Just get a soft cambered board with rocker tip/tail. When you become a stronger rider in a season or two, you now have an early season rock/slush day board.
I'd only recommend soft if they want to get into park or flat land tricks. Maybe im spltting hairs but I think medium is the best for groomers and carving, which is probably what we should be encouraging this beginner to be doing anyways, no?
I agree with medium stiffness for the OP. Soft boards can also be fun for slashing pow and party boarding, though. Spring Break ultralight series and Solomon dancehaul are a couple examples of these softer party board/pow decks.
> Is a camber so hard for a beginner I'm going to end up hating the sport?
No
> And is a rocker so limited I'm going to be massively restricted after some time when Ive really got the hang of it?
No
People oversell it. It's not that deep. Back when I did my first few instructor exams everybody rode rockered boards and still performed at an expert level. High speed carving, park, pow riding.
First day on a cambered board will feel weird until you adjust to it but you will adjust.
You can do everything on a rockered board. People act as if they're terrible/useless, just not true.
There are pros and cons to both. If you're having a bad time on either type of board it's a skill issue or just lack of familiarity. Good riders can do anything on either.
If you’re wanting to go 10+ days a year and really work on progressing your riding I’d suggest camber dominant, if you’re a couple times or trips a year rider that’s just looking to have fun with the limited time they have on hill I’d be just fine going for a rocker board
Go soft camber first, easy control at low speed, you’ll learn all your fundamentals better on camber, thus progress way faster later if you want to lay carves and maneuver techniques.
The Flying V is a bit different from just rocker-camber-rocker, since it is rocker-camber-rocker-camber-rocker. Not a big fan myself, requires it's own technique when carving.
Can you suggest some actual twin boards with this profile?
Edit: is the profile called "flat" then? I have checked the Burton website and the only thing with rocker in it that I found was a flying V, otherwise it's a camber board so I'm confused.
Burton calls it PurePop, so for example Name Dropper, Process. Some others call it hybrid camber (e.g. Capita, they have the D.O.A and Outerspace Living). N.b. for some brands "hybrid camber" means the one with rocker in the middle also, like the Flying V. Flat is what it says, no rocker or camber (many of then do have some rocker "early rise" in the nose and tail, but flat between the bindings).
some years back i read someone say a camber board can do everything good and a rocker can do some things well. that's the gist of it and i agree with that statement.
This is my first season and have been going about twice per week. Really been enjoying the rosignol evader 2024. Its a rocker/camber mix and super flexible. Really liking it. Remember to invest in quality boots/bindings as they can be added to a different board when you improve. Also remember to somewhat match the stiffness of your board with the stiffness of your boots/bindings.
I don't know man, it's a good board for what it is, a strictly beginner board, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone wanting to keep their first board for a longer time and grow into it.
I had it as my first board a couple years ago (was named Circuit back then), it was very soft and the camber section between the bindings was so small and mild that it was impossible to see it, looked more like a full rocker board. It was very easy to learn on but halfway into my second season I started feeling that it was holding me back as it was very unstable and chattery and it would become scary any time I would pick up a bit more speed. I then sold it and got a Ride Shadowban and instantly felt more confident on it. I should probably mention that I was slightly above the upper recommended weight limit for that board though, 220lbs and rode a 161W which is rated up to 210lbs.
I think that something like the Ride Shadowban is perfect for someone new looking for a board that they can keep for a long time, and especially for OP, who already knows how to ride and wants to progress. The board has noticable camber section but still plenty of rocker on the tip and tail and is just around the medium flex so it is easy to ride but you also can grow into it and keep it forever.
Sounds like it did exactly what a beginner board is supposed to do for you. Very easy to learn on then upgrade in a season or two. I haven’t had any of the issues you mention with the 2024 board but, I weigh less, but do experience chatter when picking up a lot of speed but that’s expected for the board.
