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The Women's Snowboard Buying Guide (supplement) |
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Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
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Topic: The Women's Snowboard Buying Guide (supplement) Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 1:21am |
Contents: Step 1: Why do you even need a women's board? Step 2: The Different Kinds of Board Step 3: Conclusion and Board List Understanding and using the supplement: I'm a guy. I don't work in a shop. I've only been riding for 4 years. And in those four years, I've probably ridden, at most around 8 decks. Unsurprisingly, none of them have been women's decks. In summary: I am no expert, don't take me for one. Realistically, how much information can I give a woman asking about her gear? You might think "not a lot, ipps!" and you'd be quite right. I can't tell you how a board 'feels', nor can i tell you how it flexes or where its sweet spot is. That is something YOU are unfortunately burdened with finding out for yourself. Instead, much like the intentions of the original guide, the aim is to give you a general idea about women's snowboards, throw out some recommendations, explain some things about the tech, and then send you off on your merry way. This guide won't answer all your questions about board (x), indeed it will barely scratch the surface. But that isn't really the function. The aim of this guide instead is to start you off on your own little mission. In addition it should be mentioned that this is a supplement to the main guide. So I'm afraid I won't be going over the things from the main guide: for example I won't be explaining the differences in cambers, or what an extruded base is, or how directional boards work. So if you are hoping that this is self contained, I'm afraid you might find this a bit overwhelming. The aim of this guide isn't to tell you what everything is, (that was the aim of the other guide). The aim instead is to simply cover some of the glaring oversights, omissions, and assumptions I made in that guide pertaining to womens issues when buying a snowboard. About this Guide: Which of course leads me to the question: Is there even such a thing as a women's snowboard? Aren't all snowboards the same and aren't we just being sold a cosmetic repackaging of a mans snowboard just in a smaller size wand with 'girlier' graphics? The answer is No. (qualified). In Part 1: I will outline the two central reasons why women's snowboards even exist and why you should probably be buying them instead of a man's snowboard if given the choice. I will then add a third reason which has nothing at all to do with the ride you are looking at, and everything to do with assumptions in the industry. In part 2: I will break down women's snowboards into three principal categories: Boards that work well in park; Boards that work well for the whole resort; and boards that are more for all terrain/conditions inside and outside the resort. In effect I've smashed categories 1 and 2 from the earlier guide together, as well as categories 4, 5 and 6. Finally part 3 will offer a table of all the boards I decided to research. Want to know which boards have a sintered base? or a directional cut? Or are hybrid cambered? I've got your back. The intention is to try and offer women something comprehensive to make up for the general lack of information out there :) Buying a snowboard is a pain in the ass. Manufacturers don't help (with the possible exception of Burton and Rome). Almost every major snowboarding site or review site focuses almost all of their attention towards male snowboarding and male snowboarders. Compared to men's snowboards (which often have peer reviews a mere google search away), researching women's snowboards often leads to sites simply repeating the company blurb. The table in part three puts all the information in one place and standardizes the language so that you can see for yourself what kind of boards have the camber profile/shape/base you're interested in, (or the price point you're looking at (all MSRP, and hopefully correct)). This way you can also get a sense of some other boards that might fit a similar function or criteria to help you out with your own research. In this instance, the supplement goes way beyond the mens guide specifically with the intention of correcting a little of the imbalance of access to information out there. |
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 1:21am | |
With the obvious exceptions of maybe Roxy and Bitchboards, you will be hard pressed to find a company that has as much diversity in their women's line than their men's. Obviously the bigger brands like Burton or Rome might have several women specific boards, but compared to their men's range, women still have fewer options available to them. This may be due to an economic reality that fewer girls snowboard, or buy snowboards. It might even be due to a simple failure of imagination on the part of manufacturers to encourage female riders by actually marketing towards them (making it a long-standing oversight that's only recently being corrected). Whatever it is, it's well beyond the scope of this supplement but it can lead to an interesting quandary for any average sized woman out there in that 146-156 size range feeling like her options might be limited. And it is this: if my recommended size is 146-156, why shouldn't I just get on a man's board and double or even triple my options out there? There are 2 technology related reasons who you wouldn't want to. The first of these is differences in strength between men and women relating to the pressure required to flex and move a board. The second reason, and arguably the most important is about foot size vis a vis a boards width at the binding point. Simply, women's boards are narrower and smaller than men's boards with a softer flex pattern (comparatively speaking). There is however a third reason, which I'm slightly reluctant to put up simply because it feels like its bringing in politics to what is supposed to be a board guide. It also feels like it adds a burden of responsibility onto female shredders that men just don't have to face. So I qualify it with this: this one has nothing at all to do with your riding. So feel free to consign it to the same place as eco friendly snowboarding. If it matters to you, then it matters. If not, it doesn't. A quick note about the phrase: "Comparatively speaking." Just like men's boards, women's boards come in all flexes, all cambers, all shapes, and all sizes. I could make the statement that womens boards are universally softer than mens boards, but this is of course utterly incorrect. Hows about the signal park rocker versus the Burton Fortress? They are however COMPARATIVELY softer. And that context is set by the fact that many women's boards are built along the lines of (and derived from) a male counterpart board. The second sex snowboard if you will :) GET YOUR DAMN HANDS OFF MY STUFF!!! Reason 1: Women are ON AVERAGE lighter then men. Women's boards are therefore COMPARATIVELY softer than men's boards Firstly women's boards have a different longitudinal and torsional flex from men's boards. Board makers reason that since women (on average) are lighter, and have less muscle mass, even if they narrowed the waist width, the average woman would still have trouble flexing or loading a burton custom. It would effectively ride as a much stiffer board (taking it out of the realms of an all mountain do it all board, and making it feel more akin to their much stiffer, and more technical custom-x (just as an example)). So in order to deliver that all mountain 'do it all' ride, they brought over a lot that made the custom what it is and tried to apply it to a slightly softer flexing board. That's really the nub of reason 1. Women's boards are comparatively softer than their male counterpart board. The reason then that you want to buy a women's snowboard rather than a man's snowboard is: 1. It's obviously more likely to 'fit' your height/weight/strength better. And 2. it takes a lot of the guesswork out of the product description when you don't have to apply it to how a woman might feel riding a man's board. In addition to being softer longitudinally (from tip to tail) they are also softer torsionally (from edge to edge). This means the board will twist easier and get on edge with less resistance... comparatively speaking of course :) Flex: the 2011 reprise A brief reminder about flex: There is no universal criteria of flex. Board companies decide for themselves, (often based upon referencing their own line), what they mean by the board's 'flex'. A 5 on a Burton board may feel completely different to a 5 on a Ride board for example. What makes this even more confusing is that different companies decide whether they are appealing to an internal single scale when talking about their own boards – so 4 is a 4 on all boards regardless of the sex of the person riding them; whilst others will base it on a flexible scale specifically referencing the intended sex of the person on the board (so a womans four will ride like a mans 2 or 3 and a mans four will ride like a womans 5 or 6). Finally, not really related specifically to the point, but a note of caution on flex in general: First, it's NEVER to be trusted on its own. It's a ball park figure that only gives an indication on how a board MAY feel. Anyway, that covers the first reason: Board's designed specifically for women are softer than their male counterpart ride. Reason 2: Women ON AVERAGE have smaller feet than men: Waist width is a silly term. Why people measure from the narrowest part of the board instead of at the central point of the inserts is anyone's guess, but let's not dwell on it. The pertinent fact is rather this: women have smaller feet compared to men, so women's boards are built specifically to address this by being much narrower than their male counterparts. Pretty simple and straightforward then. Why does this really matter then? What would it matter if you got on a board a bit too big for you? Aren't I being a little abstract here? It's one a few cm's difference, right? Well, getting on a board that's too wide for you means you're working a damn sight harder getting on edge than you need to be and so will be having a pretty hard time riding it. Consider this: if you are on a board with a teensy bit of boot overhang on a slightly raised platform (your bindings), the turning force required to get onto your edge is pretty small. Just a little bit of pressure and the board will move to your will. Now consider the inverse: you're on a snowboard, your boots are a couple of centimeters shy of the edge, and you want to raise your board onto its edge. Clearly it's going to be more difficult to achieve if only because the turning force is being applied to the wrong place (a few cm's inside the board). Throw in the stiffer torsional flex on top of it and you're looking at a harder time to get on that edge. The result is less fun, less control, and a more exhausting ordeal. In effect you are riding a wide board. If I just want a regular ride, a wide board isn't remotely on my consideration list, and it probably shouldn't be on yours either. Technical conclusions: Still, you might have (relative) boats for feet, you might be (relatively) big enough to justify a guy's board, and you might have even learned everything you know from riding men's boards. Well, truth is, this isn't to tell you what you can and can't ride; It's to explain what the consequences MIGHT be should you wish to buy a guy's board and aren't the right size for it. If you're big enough for a guys board then don't let em tell you you shouldn't be riding one. That's not really the message. The message is OVERALL most people will either be too light, or too small, or not have big enough feet to get on one. Shay for example famously rides a lot of men's boards, and indeed cherishes her 03-04 black snowboard of death (a men's seriously ripping freeride board). The day I tell Shay "You're doing it wrong!" is the day I get a deserved punch in the face. You ride what you like, and if you feel none of this applies to you, then understand that this literally means ***none of this applies to you.*** I'm just telling you what the differences are and why the differences exist in relation to your ride. But I said there were three reasons. Well, I have one more reason left, and it's got NOTHING to do with your ride. Reason 3: Supply and demand
