For the first few days you hire. After that you buy boots first, then the binding, and the board last: an All-Mountain board with a soft to medium flex suits most people. That is the short version of the questions our students ask us on courses.
For the first two or three days on a board: no. Hire your kit and first find out whether the sport is for you. Buying pays off as soon as you ride several days a winter and the hire fees together come close to the price of a used set.
The most honest answer to "which board should I buy?" is, at the start, often "none yet". On day one you do not know whether you prefer piste or park, whether you like a shorter, playful board or a longer, more stable one. Those very preferences later decide length, flex and shape. Buy before that and you are buying from a catalogue, not from experience.
Hiring has a second advantage: you try different lengths and stiffnesses at no risk. On a course you notice after a day whether the rental board feels too long or too soft to you. That is the most valuable information for buying later, and it costs nothing extra.
To do the maths: with us, board with bindings plus boots together cost 30,00 € per course day. It takes several course days before the hire fees outweigh a used set, and all that time you are riding kit that suits you.
Children and teenagers: do not buy for them to grow into. A board that is too long holds back the learning in exactly the winter when the learning is meant to happen. For the first winter, hiring is almost always the better call.
Boots, then binding, then board. Most people do it the other way round, because the board is the biggest and prettiest part. But the boot is the only part that sits on your body, and its outer length determines which binding and which board width will fit at all.
Standing up, your toes lightly touch the front; in the riding position with bent knees they come away. The heel stays down when you lean forward. The liner packs out by half to a full size in the first few days, which is why a new boot feels tight in the shop, not comfortable.
The most common mistake is a boot that is too big. It feels good in the shop, but on the piste the heel lifts, the foot slides, you have to overtighten the lacing, and after two hours the instep hurts. A boot that is tight at the start comes right after a few days. A boot that is comfortable at the start ends up too big.
Lacing systems (traditional laces, speed lacing, dial closure) are a matter of taste and not a mark of quality. What matters is that you can open and close the boot on your own with cold fingers.
Used boots are the exception to "second hand is fine". Why, is explained in the section Buying second hand.
For most people who start on the piste and stay there: All-Mountain. Freestyle boards are for park and tricks, freeride boards for powder and off-piste. If you do not yet know where you are heading, you cannot go wrong with All-Mountain.
| Type | What for | Typical shape | Who for |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-Mountain | Piste, the odd park lap or side country | Directional Twin | Beginners and anyone who does not want to commit |
| Freestyle | Park, jumps, rails, riding in both directions | True Twin | Anyone who wants to learn tricks and is mostly in the park |
| Freeride | Powder, off-piste, high speed | Directional, often with a longer nose | Advanced riders away from the piste |
True twin means nose and tail are identical, the bindings sit centred, and the board rides the same forwards and backwards. Directional means the nose is longer or shaped differently from the tail and the bindings sit set back a little. Directional twin is in between: symmetrically shaped, but with slightly set-back bindings. At the start the shape is secondary; profile and flex matter more.
Splitboards (which come apart for climbing), powder boards and carving boards are specialists. If you are reading this page to buy your first board, you need none of them.
The profile describes how the unweighted board looks from the side. Camber arches upwards in the middle and touches down at nose and tail: lots of edge grip, lots of spring, but it catches more easily. Rocker is the other way round, like a banana: playful and forgiving, but less grip at speed. Flat lies flat all the way, and hybrids mix the two.
| Profile | Shape from the side | Rides like | For beginners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camber | Arched in the middle, contact at nose and tail | Precise, lots of edge grip and pop, catches more easily | Only up to a point, more for carvers with experience |
| Rocker | Flat in the middle, nose and tail lifted | Playful, forgiving, less grip at speed | Good, the easiest to learn on |
| Flat | Flat between the bindings | Stable and balanced, medium grip | Good |
| Hybrid | Combinations, for instance camber between the bindings and rocker at the ends | Depending on the mix: grip plus playfulness | Depends on the mix: rocker at the ends forgives, camber between the bindings asks for more |
Every manufacturer calls its hybrids something different. Do not be impressed by the names; ask in the shop about the principle: where does the board touch down, where is it lifted? For the first few winters, rocker, flat and hybrids with rocker at the ends are the more relaxed options. Pure camber is worth it once you want to carve cleanly and already have your edges under control.
Beginners ride a soft to medium flex. On the usual scale from 1 (very soft) to 10 (very stiff) that means roughly 2 to 5. A soft board turns with less effort and forgives mistakes; a stiff one is steadier at speed but asks for clean technique.
Flex numbers are not comparable between brands. A 4 from one brand can feel like a 6 from another. You can only compare within one manufacturer, or with your hands in the shop: grab the board at nose and tail and press the middle against the floor.
Weight plays a part: if you are on the heavy side for your height you can ride a slightly stiffer board, and if you are on the light side, a softer one. And flex is not just a board question. A soft board plus stiff boots plus a stiff binding rides differently from soft-soft-soft. At the start, anything in the soft to medium range works together. Some guides suggest a bit more stiffness in boots (5 to 7), because very soft boots water down your input. If you are torn between two boots, take the one that fits better, not the softer one.