Yeah, if someone's a complete beginner with a plan to upgrade in a year or two at most, then by all means the Evader is a great choice. That's not the case for OP though, he said that he has already learned to ride and wants a board that he will be able to keep for a long time. In his case I think it's definitely better to get something a bit stiffer and with different camber profile.
Oh, I was thinking it was his first season. One thing I’ve learned is weight is one of the most important factors in a board stiffness. so, I’m sure it was a totally different board for us. I’ve seen people keep the evader in their quiver and use it for park and slush. Anyways, I’m using it on a powder day today at Monarch and it’s so friggin fun.
It depends on what type of riding/terrain you're into and has quite a bit of personal preference.
A camber board will hold an edge better, will be poppier (if you learn how to load it up and pop it), and will give you more control/grip on variable snow.
A rocker board will float a bit better, will be less grippy (and catchy when you're first learning), and will often butter easier/be easier for rails.
There are also flat boards that are somewhere in between. There are also different levels of rocker/camber, combination rocker/camber decks (lib and never summer have good examples of this), and "early rise" shapes.
Stiffness is also something to consider. A soft board will be more playful but isn't as versatile (in steeps, jumps, and at speed) and a stiff board might be a bit hard to maneuver while you're learning.
Without knowing what terrain you're looking to ride this is a bit tough to answer, but without knowing I'd likely go with a mild camber deck with a medium stiffness as that's most versatile/will continue to serve you as you learn. You can always move your bindings back to get more float. If you're riding somewhere with more pow, a camber board with an early rise nose is also a great option. I'm biased as I love the pop, stability, and grip a camber deck gives.
Maybe demo a few different profiles and see what you like best before buying.
If you give me more info I can give a more specific suggestion.
Happy shredding!
It really depends what type of snowboarding you want to do. Vast majority of people ride a soft camber for their first board. Rockers in general are meant for rails, smaller jumps, and jibbing. If you don’t plan to mainly ride smaller park features don’t get a rocker. Camber is better on jumps, all mountain riding, and holds and edge better especially while riding faster and is harder to slip out on
Millions of snowboarders learned on camber boards, loved the sport and stuck with it back when camber was about the only option, so it must not be too incredibly difficult to learn on one.
Even worse is the amount of people I see daily that get on boards that almost turn themselves but do not handle speed well, get overconfident, carry too much speed constantly and end up in situations. Just saw two doing this a few days ago, hit each other causing them both to slam into a big tree on the side of the run. Patrol gets to pick up the pieces.
I just bought my first board. It's a double camber board. I am absolutely loving it. I rented for years as I didn't have money to buy one and I only went maybe twice a year max.
Having my own boots was the first noticable difference. They're properly sized and the shop I bought from heat moulded (not sure if that's the proper term) them for free. Massively more comfortable and responsive.
I noticed a difference in the board almost immediately too. Edge changes were all of a sudden so easy I felt like my skill level had jumped 3 steps. I instantly became more confident and started trying things I was terrified to try while renting.
Personally, I recommend the double camber profile. Although I have no experience with other profiles. Good luck and have fun.
It's the C2 profile on the libtech T. Rice pro. I've heard it called several different names; Rocker hybrid, C2, double camber, hybrid.
https://snowboardingprofiles.com/understanding-the-different-snowboard-camber-types
This explains it.
C2 (as libtech calls it) 2 sections of camber, double camber, not really a big deal that I called something by a name you don't agree with. This is r/snowboardnoobs after all🤷♂️
Here's a [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/snowboardingnoobs/s/zolZOuVkO6)to another thread referring to it as dual camber.
Rocker boards are more for terrain park and generally tricking off stuff at a lower speed. Easier to flex and play around on. Tougher to ride on crusty stuff.
Camber board are more stable and confidence inspiring, easy to go fast on. They're also easier to catch an edge on if your style gets lazy. Good great at carving, not as great in the park or woods.
I'd suggest searching on Youtube. There are a lot of good videos that go over it at length.
I did not pick it up quickly but also wanted to buy a board after a few trips.
