …probably not super ideal 😉

          • Nate says

            June 13, 2018 at 11:22 am

            Hey Anna

            Nah, not really ideal!

            But since you’ve been riding a 158, I think the 152 Deja Vu would be the best option. It will be less of a change and also, if you’re maneuvering a 158 Cambered board, then I don’t think you’ll have any agility/maneuverability issues with the Deja Vu in a 152, at all.

66. Lili says

    April 17, 2018 at 2:14 am

    Hi Nate,

    Thank you so much for all of your information on this website!
    I am a new beginner, 5’4″, 130-135 lbs and size 9 boots. I am thinking I want a board in the 143-145 length?
    My concern is that with the size 9 boots some of the boards I would like will not be wide enough (such as the Gala or Myth). What do you think about the 2017 Rome Heist in 142 or 146? I understand it is more beginner friendly than the 2018 version. Do you have any other board suggestions for me? I am having trouble trying to pick something. Thank you for your time.

    Lili

    Reply

    • Nate says

      April 17, 2018 at 11:20 am

      Hi Lili

      Thanks for your message.

      I would agree that something around 143 to 145 would be a good length range to look at for you.

      In terms of width, I would say at least 240mm at the waist, if you ride with a straight angle on your back binding (e.g. 0-6 degrees). If you ride with more angle on your back binding you could get away with narrower – down to a minimum of 232mm with something like a 15 degree angle (back foot should always be on an equal or lesser angle than the front foot, which is why I mention the back binding angle).

      So you may or may not get on some boards in that length, like the Myth or Gala, depending on your binding angles. If you’re not sure about your binding angles yet, or still want to experiment, then going with at least 240mm at the waist is a good way to go.

      The 2017 Heist is a softer than the 2018 model as far as I know but it’s still relatively aggressive in terms of it’s camber profile (a lot of camber in there). I think if you went back to the 2015 model, where it had more rocker in the profile, it would have been more beginner friendly, but the 2016, 2017 & 2018 models, as far as I know would be harder to learn on – easy to catch an edge.

      But you could look at something like:

      ~ Burton Genie 142 (241mm waist) – a little shorter than that range but still doable
      ~ YES Emoticon 143 (237mm waist) – depending on binding angles – or the 146 if you were happy to go a little longer
      ~ Rossi Tesla 143 (236mm waist) – again depending on binding angles
      ~ Rossi Myth 144 (236mm waist) – again depending on binding angles
      ~ Rome Royal 144 (244mm waist)
      ~ GNU Chromatic 143 (237mm waist) – not on this list but another good beginner option
      ~ Arbor Ethos 144 (234mm waist) – narrower but, based on the men’s Arbor boards, Arbor boards tend to be wider at the inserts (where the bindings go) compared to the waist width than a lot other boards – so you may be ok on it – but I would still probably want to have some angle on that back binding

      Hope this gives you some options

      Reply

67. Annabel says

    April 15, 2018 at 4:29 am

    Dear Nate,

    Thanks for these great reviews!

    I would like to ask for some advice on the board length. I would like to buy a beginners woman snowboard and was thinking of the K2 First Lite because of the great reviews. I think I should have the 146 based on the table on your website and the other comments I have seen here and that I’m a beginner. I am 1.71 cm, 59 kg and have a shoe size 38.5-39 EU (7.5-8 US size). For example, Salomon boots (25.0 cm) fitted me well. Would this board be the correct size for me?

    As an alternative I was also thinking of the Rome SDS Royal (147cm), but I think the K2 First Lite would be better as it is a softer board and saw online that others also recommended it as beginner’s board.

    Would all the top 5 recommend beginner bindings fit well on this board?

    Thank you very much in advance!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      April 16, 2018 at 9:57 am

      Hi Annabel

      Thanks for your message.

      I concur that the 146 would be the best length for you for the First Lite, IMO.

      And yeah, all of those bindings would be a good match for this board. The only thing to note, is just to make sure to go for the “Re:Flex” model if you go with Burton bindings. Burton bindings come in both “EST” and “Re:Flex” models. The “EST” models only fits on Burton boards, whereas the “Re:Flex” models fit on all boards.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Annabel says

        April 30, 2018 at 12:22 pm

        Hi Nate,

        Thank you very much for your help!!! I bought the 146cm K2 First Lite with the K2 Yeah Yeah bindings, can’t wait to try it out next season!

        All the best,
        Annabel

        Reply

        • Nate says

          May 1, 2018 at 9:21 am

          You’re very welcome Annabel. Glad you have your setup organized for next season! If you think of it (a long time away I know), let me know how you get on. Hope you have a great summer!

          Reply

68. Pahola says

    April 1, 2018 at 3:17 pm

    Hello, I’m a beginner and I am looking for a snowboard that I can use. I am 5’0”, 150 pounds. I have been snowboarding and I noticed and have been told that I keep switching and will need a true twin broad but I am at a loss of which one to get for my first broad.
    I wanted to know which broad would you recommend for me.

    Thank you so much for your advice in advance.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      April 3, 2018 at 3:38 pm

      Hi Pahola

      Thanks for your message (and sorry for the delay in response – have been on vacation and still catching up).

      Length wise, as a beginner, I would say something around 142 to 144 would be a good length.

      That, and the fact you’re looking for a true twin, I would say the following would be good options.

      ~ Burton Genie 142
      ~ YES Emoticon 143
      ~ Salomon Oh Yeah 143
      ~ Rossignol Tesla 143
      ~ Ride Rapture 143
      ~ Rossignol Myth 144

      If you feel like you like something shorter, you could go a little shorter (with some of those options) as personal preference does come into it as well, but those would be the sizes I would recommend for those boards.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

69. Ashley says

    April 1, 2018 at 1:27 am

    Hi Nate!
    I’m currently a beginner-intermediate snowboarder. I’ve gone snowboarding for the past two winters. This upcoming winter, I plan to go snowboarding more often. I’m currently learning toe edge, and I was wondering what board would best be suited for me?
    I am interesting in:
    – Capita Paradise
    – Rossignol Frenemy
    – Rossignol Tesla
    – Rossignol Gala
    I’m 5’3-5’4, 124 pounds, and a size 8.5 in women’s shoes.
    Thank you for your time!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      April 3, 2018 at 10:21 am

      Hi Ashley

      Thanks for your message (and sorry for the delay in response – have been on vacation and still catching up!)

      Something like the Tesla or the Gala are going to be easier to get started on – and will help you improve the fastest, IMO. The Paradise and Frenemy are boards that will be a little more difficult to begin with (but are still quite beginner friendly) but will be something you could ride as an advanced rider too. The Tesla and Gala are boards that you are more likely to want to upgrade from once you become a more advanced rider.

      In terms of size, I would say something around 145, 146 when you are an advanced rider but at this stage I would say something around 141 to 143 would be more appropriate.

      So for the boards you are considering the following would be the best sizes, IMO:

      – Capita Paradise 143
      – Rossignol Frenemy 144
      – Rossignol Tesla 143
      – Rossignol Gala 142

      In terms of width, you should be fine on any of those, depending on your binding angles. If you ride with something like +15/-15 or similar then they’ll all be fine. If you ride with a straighter back foot (e.g. 0-6 degrees), then the Paradise 143 (233mm waist) and the Gala 142 (232mm waist) would be pushing it to be too narrow. The Frenemy 144 (239mm waist) and Tesla 143 (236mm waist) should be fine regardless of binding angles.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

70. Olivia says

    March 31, 2018 at 2:57 pm

    Also, I saw some deals on the Frenemy. I am 5’1” with an athletic build (133 lbs.) would the 144 or 147 be more suitable for me? Based on the table, it looks like 147, but wouldn’t that near the top of my head?

