If you’re looking at getting into snowboarding, going for the second hand option is not a bad way to go. Often you’ll get lucky and find a board that hasn’t been used much at all. If you know nothing about snowboarding gear and have no friends who are boarders then a quick search on Google will turn up plenty of forums where you can get specific answers.
You will be pleased to hear that with just a little bit of knowledge you will find it easy to select the right board for you. Try to decide what type of boarding you will be doing. Do you want to be out all day enjoying some all-mountain boarding or are you into speed? Will you mostly be practicing in your local snow park?
When you are choosing a used snowboard check the sidewall and sandwich layers to make sure the laminate is not splitting apart. Make sure the inserts are in good condition and that the board has a full set. If you can, go for a board with a cap construction because this type don’t have a sidewall, the board is stronger and it flexes better.
Another consideration is the effective edge. This is the area of the board which actually touches the snow. For sharper,...