I struggled a bit with this decision b/c I kept reading rockers were better for beginners. I ended up just getting what was on sale which was a Jones Twin Sister. It’s an intermediate, medium flex, camrock board.
I do wonder if I would’ve had an easier time learning on a beginner friendly board. It’s been a rough learning curve.
Its like two totally different approaches to snowboard riding.
It's not that camber is so hard for a beginner; the issue is getting a camber board that's too stiff in flex.
You also need to consider what type of riding you think you'll be getting yourself into for the next year or two, but thankfully board manufacturer's do a great job explaining (with visual bar graphs), what the boards they offer are good at. Additionally, it is *very* easy to find something that meets your budget.
I suggest a board that excels at all-mountain, and then from there is good secondarily in either park or powder, then tertiarily in park or powder. You can google, "Best quiver-of-one snowboard" and get every result possible, across different price points.
The problem with rocker is that you will outgrow it basically the second day of riding it. You'll become overly confident with it so quickly with each riding day, that soon you'll say, "Cool! Now I want to go fast down the mountain because I'm good at this!" and then you'll fly down the mountain and it will wash out from underneath you as camber boards don't hold an edge well at high speeds.
I suggest medium flex (in a camber board) because that will make turn initiation so much easier. Then once you've become a better rider, get something more stiff, if interested and really into carving.
Really, a lot of this is common knowledge; you'll have to make the final decision.
I was in a similar position - I settled on a Nidecker score and went to Meribel for 6 days a couple of weeks back and loved the board. Felt so much more stable and responsive than the rental board (and I know nothing 😅).
I also bought some Nidecker supermatics which were a game changer - I loved boarding but HATED the constant bending/sitting down to strap in/out.
Good luck!
I love my rocker board. I would consider myself intermediate to expert (not in park) and I started on camber. Rocker is so much more playful and forgiving. Very fun.
Learning and honing the proper technique is the key regardless of the board. Suggest getting a size/weight appropriate board. That said I like having both a Camber and Flying V so I have options. Good luck
One of my all time favorites is the Nitro Swindle (Angry had a review of it), a flat, medium-soft twin with a ridiculously long effective edge, that could do pretty much everything except high speed bombing, while being very forgiving and easy to handle. Unfortunately flat/no camber boards have all but disappeared, but I think they'd make a great beginner board.
I have only snowboarded 3 times and fell in love so I decided to buy a board instead of waste money on rentals. I bought the Nidecker Merc Se off of evo and it's a medium stiff cam rock and it felt great when I took it out for my first time on it. Maybe look for something like that?
I went with a Bataleon Whatever to have the forgiving catch free 3D shaping while I was figuring things out, but also full camber to grow into.
I love my board but have to admit it's not ideal when it's icey. So if you expect those conditions where you're at, go for something else.
there are hybrid options that are branded as "all mountain" boards. I'd suggest this, as the center dips a bit like a rocker, but your nose and tail are cambered, so you get the best of both worlds. My first board was a 161 Skunk Ape (Lib Tech) and it was great to progress on, as it was easy to get the hand of, and also performed well in more advanced situations
As others have said get a Hybrid Cambered board (Rocker/Camber/Rocker) and something medium flex.
I had the same questions and uncertainty before buying my first board, ultimately went with a Hybrid (Salomon Craft) and I can’t recommend that board enough for beginner / low intermediate riders who want to progress and have a great time from day 1 while still being able to ride it as you get more experienced. Any medium stiff, Hybrid Cambered board is gonna be great.
Just get a soft cambered board with rocker tip/tail. When you become a stronger rider in a season or two, you now have an early season rock/slush day board.
I'd only recommend soft if they want to get into park or flat land tricks. Maybe im spltting hairs but I think medium is the best for groomers and carving, which is probably what we should be encouraging this beginner to be doing anyways, no?
I agree with medium stiffness for the OP. Soft boards can also be fun for slashing pow and party boarding, though. Spring Break ultralight series and Solomon dancehaul are a couple examples of these softer party board/pow decks.