    Reply

    • Nate says

      April 2, 2018 at 10:15 am

      Hi Olivia

      I definitely wouldn’t go for the 147 for the Frenemy for you – too big, IMO. I find Rossignol’s weight recommendations to be always on the light side, and the weight recommendations, in my books, are just rough guidelines and other things like ability, riding style and height all weigh in. Generally speaking I would say, as a beginner, that something between 140 and 142 would be a better length for you. If you are athletic, then you could get away with something a little longer (and at a more advanced level, something like 144, 145 would be suitable). So, if you were to go Frenemy, then definitely the 144, IMO.

      The Lotus (as per your other question) isn’t what I would consider a great beginner board. Doable – certainly soft enough in terms of flex but it has a flat to camber to flat camber profile. I like to see a bit of rocker in the camber profile, in order to make the board easier to initiate turns on and less likely to catch an edge on – I have found that flat boards can be a little catchy sometimes. If you were to go for the Lotus I’d say the 142 would be a good option for you.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

71. Olivia says

    March 31, 2018 at 2:12 pm

    Hey Nate! Thanks so much for writing this article. This has been the best source of information that I’ve found. What are your thoughts in the Salomon Lotus? Too advanced for a beginner?

    Reply

72. Sue Park says

    March 25, 2018 at 5:49 pm

    Hi Nate!
    I’m so happy I came across your post! I’m a complete beginner in snowboarding, but I’m already in love with the sport so much that I’ve been looking into getting my own gear.
    I’m at the stage where I’m still practicing my turns/linking them. Both times I’ve gone, I used a 138 board and it seems to work pretty well for me, but I’d still like your opinion on this. I’m a little over 5’4″ and am about 140 pounds (but it fluctuates so give or take 10 pounds).
    I was also reading about different board types, and I think that an all mountain/true twin would be appropriate for me. I’d prefer a board that I could use for a while, as in appropriate for both beginner and novice levels.
    What board do you think would be a good match for me?

    Thanks so much in advance! Your site has made this new sport wayyy more approachable for me! 🙂

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 26, 2018 at 1:40 pm

      Hi Sue

      Thanks for your message.

      Generally speaking for your specs, I would say something in the range of 144 to 146 would be an appropriate length. But personal preference comes into too – and since you’ve been enjoying your 138, you could go a little shorter from that range. But maybe a little longer than 138 is a good idea. Maybe something between 141 and 144 would be a good range to look at.

      Since you’re looking for something that’s all-mountain and true twin, that’s pretty much what an all-mountain freestyle board is. And since you want something that can stay with you for a while, then the following would be good bets, IMO:

      ~ YES Emoticon 143
      ~ GNU Chromatic 141
      ~ GNU B-Nice 142
      ~ Arbor Ethos 141 (or you could go 138 if you wanted to stick to a more similar length to what you’ve been riding)
      ~ Arbor Poporazzi 141 (or 138 – a little step up from the Ethos but still doable as a beginner board but Ethos is probably the better option)
      ~ Rossignol Tesla 143 (or you could go 139 if you wanted to stick to a more similar length to what you’ve been riding)

      Hope this helps with your decision and gives you some options

      Reply

      • Sue Park says

        March 28, 2018 at 8:47 am

        Thanks so much for the help!!
        I’ll give all of those a closer look. I’ll let you know which one I choose and how it goes for me!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 28, 2018 at 3:28 pm

          Hi Sue.

          You’re very welcome. Yeah, definitely let me know which you go for and how you get on with it.

          Reply

73. Amy says

    March 23, 2018 at 10:54 am

    Hi Nate! I appreciate your website so much and am so impressed by all the detailed help you offer in the comments. 🙂

    After reading your post about the best beginner boots for women, I bought the ThirtyTwo Lashed Double Boas in size 6.5. They are the first boots I’ve tried on that don’t have a crazy amount of heel lift out of the box, so I am sold on them! Now I am wondering about investing in a board and bindings and would love your input.

    I’ve taken 3 lessons and am on my way to linking turns pretty well. I am comfortable on both heel and toe side, and I think my confidence / control on toe side will improve when using my own boots that aren’t insanely packed out like the rentals I’ve used were. I have rented 130 and 146 boards (neither of which were sizes I picked myself), and neither one felt great. The 146 was way too fast for my first day, and the 130 felt a little too wiggly underfoot (though a better speed) if that makes sense.

    I’m 5’1″ and ~120lbs. Since I’m a beginner, I have been playing around with riding switch before I get too stuck in the habit of regular or goofy and would therefore like to buy something that’s a true twin. I also noted that board / bindings flex should match boots, so I have been considering the Rossignol Tesla, Capita Paradise, and Yes Emoticon (though the last one is hard to find online right now). I don’t anticipate getting into park riding at this point; I’d really just like to take advantage of all the long runs we have in Colorado. Any recommendations on size for those boards or if there are other boards I should consider?

    Thanks in advance for your help and for all you do on this site!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 24, 2018 at 9:42 am

      Hi Amy

      Thanks for your message.

      Your instinct is good in terms of sizing. 130 is definitely too short and 146 is definitely too long – not sure what they were thinking giving you those sizes! I would say that a good range to look at, at this stage would be 138 to 140. Unfortunately that writes off the Emoticon and Paradise at this stage. At a more advanced level something around 142, 143 would become an option – but as a beginner, that’s getting a bit long for your specs, IMO.

      The Tesla 139 would be a great option for you though, given that you want to learn to ride switch and it’s a good size for you, and a good match with the 32 Lashed. And a suitable width.

      Some other options would be:

      ~ GNU B-Nice 139 (226mm waist width) – a quite narrow board but should be fine for 6.5s as long as you ride with your back binding on a reasonable angle (i.e. 9 to 15 degrees) and it might be a good idea to ride with something like +15/-15 or +12/-12 at least to start with if you’re looking to learn riding in both directions

      ~ GNU Chromatic 141 (232mm waist) – a little longer than the range we discussed, but doable

      ~ Roxy Ally 139 (232mm waist)

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Amy says

        March 26, 2018 at 10:56 am

        Hey Nate! Thanks for your help and affirmation that those boards were definitely not the right size for me. Good to hear you think the Tesla 139 is a strong option, too, as it was top of my list for price point and features. I ordered it on Sunday and will be taking it out this weekend. Thanks again for your help!!

        –Amy

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 26, 2018 at 2:03 pm

          You’re very welcome Amy. Let me know how you get on, once you’ve had a chance to ride it.

          Reply

74. nicki says

    March 17, 2018 at 11:45 pm

    hi Nate , I am a beginner snowboarder have only ridden once however im wanting to get into it more so i’m looking to buy the ‘k2 first lite snowboard’ but am unsure as to which size board I should buy, I am 170cm tall and 58kg. I was also wondering if you had any recommendations as to which bindings and and maybe boots would be best suited for me and this board. it would be great if you could help me out thanks so much 🙂

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 18, 2018 at 11:01 am

      Hi Nicki

      Thanks for your message.

      For you for the First Lite, the 146 would be your best option, IMO. I’d say anything between 144 and 146, generally speaking. You could also go 142, if you wanted, but the 146 would be the best, IMO.

      In terms of bindings and boots, check out the following for some ideas:

      >>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings

      >>My Top Women’s Beginner Boots

      But let me know if you need more options.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • nicki says

        March 20, 2018 at 3:11 am

        helps so much thank you!! your website is great 🙂

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 20, 2018 at 9:17 am

          You’re very welcome Nicki! Thanks for using the website

          Reply

75. Yuuri Renault says

    March 17, 2018 at 6:29 am

    Hi Nate,
    My name is Yuuri. i would like to hear your advice to choose the board n bindings ~
    I choose to do snowboarding because it more easy to control the speed compare to Ski( Ski go too fast for me?)
    At the moment I can do ok going left n right by facing front only and slow down by pushing on heels. Still having trouble ( scares) to go on toes edge for turning direction.
    I live in France near Mont Blanc. The station I usually go it’s always Icy /hard. Im 158cm tall and weight 55kg. Can you please recommend me anything good to build up my confidence ? My next target it’s to learn turning with toes edge ?
    I had been falling tooooooo much because of the Icy floor and my arms had bruises n pain for 2weeks?.
    Thanks in advance !!!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 18, 2018 at 10:27 am

      Hi Yuuri

      Thanks for your message.

