ASAP snowboard buying help please?

i would say anywhere between a 150cm and 157cm, iw you get between 150 and 155 it will have to be wide, but a 157 could be normal. and go to boardsforless.com if you want super cheap gear because it is from a few years ago and is from closed snowboarding companies but still good quality beginner boards otherwise if you have a little more money to spend the-house.com and dogfunk.com are the best for top gear.

I'm 5'6 and 110 lbs. I ride a 145 freestyle board. (so they are supposed to be about 4 cm. smaller than a downhill board) A 142 would be WAY to small for you. I would say a 150-160 wide snowboard. Do you know what kind of riding you want to get into? If you are interested in eventually doing tricks, choose a 155 or less cm. board. They are easier to turn, and usually lighter. However, if you want to ride mostly hills and deep carving, then choose a 155-160 cm. board. Also, I would suggest you look into a stiffer board to learn your turns and balancing. A flexible board might be harder for a beginner to learn to control it. Does the place you are going to be boarding at have natural or man-made snow? If it's powdery (natural), you might want a longer board. I would suggest Burton. It's all I will ever ride. I've tried K2 and 5150 snowboards, but they're not flexible or poppy enough for me. K2 and Ride boards are good for Freeride and All-mountain boards. Lib Tech and Burton are good for Freestyle. Some Burton boards can withstand fast carving and high speeds just like All-mountain boards, though. Just look into different types, and even ask some professionals. I got my first board at Sun and Ski Sports and the workers there helped me decide on whether the boards I was looking at would be a good choice. Whatever board you choose, you will learn to "progress" on. I suggest looking up boards for beginners. They are often easier to turn and more general in the type of riding they are used for. That way, you can't really make a mistake in choosing. Perhaps you should first learn to snowboard before buying one. They aren't cheap. You need a board (average are $200-500), bindings (about $100-200), and boots ($150-300). Don't forget about the wax you'll have to use every month or two. A good edge tuning is good about once a year, too. Make sure that this is what you want to get into! The moment you ride a brand new board down a hill, the price to sell it drops significantly! Since you mentioned buying online, call or email the business and ask for suggestions. Try to stick to buying from a direct company, such as http://www.burton.com/, so you get the best quality. I chose a Freestyle board for my first one because I liked having more flex and pop for jumps. If you aren't sure of what to get, you can't go wrong with a Freeride board. Look into getting a twin-tip snowboard. You never know if you stance will change later on. (Twin-tips are also good for tricks) Try to buy a FEMALE board! They are definitely lighter and better for a female beginner. Don't try to ride a guy board until you get the basics down. Guy boards are heavier, stiffer, and harder to maneuver. Not the best first board. Some good online stores: http://www.sunandski.com/Womens_Snowboards_s/240.htm http://www.eternalsnow.com/ Even try Craig's List! My friend got her first snowboard off there. Make sure to ask to see the board, if they live close enough, or at least ask for pictures of the whole snowboard. (both sides, too) That way, you can try to be as careful as possible about getting a good quality board. Good luck, and have fun snowboarding! (: