help with picking a new board

[bonesfreak8]

ok well i'm 15 and i used to snowboard like 4 years ago but i had to stop because i moved. anyways i want to get back into it now that i have the chance. for now i'm just renting but i want to get my own board. i can do all the basics like turning and stopping and carving and i can ride the intermediate slopes. also i'm 5'4" and 125 lbs. i want to ride a little bit of everything so i guess i need a freeride board. i have like a $200 budget for board, boots, and bindings. do you have any suggestions??

[bonesfreak8]

some other stuff i forgot to mention thats kinda important: i'm a girl and i wear womens size 8.5 shoes

[Josh]

Do you mean 200 for each thing? Or 200 combined?

[Frosty]

Hi and welcome to the Frosty Rider Forums!  I really hope you are able to get back into snowboarding.  Seems like you are on a really tight budget.  I don't think you can get a new setup like what you are looking for for $200, but for $299 - $360 you can get a nice new Women's board, boots, bindings package from The_House online shop.

Here is a Dub TLC 149 Board, Sims Future Boot, and Dub 45 binding for under $300 http://www.the-house.com/board-packagew-01-08.html
No tax and free shipping = great bargain

UPDATE:
<img src="http://www.awltovhc.com/2666xjnbhf02755388021586274" width="1" height="1" border="0"/>
Also check out this package deal from Summit Online.  Avalance Le Femme Style 155 board, Atlantis Freestyle Women's Snowboard Bindings, and boots for $219.95 plus $24.95 shipping.  This rig is a little larger and I think it would be OK but more of a "grow into it" size than the Dub board package.

[bonesfreak8]

ok thanks. yeah i think the avalanche board is way too big for me cuz i dont think i'm gonna grow much more. anyways, i was thinking about buying a used board from Play It Again Sports. I called them and they said they have a bunch of boards on sale, plus a lot of them are used to they will be cheaper. what do you think?? as long as i buy a decent brand i think it should be ok even though its used. for right now i want a board that will last me for a few years so i will be able to improve.

[Josh]

Yup.  If the stuff is in good condition it'll last you a while.  Depending on how much you ride also.   
Might help if they have a return policy/some kinda guarantee  or a pick of what you will actually be getting.



Just sayin

[Frosty]

ok thanks. yeah i think the avalanche board is way too big for me cuz i dont think i'm gonna grow much more. anyways, i was thinking about buying a used board from Play It Again Sports. I called them and they said they have a bunch of boards on sale, plus a lot of them are used to they will be cheaper. what do you think?? as long as i buy a decent brand i think it should be ok even though its used. for right now i want a board that will last me for a few years so i will be able to improve.

You take a little bit of a gamble with used stuff.  It SHOULD be OK, but you still should get newer stuff (within last 3 years or so).  I notice for what those places like Play-It-Again Sports get for a used rig you can get new stuff (on sale or closeout) just as cheap.  When you do find your deal, do not buy simply for how good of a deal it is.  Sizing is the most important thing and board waist width is the most important spec to fit.  Look for a waist of  235 to 241 mm.

[bonesfreak8]

thanks. i'm pretty sure play it again sports has both used and new stuff so i might be able to find something new for a good price

[Travis Hightower]

If you can rent for the rest of the year and wait till the end of summer alot of online stores throw in huge discounts to "last years gear". And alot of times the only thing thats changed is the graphic..if that.
I know "the-house.com" has major sales STILL on last years equipment.
They still have some 2 year ago boards for almost 75% off in the Forum section.
They have Malmi's pro model board (im a bit of a forum nerd) for $200 (i think i havent
checked lately) and 2 years ago that board was almost $600.

[bonesfreak8]

thanks for the advice. the only problem is that i'm not really comfortable buying my first board online because i want to be able to try everything on (especially the boots) and make sure it is the right size before i buy it. should i buy my board now or wait until next season. i figured everything would be on sale at the end of the season.

[someguy]

I would wait until the end of the season but make sure to buy your boots like half a size bigger just in case you grow between now and next season.

[Josh]

At the beginning of the season(or just when the stores reopen), are there usually good sales at stores on last years stuff?

[Travis Hightower]

josh -
im not sure about where you're at but around the lower east side here the percentage
drops the further into next season you get. our local shop still has 06 stuff which is
75% off. on some of the sites the sales have already started. on the 2 boards i bought
this year, if i had waited till now to get them, i could have bought them both for the
price of 1. almost 3 for the price of one
ive been shopping www.tightboards.com because they have killer sales going on right
now. i bought my grudge for $600 and my manual for $350, and they have them
both on sale, the grudge at alittle over $300 and the manual at $190.
oh, our in town store sun and ski has an 04 k2 something or other i cant remember
for $75 that no one has picked up still hahah. and its still in the wrapper, never opened.