So, how do you know if a product is good? It’s hard to trust the information that companies give you, especially when they all claim that their board is the best or that their new gloves can allow you to time travel.
Not to mention the increasingly unfair standard that some snowboard magazines use to select snowboards that they recommend. It’s hard to look at their reviews as fair when you have to pay a lot of money to get a bigger review.
Here’s how you can find good, independent reviews on snowboard products:
1) Independent sites – aka Shayboarder.com & Angrysnowboarder.com
I’ve always recommended looking for independent reviews at Shayboarder and Angrysnowboarder. Between the two of them, they review A TON of snowboards every year, more than any other sites. They both know their stuff when it comes to testing snowboards and they try their best to be fair and honest.
However, do keep in mind that no one is completely unbiased. Everyone has their preferences, but at least these independent reviews are a good start when researching what snowboard to buy.
2) Forums
Forums are another good resource for independent opinions. However, you do need to keep in mind that not everything you read on forums is right. When you make a post on a forum asking about certain snowboards or gear, you’ll get tons of different opinions. Look for the popular opinion from veterans on the forum who seem like they know what they’re talking about.
One person may say this board is awesome, but another person may say it’s horrible. Always have a look at a person’s previous posting history and how knowledgable their opinions are. There are just as many guys who make silly claims on forums as there as guys who really know their stuff.
Some good forums to start at are SnowboardingForum and EasyLoungin Forum.
3) Ask directly
If you can’t find the review you want or still have questions, you can always ask directly. There’s plenty of people who can help you out.
For starters I know both shayboarder and angrysnowboarder have twitter accounts and facebook pages that they maintain. Those are good starts to ask them a question if you’re really stumped and can’t find the info you need.
I’m always happy to help too, if I can, so feel free to send me a msg too on our facebook or twitter.
Happy gear hunting!
– Jed