| If you're looking at getting into snowboarding, going | | | | is down to your own judgment really.Check the flex. |
| for the second hand option is not a bad way to go. | | | | Place the board on a level surface and flex the board |
| Often you'll get lucky and find a board that hasn't | | | | to see if it still has a springy feel to it. If it feels dead |
| been used much at all. If you know nothing about | | | | and soft give it a miss. Also be vigilant for core shots |
| snowboarding gear and have no friends who are | | | | - these occur when the P-Tex material is badly |
| boarders then a quick search on Google will turn up | | | | damaged, gouged or chipped. The damage |
| plenty of forums where you can get specific | | | | penetrates to the core of the board, hence the |
| answers.You will be pleased to hear that with just a | | | | name.The bindings should not deteriorate as quickly |
| little bit of knowledge you will find it easy to select | | | | as other parts of the board. You can gauge their |
| the right board for you. Try to decide what type of | | | | condition with a quick manual inspection. You will be |
| boarding you will be doing. Do you want to be out all | | | | able to easily tell if the bindings are past their "use |
| day enjoying some all-mountain boarding or are you | | | | by" date.You may be surprised to know that these |
| into speed? Will you mostly be practicing in your local | | | | days snowboards are designed with different |
| snow park?When you are choosing a used | | | | specifications for men and women. You should be |
| snowboard check the sidewall and sandwich layers to | | | | aware of this when choosing your second hand |
| make sure the laminate is not splitting apart. Make | | | | snowboard. Women tend to be a slighter build overall |
| sure the inserts are in good condition and that the | | | | and on average are shorter than men, so most |
| board has a full set. If you can, go for a board with a | | | | women will be looking for a smaller, lighter board. The |
| cap construction because this type don't have a | | | | taller female will want a slightly wider board but not |
| sidewall, the board is stronger and it flexes | | | | too much longer.You can quite easily pick up used |
| better.Another consideration is the effective edge. | | | | snowboarding gear online at places like eBay and |
| This is the area of the board which actually touches | | | | other more specialist snowboarding suppliers. |
| the snow. For sharper, tighter maneuvers the | | | | However, your best bet if you can is to actually go |
| effective edge should be shorter. The longer the | | | | to a shop and touch the product. Plenty of |
| effective edge the more stability the board will have | | | | snowboarding retailers will have used equipment |
| at faster speeds.Make a point of inspecting the top | | | | either on show or out the back. Just ask the |
| sheet. Be wary of more obvious cracks or "crazing" | | | | proprietors, they are usually more than happy to |
| which you may find more evident in and around the | | | | help.Fabio writes for many niches and is an |
| binding areas. Often these indicators will warn you of | | | | experienced researcher. He has written articles |
| problems down the line. You will find that most | | | | covering a wide range of subjects and enjoys plying |
| smaller scratches are not worth worrying about | | | | his trade especially on the Internet. |
| unless the aesthetics are really important to you. This | | | | |