      In terms of size, as a beginner, I think something in the range between 138 and 140 would be a good length range to look at.

      And since you want something that’s good in hard/icy conditions, I would recommend the following:

      ~ GNU B-Nice 139 – just note that this has a rather narrower waist width (226mm) so this will depend on boot size

      ~ GNU Chromatic 141 – a little longer than our range but still doable

      ~ Roxy Ally 139

      ~ Never Summer Onyx 140 – not quite as good in hard/icy as the first 3, IMO, but still good

      If you could also let me know your boot size (or shoe size, if you’re not sure of your boot size yet), then I can just make sure to look at options that will have an appropriate width for you also.

      Keep working on those toe side turns, you’ll get there, and don’t be afraid to get padding either – especially if you’re riding in hard conditions a lot – it can really help with confidence. Things like elbow guards, knee guards and/or padded shorts can really help, depending on how you’re falling. Even if they just end up being something you wear until you become a more advanced rider, they can help build confidence and also make it hurt less, of course! And it goes without saying that I highly recommend wearing a helmet when riding, if you don’t already.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Yuuri Renault says

        March 20, 2018 at 2:21 am

        Thank you so much for your reply!!! Very detail??????
        So, My boots size is 38. Can narrow down the choice?
        And, Normally I fall with my hands n hip on the floor trying to stop then I stretch my upper arms muscles badly~ I guess the elbow guard don’t really help ~ but a good knees pad might need~

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 20, 2018 at 9:16 am

          Hi Yuuri

          Thanks for the extra info. The B Nice 139 might just be a bit narrow for you, so that’s the only one I would cross off the list. The rest are all still good options.

          Yeah, elbow pads won’t help if it’s due to your upper arms stretching. But yeah, knees pads – and padded shorts (if you’re falling on your backside sometimes too) might help a bit with confidence.

          Reply

76. Ami says

    March 12, 2018 at 10:29 am

    Hi Nate! Great article! It’d given me a lot to think about. I also loved that you’re still answering questions on here so hopefully you can help me make a choice on a new board.

    I’m 5’2, 110lb and a beginner (I’ve only ridden three times). I’ve been using my sister GNU B-Pro 143 cm, but I feel like the board is too advance for me right now so I want to get a beginner board. (Plus she wants it back now.) I like the twin shape because I still don’t know if I’m regular or goofy. I switch often when riding.

    So my question is, what length do you recommend for me? I’m looking for an all mountain- freestyle board to progress on. I like the spec on the Rome Royal and the Capita Paradise. Would you recommend them?

    Thank you for your time Nate. I truly appreciate it.

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 12, 2018 at 12:34 pm

      Hi Ami

      Thanks for your message.

      Firstly, in terms of length, I would say that 143cm is too long for you at the moment, so that will be part of the reason that the GNU B-Pro feels too advanced. That and the fact that it’s quite stiff and has quite an aggressive camber profile on it, make it quite beginner unfriendly.

      In terms of length, I would say something 136 to 138, as a beginner. You could probably stretch that to 139, but I wouldn’t go longer than that to start with for you. So unfortunately that takes the Paradise and the Royal out of the picture, as I think they would be too long. But also, the Paradise is probably a little on the stiff side to be a pure beginner board (except in certain cases) and the Royal is likely to be a little too wide for you (depending on your boot size). So I would probably have discounted them anyway.

      I think if you wanted to go GNU, then the GNU B-Nice is a good beginner’s choice for all-mountain-freestyle. If that, then the 139 would be a good size. Just note that it’s quite narrow – which could be a good thing or bad thing depending on your boot size – so if you can let me know that (or your shoe size if you’re not sure of boot size yet) then I can give a more accurate sizing recommendation.

      Other options:

      ~ Burton Genie 138 (240mm waist) – depending on boot size
      ~ Rossignol Tesla 136 (232mm waist) or 139(234mm waist) – depending on boot size
      ~ Rossignol Myth 139 (234mm) – depending on boot size

      There are of course other options, but those were the first to come to mind. If you can let me know your boot size (or shoe size), then I can give you my opinion on waist width.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Ami says

        March 13, 2018 at 6:09 am

        Hi Nate!

        Thanks for the reply! Wow I’m way off on board length. My boot size is a 6.5.

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 13, 2018 at 10:37 am

          Hi Ami

          I wouldn’t say you’re way off – at a more advanced level, I would say something around 140, 141 (or even longer if riding more of a big mountain kind of board) would be a good size for you, but it’s a good idea to start off with a shorter length.

          In terms of width, with 6.5s, you should be fine to fit on the 139 B-Nice (226mm waist). And also good for the Rossi Tesla (both 136 and 139) and Myth. The Genie, however, is too wide to be optimal in terms of width, IMO.

          Hope this helps

          Reply

          • Ami says

            March 13, 2018 at 12:40 pm

            Hi Nate!

            Between the B-Nice and the Rossi Myth, which do you think is better?

          • Nate says

            March 14, 2018 at 3:15 pm

            Hi Ami

            I would say that the B Nice would be the better board overall, but the Myth maybe slightly easier to learn on – but that sometimes comes down to personal preference too. Some like learning on a slightly looser board like the B Nice, because it can give the easiest turn initiation and some prefer a bit more stability, like the Myth provides (but is also very easy for initiating turns on).

            In terms of size – the B Nice 139 has that very narrow waist – there are pros and cons to that too – that makes it more agile but also less stable.

            Also note, that the B Nice is an asym board and it’s recommended to use a mirror duck stance in terms of your binding angles (something like +15/-15) – so if you prefer to ride with different angles, or would like more options in terms of angles, then the Myth is a better option for that.

            Hope this gives you more info to go off.

77. Helene says

    March 11, 2018 at 11:56 pm

    Hi Nate!

    This website is so awesome! My husband and I have been reading every article you posted! We are taking our first trip to Mammoth, CA, and with about 4 seasons in of snowboarding we’ve finally decided to get some boards.
    I am torn between two of the top 10 you’ve posted. I am between beginner and intermediate, 5’7.5″ and weight 137lbs….my boot size is women’s 9. I am looking to get either the Rome Royal 147 or the Salomon Oh yeah 147. Both seem like perfect options because of the board’s width on each of them fitting more to my boot size 9. However, I’m leaning more towards the Salomon because I’m loving the design…although the Rome Royal looks like an absolute perfect size width and length for me. Do you think the Salomon 147 with the width of 242 is too narrow for me? If so, is going up a board size bigger, the 151 a better idea? Or do you think I should just go for the Rome Royal because the length and width seem like a perfect fit. Thank you for your time

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 12, 2018 at 12:13 pm

      Hi Helene

      Thanks for your message.

      I’d say you’d be perfectly fine on the 147 Oh Yeah, in terms of width (and I agree this is the best length for you).

      In fact depending on your binding angles, the 246mm waist on the 147 Royal might be on the wide side. If you ride with a quite a straight back foot (e.g. 0-6 degrees) then it should be fine, but if you ride with more angle on your back foot (e.g. 12-15 degrees), then that’s probably getting a bit wide. The Oh Yeah should be fine regardless of binding angles, IMO.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Helene says

        March 12, 2018 at 1:35 pm

        Great! Salomon oh yeah it is!!! Thank you so much!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 12, 2018 at 2:42 pm

          You’re very welcome Helene. Hope you enjoy your new board! Let me know how you get on, once you’ve had a chance to ride it.

          Reply

          • Helene says

            March 15, 2018 at 10:50 pm

            Hi Nate, One last question:

            I’ve purchased the Salomon oh yeah 147cm board, as well as the K2 Haven snowboard boots size 9. Very satisfied with both.
            I’m in the process of buying bindings now but I noticed the size recommendations are a little different. I’m looking at 3 different bindings. The burton citizen and stilleto which both look like I would have to get the large bindings….and the K2 yeah yeah which looks like I could go either way with Medium or Large. Anyone you recommend more than the other?