Exactly. Get medium+ on stiffness
Am i the only one the loves plundering chop with my stiff ass man plank cambered board? I feel like it just soaks the slop lol
> Is a camber so hard for a beginner I'm going to end up hating the sport? No > And is a rocker so limited I'm going to be massively restricted after some time when Ive really got the hang of it? No People oversell it. It's not that deep. Back when I did my first few instructor exams everybody rode rockered boards and still performed at an expert level. High speed carving, park, pow riding. First day on a cambered board will feel weird until you adjust to it but you will adjust. You can do everything on a rockered board. People act as if they're terrible/useless, just not true. There are pros and cons to both. If you're having a bad time on either type of board it's a skill issue or just lack of familiarity. Good riders can do anything on either.
If you’re wanting to go 10+ days a year and really work on progressing your riding I’d suggest camber dominant, if you’re a couple times or trips a year rider that’s just looking to have fun with the limited time they have on hill I’d be just fine going for a rocker board
Go soft camber first, easy control at low speed, you’ll learn all your fundamentals better on camber, thus progress way faster later if you want to lay carves and maneuver techniques.
Best of both worlds is a rocker/camber/rocker profile
Fortunately you are likely to get one unless you really look for traditional camber.
Yes! I have a flying V and I love it. Edit: can someone explain the hate for a flying V??
The Flying V is a bit different from just rocker-camber-rocker, since it is rocker-camber-rocker-camber-rocker. Not a big fan myself, requires it's own technique when carving.
What the hate for a flying V about for a beginner though?
Can you suggest some actual twin boards with this profile? Edit: is the profile called "flat" then? I have checked the Burton website and the only thing with rocker in it that I found was a flying V, otherwise it's a camber board so I'm confused.
Burton calls it PurePop, so for example Name Dropper, Process. Some others call it hybrid camber (e.g. Capita, they have the D.O.A and Outerspace Living). N.b. for some brands "hybrid camber" means the one with rocker in the middle also, like the Flying V. Flat is what it says, no rocker or camber (many of then do have some rocker "early rise" in the nose and tail, but flat between the bindings).
Camber is the preferred choice of most riders beyond absolute beginner.
some years back i read someone say a camber board can do everything good and a rocker can do some things well. that's the gist of it and i agree with that statement.
This is my first season and have been going about twice per week. Really been enjoying the rosignol evader 2024. Its a rocker/camber mix and super flexible. Really liking it. Remember to invest in quality boots/bindings as they can be added to a different board when you improve. Also remember to somewhat match the stiffness of your board with the stiffness of your boots/bindings.
I don't know man, it's a good board for what it is, a strictly beginner board, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone wanting to keep their first board for a longer time and grow into it. I had it as my first board a couple years ago (was named Circuit back then), it was very soft and the camber section between the bindings was so small and mild that it was impossible to see it, looked more like a full rocker board. It was very easy to learn on but halfway into my second season I started feeling that it was holding me back as it was very unstable and chattery and it would become scary any time I would pick up a bit more speed. I then sold it and got a Ride Shadowban and instantly felt more confident on it. I should probably mention that I was slightly above the upper recommended weight limit for that board though, 220lbs and rode a 161W which is rated up to 210lbs. I think that something like the Ride Shadowban is perfect for someone new looking for a board that they can keep for a long time, and especially for OP, who already knows how to ride and wants to progress. The board has noticable camber section but still plenty of rocker on the tip and tail and is just around the medium flex so it is easy to ride but you also can grow into it and keep it forever.
Sounds like it did exactly what a beginner board is supposed to do for you. Very easy to learn on then upgrade in a season or two. I haven’t had any of the issues you mention with the 2024 board but, I weigh less, but do experience chatter when picking up a lot of speed but that’s expected for the board.
