my own gear

Question
Hi, I'm 6 ft 195 lbs with a size 13 shoe I'm looking to buy my own board, bindings, and boots but I am unsure about what type of board to buy. I am a beginner so I wont be doing any park stuff for awhile just riding down the mountain and having fun.  So what size board should I look to buy and what brand? I don't want a top end board but I don't want a bottom line board either so  somewhere in the middle is what I'm looking for. Thank you

Answer
Colby,

The ideal size for you're board should be in the range of 160 to 170 cm, but this depends on you're personal preference.  With a size 13 foot, you should be looking at wide boards.  Many companies sell boards throughout different price ranges.  

You're best bet is to go to a local shop that specializes in snowboard equipment and ask them to point you in the right direction for you're price range.  

Nearly every good snowboard shop will have a demo program where you can pay to demo different boards, and then use the money that you payed for demos as a shop credit when you do buy a board.  This is a really good way to go, especially if you don't know where to start.  

I won't give you any specific brands to look for, as there are way too many, but if you don't have a local shop to check out, try dogfunk.com.  There is a pretty good selection there.