board lenght

[Gben]

Hi, I want to buy my first alpine board,

Height: 175cm

Weight: 69kg

foot size: EU43

How can I know what is my correct board lenght?

Thank you!

[big mario]

Is more dependent on where and how you ride, whether you want to make gs or slalom turns, how aggressive you are, than your height and weight. Wide open piste almost requires a longer stick, while tighter steeper runs call for a shorter stick. Its all about personal preference

Sorry for the lack of a definitive answer,

mario

[ti_knee]

You will want to consider weight as well. I weigh about the same as you, and with a bad knee had a very difficult time on stiff flexing boards. When I had a custom board (Coiler) built for my weight it made a world of difference. If you are looking used, consider Donek, Coiler etc... that are matched to weight and find out what it was built for.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Your height isn't important compared to weight, skill level and intended use.

If you are buying used, check with the seller on his weight and the purpose he used the board for. Most here are very helpful with stuff like that.

Likewise buying new most of the Alpine vendors and manus are very helpful in recommending boards.

As you are quite light and a beginner you will want somewhat shorter and softer than what a lot of us use.

[philw]

What they said. The size (length is nominal only) of the board is extremely critical for Alpine, much more so than for soft boards. If you don't get the flex correct for your weight, the board will either be "noodly" or very hard to drive.

Start with the manufacturers' recommendations for size and then work up or down depending on how the board feels. If you can't find "the right size" in one model, try another model. You really should ride before you buy unless you're very clear on what you need (which in your position isn't possible). Custom boards are very hard to test ride, so I would not advise that. If you have to take a chance, then get something "middle of the road", and for which your weight is bang in the middle of the recommended range.

The actual length of the board depends on how it's designed. Personally for resort riding I like modern short SL boards (156cm ish for similar dimensions as you), because they're very maneuverable and still fun at resort-legal speeds in North America. Lots of people here like extremely long boards, but they probably turn less and maybe ride less bumpy runs at less crowded places.

The suggestions here are good, about asking people what they ride/ use boards for.

[Gben]

thank you all for your answers.

I'm not looking for max speed, I'm looking for control carve on all kind of snow.

isn't there a chart or a rule?

This is the board I have found:

http://www.goltes.com/Snowboardshop/Productlist/70/Hardboot-gear/Special-Offers/Easy-Carve--SnowPro-fast

152, 158 or 164?

Thanks

[NSSage]

There is not really a chart. Just go by whatever the board maker says for weight range and you should start on a shorter Slalom board (157-164). I would say don't go smaller than a 157 and I would really recommend that you check out the Donek snowboards, specifically the pilot it is a great beginner board and will make you happy even after you have the technique down, my brother actually designed the pilot topsheet and I race on the REV. Also you should start out in real snowboard hard boots rather than ski boots they just have better flex for snowboard and are smaller in length. When you get your gear check back here for help with binding angle, cant/lift, or anything else!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Hi, I want to buy my first alpine board,

Height: 175cm

Weight: 69kg

foot size: EU43

How can I know what is my correct board lenght?

Thank you!

Welcome to BOL community. You are going to definitely want to reads some of the articles on BOL.

Curious, if this is your first alpine board, will it be your first time riding an alpine snowboard?

If so, are you going to try this on your vacation by chance?

Again, welcome to alpine snowboardings biggest community! Bryan

[Hans]

Hi, I want to buy my first alpine board,

Height: 175cm

Weight: 69kg

foot size: EU43

How can I know what is my correct board lenght?

Thank you!

Since you are living in Madrid, Europe, and the slopes are not that very wide in Spain, I would recommend a board that is turny to start with. Radius between 8 and 12 meters at the most. Width of the board and angles: since you have a big size mondo I should pick a board with over 20 cm width. Length of the board: not important since we have board manufacturers here in Europe that even make boards of 180 with a 12 meter radius. Try to contact Oxess, they have rather nice boards that you can buy with a discount (they aren't new, but those are pricable boards and worth the money), they are very predictable to ride, even for a new guy in alpine snowboarding. Speak to Marcel the owner. Another option is a wider Virus board, try ebay.de for possibilities. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me through my profile. Welcome to hardbootland! Join the club.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Wow! How's that for great info. Hans, nice job!

Again, welcome to BomberOnline.

[Steve Prokopiw]

Welcome,Gben !

