When you are choosing your first pair of skiboards, it is very important to keep some things in mind. You will want the highest performance boards that will fit your budget, and you will want to choose a size that is appropriate for you. Please read the following and apply it to your skiboard purchase.

Performance
     Choosing the right skiboards for you depends a lot on what you want to do on them - this is one of the most important factors. Do you want to jam through moguls, get air and land some outrageous tricks, cruise the halfpipes, lay out carves on the groomed runs, dance down the slopes turning 360's, one-foot turns, etc., hideaway in the glade runs, explore extreme terrain, float in deep powder or all of it (all-mountain skiboards)? Shorter skiboards are more manueverable, easier to learn on, great in moguls, glades and have more of a feel of in-line skates. They tend not to handle those long, deep carves as well and don't have the surface area for smoother landings or work that well in powder. Longer skiboards offer more speed and allow for the deeper, shoulder-to-the-ground carves. Big air addicts usually go with longer boards because of the extra speed and surface area for landing tricks. A symmetrical twin-tip design is a must if you like tricks (on the ground and in the air). Of course, construction of the skiboards also contributes to performance (with the better quality construction yielding higher performance and dependability). In most cases, you do get what you pay for with some exceptions.

Body Size
     It is important that you feel your skiboards will handle your height and weight. Most skiboards are intended for those 59" and above in height. There are skiboards for those under 59" however. Skiboards, not being like skis, don't require certain sizes for a certain height and weight. However, it is important to consider this factor somewhat. If you are unsure as to what size of boards are right for you, a general range of 75cm to 90cm is a safe bet for all around riding.