I like this quote because it lays bear one of the issues touched upon above. Namely, manufacturers possibly don't feel an economic imperative to prioritize research and design on women's boards (or offer a comparative range of product). It is consumers and demand that dictates whether people will take more risks in development and since there appears to be a smaller demand, why take risks on creating boards that no one maybe wants? Buying men's boards when there are alternatives out there then not only causes issues for your ride, in addition it creates a false idea of the environment allowing board manufacturers to shirk their responsibilities to women. In my times I have yet to meet a girl who didn't love powder just as much as the next guy. Yet where are the powder boards for women? To my knowledge there are only two companies with a female specific powder board (venture and burton). Even if there are a couple more I've missed, the sad fact is that women have significantly less choice in this regard than men. An oversight? A lack of demand? A failure of imagination? It could be any one of those things, but what is crucial is that there is a perception that there is just not enough demand out there to justify the creation of one for most company lines. It is a vicious cycle that helps keep investment hyped around offering new gadgets and gizmos instead of offering the more practical and dare I suggest equitable policy of equal lines and ranges for women as men. So while it is understandable for someone to want the newest tech on a board that might not be available to women for a few years, it does help to perpetuate the cycle and encourage manufacturers to focus more on what new things their majority consumer base (guys) might want to see on next years deck instead of offering similar lines for female riders. Again though, this isn't your individual responsibility, you are just one consumer out there, so put this argument somewhere around the same area as eco-friendly snowboarding. It's really one that appeals to your own moral compass. If you think more money should be put into making women boards then you vote with your dollars. If you couldn't care less about it, I'm not going to tell you that you should. It's just an open ended question that might be worth considering in your personal calculations when you hand over your cash at the end of the day. Conclusion:
In the end, I would love to make the statement that things have changed for the better, and i genuinely assume they have, but since I started writing this on the grounds that I know nothing about boards for women, it would be a little disingenuous to proclaim myself as some kind of knowledge on the history of female shredding. So finally heres a few links to some places that might be able to answer your questions in ways that I definitely can't: http://www.shredbetties.com http://powderroom.net http://www.ladyinshred.com/ http://www.shayboarder.com/ http://easyloungin.com/forum/forum.php?id=12 |
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 1:21am | |
So what's changed? Well, now there are THREE categories. They are: PARK - RESORT - ALL MOUNTAIN and I'm going to try and explain a bit about them: Type 1: The All-Round Park Deck General Specs: Flex: super soft to soft-medium (very buttery to quite buttery) Base: Extruded mainly. Shape: True twin - almost exclusively. Camber: Mainly reverse or zero, but some camber boards are still holding the line. Best for: Jibs: rails and boxes; very mellow cruising; buttering the mountain and looking pro. Worst for: Progressive riding outside the park; getting down your carving and pop; and hitting those double black diamonds or slashing pow in the slackcountry. So this is a park board right? Well yes and no. The defining characteristic of these boards ISN'T that they are park boards, but that in the grand scheme of riding (and once you have a few years under your belt), this board will be used PRIMARILY in the park. However, if you are a beginner, the term 'park' is not only useless, it's also rather unhelpful. These boards are soft, super forgiving, and easy as hell to learn on. For a first year wanting nothing more than hitting turns, cruising the groomers, popping a few ground spins, maybe sliding a box or two and hitting a couple of jumps, this board will not only do what every other board will do, but it's maybe going to do it better. Park then is a misnomer to the beginner. It's also a massive misnomer in general given that these boards won't be landing 30 foot kickers, and they'll be folding up in the pipe (the park is after all a big place). These boards are built for pressing, buttering, jibbing, cruising, and all round doinking about. They aren't made for ripping all terrain, nor are they made to land massive airs. Of course, as you progress you will find that statement to be less and less true, but let's not confuse things more than they already are. :) For Beginners: These boards are perfect for getting those first turns and really enjoying snowboarding. They are made for FUN. You may outgrow this board or consign it to a jib deck in your quiver in a year or two when you realise it's holding your progression back, then again, you might think charging blacks and trees suck. It's all personal. In the end they may hamper progression, but for greens/blues, park and those early days, no problem. For intermediates: Great to cruise with, and perfect for anyone starting in park after neglecting it for that first year or two. Anyone used to harder charging boards may find it fun at first, but feel a little restricted by it as a go to board. It will probably end up an essential part of any quiver though and get pulled out on those days you just want a bit more of a mellow day of it or just want to show off a bit. For Advanced: you know what it is, you know what it's for, you know why you're looking at it. You don't really need me to egg the pudding here. This is your park ride. It's your urban ride, and its your cruising the resort or even your ripping up double diamonds just to spit in the faces of people like me that might suggest "you will struggle outside the park on a jib board!" ride. :) A couple of recommendations with reviews to show the scope we're talking about here: Capita Space Metal Fantasy: On the noodley side you have capita's SMF: The horrorscope for women. It comes with flatkick and a super soft jibcore which makes everything super buttery and playful. This board is ultra forgiving, maybe a hair too soft to be anything more than a jib deck, but Zoe loves it, it's also her go to ride just to spit in the face of what I wrote above about it being 'too soft to be anything more than a jib deck' (a link to zoe's review: http://www.trusnow.com/Capita-Space-Metal-Fantasy-Womens-Snowboards.asp Arbor Cadence: On the stiffer end of the range you have the Arbor Cadence. It comes with reverse camber (parabolic rocker, which just means rocker from the middle - with a smaller arc as you get to the tip and tail), along with grip tech (extra edge contact at the inserts) and a slight blunted shape. This board is made for some serious park shredding but also a great board for cruising. The park system puts it a little more in the park line though, but easily this board could end up your go-to shred stick: Shay loves it and made it her park board: http://www.shayboarder.com/2010/05/snowboard-review-10-11-arbor-cadence.html Other recommendations: Nitro Runaway; Bataleon Distortia; Sierra Vspot; Burton feather or social; Flow Jewel; Gnu B-street; K2 Fling or vavavoom; Rome detail; smokin PYT. Type 2: The All round RESORT deck General Specs: Flex: Soft-medium - medium flex. Shape: Twin, directional twin (and the myriad of ideas directional twin encompass). Base: Sintered and Extruded. Basically a price point issue. Camber: Veering towards hybrid cambers with a camber option. Best for: Tasting it all: cruising the whole mountain, messing around in the pow and pretty much hitting up everything the resort has to offer. Also stable and forgiving, so great for progressing through those first few years. It's the one board quiver killer. Worst for: Specializing and fitting it into your quiver when you start building it. You'll probably outgrow it when you find your preferences, and you'll find your preferences by recognising where you're outgrowing it (which is kinda one of the best things about it too) :) Usually on the medium-soft side of things, these boards are made (almost entirely so), to be one board quiver killers. Of course they aren't and never will be, but the nice thing is that for progressing riders you likely won't realise until the time comes when you need to make that next step forward. These boards then come with a beautiful double edged sword: On the one hand they are PERFECT for letting you try out everything, (and i mean EVERYTHING) the resort has to offer. This will really let you get a handle on your preferences and help with your progression. Yet on the other hand, if you do find yourself preferring certain things over others, you'll maybe end up realising that you need to be on a board more suited to that particular function. This isn't of course an iron law of the universe. It's just as likely that you come to love this ride and are more than happy NOT specializing because you like just riding about the mountain and enjoying your vacation snowboarding. This isn't a job and we don't all have aspirations of being the greatest rider or getting our technique the best it's ever going to be. Some people just want to enjoy being on the mountains and doing it on a board that holds it's own pretty much anywhere you want to ride it. Well this board will do that and more. And who says you can't be pro riding one of these? Not me. From grinding boxes all day, to riding every course the mountain has to offer and maybe even mucking about under the ropes or in the trees, this board will pretty much cover it all. Sure, it's going to be harder to get a full steezy press out of it like a park board, and maybe it'll slide out a bit or nose dive in deeper pow, and maybe it won't be all that quick with its turns and bounce you around a bit in chop. But you bought this board NOT because it gives you the BEST performance in EVERYTHING, you bought it because it gives you the best ALL ROUND performance in a single board. It's going to grind boxes and rails better than an all mountain, it's going to slash pow, hit steep lines, and charge way better than a park board. You bought it because it's the most friendly and versatile board for everything you're likely to do at a resort and that's pretty much the bottom line. For Beginners: Another great choice for beginners. In fact the ideal choice if you ask me. These boards not only allow you to start off your riding in a nice easy forgiving manner, but it will also have the stability and edge hold to push you into that next step. These boards also come in pretty much every camber conceivable allowing you to trade off a bit of stability at speed (camber) for early doors forgiveness (reverse), or even mix and match them both in hybrid. They also come in a variety of flexes from medium-soft through to medium-stiff. So whereas your mates who went for the soft boards will be busy getting bounced around and washing on the harder runs, you'll be holding your edge and learning to deal with the terrain. These boards offer a much longer progression curve for beginners whilst still allowing for a forgiving ride (though its all a game of trade off's :)). For intermediates: You've done your first year or two and you want an upgrade. You're hit with questions like "what do you like doing?" and you honestly can't answer the question because you have no idea. You just kinda like snowboarding with your mates and hitting up whatever. Well say hello to your new board. :) These boards are built for you. They're soft enough to be mellow and forgiving, (but stiff enough that when you want a bit of pop it's not going to just fold out on you), they hold up in almost all terrain, they can hit up almost all of the park with no bother. More importantly they are FUN. They're the boards that let you doink about the mountain bouncing off bumps, charging up ice walls, hitting the trees, and buttering the flats. These boards are built for intermediates who either dont know or dont care what their preferences are. They just want to snowboard and want one board that lets them taste it all. For advanced: Obviously the main reason to get one of these is that not everyone likes the feel of stiff boards. Not everyone enjoys ripping with really aggressive rides. Not everyone is going to naturally veer towards the baddest, heaviest, nastiest, crud smashing, chop destroying, uber-stable, turn on a rail, bombing deck. Some people are a little more subtle and maybe refined in their tastes. These boards are just as likely to feature as an advanced riders go to deck as any other deck. In fact since they are all resort and FUN forgiving playful stable rides, they might even feature in MORE people's go-to collection than any other ride out there. But for those of you who do love a bit of smashing things up on your tank board these boards give you two things to consider: 1. They make more aggressive small-medium feature park rides and 2. They make great cruising decks. they're still going to hold a line, and they're still going to pop, it might feel a bit more underwhelming than your main ride in both senses, but then your main ride probably feels a little too lively and aggressive when all you want to do is just muck about a bit and enjoy yourself. A couple of reviews: Rome Lofi and Lofi rockerThe rome lo-fi and the lo-fi rocker are great all round boards. Obviously the camber version is going to feel a lot more stable, and part of the reason for choosing the lo-fi is because there will be some big differences between the camber and reverse camber versions which indirectly also allows me to hype up camber as a VALID and LEGITIMATE tech in getting you to the ride you want to be on. Finally though, i put it up because people seem to pretty much love it. :) http://blog.the-house.com/snowboarding/snowboard-demo-2011-rome-lo-fi/ http://www.snowboard-review.com/snowboard_reviews/review/lo-fi_rocker/ http://www.trusnow.