Length is governed first and foremost by your weight; height only serves as a plausibility check. Width is governed by the outer length of your boot, not by your shoe size. Reputable size charts differ from one another by up to 10 cm, which is why the answer is always a range, not a number.
The old rule of thumb that "stood on end, the board reaches somewhere between your chin and your nose" is out of date as a calculation, because it ignores weight. As a quick visual check in the shop it still works. At the start the lower end of the range is more pleasant for most people; a slightly shorter board turns more easily. For park go a little shorter, for powder a little longer.
On width the rule is: one to one and a half centimetres of boot overhang front and back is exactly right, because that is what lets you steer the board over the edge. Much more overhang drags in the snow, much less robs you of leverage. From around EU 44 it is worth looking at mid-wide and wide boards, depending on brand and boot.
Before you buy, stand on the board in your own boots once; then you can see the overhang and the binding position rather than calculating them.
Binding size is governed by the boot, not by the shoe size: the boot should sit centred in the binding and finish flush at the front and the back. The flex of the binding should match the board, and for the start that means soft to medium. And the binding's mounting system has to match the board.
Binding sizes (S, M, L) are manufacturer sizes and come out differently under the same name. Take the relevant brand's chart as a starting point and put the boot into the binding in the shop. If it sits too far back, or the strap sits on the boot instead of on the instep, it is the wrong size, whatever the chart says.
Binding types (two-strap, rear-entry, step-on) are a matter of taste. The classic two-strap binding is the most common, the cheapest and compatible with almost any boot. Step-on systems absolutely require the matching boots from the same brand, which narrows your choice of boot, and the boot is the more important choice.
New, a beginner's set of board, binding and boots comes in, according to the sources listed below, at roughly 600 to 900 euros; with a helmet and clothing, guides quote 1,000 to 1,500 euros. Previous season's models in the sales cost considerably less, and used boards often only a fraction. The item not to skimp on is the boots.
| Item | New, entry level | New, mid range | Second hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board | from around €300, in the sales from around €170 | around €400 to €700 | around €20 to €120 (sample of classified ads) |
| Binding | around €130 to €180 | around €250 to €320 | usually in a set with the board, separately from around €10 |
| Boots | around €130 to €200 | around €250 to €350 | offered at around €20, but not recommended, see buying second hand |
| Set: board + binding | around €270 to €510 | Sets are entry-level kit | around €25 to €150 (sample of classified ads) |
New prices: ranges from shop listings (Blue Tomato, snowboards.eu, Glisshop) and magazine guides (SnowTrex, Collectivemag, snowboardermbm), retrieved on 10/09/2026. Second-hand prices: the first 25 listings from a Germany-wide classified-ads search for "snowboard gebraucht" on 12/09/2026 (of which 11 boards without bindings, 8 board-and-binding sets, 2 pairs of boots, 1 binding; one dealer lot and one accessories listing were not counted). That is a snapshot taken in September, not a statistic. All sources below.
Where you can save without cutting corners on the riding: last season's models are technically almost always identical to the current year, only the graphics differ. The price difference is often the biggest single lever in the whole budget. Where you should not save: on the boots. A cheap board with boots that fit rides better than an expensive board with boots that pinch.
On top of the board come a helmet (essential, even though it is not required by law), gloves with reinforcement, wrist and bum protectors if you fancy them, and waterproof clothing. That is easily forgotten and together quickly costs as much as a binding.
Board and binding second hand: yes, if edges, base, inserts and camber are sound. Boots second hand: better not. The best time is spring, and the best place is wherever you have the board in your hands before you pay. Anything that pushes you towards paying up front or shipping, you walk away from.
| Item | Second hand | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Board | Yes | A board has no fit to get wrong. If edges, base, inserts and camber are right, it rides like new. Depreciation is steep, so the buy is cheap. |
| Binding | Usually yes | The wear parts are the straps, ratchets and highback joints, and you can see all of them. Check that all the screws and the right disc for your board are included. |
| Boots | Rather not | The liner is foam that has moulded to the previous owner's foot and packs out further with every day. Support and fit are no longer yours. Then there is the hygiene. Exception: barely worn, and only after trying them on. |
Spring is the cheapest time. From roughly March to May specialist shops clear the previous season's models; guides quote discounts of 30 to 50 per cent, occasionally more. Last season's models are technically almost always identical to the current year. The downside: once your size is gone, no more are coming.
Before you drive over there, a message costs nothing. The answers tell you whether the trip is worth it. Ask for a photo of the base side in daylight; that shows more than three photos of the topsheet.
Age and model name matter less than condition. A ten-year-old, lightly ridden All-Mountain board is a better buy than a three-year-old, worn-out park board.
The scam patterns in classified ads have been the same for years, and one rule sees them off: collect in person, look it over, and pay in cash or through the platform's escrow service. Everything else is a deviation that someone needs because they are not selling you a board.
What you realistically pay in a private sale is in the price table above: boards on their own came in between 20 and 120 euros in our September sample, board-and-binding sets between 25 and 150 euros. Anyone asking for more needs to be able to justify it by age and condition.