            Thank you again for your time and help. I really do appreciate your advice:)

          • Nate says

            March 16, 2018 at 2:10 pm

            Hi Helene

            Any one of those are great beginner options, IMO and would match the Oh Yeah well.

            If you go K2, I would go for the medium. I know that the Burton large will fit on the board fine, so that’s fine for those, but I’ve never measured the base plate of K2 bindings, so I’m not sure about the large, but the medium should be fine, and you should fit in them well. The other reason I’d go medium, is that I often prefer to go for the smaller option, if you’re on the cusp like that.

            Hope this answers your questions

78. Paula says

    March 10, 2018 at 12:43 pm

    Hi Nate,

    Your articles are really helpful, thank you!

    I am a complete beginner, still learning to turn and having a lot of trouble with the toe edge, but totally in love with the sport.

    Since I live in México, I do not have the chance to practice as much as I would like, so I think I need a snowboard that helps me to learn and progress a little faster.

    I am 5´3 and 110lbs, mondo 23 cm. I like the Rossi Tesla 2018 but seems a little stiff for my weight (rated 5/10 at the rossignol site), and not sure if the waist is appropiate for my size, what do you recommend? should I consider other options?

    I also looking to buy boots and bindings, I was thinking in the Burton Mint Boa boots paired with Burton Citizen bindings but I am not sure about sizing, do I should buy boots in size 6 and bindings in S or maybe a little larger?, this is important because I will buy all the gear online.

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 12, 2018 at 11:27 am

      Hi Paula

      Thanks for your message.

      In terms of length, something between 137 and 139 would be a good length for you at this stage. But that also needs to be balanced with width.

      With mondo 23cm, assuming you ended up in a 6, then something between 221mm and 231mm would be optimal. However, there aren’t heaps of options in that range, so there might need to be some compromise.

      Everything Rossignol that I test is softer than what they say it is, so I wouldn’t be too worried about the Tesla being too stiff, but if you are we can certainly skip that. But if you were still interested in the Tesla, then I think the 136 would be a good option. It’s a little shorter than we discussed – but going a little shorter when you have to go a little wider is a good idea, IMO, to get that balance. The 139 would be doable too, but my preference for you would be the 136.

      The Rossi Myth 139 is also an option, but again isn’t optimal in terms of width. It will be a little softer than the Tesla.

      The K2 First Lite 138cm (232mm waist) is another.

      Some other options not on this list are:

      ~ GNU B Nice 139 (226mm waist). I think this would be the best in terms of size for you, and is a nice and easy board to learn on and get fast progression on.

      The B-Nice would be my pick for you, if available but the other options would all work well too, IMO.

      Burton Mint boots and Citizen bindings would be great choices for fast progression too, IMO.

      In terms of size for the boots, it’s a tough one, a US Women’s 6 is designed to fit a 23cm mondo – but it’s not always the case, sometimes you might need to go a little longer depending on the shape of your foot. I would say you’d be either 6 or 6.5 but it’s really hard to say without actually trying them on. Try to go with an online store that has a return policy that allows you to try them on and send them back if they don’t fit. Most stores that I’ve come across have this policy, but make sure before you buy. If you have enough funds to allow it, you can order a couple of different sizes and then return the one that doesn’t fit (faster than ordering and then returning and then re-ordering if the first one doesn’t fit).

      Your shoe size should also give you a clue as to which size to go for – if you wear size 7 shoes, then chances are you’ll be 6.5 or even 7, rather than 6.

      For binding sizes, you could go either way. I think even if you ended up in a 6.5, you would be able to fit the small (with Burton boots). But also, if you end up in a 6, then you will fit in the medium. So, you can’t really go wrong there, but maybe the medium is a safer bet, if you’re ordering everything at once, just in case you end up in a size 7 boot.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

79. Ada says

    March 8, 2018 at 10:50 am

    Hi Nate,

    I left a message yesterday but thought i should elaborate a little. I have been riding on a Burton Genie for 3 seasons, love the board and everything is good. I’ve significantly improved and this season I’ve been riding in Whistler Blackcomb for 7-8 times and can managed all of the blue runs I’ve came across. Now I am thinking do a need to upgrade my board since the Genie is a beginner board and not an intermediate board? I am not going to do jump and tricks, just cruise around mostly, maybe in some powder as well. I live in Vancouver and we do get icy condition sometimes in Cypress. Nate, do you think the Burton Feather is a good upgrade? Anything else you would recommend?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 9, 2018 at 4:51 pm

      Hi Ada

      Just saw your second message now. The Feather is, IMO, not really an upgrade from the Genie. It’s the same kind of level – and it’s quite a similar board all-round. It’s got a directional shape and a setback stance – those are really the only major differences. That will make the Feather more of an all-mountain board (better in powder) compared the Genie which is more of a groomer/freestyle board, but in terms of being more advanced, not really, IMO.

      In terms of dealing with icy conditions, the best options for that would be the:

      ~ YES Emoticon
      ~ Rossignol Frenemy
      ~ Never Summer Infinity
      ~ Jones Twin Sister
      ~ Jones Dream Catcher (though this is getting more on the aggressive side and might be a step too far?)
      ~ Niche Sonnet
      ~ Roxy Torah Bright
      ~ Never Summer Proto Type 2

      Out of those, the best options in powder, IMO.

      ~ Jones Twin Sister
      ~ Jones Dream Catcher (but again might be a bit too aggressive)
      ~ Never Summer Infinity

      Reply

      • Ada says

        March 12, 2018 at 11:56 pm

        Thanks Nate! I ended up getting the Frenemy 16/17, it has a great sale for it! Look forward to riding with it! Thank you very much for your help!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 13, 2018 at 10:00 am

          Hi Ada

          You’re very welcome. Glad you found a good deal! Let me know how you get on, once you’ve had a chance to ride it.

          Reply

          • Ada says

            March 24, 2018 at 6:34 pm

            Hi Nate,

            Finally have a chance to ride on the new board, after riding both Cypress and Whistler in BC with the Frenemy, It’s great, first impression comparing to the Burton Genie, it felt harder to initiate the turns so felt a little less flexible and harder for narrower runs and easier to get tired (would it be because it is a stiffer and heavier board?)….this really shown when I was in Cypress with its narrower runs, Whistler not so much because the runs are a lot wider.

            But overall I like it, I felt like it is really an upgrade from the Genie and felt like there is a lot of potential with it. There is a lot less wobbling or chatter than my Genie at higher speed, felt a lot more stable and the edge hold is AMAZING, especially in steeper slope and icier condition. I do think for a beginner, the Genie would be a great board to learn, but the Frenemy just opens a new door for me with its potential, now just have to master and get use to it.

            Thank you again for the recommendation!!

          • Nate says

            March 26, 2018 at 1:04 pm

            Hi Ada

            Thanks for the update. Yeah, Frenemy certainly a step up in terms of stiffness, and potentially a little heavier too. So that would make it a little harder/slower to get those turns initiated but that will be something you’ll get used to and your body should adapt to. Glad you’re feeling the difference for speed, steeps and harder conditions.

80. Ada says

    March 8, 2018 at 12:21 am

    Hi Nate,

    Love your post, it’s very useful, thank you! Do want to get your advice on this. I have been riding a burton genie for 3 seasons and can do most of the blue runs now in Whistler Blackcomb, i am thinking whether i need to upgrade to something more intermediate. Do you think i should upgrade my genie to something else? If so which boards would you suggest as a good upgrade? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 9, 2018 at 3:48 pm

      Hi Ada

      If you’re still enjoying riding the Genie and don’t feel like its holding you back, then there’s no reason why you have to upgrade. But if you feel you want to take your riding to another level, or if you feel like there’s something about the board that’s holding you back (e.g. if it’s feeling a bit wobbly when you ride faster or if you feel like you wash out when trying to get up on the edge etc), then you could look to upgrade.