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=32844&PID=991566#991566 Burton Feelgood, Burton feegood flying V and Burton Feelgood 2010 V-rocker: Another fun experiment just to show your range of options. This years flying V is hybrid camber, has pretty much every tech that burton could jam into it and seems like a SOLID do it all board. The camber version on the other hand will have a bit more stability (due to the nature of camber) and power. However, the 2010 came with Burton's V-rocker which will make this board feel looser than either of the 2011s with some extra stability issues that the others won't really have. It's important to recognise that just a year of tech can change the feel of a ride, so if you want something that does it all but feels a bit more forgiving, you might want to look at the v-rocker 2010 model instead of the 2011. The point is that even in one line, and with one ride from one line you can tinker your experience in a myriad of ways to get just the style you want. Heres shay's reviews of the 2010 and 2011 so you can see how she felt about those changes: http://www.shayboarder.com/2009/12/snowboard-review-09-10-burton-feelgood-v-rocker.html http://www.shayboarder.com/2010/05/snowboard-review-10-11-burton-feelgood-flying-v.html Other boards to consider: Ride OMG; Ride Canvas; Bataleon Violenza (and feelbetter); Neversummer Infinity; Gnu BNice; Roxy Eminence; Roxy Olliepop; K2 Fling; K2 Luna/Lunatique; Nitro Cheryl Mass; Nitro Mystique; 2011 Burton Lipstick; Salomon Lark; Salomon Gypsy; Smokin Vixen. [ETA: I'm real torn on some of those, for instance the OMG and the lipstick (both for opposite reasons). And i also left out some that I wasn't entirely sure if I understand the board well enough. Understand though, these are after all only general ideas to help you out for further research and ultimately categorising is STUPID and arbitary. I did make up the criteria and I did decide to group the boards based on that made up criteria! This isn't science here :)] Type 3: The AGGRESSIVE FREERIDE/FREESTYLE ALL MOUNTAIN + POW sticks. General Specs: Flex: Stiff. Super poppy. Base: Sintered Shape: Directional, or directional twin Camber: Camber and Hybrid. Best for: Ripping, charging, bombing, dropping, launching, nuking, murdering, slashing, wasting, and killing the whole mountain. These boards are poppy, fast, aggressive and won't ride anything less than the most technical ridiculous lines just to make sure your worthy of standing on it. Worst for: Hangover days, learning to ride, and seducing intermediates into thinking they really want the stiffest board because everyone knows that the stiffer a board is the more advanced a rider you are! (cue: bored intermediate wishing she bought the lofi rocker instead). When you have aggressive freestyle rides sitting in the same group as powder boards it gets a little squirly trying to come up with an expression that encapsulates or sums up an inherent quality in common with all of these boards. Why I shouldn't just let the spaces, subtleties and distinctions breath a little is a fair question. I mean other than the fact they're all on the stiffer side, tend towards a directional or directional twin shape, and are packed with enough pop to launch any good rider that knows how to load it into outerspace is all by the by! Well maybe... :) There are three boards out there though, that sum this category up for me and can help illustrate what it's all about. They are: The K2 GBpop; The Burton Fortress; and The Ride Promise. I really could add in the malolo and the venture boards, but they sit at a slightly more extreme side of things and honestly deserve their own category. (But they're not getting one :)) That I mention these three doesn't mean I personally endorse or recommend them, but rather that they each stood out as defining rides for each of the areas this category encompasses. In the first case you have the K2 GBpop, an incredibly lively and aggressive directional twin freeride big feature destroyer. This board is BUILT for launching off every hit you might want to have a go at. No matter the conditions or the terrain, or where the hell you are on the mountain, this board will storm through it. what else can you add? This is your standard all mountain (whether hitting the resort or backcountry kickers) freestyle ripper. These are very much the stiffer brothers and sisters of the boards in the previous category. Secondly you have the ride promise. While i was happy browsing boards it stuck out. The reason being that it's of course a nice stiff freeride board, BUT whether intentionally or otherwise, it looks like it has real potential for a powder kid starving for options out there. This year they added the lowpro which means you get rocker in the nose and flat camber in the tail. You also get a solid core freeride board on top of that that with a setback. If they only threw in a taper... Obviously ride wanted it to be versatile and still be that aggressive all mountain ride, so if you're looking for a pure powder ripper, then maybe it's not going to be that, but if you're after an alternative to the malolo or a freeride charger with a bit more powder orientatation (and a tail that you can stomp (like my charlie slasher which (sans taper) this board sounds a bit like)), then this rig definitely fits the bill. Finally you have the fortress. I was looking for something to add about the fortress in the bells and whistles section and struggling to find anything specific that people might be pulled in with (like say a camber profile or a sidecut gimmick), but then something magical happened, the pieces all mashed together in my head and I realised this board had absolutely EVERYTHING going in one direction. This board is an uncompromising freeride destroyer! Lightning fast, super damp, and super lightweight, this board is going to crash through anything put in front of it. This board seems to have one function and it's to tear up whatever line you want to ride. Whether its bombing the blacks on the resort or hitting 60 degree chutes this board is going to hold up on everything. It's honestly one of the boards that had my jaw on the floor. So that's the three types of rides I wanted to cover in this section. Hopefully the three boards I mentioned give you a general idea of the other rides in this category. These boards are stiff, aggressive, and meant to really show their stuff on either bigger features in the park or completely outside the resort boundaries. Inside the resort they may feel a little one dimensional or a bit repetitive (given that they'll pretty much nuke every groomer out there). But outside the resort boundaries or in natural terrain they really come into their own and start returning that investment. A couple of last boards I really should mention though are the Burton Malolo and the Venture storm. Both boards sit a little in the pow category unto themselves. I've honestly been underwhelmed by the pow board options out there but at least these two are flying the flag. Sure an 8mm taper isn't massive, but it beats the crap out of no taper at all and the malolo sits on a 20mm taper which is AWESOME. Coupled with the S-rocker, you'll never sink that nose! The reason the Venture really stands out though is that they offer a splitboard version which brings to the table something utterly unique for women. If you want nothing but back country lines and a deck that's going to give you that, you definitely want to look at either of these boards. Anyway, to summarise: For Beginners:Just don't do it. I'm not kidding, really stay away from these boards until you're absolutely sure you really want one to push your riding up a notch. This won't be for a couple of years at least. Until you're cruising the double blacks bored out of your mind and feeling penned in by the resort then there's nothing this ride is going to bring to you that you can't get on a softer more forgiving board out there. Nothing! For intermediate riders: The same applies. These boards sing to you a song of freedom and waist deep fluffy fields of pow! But its the sirens call. Buy one of these before you really need one (and it's pretty likely you will know when you need one), and they'll feel pedestrian, one dimensional, boring... and on top of that, they'll probably knock you about a bit. These boards are somewhat uncompromising and really only suit the people that know they need them. For advanced riders: Yeah these boards are meant for you. BUT WITH THE PROVISO that you actually want to do the stuff they are made for. Don't assume this is some natural step on the progression ladder. It's not. If you want to hit the backside of the mountain or get a bit more kick to your pipe riding then you probably want one of these boards, but there's nothing in the world that stops you improving your riding on any board you have. If you want to rip pow on an Infinity instead of a Lotus then that's entirely up to you. You won't stop progressing. Your progression, (and I feel like I'm stating the blindingly obvious here), isn't related to how stiff your board is at the end of the day. So a massive note of caution to people thinking I'm building some kind of beginner, intermediate, and advanced scale and mapping it onto these three categories. You can be an advanced rider and be happy just cruising the groomers all day for all it matters. And if that's what you want to do, you probably don't need this board to do it. Just because these boards are almost exclusively for advanced riders, it doesn't follow that they are advanced boards or that the people riding them are ipso facto advanced. All boards have a function that they specialise in. Save yourself the agro and buy the board that does what you want it to do, not the board you think you should be on because you're 'advanced'. A final rejoinder then: If you don't find what I just wrote was blindingly obvious and labouring the point, you maybe aren't quite as advanced as you think you are :) With apologies to shayboarder: A few reviews: (honestly, i'd love to not burden shay with propping up this guide, but she's one of the only women out there offering serious opinions on these rides and her reviews are somewhat fantastic): Roxy Envi 2012: http://www.shayboarder.com/2011/03/snowboard-review-11-12-roxy-envi-c2-btx.html The Neversummer Lotus: http://www.shayboarder.com/2010/03/snowboard-review-10-11-never-summer-lotus.html Rome Blue:http://www.snowboard-review.com/snowboard_reviews/review/blue1 Other recommendations:Arbor Push; Capita Midnight; Flow Myriad; Nitro Carrara; Burton Feelgood ES; Venture Zephyr; Salomon Ivy; Palmer Liberty (I also want to throw out the Rossignol Diva Magtek but I'm honestly not 100% sure about where to put it. it sounds just a little too all round :)) Conclusion:
