Let me first say this:  When you are in the market to purchase a new snowboard, your goal should be to find the absolute best board for you.   It is ignorant to exclude certain manufacturers from your search just because you heard clueless people say that a certain brand suck, without any justification.

 

Burton, Ride and all the other major manufacturers are similar in the fact that they offer a number of high-end, good-quality boards while, at the same time, offering lower-end, lesser-quality boards.  You need to consider the specific model of board, as models vary greatly within a particular manufacturer’s range.  

 

I should address, however, some of the most common themes that tend come up again and again.

 

The most popular one is the “Burton Sucks” theme that seems to pop up over and over again.  I have a strong belief that most people who subscribe to this theory have never ridden a Burton board in their life, or are not qualified to make judgments about their boards.  The fact is that Burton makes some very good boards, as well as some fairly mediocre boards, just like any other manufacturer.  Burton is probably no better or worse than any other manufacturer out there.   On the flipside, there are also gaggles of, what I call, “Burtonians” of “Burtonites” – people who subscribe to Burton as if it is a religion, brainwashed by Burton’s marketing to believe that there are no better boards sold on the market today.  These people typically need a reality check.  Bottom line:  stick away from broad generalizations and stereotypes.

 

Another one I often hear is “Don’t buy a Ride or K2 because they are made in China”.  While it is true that the majority of K2 and Ride boards are made in China (Ride is owned by K2), there’s yet to be any evidence that the manufacturing process or quality control  used by K2 is inferior to that used by any other large manufacturer.   And if you’re an American patriot who won’t buy those brands because you want to invest in an “American made” brand, I’m sorry to say that very few large manufacturers continue to make their boards in the US.  Even Burton has shifted most of their production to Canada and Europe.

 

Buying a snowboard is just like buying a car.  The things that should drive you towards a particular manufacturer are no different.  Those include:

 

1.    Quality and Reputation – Does this manufacturer have a long history of making quality snowboard equipment? (Most of the top-tier manufacturers do.)

2.    Best bang for the buck – Are you getting the best quality for what you are paying?   Maybe you’re just paying a premium for the snazzy pro model with the cooler graphics?

3.    Warranty and Service – Does the manufacturer stand behind their board?  Will they be in business in 2 years?  How quickly can they process your warranty claim?

 

The crew here has many different views on the things mentioned above.  One of us has put over 150 days of riding on his last 3 Burton boards and doesn’t see any reason to switch brands when it’s worked for him so well over the years.  Another of us rode two Burtons, found the quality mediocre and has moved on to bigger and better things.  A third of us worked as a shop tech for two years and said that Burton was the most frequent board brought in for repairs - he also forgets, however, that Burton probably sells more boards than anyone else (this fact, btw, cannot be confirmed for sure, as Burton is a privately held company any no one has any detailed insight into their financials).    One of us broke two Salomon snowboards in one season.  Another of us rode a Salomon on East Coast ice for almost 90 days without a problem.   Sigh...yes, you’re probably more confused now than when you first started reading this.

 

 

 

Absolutely.  If you’ve done your homework and know what board you want, sometimes it’s easier to locate a board using an online retailer.  And of course, you can often save money when purchasing online.   If the board you are looking for is in stock at a local shop, however, you may wish to consider stopping by the shop and asking them to match the online price.  Shops are eager to do business with you and typically won’t let a sale go for a $20 or $30 difference.  In addition, you may wish to buy from a local shop, anyway, as they can serve as your local resource in cases where you have equipment questions or warranty issues that need to be handled by the board manufacturer.

 

 

 

 

Of course.  Equipment for the upcoming season is usually released around August and September each year.  At the end of the season (usually March/April in the northern hemisphere), shops begin to significantly reduce the price of their leftover stock.  You can usually get discounts of up to 60% if you purchase last season’s gear during the off-season.   This is a great way to reduce your overall investment in your setup.