      If you did decide to upgrade, then going to something all-mountain or all-mountain-freestyle is your best bet as an intermediate ride. I would still try to stick to something that’s not too stiff (as the Genie is quite soft flexing) – so sticking to no more than around 5/10 flex, max 6/10. And so you don’t change too much, I wouldn’t go too much longer than the size you’re currently riding, if at all.

      You could check out some of the all-mountain and all-mountain-freestyle options in the lists below:

      >>My Top 6 Women’s All-Mountain Snowboards

      >>My Top 5 Women’s All-Mountain Freestyle Snowboards

      And you could also check out something like the Capita Paradise, YES Emoticon or the Rossignol Frenemy which would also be a nice little step up from the Genie. Or if you wanted to stick with Burton something like the Deja Vu Flying V would be a good option.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Ada says

        March 9, 2018 at 4:34 pm

        Thank you, Nate! It does feel a little wobbly, I will look into your suggestion, thank you! One more question, I have a Burton stiletto 3D binding, would that fit into the Burton Channel system?

        Thank you!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 9, 2018 at 4:56 pm

          Hi Ada

          I have answered your other question now too, and hopefully narrowed it down a bit further.

          If they’re not too old (what year are they, do you know), they should be compatible the channel system, but you should have received separate binding discs with them which would be used with the channel system. If you didn’t get those discs with it, you could try contacting Burton and see if they can send you some.

          Reply

          • Ada says

            March 9, 2018 at 5:19 pm

            Thank you, Nate for answering to my other message, really appreciate it! It’s a 2015/16 model, so it’s not that old, I will look for those binding disc.

            Thank you!

          • Nate says

            March 10, 2018 at 10:21 am

            You’re very welcome Ada. Yeah should be compatible if they’re 15/16.

81. Maurie says

    March 5, 2018 at 5:18 pm

    Hi Nate,
    Great website. I need some advice on which snowboards to consider. I’m a 65 year old beginner, 5’5 and 145 lbs. My shoe size ranges 8.5 to 9. I live in the mid-atlantic area. I’m not interested in speed or tricks just mellow groomers.
    Thanks

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 6, 2018 at 11:55 am

      Hi Maurie

      Thanks for your message.

      In terms of size, as a beginner, I would say something around 145cm for you.

      In terms of width, looking in the range between 234mm and 244mm would be a good bet.

      Since you live in the mid-atlantic, something with good edge-hold in icy conditions is recommended. So, I would say one of the following:

      ~ YES Emoticon: 146 (239mm waist)
      ~ GNU B-Nice: 145 (234mm waist)
      ~ GNU Chromatic: 146 (238mm waist)
      ~ Roxy Sugar Banana: 146 (235mm waist)

      Hope this helps and gives you some options

      Reply

82. Jade says

    March 5, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    Hey Nate,
    Kudos for the great article, very helpful on my snowboard search. I am a beginner-intermediate snowboarder ( 5’6″, 155lbs). After spending two weeks learning snowboard, now I am comfortable to ride on blue to red slopes. I am thinking of buying either K2 first lite or Rossignol gala. I really like the design pattern of gala, unfortunately, the country where I live, there is only 146cm for gala available. Do you think it is ok to take it or better to buy K2 of size 150? Really appreciate your suggestions. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 6, 2018 at 11:13 am

      Hi Jade

      Thanks for your message.

      I think something around 150 would be a better size for you – something between 148 and 150. You could ride the 146 Gala and probably enjoy it too – but you’re probably going to “outgrow” that length very quickly – you’ll likely find that it will start to feel a bit wobbly when you start to ride faster. I think the 150 First Lite would be the better option, in this case.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

83. Michelle says

    March 5, 2018 at 1:04 pm

    Hi Nate,
    I am so glad I stumble on your post. I am a beginner and seemed to learn pretty quickly on my own without prior knowledge or background check about snowboarding when I went for my very first ride. My learning came from observing friends and others on the slopes. On my very first time snowboarding, the most difficult part to learn was getting up. But as soon as I got that down I was riding and learning on my heel edge, even ditched the bunny hill and went on the longer ones. Fast forward 3yrs later, went for my second ride on the same mountain (Cypress bowl, Vancouver BC) and got on my rental board and rode on it like I did my first time. But this time I tried practicing my toe edge and was having difficulty. I really like snowboarding a lot and want to start going more frequently now and want to learn more so I can keep up with friends and also be able to ride Whistler without getting intimidated.

    I am torn between which board to invest on – the Rossignol Myth or Rome Royal board. I do not know what kind of rider I am but all I know is that, I would only need the board to ride it in the mountains here where I live (Vancouver, BC) and maybe occasionally in Seattle. I’m most likely be hitting the slopes occasionally and won’t be a season pass holder. I am about 5’3” or 5’4” weigh fluctuates around 138-148lbs.

    Looking forward on your inputs.

    Thanks!
    Michelle

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 6, 2018 at 11:10 am

      Hi Michelle

      Thanks for your message.

      In terms of length, I think something around 144, 145 would be a good length to look at for you.

      So that would put you on a 144 for either the Myth or the Royal. I suspect that the Royal could be a little wide for you though – it’s a wider board. But if you could let me know your boot size (or shoe size if you’re not sure of your boot size yet) and I can recommend which one would be better width-wise. But I suspect that the Myth will be a better option for you overall.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Michelle says

        March 21, 2018 at 7:58 pm

        Thanks for the input and reply Nate! I don’t know my snowboard boots size yet but I’m a size 8 in shoes. Would appreciate your input again on what size in boots and strap to get.

        Cheers!

        Reply

      • Michelle says

        March 22, 2018 at 3:03 am

        Hi Nate!
        Thanks for the input. This reply might be a repeat as I wasn’t sure my first one went through. But yeah, my shoe size is 8. Should I get a snowboard boots with that size to? I can’t remember what size boots I usually get when I rent. And how about bindings?

        Cheers!
        Michelle

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 22, 2018 at 3:17 pm

          Hi Michelle

          Thanks for your message. I got the other one too, they just need to be moderated before being published.

          These days, in my experience with men’s snowboard boots anyway, usually your boot size will be the same as your shoe size. It used to be that snowboard boots would be a half a size down. So, I would say you would likely be in an 8 for snowboard boots, but you could end up in a 7.5 or possibly even an 8.5. It depends on the brand too – I’m a different size in some brands than others. It’s hard to know without actually trying on. You can also check out the following for more on snowboard boot sizing:

          >>How to Size Snowboard Boots

          Assuming you end up in an 8 or 7.5, the Myth 144 is going to be the better board for you width-wise, IMO. The Royal 144 is getting on the wide side for 8s, IMO.

          For bindings, check out the following, and let me know if you have any questions:

          >>Snowboard Binding Sizing

          >>Choosing Beginner Bindings

          >>Top Women’s Beginner Bindings

          And also this for some boot ideas

          >>My Top Women’s Beginner Boots

          Hope this helps

          Reply

          • Michelle says

            April 17, 2018 at 3:17 pm

            Wow! This is awesome! Thanks for the detailed reply. This helps a lot. I can’t wait to start looking for my gears. ??

          • Nate says

            April 18, 2018 at 9:24 pm

            You’re very welcome Michelle!

84. Dilys says

    March 5, 2018 at 11:09 am

    Hi Nate,

    I hope you can help me with an issue. I’m a beginner snowboarder and I bought a K2 Lime lite. After a week I brought it back to the shop and told them it wasn’t the board for me.

    I found it difficult to do my turns on and it made me wanna quite a few times :0 so my boyfriend bought the gnu carbon credit and I tried that board for a little and found out that I could do turns more easily on the gnu.

