buying first board and bindings

[unit336]

sup frosty

 im buying my first board and bindings in a price range of up to $490
im a beginner male, 5'10, around 170 pounds. think you can help me out a little?

[Travis Hightower]

A few questions to get ahead of the game.
1st off, beginner, as in you've gone once or twice,
or you're ok in the turning stages?
2nd, shoe size? we'll need to know if you need a midwide
or a regular.
3rd, riding style. what do you want to do more, just ride the slopes,
hit the rails, or bust the kickers?
http://www.frostyrider.com/tips/size-guide.htm

thats the board calculator. it'll give you a great recommendation for
a size, and if you have questions after that, we can tackle em easy.

then its as simple as picking your brand/graphic which is all on you,
but most of us ride different brands that we support 100% so we can
give you the details on them.

frosty is the burton/flow guy but he has a well rounded knowledge on all snowboards.
rowan is the roxy girl who can also account for libtech thanks to magnetraction.
josh rides..well just about everything from what i can tell.
and im the local forum/ride/k2 nerd.

hook us up with info and we'll hook you up with a board man!
welcome to the forums! any questions, fire away! everyones here to help
each other ride their best and have fun!

[Frosty]

Welcome unit336

Wow Travz// You ARE the MAN (nice answer post!)

[unit336]

yeah,
              ive been snowboarding twice i wear a 10 shoe size and i would like to hit jibs and jumps

i looked at the size calculator and saw the K2 Anagram, think thats a good board to start on?

[Frosty]

Great choice.  Anagram is a good board for someone starting out in freestyle progression.  The 152cm length will give you easy maneuverability especially for doing jumps.  A little short for freeride tho as it would get a little squirreley in the powder and rougher terrain.

Personally I have loved every K2 board I have ever owned and also have broken them all; and I am not really hard on boards compared to some people, so that's my opinion for ya.  Very light and very lively for the first season.  After that they wither but are fun right up until they break, haha.  But for under $300 for a brand new ride I think it is worth it for sure.  Good choice. 

[unit336]

thanx alot for the conformation

by the way what kind of bindings would be a good fit for that, and do i need to get a stomp pad and a board leash to?

[Travis Hightower]

my 1st board was a k2, and i still have it. and its still kinda rideable their quality is good.
i think the anagram will suit you just fine. if you like the graphic with the length, you're set!

bindings are your call. if you have a ski store, go check out all they have to offer. theres
some new technology out this year thats really tops. i saw a set of k2's that were really
funky. like flow's step in, but better! but also more complicated and probably more prone
to breaks. I ride flows on my rail board for quick ins and outs, and "ride lx" for my terrain
park board because..well...i like how secure they make you feel. see what catches your
eye. burton also makes great bindings, but frosty will have to fill you in on the plate issue,
i dont know if they still only ship them with the 3 hole set up or if they ship em with both plates.

stomp pads....are..... optional. this is a difficult topic because some people will pick on you
for riding with a stomp, but no one will pick on you if you ride without. but this also will depend
on your board. some boards are slick on the top and you have to have a stomp, or you'll fall
almost every time when you get off a lift. but you'll definitely have no control. im an anti-stomp pad
guy, i think they're ugly, but my 2nd home resort made me put one on my board after crashing
into a bunch of people that like to gather at the bottom of the lift ramp. its your call, but stomp
pads do give you control. its just a matter of getting over sticking something horrid on your pretty
new board.

now, leashes. if you find a resort in north america that lets you ride without a leash, post it on
the forums!!!! also, if you find a resort that checks to see if you're actually using a leash, post
it on the forums!!!! if your bindings dont come with a leash, go ahead and buy one. they're
like $2 and it'll save you the hassle, and its a good riding rule, in theory, but its still a rule of
the resort and must be respected.

search around and see what you come up with, and if you want some reviews we can probably
set ya straight.
bindings i recommend ride lx. nothing against the rest, just like the support.

[unit336]

thanx alot man, i really appreciate it

[Josh]

Your good travz

With the stomp pads ii would recommend spike ones. 
I got one like that and the grip is insane.  Really worth it and they look kinda cool imo

[Josh]

josh rides..well just about everything from what i can tell.

Hahaha thanks - I wish

Im prolly more of a back up burton guy lol...