Cheap but Good: Snowboards

Andrew Terpstra

Getting your hands on a brand new board takes a significant amount of money. But with the great invention of the internet—no credit to Al Gore—you can find some great deals online. In most cases shipping makes up for the discount price, but if you look hard enough, the deals are there. The key is to shop in the off-season.

One such site that has some great deals on ’09 boards is Sierra Snowboard. I came across the site just looking for some good deals on Burton boards, and I found the jackpot.

The Burton Custom
Retail Price $549.95—Sierra Snowboard Price: $274.98 (free shipping!)
This is an intermediate to advanced level board. This board can be used for about any terrain imaginable—from parks to cliff drops in the backcountry. With a dual angled sidewall, the Carbon I-Beam backbone, and with Burton’s custom edge tune, this board is one you will be riding for quite some time.
Most people don’t want to drop almost 600 bucks on a board though. But Sierra Snowboard has it for half the price of retail—and the best part is…free U.S. shipping!

The Burton Vapor
Retail Price: $999.99—Sierra Snowboard Price: $499.98 (free shipping!)
The Vapor is just what it sounds like—the lightest board on the market today. This all around board is not for the causal rider. It has been built to exceed every other board on the market. To spend $500 on a on-sale board means you better be out every other day. Although priced still at a solid $500, down from $1,000 is a pretty good deal for a board built with every bit of Burton technology possible. You can check out the specs here. Yet another great deal from Sierra Snowboard that includes guess what? Free shipping!

The Burton Malolo
Retail Price: $549.95—Sierra Snowboard Price: $274.98 (free shipping!)
The Malolo. This board I personally own and I can attest to you it is the best powder board I have ever ridden in my life. The tail of the board is tapered down to be skinnier than the nose so the board literally floats through the deepest snow you can find. While you watch everyone else struggling to keep their boards from sinking, you will just be floating by effortlessly—no exaggeration. Once again—free shipping from Sierra Snowboard.