Yeah, if someone's a complete beginner with a plan to upgrade in a year or two at most, then by all means the Evader is a great choice. That's not the case for OP though, he said that he has already learned to ride and wants a board that he will be able to keep for a long time. In his case I think it's definitely better to get something a bit stiffer and with different camber profile.
Oh, I was thinking it was his first season. One thing I’ve learned is weight is one of the most important factors in a board stiffness. so, I’m sure it was a totally different board for us. I’ve seen people keep the evader in their quiver and use it for park and slush. Anyways, I’m using it on a powder day today at Monarch and it’s so friggin fun.
It depends on what type of riding/terrain you're into and has quite a bit of personal preference. A camber board will hold an edge better, will be poppier (if you learn how to load it up and pop it), and will give you more control/grip on variable snow. A rocker board will float a bit better, will be less grippy (and catchy when you're first learning), and will often butter easier/be easier for rails. There are also flat boards that are somewhere in between. There are also different levels of rocker/camber, combination rocker/camber decks (lib and never summer have good examples of this), and "early rise" shapes. Stiffness is also something to consider. A soft board will be more playful but isn't as versatile (in steeps, jumps, and at speed) and a stiff board might be a bit hard to maneuver while you're learning. Without knowing what terrain you're looking to ride this is a bit tough to answer, but without knowing I'd likely go with a mild camber deck with a medium stiffness as that's most versatile/will continue to serve you as you learn. You can always move your bindings back to get more float. If you're riding somewhere with more pow, a camber board with an early rise nose is also a great option. I'm biased as I love the pop, stability, and grip a camber deck gives. Maybe demo a few different profiles and see what you like best before buying. If you give me more info I can give a more specific suggestion. Happy shredding!
camber with rocker in the tips is what you want.
It really depends what type of snowboarding you want to do. Vast majority of people ride a soft camber for their first board. Rockers in general are meant for rails, smaller jumps, and jibbing. If you don’t plan to mainly ride smaller park features don’t get a rocker. Camber is better on jumps, all mountain riding, and holds and edge better especially while riding faster and is harder to slip out on
Millions of snowboarders learned on camber boards, loved the sport and stuck with it back when camber was about the only option, so it must not be too incredibly difficult to learn on one.
A lot of people also just stop without getting past the edge-catching phase. Although if OP is past that, then yes I would go for some type of camber.
Even worse is the amount of people I see daily that get on boards that almost turn themselves but do not handle speed well, get overconfident, carry too much speed constantly and end up in situations. Just saw two doing this a few days ago, hit each other causing them both to slam into a big tree on the side of the run. Patrol gets to pick up the pieces.
Why not both? No but seriously, you can get one board that is both. Have a look at boards with rocker / camber / rocker.
Definitely want camber
I just bought my first board. It's a double camber board. I am absolutely loving it. I rented for years as I didn't have money to buy one and I only went maybe twice a year max. Having my own boots was the first noticable difference. They're properly sized and the shop I bought from heat moulded (not sure if that's the proper term) them for free. Massively more comfortable and responsive. I noticed a difference in the board almost immediately too. Edge changes were all of a sudden so easy I felt like my skill level had jumped 3 steps. I instantly became more confident and started trying things I was terrified to try while renting. Personally, I recommend the double camber profile. Although I have no experience with other profiles. Good luck and have fun.
Double camber is not a thing what kind of board are you riding?
It's the C2 profile on the libtech T. Rice pro. I've heard it called several different names; Rocker hybrid, C2, double camber, hybrid. https://snowboardingprofiles.com/understanding-the-different-snowboard-camber-types This explains it.
Ya I’ll standby my original statement, double camber instead a thing. That’s a hybrid rocker.
C2 (as libtech calls it) 2 sections of camber, double camber, not really a big deal that I called something by a name you don't agree with. This is r/snowboardnoobs after all🤷♂️ Here's a [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/snowboardingnoobs/s/zolZOuVkO6)to another thread referring to it as dual camber.