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 1:22am | |
Men are from Mars, (and mars is colder, so...) An absurd task, this one. A task that's no less absurd as it draws to its end I might add. I started this supplement off by proclaiming myself completely unfit to carry it out and I still believe it to be true. Still it's been fun and if nothing else I've learned a few things. Not the least of which is how much I can talk about a subject I'm not really qualified to talk about. :) That being said I learned quite a bit about women's snowboarding, which I'd like to summarise in this conclusion: On the positive side of things, women's boards are fantastic. There's no skimping on the tech that men get in their lines. There are absolutely no shortage of shapes, cambers, sidecuts, core profiles and price points out there to suit any woman looking to either get into the sport or simply take her riding up to the next level. Whatever you want to do, there's a board out there that is going to let you do it. On the flip, are some minor issues though that need to be mentioned: Firstly, women get a MUCH smaller field of product to choose from. A blessing and a curse you might think, but there it is. Women DO have less options available to them, PARTICULARLY in the more aggressive side of things. This may be because women don't really want those boards, or they don't sell, who am I to attribute a cause? But they do have less options and that is unfortunate, Particularly with regard powder boards. Aside the boards mentioned in the previous section, women's powder boards right now look a lot like hybrid camber directional twins, and though decent for powder, it does smack a little bit off "will this do?" This is certainly one area I'd like to see improved upon (says ipps, with obvious delusions of being the CEO of snowboarding). A second and bigger complaint though relates to information. Men can find PEER information on almost any well known board out there. Now we all know reviews are crap at the end of the day, but a few sources telling you about their experience is going to give you at least some idea of how something rides (or at least give you a bit of a clue on what it's for). Women have much less information out there, and this really lands at the feet of women. One of the biggest hurdles I had writing this supplement was trying to make a best guess of the information related through the product information. A google search for a review often led to maybe one or two tiny little product reviews on a retailers website, but outside of shay there was almost complete silence about the range of women's boards (other than maybe 3 or 4 boards that continually cropped up). And speaking of manufacturers and their websites, a quick note: YOUR WEBSITES SUCK! I'm not joking. Seriously. Go look at them again and honestly ask yourself, are we giving enough information to someone out there looking to buy this board? The answer was always NO NO NO (except in the case of Burton and lesser in the case of Rome (sometimes)). Please stop with the obfuscation, it drives me up the wall. Also, I know you want to say your board is pretty much good at everything, but if every board you have in your line is pretty much good at everything how the hell am I supposed to choose? Oh! your jib board is a 7 for carving, rome? Is that so? So your scale is really 7-10 then? Nitro - your videos. MAN ALIVE. I CAN READ!!! How about you ELABORATE or give a general idea on how it all functions together in the videos instead of just plastering your product descriptions of the exact same stuff i'm reading! I could go on... So I will! :) Arbor also hugely disappointed me with their descriptions. I was mas completely underwhelmed by one of the companies I was really looking forward to promoting. Indeed almost all companies ASIDE BURTON (have I stressed this enough yet?) came up incredibly short at making the information clear, simple, and straightforward. K2 were definitely one of the absolute worst offenders though. No one gives less of a shit about the customer than K2 it seems. They don't even link their tech. They stick a single meaningless buzzword at the bottom of their product and DON'T EVEN BOTHER TO LINK IT to an explanation. What do I expect you might ask? Well here's the bear minimum of what I expect. I expect a clear simple and straightforward breakdown of the tech. I then expect you to elaborate on it in a SIMPLE and EASY TO UNDERSTAND way that gievs a general sense of what the board is about. Finally I expect some opinions on the boards serious strengths. I would LOVE that. Any company that made sense of its technology and let me go as simple or as detailed as I liked wins the internet. Conclusion The situation at present is that there is a huge gap in viable and credible information out there for women compared to men. The reasons are irrelevant. The more pressing task is what to do about it? This brings me to the very final part of this supplement. Once I explained the technical differences between men's and women's boards there isn't really much more I can do but throw out a few recommendations and get on with things. And sure that helps, but it's not enough. So in order to help address the disparity in information I did a little bit of cataloguing and collected together the information from most of the big lines out there. The following table should provide information on all the 2011 gear out there right now that you might want to get your hands on. It tells you all the boards, their shape, their camber profile, their size range, their minimum waist width (i should have also added the maximum too), their flex (if given, although a fair few companies don't bother with a number definition any more), the MSRP (though i was going off websites for this so it may be incorrect) some bells and whistles, and finally a designation of the type of board in accordance with the descriptions I offered in Step 2. Hopefully this should give anyone thinking about buying a snowboard a really solid resource they can access and find out some similar boards out there. In addition I've thrown this up as a google spreadsheet so that if anyone feels the info is incorrect or not detailed enough they can add to it :) Possibly more than any other part, this is what distinguishes the women's guide from the main guide. I hope people do find it relevant, informative and useful. Anyway, thanks for reading the rambles and rants. Good luck out there and I hope you realise its all just nonsense in the end :) https://spreadsheets3.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=taAzsftLbCylaog_kHlzQrg#gid=0 |
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 1:22am | |
First pass done. Will probably have another look at it later on in the week or something, particularly that conclusion which i havent even proof read and probably sounds a teensy bit ranty :) Still, i think im done looking at it for the time being.
And huzzah! i avoided the dreaded combo breaker even with the site telling me to stop spamming! in your face haters! :p |
Instructor Joined: Apr/06/2011 Location: 51 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1881 |
Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 2:56am | |
hey oppollite, can l ask where you got the spreadsheet from? is there one for mens board also?
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 3:01am | |
i made it im afraid. And there isnt one for men unless someone else does it :)
Instructor Joined: Apr/06/2011 Location: 51 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1881 |
Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 3:40am | |
oh ok, then can l just ask you a simple question cuz l dont want to make a new thread about it
for the ride antic, should l downsize to 151 or stay at 154. l'm like 155lb and 151cm is for up to 150lb my concerns are as the following: 1-only the 156 board bag is cheap right now and l dont usually take off my binding 2-starting to do some park riding |
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 3:54am | |
its probably better if you make a thread about it dude :) Id feel a bit of an ass answering a dudes thread hijacking in a space that im trying to specifically keep for women... plus im slightly trollied and playing rift :p
Still heres an attempt at an answer: The science is still the same - if you donwsize you lose stability, you lose pop, and in turn you gain a bit more manoeuvrability and twisty turny spinny roundy feelings as well as make the board feel a teensy bit softer. You pays your money and takes your chance :) Its a decision you need to make for yourself based on what you want to do. |
Ski Bum Joined: Mar/15/2011 Location: 22 Online Status: Offline Posts: 215 |
Quote Reply Posted: Apr/30/2011 at 7:40pm | |
Awesome guide. Im really trying to get my sister into snowboarding and if i can get her to try it out and she likes it then im coming back here to help her buy a board!
Instructor Joined: Oct/10/2009 Location: 18 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1573 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/02/2011 at 6:57pm | |
This is pretty much amazing, it took a couple passes to get thought it but I respect your willingness to be thorough and having the tenacity to take it on.
Wheres the five star button!? Oh, small typo in the beginning:
Thank you!
Senior TS dinosaur drawer-er.
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/02/2011 at 7:17pm | |
thanks dude, ive been editing it on the fly today and took out a stack of tangents (though left some other ones in because a board guide without at least 40 superfluous tangents is no board guide i want to put my name to!). I assume you want me to write triple then? :) I'd like to argue, but i failed english at high school, so i'll take your word for it and not run to my default BRITISH ENGLISH!!! excuse that i give to my korean co-teachers every time they ask me a question :)
Instructor Joined: Oct/10/2009 Location: 18 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1573 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/02/2011 at 7:24pm | |
The Brits have it all wrong, triple is certainly the better alternative.
Failed English and still writing the longest posts on the forum!? Are we your surrogate professors now? I gotta ask, do you max out on characters or just feel the need to split it up (aside from when necessary)?
Senior TS dinosaur drawer-er.
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/02/2011 at 7:53pm | |
hehe, alas there is no maximum.I could go on for months. I actually put this guide into MSword and realised it was just shy of 10,000 words :)
And as for technique, well I throw out needless paragraphing all the time. In truth i'm a firm believer that a paragraph needs at least three solid points contained by one big point and maybe some form of run on sentence just to throw spanners in the works for the reader, but you try telling the kids that :) WALLOFTEXT!!CritsforOMGwtf!!! So i make some concessions to sanity. But only a few. If i had my way this thing would look like the unnamable by Beckett :p I'll also add a few headings just because i know they're a gigantic tangent (the subheading on flex and comparatively speaking pop to mind), but i cant find a less subtle way of crowbarring them in... whilst at the same time i dont want to leave them out because its nevertheless needs to be mentioned. In a sense then, if i could, i'd muck around with paragraphing because it really lets you know which people are too lazy to follow a sentence or simple thought... but then again if i was a true adherent to this type of grammar subversion id probably do away with all punctuation as well leaving the reader to work out the syntax luckily i did pass english at the second stepactuallynowirealiseitspacingisabitofaconcessiontoyourreaderaswell. :) Just mucking about :p i know my writing is the biggest barrier to me communicating an idea. So i make some break ups in the text as a means of saying "are you still with me?" rather than the more conventional "is this structurally sound?" :) |
Instructor Joined: Oct/10/2009 Location: 18 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1573 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/02/2011 at 8:25pm | |
Speaking of walls of text... Just throw a "Free Slushies on Tuesday" mid-sentence and see what happens. Oh, and whatever you do, don't stop writing. Each piece is quite entertaining.