    So I read your review on the best beginner snowboards and you named the Rome Royal to me that looks a bit like the K2 lime lite. And lacks a bit of flex although you rate it as a 3/10 but rome rate it like 6/10. And I think that a board that has a nice flex is suits me better. But I’m definitely not the expert on snowboards. Is is really easy to make turns on?

    I was actually looking to buy either the Roxy Sugar Banana or the gnu b nice because of their shape. They both have the btx profile I believe.

    My boyfriend is an intermediate level snowboarder and is also looking for a new board and is thinking of buying the lib tech skate banana, or the Rome mechanic

    Hope you can help us with this. Maybe it’s good to know that we live in Europe and the snow conditions in the alps are a bit “Icey” we are both looking for an all mountain board.

    Thanks in advance

    Dilys

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 6, 2018 at 11:03 am

      Hi Dilys

      Thanks for your message.

      Because you’ve had experience on the Carbon Credit and liked the feel of it, I would go with something with a similar feel. If you didn’t like the feel of the K2 Lime Lite (which has a flat-to-rocker camber profile) then I wouldn’t go for the Royal because it has the same profile, so you may not like the feel of that either. Some people love that flat-to-rocker for starting out and others seem to prefer either a hybrid camber or hybrid rocker. Since you already know you like the feel of the Carbon Credit, then I think that’s your best bet.

      The GNU B Nice is basically the same board as the Carbon Credit or at least very close – but in women’s sizes.

      The GNU Chromatic is very similar also.

      One of those would be your best bet IMO.

      If you’d like a size recommendation, just let me know your height, weight and boot size and I would be happy to give you my opinion on size.

      For your boyfriend, I would say the same thing – if he liked the feel of the Carbon Credit, then I would recommend something with a similar profile. The Skate Banana would fit that bill – it’s very similar to the GNU Carbon Credit or the GNU Hyak.

      GNU and Lib Tech boards are typically very good in icy conditions too – so that’s another plus going for one of those.

      If your boyfriend was looking for something a little more all-mountain oriented and with a bit more stiffness in terms of flex then the GNU Riders Choice would be a great option for him, IMO – though it is of course more expensive. The Gnuru would be a cheaper alternative. On the Lib Tech side, the TRS would work well, IMO, but again is quite pricey.

      Again, if you’d like a size recommendation for your boyfriend I would be happy to give my opinion there too, if he’s not sure about sizing. Would just need that same info for him.

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Dilys says

        March 7, 2018 at 9:54 am

        Thanks Nate,

        So I’ll think I’ll go with the gnu b nice then. I’m 5,4(167 cm) and my weight is about 140 lbs(64kg) and my boot size is us womens 10(41 eur)

        My boyfriend is the same height as me 5,4 and his weight is 165 lbs(75 kg) and he wears a us men’s size 10(43)

        Thanks for the help so far!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 7, 2018 at 11:26 am

          You’re very welcome Dilys.

          I think the best size for you is probably the 148 for the B Nice. You could also go for the 145, but I think the 148 is going to be a better width for you for your boots size – and also it’s probably the better length too. I would say something around a 149, 150 at an advanced level, but as a beginner it’s a good idea to go a little shorter. You could go as short as 145, but I think you would be fine on the 148 and that would be better for your boot size, IMO.

          Note that because the B Nice is an asym board, it’s recommended that you ride it with a mirror duck stance in terms of your binding angles (e.g. +15/-15). If you prefer to ride with a more forward stance (i.e. straighter angle on the back foot (e.g. +18/-3), then I would recommend going for the Chromatic which isn’t an asym. Although with those binding angles, I think the 146 (238mm waist) would be getting a bit narrow (more of an angle on your back binding means you can get on a narrower board). In that case I would recommend the GNU Hyak in the 148 – it has a 242mm waist which would be more suitable to your boot size and binding angles. If you’re riding +15/-15 you should be fine on the 146 Chromatic or 148 B Nice.

          Size-wise for your boyfriend, I would say something in the range of 152 to 154 in terms of length.

          Width-wise, for size 10s I would say to look at something in the range of 247mm to 257mm in terms of waist width, if he rides with a reasonably angled back binding (i.e. 12-15 degrees) and between 254mm to 259mm at the waist, if he rides with a fairly straight back binding angle.

          Reply

85. Sydney Howard says

    March 4, 2018 at 12:16 pm

    Hi, Nate,

    First, thank you soooo much for taking the time to go in-depth into the world of snowboarding equipment and techniques for us newbies. You have no idea how incredibly useful your website has been for me. I’ve been spending days reading your articles and reviews. Unfortunately, even with all the research I’ve done, I can’t narrow down what to buy so I’m hoping that you’ll point me into the right direction for boards, boots and bindings.

    Second, I’d like to apologize in advance that this is a long read. I just want to be thorough.

    The most important aspects for me are comfort and ease of use/learning so I’m willing to spend the money.
    My background: I’m 5’1, 123lbs, active/athletic. I wear size 6 boots. I currently have a 137cm Roxy Sugar paired with Burton Lexa bindings in size medium and ThirtyTwo STW Boa boots. However, I’m not entirely sure if these are the right equipment, especially the board size, for me. I bought them (8yrs ago) because they were available at the local Sport Chalet-which sadly is no longer around. I’ve been riding off and on for about 10yrs, but only a handful of times a season. I mostly go to Mammoth. Based on your Skill Levels article, I’m at level Intermediate 4.

    I haven’t attempt any park features out of fear, but would love to someday. My riding have been mostly just trying to go down the mountains without injuring myself or others. I would like to progress to Intermediate Level 5 within this season or next. I’m self taught. Your articles on private lessons convinced me to sign up for a session at the end of this month. 🙂

    Since I don’t ride often, I just want a set of equipment that would allow me to be comfortable and have fun anytime I hit the slopes. I’ve been focusing on your articles on equipment for beginners for this reason. If there are others not on the list you think better fit my needs please let me know.

    In regards to boots, I just ordered a pair of K2 Estate because I demo a pair of K2 Sapera this season and loved the fit, but detest traditional laces. Do you think the Estate are too stiff for me? I’d like a pair of boots that are light and can keep my heels in place. Maybe technology has change since but the ThirtyTwo STW boa I have are terrible at keeping my heels in place. My heels would come up no matter how tight I tied the laces. The Vans were recently recommended, but they’re too narrow on the forefoot for me. Burton boots don’t my fit me right either. I would also prefer double boa to speed or traditional lacing.

    In sum, it would be fantastic, and I’d be forever grateful, if you could provide me with a few choices on board and binding pairings, as well as a pair of boots, based on my skills level and background.

    Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond to my comment.

    Sydney

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 5, 2018 at 4:56 pm

      Hi Sydney

      Thanks for your message.

      Starting with boots. I think the Estate would work well for you. I would say they’re a 6/10 in terms of flex, which would match your bindings well too. In my experience double boa tends to do a good job with heel hold and in general I would say that boa and boots in general have improved in heel hold over the past 8 years. That said, everyone’s feet are different so my experience could differ to yours. But I’ve found in K2’s men’s boa boots that they are right up there in terms of heel hold – some of the best I’ve tried in that respect. So, I would say, but couldn’t say for sure, that you’d be fine in terms of heel hold. And since the fit of the Sapera was good, it’s likely the Estate will be too (again, no guarantees, but usually brands boots fit similar). I wouldn’t go any stiffer than that, but I think you will be ok there. Since you know K2 fit you well, I think that’s a safe way to go. If you did find that the Sapera was too stiff, they also have the Haven in a boa – it would be more like a 4/10 flex in my books – which is fine if you were riding softer flexing bindings (and depending on the board you end up on) but I think a binding change would be recommended if you went down to the Haven – and you also go to a single boa, which gives you less adjustability.

      The STW Boa are very soft boots – so, IMO, they don’t match your bindings well – the Roxy Sugar Banana is also quite soft, so they would be fine with that.

