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Short version: buy from an authorised Australian dealer with staff who ride and a workshop on site. That combination is rarer than it sounds, and it's what separates a purchase you're happy with from one you have questions about in July.
Australia has a handful of genuine specialist snowboard retailers and a much larger number of general sporting goods stores and online-only operations selling boards alongside football boots. The difference matters more than most first-time buyers realise.
What's the difference between an authorised dealer and grey market?
An authorised Australian dealer buys stock through official channels, carries genuine Australian warranty, and has brand support behind them for claims and product issues. A grey market retailer imports from overseas markets, often cheaper, with no Australian warranty and no brand support when something goes wrong.
For boards this matters less — a board is relatively simple and claims are rare. For boots it matters a lot. If your liner packs out badly or there's a defect, an authorised dealer manages that claim with the brand directly. A grey market seller can't.
We're an authorised Australian dealer for every brand we stock — Burton, Jones, YES., Lib Tech, K2, Salomon, Ride, ThirtyTwo, Nidecker, Nitro, Whitespace, L1 and Yuki Threads among them. Full Australian warranty on all of it.
Should you buy a snowboard online or in store?
Buying a board online is fine if you've done the research. Length, width, flex and camber profile are all objectively measurable, and a board that's right on paper is usually right in practice. Our sizing guide covers what to check.
Buying boots online without a fitting is a gamble. Sizing varies between brands by up to a full size, and fit characteristics — width, heel volume, arch height — vary enough to ruin a season. A boot that's the right size in the wrong brand for your foot shape will cause problems every day you ride it.
If you're ordering boots online, call first. Five minutes about your foot shape and any previous boot problems gets you far closer to the right call. We take those calls every day on 03 9421 2293.
If you can get to Melbourne, come in. We heat mould every boot purchase free, and the difference a properly moulded boot makes isn't marginal.
What should you look for in a snowboard shop?
Staff who actually ride. Obvious, but not universal. Someone who's ridden Australian resorts knows what works in wet snow, variable temperatures and firm morning groomers. That's the difference between a recommendation for your conditions and one lifted from a Northern Hemisphere buying guide. Our crew have ridden powder in Japan, trees in Canada and slush laps at Falls Creek, and the advice comes from that.
A workshop on site. Can they wax and tune before you leave for the mountain? Heat mould your boots? Handle a warranty assessment without sending gear interstate? These are what separate a specialist from a shop that takes your money and wishes you luck.
Range depth. A shop stocking one or two brands at entry level can't match you to the right gear, because the recommendation is limited to what they happen to have. You want multiple brands across all price points.
A price match policy. You shouldn't pay more than the best legitimate Australian price. A shop confident in its service should match any authorised Australian dealer. We do — bring us a lower price from a legitimate retailer and we'll match it.
What about buying from outside a capital city?
We ship free Australia-wide on orders over $90, with same or next day dispatch on in-stock items. Most of the snowboard range sits in our Richmond warehouse and goes out fast.
If you can't get in store, the boot conversation happens on the phone and we include detailed fit guidance with every boot order. It isn't as good as a fitting, but it's a long way better than guessing off a size chart.
Who we are
Twelve Board Store is a specialist snowboard, skate and electric retailer at 435A Bridge Road, Richmond, Melbourne. Open since 2013, open seven days.
Our staff snowboard. Frosty runs the in-house workshop and grew up at Mt Buller. We're the only Jones EPICenter in Australia and the largest Jones dealer in the southern hemisphere, a Jones Re-Up drop-off point, and Mint Tours are our travel partner of close to twenty years.
We're not the biggest snowboard retailer in Australia by revenue. We're the one that cares most about getting your setup right.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to buy a snowboard in Australia? An authorised Australian dealer with staff who ride and a workshop on site. That gets you genuine warranty, advice based on Australian conditions, and someone who can fix things without sending your gear interstate.
Is it safe to buy a snowboard online? Yes, if you know your size. Boards are objectively specified so a board that's right on paper is usually right in practice. Boots are the risky one — call before you order.
What is a grey market snowboard retailer? One importing stock from overseas outside official channels. Usually cheaper, but no Australian warranty and no brand support if there's a defect.
Can I buy snowboard boots online without trying them? You can, but sizing varies by up to a full size between brands and fit shape varies more than that. Call the retailer and talk through your foot shape first, or get fitted in person if you can.
Do snowboard shops price match in Australia? Good ones do. We match any authorised Australian dealer's price on identical in-stock gear.
Do you ship snowboards Australia-wide? Yes, free on orders over $90, with same or next day dispatch on in-stock items from our Richmond warehouse.
Come and see us, or call
Shop snowboards · Shop boots · Buying in Melbourne · All buying guides
435A Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121. 03 9421 2293. Open 7 days.