Senior TS dinosaur drawer-er.
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/04/2011 at 6:47pm | |
if you remove the "don't" from that sentence, i hear that almost every day :)
Thanks though for the kind words :) And this is a secret bump because there's no way in hell im letting this drop off the first page. :p |
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/19/2011 at 12:59am | |
and this'll be bump 3/x :)
Instructor Joined: Mar/19/2010 Location: 26 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1905 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/19/2011 at 2:24am | |
Great summize Ipp.....if this doesn't help what does!
Got my daughter an Artec but wish I'd have gotten her a V-Spot......
Ski Bum Joined: Aug/09/2010 Location: 2 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/19/2011 at 2:42am | |
Shameless bump here - Great summary. My brother and his girlfriend are learning how to board this coming season and want to buy. This came in very useful tonight trying to explain to them why my brother with size 13 feet and his girlfriend shouldn't use the same board.
Educator Instructing How to Douglas!! Joined: Mar/06/2009 Location: 18 Online Status: Offline Posts: 906 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/19/2011 at 5:00am | |
Ippo, I will make this a Sticky so that you don't have to Spam Bump this great thread that you have created.
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: May/19/2011 at 5:32pm | |
cheers dude, it was getting embarrassing. :)
Instructor Joined: Sep/09/2008 Location: 18 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2056 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jun/20/2011 at 7:18pm | |
Such a great thread. Finally, a guide for women!
I recommend the Gnu B Pro as an amazing board!!! It's consistently the Good Wood Winner for women's boards and is filled with all the Mervyn tech.
Gnu B Pro 152 BTX w/ Union Milan bindings
Instructor Joined: Oct/28/2009 Location: 6 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1510 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jun/21/2011 at 3:56am | |
this is great. and turns out i bought the right board for what i want to do even without reading this :)
Instructor Joined: Mar/02/2010 Location: 8 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1825 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jun/21/2011 at 4:40am | |
If only Queensland had snow...
Ski Bum Joined: Jul/15/2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jul/20/2011 at 3:26am | |
wow can't get over how thorough this is! I'm only just starting to look at a board and this has been very helpful! big thankyou
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jul/20/2011 at 5:37am | |
thank you, i genuinely appreciate feedback on this thread. I hope the info helps, and remember this just covers the issues pertaining to womens boards. If you want to know a bit more about the more general tech inside a snowboard then check out the other sticky. :)
http://www.trusnow.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40125 (its slightly longer :}) |
Instructor Joined: Apr/19/2010 Location: 51 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1781 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jul/20/2011 at 5:40am | |
yeah its a great thread ippollite. based on your descriptioni or what not, l picked up the flow jewel. never got to test it out yet but l hope l like it :P
Local Joined: Mar/01/2010 Location: 16 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1546 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jul/20/2011 at 6:25am | |
This is AMAZING!!!!
Thank you for putting so much time and effort into writing this. Luckily with snowboarding, I've been using women's specific gear since the inception. I had to find a boot that was shorter (because women's calves start out lower than mens), a women's board (I did enjoy the graphics as well as the narrower waist ), and women's specific clothing.
The only issue that I've had with any of the above has been women's specific snowboarding/winter clothing is that it's made more fashionable (from what I've tried) than practical. Although I like the look of low rise pants and short jackets, I loathe snow in between those areas. I still haven't found a combo that I enjoy, that keeps me warm without sweating... that is comfortable without dragging the pants on the ground... being attractive and practical... I know, so much to ask.
I would also like to put it this way... For all those women out there that buy women's clothing for day to day life because it just looks better (better cut and fit), this is the same thing.
Thanks again for the post IP. I will definitely come back to this thread whenever I decide to buy gear!!!
Local Joined: Mar/01/2010 Location: 16 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1546 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jul/21/2011 at 5:54am | |
Doug, where do Sticky's get located? I would like to be able to find this thread later.
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jul/21/2011 at 5:53pm | |
you can find it exactly right here since a sticky pretty much means its stuck in one place :)
Local Joined: Jul/17/2011 Location: 51 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1021 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jul/21/2011 at 6:06pm | |
its called book marking. all browser has it. use it |
Instructor Joined: Jan/01/2009 Location: 22 Online Status: Offline Posts: 491 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jul/25/2011 at 6:08am | |
I have ridden close to a hundred boards. 20% being women's. I have a size 10 foot so the width of the board is not effecting the boards I have ridden - if the had, I used elevators. With that being said, women's boards are narrower and have more flex. The narrowness makes it easier to control the board. More flex makes tricks easier to pull off.
With all that being said, I left reviews of female boards. This upset people and they tarted calling me homosexual and mentally challenged Plus all my reviews were spammed and now I can't earn points. I tried explaining the simple physics of the board being narrower makes it perfect for a beginner. But I was bashed and labeled a homosexual |
| | | bryman | | |
Instructor panic lounge Joined: Aug/19/2007 Location: 48 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2618 |
Quote Reply Posted: Jul/25/2011 at 7:13am | |
^^^^ ahhh, Bagelzzz, welcome back bud
get bent
Instructor Joined: Jan/01/2009 Location: 22 Online Status: Offline Posts: 491 |
Quote Reply Posted: Aug/04/2011 at 3:26pm | |
Thanks B
I have bought about $2200 worth of gear - hence my hi points and they ban me for leaving reviews on female boards I bought from them. They should've banned me from buying female boards and bindings :). I finally found my true love - the custom flying v with squeezebox - a late release with next years technology. I feel like I'm cheating - that's how sweet this board is. Paired up with cartels. Driver x boots and all new clothing - it's 85 degrees out and I can't wait for it to snow!!! |
Instructor Joined: Jan/01/2009 Location: 22 Online Status: Offline Posts: 491 |
Quote Reply Posted: Aug/04/2011 at 3:31pm | |
Just double checked - it's closer to $3500. What a way to treat such a repeat customer - eh??
Instructor Joined: Feb/02/2010 Location: 45 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2178 |
Quote Reply Posted: Aug/07/2011 at 6:23pm | |
haha, imagine that! after all the womens boards, you finally found a mens board and bindings that you like more.
Instructor Joined: Jan/01/2009 Location: 22 Online Status: Offline Posts: 491 |
Quote Reply Posted: Aug/15/2011 at 3:50pm | |
Yes. The whole point of that was to let newby's who don't have a lot of money should try women's boards. They're cheaper (especially used ones) and easier to learn on.
I found my true love - a 158 custom flying v with squeezebox and cartels. That's for good condition days. For bad conditions I have my burton troop 146 and escapade bindings. Save money on a nug and get some elevators and a tiny board. I've been riding 146 boards for ten years (as my crappy conditions board) I'm 6"5' |
Ski Bum Joined: Mar/28/2011 Location: 51 Online Status: Offline Posts: 546 |
Quote Reply Posted: Sep/15/2011 at 12:04pm | |
Hey all, I'd welcome any suggestions for a board/binding combo for my gf. She's totaly new to the sport and would like to take it up this winter with me.
She's about 110 pounds, 5foot 3ish. Thx |
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Sep/17/2011 at 6:33pm | |
cant really help you on bindings, but have a look at section 2 (types of deck) for some ideas. I really like the LOOK (what else can i say?) of the lofi and lofi rocker. I also think the fling sounds like a nice mellow fun board, and zoe <3 the smf. Finally theres always the vspot, (but id definitely run the graphics/name past her first - it seems to er, divide opinion a bit. :)
Oh, and just checked out shay and her top pick for a nice soft easy going ride (i mean er, park) was the endevour boyfriend. Her binding pick was the k2 auto agogo. Of course these are just ideas for further research on YOUR part (or better yet, your gf's part :)).
Ski Bum lol Joined: Sep/07/2011 Location: 7 Online Status: Offline Posts: 64 |
Quote Reply Posted: Oct/15/2011 at 12:59am | |
Thanks heaps, this really helped me pick a board for my girlfriend!
Ski Bum Joined: Oct/07/2011 Location: 18 Online Status: Offline Posts: 18 |
Quote Reply Posted: Oct/20/2011 at 2:51pm | |
Thanks for all the info. I've only been boarding a couple of years and my brother's given me some advice, but this breaks everything down nicely.
Local catching air at bear Joined: Aug/05/2010 Location: 19 Online Status: Offline Posts: 622 |
Quote Reply Posted: Oct/26/2011 at 7:31pm | |
thank you very much for this guide. over the past few weeks ive been searching around for some deals on women's gear for a friend. i ended up going with the rossi temptation and rossi bindings. got a pretty good deal too, i think board and bindings together were like 230 or something like that
Lift Op. Joined: Nov/02/2011 Location: 21 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5 |
Quote Reply Posted: Nov/02/2011 at 12:36pm | |
Instructor Joined: May/29/2009 Location: 7 Online Status: Offline Posts: 171 |
Quote Reply Posted: Nov/02/2011 at 12:43pm | |
excellent article. No mention of women's boards suitable for (club) racing??
