Buying snowboards from craigslist
 

Hey guys and girls.

If you peeps were beginners looking to get cheap snowboards to get into the sport, would you use craigslist?

Can the snowboarders tell me what to look for when buying cheap boards from that site? what to watch out for basically.

Most of these snowboard descriptions say good to decent condition, and some even mention that there are scratches, but I'm assuming those are normal. Does it even matter what condition the board is in for a beginner since it's going to get beat up and run into fences and trees anyway?

thanks a lot guys.

ps. Let me know if you're selling a snowboard that is 150cm to 158cm in length... apparently that size works well for people who are 150lbs.

I started skiing last year and was looking at used... but ended up going with brand new skis from http://www.levelninesports.com

Even with shipping it ended up being very reasonable.. duties and taxes are pre-paid too and they ship to Canada often.

if you wait until off season, you can get a pretty good deal on new boards, just older models, but who cares. Check out comor (i don't know if thats still the name) in downtown. or other big sporting good stores in DT around now time, or in marchish time. The prices go down significantly.

I have a firefly board that i can sell to you for $30 bucks.
It's nothing special...I used it for 1 season, about 20 times as a beginner.
I got other stuff too or are you just looking for a board?

Yeah thing is i'm going to be getting the board for this upcoming season, and the sales are long gone. every store in town has the new models right now, and $350 for a beginner board that's going to get thrashed to hell is not a good investment, especially if i end up hating the pain in the backside that apparently comes with learning to snowboard.

I'll be buying my own brand new board once this season is done and i have enough skill to use a brand new board, thats for sure. As of now though, I can't justify shelling out full price for a new board.
right now all i need is just the board, since i'll get the boots and bindings at the same time.

I'm really interested though. do you know the length of the board, what condition the board is in, or better yet have recent pictures? let me know cause right now i'm scouring the web for snowboards.

ill give you a cheap board for 20$

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3144723_n.jpg

It's a 152cm.
I have some burton freestyle bindings and some head boots if you want them too. Size 9.5 if I remember correctly.

sent ya a pm regarding your board.

replied.

This weekend, at the new vancouver convention center.

Vancouvers annual ski and snowboard swap.

A great place to check out gear and it's sponsored by the Canadian Ski Patrol.

It's a great place to check out gear that stores, and people are selling for REALLY REALLY cheap.

Everything from boots, to bindings, to boards, to outerware.

Worth considering.

So I can just bring all my old gear there and sell it?

http://www.winterextreme.com/index.p...d=46&Itemid=53

yes.

you can bring in your own gear and sell it.

however the disclaimer is that you must list it at a price that will actually sell.

selling it because you have to pay bills isn't going to fly, you might as well call the show "free storage" because I've come across people that think that they can make their money back from it then wind up taking the gear back after the show.

Try and find a newer board if you can from a reputable company. Old boards tend to lose their strength and just becomes straight up noodle boards. It really depends how many times its been ridden too.

Light scratches are ok as long as they haven't gone through the base and into the core of the board. They can be easily repaired with some p-tex .

For your weight a 150 is waay too small. You should probably be on a 156. A little smaller if your a park guy a little bigger if your a pow guy.

Try and find a soft flexing board with a mellow side cut. It will help while you learn to carve and your less likely to catch an edge.

Very good points there.

if you are going to buy a used board, keep in mind that the previous owner could have kept it in very good shape [just as I normally do] but ride the board like it's a bucking bronco [as i normally do]

I have 4 boards, all of which have less than 20 rides on each of them, and all of which look like theyve been taken off of the showroom shelf. However the key is the fact that I ride my boards so hard per day that they have since lost their snap, or pop. All of which except my reverse camber board. Which was designed to feel loose and sloppy.

for learning, you want to go with a board with a durable base, biaxial laminate [meaning that there are vertical and horizontal fiberglass weaves surrounding the core], and something with a mellow side cut. The side cut of the board tells you how sharp the board will turn once it's turned on edge.

At this point in time, there are reverse camber boards, and there are FLAT camber boards. The reverse camber and flat camber boards, if placed with the base on the ground, look to have the tips and the tails either lift up from the ground, or have the board lay completely flat.

Quite the opposite compared to the boards in the past which had camber. Where camber was the kinetic or STORED energy in the board giving you that feeling of applied power transfering from edge to edge. Cambered boards made for difficulty learning to ride in a straight line due to the fact that the edges seemed to catch easily. Where as reverse camber was quite the opposite, they are playful, and much easier to learn on.

So much now so that reverse camber is suggested to be used when learning, and cambered boards are used for those that have proper skill level.

any further details don't hesitate to send me a pm.

Thanks.

well oops, i went and got an Elan RSC 149cm for $55... i shoulda read your comment faster. hopefully that board can support my weight long enough to get to the sales next spring, or at least break after ive made a couple of trips up the mountain. I'll replace the board ASAP though. i basically just bought a board that's used for rentals, but for dirt cheap, i dont expect much.

thanks for the advice though, guys. I'll remember these words for when i shell out for those after-season sales.

size is size.


the smaller the board, the easier it is to learn, and the funner it will be when you get good enough to thrash it! trust me when it comes to playing more a smaller board makes it more fun.

don't worry about riding a smaller board, especially since you're learning. Because truth be told, boards made now a days are built based on weight, NOT on how tall you are.

I weigh 155, and I ride a 152 for my every day fun stuff. I wanted to get a smaller board [truth be told] but fact remains, it would have been TOO slow for my riding with my friends. The biggest board I've ridden is a 159 and that was for big mountain powder riding fast stuff.

I might look small and tiny, but my riding and my aggressive nature has me riding like I'm over 300 pounds. I break boards quickly and easily. So it's imperative that I get a board that's not TOO big, but also not too small either.

The next step, finding boots that fit right, and support your ankles. That's another thread all together.

awesome! figured it won't matter much since im a beginner anyway...

yeah i dont think i'll need a thread for that. i have Snowboard Canada mag and Transworld and the both have pretty ok guides on buying boots (toes barely reach the end and stuff... have to be comfy... take your time...)

thanks for the help though.

If you do buy a used board the things to look out for;

the base (meaning the underside, or bottom of the board) shouldn't have any really deep gashes. Some minor ones will be normal, but the smoother the better.

Also the edges; in front of and behind the bindings there will be a metal strip along the edge which makes contact with the snow when turning. It should be intact without any major gashes, rust, or the like. It might be dull, but a normal tune up will take care of that.

If there are problems with the edges around the nose/tail it's not such a big deal, likely from collisions with something, and won't affect the performance of the board.

Finally, the binding bolt inserts. If you can, bring a bolt with you, and make sure the threads are true and relatively clean. Also check if the wrong size bolts were used before. If they have been there will be bulges on the underside of the base. Could be a problem.

You don't want to buy a board that has been ridden all the time for years, so in general if it looks 'well traveled' I'd skip it and move on. The flex will be tired and it won't have any pop.

I think a used board is a good idea when starting out, spend as little as possible. You won't notice the performance differences until you get good anyhow. See if you like the sport first. I bought a semi one directional Burton from a sports consignment store back when, good times.

Also shorter is better for beginners IMO. Easier to turn, maneuver, and manage. As a beginner there is no benefit to having a long board. It will be more stable at high speeds in the future.

Good luck!

I have a 154cm beginner board with bindings sitting at home, not sure how much i'd want for it but shoot me a PM if you have any interest