I checked the Goltes link you posted and looked in the 'outlet' section and that 164 is a great deal.It also fits Hans's advice for a smallish turn radius for the narrow trails you'll encounter,while being long enough to be fast and fun.Lots of bang for the buck.

[snowmatic]

Hi Gben,

I thought Spain is still under protection of ECB (economic crisis). So I'm happy to see there is an upcomming financial headroom for buying snowboards. Don't destroy that headroom with buying boards like Oxess or Virus. The are way to expensive for beginners and for shure they won't help alpine-boarding beginners.

Call 607 217 886 in Barcelona (http://botadura.com) Beside Kessler boards (expensive) he has left some F2 boards maybe and Swoard carving boards too.

Goltes Easy Carve can be a choice. Go to the 158cm at your weight. This wider shape makes it easy to handle the board, for trying carving, boards with a waist around 190mm can be better.

Keep in mind:

- Goltes Easy Carve has a compound core CAP construction, so no full woodcore! Thats why price is so low. Compound cores wear out faster then full woodcores. But for an entry level, it can be a choice.

- SnowPro F.a.s.t requires special and now rare heel adapters for Your hardboots! FAST heel-adapters wear out fast too.

Take a view to Trans Snowboards (SL and GS). The new ones comes on same shape like F2 Speedster Equipe, they are fully identic, but whithout waxtop-sheet like on F2 Equipe. Trans is made now by GST (Austria). Trans Pro SL has a Euro 100 lower price tag then F2 Speedster Equipe.

http://www.water-colors.de/snow/alpinboards/24329/trans-alpin-snowboard-race-pro-sl-2014

http://www.water-colors.de/snow/alpinboards/24330/trans-alpin-snowboard-race-pro-gs-2014

On this German store the SL is at Euro 450.-, the GS at Euro 550.- (online-store Euro 600.-). Ask for a good price if buying board and bindings together. (Owner of Water-Colors owns F2 !)

Trans Pro SL 153cm / radius 8.8m is recommended to rider from 50-75 kg,

Trans Pro SL 158cm / radius 9.2m is recommended to rider >60 kg

Trans Pro GS 169cm / radius 14m is recommended to rider from 50-75 kg,

Trans Pro GS 175cm / radius 15m is recommended to rider >60 kg

Delivery time and costs in EC are fast/cheap (no customs-tax)

If for go to a nice price (Euro 100.-) midrange-radius GS board watch this:

http://www.jagaball.de/Boardsport/Modell-Race-Alpin-Board-TOP-PREIS-233.html

It's an older shape and I don't know how it rides.

So Gben,

don't go for long 180cm board like mostly recommended. Good carvers can beat out every 180cm boarder, even on highspeed at icy slopes, or afternoon shaking wild slopes, with a shorter 153cm board.

Edited December 22, 2013 by snowmatic

[Gben]

yes, maybe it's curios, but I think carve is my perfect snowboard style. I dont like freestyle. when I was a kid I practiced ski, and since I started to snowboarding (long time ago) I miss the hard boots. Now I need a new board and I'm shure I want to enter in the snowboard hardboot world.

I have seen all your links and tips, I will not buy SP f.a.s.t bindings.

http://www.goltes.com/Snowboardshop/Productlist/88/Hardboot-gear/Special-Offers/Easy-Carve--SP-Base-

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<tbody>[TR=class: first-row, bgcolor: transparent]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Length

(cm)[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Effective Edge

(cm)[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Radius

(m)[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Width

(mm)[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Riders Weight

(kg)[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Rider's Level[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=bgcolor: transparent]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]NO[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]146[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]124[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]7[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]270/215/268[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]40 - 70[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Alpine Beginners[/TD]

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[TD=bgcolor: transparent]<input name="a_aog[392]" type="checkbox">[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]152[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]130[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]7.8[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]275/220/273[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]45 - 75[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Alpine Beginners[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=bgcolor: transparent]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]NO[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]158[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]136[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]8.5[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]282/227/280[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]55 - 85[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Alpine Beginners[/TD]

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[TD=bgcolor: transparent]<input name="a_aog[394]" type="checkbox">[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]164[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]142[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]9.2[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]290/235/288[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]60 - 90[/TD]

[TD=bgcolor: transparent]Alpine Beginners[/TD]

[/TR]

</tbody>[/TABLE]

now 158 is not available, so 164 with SP base binding is my best option. May I wait to buy the 158 board?