Expert Members Joined: Oct/26/2009 Location: 60 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3049 |
Quote Reply Posted: Nov/06/2011 at 4:30pm | |
as with the other one i figured if youre after an alpine board then you likely know way more than this guides going to help you with :)
If youre all about racing and dont want an alpine board, then likely youre going to want a nice directional stiff deck with a nice quick base. Of course im basing that on no knowledge of racing at all, and just extrapolating from my own experience of shooting down a hill as fast as i can go :p The fortress looks like its built for the kind of thing of course, but it does come with a pretty hefty price tag :)
Local Joined: Oct/25/2011 Location: 9 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1865 |
Quote Reply Posted: Nov/11/2011 at 8:51am | |
Holy cow what a thread!
Not buying gear this season (first season - yay!), but this is going to come in super handy as I spend the next year trying to figure out what I want! |
Ski Bum Joined: Jun/13/2008 Location: 32 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4 |
Quote Reply Posted: Nov/29/2011 at 8:18am | |
Are there any women out there that can give a specific suggestion for a board for a beginner? My husband is a snowboarding fanatic and I keep telling myself that my first time on a board (which ended in a concussion) shouldn't be my last. I like your guide but I'd like someone to tell me--hey get *this* board.
Instructor Joined: Nov/29/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2842 |
Quote Reply Posted: Nov/29/2011 at 8:23am | |
post this question as a new topic and we'll help you from there. height, weight, boot size, other preference, etc. |
Did you google it?
Ski Bum Joined: Apr/18/2011 Location: 19 Online Status: Offline Posts: 12 |
Quote Reply Posted: Nov/30/2011 at 7:46pm | |
I just came across this post and found it very helpful. Thank you.
Angry Midget Yo
Board Member Tailpress at Mammoth! Joined: Mar/16/2010 Location: 19 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7003 |
Quote Reply Posted: Nov/30/2011 at 8:38pm | |
I didn't know this thread existed! Just as good as Ippy's original thread.
Sessions sucks hairy monkey balls, the end.
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- Jaunumi
- Novembris 11, 2014
The destination of the 2014 MotoGP title has long been known but the fight for the silver medal went right down to the wire – and it now h...
MotoGPROSSI UN LORENZO PJEDESTĀLS SEPANGĀ
- Jaunumi
- Oktobris 27, 2014
Valentino Rossi ir rokas stiepiena attālumā no MotoGP čempionāta sudraba medaļas sasniegšanas,
MotoGPCLAW DOMINATES PHILLIP ISLAND
- Jaunumi
- Oktobris 19, 2014
A win for The Doctor on his 250th GP start, a clean sweep on the podium and a first trip to the steps for an awesome young prospect. Not a b...
MotoGPLORENZO WINS IN JAPAN
- Jaunumi
- Oktobris 13, 2014
On a day that belonged to one Spanish MotoGP world champion, another one tore through the field to lay down a marker for next year.
MotoGPLORENZO LIGHTS UP ARAGON TO TAKE HOME VICTORY
- Jaunumi
- Septembris 29, 2014
Just two weeks since Valentino Rossi delivered a Misano masterclass Jorge Lorenzo defied the odds, and the form-book, to take his first win ...
MotoGPTHE ITALIAN JOB! IN OUR TIME LEGEND VALENTINO ROSSI THRILLS THE ITALIAN FAITHFUL AT MISANO
- Jaunumi
- Septembris 16, 2014
Homeboy Valentino Rossi sent the wild eyed San Marino crowd home with a story for the ages today when he won Sunday`s MotoGP main event at t...
MotoGPJORGE AND VALE STAY ON THE STEPS AS TITO AND MIKA GO ONE-TWO
- Jaunumi
- Augusts 31, 2014
Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi took their customary positions on the MotoGP podium after an epic battle at Silverstone, but Moto2 boys Ti...
MotoGPFANS OUT IN FORCE FOR CZECH MOTOGP
- Jaunumi
- Augusts 17, 2014
Almost a quarter of a million adrenaline-loving petrol heads flocked to Brno on Sunday to see the 11th round of the 2014 MotoGP Championship...


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Submissions due by December 18th 6am(pst) 9am(est)
Results will be posted on December 19th (or earlier)
Submit as many times as you like, but please make sure you like your designs
PM me your submissions! Do not post them here!
Scoring is MiniComp (please pay attention to the rules as some have changed)
Scoring is like golf... lowest score wins.
Not completing a level: +90
Each rod or stick: +1
Un-powered wheels: +2
Powered wheels: +3
30 Ticks: +1 (divide total number of ticks by 30 to get points, whole number only)
A green solution: -10 or 1/2 your score, whatever decreases your score the most (use no powered wheels)
A boomerang solution: -7 (bring all goal pieces back to the build area, and stay there)
A champion solution: -5 (keep the goal pieces in the goal)
A brown solution: -4 (only rods/sticks used)
A lightning solution: -4 (beat the level in less than the recommended number of ticks)
A clean solution: -3 (clear all remains of your machine from the stage)
A dynamic clean: -10 (clear all pieces including dynamic objects from level)
A water only solution: -15 (solve using only water rods)
Note: no glitchy solutions allowed.
Level 1 190
Level 2 250
Level 3 325
There will be no exceptions on the deadline, deadline time will be determined by the time stamp on your PM
Feel free to discuss the levels here, but do not tell your score, or possible score...auto-dq.
Good luck!
Level 1: http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=4976224 : -19 125 Ticks
Level 2: http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=4979646 : -8.5 147 Ticks
Level 3: http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=4939067 : -15 447 Ticks
Total: -42.5
Level 1: http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=4971972 -5.5 364 Ticks
Level 2: http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=5027323 -5 127 Ticks
Level 3: http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=4972658 -3 400 Ticks
Total: -13.5
Blood Avenger
Level 1: 90
Level 2: 90
Level 3: http://FantasticContraption.com/?designId=4971116 -13 391 Ticks
Total: 167
Level 1: http://fantasticcontraption.com/?designId=5004999 87 261 Ticks
Level 2: http://fantasticcontraption.com/?designId=5022492 170 880 Ticks
Level 3: http://fantasticcontraption.com/?designId=5020207 -9 405 Ticks
Total: 248


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Four Zipper Leggings
Style # 192305
Edge up your legging collection with this glam pair by bebe, featuring exposed metal zipper detail at hips and a comfortable medium-weight stretch. Team them with booties, a silk tunic and a floppy hat for an it-girl look.
- 86% nylon, 14% spandex
- Machine wash
- Imported
- Rise: 8" (20 cm), inseam: 29" (74 cm)
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S
Four Zipper Leggings
Love theseLeggins
They are form fitting and comfortable and look great with a long leather jacket from Bebe.
Thank you Bebe for another super product.
September 26, 2013
Fabulous leggings!
True to size, good quality material, great design, versatile, stretchy, medium weight, comfortable and affordable. I bought in store and the ONLY difference is that the zippers are no longer silver - the zippers are like a darker silver, still noticeable and fabulous, actually is even better for me. Just wanted to let you know.
Another must have for the season!
September 24, 2013
Not as pictured
The description says the model is a size Small, and she is 5'9. NO WAY! I am 5'8 and ordered a medium. These leggings sit above my ankles, and do not scrunch at the bottom like pictured. Which is why I purchased these, they weren't high water skinnies. But actually they are high waters! I'm 5'8 and she is 5'9? NO WAY! These are cute, but wait until they go on SALE.
August 28, 2013
sexxy and sleek
these are way too sexy..they are true to size..very stylish with the zippers ..they really stand out...they look good almost any black bebe stiletto<3 highly reccomend
July 22, 2013
You won't be disappointed!
Great leggings! Love the look and the feel of these leggings. I am usually a size Small but I bought XS,it is stretchable and I have to go a size down and it fits perfect!! The material is incredibly comfy. I would wear these instead of regular jeans all the time if I could.
January 20, 2013
Finally Mine !
"I absolutely love these leggings. They're simple, but the four zippers dress it up and allow you to accessorize it (i.e., jewelry vs. blazer) for either a casual day, a night out, or even a day at work ! They're extremely comfortable and worth the price; definitely going to get a lot of use out of them :)"
July 22, 2012
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Front Wood HandleGas Grill Side Handle
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Courtesy Mor Gro FarmsMor Gro Farms Inc., Leamington, Ontario, has begun trials of its biomass gasification system. Company officials plan to reach energy self-sufficiency by May with the gasification unit and a solar panel array that is nearing completion.A greenhouse grower in Ontario plans to be energy independent by May with hopes of ultimately selling power back to the utility company as it switches to biomass gasification and solar power.
Mor Gro Farms Inc., Leamington, Ontario, started trial burns in mid-March, said Tom Trojniak, director of marketing and quality control.
"We've been using waste wood chips so far and will test miscanthus grass (pellets) next," Trojniak said.
"Everything is working and there are already two other companies that are interested in having similar systems designed."
The biomass gasification unit at Mor Gro's 50-acre greenhouse operation was conceived by Green Grorganics Inc., a company founded by Marisa Pereira, wife of Mor Gro's sales manager Dave Pereira and daughter of Mor Gro owner John Moauro.
Marisa Pereira worked with Bijendra Heavy Electricals Ltd., Meerut, India, to design and build the biomass gasification unit for the greenhouse that is home to the Smarty Brand label.
The unit is unique to Mor Gro's operation, but Green Grorganics Inc. has distribution rights with Bijendra to market similar systems in North America.
TrojniakThe systems use a burning process that reaches almost 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit to turn pellets made of waste materials — including everything from wood chips to used tires — into a combustible gas that is used to heat the greenhouse via boilers.
Trojniak said they plan to add a generator to the system so the gasification unit can be used to create electricity.
He said a byproduct of the gasification process is carbon dioxide, which will be pumped back into the greenhouse to benefit the growing tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.