      I think you could stick with the Lexas, assuming you go with a mid-flexing board – I would say for board, based on what you’re describing something with a 5/10 flex would be a good way to go – and the Estate and Lexa would match that well (I typically either match flex between board and bindings and boots or have boots and bindings a little stiffer than the board – but not the other way around – i.e. boots and bindings that are softer than a board).

      O.k. the board:

      In terms of length, I would say something around 138 to 140 would be a good range to look at for you. But personal preference is also a thing, so if you felt like you are wanting shorter than what you have, then that’s still an option.

      Width-wise, for your boot size I would say to look at something in the range of 220mm to 230mm in terms of waist width, ideally, but since there aren’t too many options in that range, you might need to compromise and go a little wider than that. K2 boots tend to be on the long side too, so with the Estates you probably don’t want to go too narrow either. So maybe 225mm as a minimum to be safe (but there won’t be too many women’s boards narrower than that, so you should be all good there).

      Based on all of that, your ability level, and looking at boards that are versatile enough that they ride well on the groomers but can also play in the park if you progress your freestyle skills more, and are easy to turn on, and looking at something with enough performance to help you to progress to a more advanced level, I would recommend the following:

      ~ Arbor Poporazzi 138 (231mm waist) – or if you felt like you are looking for something longer, then the 141 (232mm waist) is also an option

      ~ GNU Velvet Gnuru 139 (226mm waist) – this sounds like a great size for you, IMO.

      ~ Burton Feelgood Flying V 140 (236mm waist) – getting a little on the wide side, but doable.

      ~ Jones Twin Sister 139 (238mm waist) – probably too wide but otherwise a good option

      ~ Never Summer Infinity 140 (233mm waist)

      ~ Never Summer Onyx 140 (233mm waist)- though these would be likely a little softer flexing – maybe still a bit more than your Sugar Banana but on the softer side for the boots/bindings setup – would go better with the K2 Haven and softer bindings

      ~ GNU Gloss 140 (233mm waist) – or if you feel like your current board is actually too long, then there’s a 136 also for the gloss which has a narrow waist (226mm). But same as the Onyx – on the softer side, so probably better with a different boot/binding setup.

      This isn’t exhaustive but some options to consider.

      Hope this helps and if there isn’t anything there that speaks to you or you’re not sure of something, let’s have some back and forth going, i.e. if you’re thinking differently – i.e. if you think you’d prefer to go softer, shorter longer etc.

      Reply

      • Sydney says

        March 10, 2018 at 10:53 am

        Hi Nate, Wow! Thank you so much for the in-depth reply! I looked over the list of snowboards you suggested and the only boards I found available in my size and width are:
        ARbor Poporazzi 138 (231mm waist) – $293
        GNU Velvet Gnuru 139 (226mm waist) – $367.96
        Never Summer Onyx 140 (233mm waist) – $375.99

        Can you please help me pick one? Realistically, I doubted that I’ll ever go into freestyle as I don’t ride often enough to practice. I’ll probably just try some simple rails and boxes. I will mostly stay on piste, and powder if available. What I’ve noticed about using my current snowboard, the 137 Roxy Sugar, is that I have a hard time turning on steep and bumpy area like in the mugols or places where it has been beat up by skiers, and not groomed. I’ve also noticed that I have a hard time initiating turns on icy/hard packed condition. Do you think this is more of lack of skills than board set up? As such, I’m looking for a board that would help me progress faster in carving and give me more confident on steeper blue runs, or runs with less than perfect condition and then progress to black runs. I’ve managed to go down a few black runs, but with lots of stops and skid turns. As mentioned before, I’ll be taking a couple of private lessons so I hope to improve my carving/turning skills.

        For boots, I think I’ll keep the K2 Estate in size 6 since I couldn’t find anything else with a double boas. Which bindings would you recommend I get with them other than the Burton Lexa? I’d like to try something different so I’m also looking at the Flow rear entry or dual entry bindings. What are your opinions on these and which models would you recommend for me? Should I stick with the traditional strap in or switch to these? I like the convenient aspects of them, but not sure how they would perform.

        Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you!

        Reply

        • Nate says

          March 12, 2018 at 9:45 am

          Hi Sydney

          When it comes to things like uneven terrain a lot of it does come down to technique, but some boards will make it harder and some easier. I would say that the Roxy Sugar should be pretty good in those areas though. But in terms of initiating turns in hard/icy conditions, I think that something with a bit of camber in the profile could help with that. Whilst the Sugar Banana does have a little bit of subtle camber, it’s essentially a continuous rocker board. The Poporazzi is also a continuous rocker, so I think looking at the Onyx and the Velvet Gnuru is a good way to go.

          Between the 2 of them I would say:

          1. The Onyx is softer flexing – around 3/10, probably pretty similar to the Sugar Banana in terms of flex
          2. The Velvet Gnuru is more of a medium flex (around 5/10)
          3. The Onyx would be a slightly easier ride, slightly faster progression, largely because of that softer flex
          4. I think both would be pretty good on uneven terrain, but not sure if either would be better than the other
          5. The Onyx generally is probably a little quicker edge-to-edge – a little more agile at slower speeds too – but the Gnuru being a little shorter and narrower would balance that out, at least to some extent

          In terms of Flow bindings – I haven’t tested anything rear entry for a good few years now, but when I did, I preferred traditional strap. The convenience didn’t outweigh the performance difference, from my experience. But like I say, I haven’t tried them for a few years, so they may have caught up?

          If you do decide to stay with traditional strap check out the following for some options that would work with your board/boot setup. Something around a 5/10 flex, would be a good way to go, IMO.

          >>Top Women’s All-Mountain Bindings

          >>Top Women’s Freestyle Bindings

          Hope this gives you more to go off for your decision

          Reply

          • Sydney Howard says

            April 26, 2018 at 11:47 am

            Hi, Nate,
            I just want to say thank you so much for helping me pick out new gear this season. I ended up with the GNU Velvet Gnuru 139, Flux GS binding and K2 Estate boots. They work out great and totally up my game a bit.
            Your advice is invaluable. I hope you’ll continue to provide support for others for years to come!
            Sydney

          • Nate says

            April 26, 2018 at 3:53 pm

            Hi Sydney

            Thanks for the follow up and the kind words. Glad to hear you’re enjoying your new setup!

86. Em says

    February 28, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    Hi Nate!

    I’m a beginner snowboarder and have been learning on a board that I bought used a few years ago. The board is a Burton Charger, which I think is just a few years short of being 20 years old. It’s as stiff as a plank of wood, and the Burton Mission bindings on it are probably just as old and have backs that are basically hard plastic. Well anyway, the bindings broke recently and I’m looking to get a new board and bindings, and discovered that boards and bindings can be flexible! I’ve gotten used to the stiffness of my current board and bindings and am starting to improve on the slopes with them. Should I get a board/bindings that’s on the stiffer side since I’m already used to it or a soft one that’s recommended for beginners? I feel like a softer board might seem too floppy/bendy, but I’m not sure. What do you think? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Nate says

      March 1, 2018 at 12:53 pm

      Hi Em

      Thanks for your message.

      Not surprised it’s like a stiff plank of wood, being that old!

      Ordinarily for a beginner, I would certainly say go soft – but as someone who’s used to stiff, it might be a better transition to go to something a little stiffer flexing. But I would still stick to something around medium flex – it’s going to feel softer than what you’ve got, but with technology these days, there are still good options that also feel stable.

      And even though you will be used to full camber (as that was all that existed that long ago), I think changing up to something with a bit of rocker in there would be a good idea. But I’d say go with something that’s hybrid camber (camber between the feet and rocker towards tip and tail). It will be the closest feeling to full camber (apart from full camber of course!) but more forgiving.

      Same idea for bindings, I think medium flex would be best:

      a. because you’re used to stiff, I’d say not to go too soft; and
      b. because that would match your board the best assuming you go with a medium flexing board

      So essentially, something that’s a little stiffer than I would usually recommend for a beginner board, but still having other aspects that make it a good board to progress on for a beginner.

