How to choose a Board + How's made a snowboard: . Now I’ll comment an article I found on Virus site that explaines on the argument.

As u can imagine boards should be manufactured from high-tech materials in connection with proven materials like full-wood cores. Handcrafting costs are high, but the result is much better than a serial one, since the technology is not so developed. (Due to the small market). Than best producer, should reinforce wood core by layers of carbon fiber. Virus says "These carbon layers are tailored from pure and continuously woven carbon fiber. Knowingly, we relay on only the highest quality materials and abstain from expensive PR-campaigns in favor of optimum riding pleasure.

Look at the stainless steel inserts that should be locked in titian plates, which significantly increases the amount of force needed to rip out a binding. "Thus the problem of bump development in the boards’ binding areas is eliminated." The wood cores should be pre-glued to the final amount of camber... And it lasts and lasts. I had a bed experience on that, I destroyed a board and finally had to re-inserting it. It has happened the same to Alessandro, a friend, with the same board. Please consider to use only screws of a certain correct length and glue them, once u decide the correct position of the binding. When u buy a snowboard ask the salesman to explain this simply things about bindings.

Nowadays boards are manufactured by using sandwich technology: this is a costly type of production, consider this when buying a board. Check the thick of running bases that guarantee the precision and performance. Also the steel edges are important, high quality means allow you for repeated subsequent machining enhancing the lifespan of the board. But's hard to verify the quality of the steel, especially now that the prices of raw material are increasing.

Note for beginners or middle level snowboarders: Once you develop your own style you can think about looking for a hand maker that will manufacture the board you prefer. Please don't do the contrary just to have a personalized board... you will need the double of time to learn snowb. since you'll have to adapt to board. Firm makers do good standardized boards developed by lots of experts, let use their experience. NOTE about handmade boards: I'm speaking of not so much expensive boards, Tomahawk that manufactures World Cup Snowboards hand makes personalized board for at least 700 euros. (That is less than the average price for a Virus of F2 or Kessler etcetc) ask Micheleali@libero.it that is Tomahawk-addict ..

Before buying have a try with the board. It is hard that a shop gives you such an opportunity, but that's the only way to understand. Me and friends, we usually do try of "strange" (for the moment) boards. Look at the photos of the 196cm long Tomahawk or just think at the skwals (10-11 cm width). Ask the salesman for that, sometimes they accept. And more, contact me if you have any idea to try a particular board, we'll try to arrange a contest day.

Now I use to skwal. What does it means "skwal"?? It is always the same sport, snowboarding with 2 foots in line. The difference is that the board is not so wide; it seems a ski more than a snowboard. It's incredible but after 8 years snowboarding I discovered a new world. Skwal gives the stability at high speed that a snowb can't give. But, please, if you are intrested, do the things in order, don't jump from a soft board to a skwal because it wouldn't have much sense, you'd hate it.

So finally I bought two identical boards for a very low price (250 Euros inc.bindings): In the pic you can see that the only difference are the bindings. On Skwalzone.org you have all the details and the history of skwal. I have just quoted a part from the description of my board. Please, visit their site, it is well done and selfexplanatory.

Alpine snowboarding

An alpine snowboarderAlpine snowboarding is a small niche of the sport of snowboarding. It is typically practiced with hard plastic shelled boots called "hardboots" and carving or race-oriented snowboards. Loosely, it is the pursuit of snowboarding mostly on the ground, in the forward direction, with the primary goal of making clean, smooth turns. By this definition, alpine snowboards technically came first, and freestyle snowboards came second. However the term "alpine" has come to be mostly associated with snowboarding in hardboots, as they are the choice for people seeking the purest carved turn. Lately, the terms "Alpine Snowboarding" and "Hardboot Snowboarding", or just "Hardbooting" have become synonymous. (From Wikipedia)

Racing Vs Carving and also Vs Soft Snowboard styles:

Racing vs. Carving
There are a few differences between carving and racing:

"Carvers finish their turns but racers don't. Carvers make complete half-circles, which would be too wide for a race course. Racers make turns that are more elongated in the direction of the fall line, and change edges before the board becomes perpendicular to the fall line. This difference is the primary reason why carving technique is different from racing technique. If you tried to carve on a PGS course, you would probably encroach on your neighbor.
Racers minimize their body movement to follow the fastest line down a course, but carvers apply exaggerated movements. Carvers often rotate their torso into the slope ahead of the long axis of the board on each turn to carve half-circles, whereas racers typically keep their torso facing a direction between the angle of their bindings and the long axis of the board to avoid over-rotation.
Carvers never skid, but the winning racer will always skid. Racers often skid or glide flat on the board, especially at the beginning of each turn.
Racers try to be as fast as possible, whereas many carving styles often result in the slowest possible speed down the fall line. Carvers can tip the board high on edge and carve tight radius turns, which generates a centripetal force that counteracts gravity and bleeds off speed. As you get better at carving, your technique will result in slower speeds, which will require you to move to steeper and steeper terrain to maintain sufficient speed to get the board to carve.
Carvers are often anti-competitive. The idea is to express yourself rather than compete. Racing is racing, and carving is carving, and never the twain shall meet." (from The Carvers Almanac)

The beauty of snowboarding from a funny point of view of a skiier: "I've seen the nice continuous carve lines in the snow. At least I think they looked continuous, but I'll have to look closer next time I see some, because here's what puzzles me. I understand how the board creates a nice clean line when it is on one edge or the other and only moving in the direction of that edge. But what happens in the period as the board shifts from one edge to the other? In carving this happens gradually, so how does the carve line get made during that period? I would think that the line would disappear as the board goes flat, then reappear when the other edge is in the snow...". Ok, there is a world to explain to this friend .. just pay attention to the beauty of the act: It would be intresting beeing inside the board during the change of edge and in general during sollecitations...also to understand our mistakes..

Equipement
1.1 Snowboards
1.2 Bindings
1.3 Boots

Snowboards
Alpine snowboards are stiffer and narrower than freestyle or freeride boards and have small noses and minimal tails to maximize effective edge length. Alpine boards are often longer than other snowboards and vary in length from around 150 to over 200 centimeters; they have large sidecut radii, mostly in the range of nine to fifteen meters. There are three main types of alpine snowboard: all-mountain, freecarve, and race.

All-Mountain
All-mountain boards are built to provide strong carving ability while allowing all-terrain riding. They are wider and feature full noses and round tails.
Freecarve
Freecarve boards are built for carving on groomed trails. They resemble race boards, but are designed to be ridden recreationally, and at slower speeds than race boards.
Race
Race boards are used by experts for high speed, high precision carving. They are raced at the national and World Cup level in slalom and giant slalom, and at the Olympic level in giant slalom. A few top level snowboard cross racers also ride alpine snowboards. Race boards are also commonly used recreationally by expert snowboarders, or those seeking to become experts. Manufacturers of alpine boards typically offer slightly detuned versions of their race models in a standard "stock" range of sizes. They may also offer full professional race construction for a premium.

Bindings
Alpine snowboards use plate bindings that are much stiffer than the common strap bindings found on most snowboards. The bindings use a variety of different mechanisms to keep the boot in place. The traditional is a set of bails and a toe clip. Other step-in systems like the Intec system have become popular. Some manufacturers also have their own proprietary step-in systems.

Boots
Alpine snowboarders use boots with a hard plastic shell somewhat similar to ski boots, though they tend to have a shortened heel to minimize hanging over the edge of the snowboard, and have more fore-aft ankle flexibility than ski boots.