New Toys and Stuff

Every year that we get a reasonable amount of snow fall, I scour the pages of ebay for cheap snowboards,... along with every other dude with a similar idea.  Used boards of all makes and models turn up and inevitably go for silly prices as everyone bids in hope.  Problem is separating the wheat from the chaff and the genuine bargain 'used once and didn't like it' from the 'two years old (but used on the dry slope twice a week since'.

Speaking to a couple of people in the know (though who really knows...) seemed to suggest that the new season stuff comes in around September time so hey, see what you can get your hands on around August sort of time.  And besides, how much of an advancement does a board make from one season to the next anyway?

So, board, boots and bindings were sought, and as of today, I'm a third of the way there...

Brand new, 2006 Ride Control 162 should do me alright bought for not many pounds of ebay. I think I got lucky as there are plenty of people bidding on items, even at this time of they year - they must also have the same idea.  As mentioned previously on other postings, I never get to Tamworth Snowdome more than once a month, even less so at the moment with the 7 month-old on the loose and the chance of real snow this year is minimal so I don't need anything too advanced.

Boots and bindings still to be sorted, though I was quite disappointed to be told that snowboarding in hiking boots and my noSno Rage bindings wasn't a great idea. Following advice to get down the shops and try on some boots it seems as though Salomon Dialogue boots will support my high arches and would you believe it, it's the only pair not to be on sale right now :-(    But the fella from Salomon Customer support reckons the F20 boot is the same shape inside and they seem to be £40 cheaper.  But that's still loads so its back to ebay, gotta get those bargains!