Lamar boards any good?

[eternalX]

They have complete packages (board, boots, bindings) on ebay for like $269. Are they any good? It'd be for a beginner (though to maintain my machismo, i'll point out that it's not for me. I am an excellent boarder that could take you all on, of course).

 

What's the rule of thumb on board sizing in the NW? CHin height for a beginner?

[skyclimb]

My first board was a Lamar, when Lamar and Burton were head to head in the late 80's. Burton had just come out with the Burton Air, which revolutionized the industry. That first Lamar was good, but slowely Burton took hold, and Lamar lost its competitive advantage. It appears they are making a come back these days, but with the big name companies with a strong hold on the mature market..blah blah blah....

For a beginner any board will do, but when you really start caring about your style of riding you will want to delineate between wood and foam cores, length, snap, shape, and overall feel.

I used to work for Wild Duck snowboards, who are a european based company who produces wood core boards. I am 5' 9 1/4" and would ride a 151 in the park, because the shorter length is easier to spin off of, and sliding rails is much easier due to less weigth. I would ride a 158 for powder days, as it will float much better. A shorter board will be easier to control for a beginner, and a wood core seems like a much more stable design that will last much longer than a foam core.

I now ride a Burton. It is foam core, and has the most SNAP of any board I have ever owned. Two years ago I bought a Burton, and trashed it within 10 days. Blew two edges out, took core shots all over, and ripped the lamenet off the top. I sent it back to burton, and they sent me a new board under warrenty

Never Summer also makes AMAZING boards from what I have heard.

my 2 cents

[shapp]

I personally don't remember Lamar being much competition to Burton in the late 1980s, Kemper was starting to come on as a low end dominator, Gunu, and avalanche were doing alright, morrow and joy ride were starting to come on the scene. It has been so long now, someone should right up a history.

 

I personally have been riding avalanche and rossignol boards for a very long time and love both, I do ride plates though so my opinion is in the minority and should be considered utterly useless.

[skyclimb]

Good call, it was a Kemper, not a Lamar, in fact the only thing I remeber Lamar making was snowboard t-shirts. And Morrow, yeah, those were the three....Morrow, kemper and Burton.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Lamar had a pretty good reputation in the mid 90s, with a good team and decent boards. Technology has changed a lot since then. I think lamar got bought out at some point, and now they market primarily to large retailers at the lower end (ie GI Joes etc). Probably a decent setup for the price, but there is a reason they are so cheap.

[bDubyaH]

sounds like a great price for a noob. i can't claim to like their boards, only ridden one once a 165 that was way too soft and noodly for me, high speed carves were downright dangerous! can't comment on board size as at 5'10" and 150# i ride a 170 wide board, ak bias i guess. overall i'd say get the deal.

[AJScott]

lamar makes boards for gart sports, big5 and such. They are junk in my opinion. But for someone who has never snowboarded, it will get them through there first season...and get them stoked when they finally get on a nice setup. A lot of board company's make pretty good snowboards now a days, you cant go wrong with burton, or never summer. Both have great warranties, never summer I believe has a 2 year warranty! Length all depends on riding style, for the Great EnDub get a tall board for chargin the cherry cherry gnar gnar bro braaahhhhhhh.

[alienPDX]

I'll second the fact that almost any board will do for a beginner for the first 1-2 seasons. After that they will want to switch to a better (and more $$$) setup. Chin height is decent as a general rule.