BJ just got back from a K2 demo at Crystal and I asked him what boards people were stoked on. He began to tell me about one girl in particular who was demoing product. She complained that the K2 Eco Pop wasn’t stiff enough for her and thought that it must be just a park specific board, so she decided to demo some of the men’s boards instead. BJ was frustrated and asked me “Why do women think they need the stiffest board available?”
My simple answer, because women have been mis-educated on snowboard gear.
I explained to BJ that a lot of girls go through this phase as they enter their intermediate level of snowboarding. Girls have progressed to the point of needing something stiffer than their entry level board and naturally think that at this point the stiffer the better. Most girls are also getting their snowboard gear information from pumped up dudes at the snowboard shop who are talking to them about how stiff this board is and how they totally rip on it. Buying a board that is too stiff for you will actually end up stunting your snowboarding progression, so don’t do it unless you know for sure that you need an uber stiff snowboard.
Buy a Stiff Snowboard if..
- you only like to ride straight and fast. Stiff snowboards are hard to turn! Unless you’ve got a ton of weight and strength to power through the flex of the board, you will end up making really choppy turns and it will be downright impossible to maneuver through tight tree runs.
- you ride super gnarly snow conditions that require you to plow through the snow instead of gracefully carve. If you are unfortunate enough to always end up riding tracked out and mogully snow conditions a stiff snowboard will help you feel more stable riding through that type of snow.
- you are hoping to ride this snowboard for 10 years. Before the introduction of materials like carbon and kevlar, stiff snowboards were the only way to build longevity into the board. The idea was that a super stiff snowboard would ride really stiff the first year and eventually the wood would start to break down and become more flexible. Snowboard construction has greatly improved and now if you buy a stiff board it is going to stay stiff for a really long time.
- you are a trans-gender Big Sky thug.
Don’t Buy a Stiff Snowboard if:
- you are still exploring what type of terrain you like to ride. A stiff snowboard is going to be extremely limiting if you still want to try different terrain. If you know you are only going to free ride steep groomers, hike the half pipe, or be dedicated to the backcountry, then a stiff snowboard will be great for you. Typically all-mountain riders like a medium flex to their snowboard.
- you like to turn and dork around in the park. You can’t butter a stiff board.
- you don’t understand the benefits of materials like carbon and kevlar. Many times people think that a stiff board is what gives pop, stability and life to a snowboard. Not true! There are all sorts of cool materials being added to snowboards to enhance the ride, meaning you can get the old fashioned benefits of a stiff board without having to ride a stiff board.
- snowboarding is about having fun and not flexing your muscles. Don’t be a size queen. Take some time to research your ability level and what you want from a snowboard. Just because bro-brah at the local shop rides the biggest, stiffest board doesn’t mean you should too. Contact me if you can’t find any decent help at your local shop.
I can honestly say that at one point I also thought I needed the biggest and stiffest snowboard available. At the time, it was my second year working at a snowboard shop and I had progressed from a beginner to an advanced-intermediate level. Being a strong female who was trying to prove herself in the snowboard industry, I obviously thought I was a bad ass and should be riding something just as stiff as my male counterparts. I was also working with a girl who was 5 inches shorter than me and was riding a 159 Burton T6. These factors caused me to ditch my 153 entry level Option and hop on the longest stiffest women’s Burton snowboard I could find (159 Burton Sensation).
Needless to say, I didn’t turn all that much that season. I guess you could say I rode fast and furious but I was out of control and could barely handle myself in challenging terrain. Fortunately, you can learn from my mistakes. If you are ready to upgrade your snowboard gear, really take the time to research it. It will make a big difference in the long run. Having the right snowboard will really help you progress into a better snowboarder and take you to the next level.