The high temperature of the gasification process refines and destroys corrosive ash elements such as chloride and potassium, making it a cleaner option than traditional boiler systems.


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Processing Time - Orders typically ship in 2-5 business days. Transit via UPS Ground can take up to 6 business days. Braided and custom-made products may take 2 to 3 weeks for delivery.
Free Shipping to Contiguous United States - We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii or the Caribbean Islands at this time.
Oversized items - Orders that ship freight may take up to 2 weeks from shipment date to be delivered. You will be contacted by the trucking company to schedule a delivery appointment.
Shipping to Canada - Orders shipping to Canada will be subject to a 15% shipping surcharge fee. The shipping surcharge does not cover duties, customs, taxes or brokerage fees which may be charged to you by the shipping courier at time of delivery. At this time we are not shipping to Yukon and the Northwest Territories in Canada.
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Safavieh Martha Stewart MSR3267 Pearl Rug
Item #: 101MSR3267A-P Add to Wishlist
Description: Artistically blending the weaving cultures of Japan and Italy, the overall flower motif of Garland was adapted from a lavishly embroidered vintage kimono, and then richly embellished with a vermicelli pattern found in Italian silks since the 18th century. This versatile design is created with shimmering viscose yarns for pattern definition against a luxuriously thick matte textured background of fine New Zealand wool.
- Collection: Martha Stewart
- Brand: Safavieh
- Material: Wool
- Weave: Hand Tufted
- Styles: Country & Floral Rugs
- Origin: India
- Available in the following sizes: 2' 6" x 4' 3", 3' 9" x 5' 9", 5' 6" x 8' 6", 7' 9" x 9' 9", 8' 6" x 11' 6", 9' 6" x 13' 6", 6' Round and 2' 3" x 10'
Safavieh's award-winning original collections range from the finest antique reproductions to the most fashion forward, contemporary rugs. Safavieh offers a wide variety of transitional area and accent rugs of both Oriental and contemporary designs. Safavieh also produces a variety of rug designs from American Country styles and 19th and early 20th Century European Art.
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Collegiate Needlepoint Tote, Georgia Tech
No longer available
- Overview
Show your pride for the Yellow Jackets with this heavy-duty canvas and leather carryall, featuring Georgia Tech's initials embroidered by hand in needlepoint stitches.
- 12" wide x 6" deep x 18" high
- Expertly crafted of durable canvas and leather.
- Features beautiful needlepoint stitching.
- Includes one small exterior pocket and three interior pockets.
- Dimensions + Care
- Overall: 12" wide x 6" deep x 18" high
- Handles: 6.5" wide x 9.5" high
- Spot clean with a soft, damp cloth.
- Shipping Info
- Please allow approximately 5-7 business days for delivery. Delivery estimate includes monogrammed and gift-wrapped items.


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- Dec 20:
- Editorial: Supervisor Adams made a difference
- Dec 16:
- Marin County bids adieu to Supervisor Susan Adams
- Live updates from Marin supervisors meeting on trails plan, tour buses and Susan Adams' farewell, 9 a.m.
- Oct 8:
- Trustees affirm Adams' enrollment in pension program
- Oct 2:
- Supervisor Adams joins pension system to get $19,000 a year
- Nov 15:
- Supervisor Susan Adams will run for re-election, faces two challengers
- Oct 2:
- San Rafael Councilman Damon Connolly seeks Supervisor Susan Adams' seat
- Sep 28:
- Marin Voice: Support proves we can work together as a community
- Sep 19:
- Editorial: Adams recall falls short, but provides victories
- Sep 17:
- Drive to recall Supervisor Susan Adams fails but critics claim success
- Sep 11:
- Supervisor Adams apologizes for mailer 'misunderstanding' as mayor broils
- Sep 7:
- Supervisor Adams on recall bid: 'The polling looks really good for me'
- Aug 4:
- Marin Voice: NIMBYism rides again
- Jul 18:
- Editorial: Free speech means letting others speak, too
- Jun 26:
- Marinwood, Lucas Valley residents vent housing, land use concerns to Supervisor Adams
- Jun 11:
- Carol Brandt declares bid to oust Supervisor Susan Adams
- May 30:
- Marin Voice: Time for us to work together
- May 28:
- Marin Voice: Supervisor Susan Adams recall can't wait
- May 25:
- George Russell: Susan Adams recall effort
- May 23:
- Adams recall advocates launch San Rafael petition drive
- May 20:
- Recall petition seeking Adams' ouster gets OK
- May 9:
- Editorial: Recall of Supervisor Susan Adams is expensive, unwarranted
- May 8:
- Supervisor Adams issues recall response
- May 3:
- Adams recall election could cost Marin taxpayers $250,000
A San Rafael citizens group apparently irritated about housing plans and related county issues wants to recall Supervisor Susan Adams, saying she has failed to represent her constituents.
The group, a coalition headed by Carol Joyce Sheerin of Cedar Hill Drive in north San Rafael, filed a formal notice with the county Wednesday declaring its intention to circulate recall petitions to oust Adams from office.
"Grounds for the recall are as follows: Supervisor Adams' continued failure to represent her constituents," the statement says without elaboration. It was signed by 27 residents.
After Adams files a formal response that must be included on the recall petition, and the petition is certified, the group has 120 days to gather the signatures of 6,368 registered voters in the San Rafael supervisorial district, according to Registrar of Voters Elaine Ginnold.
Sheerin, reached at home Thursday afternoon, said she could make no statement on behalf of the group pending a meeting later in the day. She described herself as co-leader of the group, but declined to say who the other leader was. "We can't talk to you yet," she said.
Carolyn Lenert, head of the North San Rafael Coalition of Residents, was among signers of the statement filed by Sheerin, but could not be reached for comment.
Sheerin, a San Rafael resident since 1967 active in past campaigns to buy open space, save Falkirk mansion and block the old Renaissance Faire from locating in Lucas Valley, said she is personally angry because "none of the supervisors in Marin County are representing their constituents."
County officials, she said, are ignoring the "voices of the people" by pushing for high-density housing plans proposed by regional government, and disruptive freeway improvement programs such as the Corte Madera interchange project.
Adams said she was surprised by the recall move, adding she expected instead to face an opponent in the 2014 election for her supervisorial seat.
"I felt like somebody was going to file papers to run against me," she said in brief comments when she arrived at the county elections office Thursday for a meeting with Ginnold on recall election procedure. Citizens are talking recall in apparent protest to plans for low- and moderate-income housing in Marinwood and at Grady Ranch, she said.
"I don't even support 30-unit-per-acre zoning at Grady," Adams said.
Adams said that with a constellation of controversial proposals swirling at once — including a regional housing program, a high-density rezoning plan and efforts allowing low-cost housing complexes in neighborhoods — "there is a lot of deep-seated fear in the community."
Ginnold said that in light of a number of variables, "including the number of signatures they have to get," it is unlikely any recall election would appear on the November ballot. But a successful effort to collect valid signatures could force an election at about the same time Adams must stand for re-election next spring.
"Why couldn't they have just waited?" the supervisor wondered.
Contact Nels Johnson via email at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him at twitter.com/nelsjohnsonnews


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Weird Park: Broken Tune Collector's Edition
Explore a haunted amusement park in Weird Park: Broken Tune! Take the role of a private detective hired to investigate a rash of "accidental" deaths that befell those who worked at the park before city officials shut it down. Investigate amazing locations carefully in this incredible Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure game! Tread carefully to make it out of this Weird Park alive and discover the murderer!
This is a special Collector's Edition release full of exclusive extras you won't find in the standard version. As a bonus, Collector's Edition purchases count toward three stamps on your Monthly Game Club Punch Card!
The Collector's Edition includes:
- Bonus gameplay
- Integrated Strategy Guide
- Concept Art
Game System Requirements:
- OS: Windows XP/Vista/8
- CPU: 1.0 GHz
- DirectX: 9.0
- Hard Drive: 716 MB
Game Manager System Requirements:
- Browser: Internet Explorer 7 or later
Buy this game Get 3 punches
The Big Fish Guarantee:
- Quality tested and virus free.
- No ads, no adware, no spyware.


text: Thanks, Sherrie! Yes, it's getting to be a little antique mecca downtown. I work part-time downtown in the Voter Registration Office. If you're ever in town stop by and say hi, I might be there, especially if it's time for absentee voting--that will start around June 1 and run until the primary July 15.


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- Make sure that you have date and time set correctly on your phone.
- Check if there is new software available for your phone.
- Check your internet connection: Open the web browser and check if you can access your mail by entering the webmail address in your browser address field.
- Try using Wi-Fi instead of the mobile data. This is to bypass possible roaming or outgoing (SMTP) mail server limitation.
- Make sure that your mail inbox is not full. Move the emails from inbox to a temp folder. This is also to determine if there are corrupted emails causing synchronisation problems.
- Change your mail sync setting, which specifies in days how old items should be downloaded from the server. This can resolve the issue of not seeing an older mail items on your phone.
- Make sure that login approvals (two-step verification) are not enabled on your mail account. Refer to your mail provider to learn more about two-step verification.
- Delete and re-create your email profile on the phone. If this fails, switch your phone to flight mode and reboot. At this point you should delete your email profile, then turn off the flight mode and re-create your email.
The previous actions usually solve your problem. If it does not help, you may have to contact the service provider or compare the settings to another phone to determine whether the settings are correct.


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Custom napkins, custom coasters and custom disposable cups make it easy to promote your business, event or organization. Printed products like these can carry your business' logo, brand name, custom artwork and more. With so many cups, coasters and napkins to choose from you are certain to find the perfect item to promote your brand.
