Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Choosing the Right Snowboard


The owner of Alaska’s Tsaina Lodge and an investor in Job Pose, Jeffery Scott Fraser spent more than two decades as a business executive. The former CEO of NIC Inc., he founded the group of companies shortly after receiving his master’s degree and oversaw their operations until his retirement in 2008. In his free time, Jeffery S. Fraser enjoys snowboarding.

The first step to finding the right snowboard is to consider the type of riding you intend to do. Most snowboards are separated into categories based on how they are best used. If you plan on doing tricks on the slopes, a freestyle board may be best. On the other hand, if you prefer stability and control when moving down the mountain, you might prefer an all-mountain board.

Once you know the type of snowboard you want, you can start thinking about flex and shape. The flexibility of a board affects how it moves: stiffer boards allow for faster reactions, but are less forgiving during off-balance turns or landings. Boards are also affected by their shape. Traditionally, snowboards all had the same camber, but now you can choose between rocker, flat, hybrid, and camber boards depending on whether you want better control, stability, or grip.

Finally, you need to determine the board’s length, width, and weight recommendations. Most boards can accommodate specific weight ranges. When considering length, the board should reach roughly from your chin to your nose when standing on its edge. Width is normally determined by your foot size; if you have larger feet, you will want a wider board.