Looking for help, guidance, adjusting board and bindings

[Sunshine]

I have/had been on a Mistral asymmetrical snow board since the early 90's.  A lot of what I learned came from trial and error.  Mostly errors.  I have had at least 2 alpine boards and 2 or 3 freestyle boards.  I sold my freestyle boards, one alpine board, and my other (favorite - Mistral) board burned when my house burned.  I had stopped using the Mistral board 2 years prior to the fire because I started having trouble with binding adjustments, techniques and age.  I miss boarding a lot.  I am back on skis now but I want to get back to a snowboard. 

I am 61 years old, have been boarding or skiing since the late 80's but my ability began to go downhill.  I ski the US east coast resorts.  In all of my years there has been no one who could tell me how to adjust my bindings, explain techniques or give a lesson on alpine boarding.  

I need help on basics.  What board size and type for someone who weighs 240 pounds, bindings and adjustments, techniques for making cleaner turns without spooning the tail.  Anything.  I want to get back on a board.  Also, is there anyone on the US east coast that could actually teach carving instead of tricks?  

[billyt.]

This is a great first step.  The old equipment still works, but it is now time to upgrade.  Lots of gear on this forum for sale, plus much info on set up and riding technique.  A free carve/ all mountain board for your weight is probably a good starting point. Others can chime in on past threads about initial binding set up, boots and the like.

[Eastsiiiide]

Welcome fellow 90's Mistraller! 

Here's mine: https://forums.alpinesnowboarder.com/topic/52734-my-vintage-board-rulez/

I too have been getting up to speed after decades on old equipment and it's great.  On my old Mistral there was very little that I could change about the set up.  And now I know that set up is everything.  Well okay not everything, but until you've got it right, it is everything.  

Right now I am a fanboy of Beckmann. He speaks engineer and that works for me:

https://beckmannag.com/hardboot-snowboarding/hardboot-binding-configuration

After doing a rough pass through only some of the steps in his iterative process I was carving on a razor blade, without fatigue, and my feet more comfortable than they've ever been on snow.

You've come to the right place, there are lots of instructive links around here on set up and form.  I don't have an organized list, maybe someone else does?

Here's one

 http://alpinesnowboarder.com/separate-the-knees/

There's good stuff on YouTube too, including vids by some of the folks here

Edited February 16, 2022 by Eastsiiiide

[Jack M]

Here is some reading:

http://alpinesnowboarder.com/tech-articles/

The old gear does not still work in New England. Unless it’s hero snow. 

[Beckmann AG]

 

On 2/14/2022 at 5:20 PM, Sunshine said:

 .... In all of my years there has been no one who could tell me how to adjust my bindings, explain techniques or give a lesson on alpine boarding.  

I need help on basics.  ... bindings and adjustments, techniques for making cleaner turns without spooning the tail.  Anything.  I want to get back on a board.  Also, is there anyone on the US east coast that could actually teach carving instead of tricks? 

Sent you a pm.

 

Eastsiiiide,

Glad to hear you're making headway. It's easier when you remove some of the more 'obvious' obstacles.