I have seen this boots:

http://www.blue-tomato.com/es-ES/product/DEELUXE-Track+325-300102817-black+red?back=TntRYQ

Thankyou for your welcome!

[Hans]

Hi Gben,

I thought Spain is still under protection of ECB (economic crisis). So I'm happy to see there is an upcomming financial headroom for buying snowboards. Don't destroy that headroom with buying boards like Oxess or Virus. The are way to expensive for beginners and for shure they won't help alpine-boarding beginners.

Call 607 217 886 in Barcelona (http://botadura.com) Beside Kessler boards (expensive) he has left some F2 boards maybe and Swoard carving boards too.

Goltes Easy Carve can be a choice. Go to the 158cm at your weight. This wider shape makes it easy to handle the board, for trying carving, boards with a waist around 190mm can be better.

Keep in mind:

- Goltes Easy Carve has a compound core CAP construction, so no full woodcore! Thats why price is so low. Compound cores wear out faster then full woodcores. But for an entry level, it can be a choice.

- SnowPro F.a.s.t requires special and now rare heel adapters for Your hardboots! FAST heel-adapters wear out fast too.

Take a view to Trans Snowboards (SL and GS). The new ones comes on same shape like F2 Speedster Equipe, they are fully identic, but whithout waxtop-sheet like on F2 Equipe. Trans is made now by GST (Austria). Trans Pro SL has a Euro 100 lower price tag then F2 Speedster Equipe.

http://www.water-colors.de/snow/alpinboards/24329/trans-alpin-snowboard-race-pro-sl-2014

http://www.water-colors.de/snow/alpinboards/24330/trans-alpin-snowboard-race-pro-gs-2014

On this German store the SL is at Euro 450.-, the GS at Euro 550.- (online-store Euro 600.-). Ask for a good price if buying board and bindings together. (Owner of Water-Colors owns F2 !)

Trans Pro SL 153cm / radius 8.8m is recommended to rider from 50-75 kg,

Trans Pro SL 158cm / radius 9.2m is recommended to rider >60 kg

Trans Pro GS 169cm / radius 14m is recommended to rider from 50-75 kg,

Trans Pro GS 175cm / radius 15m is recommended to rider >60 kg

Delivery time and costs in EC are fast/cheap (no customs-tax)

If for go to a nice price (Euro 100.-) midrange-radius GS board watch this:

http://www.jagaball.de/Boardsport/Modell-Race-Alpin-Board-TOP-PREIS-233.html

It's an older shape and I don't know how it rides.

So Gben,

don't go for long 180cm board like mostly recommended. Good carvers can beat out every 180cm boarder, even on highspeed at icy slopes, or afternoon shaking wild slopes, with a shorter 153cm board.

You can't compare a Mercedes to an Opel, you already have a tip top Oxess for less than eur 500. Even the world cup slalom of this brand is accessible to start with forva snowboarder or skier with some experience. Of course if you have less money to spend, you can start with other brands. It's just my opinion that brands like Oxess gives more board for the buck in the long term.

[BlueB]

Goltes Easy Carve can be a choice. Go to the 158cm at your weight.

Take a view to Trans Snowboards (SL and GS). The new ones comes on same shape like F2 Speedster Equipe, they are fully identic, but whithout waxtop-sheet like on F2 Equipe. Trans is made now by GST (Austria).

Easy Carve seems to be identical to Stuf Accelerator, shpe, spec and construction wise. Stuff can be found much cheaper. I had 164 it was an easy and snappy board. In despite of the wide shape it didn't perform the best in the crud...

Trans used to be made by Choc snowbaords in CZ. Choc B series is also carbon and way cheaper then Trans. They seem to produce Titanal boards now, too...

Rummor has it that Choc produced some boards for another very famous and very expensive carving brand.

[Gben]

Stuff accelerator? Can you give me a link please?

[Unicorn Poop]

I agree with Hans about getting good gear from the start. In my situation, I went out and bought some Nitro 159cm board because it was cheap and I was just a beginner and didn't need a nice board. Well, after struggling with it for about a week, a couple of friends let me try out their Kessler 1.68, and INSTANTLY, I improved. I'm not talking a little bit, and I'm not talking by the end of the day, either. I made about a seasons worth of progress in about two turns. Halfway down the first run on the Kessler, my friends were asking me where the hell I learned how to ride and were amazed at the day and night improvement. My confidence increased, and I felt more comfortable pushing the boundaries a bit because I knew the board I was on was going to be able to handle whatever I threw at it.

