This is one of the most Googled snowboard questions in Australia and one that most retailers dance around because the honest answer involves telling you that some gear is worth spending on and some is not. Here is a straight breakdown — including how to pay less than the prices listed here.
The Three Tiers — What You Actually Get at Each Price Point
Entry Level — $800 to $1,400 total setup
At this price point you are buying gear that works but is built to a budget. Entry level boards have simpler constructions, less refined flex patterns and will feel different to mid-range gear. Entry level boots have less precise liners and less durable outsoles. Bindings at the entry level are functional but have less adjustment range and less durable components.
This tier is appropriate for: someone trying snowboarding for the first time who is not sure how committed they will be, riders who are growing and expect to replace gear within a season or two, or anyone with a genuinely tight budget who wants to get on the mountain.
What to expect to spend:
Board: $400 to $600 — YES. Basic, Ride Compact, entry K2
Boots: $250 to $350 — entry Burton, Salomon, ThirtyTwo
Bindings: $150 to $250 — entry Union, Burton, Salomon
Total: approximately $800 to $1,200 for board, boots and bindings
Our advice at this tier: do not skimp on boots. A $250 boot that fits properly and is heat moulded will outperform a $350 boot that fits badly. Come in and get them fitted properly regardless of price point.
Mid Range — $1,400 to $2,500 total setup
This is where gear starts to feel genuinely good. Mid-range boards have proper construction — quality wood cores, real camber profiles, meaningful flex patterns. Boots at this level have significantly better liners, more durable construction and proper response. Bindings are properly adjustable and built to last multiple seasons.
Most riders who are committed to snowboarding and plan to ride multiple seasons should be here. The cost per use over three to five seasons of riding makes mid-range gear genuinely good value compared to either hiring or replacing cheap gear annually.
What to expect to spend:
Board: $600 to $900 — Jones Mountain Twin, YES. Standard, Burton Custom, Salomon Assassin, K2 Passport
Boots: $350 to $500 — mid-range Burton, Salomon, ThirtyTwo, DC
Bindings: $250 to $400 — Union Contact, Burton Cartel, Salomon Hologram
Total: approximately $1,200 to $1,800 for board, boots and bindings
Premium — $2,500 and above total setup
Premium gear is built for riders who know exactly what they want and have specific performance requirements. Top-end boards use premium materials — carbon stringers, Kevlar reinforcement, hand-laid fibreglass — that meaningfully affect ride feel and performance. Premium boots have custom-mouldable liners, better impact protection and finer lacing precision. Premium bindings have more flex adjustment, lighter construction and better baseplate geometry.
This tier makes sense for: advanced to expert riders who ride fifteen or more days a season and have specific setup preferences, riders who want the absolute best performance available, and those who have tried mid-range gear and know what they want to step up to.
What to expect to spend:
Board: $900 to $1,400 — Jones Mind Expander, YES. PYL, Burton Family Tree, Lib Tech Orca
Boots: $500 to $700 — top-tier Burton, Salomon, ThirtyTwo
Bindings: $400 to $600 — Union Falcor, Burton Mission or Malavita
Total: $1,800 to $2,700 for board, boots and bindings
How to Pay Less Than These Prices
The prices above are full retail. There are three ways to pay meaningfully less without compromising on what you are buying.
Sale stock: we run sale and clearance sections year-round — previous season colourways, end-of-line models and overstock from the brands we carry. The boards, boots and bindings in our sale section are new stock with full Australian warranty. The only difference is the price tag. Checking our sale section before buying full price is always worth doing — particularly in the October to March window after the Australian season ends, when end-of-season pricing hits the best models.
Promo codes and seasonal discounts: we run promotions throughout the year, particularly around pre-season (May-June), EOFY and Boxing Day. Signing up to our email list means you get access to these before they go public. Promo codes apply at checkout on most products across the site.
Price matching: we price match any authorised Australian retailer on identical products. If you have found a lower price on the same board, boot or binding from a legitimate Australian retailer — bring it to us. We will match it and you still get the in-store service, boot fitting, heat moulding and workshop support that comes with buying from Twelve Board Store. We do this because we believe the experience and expertise we offer is worth coming to us for, and price should not be the reason you go elsewhere.
Shop Current Sale Items · Our Price Match Policy
Buy Once, Buy Right
The most expensive way to buy snowboard gear is to buy cheap gear twice. Entry level bindings that wear out after two seasons, a board that you outgrow quickly because it was too forgiving to grow with, boots that were never fitted properly and caused problems for three seasons before you finally replaced them — this pattern costs more over time than buying mid-range gear that lasts.
Our approach is simple: we would rather spend twenty minutes with you understanding how and where you ride, and point you toward gear that will still be the right call in season three, than sell you something that feels like a good deal today and needs replacing next year. That means sometimes recommending gear at a higher price point than what you walked in expecting to spend. And sometimes it means telling you the entry level option is genuinely the right call for your situation.
The advice is free. The heat moulding is free. The price match means you are not paying more than you should. Come in and we will work it out together.
What About Outerwear?
Outerwear is often where people overspend on board and underspend on jacket and pants — or vice versa. Here is the realistic breakdown for Australian conditions:
Entry level jacket and pants: $300 to $500 combined. 10,000mm waterproofing, taped seams. Adequate for occasional use but will feel the limits on a genuinely wet Victorian day.
Mid range: $500 to $900 combined. 15,000mm and above, fully taped seams. The right level for regular Victorian riding. Burton, ThirtyTwo, L1.
Premium: $900 to $1,800 combined. Gore-Tex jackets and pants. Worth it for week-long trips where conditions can be genuinely severe.
Add $100 to $200 for goggles, $100 to $200 for a helmet, $80 to $150 for gloves and $60 to $100 for thermals. A complete kit including outerwear, protection and accessories adds $400 to $800 to any of the above tiers. Check our sale section for outerwear — end-of-season jacket and pant deals are often significant.
What Does a Complete First-Timer Setup Cost?
A practical entry-level setup for someone going to Falls Creek or Buller for the first time who wants to own their gear:
- Board and bindings package: $700 to $900
- Boots (heat moulded in store, free): $300 to $400
- Jacket and pants: $400 to $600
- Helmet: $100 to $150
- Goggles: $100 to $150
- Gloves and thermals: $150 to $200
- Total: approximately $1,750 to $2,400 all in
Compare that to hiring everything at the resort for a week — lift-accessed hire is typically $60 to $80 per day per item. A week of hiring board, boots, bindings, jacket and pants costs $800 to $1,200 and you are riding beat-up gear that does not fit properly. Owning mid-range gear pays for itself in two seasons. And with price matching, sale stock and seasonal promos — the gap between hiring and owning is smaller than most people expect.
Where to Spend and Where to Save
Spend on boots. Every time. A poorly fitted boot ruins the mountain regardless of how good your board is. Heat moulding is included free with every boot purchase at Twelve Board Store.
Spend on outerwear if you are doing multi-day trips. Getting wet and cold ends days early and ruins trips.
Save on bindings at entry level — entry bindings work fine. Upgrade when your riding develops.
Save on your first board — you will know more about what you want after a season. Buy something functional and upgrade when you know your riding style.
Use our sale section and price match. You should not pay more than the best legitimate Australian price for any product we stock.
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