Clarks would also be my first stop, too. They generally carry last season's gear, so pricing is awesome. I have not been in for many years, but in the past, they carried good brands. I've only been to the one in Roseville.
If quality gear was my top priority, I'd go to REI or that snowboard shop in Placerville (Mountain something?).
Also look for a ski/snowboard swap meet. Great deals can be had, and when I was snowboarding there were usually 3 a year in the area (one at Sac State, one in Auburn and one at the Sacramento Convention Center).
HTH