You can buy garbage and sell yourself short because you're "only a beginner," or you can spend more and buy something cutting edge that won't fight you every step of the way.

That having been said, I completely understand that a $1500 board is out of the range of a lot of people, and there is no shame in buying used, or even at a lower price point. But, I would stick with established, mainstream brands at first.

[BlueB]

UP, I agree, 2 boards of similar spec, the one from renowned maker made with top-notch materials would outperform the cheapo one...

However, the most important thing is that the board matched the needs/style/technique/abillity/terrain of the rider. With that in picture the cheapo board that is "just right" can and would outperform the completely wrong latetest/greatest/most expensive board.

Example 1:

A friend of mine, begginer at the time, struggled for a while with a beautiful Prior WCR 169, narrow, stiff, medium scr... Then he stepped on a Rossi 160, foam core, softer, wider, tight radius and BAM, the things suddenly started happening for him!

Example 2:

I often test-swapped boards with another friend, 230lbs of power, who used to ride custom reinforced Priors, or whatever came out of Prior factory as a too stiff reject, and likes wider boards. He stepped onto my titanal Virus, narrow, mellow flex - he couldn't get of quick enough...

Gben, I do not have links for Stuf Accelerator, they pop up on ebay from time to time... I only mentioned it as cheap alternative to practically identical Goltes.

If you are set on that kind of spec, but want higher quality, also look at F2 ElDiablo or Nidecker Proto.

[crucible]

I agree with BLue B.

I think that the best starter alpine boards are tighter side cut radius boards that for you would be between 158 and 164cms, forgiving in flex and with a tip and tail profile that will be useful in a wide variety of terrain.

The important part of learning to drive alpine boards is the carve, once you get that dialled in, the speed will come later natrurally.

[NSSage]

I agree with Hans about getting good gear from the start. In my situation, I went out and bought some Nitro 159cm board because it was cheap and I was just a beginner and didn't need a nice board. Well, after struggling with it for about a week, a couple of friends let me try out their Kessler 1.68, and INSTANTLY, I improved. I'm not talking a little bit, and I'm not talking by the end of the day, either. I made about a seasons worth of progress in about two turns. Halfway down the first run on the Kessler, my friends were asking me where the hell I learned how to ride and were amazed at the day and night improvement. My confidence increased, and I felt more comfortable pushing the boundaries a bit because I knew the board I was on was going to be able to handle whatever I threw at it.

You can buy garbage and sell yourself short because you're "only a beginner," or you can spend more and buy something cutting edge that won't fight you every step of the way.

That having been said, I completely understand that a $1500 board is out of the range of a lot of people, and there is no shame in buying used, or even at a lower price point. But, I would stick with established, mainstream brands at first.

This. Like I said check out the Donek Pilot it is a great price for a new alpine board and it is built custom for you, that will be your cheapest way to get a new board that will last you more than one season. You can also look for a used board and just make sure it was built for someone around your weight.

[Corey]

Don't forget that he's in Madrid, Spain. Nothing made in North America is going to be cheap! Shipping and duty/taxes are killers even for us in Canada, I can't imagine being on the other side of the pond. The locals will know much better what's available at a good price.

Get the good stuff if you can afford it, but you can have fun on pretty much whatever you can get your hands on. I had a ton of fun learning on inexpensive gear, and I sold it for just less than I paid for it after a year or two of use. So you can try the sport on the cheap and upgrade later if you find you love it. I really don't want people to think that they need to buy a $1000 (and up!) board to try alpine snowboarding!

[snowmatic]

Don't forget that he's in Madrid, Spain

and there are skiresorts on the outskirts of Madrid! You know, Spain has the second highest mountain chain of Europe. Some of the resorts are realy kind of exotic. They reach up to 11'000ft (3400m) altidue, one hour's to drive from the Mediterian sea. So you can ski in the morning and surf in the afternoon on the sea. National participation rate of skiing is higher then on US and skiing in Spain is a centuries-old tradition.

Well, back now to the freecarve beginner board from Goltes:

I think Euro 200.- with bindings included is a good price!