Board plus binding as a set is fine to start with: the mounting is guaranteed to match, and the price is usually below the sum of the parts. Boots never belong in a set; they get tried on and bought separately. Only buy a set that includes boots if those exact boots really do fit you.
Sets are put together from entry-level parts, which is right at the start. The drawback: once you get better over two winters, it is usually the board you want to swap, not the binding. Buy separately and you can take a slightly better binding and keep it for your next board. Whether that adds up depends on how sure you are that there will be a next board.
There is no best brand, but there are brands that have been building reliable beginner and all-round kit for years and sit on the shelf in almost every specialist shop. The selection below comes from several independent guides and test lists, not from a shop catalogue. It is a pointer to which shelf to start at, not a recommendation for a model.
Disclosure: Learn2Ride sells no boards, no bindings and no boots. We receive no commission, partnership, kit or payment from any of the brands named here for naming them. The selection is alphabetical, not a ranking.
Included here is whatever comes up repeatedly in current, mutually independent beginner or all-round lists for the 25/26 season (sources below). Anyone missing is not worse for it: there are many more brands building good kit. And once more, because it remains the most important rule: you buy boots by trying them on, not by the logo.
Not particular brands, but particular features. The points below turn a cheap purchase into an expensive one, because the kit either does not suit you or cannot be added to later. Spot them and you have already sidestepped the most common bad buys.
All of these points are about features, not manufacturers. Every brand named above also builds boards and boots that would land on this list, because they are made for experienced riders. That is not a fault, just the wrong place to start.
We do not sell boards, so we advise without a range of stock behind us. What we do have: rental kit for every course, so you ride first and decide afterwards, and coaches who will tell you after your course day which length and which flex suited you.
On a snowboard course you ride rental kit and notice on day one what suits you. The helmet comes from us; board with bindings and boots you add to your course booking.
Rental prices per course day
An All-Mountain board with a soft to medium flex, a twin or directional twin shape and a forgiving profile (rocker, flat or hybrid). More important than the board, though, are boots that fit. We do not recommend a specific model, because we do not sell boards and because fit and preferences are individual.
For the first few days, hire. Only after some days on the board do you know whether the sport is for you and which length and stiffness feel right. Buying pays off once you ride several days a season and the hire fees start adding up to the price of a board.
Boots first, then the binding to match the boot, then the board to match boot and binding. The boot is the only part that sits directly on your body, and its outer length determines binding size and board width.
Not automatically. Boards use different mounting systems: 4x4, 2x4 (both with inserts) or Burton's Channel system. Many bindings come with swappable discs for several systems, some do not. Check which disc is included before you buy.
Check the edges for rust, chunks missing and how much edge is left; the base for deep scratches and holes down to the core; nose and tail for delamination (layers coming apart); the inserts for stripped threads; and the board for remaining camber: a camber board that lies flat on the ground is worn out.
Better not. The liner is made of foam that moulds to the previous owner's foot in the first few days and packs out over time. A used boot therefore rarely fits properly and gives less support, and then there is the hygiene side. Board and bindings second hand, by contrast, are usually no problem. If it has to be used boots, then only barely worn ones, and only after trying them on.
At the end of the season, roughly March to May, when shops clear the previous year's models. Guides quote discounts of 30 to 50 per cent then, and occasionally more. The downside: the choice of sizes shrinks, and once something is gone it is gone.
No single one. The big brands all build usable entry-level models; the differences are in the detail and in the fit. More important than the logo are a soft to medium flex, a forgiving profile and boots that fit you. We sell nothing, so we name brands only for orientation, not as a recommendation for a particular model.
A board-and-binding set can make sense, because the mounting is guaranteed to match and the price is usually below the sum of the parts. Boots still need to be tried on and bought separately. Only buy a set with the boots included if those exact boots really do fit you.
These are rules of thumb from our courses and from the usual guides, a starting point for a chat in a specialist shop, not binding purchasing advice. Snowboarding stays a sport with risk, whatever board you are on.
Snowboard competitions are like the Olympics for everyone who loves the feeling of freedom and adrenaline on the slopes. Imagine standing on your board, surrounded by …
When you put your snowboard back in the garage after an epic day on the slopes, it’s easy to just leave it there and assume it’ll …
Choosing the right snowboard brand is like deciding whether to take your coffee with or without milk – it can make a huge difference! When you’re …
Before you jump on your snowboard and conquer the slopes, there are a few basic things you should know. First of all, it’s important to get …
When you step onto a snowboard for the first time, having the right gear is everything. After all, you don’t want to slide around like a …
When you’re just starting out with snowboarding, it can feel like trying to tame a dragon – chaotic and a little bit scary! But don’t worry, …
When you head out onto the slopes, choosing the right jacket is crucial for your comfort and how much you enjoy snowboarding. A good snowboard jacket …
When you step onto a snowboard for the first time, choosing the right gear can feel like a giant jigsaw puzzle where the pieces just won’t …
When you start snowboarding, having the right gear is everything. Think of it like cooking: if you have the best ingredients, the dish simply turns out …
When you’re just starting out with snowboarding, choosing the right resort can be like finding the perfect pizza topping – there are so many options, and …