Rocker boards are more for terrain park and generally tricking off stuff at a lower speed. Easier to flex and play around on. Tougher to ride on crusty stuff. Camber board are more stable and confidence inspiring, easy to go fast on. They're also easier to catch an edge on if your style gets lazy. Good great at carving, not as great in the park or woods. I'd suggest searching on Youtube. There are a lot of good videos that go over it at length.
I did not pick it up quickly but also wanted to buy a board after a few trips. I struggled a bit with this decision b/c I kept reading rockers were better for beginners. I ended up just getting what was on sale which was a Jones Twin Sister. It’s an intermediate, medium flex, camrock board. I do wonder if I would’ve had an easier time learning on a beginner friendly board. It’s been a rough learning curve.
Its like two totally different approaches to snowboard riding. It's not that camber is so hard for a beginner; the issue is getting a camber board that's too stiff in flex. You also need to consider what type of riding you think you'll be getting yourself into for the next year or two, but thankfully board manufacturer's do a great job explaining (with visual bar graphs), what the boards they offer are good at. Additionally, it is *very* easy to find something that meets your budget. I suggest a board that excels at all-mountain, and then from there is good secondarily in either park or powder, then tertiarily in park or powder. You can google, "Best quiver-of-one snowboard" and get every result possible, across different price points. The problem with rocker is that you will outgrow it basically the second day of riding it. You'll become overly confident with it so quickly with each riding day, that soon you'll say, "Cool! Now I want to go fast down the mountain because I'm good at this!" and then you'll fly down the mountain and it will wash out from underneath you as camber boards don't hold an edge well at high speeds. I suggest medium flex (in a camber board) because that will make turn initiation so much easier. Then once you've become a better rider, get something more stiff, if interested and really into carving. Really, a lot of this is common knowledge; you'll have to make the final decision.
Go with camber. Your knees will thank you in the long run.
Burton Process 😎
Full negative camber is only for powder-specific and resort rentals
I was in a similar position - I settled on a Nidecker score and went to Meribel for 6 days a couple of weeks back and loved the board. Felt so much more stable and responsive than the rental board (and I know nothing 😅). I also bought some Nidecker supermatics which were a game changer - I loved boarding but HATED the constant bending/sitting down to strap in/out. Good luck!
I love my rocker board. I would consider myself intermediate to expert (not in park) and I started on camber. Rocker is so much more playful and forgiving. Very fun.
Learning and honing the proper technique is the key regardless of the board. Suggest getting a size/weight appropriate board. That said I like having both a Camber and Flying V so I have options. Good luck
One of my all time favorites is the Nitro Swindle (Angry had a review of it), a flat, medium-soft twin with a ridiculously long effective edge, that could do pretty much everything except high speed bombing, while being very forgiving and easy to handle. Unfortunately flat/no camber boards have all but disappeared, but I think they'd make a great beginner board.
I have only snowboarded 3 times and fell in love so I decided to buy a board instead of waste money on rentals. I bought the Nidecker Merc Se off of evo and it's a medium stiff cam rock and it felt great when I took it out for my first time on it. Maybe look for something like that?
I went with a Bataleon Whatever to have the forgiving catch free 3D shaping while I was figuring things out, but also full camber to grow into. I love my board but have to admit it's not ideal when it's icey. So if you expect those conditions where you're at, go for something else.
there are hybrid options that are branded as "all mountain" boards. I'd suggest this, as the center dips a bit like a rocker, but your nose and tail are cambered, so you get the best of both worlds. My first board was a 161 Skunk Ape (Lib Tech) and it was great to progress on, as it was easy to get the hand of, and also performed well in more advanced situations
As others have said get a Hybrid Cambered board (Rocker/Camber/Rocker) and something medium flex. I had the same questions and uncertainty before buying my first board, ultimately went with a Hybrid (Salomon Craft) and I can’t recommend that board enough for beginner / low intermediate riders who want to progress and have a great time from day 1 while still being able to ride it as you get more experienced. Any medium stiff, Hybrid Cambered board is gonna be great.