      Based on all of that, I think the Capita Paradise and the Rossignol Frenemy would both be great choices.

      Another option would be the Jones Twin Sister.

      In terms of size, I can give you a recommendation if you’d like – sizing a board has changed a lot since your board was made. I would just need your height, weight and boot size.

      For bindings, check out the following for some options:

      >>Top Women’s All-Mountain Bindings

      Hope this helps

      Reply

87. ola says

    February 20, 2018 at 2:44 pm

    hi nate,
    thank you for all your help in helping me choose my board/boots/bindings. would you be able to help in choosing equipment for my son? we only get a week on the slopes per year. last year was his first time snowboarding, we took lessons, he did great. this year when we went he did great again, so much better than last year, he really took to snowboarding and grasped it quickly, we took daily lessons again for him and he was going down greens and blues with no problems. both times we rented his equipment. i am not too sure whether to keep doing rentals as he is still growing, or to go ahead and purchase something for him hoping he gets 2 years of riding…not sure how fast he will grow. he is almost 4’9 and weighs 73lbs, 9 years old. wears a size 5 shoe. i don’t mind looking at used equipment either. both years we went they had him on the same gear from the rental place, it was a burton ltr board i believe 115. one of the instructors mentioned the board he was on was too short for him, not sure as this is what they gave us at the rental. if we purchase, also would like to stay with burton brand, all i have been able to find is ‘chopper’ and have looked up the ltr. hoping you can help 🙂

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 21, 2018 at 12:25 pm

      Hi Ola

      Just so you know, I don’t have a lot of experience with kids gear, so I will help you as much as I can but can’t say much first hand about the gear (my son is 2 – I will start learning about it next year, when I start getting him on the hill!).

      In terms of size, I would say something closer to 120 or 125 would be more appropriate – even a couple of centimeters more – but kids sizes do tend to only go up in 5cm increments, especially under 130cm. So probably either 120, 125 or 130, I would say. I would be leaning towards the 125, just because it will be an easier transition from the 115, but will still be something that should last for another 2 seasons. The 130 would possibly be better in a couple of season’s time, but will be trickier for him to manage, I would say, in the next season and a half – and would be a big jump to what he’s used to riding – and might slow his progression or affect his confidence. So the 130 would likely be something that might even last another 3 seasons. A 120 would be the easiest to progress on and would be the easiest transition from the 115 he is riding. But it’s likely to be getting too small. I think you could still last another 2 season’s on it, but by the end of the second season, he might be getting quite big for it – but like you say, it also depends on how fast he grows.

      The Burton Chopper will be the easiest for him to ride – it’s the most beginner level. So the easiest transition would be Chopper at 120.

      But it sounds like he is progressing quickly and could probably ride an intermediate board. That would open up your options. In that case there are a couple more options with Burton:

      ~ Burton Process Smalls

      ~ Burton Custom Smalls

      The smallest size for those is 125, so you’d have to go to the 125 if you went with one of those two.

      Burton do a couple of other boys boards, but they wouldn’t be suitable, IMO.

      Hope this helps a little bit

      Reply

88. Anna says

    February 15, 2018 at 9:50 am

    Hey Nate,

    I’ve been snowboarding 3 times now and think I got the hang of turning on day 3.

    I’m moving from the UK to BC, Canada so am planning to go a lot next winter. I’d still class myself as a total beginner so would like a board that’s stable, forgiving and turns easily.

    I’m kind of stuck between the Burton Genie & the feather but not entirely sure what the difference is between them? Would I get bored of the Genie quickly? I’ll just be riding groomers!

    Thanks so much

    Reply

    • Nate says

      February 15, 2018 at 2:48 pm

      Hi Anna

      Thanks for your message.

      The main differences between the Feather and the Genie is that the Feather has a tapered directional shape and a setback stance where the Genie has a twin shape and a centered stance – what this essentially means is that the on the Genie it’s completely symetrical and the distance between your back foot and the tail and the front foot to the nose is exactly the same. With the Feather, the nose is longer than the tail and the nose is also wider than the tail.

      What this basically boils down to is that the Feather is more suited for riding in deeper powder but not as good as the Genie for riding switch (your non-natural direction) or for riding freestyle (jumps, tricks etc). So, if you think you’ll want to be heading off the groomer on powder days, then the Feather is probably the better bet, but if you’re likely to stay on the groomer, then I’d say that Genie, it gives you the option of learning to ride switch if you want to.

      In terms of whether you’ll get board of the Genie?

      It sounds like you’re progressing quite quickly, and if you continue to progress quickly, then you’ll likely want to upgrade from something like the Genie at some stage. But it will offer faster progression.

      But if you feel like you want something that will stay with you for longer, then something like the YES Emoticon is a really good option, IMO. Or you could look at something like the Burton Deja Vu, if you wanted to stay Burton – or another little step up to something like the Capita Paradise or Rossignol Frenemy – but they would be a bit of steeper learning curve.

      It’s also important to get the size right. If you want a size recommendation, I’d be happy to give one – I’d just need your height, weight and boot size (or shoe size if you’re not sure of your boot size yet).

      Hope this helps

      Reply

      • Anna says

        February 16, 2018 at 9:22 am

        Awesome thanks. This is maybe a stupid question but what do you mean by grow out of it?

        I did look at the Yes emoticon but I’ve also seen it described as being more of an intermediate board than a beginner one.

        I’m a US shoe size 6, 5 ft 4 and 104 pounds. I’ll be going to Whistler a lot so I guess that (hopefully) means I’ll be in lots of powder and perhaps tree runs once I’ve improved!

        Thanks so much for your help.

        Reply

        • Nate says

          February 16, 2018 at 1:58 pm

          Hi Anna

          No such thing as a stupid question!

          By grow out of it, I basically mean that as you progress, there are things with this board that are favorable for a beginner but not as favorable for a more advanced rider. E.g. it has a soft flex – this is great for a beginner because it makes it easier to maneuver at slower speeds and more forgiving of errors. But as you get more advanced and want to ride fast – that soft flex means that it will be less stable at high speeds, and more chattery at high speeds and less able to keep the edge dug in, when riding fast. Other things like having a lot of camber in the profile can be bad for a beginner because it makes the board more catchy – but a more advanced rider (who has the technique to not as easily catch an edge) often likes a good bit of camber in there because it helps make the board more poppy, gives spring out of turns and can help with edge hold and stability at higher speeds. There are other things too, but those are a couple of reasons why a board might be great as a beginner but not as good performance-wise when you’re more advanced.

          The Emoticon is something that can be ridden by a more advanced rider – but is also beginner suitable – not quite as easy going as something like the Genie (which is why some might label it intermediate) but it’s still a good beginner option (particularly for someone who doesn’t want to upgrade too soon). The Emoticon is a little stiffer flexing and has some camber in there, but it’s relatively subtle.

          In terms of size, I would say you could go up to around 142 as an advanced rider, but as a beginner I wouldn’t go that long. Something between 137 and 139 would be a good range to look at, IMO.

          In terms of width, assuming size 6 snowboard boots, you should be able to go as narrow as you want in women’s boards – but I would try to stay under 235mm in terms of waist width, if you can – that would be the maximum in terms of width I would recommend for you.

          So, in terms of the boards we’ve discussed, the best size options would be:

          Genie: 138cm (240mm waist)

          Feather: 140cm (232mm waist)

          Emoticon: no appropriate size, IMO

          Deja Vu: 138 (235mm waist)

          Paradise: no appropriate size, IMO

          Frenemy: no appropriate size, IMO

          Hope this helps, and let me know if there are any other options you’re considering

          Reply

          • Anna says

            February 17, 2018 at 4:46 am

            Ahh that makes sense. Sounds like there are so many factors to consider!

            So it sounds like the Genie will be slightly too wide for me and won’t be great for when I want to start riding a bit more quickly.

            I’m also interested in the K2 F