snowboard weight limit?

[Ill_Logik]

I have a friend who wants to learn to ski or snowboard. Right now he is leaning towards snowboarding, but being a snowboarder myself I noticed that a lot of boards give maximum weight limits. It is usually between 180-220 pounds. My friend weighs about 300 lbs., give or take 20lbs. I was just wondering if anyone knows if snowboard weight limits given by manufacturers are set in stone or if it is just a suggestion for performance reasons. I don’t really want to suggest that my friend try skiing simply because of weight reasons because he doesn’t think he weighs that much and will probably get pretty pissed off. But I also don’t want him to break a board and have to pay 300 bucks to replace it. Thanks in advance for any info.

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

My understanding of the reason for maximum weight limits on snowboards is that that’s simply how much the construction can carry before breaking. Snowboards are made out of layers of plastic and fiberglass and wood, and they’re designed to flex, but if they’re carrying too much weight, they can only flex so far, and then they’ll just break.

http://www.snowboarding.about.com/library/weekly/aaConstruction.htm

Also, found this.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/siforwomen/2001/january_february/gear_goddess/snowboards/

If you are above average weight for your height, choose a stiffer board. The board will react better to the force you put into turns and jumps and will support your weight more effectively.

< snip >

Today’s boards are lighter than ever. Most boards have wood cores, which are durable and lightweight. Wood cores absorb vibrations well and give the board a snappy feel. Cores that blend wood and carbon fiber are a more recent technological development. Though slightly heavier, a blended core lasts longer than a wood-only core.

http://www.windsurfnsnow.com.au/snowboarding/tips.htm

When considering the length of your new board, it is usual to choose one that is about 90% of your height. For example if you are 180cm tall then your board should be about 160cm. You will also need to consider your weight, style of riding and the type of snow you expect to be riding on. Heavier riders generally need a slightly longer board.

http://www.thebigrush.com.au/equip/articles/buyingsnowboard.htm

Weight - Weight is by far, the most important rider characteristic in determining board size. A snowboard acts like a leaf spring, in that it has no clue how tall the person standing on it is, but it does know their weight. When a heavy rider purchases a board that is too short, the board will have a tendency to “wash out” or perform poorly, especially at higher speeds. A lighter person on a longer board will usually have problems controling their board and initiating turns.

http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/snowboard/snowboard2.html

Consider your weight. Smaller, lighter folk should get a shorter, flexible board (to give them some weight for control), while bigger, heavier people should get a longer, rigid board (to help them sail along the smooth powder).

This site also suggests renting a snowboard the first few times, to get a feel for it without spending $$$ on a snowboard. And if the rental place refuses to rent to him because he might break their board, that might be a useful hint to him that he should look into skiing instead, and it won’t have come from you.

So it looks to me like a big rider needs a big board, so if his heart is really set on snowboarding, tell your friend to shop around and look for a decent, sturdy board that’s engineered to support his weight.

From a Google cache www.priorsnowboards.com/news_v2.html

184 WCR CUSTOM: 19.5cm waist; 12" split in tail; floral topsheet; graphite base. Darren Chalmers test board. Suitable for rider heavier than 190 lbs.

Why would you be the one to pay for his broken board?