The board is an OEM product from PALE snowboard factory (no more existing), as I wrote with an Aircell Woodcore CAP.

Pale sold it as "Drive" and there have been other brandet boards.

I have to be more precise: These Goltes boards have the same outline and construction like the Heavy Tools Drive from 1989/99. Testreport of freeriding-alpine boards judge the Drive better then an Oxygen FR!

Goltes Easy Carve isn't a perfect carving board. The board in 164cm is to wide (23.5cm) for to be playfull at this shoe size. For to enter on the alpine carving world, give it a try. Even for to ride all kind of snow, for sure powdersnow too.

For the HT Drive 164cm, riders weight was recommended to 65-85kg.

Even if that board wouldn't be good for Gben, he can try to sell it for use with softbindings (HT Drive was designed for plate-&softbindings).

Take care about the bindings: SnowPro SP - Base

Ask Goltes.com what kind of baseplate the bindings you will order has on!

Snowpro BASE has as orginal a plastic baseplate

Snowpro FORCE has a F-54 aluminium baseplate with rubber damping

It seems Goltes mixed the bail-blocks on the close-up-picture of SP-Base.

There was never a F-54 aluminium baseplate with labeled BASE bail-blocks from SP!

So if you get the board/binding with F-54 aluminium baseplate it's o.k. I mean also for future use on more carving dedicated boards or raceboards. If you get a plastic base-plate, it's good for freeriding and freecarving. Plastic baseplate would not be able to be corrected to O°, they have an integrated 3° canting. F-54 aluminium baseplate, which comes with 3° canting have optional cantings and heellifts (self-made, or get a rare now set of canting/lift parts).

Boots:

the black Deeluxe Track 325 might be too stiff for Your weight and this board. Seek for the grey Track 225. Don't take 2013/14 Track 225. 2013/14 Track 225 boots are near as stiff like 2013/14 Track 325. Compared to a Raichle SB 123/313/113 way to stiff!

Deeluxe boots are more and more turning to a desaster. Now realy bad quality of liner and many bad things on shell too.

Seek for an older Raichle SB 123/223/313/113 for to ride with the Goltes Easy Carve. They must have not weared-out buckles (no loose rivets to the shell). Put away old liner and buy e.g. new Palau Alpine-Overlap-Soft Thermoflex liner (Euro 85.-). Maybe You can get them on a ski-shop in Madrid which have touring-ski boots and an oven for to fit Your boots.

Oxess ... they are very predictable to ride ... have a tip top Oxess for less than eur 500 /

Why do You think these in many times "prototypes" are on a good price, because they are a perfect snowboard-shape?

Choc B series is also carbon and way cheaper then Trans

New Choc boards and other choc brandet stuff have been seen on winter 2007/2008 last time on European mass market, we are now 2013/2014. Choc factory seems to be still active producing for grey market, as they did it also before.

Kessler 1.68

2013/14 Kessler The Alpine 168 is to stiff for an 69 kg rider!

For sure Kessler's are easy to handle/ride, they have rockered nose and tail - ahm sorry Hansjörg, a nose-geometry and a tail-geometry. But as H.J. Kessler build his boards to be riden like a ski, Kessler boards stay very limited for true carving action.

Edited December 23, 2013 by snowmatic

[NSSage]

Don't forget that he's in Madrid, Spain. Nothing made in North America is going to be cheap!

That's true, I did not notice that because I was on my phone. Yeah don't order a Donek haha it would cost as much as an Oxess by the time you received it! Get what you want and can afford, find what works for stance then just have fun with it! That's the most important thing is that you are happy with what you buy and have a good time!

[Gben]

thank you so much for all this info!!

I will order the board, bindings and boots in a few days and I will tell you my decision. And then, maybe you could advise me about binding angles and carve technique!

I know it will not be the best gear(maybe it will be the worst)... I only want to enter in this world and by now, it will be the almost cheapest or nothing.

by the way, someone could tell me something about this boots?

http://www.goltes.com/Snowboardshop/Productlist/126/Hardboot-gear/Hard-boots/Alpina-Hard-Core

[BlueB]

But as H.J. Kessler build his boards to be riden like a ski, Kessler boards stay very limited for true carving action.

Ah, here we go again... :(

Gben, while this poster sometimes gives good info, he also seems to have a bit of own hidden agenda, so do your searching/filtering. Actually do that before believing any of us.