Snowboarding Equipment - Outfits, Gear And Boards

Snowboarding is a favorite pastime of many tourists and travellers as they visit the wondrous locations on the planet that permit such activities. Whether it's the snowy alps or even activity centers, snowboarding is something many people should try out at least once. Essentially combining skiing and skateboarding, it requires the snowboarder to drift down snow hills, while maintaining control through good balance. There is a lot more to being a skilled snowboarder, but it all comes with practice and that comes through hours of snowboarding and even lessons from an expert. Another aspect of snowboarding is the equipment. There is a lot of things you need to ensure that you're not only safe, but you're also fully equipped and likely to do better in the long run. Here is the basic layout of snowboarding equipment and what you should definitely include.

The Snowboard

Choosing the correct snowboard can be a bewildering prospect to many newcomers as they come in many shapes, sizes and materials. Many of these aren't explained on seller's websites and visits instore require many questions asked. However, the are some fairly basic rules that you can follow to improve the suitability of your board, all of which are dependent on your budget and your physique.

Generally, a rider's weight and height determine the board's length. As height fluctuates a long and weight is a lot more important, weight takes precedence over height in choosing a board. A rider around 40-50kg should consider a board around 150cm long. 55-65kg should consider 155cm. 68-75kg should consider 160cm. 78-88kg should consider 165cm. These are all general rules and are affected by the rider's stiffness and height, so choosing is not only seeing what is right for you, but also getting practice with the different types of board.

Highend boards will be made from sophisticated materials that reduce weight and improve strength. This is noticeable when picking up two boards of differing qualities and they have varying weights. Spending more will result in a board that lasts for more seasons and will ultimately save you more money if you plan on using your board frequently or at least every season. This also leads onto stiffness in boards, as a stiffer board will soften with use and therefore last longer. However, stiffness is related to user weight and will also determine how difficult it is to use.

Clothing

Your boots are quite important as it will determine the level of toe drag to some extent while also requiring that the user is comfortable as to prevent negation of the fun factor. Your toes should touch the end of the boot liner, but have a little wriggle room. While strange to some, the boot liner will stretch with use as it is heat moldable and will grow to allow for a custom fit. Your heel should be held firmly in place, which means you should try the boots on with the snowboard socks you plan on using to determine the real fit.

To attach your feet to the snowboard, you have several systems, depending on the shoe type. Soft shoes can be used with flow in and strap on systems, which provides the most comfortable and flexible fit. For stepin systems, you'll need stepin shoes, which come in soft and hard varieties. For plate and lever binding systems, only hard boots can be used.