boards for really big guys

all right everyone I need some help, I'm 6' 4 1/4" tall and 285 pounds and need to pick a board. i've only been 5 times, hooked and need a board, HELP!!!!

The length of your boots and if you have any preference on binding risers may effect your choices on how wide the deck may be. Also how you will set your bindings can have an effect on toe/heel drag in conjunction with the width of the board.
A person who can sort this, and guess at what your possible direction in riding will be can be a huge plus.

Lib-Tech.com does big decks

BigRed welcome to the forum.



PerryRObray, I have a silly question, but in this context, could you explain what the relation is between using f20s when having larger feet and still being able to use narrower boards?

Well Red Perry almost asked the question I would first need the answer for and that is: What style of riding are you hooked on? If you plan on being in the terrain parks all day than you could have a challenge on your hands. If you like to carve like the rest of us big boys than a longer stiff board won;t be too difficult. By the same token though don't get too sucked in to old school philosophies. I am 5'11" 220-230 and either ride a K2 double wide 161 or a nitro 163. On the 163 I get toe drag and I only have size 11 feet. Correct me if I'm wrong but your feet gotta be at least 12.5-13 U.S. So that's a factor. I got lucky and scooped this double wide off of ebay. Keep an eye on ebay and craigslist it may be an opportunity for you to "buy/try" some different sizes and feels before you invest in "your" board!

Thank you everybody very much for your comments. Being that I've only been boarding 5 times, but have been wakeboarding for 9 years it came fairly quickly. To answer your other questions, I do have my own burton boots size14 because seldom did anyone have boots that fit, also ive never really rode a board that I felt fit. A 163 wide is the biggest board ive been on, and yes I really enjoy just carving. At my size, hitting the ground from trying tricks and jumps doesn't sound fun right now.LOL .

What are f20s?

PerryRObray wrote:

What are f20s?

click here please

But obviously since you seem not to have heard of them you won't be able to answer the question. I heard there is something with these boots that make people with big feet able to board narrow boards. Only I can't find anything on it.

I'll take a crack breezy! The F20 is solomon's entry level fusion boot. The upper and lower soles/insoles are integrated to create a closer to the mountain feel that is intended for advance riders to feel more of the terrain/rails etc. I am assuming the minimalist design of the boot is where we could find some advantage for big footed riders on smaller boards. Now on the other hand the very topic of this thread speaks somewhat negatively to that fact, by that I mean that most of us bigfooted people are well fairly big people and as Red wrote most of us are carvers not bonkers!! I am making assumptions in that instance that those of us who prefer to carve would rather ride a stiffer boot. i'm an old man and couldn't possibly carve all day in boots that let me feel every little bump in the mountain. {Emotions-000200C6}

thank you grampa. if you are an old man than I am methusalem

anyways, now I understand - before I just couldn't picture it in my mind

Kinda changing the subject here. I noticed a few years ago that some upper end snowboard boots had adjustable flex. Usually by some kind of plastic insert. If I remember right, Burton put in an optional plastic tongue below the shoe laces. Others had strategically placed sleeves for plastic inserts.I thought this was a great idea.

I learned on 3 strap bindings which had a fixed cant if wanted. This was a very interesting system as making the back foot relatively rigid gave some unbelievable control in certain situations. And was very relaxing just to sit back on the rear binding while cruising. I didn't like riding fakie on this system as broken ankles are an issue.

The point I'm trying to make is that with more adjustable equipment a rider can get some great results.

I digress... my K2 clicker boots and bindings are oh-so comfy for that reason

I don't understand your above reply.

sorry I was multi tasking...I like the klickers as they give me a hard"er" boot feel but still have the comfort of a soft"ish" boot but they also have a binding ratchet strap which depending on conditions I will or will not tighten and can adjust either foot to a tightness...backfoot specifically tighter when it's icy

so, that's more versatile?

Yup. This morning we had snow so it had warmed up a little. I rode a lot further into the midday before taking a break.

Sounds you know your ins and outs Experience is a great thing. I am jealous

The binding ratchet strap tightens/stiffens what functions?

As far as I know there are no 3 strap bindings anymore. F2 out of Canada and Burton are the only 2 companies I can recall that used to do it. They looked kinda heavy compared to current systems.

I was looking at some current models to see if I could figure how to modify the rear binding only. Looked like it would be quite a project to be functional to a desired level. I was looking at aluminum base plates for starters. Maybe some day it will turn into a project.

I wasn't very confident that the aluminum can hold up under demanding situations. All my plastic binding base plates have broken in the past when put through relatively serious use.

PerryRObray wrote:

The binding ratchet strap tightens/stiffens what functions?

depending no? one would like it tighter depending on how it personally feels?

breezz wrote:

PerryRObray wrote:

The binding ratchet strap tightens/stiffens what functions?

depending no? one would like it tighter depending on how it personally feels?

K2 maybe had a Burton copy of the 3 strap in the mid 90's.

Since I only know people who were/are satisfied with the clicker system and never personally used them I'm curious as to how they actually function. There was a ski boot made in the early 80's by Hanson. It was 2 non flexible shells combined with no way to flex that I know of, and maybe the lightest boot money could buy.. If I remember right they were used by professional speed skiers.

This is probably real close to what a 3 strap binding felt like when the top strap was tightened up to a desirable tension. I put around 200 days on those bindings. Sticking heelside landings on bigger hits was unbelievably stable (the snowboard had a very stiff tail for an all terrain plank). The slightest movement of the lower leg (calf muscle area) would put awesome input to edges when the bindings were set for the decks sidecut.

Sometimes when cruising smaller bumps at higher speeds and using the edges to turn, the tail of the snowboard may catch an edge (those were unbeveled edges). With the third top strap properly tensioned regaining control can probably take about 1/3 of the time.

PerryObray, I haven't used them either, so your explanation sounds logical to me, and I hope someone having used it here on the forum will step forward.