Hi everyone,

So I'm heading to Perisher (i think) with some mates to snowboard for a week July next year for the first time ever.
I'm thinking of possibly getting my own gear, but not sure how much I'm willing to spend, maybe something mid range.
I also don't know where to start regarding brands and so forth. But from what I've been reading, I should go get a decent/properly fitter pair of boots first and go from there? I'm thinking buy boots/gloves/jacket/pants/goggles and just rent board/bindings, unless I can get a decent board (second hand/cheap/factory second).

I'm in Brisbane (skiscene, snowbiz), im 5'10, 5'11, 83kgs, US size 10/11, I think I'm going to be riding goofy? (right leg forward) and generally think I'm more of a cruising down the slopes sort of person, maybe a trick or two but not really.

So:
1) Recommend a boot brand/model/make?
2) Would you guys recommend snowbiz/skiscene here in Brisbane.
3) Gloves/Goggles recommendations?
4) Jacket/pants recommendations?
5) Board/Bindings reccs? and possibly where I could get some 2nd hand etc (besides ebay, gumtree etc) or even a shop that sells factory seconds/preloved boards?
6) Board size?

Any point in the right directions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys.

Hi Fubar

Welcome to Boardworld
Firstly be realistic on how often you are going to be boarding and budget accordingly.
If your like anyone else on these forums....you will love it after your first session and want it keep at it

1) Boots definitely go get fitted at the store - with the major brands you generally can not go wrong
brand model make are not as important as fit

price is around 250-450 mark
anything more is getting into stiffer models which you will not require and probably not like as a beginner

2) dont know about the QLD stores

3) gloves/goggles cant be hired at all so yes you will need to buy those
work within your budget

4) can be hired but usually find some good 5k rating stuff on sale

Fubar, right now is a great time to go looking for gear at a good price. Weird but true, my mate ended up buying some Recon Snowboard boots for $90, they are of the hire gear standard as strangely they were the most comfortable for him, he is size 14 though so options are a little limited. A decent board to start out with could be had for as little as $3-400 with bindings for $150 as long as you’re ok with gear a season or two old. I kitted myself out with some pretty average kind of stuff when I got into it again for about $1200, that was board, bindings, pants, jacket, boots, gloves and goggles. If I had my time again I would have done some more research and gone a different board and bindings but they did ok for me at the time.

Snowboarding is hard and expensive.... its also awesome!

From my experience, boardriders (surf/skate) tend to pick it up quickly. Non boardriders or non sporty people are slow, or might never grasp it. Where I'm going with this is: Are you sure you want to make a large investment (1-2K) on something you won't do often or might not even like? My advice is to borrow clothing off mates and hire equipment first.

To answer your questions:

1) Burton, but it's much of a muchness at the beginner level
2) Snowbiz is as good as the shops we have down south.
3) Good fit, mirrored lens for perving
4) Same same, the bigger the better
5) Ebay
6) 154

If you are going to buy anything, buy boots and make sure they fit.

Welcome to Boardworld, xdfubar.

Boots: It's really important to go into your local store for a proper boot fit. You might find the selection of boots to be low at this time of year. However, if you can't find a pair of boots that work now, you'll have a huge selection to try on pre-season in 2012. The key point here is the boots need to fit your particular foot shape. No one can say which brand or model is going to work for you. Please have a read of our boot fitting guide here, just to give you a basic understanding of how boots should fit.

Snowbiz is an excellent store. I'd pop in and speak to them for sure.

Gloves: Check for the waterproof rating. 5,000 is standard for most cheap gloves however I would look for something more waterproof. If you can afford it, look for Gore-tex gloves (many brands use Gore-tex). They will keep you warm and dry.

Goggles: Personally I think the Dragon DX with amber lens is the best value, quality goggle on the market. You can't beat it at $99.95. If that's beyond your budget, make sure the goggle has a 'double lens' with good venting.

Outerwear: Same as gloves. Make sure you check the waterproof and breathability rating of the jacket/pants. 5,000 is standard however some brands have really good value 10,000 or more waterproofing. That's the main thing to look for. Make sure it fits nicely and has a decent rating. Especially as a beginner, you will be sitting on your butt more than usual, so it's nice to have some good waterproofing.

Boards / Bindings: Go to Snowbiz and see what sales they have going at the moment. You might find some really cheap equipment. It's the best time of the year to buy. Let us know what they have and we can help you pick something suitable. This should be your first point of call. If they don't have much on offer, let us know and we can have a look around at other online stores for you.

Size: Depending on the board, I'd suggest something around the 156-158 mark.

Let us know if you have any questions.

I reckon these goggles are ok if you're on a tight budget

Hey guys, thanks for the responses so far:

I'm happy to spend a bit on decent gloves/goggles, I play a bit of skirmish and gridiron so I know that value of a decent set that don't fog up etc. I just didn't know where to start looking. The dragons looks nice. Any comments on Oakleys? And/or lens colour? I read somewhere that orange is good for all round purpose?

