Hey, I'm a long time skier and have a really nice set of twin tips that are practically brand new but I would like to try something different this season.
Now I'm not completely ignorant I have snowboarded a few times, I used the search function and found a lot of information for newbies and I read through a good part of the carver's almanac but it was last updated in '07 so I still have a few questions.
The carver's almanac doesn't really mention plates (or race plates), I'm curious as to what they improve/replace and what the height difference does.
If I get a second hand boot do I have to buy a new liner, it seems I see thermo mold a lot and I'm uncertain as to whether they re-mold or not.
The cheapest bindings I see on here are second hand and maybe 125$, what are those 40$ proflex bindings on ebay?
Finally, I was thinking of going for an all mountain setup like a prior 4wd or ATV, if I get a second hand, do these boards get softer with use, should I be weary of older boards, I know the typical lifespan of a ski is about 180 days of use, is it better or worse or basically the same.
Thanks for the help, if these answers where somewhere else could you give me a link.