there are so many different options, brands, and boards made of different materials of different sizes, categories, and length out there that l dont really know where to start.

im5'9 and 160 pounds. im lookin for a board that l can use for a while without having to upgrade to a better one. l dont really plan on doin tricks or anything anytime soon so it wouldnt have to be anything too special.

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

One tip is that the longer your board is the easier it is to do tricks and half pipe. If you're learning go for a shorter board.

Good brands:
Burton
Solomon
Rossignol
Lamar
Morrow
K2

If your going bigmountain pick up something from burton or K2 but if your gonna be a park junky then pick up a forum destroyer

wieght and flexability

If it has the name Burton on it, it is a good board. For your size you would want about a 158-160 cm board.

The best option is to go to a resort that has a good Demo shop, that way u can try before u buy. If u can not do that go to a good board shop & not a big box store (like Big 5 or Copelands) as the people working at the board shop will probably have a better idea as to what they r talking about.

You're right, there r tons & tons of choices out there. When buying a board u need to ask yourself a few important questions.

1.)How good am I?
2.)How much do l ride?
3.)Where do l ride?
4.)What conditions do l ride most?
5.)What type of rider am I?

These will help u determine what board is going to be best for you.

Boards specs r confusing but l will try & breakdown the important ones for u & what u need to look for in them.

Length. There is no right or wrong length as different lengths r better for different styles of riding. Remember that ur height has nothing to do with it as a board has no idea how tall u are. Most boards have a range of weights that they r suited for. Generally, a longer board is more stable & requires a bit more from it is rider to perform well & a shorter board is less stable but very easy to manuever. For the most part, freeriders who r riding powder or at very high speeds like a longer board & park riders (especially jibbers) like shorter boards for their reduced swing weight & extra manueverability. Off the top of my head I'd recommend a board no shorter than a 154 for you.

Width. This is possibly the most important measurement. How big r ur feet? You should ride a board that is wide enough that ur heels & ur toes r just above their edges. If u have too much toe or heel drag u will hang up on ur turns (excess toe drag leads to excess chin drag). If ur board is too wide then it will increase the effort it will take to get the board over on edge. I've actually torn the arch of my foot riding a board that was too wide (yeah, it hurt). Go for the narrowest board possible as the performance gains of quick edge control far outweigh the minimal benefit the extra width will gain u in deep snow. It is a good idea to bring ur boots with u to the shop to help with this.

Sidecut. When u look at a board u can see that the sides of it r cut in. If u use ur imagination, u can see that this cut actually begins the arc of a circle. A board with more cut draws a smaller circle & is better suited for smaller turns. A board with less cut draws out a bigger circle for bigger turns. Generally, park riders like a board with more cut as they need that added manueverability to line up the features in the park. A freerider is usually riding faster & making bigger turns than a park rider so they usually go for a board with less cut. Also, a board with deeper cut can ''hook'' in powder a bit. Keep in mind that it is easier to get a longer turn out of a board with more cut than it is to get a shorter turn out of a board with less cut. (am l confusing u yet?)

Flex. This is the most subjective part to buying a board. A stiffer board is much more stable & responsive but requires more attention from it is rider & will fatigue u more. A softer board is very comfortable & easy to ride but will not respond as well or be as stable, especially at speed. Jibbers like soft boards as they r less likely to hook up on the rails & freeriders like the response of stiffer boards. Most boards these days r built with a flex pattern, meaning that they can be stiff in a certain aspect & soft in another. A great park board will have a stiffer tip & tail for better pop & stability in landing but will have a soft torsional (side to side) flex that will help on the rails or when coming up a little short landing a spin. A great freeride board will be stiff in the tail & underfoot for better drive & softer in the tip to help turn initiation as well as for better float in deep snow. A halfpipe board will be stiff everywhere for maximum pop & edge hold.

I've ridden a lot of boards & right now l really like Burton, K2, Santa Cruz & Endeavor. From Burton u can not go wrong at any level but the Custom offers a lot at a good price. If u wanted a stiffer board the Custom X is amazing & the top of the line T6 is the best board I've ever ridden. The K2 Zepplin is an awesome board, very stiff but it is one of the best ''take no sh*t'' boards I've ever seen, it goes through anything. If u r into park riding u can not beat any of Santa Cruz is TT boards. Their biometric sidecut & comply constuction rule.check out the Seth Huot.

burton.com has a guide that will walk you through and ask various questions about your style preferences and cash availability then point you in the right direction, all else fails the-house.com is cheap as hell!