I've been demoing snowboards since we moved to Utah, as well as demoing skis and taking ski lessons at Alta. I've found that I enjoy snowboarding a lot more than skiing. My tall and skinny frame favor controlling a snowboard over two pairs of skis.

Renting equipment is not so bad. I've got my own boots, so I just go to Salty Peaks and rent a demo board for $20-$40. Not a bad deal. But ultimately I'd like to get my own so that I can get really good and not have to make any adjustments due to being on a different board each time.

The challenge is which board to get.

I've demoed a few Burton boards and some Lib Tech boards. Burton, the biggest name in snowboarding, makes some good boards. The Custom V-Rocker with EST (The Channel) was a really fun ride. The lack of metal plates inside the board where the bindings would go result in a totally unique feel. The board flexes easily and really allows you to feel the mountain under your feet. The problem with the Burton boards I've ridden is the need to maintain a constant edge. The board becomes quite squirrely the moment you try to blast down the mountain head on. The build quality also feels cheaper compared to some other brands.

Lib Tech boards feel completely different. They have extra humps on their boards' waists that they call Magne-Traction. Those grooves are like rails in the snow. You can go full bore down the mountain and have complete control over the board with no need to maintain an edge. They also have reverse camber, same as the Burton boards, so you can easily pop and float over bumps and powder but they feel slightly stiffer. The only weakness of Lib Tech over Burton is the bindings mount. EST is a patented Burton innovation, so Lib Tech uses traditional metal plates instead. But when you're having so much fun on a Lib Tech you forget about the advantages of The Channel.

So I'm finally ready to take the plunge:

Lib Technologies Skate Banana 156 with Bent Metal Restraint bindings.

The yellow color is kinda goofy, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.