Best SnowBoards of 97/98
December 21, 1997
The snowboard industry has come along way in a relatively short time compared to the growth of other board sports. Now there are (were) so many new names trying to compete with the bigger established players. The big picture effect is that retailers are being cautious by having limited choice and inventory. These growing pains for the industry; can be a discount for the consumer that can shop around (if you can find what you want). The good news is that the average rider (consumer) can usually find a decent board for a fair price. All that said, most of the boards that made the best of 97/98 list will be hard to find at any discount; they are popular because people are pretty well informed about what products are the best (you are reading this aren't you). If your area has a bad season, then you will be able to find plenty of discounts in the late winter and spring. The boards recommended here are for the advanced and aspiring riders. Beginners should first spend their money on some really comfortable boots and then possibly rent bindings and board for their first few days. It is important to get a board that fits your body (how long are your boots, how tall are you, and your weight?). Snowboarding is easy to learn (even though the first couple of days can be brutal). Most people only need an entry-level board for a short time; then they are ready for mid-level boards to even the very best for aspiring riders. If you are ready for the best, here they are:
1 Salomon - D-157ST - Rock solid stability through variable snow conditions placed this one at the top of our list. Big mountain riders will ride better than they ever have before with the years of ski experience this company has put into their boards.
2 Santa Cruz - XT-156 -- This board carves like a race board; yet is still is very gummy (forgiving) which will make it a freestyle favorite.
3 K2 - A(STAR) -156 - K2 has finally made a board that allows free-riders to hold an aggressive edge (very important when you want to launch that hit over on the side of the run). We can thank the input of Tim Manning for helping this company get it right with this board. They know how to make skis that carve; now they make boards that can too.
4 Sims - Project-Hex - 153 - The latest thinking from Sims is the Honeycomb Project Hex. Very light and very forgiving are the attributes that make this a good all around board for mountain riders with more of a freestyle orientation.
Honorable Mention List
Rossignol Rocal - Nice all around ride.
Option Rob Dow - Big mountain stability
Lamar Steve Alters - Freestyle smooth
Burton Custom - The classic Burton glide
Sure, there are plenty of "GOOD" boards being manufactured these days. The ones mentioned here are the best that we have tried.
Email: gwc3@boardz.com
URL: http://www.boardz.com/
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