Use printed products like these at the office, conferences, corporate events and other company functions. It's especially useful for businesses involved in the food and beverage industry. Products like printed napkins, cups and coasters are essential for any function with food and drinks. Food and drinks are also a great way to attract attention at events, so the next time you offer a potential client or a crowd of people at your event a cup of coffee, a cold beverage or food and desserts, serve it in something that will help reinforce your brand.
ePromos offers a wide variety of custom napkins, disposable cups and coasters to suit all types of businesses with custom printing available. It has luncheon napkins, beverage napkins, dinner napkins, plastic cups, frosted plastic cups, clear biodegradable cups, paperboard coasters, leather coasters, custom photo frame photo coasters, woven coasters, glass coasters and more. Printed napkins, disposable cups and coasters are another ways for your business to get promoted and for you to present potential clients and customers with your brand and takeaway message.
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St Maarten
Flights to St Maarten introduce an island of two nations, the French side and the Dutch side. Whichever one your St Maarten flight takes you to, white sandy beaches, seafood restaurants, live Caribbean music and local rum are guaranteed.
Things to do
Spend your St Maarten holiday crossing a rainforest on a zip-wire at Loterie Farm or admiring the local beauties at The Butterfly Farm. But a ticket to St Maarten doesn't have to leave you exhausted - relax and people watch on Orient Beach.
A ticket to St Maarten sees bargain-lovers taking home duty-free cosmetics and designer jewellery. Souvenirs from a flight to St Maarten can be found at the island's local markets in Philipsburg and Marigot.
Most book flights to St Maarten not expecting to find some of the best fresh seafood and gourmet French cuisine in the Caribbean. Head for one of the many options in Grand Case, Philipsburg and Marigot.
With beach bars, open-air discos and a huge casino, Maho Beach sizzles at night. Many beach bars in Maho, Simpson Bay and Cupecoy are located near the airport.
When to go
KLM has frequent flights to St Maarten. Buy airline tickets to coincide with the island's festivals. The Heineken Regatta takes place in March, St Martin's Carnival in February and St Maarten's Carnival in April/May.


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Exhortations to obedience and faith. (1-6) To piety, and to improve afflictions. (7-12) To gain wisdom. (13-20) Guidance of Wisdom. (21-26) The wicked and the upright. (27-35)
Verses 1-6 In the way of believing obedience to God's commandments health and peace may commonly be enjoyed; and though our days may not be long upon earth, we shall live for ever in heaven. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; God's mercy in promising, and his truth in performing: live up to them, keep up thine interest in them, and take the comfort of them. We must trust in the Lord with all our hearts, believing he is able and wise to do what is best. Those who know themselves, find their own understandings a broken reed, which, if they lean upon, will fail. Do not design any thing but what is lawful, and beg God to direct thee in every case, though it may seem quite plain. In all our ways that prove pleasant, in which we gain our point, we must acknowledge God with thankfulness. In all our ways that prove uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must acknowledge him with submission. It is promised, He shall direct thy paths; so that thy way shall be safe and good, and happy at last.
Verses 7-12 There is not a greater enemy to the fear of the Lord in the heart, than self-conceit of our own wisdom. The prudence and sobriety which religion teaches, tend not only to the health of the soul, but to the health of the body. Worldly wealth is but poor substance, yet, such as it is, we must honour God with it; and those that do good with what they have, shall have more to do more good with. Should the Lord visit us with trials and sickness, let us not forget that the exhortation speaks to us as to children, for our good. We must not faint under an affliction, be it ever so heavy and long, not be driven to despair, or use wrong means for relief. The father corrects the son whom he loves, because he loves him, and desires that he may be wise and good. Afflictions are so far from doing God's children any hurt, that, by the grace of God, they promote their holiness.
Verses 13-20 No precious jewels or earthly treasures are worthy to be compared with true wisdom, whether the concerns of time or eternity be considered. We must make wisdom our business; we must venture all in it, and be willing to part with all for it. This Wisdom is the Lord Jesus Christ and his salvation, sought and obtained by faith and prayer. Were it not for unbelief, remaining sinfulness, and carelessness, we should find all our ways pleasantness, and our paths peace, for his are so; but we too often step aside from them, to our own hurt and grief. Christ is that Wisdom, by whom the worlds were made, and still are in being; happy are those to whom he is made of God wisdom. He has wherewithal to make good all his promises.
Verses 21-26 Let us not suffer Christ's words to depart from us, but keep sound wisdom and discretion; then shall we walk safely in his ways. The natural life, and all that belongs to it, shall be under the protection of God's providence; the spiritual life, and all its interests, under the protection of his grace, so that we shall be kept from falling into sin or trouble.
Verses 27-35 Our business is to observe the precepts of Christ, and to copy his example; to do justice, to love mercy, and to beware of covetousness; to be ready for every good work, avoiding needless strife, and bearing evils, if possible, rather than seeking redress by law. It will be found there is little got by striving. Let us not envy prosperous oppressors; far be it from the disciples of Christ to choose any of their ways. These truths may be despised by the covetous and luxurious, but everlasting contempt will be the portion of such scorners, while Divine favour is shown to the humble believer.
Proverbs 3:1-35 . The study of truth commended. God must be feared, honored, and trusted, and filial submission, under chastisement, exhibited. The excellence of wisdom urged and illustrated by its place in the divine counsels. Piety enforced by a contrast of the destiny of the righteous and the wicked.
1. law [and] commandments--all divine instructions
let thine heart keep--or sincerely observe ( Proverbs 4:13 , 5:2 ).
2. length . . . life--often promised as blessings ( Psalms 21:4 , 91:16 ).
peace--includes prosperity ( Psalms 125:5 ).
add--abound to thee.
3. mercy and truth--God's faithfulness to His promises is often expressed by these terms ( Psalms 25:10 , 57:3 ). As attributes of men, they express integrity in a wide sense ( Proverbs 16:6 , 20:28 ).
bind . . . write . . . heart--outwardly adorn and inwardly govern motives.
4. favour--grace, amiability ( Proverbs 22:11 , Psalms 45:2 ); united with this,
a good understanding--(Compare Margin), a discrimination, which secures success.
in the sight . . . man--such as God and man approve.
5. Trust . . . heart--This is the center and marrow of true wisdom ( Proverbs 22:19 , 28:25 ). The positive duty has its corresponding negation in the admonition against self-confidence.
6. ways--( Psalms 1:1 ).
acknowledge--by seeking His wise aid ( Proverbs 16:3 , Psalms 37:5 , Jeremiah 9:23 Jeremiah 9:24 ).
direct--literally, "make plain" (compare Hebrews 12:13 ).
7. (Compare Proverbs 27:2 , Romans 12:16 ).
fear . . . evil--reverentially regarding His law.
8. It--This conduct.
health--(Compare Margin).
to thy navel--for all the organs of nourishment.
marrow--(Compare Margin).
bones--frame of body. True piety promotes bodily health.
9, 10. (Compare Proverbs 11:25 , Exodus 23:19 , Deuteronomy 18:4 , Isaiah 32:8 , 2 Corinthians 9:13 ).
10. presses--or wine fats ( Joel 2:24 , 3:13 ).
11, 12. The true intent of afflictions considered; they do not contradict the assertion of the blessed state of the pious ( Job 5:17 , Hebrews 12:5 Hebrews 12:6 ).
12. he delighteth--or receiveth as denoting reconciliation regarding the offense which produced chastisement.
13. findeth--literally, "reaches," or "obtains by seeking."
getteth--literally, "draws out," as metals by digging.
14, 15. The figure of Proverbs 3:13 carried out.
it--that is, wisdom.
merchandise of silver--acquisition by trading.
fine gold--dug gold, solid as a nugget.
15. rubies--gems, or pearls.
16, 17. Wisdom personified as bringing the best blessings (compare Matthew 6:33 , 1 Timothy 4:8 ).
17. Her ways--such as she directs us to take.
18. Wisdom allegorized as
a tree of life--( Genesis 2:9 , 3:22 ) whose fruit preserves life, gives all that makes living a blessing.
19, 20. The place of wisdom in the economy of creation and providence commends it to men, who, in proportion to their finite powers, may possess this invaluable attribute, and are thus encouraged by the divine example of its use to seek its possession.
21. sound wisdom--(compare Proverbs 2:7 ).
let . . . eyes--that is, these words of instruction.
22-24. assign reasons in their value for happiness and ornament, guidance and support in dangers, both when waking and sleeping.
25. Be not--or, "You shall not be."
sudden fear--what causes it ( Proverbs 1:27 ), any unlooked-for evil ( Psalms 46:3 , 91:12 , 1 Peter 3:14 ).
desolation--( Proverbs 1:27 ).
26. The reason; such as are objects of God's favor.
be thy confidence--literally, "in thy confidence," in the source of thy strength (compare Nahum 3:9 , for the same construction, Hebrew).
27, 28. Promptly fulfil all obligations both of justice and charity (compare james 2:15 james 2:16 ).
29, 30. Do not abuse confidence and avoid litigation.
31. oppressor--or man of mischief. The destiny of successful evildoers warns against desiring their lot ( Psalms 37:1 Psalms 37:2 Psalms 37:35 Psalms 37:36 ).
32-35. Reasons for the warning.
froward--( Proverbs 2:15 ).
secret . . . righteous--in their communion ( Amos 3:7 ).
33. curse . . . wicked--It abides with them, and will be manifested.
34. The retribution of sinners, as in Psalms 18:26 .
35. inherit--as a portion.
shame--or disgrace, as opposed to honor.
promotion--(Compare Margin); as honor for well-doing makes men conspicuous, so fools are signalized by disgrace.