I'm planning on heading to the stores this weekend to have a look around and ask some questions etc.

A few of you guys are saying right now is the right time to start looking at gear because of offseason. I'm happy to buy old stuff, new range stuff doesn't bother me. When does new season/range stuff come out and when should I buy by in order to max savings etc?

I think snowboarding will be something that I'll take a liking to and definitely do more of it if that's the case. My cousin in Sydney goes quite a bit and he's been egging me along for a while. Would be keen to do a NZ/Japan trip if my skills arent bad and i'm enjoying it.

I'll keep posting random questions etc the more I research and find stuff. I figure I'm not going till July, but start now and research as much as I can etc to max savings and hopefully find some good deals!

eBay links are a NO NO, fubar!!!!! (If it's cool just hit edit on ya post and wipe those links out!!!!!)

Boardworld likes to back the Aussie Snow/Skate/Surf Industry, and in return they look after Boardworld Members!!!!!

And Welcome to Boardworld dude!!!!!

Besides that those boots are not only second hand and most likely not even gonna fit ya properly, they are for Step In Bindings, that I doubt that ya can even get anymore, and that Custom is sooooooo old it would only be good for pot plant stand now!!!!!!

Mizu will suggest Flux for bindings pretty soon haha :D

If you were going to buy only one thing make it boots!
having to hire stinky uncomfortable old boots will make you not enjoy your time on the slopes. crap boots = crap day.
spend a little bit of time trying on different sizes and different brands of boots to find the most comfortable.
dont cheap out on your comfort if the boots feel crap in the store they arent gonna feel much better after a full day on the slopes.

skip11 - 29 November 2011 06:25 PM

Mizu will suggest Flux for bindings pretty soon haha :D

Yeah, but not bolted to a T-Rice!!!!!

yeah don't worry about a board, just get quality boots!

You can hire a reasonably good new seasons board for a little extra on mountain (compared to the major beater boards) and you're still gonna come out on top compared with buying something if you're only there a week or two. It also means you can ride a board that is made for beginners so you'll probably progress faster. Also lets you find your feet and what you'd maybe like to ride/buy in the future. You also don't need to worry so much about scratching your brand new baby, which with limited control as a beginner is gonna cop a beating!!

Come to the shred and you'll probably get to try out some 2012 models with all the latest tech.

I'd rate your priorities as...

1. Boots
2. Outerwear
3. Board

Oh and the first time I went boarding I bought some padded motor bike shorts... Wouldn't wear them anymore, but after your first day out your ass is gonna feel like raw meat... Best 40 bucks I ever spent.


Good luck..

antisense - 29 November 2011 06:46 PM

Come to the shred and you'll probably get to try out some 2012 models with all the latest tech.

We demoed 2012 models this year - 2013 gear next year, yeeewwwwww!!!!!

xdfubar - 29 November 2011 05:39 PM

Hey guys, thanks for the responses so far:

I'm happy to spend a bit on decent gloves/goggles, I play a bit of skirmish and gridiron so I know that value of a decent set that don't fog up etc. I just didn't know where to start looking. The dragons looks nice. Any comments on Oakleys? And/or lens colour? I read somewhere that orange is good for all round purpose?

I'm planning on heading to the stores this weekend to have a look around and ask some questions etc.

A few of you guys are saying right now is the right time to start looking at gear because of offseason. I'm happy to buy old stuff, new range stuff doesn't bother me. When does new season/range stuff come out and when should I buy by in order to max savings etc?

I think snowboarding will be something that I'll take a liking to and definitely do more of it if that's the case. My cousin in Sydney goes quite a bit and he's been egging me along for a while. Would be keen to do a NZ/Japan trip if my skills arent bad and i'm enjoying it.

I'll keep posting random questions etc the more I research and find stuff. I figure I'm not going till July, but start now and research as much as I can etc to max savings and hopefully find some good deals!

Oakley makes awesome goggles. If you have a smaller face, check out the A-Frames. Amber (orange) is probably the most versatile lens colour; works well in all conditions. Resist the temptation to buy full mirrored lenses; they look good however only work well in bright light conditions. If you do eventually head over to Japan, you will need to buy a low light lens. Anyway, you can't go wrong with an amber lens (less expensive too).

New gear will start coming in next year, some by February, most will be in by April. I'd suggest you do most of your shopping now. Pretty much everything is on sale and the longer you leave it, the less choice you will have. Most stores will let you layby, so you can pick what you want, pay a deposit, then slowly pay it off before next season.

I have no doubt you will love snowboarding. It's so much fun and so addictive! Please ask as many questions as you want - that what we're here for.

i like it how people ask questions on here, it will hopefully lead to less "all the gear, no idea" people becoming obstacles on the hill.