The addiction has begun. For one reason or another, you have stumbled upon the sport of mountainboarding and you’re hooked. The very smell of dirt fills you with excitement. You find yourself spotting potential riding spots everywhere you go. Even your daydreams send an anxious dose of adrenaline through your body. You want to ride. Your have to ride. But you still need a board.

When looking for your first board there are two main determining factors. Your weight and your riding style. Although there are other factors, such as brand and price, these have more to do with personal preference or what’s in your wallet.

Weight is easy. Are you a light or heavy rider? If you’re a lighter rider, you’ll need a softer deck. If you’re a heavy rider, you’ll need a stiffer deck. Most board companies provide specific information on which board is right for you according to your weight. If you ride a board that is too soft or too stiff, you’ll find you either bottom out all the time or you can’t get the board to respond or “snap.”

Riding style is the next factor. There are four main styles: freestyle, freeride, boardercross, and kite. Although any mountainboard can be used for any style, the more serious you are about a specific style, the more you will want the right tool for the job.

Freestyle is all about getting air and doing tricks. For this you will want a smaller, lighter board. This doesn’t mean you get a board made for a lighter rider. Boards are made light by the materials used for the deck, trucks, and even the hubs and tires. Your board stiffness, depending on how much air you are going for, will need to be high in order to support your landings without bottoming out. Too stiff, however, will take away from the pop you need to leave the ground.

Freeride is about riding the whole mountain, and attacking various terrain. Boards for this style have to be tough and heavy. The deck should be stiff enough to support cliff drops and extreme terrain. Some companies make 9 inch wheels for freeriders. Bigger wheels provides more clearance which means you keep riding instead of getting tossed. Some boards include a handbrake that allows for steeper rides or single tracks (especially beneficial to the beginner).

Boardercross requires a light and very maneuverable ride. Pay special attention to deck stiffness. Your board needs to be able to respond exactly when you need it to. This will depend on your weight and how aggressively you ride. The harder you ride, the stiffer your deck should be.

The last style is kite. If you plan to ride the winds, you will need a light board with a soft deck. You’ll never leave the ground if your board weighs too much. Every ounce you can shave off counts.

By considering both weight and riding style, you’ll be able to get a board that will let you ride how and what you want. As was mentioned before, most companies make an effort to point out which board you need according to these factors. That way you can find what you need to feed your new addiction. Good luck.