Burton Chopper/Chicklet for young kids

[piusthedrcarve]

As titled, has anyone used the Burton Chopper or Chicklet for first time young child? Any pro and con?

Do I have any other option for my little one?

Is there any camber board for pre-schoolers?

Mine is 4 yrs old, girl, 40 lbs, active/athletic.

Thanks in advance.

[Je.St]

Rode a chopper myself as kid back in the day and had nothing but fun times on it. As well have had many kid that I've taught that have been riding them over different abilities and its never hindered there progression. Overall great little deck that you can grow with as riding evolves.

[Keenan]

Last year our ski school started the Burton Riglet program for young boarders. It is basically a rockered tip to tail and side to side board which makes the groms less likely to catch an edge. The board has a ring on the front and is towed on the flats by a n instructor or parent. I'm not sure if these are meant to be ridden on lift accessed runs.

[piusthedrcarve]

Rockered tip and tail.... And concave-like base so not possible to catch edges.

I get it. But if one learns on that kinda sticks, how the one is going to understand how to bend and turn?

[heroshmero]

I used the Chopper to teach one of my sons.

Seems to me like it is a good learner board for a little kid. It's nice and soft which is good for light weight kids. The concave base is not so extreme. They still have to engage the edge to get it to turn but it really eases them into the turn and reduces the chances of catching an edge.

Edited November 8, 2013 by heroshmero

[Je.St]

Now days the chopper is pretty much is a relabeled kids ltr board they use at resorts. The salad bowl effect on the concave isnt that severe as heroshmero mentioned. Most importantly for a child a starting out it will be more beneficial to understand how to correctly position there bodies over their feet when going down the slope be it sideslipping or turning, either way it will lead to quicker transition to turning stage and stronger skill base for their future riding vs trying to understand how to accomplish bending camber which may stagnate progression to degree.

I guess to answer question more directly by the time they will be on a camber deck the skill they've developed on the chopper will allow them to easily get performance out of their snowboard.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Double post whoops.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Neil Gendzwill

[Neil Gendzwill]

Rockered tip and tail.... And concave-like base so not possible to catch edges.

I get it. But if one learns on that kinda sticks, how the one is going to understand how to bend and turn?

If you're expecting your 4 year old to learn those skills, you may be overly ambitious. There will be ample room to upgrade once she's having fun with the beginner board. There are lots of skills she can acquire before learning to carve.

[Aracan]

My girl did some falling around on some cheapo no-name board at age 4. Last season, at 5, she got a used Chicklet, and progress was much better. The Chicklet is far less likely to catch an edge and very forgiving - a good beginner board for small kids, IMHO.

[piusthedrcarve]

Thanks all for advice. I will try her with Chopper/Chicklet.

[slopestar]

Both my kids learned on Burton chopper's with traditional camber. a 101cm and a 121cm. I think they both benefit from not using the cheater beveled bottom boards out today. the learning curve was tough but well worth it as both my kids link clean turns at 10/daughter and 6/son. Just put my daughter on a roxy 123cm. traditional camber.

[piusthedrcarve]

Just bought a Chopper 90 and Grom bindings for her. Can't wait to be on slopes with her.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pmorita]

My kids are 3 and 5 and started on 80cm choppers when they were 2. There is a recoiling tether called the riglet that attaches to the front of the board that is a must have. It lets you pull the kids along and up the hill, which they both really enjoyed. More so than the riding down the hill at times. Seems that each year they get the next biggest size board. The three year old is now on a 90cm and riding pretty well. So long as the kids are having fun it's worth the expense.

[rjnakata]

Along the same lines: what are you guys' feelings about one-point attachment bindings like the Burton Grom vs standard two-point like the

Burton Freestyle Jr.? For smaller feet is there enough hold=down with the one point?

[slopestar]

Not sure what the current offering of binding is but the older freestyle jr. that has two fixed anchors and one ratchet point is maxed out on a size 4 boot.

[Shred Gruumer]

Burton.....ick.