Book a few days of lessons that come with rentals first to see if you like it. Lots of smaller/independent mountains have amazing deals for first-timers, like take three (heavily discounted) half-day lessons (that include three full days of rentals and lift tickets), get a season pass for $100. Ask around on your local snowsports subreddit for suggestions.
Different snowboards will excel at different conditions for different riders. Factors include your weight, preferred speed, type of snow, and whether you prefer a more stable or more maneuverable ride. Sizes don't translate 1:1 between different board designs. Bindings are also very important and a good pair can cost a good fraction of what you're spending on your board.
All this to say it's probably better to figure out if you like snowboarding and if so, what kind, before you start shopping for gear.
However, there is one exception: boots! If you are fairly sure you're going to like riding, and can get fitted in-person at a respectable shop, go do it. Boot fit matters a ton for comfort and confidence, rentals suck, and it's definitely worth the premium of buying in-person to get a pair that fits. Tl;dr you want a boot in which your foot cannot move *at all*. Boot size is just the length of the footbed. Every other three dimensional measurement also contributes to whether your foot (and ankle) are snugly wrapped, painfully crammed, or loose and about to get beat up badly. An expert can help you find the model that fits your foot best, and will be sensitive to any budget concerns you express.
Boot liners will pack out, but filling up empty space is basically impossible. A liner is good for about 100 days of riding, and if it's perfectly comfortable the first few days, it will probably pack out to be too big by day 20. Figuring out what kind of tight, mild discomfort will break in to be perfect in a few days vs never fit right is really tough without an expert's help, so go get it. A $200 budget boot that fits perfectly will beat a slightly-too-big $600 boot every time. (A slightly-too-small boot may be fixable, but you'll have to pay a shop to "punch it out" or make other adjustments). FWIW, I ride boots 2 full sizes smaller than some of my running shoes.
It's legit. I have bought many board and bindings from here. Fast shipping too. Slim picking though if you are regular men size.
I've purchased from them before, no issues. These deals don't really stand out to me in terms of a late-April sale but they certainly aren't ripoffs. Still, jf you absolutely must have the best deal and haven't been shopping around all year like some of us, I'd also check steep & cheap, Christy's (especially the extra 30% off clearance), and the house (especially when they have their weekend extra 20% off sales). Sierra had the best deals around a month ago but they're mostly sold out now.
It's also a good time to start checking the used market.
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04-21-2024 at 06:59 AM.
I've purchased from them before, no issues. These deals don't really stand out to me in terms of a late-April sale but they certainly aren't ripoffs. Still, jf you absolutely must have the best deal and haven't been shopping around all year like some of us, I'd also check steep & cheap, Christy's (especially the extra 30% off clearance), and the house (especially when they have their weekend extra 20% off sales). Sierra had the best deals around a month ago but they're mostly sold out now.
It's also a good time to start checking the used market.
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Different snowboards will excel at different conditions for different riders. Factors include your weight, preferred speed, type of snow, and whether you prefer a more stable or more maneuverable ride. Sizes don't translate 1:1 between different board designs. Bindings are also very important and a good pair can cost a good fraction of what you're spending on your board.
All this to say it's probably better to figure out if you like snowboarding and if so, what kind, before you start shopping for gear.
However, there is one exception: boots! If you are fairly sure you're going to like riding, and can get fitted in-person at a respectable shop, go do it. Boot fit matters a ton for comfort and confidence, rentals suck, and it's definitely worth the premium of buying in-person to get a pair that fits. Tl;dr you want a boot in which your foot cannot move *at all*. Boot size is just the length of the footbed. Every other three dimensional measurement also contributes to whether your foot (and ankle) are snugly wrapped, painfully crammed, or loose and about to get beat up badly. An expert can help you find the model that fits your foot best, and will be sensitive to any budget concerns you express.
Boot liners will pack out, but filling up empty space is basically impossible. A liner is good for about 100 days of riding, and if it's perfectly comfortable the first few days, it will probably pack out to be too big by day 20. Figuring out what kind of tight, mild discomfort will break in to be perfect in a few days vs never fit right is really tough without an expert's help, so go get it. A $200 budget boot that fits perfectly will beat a slightly-too-big $600 boot every time. (A slightly-too-small boot may be fixable, but you'll have to pay a shop to "punch it out" or make other adjustments). FWIW, I ride boots 2 full sizes smaller than some of my running shoes.
It's also a good time to start checking the used market.
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It looks like they have a physical location in Southern California, although I've never been there. It looks legit to me.
I just ordered a few items.
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Which jacket is that?
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank artibramuir
It's also a good time to start checking the used market.